Living In Fellowship With One Another

VERSE OF THE DAY

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

If we are living in the light to be noticed as God is in the light on a pedestal then we worship with one another and the blood of Jesus his son makes us pure as snow cleansing us of all sin and impurities

7 But if we awalk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the bblood of Jesus Christ his Son ccleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have ano bsin, we cdeceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

What Does 1 John 1:7 Mean? ►

But if we live in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:7(WNT)

Verse Thoughts

Fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ can be such a blessed experience, but to enjoy sweet fellowship with our Heavenly Lord is the pinnacle of being a sinner saved by grace. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, and walking in the warmth and radiance of His perfect light and communing with Him is the right and privilege of all believers – nevertheless, fellowship with our Father is a believer’s choice.

Sin is the cause of broken fellowship with God. Christians that are out of fellowship with the Lord are walking in darkness, and sin is the cause of all broken fellowship. Allowing unconfessed sin to lurk within or pretending to be in fellowship while walking in the darkness is simply a lie. Fellowship with the Father is incompatible with sin – but if we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.

Any one of us who says that we are in fellowship with the Father while walking in darkness and sin is a liar who is not walking in spirit and truth: “BUT if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

During our sojourn on earth, we are living in a fallen body with a sinful nature that must be kept nailed to the Cross. We can never achieve sinless perfection as some like to teach, but can choose to live in the light by keeping a short rein on sin, dying to self, living for Christ, submitting to God, resisting the devil, and flying to our Heavenly Father to receive His forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Mediator.

When we walk in the light, we will maintain sweet fellowship with the Lord. But if we choose to step outside of the light, our fellowship with our Father will be interrupted. There are many enticements to sin and we can choose to disobey God’s will for our life and foolishly step back into the darkness from which we have been rescued – but the consequences for carnality in a Christian is a loss of reward – eternally saved but a wasted life, loss of reward, and broken fellowship with our Father.

Because we are children of God, we are children of the light. At salvation, we were transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son and as such, we are expected to walk in the light as He is in the light. But the world wants to squeeze us back into its mould and the enemy of our soul wants to entice us away from the glorious light of the gospel of truth into the destructive cul-de-sac of darkness and sin.

But God is light and in Him is no darkness at all and those who choose to walk in darkness have, of their own volition, removed themselves from sweet fellowship with the One Who purchased them with His own blood, having rescued them from the jaws of Satan, sin, and death.

Yes, it is through the shed blood of Jesus, our Saviour, that we were cleansed at our salvation and brought into the light, and it is as sinners saved by grace, that we need to be continually cleansed of any post-salvation sin as we travel through this life. While all our sins, past, present, and future, were forgiven the moment we trusted Christ for salvation, we need to confess any post-salvation sin to our Heavenly Father in order to be returned into fellowship with Him – for sin is the cause of broken fellowship.

God is love and peace and hope and joy – and God is purest light. He knows that the perfect place of protection and joy for all His children is to remain in fellowship with Him and to walk in the light of His love, just as He is in the light. When a sinner who has been saved by grace, chooses to live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, he has made a wise decision, for he will not only enjoy blessed fellowship with His Christian brothers and sisters who are also living in God’s light, but will enjoy unbroken fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, and sweet communion with the great Father of light and life and hope and love.

Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/1-john-1-7

Devotional

Walking in the Darkness or Light (1 John 1:6-7)

Posted on Monday, February 15th, 2021 at 12:19 pm.

Would those closest to you describe you as authentic or phony? Unfortunately, our culture blinds us to pretense: “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth” (1 John 1:6). Too often, we claim to trust in Christ, but we live no differently than those who do not have faith in Him. We like the idea of Jesus, but we never fully surrender to Him, missing out on His vision for our lives.

Whether it is the texts we send, the posts we make, the emails we write, or the arguments we have, we often cause others to stumble in the darkness because we don’t flip the switch and reflect the light of Christ. We become blind guides, just like the Pharisees (Matthew 23:16). All the while, our world recognizes us as a counterfeit. Jesus used the term, hypocrite, meaning an actor, for teachers of the law and Pharisees who pretended to be righteous on the outside, but were unrighteous on the inside (Matthew 23:27-28).

Darkness is the absence of light, yet one ray of light can illuminate the night.

Everything changes when we walk in the light of Christ: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). When we surrender our lives to Jesus, we live authentically. His Spirit cleanses us from our pretending and deepens our relationships. We reflect the light of Christ, helping everyone see His face, His identity, the true light full of grace and truth (John 1:9, 14).

Make an appointment with God. Ask Him to show you any part of your life where you are living in darkness and then walk in the Light.

dac4admin

On December 6, 2015, 4:37 am

1 John Chapter 1

1 John 1 – Fellowship with God

Most people understand that the important things in life are not things at all – they are the relationships we have. God has put a desire for relationship in every one of us, a desire He intended to be met with relationships with other people, but most of all, to be met by a relationship with Him. In this remarkable letter, John tells us the truth about relationships – and shows us how to have relationships that are real, for both now and eternity.

A. The purpose of the letter: to bring you into relationship with God.

1. (1-2) John begins with the center of relationship: Jesus Christ.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us.

a. That which was from the beginning: The beginning John wrote of is not the beginning of this world; nor is it the beginning of creation. It is the beginning of Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1, the beginning there was before there was anything, when all there existed was God.

i. The beginning of Genesis 1:1 is simple: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The beginning of John 1:1 is profound: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John takes us back to this time in eternity past, to meet this One which was from the beginning.

ii. Whoever, or whatever, John wrote of, he said his subject was eternal and therefore was God because the subject existed before all else and was the source and basis of the existence of all things.

b. Which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled: This indicates that this eternal being – the One from the beginning – came to earth, and John (among others) personally experienced this eternal One.

i. “We deliver nothing by hearsay, nothing by tradition, nothing from conjecture; we have had the fullest certainty of all that we write and preach.” (Clarke) The idea is that this eternal subject of John has been audibly heard, physically seen, intently studied (have looked upon), and tangibly touched (hands have handled). This idea would have enormous implications for his readers.

ii. The implications were enormous because they said that this eternal God became accessible to man in the most basic way, a way that anyone could relate to. This eternal One can be known, and He has revealed Himself to us.

iii. The implications were enormous because they proved that John’s words have the weight of eyewitness evidence. He did not speak of a myth or of a matter of clever story-telling. He carefully studied this eternal One and he knew whom he spoke about.

iv. Enormous because it debunked dangerous teachings that were creeping into the church, known as Gnosticism. Part of the teaching of Gnosticism was that though Jesus was God, He was not actually a physical man, but instead some kind of pseudo-physical phantom. Yet John declared, “I heard Him! I saw Him! I studied Him! I touched Him!”

c. The Word of Life: John identified this eternally existent being, who was physically present with John and others (note the repetition of our, and not “my”), as the Word of Life. This is the same Logos spoken of in John 1:1.

i. The idea of the Logos – of the Word – was important for John and for the Greek and Jewish worlds of his day. For the Jew, God was often referred to as the Word because they knew God perfectly revealed Himself in His Word. For the Greek, their philosophers had spoken for centuries about the Logos – the basis for organization and intelligence in the universe, the Ultimate Reason which controls all things.

ii. It is as if John said to everyone, “This Logos you have been talking about and writing about for centuries – well, we have heard Him, seen Him, studied Him, and touched Him. Let me now tell you about Him.”

d. The life was manifested: This life was manifested, meaning that it was made actually and physically real. John solemnly testified as an eyewitness (we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you) that this was the case. This was no fairy tale, no “Once upon a time” story. This was real, and John tells us about it as an eyewitness.

e. Eternal life which was with the Father: In calling Jesus eternal life, John remembered the words of Jesus (John 5:26, 6:48, and 11:25). He also repeated the idea expressed in his first words of this letter: that Jesus Himself is eternal, and therefore God.

i. We can say that people are eternal, but we say this with the understanding that we mean they are eternal in the future sense – they will never perish, being immortal (John 5:29). Yet people are not eternal in the past sense; to say that something is eternal in the past sense is the same as saying it is equal to God or God’s Word.

ii. The eternal existence of Jesus is also declared in Micah 5:2 – But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. The word everlasting here literally means, “beyond the vanishing point.”

f. Which was with the Father: This refers to the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son. There was an eternal relationship of love and fellowship between the Father and the Son. Jesus referred to this in John 17:24: “For You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”

i. This eternal relationship is clearly described in the Scriptures, but we could also understand it from simple logic. If God is love (1 John 4:8) and God is eternal (Micah 5:2), we understand that love in isolation is meaningless. Love needs an object, and since there was a time before anything was created, there was a time when the only love in the universe was between the members of the Godhead: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

g. Was with the Father: The word with indicates that this being, who is eternal, and is eternal life Himself, is distinct from the Father. John builds the New Testament understanding of the Trinity – that one God exists as three Persons, equal and one, yet distinct in their person.

i. The Bible links together the names of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in a way that is unimaginable for other persons. We read, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Yet we would never say, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of Michael the Archangel.”

ii. We read, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14). Yet we would never say, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of the Apostle Paul, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

iii. We read, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:2). Yet we would never say, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of the Apostle Peter.”

2. (3) An invitation to relationship.

That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

a. That you may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ: The purpose of John’s declaration about this eternally existent, physically present, Word of life who is God, yet is a person distinct from the Father, is to bring his readers into fellowship with both God’s people and God Himself.

i. You can enjoy this fellowship even though you do not understand all the intricacies of the trinity. You can use your eyes even though you don’t know every detail of how your vision works. You can know God and believe in Him as He has revealed Himself, even though you can’t understand everything about His person or nature.

b. Fellowship: The idea of fellowship is one of the most important ideas in this letter of John’s. It is the ancient Greek word koinonia, which speaks of a sharing, a communion, a common bond and common life. It speaks of a living, breathing, sharing, loving relationship with another person.

i. “This is one of the greatest statements of the New Testament, and it may safely be said that its greatness is created by the richness of the word which is the emphatic word, viz., fellowship.” (Morgan)

ii. “The Greek word koinonia is derived from the word koinos, which very literally means common, in the sense of being shared by all.” (Morgan) The use of the word in Acts 2:44 is very helpful: Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common. The word common is the ancient Greek word koinonia.

iii. “Those who have a fellowship one with another, are those who share the same resources, and are bound by the same responsibilities. The idea becomes almost overwhelming when it is thus applied to the relationship which believing souls bear to the Father, and to His Son Jesus Christ… The Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and all believers have all things in common. All the resources of each in the wondrous relationship are at the disposal of the others. Such is the grace of our God, and of His Son.” (Morgan)

c. Fellowship… with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ: This simple and bold statement means that one can have a relationship with God. This idea would surprise many of John’s readers, and it should be astounding to us. The Greek mind-set highly prized the idea of fellowship, but restricted to men among men – the idea of such an intimate relationship with God was revolutionary.

i. Jesus started the same kind of revolution among the Jews when He invited men to address God as Father (Matthew 6:9). We really can have a living, breathing relationship with God the Father, and with Jesus Christ. He can be not only our Savior, but also our friend and our closest relationship.

ii. Actually, for many people this is totally unappealing. Sometimes it is because they don’t know who God is, and an invitation to a “personal relationship with God” is about as attractive to them as telling an eighth-grader they can have a “personal relationship with the assistant principal.” But when we know the greatness, the goodness, and the glory of God, we want to have a relationship with Him.

iii. Other people turn from this relationship with God because they feel so distant from Him. They want a relationship with God, but feel so disqualified, so distant. They need to know what God has done to make this kind of relationship possible.

d. Fellowship… with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ: The kind of relationship John described is only possible because Jesus is who John says He is in 1 John 1:1-2. If someone invited you to have a “personal relationship” with Napoleon, or Alexander the Great, or Abraham Lincoln – or even Moses or the Apostle Paul – you would think them foolish. One cannot even have a genuine “spiritual” relationship with a dead man. But with the eternal God who became man, we can have a relationship.

i. The word fellowship has in it not only the idea of relationship, but also of sharing a common life. When we have fellowship with Jesus, we will become more like Him.

ii. The disciples did not have this close fellowship with Jesus when He walked this earth with them. As Jesus said to Philip at the very end of His earthly ministry, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?” (John 14:9) Their true fellowship was not created by material closeness to the material Jesus, but by a work of the Holy Spirit after the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Therefore we can enter into the same fellowship with God that the Apostles could enter.

e. Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ: We have the potential of a relationship of a shared life with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. It is as if the Father and the Son agree together to let us into their relationship of love and fellowship.

i. This idea of a shared life is essential. This doesn’t mean that when Jesus comes into our life He helps us to do the same things, but simply to do them better than before. We don’t add Jesus to our life. We enter into a relationship of a shared life with Jesus. We share our life with Him, and He shares His life with us.

f. That you also may have fellowship with us: We may think it curious that John first considers fellowship with God’s people; but this is often how people come to experience a relationship with God: they first encounter God through relationships with God’s people.

i. “When fellowship is the sweetest, your desire is the strongest that others may have fellowship with you; and when, truly, your fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, you earnestly wish that the whole Christian brotherhood may share the blessing with you.” (Spurgeon)

g. With the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ: Here John finally names this being – eternally existent, physically present, the Word of Life, truly God (yet distinct from the Father) – it is God the Son, whose name is Jesus, who is the Christ (Messiah).

3. (4) The result of relationship.

And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

a. That your joy may be full: The result of fellowship is fullness of joy. This joy is an abiding sense of optimism and cheerfulness based on God, as opposed to happiness, which is a sense of optimism and cheerfulness based on circumstances.

i. John clearly echoed an idea Jesus brought before His disciples the night before His crucifixion. He wanted fullness of joy for them – even knowing that the cross was directly in front of them.

· These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:11).

· Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:24).

· But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves (John 17:13).

b. That your joy may be full: Fullness of joy is certainly possible for the Christian, but it is by no means certain. John wrote with the desire that believers would have fullness of joy – and if it were inevitable or very easy to have, he would not have written this.

i. The Christian’s joy is important, and assaulted on many fronts. External circumstances, moods and emotions, or sin can all take away our joy. Yet the Christian’s joy is not found in the things of this world, as good as they might be. When John wrote about these things, he wrote about this relationship of fellowship and love we can share in with God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ.

ii. Too many Christians are passive in their loss of joy. They need to realize it is a great loss and do everything they can to draw close to God and reclaim that fullness of joy. “If any of you have lost the joy of the Lord, I pray you do not think it a small loss.” (Spurgeon)

4. Observations on this first portion of the book, which is one long sentence in the original manuscript.

a. John began with the beginning – the eternal God, who was before all things.

b. He told us that this God was physically manifested, and that he and others could testify to this as eyewitnesses.

c. He told us that this God is the Word of life, the Logos.

d. He told us that this God is distinct from the person of God the Father.

e. He told us that we may have fellowship with this God, and that we are often introduced into this fellowship with God by the fellowship of God’s people.

f. He told us that this eternally existent God, the Word of Life, who was physically present with the disciples and others (and present for fellowship), is God the Son, named Jesus Christ.

g. He told us that fellowship with Jesus leads to a life lived in fullness of joy.

h. We could say that in these four verses, John gave us enough to live our whole Christian life on. No wonder one commentator wrote, “Observe the note of wonder in the Apostle’s language. Speech fails him. He labours for expression, adding definition to definition.” (Expositor’s)

B. John’s message from God: dealing with sin and maintaining relationship.

1. (5) Sin and the nature of God.

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

a. This is the message: This is a claim to authority. John isn’t making this up; these are not his own personal opinions or ideas about God. This is God’s message about Himself (which we have heard from Him), which John now reveals to us (and declare to you).

i. What John will tell us about God is what God has told us about Himself. We can’t be confident in our own opinions or ideas about God unless they are genuinely founded on what God has said about Himself.

b. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all: We must begin our understanding of God here. John declares this on the simple understanding that God Himself is light; and light by definition has no darkness at all in it; for there to be darkness, there must be an absence of light.

i. A good definition of God is, “God is the only infinite, eternal, and unchangeable spirit, the perfect being in whom all things begin, and continue, and end.” Another way of saying that God is perfect is to say that God is light.

ii. “LIGHT is the purest, the most subtle, the most useful, and the most diffusive of all God’s creatures; it is, therefore, a very proper emblem of the purity, perfection, and goodness of the Divine nature.” (Clarke)

iii. “There are spots in the sun, great tracts of blackness on its radiant disc; but in God is unmingled, perfect purity.” (Maclaren)

c. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all: Therefore, if there is a problem with our fellowship with God, it is our fault. It is not the fault of God because there is no sin or darkness in Him at all.

i. Any approach to relationship with God that assumes, or even implies, that God might be wrong, and perhaps must be forgiven by us, is at its root blasphemous and directly contradicts what John clearly states here.

2. (6) God’s sinlessness and our relationship with Him.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

a. If we say that we have fellowship with Him: John first deals with a false claim to fellowship. Based upon this, we understand that it is possible for some to claim a relationship with God that they do not have. We can also say that it is possible for someone to think they have a relationship with God that they do not have.

i. Many Christians are not aware of their true condition. They know they are saved, and have experienced conversion and have repented at some time in their life. Yet they do not live in true fellowship with God.

b. And walk in darkness: John speaks of a walk in darkness, indicating a pattern of living. This does not speak of an occasional lapse, but of a lifestyle of darkness.

c. We lie and do not practice the truth: God has no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). Therefore, if one claims to be in fellowship with God (a relationship of common relation, interest, and sharing), yet does walk in darkness, it is not a truthful claim.

i. The issue here is fellowship, not salvation. The Christian who temporarily walks in darkness is still saved, but not in fellowship with God.

ii. If John said “That is a lie,” it means he thinks in terms of things being true or being lies. John sees things much more clearly than our sophisticated age does, which doesn’t want to see anything in black or white, but everything in a pale shade of gray. The modern world often thinks in terms of “my truth” in an individualistic sense. John focused on the idea of God’s truth, ultimate truth.

3. (7) The blessing of walking in the light.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

a. But if we walk in the light: This means to walk in a generally obedient life, without harboring known sin or resisting the conviction of the Holy Spirit on a particular point.

i. John’s message here means that a walk in the light is possible. We know that on this side of eternity, sinless perfection is not possible. Yet we can still walk in the light, so John does mean perfect obedience.

ii. The Christian life is described as walking, which implies activity. Christian life feeds upon contemplation, but it displays itself in action. “Walking” implies action, continuity, and progress. Since God is active and walking, if you have fellowship with Him, you will also be active and walking.

b. As He is in the light: Since God is light (1 John 1:5), when we walk in the light we walk where He is. We are naturally together with Him in fellowship.

c. We have fellowship with one another: We would have expected John to say, “We have fellowship with God.” That is true, but already in the idea of walking together with God in the light. John wants to make it clear that fellow Christians who walk in the light enjoy fellowship with each other.

i. This leads to an important idea: if we do not have fellowship with one another, then one party or both parties are not walking in the light. Two Christians who are in right relationship with God will also naturally be in right relationship with each other.

d. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin: As we walk in the light we also enjoy the continual cleansing of Jesus. This is another indication that John does not mean sinless perfection by the phrase walk in the light; otherwise, there would be no sin to cleanse in this ongoing sense.

i. We need a continual cleansing because the Bible says we continually sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Even though Christians have been cleansed in an important general sense, our “feet” need cleaning (John 13:10).

ii. The verb form John used in cleanses us from all sin is in the present tense, not in the future tense. We can do more than merely hope we will one day be cleansed. Because of what Jesus did on the cross for me, I can be cleansed today.

iii. “Observe, yet again, that in the verse there is no hint given of any emotions, feelings, or attainments, as co-operating with the blood to take away sin. Christ took the sins of his people and was punished for those sins as if he had been himself a sinner, and so sin is taken away from us; but in no sense, degree, shape or form, is sin removed by attainments, emotions, feelings or experiences.” (Spurgeon)

e. The blood of Jesus Christ: This continual cleansing is ours by the blood of Jesus. This does not mean the actual drops or molecules of His literal blood, but His literal death in our place and the literal wrath of the Father He endured on our behalf. The blood of Jesus Christ paid the penalty for all our sins – past, present, and future.

i. The work of Jesus on the cross doesn’t only deal with the guilt of sin that might send us to hell. It also deals with the stain of sin which hinders our continual relationship with God. We need to come to God often with the simple plea, “cleanse me with the blood of Jesus.” Not because we haven’t been cleansed before, but because we need to be continually cleansed to enjoy continual relationship.

ii. “‘The blood’ is more specific than ‘the death’ would be, for ‘the blood’ denotes sacrifice. It is always the blood that is shed.” (Lenski)

iii. “Observe, here is nothing said about rites and ceremonies. It does not begin by saying, ‘and the waters of baptism, together with the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us,’ – not a word, whether it shall be the sprinkling in infancy, or immersion of believers, nothing is said about it – it is the blood, the blood only, without a drop of baptismal water. Nothing is here said about sacraments – what some call ‘the blessed Eucharist’ is not dragged in here – nothing about eating bread and drinking wine – it is the blood, nothing but the blood.” (Spurgeon)

iv. “Does my walking in the light take away my sins? Not at all. I am as much a sinner in the light as in the darkness, if it were possible for me to be in the light without being washed in the blood. Well, but we have fellowship with God, and does not having fellowship with God take away sin? Beloved, do not misunderstand me – no man can have fellowship with God unless sin be taken away; but his fellowship with God, and his walking in light, does not take away his sin – not at all. The whole process of the removal of sin is here, ‘And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’” (Spurgeon)

f. From all sin: We can be cleansed, by the blood of Jesus, from all sin. The sin we inherited from Adam, the sin we committed as kids, the sins of our growing up; sins against our father, against our mother, against our brother and sister; sins against our husbands or wives, against our children; sins against our employers or our employees, sins against our friends and our enemies; lying, stealing, cheating, adultery, swearing, drugs, booze, promiscuity, murder; sins that haunt us every day, sins we didn’t even know we did – all sin can be cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

i. Sin is the hindrance to fellowship and the blood of Jesus, received by faith as the payment for our sin, solves the problem of sin and opens the way to fellowship with God.

· You can’t come to fellowship with God through philosophical speculation. You can’t come to fellowship with God through intellectual education.

· You can’t come to fellowship with God through drugs or entertainment.

· You can’t come to fellowship with God through scientific investigation.

· You can only come to fellowship with God by dealing with your sin problem through the blood of Jesus.

ii. We might say that the only sin that cannot be cleansed by the blood of Jesus is the sin of continuing to reject that blood as payment for sin.

4. (8-10) The presence of sin, the confession of sin, and the cleansing from sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

a. If we say we have no sin: John has introduced the ideas of walking in the light and being cleansed from sin. But he did not for a moment believe that a Christian can become sinlessly perfect.

i. To think this of ourselves is to deceive ourselves, and to say this of ourselves is to lie – the truth is not in us.

ii. “Our deceitful heart reveals an almost Satanic shrewdness in self-deception… If you say you have no sin you have achieved a fearful success, you have put out your own eyes, and perverted your own reason!” (Spurgeon)

iii. There are few people today who think they are sinlessly perfect, yet not many really think of themselves as sinners. Many will say “I make mistakes” or “I’m not perfect” or “I’m only human,” but usually they say such things to excuse or defend. This is different from knowing and admitting “I am a sinner.”

iv. To say that we have no sin puts us in a dangerous place because God’s grace and mercy is extended to sinners, not to “those who make mistakes” or “I’m only human” or “no one is perfect” people, but sinners. We need to realize the victory and forgiveness that comes from saying, “I am a sinner – even a great sinner – but I have a Savior who cleanses me from all sin.”

b. If we confess our sins: Though sin is present, it need not remain a hindrance to our relationship with God – we may find complete cleansing (from all unrighteousness) as we confess our sins.

i. To confess means, “to say the same as.” When we confess our sin, we are willing to say (and believe) the same thing about our sin that God says about it. Jesus’ story about the religious man and the sinner who prayed before God illustrated this; the Pharisee bragged about how righteous he was, while the sinner just said God be merciful to me a sinner (Luke 18:10-14). The one who confessed his sin was the one who agreed with God about how bad he was.

ii. Confess translates a verb in the present tense. The meaning is that we should keep on confessing our sin – instead of referring to a “once-for-all” confession of sin at our conversion.

iii. You don’t have to go to a confessional to confess your sin. When you are baptized, you are confessing your sin by saying you needed to be cleansed and reborn. When you receive communion, you confess your sin by saying you need the work of Jesus on the cross to take your sin away. But of course, we need to confess our sin in the most straightforward way: by admitting to God that what we have done is sin, and by asking for His divine forgiveness, based on what Jesus has done on the cross for us.

iv. Our sins are not forgiven because we confess. If this were the case – if forgiveness for a sin could only come where there was confession – then we would all be damned because it would be impossible for us to confess every sin we ever commit. We are forgiven because our punishment was put upon Jesus, we are cleansed by His blood.

v. However, confession is still vital to maintain relationship with God, and this is the context John speaks from. As God convicts us of sin that is hindering our fellowship with Him, we must confess it and receive forgiveness and cleansing for our relationship with God to continue without hindrance.

vi. Confession must be personal. To say, “God, if we have made any mistakes, forgive us” isn’t confession, because it isn’t convinced (saying “if we made”), it isn’t personal (saying “if we made”), it isn’t specific (saying “if we made any”), and it isn’t honest (saying “mistakes”).

c. He is faithful and just to forgive us: Because of Jesus’ work, the righteousness of God is our friend – insuring that we will be forgiven because Jesus paid the penalty of our sin. God is being faithful and just to forgive us in light of Jesus.

i. “The text means just this – Treat God truthfully, and he will treat you truthfully. Make no pretensions before God, but lay bare your soul, let him see it as it is, and then he will be faithful and just to forgive you your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.” (Spurgeon)

ii. The promise of 1 John 1:9 shouldn’t lead us into sin, saying “Hey, I’ll go ahead and sin because God will forgive me.” It should lead us out of sin, knowing that God could only be faithful and just to forgive us our sins because the wrath we deserved was poured out on the sin. Since each sin carries with it its own measure of wrath, so there is a sense in which each sin we commit added to the agony of Jesus on the cross.

iii. There is no more sure evidence that a person is out of fellowship with God than for someone to contemplate or commit sin with the idea, “I can just ask for forgiveness later.” Since God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, we can be assured that the person who commits sin with this idea is not in fellowship with God.

d. If we say that we have not sinned: If we deny the presence of sin, we are self-deceived and are denying God’s Word. Yet, though sin is always present, so is its remedy – so sin need never be a hindrance to our relationship with God.

i. The idea that His word is not in us is related to the idea that Jesus is the Word of life (1 John 1:1); if we refuse to see sin in us, we show that Jesus is not in us.

ii. “No man was ever kept out of God’s kingdom for his confessed badness; many are for their supposed goodness.” (Trapp)

Categories: General Letters New Testament

Enduring Word

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What does 1 John 1:7 mean?

Verse 6 spoke against walking in the darkness. Verse 7 offers the contrast, and calls believers to live according to God’s ways. Again, we find connections to the Gospel of John, chapter 1. John 1:8–9 speaks of John the Baptist, stating, “He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” Jesus was noted as the “light” and “true light.” John the Baptist spoke about Him, calling people to repentance in preparation for His arrival. Now believers are called to walk according to Christ’s ways.

The second half of this verse states what takes place when believers do walk in the light: fellowship and a cleansing from sin. Two applications are given. First, believers will have community and friendship with one another. Second, believers will experience forgiveness. Even though a person is forgiven (eternally) of sins when he or she first believes in Christ, Christians still commit sins and find themselves in need of forgiveness as believers. See verse 9 for more information on this. Even the apostle Paul noted his many failures, despite his desire to live right, and the many noble works he had done for God (Romans 7).

The implication here is clear: the mere presence of sin in one’s life does not imply that the person is lost. Christ’s sacrifice removes the eternal penalty of all sins, past, present, and future. Even more importantly, those who trust in Christ are forgiven even for sins they are not aware of. Those sins we become aware of, we should confess, and they will be forgiven. If we walk in obedience with what we have, God will make up for what we lack.

Context Summary

First John 1:5–10 opens the main topic of John’s letter. God is entirely goodness and truth, and those who follow God cannot also follow evil and falsehood. John offers a pattern of “if” statements, comparing each to the truth. In particular, John mentions those who claim to be entirely free from sin, or to have never sinned. Such a belief is literally the opposite of the gospel. No person is sinless other than Jesus Christ.

Chapter Context

Chapter 1 re-states the fact that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. John confirms that he has personally seen and heard the things he is teaching. God’s truth is presented as “light,” while false teachings are presented as “darkness.” Those who hold to the truth are saved from sin; those who claim to have no sin at all are self-deceived.

O Lord All Creation

Psalm 8

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.[a]

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.

You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,[b]
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—

what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?[c]

Yet you made them only a little lower than God[d]
and crowned them[e] with glory and honor.

You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—

the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,

the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Footnotes

• 8:Title Hebrew according to the gittith.

• 8:2 Greek version reads to give you praise. Compare Matt 21:16.

• 8:4 Hebrew what is man that you should think of him, / the son of man that you should care for him?

• 8:5a Or Yet you made them only a little lower than the angels; Hebrew reads Yet you made him [i.e., man] a little lower than Elohim.

• 8:5b Hebrew him [i.e., man]; similarly in 8:6.

What is the meaning of Psalms 8?

Psalms 8. Keep Reading. describes Yahweh as the King of creation who made dependent humans his royal partners. This is unexpected and wonderful news to those who understand their need for God. But it’s offensive to those who want to rule their lives apart from Yahweh.

https://bibleproject.com › blog › ruli…

Ruling the World through Weakness in Psalm 8 | BibleProject™

Who is man that you are mindful of him Psalm 8?

what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

http://web.mit.edu › cef › NIV › PS+8

Bible Gateway Psalm 8 :: NIV

WHAT IS MANKIND THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM? | Bible Study

Psalm 8 is the eighth psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning and ending in English in the King James Version: “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”. In Latin, it is known as “Domine Dominus noster”. Its authorship is traditionally assigned to King David. Wikipedia

O Lord God of all creatures great and small and all creation how beautiful is thy name over all the earth how great though are in all creations

David Guzik

On December 19, 2015, 10:51 pm

Psalm 8

Psalm 8 – The Glory of God in Creation

The title of this psalm reads, To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David. It indicates the audience of the psalm (the Chief Musician), the author of the psalm (of David) and the sound of the psalm (the instrument of Gath). In this psalm David speaks of the glory of God, and how the glory of man and his destiny reflect upon God.

A. The plainly seen glory of creation.

1. (1) The glory of God in the earth and the heavens.

O LORD, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

a. O LORD, our Lord: Here, David recognized both the covenant name of God (LORD) and the position of Yahweh to His people (Lord). It was a simple, straightforward, and common way to say that “Our God is our Master.”

i. “Yehovah Adoneynu; O Jehovah our Prop, our Stay, our Support.… The root dan signifies to direct, rule, judge, support. So Adonai is the Director, Ruler, Judge, Supporter of men.” (Clarke)

b. How excellent is Your name in all the earth: David also recognized that though the LORD was Israel’s covenant God, He was also God of more than just Israel. His name is excellent…in all the earth.

c. Who have set Your glory above the heavens: At the same time, the earth was not enough to measure the glory and excellence of God. His glory is above the heavens.

2. (2) The glory of God in His strength over His enemies.

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

a. Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength: In the first verse, David considered the greatness of God by His evident power and glory in creation, both across the earth and in the heavens. Now, he considers that the power and glory of God can be seen in small children – babes and nursing infants – as God’s strength is evident in them.

i. David here touched on a familiar theme in the Bible: the idea that God uses otherwise weak things to display His glory and strength. 1 Corinthians 1:27 is an example of this idea: But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.

ii. It is hard to think of anything more weak and helpless than a baby; yet the same God who can ordain strength out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants can give strength and support to me in the midst of my weakness.

iii. “The word here rather means a strength…that, out of such frail material as children’s speech, God builds a tower of strength, which, like some border castle, will bridle and still the restless enemy.” (Maclaren)

iv. “The praises of the Messiah, celebrated in the church by his children, have in them a strength and power which nothing can withstand; they can abash infidelity, when at its greatest height, and strike hell itself silent.” (Horne)

v. Significantly, Jesus quoted this passage to His indignant accusers in Matthew 21:16, as Jesus did wonderful miracles in the temple area, and as He received the praise of children who cried out Hosanna to the Son of David! (Matthew 21:15).

b. Because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy: The reason why God displays His strength in unlikely vessels is because it works to silence the enemy; Satan and his fellow adversaries have nothing to say when God works so mightily in an otherwise weak person.

i. One dramatic example of this is the story of Job. In it, God silenced the accusations of Satan against both God and Job by the way that He sustained Job with His unseen hand in the midst of profound weakness.

ii. In quoting this passage in Matthew 21:15-16, Jesus told His accusers who He was and who they were. Since the babes and nursing infants praise God in Psalm 8, Jesus identified Himself as God. In this, Jesus also identified the indignant scribes and teachers as the enemy and avenger described in this psalm.

iii. “Aha! Aha! O adversary! To be overcome by behemoth or leviathan might make thee angry; but to be smitten out of infants’ mouths causes thee to bite the dust in utter dishonor. Thou art sore broken, now that ‘out of the mouth of babes and sucklings’ thou art put to shame.” (Spurgeon)

B. The surprising glory of mankind.

1. (3-5) Though seemingly insignificant, man is crowned with glory and honor.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

a. When I consider Your heavens: David knew the value of simply considering the glory of God’s creation. He knew what it was like to look up into the starry sky and consider what a great God had made this vast, wonderful universe.

i. With the naked eye, one can see about 5,000 stars. With a four-inch telescope, one can see about 2 million stars. With a 200-inch mirror of a great observatory, one can see more than a billion stars. The universe is so big that if one were to travel at the speed of light, it would take 40 billion years to reach the edge of the universe. Considering the heavens makes us see the greatness of God.

ii. These great heavenly objects such as the moon and the stars are the work of God’s fingers. “Notwithstanding the amazing magnitude of the sun, we have abundant reason to believe that some of the fixed stars are much larger: and yet we are told they are the work of GOD’S FINGERS! What a hand, to move, form, and launch these globes!” (Clarke)

b. What is man that You are mindful of him: Considering the greatness of the heavens also made David consider the relative smallness and insignificance of man. David wondered why such a big, great God would be mindful of such small beings.

i. “We gave you but a feeble image of our comparative insignificance, when we said that the glories of an extended forest would suffer no more from the fall of a single leaf, than the glories of an extended universe would suffer though the globe we tread upon, and all that it inherits, should dissolve.” (Chalmers, cited in Spurgeon)

ii. God is so big that He makes the universe with His fingers; man is so small that he is dwarfed by the universe. Yet David did not doubt that God was mindful of man; he simply said “You are mindful of him” and only wondered why. Before we share David’s question, we should first share his assured confidence that God is mindful of us; He thinks of us and considers what we do.

iii. “Sorry, sickly man, a mass of mortalities, a map of miseries, a mixture or compound of dirt and sin…and yet God is mindful of him.” (Trapp)

iv. “David’s question can be asked with many nuances. In Psalm 144:3-4 it mocks the arrogance of the rebel; in Job 7:17 it is a sufferer’s plea for respite; in Job 25:6 it shudders at human sin. But here it has no tinge of pessimism; only astonishment that thou are mindful and thou dost care.” (Kidner)

c. And the son of man that You should visit him: Indeed, using the poetic method of repetition, David repeated the idea in a stronger way. Son of man is a title that emphasizes the “humanness” of man, and we might say that visit him is yet stronger than are mindful of him.

i. David was confident that God not only carefully thought about man, but that He had some kind of personal connection and contact with men (that You visit him). He thinks about us and acts in our lives.

ii. Morgan considered the use of the terms man and son of man as a “contrast between the stately splendor of the moon and the stars, and man – Enosh – frail man – and the son of man Ben-Adam – of apparently earthly origin. The contrasts are graphic.” (Morgan)

d. For You have made him a little lower than the angels: David saw that God made man a little lower than the angels, and this is evident in the way that man is beneath the angels in present glory, power, and nearness to God.

i. The word translated angels is Elohim, and most often refers to God Himself. There are some (such as Boice) who believe that David meant to say that man is a little lower than God, stressing the idea that man is made in God’s image.

ii. Yet the ancient translators of the Bible from Hebrew to Greek understood elohim here to speak of angelic beings; more importantly, that was how the writer to the Hebrews understood it. “The Hebrew for [angels] is simply ‘God’ or ‘gods’ (‘Elohim’). It may refer to angelic beings.” (VanGemeren)

iii. Significantly, David did not say that man was “a little higher than the beasts,” though one could say that is true. Theologians since Thomas Aquinas have noted that man is in a middle position between the angels and the animals: lower than the angels yet higher than the animals. Yet David rightly makes us look upward and not downward, though many think of mankind as more animal than angelic, David wrote that You have made him a little lower than the angels.

iv. “Although made in God’s image and ordained to become increasingly like the God to whom they look, men and women have turned their backs on God. And since they will not look upward to God, which is their privilege and duty, they actually look downward to the beasts and so become increasingly like them.” (Boice)

v. This very passage is quoted in Hebrews 2:5-9 to reinforce and build upon this exact point. In it he notes that man’s low estate relates only to this world, and not the world to come (Hebrews 2:5). More pointedly, the writer of Hebrews used this passage from Psalm 8 to show that Jesus really did add a genuinely human nature to His divine nature and thus also became a little lower than the angels.

e. You have crowned him with glory and honor: Though for a little while set lower than the angels, man’s destiny is one day to be crowned with a glory and honor that surpasses even the angels. It is the destiny of redeemed men and women to one day be lifted above the angels (1 Corinthians 6:3, Revelation 1:6, 5:10).

i. “Little can sometimes mean ‘for a little while’ in both Hebrew and Greek, which is the sense probably implied in [Hebrews].” (Kidner)

ii. “A little lower in nature, since they are immortal, and but a little, because time is short; and when that is over, saints are no longer lower than the angels.” (Spurgeon)

iii. God’s glory is above the heavens; yet He put this same glory and honor on man as a crown. “This is an effective way of identifying man with God and of saying that he has been made in God’s image, reflecting God’s glory in a way other parts of the creation do not.” (Boice)

iv. As the writer of Hebrews points out, it seems that this divine call and gift given to man of great dominion over the whole earth is tragically unfulfilled; fallen man seems so weak and incapable of dominion over his own thoughts and desires, much less crowned with glory and honor. Yet, as Hebrews properly says, but we see Jesus (Hebrew 2:9).

v. “In Him we have had the full revelation of the greatness of man. But we have seen more than that. We have seen Him ‘crowned with glory and honour, that by the grace of God He should taste death for every man.’ That vision creates our confidence that man will at last realize the Divine purpose.” (Morgan)

vi. “Satan is no doubt filled with scorn of man when he looks at him and measures him with himself. ‘Is this the creature that is to be set over all the works of God’s hands, made of earth and water, phosphates and metals? I am nobler far than he. Can I not flash like lightning, while he must creep about the world to find himself a grave?’” (Spurgeon)

2. (6-9) The dominion of man and the excellence of God.

You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen –
Even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

a. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands: David understood the mandate given to Adam and His descendants at creation (Genesis 1:26-28 and 9:2). By both God’s decree and through superior ability, man indeed has dominion over the other creatures and resources of the earth.

i. “In this section of the psalm, allusions to the first chapter of Genesis are inescapable, which shows that David was thoroughly acquainted with this book.” (Boice) Perhaps this knowledge of God’s word came from David’s mother, whom he twice in Psalms refers to as a maidservant of the LORD (Psalm 86:16 and 116:16).

ii. As part of this authority, mankind has the responsibility to wisely manage the creatures and resources of this earth in a way that gives God glory and is good for man. It means that it is wrong to see man as merely part of the ecosystem (thus denying his God-ordained dominion). It is also wrong for man to abuse the ecosystem, thus making him a bad manager of that which ultimately belongs to God (Psalm 24:1). The mandate of dominion asks man to use the creatures and resources of the earth, but to use them wisely and responsibly.

b. You have put all things under his feet: Here, David developed the idea introduced in the first line of Psalm 8:6. The dominion of man extends to all things, including sheep, oxen…beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea.

i. The Apostle Paul quoted this passage in 1 Corinthians 15:27. Paul quoted it in much the same way that the writer of Hebrews did in Hebrews 2:5-9, showing that this promise of dominion is now only incompletely fulfilled among men. Yet it will be ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, the ultimate Man, and will be one day also completely fulfilled in His resurrected followers.

ii. In light of all this, it is a great tragedy when a man is captured and held in bondage by the things of this world. We were born to have dominion over such material things, instead of being in bondage to them.

c. O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth: When David thought about how vast a dominion God had given to man, it made him praise God all over again. That this humble creature – humble in light of the majesty of the universe, humble in light of its present standing under angelic beings – should be given such authority is a demonstration of both the excellence and the goodness of God.

i. David understood that the position of man in creation says far more about the glory of God than saying anything about the glory of man. Understanding it all should make us praise God, not man. “For man’s dominion over nature, wonderful though it is, takes second place to his calling as servant and worshipper, to whose very children the name of the Lord has been revealed.” (Kidner)

ii. There are three wonderful and important truths about man found in this psalm; when these truths are denied or neglected, man never is what God made him to be.

·God made man.

·God made man something glorious.

·God made man for a high and worthy destiny.

iii. All three of these principles are rooted in what God has made man; they do not exist nor are they fulfilled from the plan or work of man. That is why this glorious psalm about man is even more so a psalm about God. “The most striking feature of Psalm 8…is its description of man and his place in the created order. But the psalm does not begin by talking about man. It begins with a celebration of the surpassing majesty of God.” (Boice)

iv. “He made us to have dominion by the word of creation. He made us kings unto God by his blood. His name shall, therefore, be honoured through all the earth.” (Meyer)

v. “Even thou, silly worm, shalt honour him, when it shall appear what God hath done for thee, what lusts he hath mortified, and what graces he hath granted thee.” (Spurgeon)

Categories: Old Testament Psalms

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalm_8

What does Psalm 8:8 mean?

God also placed Adam and Eve in authority over the birds and fish (Genesis 1:28). Of course, human beings still exercise limited control over the birds and fish. We catch fish, and we house birds as pets or train them to perform feats, but sharks and stingrays have been known to maim and kill human beings, and millions of birds fly freely in the sky.

However, during His earthly ministry, Jesus offered a preview of the dominion He will someday exercise over the birds and fish. He told Peter, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me” (Luke 22:34). Luke 5:1–7 relates how Jesus encountered fishermen cleaning their nets after trying all night to catch fish. After borrowing Peter’s boat to teach the crowd from, Jesus directed Peter to drop his nets once again for a catch. Peter told Jesus they had worked all night and caught nothing, but that he would do as Jesus asked. When Peter obeyed, so many fish swam into the nets that the nets were breaking. Following His resurrection, Jesus repeated this miracle (John 21:4–6).

Animals respond to the will of their Creator. It seems only sinful man is inclined to disobey Jesus, but that situation, too, will be changed when every knee shall bow and “every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10–11).

Context Summary

Psalm 8:3–9 parallels Genesis 2:8–15 in which God had provided abundantly for mankind and had given them dominion over all living creatures on the earth. Hebrews 2:5–9 applies this part of Psalm 8 to Jesus. He became a real human being on our behalf, and after His death for our sins, He arose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God. Someday, He will sit upon the throne of David and hold dominion over the whole earth. What Adam lost by sinning, Jesus has restored by suffering (1 Corinthians 15:20–28).

Chapter Summary

In this psalm David reflects upon God’s majesty that is displayed in the creation. The heavens declare God’s glory. Against the backdrop of such glory, man seems insignificant, yet God chose man to rule the earth and all its creatures. By giving man this awesome responsibility, God has crowned him with glory and honor. The psalm has a messianic tone, because Jesus Christ became a little lower than the angels by becoming a human being. Someday, when Jesus rules the world, he will restore the dominion Adam lost. All nature, including all mankind, will submit to Jesus’ rule. The psalm ends as it began with a declaration of the Lord’s majestic name in all the earth.

God Be Our Judge

Psalm 7

A psalm[a] of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush of the tribe of Benjamin.

I come to you for protection, O Lord my God.
Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!

If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion,
tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

O Lord my God, if I have done wrong
or am guilty of injustice,

if I have betrayed a friend
or plundered my enemy without cause,

then let my enemies capture me.
Let them trample me into the ground
and drag my honor in the dust. Interlude

Arise, O Lord, in anger!
Stand up against the fury of my enemies!
Wake up, my God, and bring justice!

Gather the nations before you.
Rule over them from on high.

The Lord judges the nations.
Declare me righteous, O Lord,
for I am innocent, O Most High!

End the evil of those who are wicked,
and defend the righteous.
For you look deep within the mind and heart,
O righteous God.

God is my shield,
saving those whose hearts are true and right.

God is an honest judge.
He is angry with the wicked every day.

If a person does not repent,
God[b] will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.

He will prepare his deadly weapons
and shoot his flaming arrows.

The wicked conceive evil;
they are pregnant with trouble
and give birth to lies.

They dig a deep pit to trap others,
then fall into it themselves.

The trouble they make for others backfires on them.
The violence they plan falls on their own heads.

I will thank the Lord because he is just;
I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

let the LORD judge the peoples. Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High. O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure. My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.

There is one God one judge The Lord be judge of all people. Judge me accordingly Oh Lord, according to my righteousness and honor according to my integrity, O my judge most high. Righteous king of Heaven who searches me and my thoughts and my hearts knowing my honor and desires, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure. My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart. For he is my protector and guidance.

Purpose

It reveals David’s confidence in God to save him from his enemies. He believes he deserves defeat only if he has done wrong, such as by cheating or stealing. The rest of the psalm asks God to judge him according to his righteousness and his enemies according to their evil deeds.

https://www.bibleref.com › Psalms › 7

What does Psalm 7:2 mean? – BibleRef.com

Psalm 7 is the seventh psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: “O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me”. In Latin, it is known as “Domine Deus meus in te speravi”. Its authorship is traditionally assigned to King David. Wikipedia

Psalm 7

Psalm 7 – Confidence in God’s Deliverance

The Hebrew title to this psalm reads: A Meditation of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite. The New King James Version translates the Hebrew word “shiggaion” as meditation, though the word is difficult to translate and is used elsewhere only in Habakkuk 3:1. The specific occasion is not easily connected with an event recorded in the historical books of the Old Testament; it may be a veiled reference to either Shimei’s accusations against David in 2 Samuel 16:5 or to Saul’s slanders against David. More likely this Cush, a Benjamite, was simply another partisan of Saul against David. The psalm contains both David’s cry of anguish and shout of confidence in God’s deliverance.

A. David pleads for deliverance.

1. (1-2) A trust-filled plea.

O LORD my God, in You I put my trust;
Save me from all those who persecute me;
And deliver me,
Lest they tear me like a lion,
Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

a. In You I put my trust: When David was under attack from Cush the Benjamite, all he could trust was God. Every other support was gone, but he needed no other support.

i. “Nothing is known of Cush; but from Absalom’s rebellion it emerged that Benjamin, Saul’s tribe, held some bitter enemies of David (2 Samuel 16:5ff; 20:1ff).” (Kidner)

ii. “It is easy to understand how the slander described in the psalm could have emerged from the smoldering hostility of this tribe.” (Boice)

iii. Some believe that this Cush was really Saul or Shimei. “Cush has been supposed to be Shimei or Saul himself, and to have been so called because of his swarthy complexion (Cush meaning African) or as a jest, because of his personal beauty.” (Maclaren)

b. And deliver me: Sometimes God’s strength is evident in helping through a trial. Other times it is evident in delivering us from trials. David was persuaded that God wanted to deliver him from this trial.

i. To be slandered is a severe trial. “It appears probable that Cush the Benjamite had accused David to Saul of treasonable conspiracy against his royal authority. This the king would be ready enough to credit, both from his jealousy of David, and from the relation which most probably existed between himself, the son of Kish, and this Cush, or Kish, the Benjamite…. This may be called the SONG OF THE SLANDERED SAINT.” (Spurgeon)

c. Lest they tear me like a lion: David believed there would be grave consequences if he were not delivered from these lion-like enemies.

i. This understanding gave David urgency in prayer. God sometimes allows difficult circumstances, so they will awaken this urgency in us.

ii. “It will be well for us here to remember that this is a description of the danger to which the Psalmist was exposed from slanderous tongues. Verily this is not an overdrawn picture, for the wounds of a sword will heal, but the wounds of the tongue cut deeper than the flesh, and are not soon cured.” (Spurgeon)

iii. David also knew what it was like to overcome a lion. “The metaphor of the lion is common in the psalms attributed to David, and is, at all events, natural in the mouth of a shepherd king, who had taken a lion by the beard.” (Maclaren)

2. (3-5) The plea of innocence.

O LORD my God, if I have done this:
If there is iniquity in my hands,
If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me,
Or have plundered my enemy without cause,
Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me;
Yes, let him trample my life to the earth,
And lay my honor in the dust. Selah

a. If there is iniquity in my hands: With these words, David did not claim sinless perfection. Instead, he simply rejected the idea of moral equivalence between himself and his enemies.

i. “Although David expresses himself as perhaps we would not, his words do not mean that he is perfect, only that he is innocent of the crime of which he was charged…. The question is not whether David was morally perfect but whether he was innocent of this particular slander.” (Boice)

ii. “From the Psalm we learn the nature of the charges, which he made against David. They were: that he had appropriated spoils which rightly belonged to the king; that he had returned evil for good; and that he had taken toll for some generosity.” (Morgan)

b. Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me: David knew that his enemies were thirsty for his defeat. He was so confident in his righteousness in comparison to his enemies that he was willing to be given over to their desire if they were in the right.

B. The righteous judgment of God.

1. (6-7) A plea for God’s righteous intervention.

Arise, O LORD, in Your anger;
Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies;
Rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded!
So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You;
For their sakes, therefore, return on high.

a. Arise, O LORD, in Your anger: David believed that God was a being of human-like passions such as anger. David also believed that the passions of God were on his behalf; he believed God was or would be angry for him instead of against him.

i. It is a mistake to believe that God is without passions. Because He is God, we can say that these passions are not exactly like their human counterparts; yet they are certainly somewhat like them. God is not cold, distant, and dispassionate.

ii. Yet it is also a mistake to assume that the passions of God are always with us or support our opinion. Many dangerous fanatics have been wrongly inspired by the mistaken assurance that God was for them when He was not.

b. Lift Yourself up…rise up for me: David believed that God was for him and his cause; yet he did not hold this belief passively. He actively prayed for the accomplishing of what he believed God’s will to be.

c. For their sakes, therefore, return on high: David’s prayer for protection and vindication was not fundamentally selfish. He knew that his fate was vitally connected to the welfare of God’s people. It was in large measure for their sakes, the sake of the congregation.

2. (8-10) David’s defense.

The LORD shall judge the peoples;
Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
And according to my integrity within me.
Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
But establish the just;
For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.
My defense is of God,
Who saves the upright in heart.

a. The LORD shall judge the peoples; judge me, O LORD: This was the attitude that protected David from presumption. He honestly invited God’s judgment and correction.

i. Therefore, David asked for God’s blessing according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me. In effect he prayed, “Lord, to the extent that I am righteous before You, bless me and protect me from my enemies.”

ii. When David longed for justice, it wasn’t that He wanted ultimate and perfect judgment before God; he looked for justice on the earthly level, justice between him and his false accuser.

b. Let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just: This reveals more of the heart of David’s prayer. More than anything, he prayed for God to be just. David did not pray for special favoritism with God; he prayed for God to be just, and he searched his own heart to help put him right before God.

i. David seemed to pray here beyond his own personal needs. “There is a great breadth of vision here, revealing a concern for universal justice which was always the motive behind David’s personal appeals for vindication.” (Kidner)

c. My defense is of God: David knew he was at a significant disadvantage before his enemies and had to rely on the defense that is of God.

i. With his trust in God, David did “Throw off slanders, as Paul did the viper; yea, in a holy scorning… laughs at them.” (Trapp)

3. (11-13) God, the just judge.

God is a just judge,
And God is angry with the wicked every day.
If he does not turn back,
He will sharpen His sword;
He bends His bow and makes it ready.
He also prepares for Himself instruments of death;
He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.

a. God is a just judge: David’s prior appeal to God’s testing of man (Psalm 7:9) made him think of the justice of God. He declared this fundamental principle: God is a just judge.

i. This is a commonly and dangerously rejected truth about God. Many anticipate that they will one day stand before a God of great love, great mercy, great warmth, and great generosity. They never imagine they will stand before a God who is perfectly just and who cannot ignore the crime of sin.

ii. We can say that sin is a crime – that it breaks the good and holy law of God. And while all sins are not equally sinful (some sins are worse than others and will receive a greater condemnation, Matthew 23:14), there are no small sins against a great God.

iii. The justice of God is easy to understand if we simply compare it to what we expect from an earthly judge. We don’t think it is right or good if a human judge excuses crime in the name of compassion; we expect judges to be just. Yet many are absolutely confident that God will be an unjust judge on the Day of Judgment. They are so confident of it that they mistakenly rely on this idea for their salvation. David knew the truth: God is a just judge.

b. He is angry with the wicked every day: Adam Clarke believed a more accurate translation of Psalm 7:11 was, “He is NOT angry every day.” He writes: “The mass of evidence supports the latter reading. The Chaldee first corrupted the text by making the addition, with the wicked, which our translators have followed.”

i. If the original is taken as more correct, “The sense seems to be, that there are daily instances in the world of God’s favour toward his people; as also of his displeasure against the ungodly, who are frequently visited by sore judgments, and taken away in their sins.” (Horne)

c. He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready: David here considered the readiness of God to judge the sinner. David saw the sword sharpened and the bow bent. With God so ready to judge, the sinner should never presume that God will delay His judgment.

i. When God delays judgment out of mercy, many people make a fatal error. They think this mercy means that God is not concerned with justice.

ii. Instead, one should ask: “Why does God hold back the immediate application of justice?” Is it because:

·The sinner is not really guilty?

·The Law is not really clear?

·Mankind, in fact, really deserves such mercy?

·God is not really powerful enough to bring justice?

·God is not really just?

iii. None of these are true. Instead, the sword is sharpened and the bow is bent. The only thing that holds back the immediate judgment of God against the sinner is the undeserved mercy of God, giving the sinner an unknown period of time to repent. Such mercy should never be presumed upon. “Did I say, he will do it? Nay, he hath already done it; his sword is drawn, his bow is bent, and the arrows are prepared and ready to be shot.” (Poole)

iv. The real reason for any apparent delay in God’s judgment is found in the line, if he does not turn back. In His great mercy, God waits for the sinner to turn back, to repent. The apparent delay is an expression of God’s love for the sinner.

d. Instruments of death…arrows into fiery shafts: This powerful poetic imagery communicates the severity of God’s judgment, hopefully providing another incentive to repentance.

i. “The wrath of God may be slow, but it is always sure. In thoughtless security man wantons and whiles away the precious hours; he knows not that every transgression sets a fresh edge on the sword, which is thus continually whetting for his destruction.” (Horne)

C. The resolution of the matter.

1. (14) The wickedness of the wicked.

Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity;
Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.

a. Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity: This seemingly obvious statement is important. It shows that a wicked heart will show itself in wicked deeds.

i. Those wicked deeds may have the cover of respectability but will nonetheless be filled with iniquity (as was the case with the Pharisees of Jesus’ day).

b. He conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood: This shows the source of sin – from within the sinner. The sinner conceives and gives birth to sin as a mother gives birth to children – from within.

2. (15-16) God deals with the wicked.

He made a pit and dug it out,
And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
His trouble shall return upon his own head,
And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.

a. Fallen into the ditch which he made: This shows a common method of God’s distribution of justice. He often brings the same calamity on the wicked that they had planned for the righteous.

i. “God is righteous. The way of wickedness cannot prosper. It creates its own destruction. The pit digged is the grave of the man who digs it.” (Morgan)

ii. “This is but the highly metaphorical way of saying that a sinner never does what he means to do, but that at the end of all his plans is disappointment.” (Maclaren)

b. His violent dealing shall come down on his own crown: Two examples of this among many in the Bible are the fate of Haman the enemy of Mordecai and the Jews (Esther 7:7-10), and the enemies of Daniel in the lion’s den (Daniel 6:24).

3. (17) The response of praise.

I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

a. I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness: David was wise enough to praise God according to His righteousness and not his own.

i. Though David appealed to God in this psalm on the basis of his comparative goodness, this was not a self-righteous prayer. David knew the difference between his relative righteousness and God’s praiseworthy, perfect righteousness.

b. And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High: David ended this psalm – which began in gloom – on a high note of praise. He could praise, because he took his cause to God and in faith left it there.

Categories: Old Testament Psalms

Enduring Word

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What does Psalm 7:10 mean?

A warrior uses his shield to defend himself from attack. In the same way, David believes God defends him against his enemies. The phrase “with God” implies that David is entrusting his defense entirely to the Lord. There may be a physical aspect to this prayer of protection (1 Samuel 24:1–2), but it may also be about slander and lies (Psalm 7:1; 3–5). David is confident that God is the ultimate, righteous Judge (Psalm 7:6–9). David knows he is innocent of those crimes, so he has reason to believe the Lord will vindicate him.

God’s deliverance is not always as soon as we would prefer (Habakkuk 1:2–4), but it is always complete. He delivered the Israelites at the Red Sea from the approaching Egyptian cavalry (Exodus 14). The Lord parted the waters so the Israelites could cross safely, but closed them when the Egyptians entered, drowning their army. In the time of Daniel, God delivered Daniel’s three friends from a furnace that was heated seven times beyond its normal temperature, and the three men emerged unharmed without even the smell of smoke on them (Daniel 3:19–27). The Lord also delivered Daniel from a den of hungry lions (Daniel 6:19–23).

The Lord defends His people today, as well. Nothing happens without our Lord’s permission. As difficult as those experiences may be, they are meant for our good and His glory (John 16:33; Romans 8:18–39).

Context Summary

Psalm 7:6–11 follows the section in which David asked the Lord to vindicate him. This seems to have been a response to slander. Here, he asks God, the righteous Judge, to bring consequences to his wicked enemies. David expresses faith that God sees and is angered by sin and that the Lord serves as David’s Protector.

Chapter Summary

David takes refuge in God and asks to be rescued from those seeking his life. He boldly defends himself from accusations of fraud or plunder. Rather than seek his own revenge, David calls on the Lord to execute judgment. The wicked man plots evil, is full of mischief, and gives birth to lies. However, trouble will come back to strike such a person. His sin and violence will lead to a sinful, violent end. David concludes this psalm by giving thanks and praise to the Lord.

I Bow Before Your Holy Temple As I Worship

VERSE OF THE DAY

Psalm 138:2 (New Living Translation)

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I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.

I bow before your holiness in the presence of your holy temple as I wish it in your honor. For I praise and honor your name in evidence of your unfailing love and faithfulness for you promises are revealed true by the honor of your name.

What is Psalms 138 talking about?

This particular psalm describes that those who are close to God live in reality, and those who believe in human power live in a world of fantasy. The singer begins with individual thanks for God’s lasting love and care.

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Psalm 138 – Wikipedia

Psalm 138

Psalm 138 – God’s Promise to Honor His Word and to Complete His Work

This psalm is titled A Psalm of David. Several commentators mention that it was fittingly placed next to Psalm 137, which described the inability of the psalmist to sing before the heathen. Psalm 138 is a declaration that even the kings of the nations will praise Yahweh.

“This Psalm is wisely placed. Whoever edited and arranged these sacred poems, he had an eye to apposition and contrast; for if in Psalm 137 we see the need of silence before revilers, here we see the excellence of a brave confession. There is a time to be silent, lest we cast pearls before swine; and there is a time to speak openly, lest we be found guilty of cowardly non-confession.” (Charles Spurgeon)

“There is a fine blend of boldness and humility from the outset: boldness to confess the Lord before the gods, humility to bow down before him.” (Derek Kidner)

A. Declaration of praise for the past.

1. (1-2a) The declaration of praise.

I will praise You with my whole heart;
Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name

a. I will praise You with my whole heart: David began this song with a bold declaration – that he would hold nothing back in his praise to God. It would be done with all his being, with his whole heart.

i. My whole heart: “We need a broken heart to mourn our own sins, but a whole heart to praise the Lord’s perfections.” (Spurgeon)

ii. “‘With the whole heart’ leaves no room for mixed motives of divided devotion.” (Morgan)

b. Before the gods I will sing praises to You: We can’t imagine that David meant he would praise Yahweh in the actual presence of idols and images of other gods. There are three ideas about what David meant by his singing praise before the gods (elohim).

· Perhaps it was a declaration of allegiance to Yahweh and Him alone, and the gods represent the idols of the heathen.

· Perhaps gods (elohim) in this context refer to angelic beings, as in a few other places in the Hebrew Scriptures.

· Perhaps gods refers to kings or judges, such as are spoken of later in Psalm 138:4.

i. “A witness against the impotence of idols…. Praise belongs to the Lord alone and not to the gods of the nations, whose kings will have to submit to the Lord.” (VanGemeren)

c. I will worship toward Your holy temple: Even when David was not at the temple, he recognized it as God’s appointed place for worship and sacrifice. He would worship according to God’s direction.

i. “Wheresoever I am the face of my soul shall turn, like the needle of a dial, by sacred instinct, towards thee, in the ark of thy presence, in the Son of thy love.” (Trapp)

2. (2b-3) Reasons for praise.

For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.

a. For Your lovingkindness and Your truth: David’s praise was not empty adoration. It had reasons behind it, which were a basis for it. He thought of the great lovingkindness (hesed) of God toward him, and God’s firmly established truth. Meditation on those gifts from God gave David a basis for his spirit of praise.

b. For You have magnified Your word above all Your name: Having mentioned God’s truth in the previous line, now David considered the main way God’s truth is communicated to us – through His word. God has such a high estimation of His word that He has magnified it above His very name, His character.

i. This is a stunning and remarkable statement, showing the incredible regard God has for His own word. He holds His word in greater esteem than His very character or name.

ii. “It would be as if God is saying, ‘I value my integrity above everything else. Above everything else I want to be believed.’ The verse does not have to mean that God’s other qualities are moved to second place.” (Boice)

iii. Charles Spurgeon explained his confidence in complete, God-spoken, inspiration of the Bible: “We believe in plenary verbal inspiration, with all its difficulties, for there are not half as many difficulties in that doctrine as there are in any other kind of inspiration that men may imagine. If this Book be not the real solid foundation of our religion, what have we to build upon? If God has spoken a lie, where are we, brethren?”

c. In the day when I cried out, You answered me: David also had very practical reasons to praise and thank God. The LORD had answered and rescued him many times. When David’s strength failed, God made him bold with strength in his soul.

i. We notice an important pattern in the reasons David gave for his praise. It is important to praise God for who He is, even more than for what He has done for us.

· First he gave God praise for who He is – a God of lovingkindness and truth.

· Then he gave God praise for His revelation – the word, magnified above His very name.

· Then he gave God praise for what He had done – God’s response to David in a time of crisis.

ii. Made me bold: “The psalmist uses a remarkable expression, in saying that Jehovah had made him bold, or, as the word is literally, proud.” (Maclaren)

iii. “If the burden was not removed, yet strength was given wherewith to bear it, and this is an equally effective method of help.” (Spurgeon)

B. Declaration of confidence for the future.

1. (4-6) Praise from the kings of the earth.

All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD,
When they hear the words of Your mouth.
Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
For great is the glory of the LORD.
Though the LORD is on high,
Yet He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.

a. All the kings of the earth shall praise You: David was king of Israel and gave praise to the LORD, but he also knew the day would come when all the kings of the earth would praise Him. They would praise Him in response to hearing the words of His mouth from those who proclaim.

i. Morgan saw a connection between the answered prayer of verses 2-3 and the praise of kings described here: “The reason of praise is next declared to be that of lovingkindness and truth as already proved. The effect of praise is to be that of the revelation of God to others, who if they come to know Him, will also praise Him.”

ii. When they hear the words of Your mouth: “It probably means when those who know God declare his words to them. In other words, the psalm is acknowledging the need for the people of God to be missionaries.” (Boice)

b. They shall sing of the ways of the LORD: The kings of the earth would not only praise Yahweh with words, but also in song. This was in response to their understanding that great is the glory of the LORD.

c. Yet He regards the lowly: David understood that God is great in glory and on high, yet He holds the lowly, the humble, in high regard. On the other hand, God keeps His distance from the proud.

i. “Infinitely great as God is, he regards even the lowest and most inconsiderable part of his creation; but the humble and afflicted man attracts his notice particularly.” (Clarke)

ii. “Unto the lowly; unto such as are mean and obscure in the world; to me, a poor contemptible shepherd, whom he hath preferred before great princes, and to such as are little in their own eyes.” (Poole)

iii. David’s statement that God regards the lowly, but the proud He knows from afar is another way of saying a truth from Proverbs 3:34 that is repeated twice in the New Testament: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5).

iv. “Low things he looketh close upon, that he may raise them higher; lofty things he knoweth afar off, that he may crush them down lower. The proud Pharisee pressed as near God as he could; the poor publican, not daring to do so, stood aloof off; yet was God far from the Pharisee, near to the publican.” (Trapp)

v. “Proud men boast loudly of their culture and ‘the freedom of thought,’ and even dare to criticize their Maker: but he knows them from afar, and will keep them at arm’s length in this life, and shut them up in hell in the next.” (Spurgeon)

2. (7-8) David’s firm confidence for the future.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
The LORD will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

a. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me: As David considered the greatness of God and His kindness to the humble (Psalm 138:4-6), it gave him confidence that God would revive him in his present trouble. Understanding God’s greatness and kindness builds our faith.

b. Your right hand will save me: When God’s help came, it would come with all His skill and strength (Your right hand). God would defend David against the wrath of his enemies.

i. “Thou shall strike them with thy left hand, and save me with thy right.” (Trapp)

ii. “Adversaries may be many, and malicious, and mighty; but our glorious Defender has only to stretch out his arm and their armies vanish.” (Spurgeon)

c. The LORD will perfect that which concerns me: This was David’s confident declaration. He knew that God had a plan concerning him, and this God of greatness and goodness would absolutely perfect that plan.

i. “This is the language of utmost confidence…. The hope is based, not upon the determination of the singer, but upon Jehovah.” (Morgan)

ii. This is another way of stating the great promise of Philippians 1:6: being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

iii. David could think of the particular promise (2 Samuel 7) that God had made concerning him – that his descendants would rule forever, especially fulfilled in the Messiah. The principle is true for every believer regarding the promise and course of life God has appointed for him.

iv. Maclaren noted the connection between the phrases the LORD will perfect and Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever: “Because Jehovah’s lovingkindness endures forever, every man on whom His shaping Spirit has begun to work, or His grace in any form to bestow its gifts, may be sure that no exhaustion or change of these is possible.”

d. Do not forsake the works of Your hands: With confidence in the never-ending mercy (hesed) of Yahweh, David knew that God would never forsake him, who belonged to God by creation and redemption.

i. “Look upon the wounds of thy hands, and forsake not the works of thy hands, prayed Queen Elizabeth 1. And Luther’s usual prayer was, Confirm, O God, in us that thou hast wrought, and perfect the work that thou hast begun in us, to thy glory; so be it.” (Trapp)

ii. “His creating hands formed our souls at the beginning; his nail-pierced hands redeemed them on Calvary; his glorified hands will hold our souls fast and not let them go for ever.” (Burgon, cited in Spurgeon)

Categories: Old Testament Psalms

Enduring Word

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Psalms 138:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 138:2

I will worship towards thy holy temple
Not the temple at Jerusalem, which was not yet built, though, when it was, the Jews in their devotions at a distance looked towards it, ( 1 Kings 8:38 1 Kings 8:40 ) ; but rather the tabernacle of Moses, in which was the ark, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi observe; and over that the mercy seat and cherubim, between which Jehovah dwelt; and this being a type of Christ’s human nature, which was perfectly holy, and is called by himself a temple, and is the true tabernacle God pitched, and not man, ( John 2:19 ) ( Hebrews 8:2 ) ; he may be designed, and to him, as Mediator, should we look, and with him deal in all our devotions for acceptance with God; see ( Jonah 2:4 ) ; unless heaven itself is meant, which is the palace of Jehovah, the habitation of his holiness, his temple where he dwells, ( Psalms 11:4 ) ( Habakkuk 2:20 ) ;

and praise thy name, for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth;
which may primarily regard the goodness and grace of God in promising David the kingdom, and his faithfulness in making good the promise, and for both which he was under obligation to praise the name of the Lord; and holds good with respect to all other promises: and it may also signify the free favour and love of God to his people, which is from everlasting, is the source of all blessings, and is better than life; and the faithfulness of God to himself, his perfections, purposes and promises, council and covenant: it may be rendered, “for thy grace, and for thy truth” F13, which both come by Christ, ( John 1:17 ) ; grace may intend both the doctrine of grace, the Gospel of the grace of God preached by Christ, and the blessings of grace which come through him; as justification, pardon, adoption, sanctification, and eternal life, which are all of grace, and by Christ: and truth also may signify the word of truth, or solid substantial blessings, in distinction from typical ones; or the good things that come by Christ our High Priest, of which the law was only a shadow; and these are all of them things the name of the Lord is to be praised for;

for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name;
or “above every name of thine” F14; which Aben Ezra interprets of the glorious name Jehovah; the word God spake to Moses, the name in which he made himself known to him, and to the Israelites, he had not to their fathers, ( Exodus 3:14 ) ( 6:3 ) ; but rather it is to be understood of God’s word of promise, and his faithfulness in fulfilling it; which, though not a greater attribute than any other, yet is made more known and more illustrious than the rest; and particularly may regard the promise of the coming of the Messiah, and of the blessings of grace by him; Jarchi interprets it particularly of the pardon of sin. It may with propriety be applied to Christ, the essential Word, that was made flesh, and dwelt among men; whom God has highly exalted, and not only given him a name above every name of men on earth, but also above any particular name or attribute of his: or however he has magnified him “according”

FOOTNOTES:

F15 to every name of his, it being his will that men should honour the Son as they honour the Father; or “with” F16 every name along with each of them; or “besides” F17 every name; for all these senses the word will bear. Some render them, as Ben Melech, “thou hast magnified above all things thy name” and “thy word”; or, as others, “thy name [by] thy word” F18; see ( Psalms 8:1 ) ( Psalms 57:10 Psalms 57:11 ) ; The Targum is,

“the words of thy praise above all thy name;”

or “over all thy name”: everything by which he has made himself known in creation and providence; “thou hast magnified thy word”, all being done according to the word said in himself, his decrees and purposes; or declared in his word and promises, whereby he has glorified it.

F13 So Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
F14 (Kmv lk le) “super omne nomen tuum”, Cocceius, Michaelis.
F15 “Secundum omne nomen tuum”, Gejerus.
F16 “Cum toto nomine tuo”, Junius & Tremellius.
F17 “Vel praeter omne nomen tuum”, Piscator.
F18 “Nomen tuum sermone tuo”; so some in Piscator.

Taken from John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

Psalms 138:2 In-Context

1 I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise.

2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame.

3 When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.

4 May all the kings of the earth praise you, LORD, when they hear what you have decreed.

5 May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great.

What is the meaning of Psalm 139?

The psalm addresses God, or, in Jewish tradition, YHWH, and the speaker calls out and establishes a salutation and an understanding of what he knows God to be. He goes on to marvel at the omnipresence of God even in the most secret of places, and praise God for His vast knowledge of the future.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org › wiki

Psalm 139 – Wikipedia

I will praise your name for you created me by your hand and your desires and image you formed in me I am fearfully and wonderfully made in your honor and name

God’s Way Is Perfect

VERSE OF THE DAY

Psalm 18:30 (New Living Translation)

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God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

God’s way is perfect. No one can be as perfect as God. All the Lord’s promises prove true. His claims come true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. A safe haven for shelter

“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. ”May 29, 2021

Encouragement and Hope from God’s Word

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MONDAY

JUNE 2016

MONDAY ENCOURAGEMENT: PSALM 18:30

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Encouragement

“As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.” Psalm 18:30

Ever wonder what a buckler is? A buckler is defined as being “a portable shield”, “a shield surrounding the person”, “a large shield protecting the whole body”.

If you’re going into this week (or this month, this year) wondering how you’ll ever make it through, just remember: God is our buckler. David tells us right in Psalm 18! “He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.” All you have to do is trust God. He’s got this!

David wrote Psalm 18 in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and specifically from Saul (who was seeking him out to kill him). If the great King David could utter these words when he was on the run in the wilderness, surely we can claim God as our buckler, too!

“As for God, his way is perfect:” God’s way may not always be our way (read: His way is most of the time completely not our way, for real). Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

We may think we’ve got it all together, we may think we’ve got the best plan, but when it comes right down to it, God’s way is the best way, and His plan for our lives is the best plan. We’ve been in His mind since the day we were born, and God knows every single circumstance, relationship, job, career, pursuit, joy, sadness, and love before it’s even a thought in our minds. Until we completely surrender to God’s will, we’re just wandering nomads.

“…the word of the LORD is tried:” God’s Word is tried, tested, and true. If you’re in need of encouragement (aren’t we all?!) then flip open your Bible to one of the Psalms. Proof of God’s truth is everywhere throughout the Bible, and it’s not religion; God’s Word is full of historical facts!

“As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.”

If you’re entering this morning feeling unsure, or filled with doubt, or afraid, or sad, or unloved, remember this: God’s way is perfect, and He will be your buckler if you put your trust in Him.

July 8, 2019

Psalm 18:30

As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. – Psalm 18:30

Dear Heavenly Father,

It’s so easy to make my prayer an arm twisting routine. I twist your arm to get you to run my life the way I think it should go. The psalmist puts me in the right frame of mind. Your way is perfect. Your word is flawless and you just want me to take refuge in you without thinking I have to tell you what you are missing down here. Oh, Lord you have worked out so many problems in my life and made them turn out for my good. You have blessed me on top of blessings. I will take refuge in you and look for the ways you will bless me through anything coming my way whether it looks bad or good at the beginning. Give me the optimism that faith brings. Hold me behind your shield and take care of all people.

Amen

Pastor Don Patterson

God did make our hearts big enough to handle the burden of worry. But they are big enough to handle the burden of faith.

Dear Heart of a Shepherd Follower,

We have seen many reminders of God’s providential care throughout Joseph’s life and admired his faith and fortitude through the sorrows and injustices he suffered. Hated by brothers whose jealousy drove them to sell him as a slave. Falsely accused by his master’s wife, unfairly sentenced to prison, and forgotten. Consider another example of faith in the providence of God recorded by David in Psalm 18:30.

Psalm 18:30 – “As for God [“El”; “Almighty God”], his way [path; actions] is perfect [without blemish]: the word [commandment] of the LORD [Jehovah] is tried [refined; purged by fire]: he is a buckler [small shield] to all those that trust in him [make Him their refuge].”

It is easy to say, “the way of God is perfect” when we are free from trials and troubles; however, are we willing to trust the LORD when trials shadow our days? Will we trust Him when we are like gold passing through a smelter’s fire?

When enemies malign us and friends betray us, will we, like David turn to God’s promises and hope in the LORD? Will we trust Him as our “buckler” (a small shield for hand-to-hand combat), when an enemy means to harm us?

Reflecting on the character of God (18:31), when David asserts, Jehovah is my Refuge (i.e. “rock”), his strength was renewed (18:32), his courage restored, and his steps made sure (18:33, 36).

Friend, are you facing trials? Don’t lose hope! Be confident “His way is perfect” and the fiery trials you are facing have the potential of purifying your heart like silver and strengthening your character like steel!

Give thanks to the LORD even before the trial is past knowing His mercies fail not (18:46-50)!

Psalm 18

Psalm 18 – Great Praise from a Place of Great Victory

This is a long psalm; there are only three psalms longer in the entire collection (78, 89, and 119). Its length is well suited to its theme, as described in the title. The title itself is long, with only one longer in the psalter (Psalm 60): To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all of his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:

In the title David tells us whom the psalm was written for: God Himself, who is the Chief Musician. He tells us more about himself, that we should consider him the servant of the LORD. He tells us the occasion for the writing of the psalm – possibly not only the immediate aftermath of Saul’s death (described in 1 Samuel 31; 2 Samuel 1), but also of the period leading to David’s enthronement (2 Samuel 2-5). He tells us also something about Saul, who out of great, undeserved kindness on David’s part, is not explicitly counted among the enemies of David (from the hand of all of his enemies and from the hand of Saul).

This psalm is virtually the same as the psalm sung by David at the very end of his life, as recorded in 2 Samuel 22. It is likely that David composed this song as a younger man; yet in his old age David could look back with great gratitude and sing this song again, looking at his whole life.

A. God’s past deliverance for David.

1. (1-3) David praises the God of his deliverance.

I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

a. I will love You, O LORD: This was a triumphant declaration made in a season of great triumph. It is true that David decided to love the LORD, but even more true that he simply felt compelled to love the LORD who delivered him so wonderfully.

i. Since he was taken from the sheepfold and anointed the future king of Israel, David had lived some 20 or so years as a fugitive, and as a man who had lost everything. He lost his safety, he lost his youth, he lost his family, he lost his career, he lost his rights, he lost his connection with the covenant people of God, he lost his comforts, and at times he even lost his close relationship with God. Despite all, he remained steadfast to the Lord, and God – in His timing – delivered David and fulfilled the long-ago promise of his anointing.

ii. In saying, “I will love You,” David used a somewhat unusual word. “This word for love is an uncommon one, impulsive and emotional. Found elsewhere only in its intensive forms, it usually expresses the compassionate love of the stronger for the weaker.” (Boice)

iii. “Hebrew, I will love thee dearly and entirely…from the very heart-root.” (Trapp)

iv. “The precluding invocation in Psalm 18:1-3 at once touches the high-water mark of Old Testament devotion, and is conspicuous among its noblest utterances. Nowhere else in Scripture is the form of the word employed which is here used for ‘love.’ It has special depth and tenderness.” (Maclaren)

v. David said, “I will love You” to the God who delivered him, not only for rescuing him from his trial, but for all God did in and through the trials to make him what he was. David wasn’t bitter against God, as if he said, “Well, it’s about time You delivered me.” Instead he was grateful that the years of trouble had done something good and necessary in his life.

b. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer: David knew this to be true before, but he knew it by faith. Now David sang from a perspective that knew this by experience in a greater way than ever before.

i. When David said, “The LORD is my rock,” he likely meant it in more than one sense. A rock was of help to the ancient Judean in several ways.

· It could provide essential shade, always needed in the merciless sun and heat of the desert (as in Isaiah 32:2).

· It could provide shelter and protection in its cracks and crevasses (as in Exodus 33:22 and Proverbs 30:26).

· It could provide a firm place to stand and fight, as opposed to sinking sand (as in Psalm 40:2).

c. My God, my strength, in whom I will trust: David knew the triumph of God’s strength over the long trial. Many people fall under the excruciating length of an extended season of trial, and David almost did (1 Samuel 27; 29-30).

i. That fact that David saw his God as his strength reminds us of the promise later expressed through Paul: Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10).

d. My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold: As David listed honoring name for God upon honoring name (we can count nine just in these first few verses), we get the feeling of a flood of praise and emotion from David. He can’t say enough about who God is and the great things He has done for David.

i. It is revealing that David can speak so eloquently about his God and what God has done for him. As Maclaren says, “The whole is one long, loving accumulation of dear names.” This means that David both knew God and had experienced God.

ii. In these nine titles, we see what God was for David:

· His strength, the One who empowered him to survive against and defeat his enemies.

· His rock, which indicates a place of shelter, safety, and a secure standing.

· His fortress, a place of strength and safety.

· His deliverer, the One who made a way of escape for him.

· His God, “my strong God, not only the object of my adoration, but he who puts strength in my soul.” (Clarke)

· His strength, but this uses a different Hebrew word than in Psalm 18:1. According to Clarke, the idea behind this word is fountain, source, origin.

· His shield, who defends both his head and his heart.

· His horn, meaning his strength and defense.

· His stronghold, his high tower of refuge where he could see an enemy from a great distance and be protected from the adversary.

iii. “When he was conscious that the object of his worship was such as he has pointed out in the above nine particulars, it is no wonder that he resolves to call upon him; and no wonder that he expects, in consequence, to be saved from his enemies; for who can destroy him whom such a God undertakes to save?” (Clarke)

e. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies: In previous psalms David cried out to God from times of intense crisis; now he cries out to God with the same strength to praise Him for His deliverance. It is sad to say that many are far more passionate in asking for help than they ever are in giving thanks or praise.

i. The thought, “So shall I be saved from my enemies” did not always come easily for David. Not very long before this great season of victory, he said to himself: Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines (1 Samuel 27:1). This shows that there were times when David deeply doubted the final victory he now enjoyed; but it also shows that in the end, his faith – and more importantly, God’s strength – was greater than his weakness.

ii. Therefore, at this point, it is all a song of praise for David. “To be saved singing is to be saved indeed. Many are saved mourning and doubting; but David had such faith that he could fight singing, and win the battle with a song still on his lips.” (Spurgeon)

2. (4-6) The danger that made David cry out to the LORD.

The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called upon the LORD,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

a. The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid: David described two threats: first, the threat of death, and second the floods of ungodliness. The overwhelming presence of ungodliness was a significant trial to David.

i. This reminds us that despite the fact that David was a true warrior, he was also a sensitive soul who was troubled by the deeds and words of the ungodly.

b. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me: This was another way of saying that David was threatened with death. Sheol is another word for the grave or death.

c. He heard my voice from His temple: This was long before the later building of the temple in the days of Solomon. The city of Jerusalem wasn’t even in Israeli control at the time David wrote this (not until 2 Samuel 5:6-10). Yet David knew that God had a temple, a heavenly temple that was the model for the tabernacle and the later temple (Exodus 25:9, 25:40), and that God heard prayer from heaven.

i. What did God hear from His temple? God heard David’s cry (cried out to my God). “This same poor man cried, and the cry set Jehovah’s activity in motion. The deliverance of a single soul may seem a small thing, but if the single soul has prayed it is no longer small, for God’s good name is involved.” (Maclaren)

3. (7-15) The majestic deliverance God brought to David.

Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
He flew upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness His secret place;
His canopy around Him was dark waters
And thick clouds of the skies.
From the brightness before Him,
His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.

The LORD thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe,
Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.
Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered
At Your rebuke, O LORD,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

a. Then the earth shook and trembled: David describes the dramatic deliverance God brought to him. It was marked by earthquakes, the indignation of God (He was angry), smoke and fire, and the personal intervention of God (He rode upon a cherub, and flew).

i. “When a monarch is angry, and prepares for war, his whole kingdom is instantly in commotion. Universal nature is here represented as feeling the effects of its sovereign’s displeasure, and all the visible elements are disordered.” (Horne)

ii. Smoke went up from His nostrils: “A violent [Middle Eastern] method of expressing fierce wrath. Since the breath from the nostrils is heated by strong emotion, the figure portrays the Almighty Deliverer as pouring forth smoke in the heat of his wrath and the impetuousness of his zeal.” (Spurgeon)

iii. He rode upon a cherub, and flew: David here emphasized the speed of God’s deliverance. “As swiftly as the wind. He came to my rescue with all speed.” (Poole) We may fairly wonder if it seemed speedy to David at the time.

iv. This terminology of David emphasizes the judgment of God; but since the judgment is directed against David’s enemies, it means deliverance for David. God won this victory against David’s strong enemy, against those who hated David (Psalm 18:16-17).

v. There is a larger principle here: understanding that deliverance for a righteous person or people often means judgment against those who oppress them.

b. The LORD thundered from heaven: David set phrase upon phrase in describing the great work of God on his behalf. According to David’s description, God moved heaven, sky, earth, and sea to deliver David.

i. When David described help coming to him through earthquakes, thunder, storms, and lightning, he clearly used poetic images from the way God delivered Israel from Egypt, at Mount Sinai, and during the conquest of Canaan under Joshua. Yet it is also entirely possible – if not probable – that he also literally saw such phenomenon sent from God to protect and fight for him. Though such events are not recorded in 1 or 2 Samuel, we remember that there were long periods of David’s life (such as when he was hunted as a fugitive from Saul) of which we have few descriptions of events. He must have experienced God’s deliverance again and again in a variety of ways.

ii. The way David describes it all leaves us with two impressions. First, he really believed those things happened as recorded in the Bible. Second, he saw the same God do similar things for him in his own day.

iii. Significantly, we might say that David could only really see this once his deliverance was accomplished. In the midst of his trial, David had many reasons and occasions to wonder where the delivering hand of God was. God’s deliverance is always seen most clearly looking back; looking forward it is often only seen by faith.

4. (16-19) David set in safety.

He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the LORD was my support.
He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.

a. He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy: David felt that he was drowning when the strong hand of God picked him out of many waters. Like a man caught up in a flood, David knew that his enemies were too strong for him, but that God could deliver him.

i. “Some will not see the hand of God, but I warrant you, brethren, those who have been delivered out of the deep waters will see it. Their experience teaches them that God is yet among us.” (Spurgeon)

b. He also brought me out into a broad place: The strong hand of God not only plucked David from the flood, but it also set him in a safe place.

c. He delivered me because He delighted in me: We can say that David meant this in two ways. First, he delighted in David in the sense that He chose him, anointed him, and set His marvelous lovingkindness (Psalm 17:7) upon David. Second, he delighted in David because he lived a righteous life, as explained in the following verses.

i. “Deliverance from sin, deliverance from evil propensities, deliverance from spiritual enemies – each deliverance bears evidence of God’s love to us…. How much he delights in you it is not possible to say. The Father delights in you, and looks upon you with doting love; like as a father takes pleasure in his child, so does he rejoice over you.” (Spurgeon)

5. (20-24) God delivered David because of his righteousness.

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
I was also blameless before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

a. The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: During his long season of affliction under Saul, David was challenged to respond in unrighteous ways. He had many opportunities to strike out against Saul as a matter of self-defense. Yet David consistently conducted himself in righteousness and knew that God rewarded him because of it.

b. I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God…. I was also blameless before Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity: This was not a claim of sinless perfection on David’s part. In fact, the year or so before the death of King Saul was spent in some significant measure of spiritual and moral compromise (1 Samuel 27; 29-30). Yet through it all David kept a core of integrity toward God, was correctable despite his failings, and most importantly did not fail in the greatest test: to not give in to the temptation to gain the throne through killing or undermining Saul.

i. We believe this psalm – twice recorded in Scripture, with minor variations, both here and in 2 Samuel 22 – actually speaks from two contexts. Here, according to the title, it was sung first from David’s victory over Saul and receiving of the throne of Israel. In 2 Samuel 22 David sang it as a grateful retrospect over his entire life. He can say “I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God” in both contexts, but with somewhat different meaning. It meant one thing to say it before his sin with Bathsheba and against Uriah; it was another thing to say it after that sin.

ii. Spurgeon explained how the statement could be true both before and after the scandal with Bathsheba: “Before God the man after God’s own heart was a humble sinner, but before his slanderers he could with unblushing face speak of the ‘cleanness of his hands’ and the righteousness of his life.”

iii. Nevertheless, we can largely agree with Adam Clarke: “The times in which David was most afflicted were the times of his greatest uprightness. Adversity was always to him a time of spiritual prosperity.”

c. I kept myself from my iniquity: Some think this is arrogance or pride on David’s part. Spurgeon quotes one commentator who protested, “Kept himself! Who made man his own keeper?” Yet we know there is certainly a sense in which we must keep ourselves from sin, even as Paul spoke of a man cleansing himself for God’s glory and for greater service (2 Timothy 2:21).

i. We may see a personal danger in the words, my iniquity. It shows that there is iniquity in every person, and that we must be on special guard against our own tendencies to sin, to practice iniquity. It is true that all we like sheep have gone astray; but we have also turned each one to our own way. Our iniquity may be in us from birth; it may have been educated into us by a bad family or by bad company. Our iniquity may come to us through temptations, through adversity, or through prosperity – even by our blessings.

ii. These words of David also tell us of a special guard. David was determined to keep himself from his iniquity. “Be resolved in the power of the Holy Spirit that this particular sin shall be overcome. There is nothing like hanging it up by the neck, that very sin, I mean. Do not fire at sin indiscriminately; but, if thou hast one sin that is more to thee than another, drag it out from the crowd, and say, ‘Thou must die if no other does. I will hang thee up in the face of the sun.’” (Spurgeon)

iii. One may object: “Yet David did not keep himself from his iniquity, and some years after this he sinned with Bathsheba, and he grievously sinned against Uriah.” That is true, and David was disciplined greatly for that sin. Nevertheless, we never hear of him sinning in a similar way after his repentance from that terrible transgression. There is a real sense in which after his repentance, David did keep himself from his iniquity. As Benjamin Franklin wrote: “Many princes sin with David, but few repent with him.”

d. Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness: David resisted the remarkably strong temptation to depose Saul and take the throne promised to him by either violence or intrigue. This was the consistent expression of righteousness that the LORD rewarded by giving David a throne that could not be taken from him.

i. David here simply testified to his clean conscience, which is a good and wonderful thing. “A godly man has a clear conscience, and knows himself to be upright; is he to deny his own consciousness, and to despise the work of the Holy Ghost, by hypocritically making himself out to be worse than he is?” (Spurgeon)

6. (25-27) An abiding principle of God’s dealing with man.

With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
For You will save the humble people,
But will bring down haughty looks.

a. With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful: David understood a basic principle of God’s dealing with men; that God often treats a man in the same way that man treats others.

i. Jesus explained this principle in the Sermon on the Mount: For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you (Matthew 7:2). Human nature wants to use a small measure of mercy with others, but wants a large measure of mercy from God. Jesus told us to expect the same measure from God that we give to others.

ii. “Note that even the merciful need mercy; no amount of generosity to the poor, or forgiveness to enemies, can set us beyond the need of mercy.” (Spurgeon)

iii. “The attitude of God towards men is created by their attitude towards Him.” (Morgan) This principle works in a positive way; those who show great mercy are given great mercy. It also works in a negative way: with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. One illustration of this was how God used the shrewd Laban to educate the devious Jacob (Genesis 27-28).

iv. It is significant that this appears in the psalm that celebrates David’s victory over Saul. Both sides of this principle (God’s dealing with the merciful and the devious) were mightily illustrated in the lives of David and Saul through their ongoing conflict.

v. Translators have had trouble with the second half of Psalm 18:26, because it communicates a difficult concept. It’s easy say that if a man is pure toward God, then God will be pure to him. But you can’t say that if a man is wicked toward God, then God will be wicked toward him, because God can’t do wickedness. So, “David expresses the second half of the parallel by a somewhat ambiguous word, the root meaning of which is ‘twisted.’ The verse actually says, ‘To the twisted (or crooked) you will show yourself twisted (or crooked)’…. The idea seems to be that if a person insists in going devious ways in his dealings with God, God will outwit him, as that man deserves.” (Boice)

vi. Leviticus 26:23-24 promises such a thing: And if by these things you are not reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins.

b. You will save the humble people, but will bring down haughty looks: God loves to give grace to the humble, and likewise resists the proud (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).

i. Humble people: The idea behind the Hebrew word ani refers to the poor, afflicted, and needy ones. God’s care for these humble people is found in several psalms (Psalm 10:2, 22:24, 35:10, 68:10), though the Hebrew word ani may be translated differently in different places.

B. God’s present and future power for David.

1. (28-30) God gives His light and word to empower David.

For You will light my lamp;
The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
For by You I can run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall.
As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

a. For You will light my lamp: David now moves from joyful thanks for the past to confidence in the future. The same God who brought him to the throne would give him the light he needed to rule and enlighten his darkness.

b. For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall: This gives thanks for past victories, and thanks God for present strength. One might think that after the 20-some years of living as a fugitive from Saul, David would simply be exhausted. This was not the case; God empowering him, he felt strong enough to accomplish superhuman feats.

i. “By thee I have broken through the armed troops of mine enemies. I have scaled the walls of their strongest cities and castles, and so taken them.” (Poole)

ii. “With faith, how easy all exploits become! When we have no faith, though, to fight with enemies, and overcome difficulties, is hard work indeed; but, when we have faith, oh, how easy our victories! What does the believer do? There is a troop, – well, he runs in faith, then, to fight with enemies, and overcome difficulties is hard wall, what about that? He leaps over it. It is amazing how easy life becomes when a man has faith. Does faith diminish difficulties? Oh, no, it increaseth them; but it increaseth his strength to overcome them. If thou hast faith, thou shalt have trials; but thou shalt do great exploits, endure great privations, and get triumphant victories.” (Spurgeon)

c. His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven: David spoke of the great things he could do as empowered by God, but he came back to the thought of the greatness of God. He considered the perfection of His way, and the proven character of His word.

i. The word of the LORD is proven: “Literally tried in the fire. It has stood all tests; and has never failed those who pleaded it before its author.” (Clarke)

ii. David could say “the word of the LORD is proven” from his personal experience. The word given to David – that he would be the next king of Israel, plus hundreds of smaller promises – had been proven true.

iii. Many do not know this from their own experience because they will never allow themselves to be put in a situation where God must prove His word true. David knew the truth of this from the extreme circumstances of his life.

2. (31-36) God gives David strength and skill.

For who is God, except the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And sets me on my high places.
He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great.
You enlarged my path under me,
So my feet did not slip.

a. For who is God, except the LORD? David here celebrated the reality of the God of Israel against the illusions of the gods of the nations. The Philistines, the Moabites, the Edomites, and all the rest had their gods; but only Yahweh (the LORD) is God.

i. “Vain were the idols of the ancient world, Baal and Jupiter; as vain are those of modern times – pleasure, honour, and profit. They cannot bestow content, or make their votaries happy below; much less can they deliver from death, or open the everlasting doors above.” (Horne)

b. It is God who arms me with strength…. He makes my feet like the feet of deer: David knew by experience the strength of God given to him, and also the skill to use such strength. This skill was like the skill that deer have, who can run effortlessly upon the high places.

i. David sang about the way God helped him make war (as in 2 Samuel 8). God gave him strength, helped him run swiftly and on a secure path (makes my way perfect…feet like the feet of deer), made him strong enough to bend a bow of bronze, and gave him the shield of Your salvation. As a warrior, David knew God as one who helped him make war triumphantly. As God gave David what he needed (physical strength and skill), God will also give us what we need.

ii. Kidner suggests that the bow of bronze was actually a wooden bow that was reinforced with metal.

c. Your right hand has held me up; Your gentleness has made me great: David was held by the strength and skill of God’s right hand, and made great by the gentleness of God.

i. We don’t often think of someone being made great by the gentleness of God. It is easy to underestimate the power of God’s gentleness, and we often want a more evidently spectacular work from God. Yet David – this great warrior – received from and responded to the gentleness of God.

ii. We can say this was the gentleness of God in at least two respects. It was the gentleness that God showed to David, and the gentleness that David learned from God and showed to others. “While it was the gentleness God exercised that allowed David his success, it was the gentleness God taught him that was his true greatness.” (Kidner)

iii. God had shown His gentleness to David in many ways, and there were even more ways after his victory over Saul and taking of the throne.

· God’s gentleness was great to David when he was a despised member of his family, neglected, ignored, tending the sheep in solitude.

· God’s gentleness was great to David when He consoled his soul when Saul began to envy and hate him.

· God’s gentleness was great to David when He gave him a friend like Jonathan.

· God’s gentleness was great to David when He allowed him to have the holy bread at the tabernacle as he was fleeing from Saul.

· God’s gentleness was great to David when He told Abigail about Nabal, thereby keeping David from slaughtering a foolish man and his family.

· God’s gentleness was great to David when He granted him the self-control to spare Saul’s life – twice.

· God’s gentleness was great to David when He protected him even when he was foolish, such as when he acted like a madman in the court of a Philistine ruler.

· God’s gentleness was great to David when He prevented him fighting on behalf of the Philistines against Saul and Israel.

· God’s gentleness was great to David when He comforted him after David had lost all at Ziklag; where David encouraged himself in the LORD and afterwards recovered all.

iv. We notice also what this gentleness of God did: it made David great. We can say that the gentleness of God makes every believer great also, more than they often consider.

· In this world, some people are thought to be great because of their royal birth; who has a greater claim to royal birth than the son or daughter of the King of Kings?

·In this world, some people are thought to be great because of their election; what greater election is there than to be the elect of God?

· In this world, some people are thought to be great because of their wealth; who has greater riches than the children and heirs of the God who owns all?

· In this world, some people are thought to be great because of their victories; who has achieved greater victory than the one who is in unity with Jesus Christ, the greatest champion of all?

· In this world, some people are thought to be great because of their influence; who has greater influence than the child of God who can move the hand of God with his faithful and righteous prayers?

· In this world, some people are thought to be great because of their discoveries; who has discovered anything greater than the nature of the infinite and eternal God?

· In this world, some people are thought to be great because of their history; who has a greater heritage than a member of the body of Christ as it spans through the ages and generations?

· In this world, some people are thought to be great because of their destiny; who has a more glorious and amazing destiny than the heirs of His glory, those who are His own inheritance?

3. (37-42) God gives David victory over his enemies.

I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
I have wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen under my feet.
For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
They cried out, but there was none to save;
Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.
Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;
I cast them out like dirt in the streets.

a. I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them: Here David had in mind those other than Saul. David knew that as King of Israel he would have to face enemies from surrounding nations, and here he celebrated the past victories God gave him against his enemies.

b. Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed…. You have also given me the necks of my enemies: David fought as a true warrior, and sought to utterly defeat the enemies of Israel on the field of battle. He properly believed that God gave him the victory over these enemies.

i. “Thou hast made me a complete conqueror. Treading on the neck of an enemy was the triumph of the conqueror, and the utmost disgrace of the vanquished.” (Clarke)

ii. “Of David we may say, as one did of Julius Caesar, you may perceive him to have been an excellent soldier by his very language; for he wrote with the same spirit he fought.” (Trapp)

4. (43-49) God establishes David’s throne.

You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;
You have made me the head of the nations;
A people I have not known shall serve me.
As soon as they hear of me they obey me;
The foreigners submit to me.
The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.
The LORD lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
It is God who avenges me,
And subdues the peoples under me;
He delivers me from my enemies.
You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.

a. You have delivered me from the strivings of the people: David knew that taking the throne of Israel was more than just a matter of removing Saul. There were also the strivings of the people, of those who did not immediately support David as king over a united Israel (2 Samuel 2-5).

b. You have made me the head of the nations; a people I have not known shall serve me: David also knew that God would raise him up not only as the King of Israel, but as a regional power with authority over neighboring nations who brought him tribute.

i. Isaiah 55:3-5 (and other passages) tell us that this promise will have an even greater fulfillment in the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ, when David will be the king over the millennial Israel, which will be exalted above the other nations of the earth.

ii. As soon as they hear of me they obey me: We could say that Psalm 18:44 tells us how we should obey Jesus. This not only tells us of the obligation of the believer, but also that one can immediately come to Jesus Christ, be converted, and live obediently to God. No probation period is necessary.

iii. “If any of you have thought that trusting Christ does not involve obeying him, you have made a great mistake. They do very wrong who cry up believing in Christ, and yet depreciate obedience to him, for obeying is believing in another form, and springs out of believing.” (Spurgeon)

c. The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock: All of this made David love and honor the LORD more than ever. He gave praise to God for the great things He had done. He had truly delivered David from the violent man, most notably the murderous Saul who hunted him.

i. “If we begin with ‘The Lord is my Rock,’ we shall end with ‘Blessed be my Rock.’” (Maclaren)

d. Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name: On one level, this was David praising God for his deliverance and safety among his neighboring kingdoms. On a second level, Paul quotes this in Romans 15:8-12 as the first of four Old Testament prophesies demonstrating that the work of Jesus Christ was not only for the Jewish people, but for the Gentiles also.

i. “And therefore David is here transported beyond himself, even to his seed forever, as it is expressed in Psalm 18:50, and speaks this in special relation to Christ.” (Poole)

ii. “While David may have thought only of Yahweh’s fame spread abroad, his words at their full value portray the Lord’s anointed (Psalm 18:50), ultimately the Messiah, praising Him among – in fellowship with – a host of Gentile worshippers.” (Kidner)

iii. “At this point we are encouraged to look back over the entire psalm for messianic meanings.” (Boice) We can see many pictures of Jesus and His work in this psalm:

· Psalm 18:1-6 suggests His death (the pangs of death encompassed me…the sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me).

· Psalm 18:7-18 suggests His resurrection (the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken…. He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy).

· Psalm 18:19-27 suggests His exaltation (I have kept the ways of the LORD…. I was also blameless before Him…. Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness).

· Psalm 18:28-42 suggests His victory (For by You I can run against a troop…. I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them). Jesus was strong enough to run against a troop and be victorious; the enemies against Jesus were strong and disciplined; yet Christ confronted them and defeated them. Jesus was great enough to jump over a wall: the wall of God’s holy law that separated us from Him. He didn’t destroy the wall; instead with His holy life He jumped over it and fulfilled the law on our behalf.

· Psalm 18:43-50 suggests His kingdom (You have made me the head of the nations…. The foreigners submit to me…. You also lift me up above those who rise against me…. Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles).

iv. While the use of Psalm 18:49 in Romans 15:9 does show that the Holy Spirit spoke of Jesus and His work here, it also has a unique application to David himself. “There is a sense in which it applies particularly to David, well observed by Theodoret: ‘We see,’ says he, ‘evidently the fulfilment of this prophecy; for even to the present day David praises the Lord among the Gentiles by the mouth of true believers; seeing there is not a town, village, hamlet, country, nor even a desert, where Christians dwell, in which God is not praised by their singing the Psalms of David.’” (Clarke)

5. (50) God blesses His anointed king.

Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forevermore.

a. Great deliverance He gives to His king: David could say this with confidence, not only that God would give him deliverance, but also more importantly that he was His king. David knew this because he did all that he could to make sure that he did not seize or usurp the throne. He let God give it to him in time. David therefore had the blessed benefit of knowing that he was God’s king, and not one of his own making.

b. And shows mercy to His anointed: David perhaps thought back some 20 years before, when he was first anointed for the throne that he now received. It had been a long, but important journey between the time of his anointing and his receiving the throne.

c. To David and his descendants forevermore: Here David understood something by either intuition or by faith, something that would not be specifically promised to him until later. The promise was that David (and not Saul) would begin a hereditary monarchy in Israel, and that his descendants would also sit on the throne of Israel. This was the promise to build a house for David that God explicitly made in 2 Samuel 7:1-17.

Categories: Old Testament Psalms

Enduring Word

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Psalm 18

What does Psalm 18:30 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑]

David states categorically that God’s way is perfect, and His Word proves true. He does not say God’s way is easy, but it is perfect. David’s years of evading Saul and his men brought hardship, as did subsequent conflicts with other enemies. But through it all God was true to His word and perfectly used every trial to mold David into a faithful servant (2 Samuel 22:1). Also, during those years of testing, the Lord was David’s shield, and David writes that the Lord “is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”

The Christian life is not easy—anyone who claims that salvation brings an easier life is lying (John 16:33). The apostles certainly faced hardship and opposition for the sake of Christ, and we should not expect anything different (2 Timothy 3:12). Nevertheless, the Lord uses every difficulty we encounter to develop Christlike character in us (Romans 5:3–5; 8:28–30; James 1:2–4; 1 Peter 1:6–9). Romans 8:35–39 guarantee that even harsh adversities are not indicators that God no longer loves us.

Writing from a prison, the apostle Paul testified: “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:12–13). Indeed, God’s way is perfect, and He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection!

Context Summary

Psalm 18:28–45 celebrates the Lord’s goodness to David during his wilderness experience (2 Samuel 22:1). Second Samuel 22:29–46 is a companion passage, and 2 Samuel chapter 8 features several of David’s victories. Other passages that focus on the victory God gives His people are Romans 8:28–39, 1 Corinthians 15:50–58, 2 Corinthians 1:8–11, 2:14–17, Ephesians 6:10–20, Philippians 1:12–26, 1 Peter 1:3–9, and 1 John 5:1–5.

Chapter Summary

In 2 Samuel chapter 22, David expresses praise for all the times in his life where God gave him victory. That prayer or song is copied almost identically here. Psalm 18, itself, might have been adapted for use in public worship. David remembers dire situations where God rescued him. He dramatically recounts how God provided rescue and power. David also credits God with rewarding his obedience by making him a powerful and successful military leader. For these reasons, David commits himself to the praise and worship of the Lord.

What does Psalm chapter 18 mean?

Psalm 18 is the fourth longest psalm in the book of Psalms. Second Samuel chapter 22 contains a nearly identical speech; the text found here may be an adapted version of David’s praise, to be used for worship. The introduction refers to the fact that David made this statement as an expression of his love for God (Psalm 18:1).

The first section in David’s song of praise thanks God for providing rescue. At times in David’s life, he was hunted and persecuted. The imagery in this section relates those experiences to the feeling of being tied up or drowning. In response to David’s prayers for help, God intervened. David evokes images of earthquakes, fire, storms, and lightning to depict the power of the Lord’s intercession. The result of that rescue was David’s victory and security (Psalm 18:2–19).

David credits God with rescuing him and praises the Lord for rewarding his righteousness. While not a perfect man, the pattern of David’s life was to honor and obey God (1 Samuel 13:14). This part of Psalm 18 declares that David’s intent was to humble himself before God. In response to those who are merciful, God shows mercy. Those who are arrogant and proud can expect to be ruined (Psalm 18:20–27).

After thanking the Lord for rescue, David turns to a celebration of his God-empowered victories (2 Samuel 22:1). Scripture certainly supports the idea that David’s military success was impressive (2 Samuel 8:1–8, 14). This passage uses metaphors such as being agile as a deer, strong enough to bend a bronze bow, having a wide and clear path, and so forth. While God responded to David’s pleas, those who hated God saw no help when facing destruction. As a result of this divine intervention, Israel was safe from her enemies, and many avoided war entirely by submitting to David (Psalm 18:28–45).

The psalm closes by summarizing the themes already mentioned. God is the ultimate foundation of David’s life, and the reason for all his success. In response, David will praise and celebrate the Lord (Psalm 18:46–50).

Book Summary
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ”Psalm” in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.Chapter Context
This psalm is David’s prayer to the Lord in which David praises the Lord for making him victorious over his enemies. Second Samuel 5, 8, and 10 are companion chapters, and 2 Samuel 22 provides another version of this psalm. Second Samuel 22:1 tells us David composed Psalm 18 on the day the Lord delivered him from his enemies and Saul. Second Samuel 19 reports David’s victorious return to Jerusalem after David vanquished his enemies.

Have Compassion On Me

Psalm 6

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by an eight-stringed instrument.[a]

O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage.

Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.

I am sick at heart.
How long, O Lord, until you restore me?

Return, O Lord, and rescue me.
Save me because of your unfailing love.

For the dead do not remember you.
Who can praise you from the grave?[b]

I am worn out from sobbing.
All night I flood my bed with weeping,
drenching it with my tears.

My vision is blurred by grief;
my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.

Go away, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.

The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord will answer my prayer.

May all my enemies be disgraced and terrified.
May they suddenly turn back in shame.

O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage. Don’t show aggression against me

Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony they are brittle.

I am sick at heart.
How long, O Lord, until you restore me?

Return, O Lord, and rescue me.
Save me because of your unfailing love. I have fallen and can not get up.

For the dead do not remember you.
Who can praise you from the grave?[b]

I am worn out from sobbing.
All night I flood my bed with weeping,
drenching it with my tears. My eyes overflow.

My vision is blurred by grief;
my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.

Go away, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping and seen my sorrows.

The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord will answer my prayer. The lord has heard my cry.

May all my enemies be disgraced and terrified.
May they suddenly turn back in shame.

Hiding their face.

David Guzik

On December 19, 2015, 10:45 pm

Psalm 6

Psalm 6 – A Confident Answer to an Agonized Plea

Psalm 6 is known as the first of the seven penitential psalms – songs of confession and humility before God. It was a custom among some in the early church to sing these psalms on Ash Wednesday, 40 days before Resurrection Sunday. The title of this psalm is To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. On an eight-stringed harp. A Psalm of David. The title tells us the recipient of the psalm – the Chief Musician, whom some suppose to be the Lord GOD Himself, and others suppose to be a leader of choirs or musicians in David’s time, such as Heman the singer or Asaph (1 Chronicles 6:33, 16:5-7, and 25:6). Not only was it written for stringed instruments, but specifically for the eight-stringed harp.

A. The agonized plea.

1. (1) A plea to lighten the chastening hand.

O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.

a. Do not rebuke me in Your anger: We don’t know what the occasion of this song was, but because of his sin David sensed he was under the rebuke of God. Therefore, he called out to God to lighten the chastisement.

i. There may be times when we believe we are chastened by God’s hand when really, we suffer trouble brought upon ourselves. Nevertheless, there are certainly times when the LORD does chasten His children.

b. Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure: We know that God’s chastening hand is not primarily a mark of His displeasure, but rather it is a mark of adoption. Hebrews 12:7 makes it clear that chastening is evidence of our adoption: If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? When God corrects us it doesn’t feel pleasant, but it is good and it is for our good.

i. Anger…hot displeasure: Living before the finished work of Jesus, David had less certainty about his standing with God. On this side of the cross, we know that all the anger God has toward the believer was poured out on Jesus at the cross. God chastens the believer out of correcting love and not out of anger.

2. (2-3) Two kinds of trouble.

Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is greatly troubled;
But You, O LORD–how long?

a. I am weak…my bones are troubled: David knew the trial of physical weakness and pain. In the midst of this kind of chastisement, he cried out to God for mercy.

i. “So we may pray that the chastisements of our gracious God, if they may not be entirely removed, may at least be sweetened by the consciousness that they are ‘not in anger, but in his dear covenant love.’” (Spurgeon)

b. My soul also is greatly troubled: David knew the trials of spiritual weakness and pain. The difficulty of these trials drove David to seek mercy from God.

i. These trials of body and soul were amplified by David’s sense of God’s anger against him. When we are not confident in God’s love and assistance, even small trials feel unbearable.

c. How long? David sensed he was under the chastisement of God, but he still knew he should ask God to shorten the trial. There is a place for humble resignation to chastisement, but God wants us to yearn for higher ground and to use that yearning as a motivation to seek Him and get things right with Him.

i. David seems to smart under the result of his sin, more than the sin itself. Ideally, we are all terribly grieved by sin itself, but there is something to be said for confession and humility for the sake of the result of our sins.

3. (4-5) The urgency of David’s plea.

Return, O LORD, deliver me!
Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!
For in death there is no remembrance of You;
In the grave who will give You thanks?

a. Return, O LORD, deliver me: In his agony David pleads for deliverance – but on the ground of God’s mercy, not his own righteousness. David knew that the LORD’s chastisement was righteous, but he also knew that God is rich in mercy.

i. The plea “return” also shows that David felt distant from God. This was part of the agony of the trial. When we sense that God is near us, we feel that we can face anything. But when we sense that He is distant from us, we feel weak before the smallest trial.

b. Save me for Your mercies’ sake: The note of confession of sin is not strong in this psalm of penitence, but it is not absent. The fact that David appealed to the mercy of God for deliverance was evidence that he was aware that he did not deserve it.

i. “David’s conscience is uneasy, and he must appeal to grace to temper the discipline he deserves.” (Kidner)

c. In death there is no remembrance of You: It would be wrong to take these agonized words of David as evidence that there is no life beyond this life. The Old Testament has a shadowy understanding of the world beyond. Sometimes it shows a clear confidence (Job 19:25), and sometimes it has the uncertainty David shows here.

i. “Churchyards are silent places; the vaults of the sepulcher echo not with songs. Damp earth covers silent mouths.” (Spurgeon)

ii. 2 Timothy 1:10 says that Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. The understanding of the afterlife was murky at best in the Old Testament, but Jesus let us know more about heaven and hell than anyone else could. Jesus could do this, because He had first-hand knowledge of the world beyond.

iii. David’s point wasn’t to present a comprehensive theology of the world beyond. He was in agony, fearing for his life, and he knew he could remember God and give Him thanks now. He didn’t have the same certainty about the world beyond, so he asked God to act according to His certainty.

iv. “At rare moments the Psalms have glimpses of rescue from Sheol, in terms that suggest resurrection, or a translation like that of Enoch or Elijah (c.f. Psalm 16:10, 17:15, 49:15, 73:24).” (Kidner)

B. The determined resolution.

1. (6-7) A vivid description of David’s agony.

I am weary with my groaning;
All night I make my bed swim;
I drench my couch with my tears.
My eye wastes away because of grief;
It grows old because of all my enemies.

a. I am weary with groaning: God’s chastising hand was heavy upon David. His life seemed to be nothing but tears and misery. David’s trial had at least three components.

·David felt God was angry with him.

·David lacked a sense of God’s presence.

·David couldn’t sleep.

b. All night I make my bed swim: This is a good example of poetic exaggeration. David didn’t want us to believe that his bed actually floated on a pool of tears in his room. Because this is poetic literature, we understand it according to its literary context. This is how we understand the Bible literally – according to its literary context.

c. My eye wastes away: David’s eyes were red and sore from all the tears and lack of sleep.

i. “As an old man’s eye grows dim with years, so says David, my eye is grown red and feeble through weeping.” (Spurgeon)

d. Because of all my enemies: David was brought so low that the presence of his enemies no longer prompted him to seize the victory. At this point, David seemed depressed and discouraged.

2. (8-10) David’s confident declaration.

Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;
For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.
The LORD has heard my supplication;
The LORD will receive my prayer.
Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;
Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.

a. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity: It may be that the sin that led David into this chastisement was association with the ungodly. Here we see David acting consistently with his change of heart and telling all ungodly associates to depart.

i. It is important to separate from ungodly associations. J. Edwin Orr describes some of the work among new converts in Halifax during the Second Great Awakening in Britain: “Among them was a boxer who had just won a money-prize and a belt. A crowd of his erstwhile companions stood outside the hall in order to ridicule him, and they hailed the converted boxer with a shout: ‘He’s getting converted! What about the belt? He’ll either have to fight for it or give it up!’ The boxer retorted, ‘I’ll both give it up and you up! If you won’t go with me to heaven, I won’t go with you to hell!’ He gave them the belt but persuaded some of them to accompany him to the services, where another was converted and set busily working.”

b. The LORD has heard the voice of my weeping: David ended the psalm on a note of confidence. He made his agonized cry to God, and God heard him.

i. Weeping has a voice before God. It isn’t that God is impressed by emotional displays, but a passionate heart impresses Him. David wasn’t afraid to cry before the LORD, and God honored the voice of his weeping.

ii. “Is it not sweet to believe that our tears are understood even when words fail! Let us learn to think of tears as liquid prayers.” (Spurgeon)

iii. Once Luther wrestled hard with God in prayer and came jumping out of his prayer closet crying out, “Vicimus, vicimus” – that is, “Victory, victory!” David had the same sense of prevailing with God at the end of this prayer.

c. Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled: David knew that when God heard and answered his prayer, it would be trouble for his enemy. David now saw that his temporary agony and trouble gave way to a permanent agony and trouble for his enemies.

Categories: Old Testament Psalms

Enduring Word

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Psalm 6

What Does Psalm 6:9 Mean? ►

The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.

Psalm 6:9(KJV)

Verse Thoughts

David was seriously ill in body, deeply distressed in mind and spiritually sapped.. by the mounting pressures and numerous enemies that surrounded him on every side, which caused him to pen his distressing lament: “have mercy on me O Lord and heal my bones.. my soul is greatly troubled.’ But David had not yet come to a full understanding that God is an ever present help in time of trouble, that the mercies God are new every morning, and that He is faithful to hear and respond to the cries of all His children – but He does it in His own time and in His own way.

David’s first thought was that his sickness had been sent as a punishment from God, but although bitter circumstances can result from the consequences of our own our ungodly choices..difficulties and distresses in life must by no means be attributed to God’s displeasure – on the contrary, God often permits sickness and suffering to display His glory in our lives, which frequently results in our spiritual growth and godly fruit.

David felt that heaven was deaf to his cries.. so that in the morning and at night, his pillow was drenched with his tears of self-pity.. Nevertheless the threats from his enemies were intense, real and menacing, and he bemoaned the serious effect that their influence was having on his health and well-being.

While-ever David had his eye on the enemy and the gravity of his situation he discovered that his strength was sapped; his sleep was disturbed; his fear mounted; self-pity increased and the peace of God, which passes understanding had fled far from him. But as soon as he refocused his heart on the Lord and remembered the many precious promises of God, which are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ in Christ, he was able to pray effectively – with thanksgiving and praise and confidence. David came to an understanding that God was right with him in the midst of all his trials and tribulations.. and that God had heard and received his prayer. And so David rejoiced with thanksgiving and praise.. and prayed: The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.

When like David we are encompassed by our enemies.. ill in body; distressed in mind and spiritually sapped, we should remember that the many precious promises of God, to all His children.. are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ in Christ. And let us never forget that IN HIM we have access to the heavenly throne of grace, for mercy to find help in time of need. But we need to approach Him reverently, prayerfully and confident that He hears and answers prayer – but our prayers and supplications should be done with a heart of praise and thanksgiving – a heart that not only trusts Him to keep His WORD, but a heart ready to say, Thy will not mine be done.

Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/psalm-6-9

What does Psalm chapter 6 mean?

Seven psalms are labelled as “penitential” for their intense focus on repentance from sin. These are Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143. This example does not give details, so we’re not sure exactly what David is repenting for. What’s clear is that he connects this specific instance of physical suffering—possibly some illness—to God’s discipline (Psalm 6:1–3).

The situation is dire enough that David fears for his life. At least some of his concern is related to his enemies. This might refer to Philistines (1 Samuel 21:10–13), king Saul (1 Samuel 19:2), or his rebellious son, Absalom (Psalm 3). David pleads with God to spare him, pointing out that a dead body does not worship or praise (Psalm 6:4–5).

Despite a period of fear and despair (Psalm 6:6–7), David resolves that God will rescue him. He warns his enemies to flee, knowing that the Lord has heard him and will respond (Psalm 6:8–10).

Book Summary

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ”Psalm” in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Chapter Context

This psalm is ascribed to David. No exact incident in David’s life is identified in this passage. There seems to be a connection to a disease or other health issue. He may have written it during his old age, when his son Absalom rebelled against him (2 Samuel 15:12–14). Another possible inspiration is David’s sorrow over his sin with Bathsheba (Psalm 51; 2 Samuel 12:9). Psalm 6 is one of seven penitential psalms: songs expressing confession and repentance. The other six are Psalms 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143.

The Deceit Of The Human Heart

VERSE OF THE DAY

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (New Living Translation)

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“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

The human heart is the most untrustworthy of all things it is very wicked and untrustworthy. Who knows how bad it is but God.But I the Lord search all hearts and examine the truth of your desires within the heart for the secret motives. I give all people their honors according to what they deserve.

What Does Jeremiah 17:9 Mean? ►

“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

Jeremiah 17:9(NASB)

Verse Thoughts

From start to finish the Bible outlines God’s plan of salvation for all mankind and centuries before the birth of Christ Jeremiah, (the weeping prophet), foresaw that the gentiles would one day turn from idols to God.. during a time when His chosen people Israel would be set aside for a season – due to their ongoing, spiritual idolatry.

Like us, Jeremiah could not understand why wickedness waxed worse and worse in the world, and had to discover.. that the person whose heart turns away from God, to trust in man is cursed; unfruitful; barren and without hope.. while the man who trusts is the Lord is blessed indeed and likened to a well-watered tree that is planted by life-giving waters. Such a man will not be anxious in times of drought nor unfruitful despite the heat of the day – for cursed is the man whose trust in man.. but blessed in the man who trusts in the Lord.

Like us, Jeremiah had to learn that the heart of man is more deceitful than anything else – and is desperately wicked, sick and incurable.. and like Jeremiah we see the results of individuals and nations who put their trust in men.. suffering the consequences of their ungodly choices.

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The outward appearances of a man may deceive us.. but God alone understands the heart. We may not even know the true content of our own heart, but the Lord our God knows what is in the heart of each one of us.

We are all fallen creatures and although we praise and thank God that we have been saved by grace through faith in Christ.. have been made a new creation in Him and have been given His resurrected life – our old, fleshly nature lusts against our new-life-in-Christ.. and our new nature lusts against our old, fleshly, sinful self.

As born again believers who are living in the dispensation of grace, we have the permanently indwelling Person of the Holy Spirit in our heart, Who will never leave us nor forsake us – and He can never be taken away from us.. as used to happen in the dispensation of Law. Nevertheless, knowing that the heart is more deceitful than anything else and desperately wicked, we should examine our heart to see if we are in the faith – to see if we are walking in spirit and truth – to see if we are trusting in anything other than the Lord Jesus and we should ask Him to search our hearts.. to see if there is any wicked way in us that needs to be cleansed and rooted out.

Only God can fully know and understand our inner heart. May we submit to His purifying gaze and be ready and willing to say: purify my heart O Lord – no matter what it may cost..

Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/jeremiah-17-9

Jeremiah Chapter 17

Jeremiah 17 – The Folly of Misplaced Trust

A. The depth of Judah’s sin.

1. (1-4) Pen and paper for Judah’s sin.

“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron;
With the point of a diamond it is engraved
On the tablet of their heart,
And on the horns of your altars,
While their children remember
Their altars and their wooden images
By the green trees on the high hills.
O My mountain in the field,
I will give as plunder your wealth, all your treasures,
And your high places of sin within all your borders.
And you, even yourself,
Shall let go of your heritage which I gave you;
And I will cause you to serve your enemies
In the land which you do not know;
For you have kindled a fire in My anger which shall burn forever.”

a. The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron: As prophet the begins to describe the character and extent of Judah’s sin, he starts with a figure that emphasizes the hardness and strength of Judah’s rebellion against God. Their sins were engraved deeply upon them, as if written with an iron pen, and with the point of a diamond. There was nothing superficial about their sinful state.

i. “A ‘pen of iron’ was used for cutting inscriptions in rock or stone. The point of the metaphors is not the hardness of the materials used, but the indelible nature of what is written.” (Cundall)

b. On the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars: Both the heart and the religious works of the people were deeply etched with sin. These bore the indelible marks of Judah’s determined rebellion.

i. “The people’s heart has guilt not only written all over it but etched into it, engraved beyond erasure.” (Kidner)

ii. “Only when God wrote his law on his people’s heart could obedience replace rebellion.” (Thompson)

iii. “The reference to ‘the horns of their altars’ may be to the altars of Baal.” (Feinberg)

c. While their children remember: Engraving upon a stone tablet lasts for generations, and so would the etching of sin upon the heart and the altars set a sinful course for coming generations. Their sin was written so deep and in such places that it would be read for generations.

d. I will cause you to serve your enemies: For all this deeply ingrained sin – especially idolatry with wooden images upon the high hills – God promised to bring His judgment upon Judah.

2. (5-8) The folly of trusting in man.

Thus says the LORD:
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
And makes flesh his strength,
Whose heart departs from the LORD.
For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,
And shall not see when good comes,
But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
In a salt land which is not inhabited.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
And whose hope is the LORD.
For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

a. Cursed is the man who trusts in man: One might say that this curse does not require the special activity of God; this curse is simply associated with trust placed on failing and fallible man. This is especially true because one cannot make flesh his strength without also the heart departing from the LORD.

b. He shall be like a shrub in the desert: Jeremiah pictured a weak, dry shrub in the desert about to die from drought. This is the picture of the one (believer or not) who trusts in man instead of the LORD; they are dry and unsustainable.

i. “The ‘shrub’ of Jeremiah 17:6 could be the dwarf juniper, stunted and barely alive in an area of low rainfall and poor soil.” (Cundall)

ii. Like a shrub in the desert: “According to Nogah Hareuveni, an expert on plants of the Bible, in Hebrew the name of this tree is called the Arar, which sounds similar to the word for cursed (arur) and is part of a wordplay which is central to this poem.” (Tverberg)

iii. “The Bedouin call this tree the ‘Cursed Lemon’ or ‘Sodom Apple’ because it grows in the desert salt lands that surround the Dead Sea where Sodom and Gomorrah once were. According to their legends, when God destroyed Sodom, he cursed the fruit of this tree also…. When opened, the fruit makes a ‘pssst’ sound, and is hollow and filled with webs and dust and a dry pit.” (Tverberg)

iv. “Interestingly, the cursed tree looks very healthy and abundant, as if it has survived even in hard times and still has done well in life.” (Tverberg)

c. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD: In contrast, the one who trusts in the LORD will be like a tree planted by the waters, whose leaf will be green. Jeremiah drew on the images of Psalm 1, where the blessed man is the one who delights in God’s word (Psalm 1:1-3). In some sense, Jeremiah thought trusting in the LORD to be the same as delighting in His word.

i. “Since Jeremiah offers two variations on the theme of Psalm 1, here in 17:5-8 and also in 12:1-2, it seems possible that Psalm 1 was available to the prophet.” (Thompson)

3. (9-10) The folly of trusting one’s own heart.

“The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.

a. The heart is deceitful above all things: Trusting the heart is just another way of trusting in man. To this point, the Prophet Jeremiah has given some reason to be cautious about the inclinations and direction of the heart. He noted how the evil heart of the people of Judah had led them astray.

· Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart. (Jeremiah 11:8)

· They prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. (Jeremiah 14:14)

· Each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me. (Jeremiah 16:12)

b. The heart is deceitful above all things: Our hearts often deceive us, presenting heart-fulfillment as the key to happiness. What we desire is often not what we need. The advice “be true to your heart” fails when the heart is deceitful above all things.

i. “In the OT usage the heart signifies the total inner being and includes reason. From the heart come action and will.” (Feinberg)

ii. “The pravity and perversity of the man’s heart, full of harlotry and creature confidence, deceiving and being deceived, is here plainly and plentifully described; and oh that it were duly and deeply considered.” (Trapp)

c. And desperately wicked: The heart is not only deceitful, but also wicked – and desperately so. Many have been led to rebellion, disobedience, and great sorrow by following their heart, without challenging their heart and judging it by the measure of God’s truth. “Follow your heart” is poor advice when the heart is desperately wicked.

i. The sense of the Hebrew for desperately wicked seems to have sickness more than depravity in mind. “Unregenerate human nature is in a desperate condition without divine grace, described by the term gravely ill in verse 9 (RSV desperately corrupt, NEB desperately sick).” (Harrison)

ii. For the believer under the New Covenant, we have a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26), are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), and a new man patterned after Jesus (Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10). Still, there is an element of sin and flesh that remains in the believer. Since Jeremiah used the term heart in a general sense, we can say that our identity is not deceitful and desperately wicked; yet we still have to deal with an element of inward deceit and wickedness.

d. Who can know it: The heart’s deceit and wickedness are advanced enough that even the individual may not know or understand their own heart, and outsiders have even more difficulty in discerning the heart of others.

e. I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind: Though knowing the heart of one’s self or others is difficult and sometimes impossible, God searches, tests, and knows the heart and mind. It is wise to trust what God says about us more than what we think or feel about ourselves.

i. I test the mind: “A second word is here set in parallel to heart, literally, ‘kidneys’, hidden depths. These, Yahweh assays or ‘tests’…the two terms ‘heart’ and ‘kidneys’ cover the range of hidden elements in man’s character and personality. Nothing is hidden from Yahweh.” (Thomspon)

ii. “The Lord is called by his apostles, Acts 1:24, kardiognōstēs, the Knower of the heart. To him alone can this epithet be applied; and it is from him alone that we can derive that instruction by which we can in any measure know ourselves.” (Clarke)

f. Even to give to every man according to his ways: Because God perfectly knows the heart and mind of man, His judgment is true. God knows to what extent the heart either justifies or condemns the doings of a man or woman.

4. (11) The folly of trusting in riches.

“As a partridge that broods but does not hatch,
So is he who gets riches, but not by right;
It will leave him in the midst of his days,
And at his end he will be a fool.”

a. As a partridge that broods but does not hatch, so is he who gets riches, but not by right: Jeremiah just spoke to the folly of trusting one’s heart. Now, he states a proverb meant to show the foolishness of trusting in riches. Not all riches are condemned; only those gained not by right.

i. “Thus many a rich wretch spinneth a fair thread to strangle himself, both temporally and eternally.” (Trapp)

b. It will leave him in the midst of his days: According to the ancient proverb, a partridge sits upon the eggs of other birds. When they do hatch, the chicks leave the partridge because they don’t really belong to that bird. Even so, riches will leave a man when he stands before God in judgment. In the end, he will be shown to be a fool for trusting in his ill-gotten gains.

i. “Ill-gotten gain is, like a bird with young she has not hatched, soon lost.” (Feinberg)

ii. “The reference to the partridge is to the popular belief that it would hatch the eggs of other birds. Just as the fledglings soon realize the false nature of the mother and depart from the nest, so riches unjustly acquired all disappear just when the owner is counting on them for security.” (Harrison)

5. (12-13) The folly of failing to trust in the God of all glory.

A glorious high throne from the beginning
Is the place of our sanctuary.
O LORD, the hope of Israel,
All who forsake You shall be ashamed.
“Those who depart from Me
Shall be written in the earth,
Because they have forsaken the LORD,
The fountain of living waters.”

a. A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary: Jeremiah has shown the folly of trusting in anything other than the Lord; now he will show by contrast the greatness of trusting God, who was symbolically enthroned at the temple in Jerusalem (the place of our sanctuary).

i. “The phrase throne of glory (or glorious throne) is a reference to the temple where Yahweh’s presence was known among his people.” (Thompson)

ii. A glorious high throne: “This may be described as one of the greatest words of the Old Testament. It expresses the deepest secret of life; the discovery of which gives the soul perpetual peace and poise and power, whatever may be the circumstances of the passing hour.” (Morgan)

iii. “The throne is sanctuary; in the authority, the executive action, the government of that throne, man finds the place of safety and refuge from all the forces which are against him.” (Morgan)

iv. “As he is cursed who trusts in man, so he is blessed who trusts in GOD. He is here represented as on a throne in his temple; to him in the means of grace all should resort. He is the support, and a glorious support, of all them that trust in him.” (Clarke)

b. O LORD, the hope of Israel: Yahweh was the true and confident hope of Israel, even if many turned away from Him. Those who did turn from Him would be noted and recorded (shall be written in the earth) and would come to shame for foolishly rejecting Him.

B. Jeremiah’s prayer for deliverance.

1. (14-17) A prayer for deliverance and defense.

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed;
Save me, and I shall be saved,
For You are my praise.
Indeed they say to me,
“Where is the word of the LORD?
Let it come now!”
As for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd who follows You,
Nor have I desired the woeful day;
You know what came out of my lips;
It was right there before You.
Do not be a terror to me;
You are my hope in the day of doom.

a. Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: In contrast to the foolish people of Judah who trusted in man, in their own heart, or in riches, Jeremiah looked to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. Jeremiah was confident that healing or salvation from the LORD would be true healing, true rescue.

i. It’s hard to say if the healing Jeremiah cried out for was literal or spiritual in nature, and in the bigger picture it doesn’t really matter. Either need is real, and God’s ability to heal both our physical and spiritual need is true and proven.

b. You are my praise: Even in his need of healing and salvation, Jeremiah could praise God, even making God Himself his praise. Though in pride others demanded an immediate revelation of God and His power, Jeremiah was willing to wait and trust in the LORD.

c. As for me: In a series of brief statements, Jeremiah defended and justified his ministry before God. He did this to contrast himself with those who demanded God bring immediate revelation and resolution.

· I have not hurried away from being a shepherd that follows You: Jeremiah was confident in his pursuit of God’s call on his life.

· Nor have I desired the woeful day: Jeremiah spoke much of the judgment to come, but he did not desire it. It was a painful message for him to deliver.

· You know what came out of my lips: Jeremiah could appeal to God as the One who heard and judged his message, seeing that it really was faithful to the voice and the heart of God.

· You are my hope in the day of doom: Jeremiah proclaimed his trust and hope in God alone, not in the folly of most of the people of Judah.

i. “The word ‘shepherd’ usually refers to a king, but here it refers to Jeremiah as a leader of the people.” (Feinberg)

2. (18) A prayer for the justification of God’s prophet.

Let them be ashamed who persecute me,
But do not let me be put to shame;
Let them be dismayed,
But do not let me be dismayed.
Bring on them the day of doom,
And destroy them with double destruction!

a. Let them be ashamed who persecute me: Jeremiah was part of a long tradition of prophets and men of God in Israel who cried out to God for defense. This was a prayer of vengeance, but a prayer that left vengeance in the hands of God.

b. But do not let me be put to shame: Because he could defend and justify his work before God, Jeremiah confidently prayed that God would defend and justify him and bring his enemies and persecutors to shame, dismay, doom, and destruction.

C. An example of Judah’s disobedience: breaking the Sabbath.

1. (19-23) Jeremiah delivers a message to the people: obey God’s command of the Sabbath.

Thus the LORD said to me: “Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, by which the kings of Judah come in and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; and say to them, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates. Thus says the LORD: “Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; nor carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work, but hallow the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they did not obey nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction.”

a. Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: At God’s direction, Jeremiah brought a strong and public word to all of Judah and Jerusalem, kings and commoners. Their response to this word would measure their surrender or rebellion to God.

i. The gate of the children of the people: “The Benjamin Gate or the Gate of the Laity (MT sons of my people) is of uncertain location, but was apparently used by persons other than priests and Levites.” (Harrison)

b. Bear no burden on the Sabbath day: Jeremiah simply repeated the Sabbath commands Israel originally agreed to as part of the Sinai Covenant (Exodus 20:8-11). He reminded them that this was as I commanded your fathers.

i. “Several of the phrases in these verses are strongly reminiscent of phrases in the Decalog where the Sabbath law is formulated.” (Thompson)

c. But they did not obey nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction: Jeremiah delivered a clear message, rooted in prior revelation. Yet the kings and commoners rejected the word of the LORD and continued to treat the Sabbath as if it were any other day.

2. (24-27) A promised blessing for obedience and curse for disobedience.

“And it shall be, if you heed Me carefully,” says the LORD, “to bring no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work in it, then shall enter the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, accompanied by the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain forever. And they shall come from the cities of Judah and from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin and from the lowland, from the mountains and from the South, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, bringing sacrifices of praise to the house of the LORD. But if you will not heed Me to hallow the Sabbath day, such as not carrying a burden when entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.”

a. If you heed Me carefully: Jeremiah spoke for the LORD and promised the people of Jerusalem and Judah that if they radically obeyed even this one command, God would preserve their city and their kingdom (kings and princes sitting on the throne of David).

i. It wasn’t as if the Sabbath was the only command important to God; this offer to Jerusalem and Judah was simply a testing point. If they were willing to radically obey God in this one point, it would indicate a true repentance and submission to God that would extend to all points. This one point of obedience or disobedience would stand for all others, just as the eating of forbidden fruit would stand for all obedience or disobedience for Adam in the Garden of Eden.

ii. “The several regions of Judah are mentioned (v. 26); these were still possessed by Judah and Benjamin. The land of Benjamin was north of Judah. The lowland or Shephelah (NIV, ‘western foothills’) was the low hills stretching toward the Philistine maritime plain, west and southwest of Judah, and was the center of agriculture. The hill country was the central region, with the wilderness of Judah stretching down to the Dead Sea. The Negev was the arid South (cf. Joshua 15:21-32).” (Feinberg)

b. But if you will not heed Me to hallow the Sabbath…. then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem: The promise for obedience was great; the promise for disobedience was also significant. God would allow their obedience or disobedience on this one point to stand for all.

i. Obviously – and tragically – Judah and Jerusalem did not return to the Sabbath at Jeremiah’s word, and they faced the severe judgment of God.

ii. When God told them to hallow the Sabbath, He told them to hallow the rest. “The term ‘Sabbath’ is derived from the Hebrew verb ‘to rest or cease from work.’” (Kaiser) The most important purpose of the Sabbath was to serve as a preview picture of the rest we have in Jesus.

iii. Like everything in the Bible, we understand this with the perspective of the whole Bible, not this single passage. With this understanding, we see that there is a real sense in which Jesus fulfilled the purpose and plan of the Sabbath for us and in us (Hebrews 4:9-11). He is our rest; when we remember His finished work we hallow the Sabbath, we hallow the rest.

iv. Therefore, the whole of Scripture makes it clear that under the New Covenant, no one is under obligation to observe a Sabbath day (Colossians 2:16-17 and Galatians 4:9-11). Galatians 4:10 tells us that Christians are not bound to observe days and months and seasons and years. The rest we enter into as Christians is something to experience every day, not just one day a week – the rest of knowing we don’t have to work to save ourselves, but our salvation is accomplished in Jesus (Hebrews 4:9-10).

v. The Sabbath commanded here and observed by Israel was a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ (Colossians 2:16-17). In the New Covenant, the idea isn’t that there is no Sabbath, but that every day is a day of Sabbath rest in the finished work of God. Since the shadow of the Sabbath is fulfilled in Jesus, we are free to keep any particular day – or no day – as a Sabbath after the custom of ancient Israel.

vi. Yet we dare not ignore the importance of a day of rest – God has built us so that we need one. Like a car that needs regular maintenance, we need regular rest – or we will not wear well. Some people are like high-mileage cars that haven’t been maintained well, and it shows.

vii. Some Christians are also dogmatic about observing Saturday as the Sabbath as opposed to Sunday, but because we are free to regard all days as given by God, it makes no difference. But in some ways, Sunday is more appropriate; being the day Jesus rose from the dead (Mark 16:9), and first met with His disciples (John 20:19), and a day when Christians gathered for fellowship (Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2). Under Law, men worked towards God’s rest; but after Jesus’ finished work on the cross, the believer enters into rest and goes from that rest out to work.

Categories: Jeremiah-Lamentations Old Testament

Enduring Word

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The Human Heart – Living Water Ministries

King Of All Earth

VERSE OF THE DAY

Zechariah 14:9 (New International Version)

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The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.

I’m waiting on that day when the Lord returns for the Lord with rein king over all earth. Yes and on that day there will be One Lord and he will be named over all the only name Jesus alone over all.

What Does Zechariah 14:4 Mean? ►

In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.

Zechariah 14:4(NASB)

Picture courtesy of https://www.wikiart.org/en/james-tissot/jesus-goes-up-alone-onto-a-mountain-to-pray-1894

Verse Thoughts

God had a particular plan for Israel from the beginning, and a specific purpose for the Church – whom He chose before the foundation of the world. Both are God’s people, both are holy unto the Lord, and although Israel and the Church are distinct from each other, their roles are complementary, in God’s perfect plan of redemption.

The work God has purposed for each is unique to their group, although their roles and responsibilities often overlap. And while all Scripture is written for our learning, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness, there is much in the Old Testament, the Gospels, and Revelation that is directed towards Israel, while the New Testament epistles are generally written for the Church.

While the Church is raptured into heaven and meets Christ in the air before the start of the Great Tribulation, Christ’s second advent occurs at the end of this time of terrible judgement – sometimes referred to as ‘the great and terrible day of the Lord’ and elsewhere called, ‘the time of Jacob’s trouble’. Zechariah gives a clear description of certain end-time events and like many Old Testament prophets, gives clear insight into God’s unfolding plan of redemption.

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He explains how Israel will be protected from the antichrist and what will happen when the entire world comes to attack Jerusalem. He gives details of the last day’s battle, and how Israel will be empowered by God and delivered by the Lord Jesus Christ. He explains how Israel will call on the name of the Lord and look on Him whom they pierced. He tells how all the tribes of Israel will weep and mourn bitterly when they realise their terrible mistake in crucifying their Messiah – 2000 years ago.

He explains what will happen when Jesus returns to set up His millennial rule on earth, and he even identifies the very place to which the Lord will return. “In that day”, Zechariah writes, “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west, by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.”

At His first coming, Jesus came as the suffering Servant and Lamb of God Who was despised and rejected of men. At His first advent, He gave His life as the ransom price for the sin of the whole world. And although His sacrifice on the Cross defeated Satan, sin, death, and hell… the people would not believe in Him, and crucified the Lord of Glory. “We will not have this man rule over us,” they screamed, and His kingdom had to be postponed, for a season. Israel had to be set aside for a little while, during which time, God has been working through the Church – which is the body of Christ.

It was as Jesus stood on the Mount of Olives that He ascended into heaven, as recorded in Acts. And it is to that same place – to Mount Olivet, to which Jesus will return… for two men in white explained what would happen to the bewildered disciples. “Men of Galilee,” they said “you Jewish men, why do you stand gazing up into the sky? This Jesus, Who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven.”

Jesus ascended into heaven from Olivet, and He is to return to the same spot on earth. He is to set His foot on the same Mount of Olives – which is in front of Jerusalem, at the end of the 7 year Tribulation and on that day the most amazing earthquake will occur, which will open up a massive valley, running through the centre of Jerusalem – from east to west. THEN the world will KNOW that God is the Lord.

It was in His Olivet discourse that Jesus told His disciples everything that would happen at His return. He told them of wars and rumours of wars. He told them that lawlessness would increase, but that those who endured to the end would be saved – when He returned! He told them the signs of the end of the age. He predicted the persecution of godly men and of false prophets that would arise.

He told them that the gospel of the kingdom, which was curtailed at His first advent would eventually be taught throughout the world by Jewish evangelists who put their faith in Christ Jesus as Lord, and He warned of the abomination of desolation that is to be set up in a newly constructed temple. He told them that “immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the celestial powers will be shaken.”

YES, Jesus confirmed much of what Zechariah, Daniel, Isaiah, and other holy men of God prophesied and He gave some additional information about His second coming to earth, at the end of the tribulation, which will be invaluable to those who have to endure this terrible time of judgement. But it is also a time of purifying and healing – the purifying of sinners who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and the redemption of those who call on His name.

Although the Church is removed before this time of judgement, let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and for the salvation of many who will have to endure the Great Tribulation – for when we pray into God’s will we know our prayers will be answered.

Zechariah Chapter 14

Zechariah 14 – Holiness to the LORD

A. Israel attacked but defended by the returning Messiah.

1. (1-2) Jerusalem under siege from the nations.

Behold, the day of the LORD is coming,
And your spoil will be divided in your midst.
For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem;
The city shall be taken,
The houses rifled,
And the women ravished.
Half of the city shall go into captivity,
But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

a. I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem: Zechariah seems to have the very end times in view, when Jerusalem will be surrounded and attacked by some type of international force. When the Romans came against Jerusalem in A.D. 70 they came with a multinational army and brought terrible destruction on the city and its people. Yet there was none of the deliverance that Zechariah will describe in the following verses, so it is difficult to say that this was fulfilled in the Roman attack upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

b. Half the city shall go into captivity: This attack against Jerusalem will be severe, but the city itself will not be overthrown (the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city).

2. (3-5) The Messiah intervenes for His people.

Then the LORD will go forth
And fight against those nations,
As He fights in the day of battle.
And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,
From east to west,
Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move toward the north
And half of it toward the south.
Then you shall flee through My mountain valley,
For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal.
Yes, you shall flee
As you fled from the earthquake
In the days of Uzziah king of Judah.
Thus the LORD my God will come,
And all the saints with You.

a. Then the LORD will go forth and fight: Just when it seems that all hope will be gone for Jerusalem and the people of Israel, then the LORD will fight for His people.

i. “God is said to go forth when he manifests his power by delivering his people and punishing their enemies.” (Pulpit)

b. His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives… And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west: This speaks of the LORD – Jesus, as God the Son – materially returning to a material earth and setting His feet on the Mount of Olives. At that time a great split will cut the Mount of Olives in two, and the persecuted people of Jerusalem will flee through the valley made by the split.

c. Thus the LORD my God will come, and all the saints with You: Jesus will touch His feet to the Mount of Olives when He returns in glory with all the saints, the armies of heaven described in Revelation 19:14.

i. This was the type of arrival the Jews in Jesus’ day hoped for. Indeed, when the Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem in A.D. 70 a mistaken assurance from prophecies like this made the Jews utterly confident that the Messiah would return from heaven and wipe out the Roman armies surrounding Jerusalem. They could not see that the Messiah must first be rejected and the nation brought to repentance as Zechariah mentioned in Zechariah 11:12-13 and Zechariah 12:10.

B. The Kingdom of the Messiah.

1. (6-11) The Messiah’s rule changes the earth.

It shall come to pass in that day
That there will be no light;
The lights will diminish.
It shall be one day
Which is known to the LORD;
Neither day nor night.
But at evening time it shall happen
That it will be light.
And in that day it shall be–
That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem,
Half of them toward the eastern sea
And half of them toward the western sea;
In both summer and winter it shall occur.
And the LORD shall be King over all the earth.
In that day it shall be
“The LORD is one,”
And His name one.

All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be raised up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin’s Gate to the place of the First Gate and the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananeel to the king’s winepresses.

The people shall dwell in it;
And no longer shall there be utter destruction,
But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

a. At evening time it shall happen that it will be light: Now Zechariah looked forward to the glory of Jerusalem in the Messiah’s kingdom. The lights we guide our lives by will diminish, but God will establish His own light.

b. Living waters shall flow from Jerusalem: Jerusalem will no longer be a dry city, but a glorious river will flow from the city and branch off both east and west, and it will be a never ending flow (in both summer and winter it shall occur).

i. All over the world people want to know what will happen to Jerusalem. Zechariah knows the answer – God will gloriously save and restore Jerusalem, making it the capital city of the millennial earth.

ii. Ezekiel 47 records a vision that may describe this scene. Ezekiel saw a river flowing from the throne of God and down to the Dead Sea, bringing life and vitality everywhere.

c. All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: Since the mountains around Jerusalem would no longer be needed as a defense, they could be flattened into a plain.

d. Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited: This will be the first time in a long time that Jerusalem will be a safe place to live.

2. (12-15) Enemies are forever plagued.

And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem:

Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet,
Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets,
And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.
It shall come to pass in that day
That a great panic from the LORD will be among them.
Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor,
And raise his hand against his neighbor’s hand;
Judah also will fight at Jerusalem.
And the wealth of all the surrounding nations
Shall be gathered together:
Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance.
Such also shall be the plague
On the horse and the mule,
On the camel and the donkey,
And on all the cattle that will be in those camps.
So shall this plague be.

a. Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet: In the glorious deliverance the Messiah brings, the enemies of God and His people will be destroyed by plague, mutual slaughter, and by the sword of Judah (Judah also will fight at Jerusalem).

i. The description of flesh dissolving makes some think that Zechariah is describing the effects of a neutron or nuclear bomb.

b. The wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be gathered together: In the glorious deliverance the Messiah brings, Jerusalem will become a wealthy and influential city again.

3. (16-19) All the nations come to Jerusalem to worship the LORD.

And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

a. Shall go up from year to year to worship the King: Instead of coming to Jerusalem for battle now the nations come to honor God and to remember His faithfulness to Israel in the wilderness by keeping the Feast of Tabernacles.

i. Jesus told us to go to the ends of the earth with the gospel but in the millennium the earth will come to Jerusalem to worship and honor God.

b. Whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem… on them there will be no rain: God won’t make people worship Him during the millennium, but the advantages of worshipping and honoring God will be more evident than ever.

c. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain: Egypt is specifically mentioned because they were a nation not especially dependent on rain, yet they too would be punished if they were disobedient.

4. (20-21) The common is made holy.

In that day “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the LORD of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.

a. In that day “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” shall be engraved on the bells of the horses: This was the great inscription on the metal band around the high priest’s headpiece (Exodus 28:36). In the glory of the Messiah’s kingdom, horses won’t be needed for war any longer – now even they could wear the emblems of HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

b. The pots in the LORD’s house: These were the cooking utensils used by worshippers to cook for their own the sacrificial meat intended for them from the peace offerings. The bowls before the altar were used to gather and sprinkle sacrificial blood on the altar. These show that animal sacrifice will continue in the millennium, but not as atonement for sin – which was perfectly satisfied by the atoning work of Jesus. Sacrifice in the millennium will look back to the perfect work of Jesus.

c. Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the LORD of hosts: In the glory of the Messiah’s kingdom, what was previously common is made holy; the holy is made holier; and the irreclaimably profane is forever shut out. At the end of it all, there is no longer any distinction between the holy and profane. All is set apart to God and His purposes.

i. “The point is that the people and the city will be so holy that even these insignificant things will be fully dedicated to the Lord.” (Boice)

ii. There is a right way and a wrong way to eliminate the line between the holy and the profane: you can make everything holy (set apart to the LORD), or you can make everything profane (set apart to sin and self). Zechariah ends his prophecy making it clear that God’s way is to make everything that was once common or profane holy instead.

Categories: Minor Prophets Old Testament

Enduring Word

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Hear My Words

Psalm 5

Psalm 5[a]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

Listen to my words, Lord,
consider my lament.

Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.

For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
with you, evil people are not welcome.

The arrogant cannot stand
in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;

you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
you, Lord, detest.

But I, by your great love,
can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
toward your holy temple.

Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make your way straight before me.

Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they tell lies.

Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Psalm 5

Lord, listen to me

and understand what I am trying to say. Comprehend my thoughts.

My God and King,

listen to my prayer.

Every morning, Lord, I lay my gifts before you laying all on the table before you

Looking to you for help.

And every morning you hear my prayers.

God, you don’t want evil people near you.

They cannot stay in your presence.

Fools cannot come near you.

You hate those who do evil. You despise them with a passion.

You destroy those who tell lies.

Lord, you hate those who make secret plans to hurt others.

But by your great mercy, I can enter your house.

I can worship in your holy Temple with fear and respect for you. For God fearing and fervent in prayer are your honor.

Lord, show me your right way of living,

and make it easy for me to follow.

People are looking for my weaknesses,

so show me how you want me to live.

My enemies never tell the truth.

They only want to destroy people. Put people in harm and dishonor you.

Their words come from mouths that are like open graves.

They use their lying tongues to deceive others.

Punish them, God!

Let them be caught in their own traps.

They have turned against you,

so punish them for their many crimes.

But let those who trust in you be happy forever.

Protect and strengthen those who love your name.

Lord, when you bless good people,

you surround them with your love, like a large shield that protects them.

Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalm_5

Psalm 5

Psalm 5 – A Morning Prayer

This psalm is titled To the Chief Musician. With flutes. A Psalm of David. The title of the psalm indicates that it was directed toward the Chief Musician, whom some suppose to be the Lord GOD Himself, and others suppose to be a leader of choirs or musicians in David’s time, such as Heman the singer or Asaph (1 Chronicles 6:33, 16:5-7, and 25:6). The title also tells us that the song was deliberately written to be accompanied with flutes. It shows David coming to the LORD in the morning and receiving the strength and joy he needs to make it through the day against many adversaries.

A. Approaching God in the morning.

1. (1-3) David approaches God.

Give ear to my words, O LORD,
Consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.

a. Give ear…consider…give heed: David longed for an audience with God. Using the Hebrew method of parallelism, he repeated the same idea three times: “LORD, please listen to me.”

b. For to You I will pray: David prayed to God. This may sound elementary, but it is an essential aspect of prayer. Often, we come to prayer so full of our request or our feelings that we never consciously focus on God and sense His presence. David was a great man of prayer because his prayer time was focused on God.

i. “Very much of so-called prayer, both public and private, is not unto God. In order that a prayer should be really unto God, there must be a definite and conscious approach to God when we pray; we must have a definite and vivid realization that God is bending over us and listening as we pray.” (Torrey, How to Pray)

c. My voice You shall hear in the morning: David made it a point to pray in the morning. He did this because he wanted to honor God at the beginning of his day, and this set the tone for an entire day dedicated unto God.

i. Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary to China, had trouble finding time alone with God. He began to wake himself up at 2:00 in the morning and used those quiet hours when everyone else slept to commune with God.

ii. “What is a slothful sinner to think of himself, when he reads, concerning the holy name of Jesus, that ‘in the morning, rising up a great while before the day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed!’” (Horne)

iii. “This is the fittest time for [connecting] with God. An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening. While the dew is on the grass, let grace drop upon the soul.” (Spurgeon)

d. In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up: David gave us what to do before prayer and after prayer. Before we pray, we should direct our prayer. After we pray, we look up with expectancy to heaven, really believing that God will answer.

i. The idea behind direct is not “to aim” but “to order, to arrange.” “It is the word that is used for the laying in order of the wood and pieces of the victim upon the altar, and it is used also for the putting of the shewbread upon the table. It means just this: ‘I will arrange my prayer before thee,’ I will lay it out upon the altar in the morning, just as the priest lays out the morning sacrifice.” (Spurgeon)

ii. “It is manifestly a mistake to pray at haphazard. There is too much random praying with us all. We do not return again and again to the same petition, pressing it home with all humility and reverence, and arguing the case, as Abraham did his for the cities of the plain.” (Meyer)

iii. “Do we not miss very much of the sweetness and efficacy of prayer by a want of careful meditation before it, and of hopeful expectation after it? Let holy preparation link hands with patient expectation, and we shall have far larger answers to our prayers.” (Spurgeon)

2. (4-8) A contrast between the wicked man and the godly man.

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil dwell with You.
The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;
The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.
Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.

a. You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness: David meditated on the righteous character of God. Our actions matter before a God who hates all workers of iniquity.

i. As David drew closer to God, he became more aware of God’s holiness and man’s sinfulness. “This is a good way to measure how well you are praying and whether, as you pray, you are drawing close to God or are merely mouthing words. If you are drawing close to God, you will become increasingly sensitive to sin, which is inevitable since the God you are approaching is a holy God.” (Boice)

b. I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy: This was David’s confidence. It wasn’t that David thought that he was righteous, and all others were sinners. His ground of confidence was the mercy of God.

c. In fear of You I will worship: David’s worship wasn’t based on his feelings, but on his reverence for a righteous, merciful God.

d. Make Your way straight before my face: This reflects David’s constant reliance on God. He needed God to lead him and to make the way straight. David walked the right way but was humble about it. He knew it was only God’s power and work in him that kept him from the way of the wicked.

B. Description and destiny.

1. (9-10) The description and destiny of the wicked.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;
Their inward part is destruction;
Their throat is an open tomb;
They flatter with their tongue.
Pronounce them guilty, O God!
Let them fall by their own counsels;
Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,
For they have rebelled against You.

a. There is no faithfulness in their mouth: David focused on what the wicked say as evidence of their wickedness. David understood what Jesus said later in Matthew 12:34: Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Our righteousness or wickedness will sooner or later show up in our speech.

i. David felt the sting of wicked words and lies against him. Yet this prayer shows that something good came out of these attacks from the enemy. “Thus a man’s enemies, while they oblige him to pray more fervently, and to watch more narrowly over his conduct, oftentimes become his best friends.” (Horne)

b. They flatter with their tongue: “Always beware of people who flatter you, and especially when they tell you that they do not flatter you, and that they know you cannot endure flattery, for you are then being most fulsomely flattered, so be on your guard against the tongue of the flatterer.” (Spurgeon)

c. Let them fall by their own counsels: David prayed that the wicked would come to their deserved end. As rebels against God, they deserved the guilty sentence.

2. (11-12) The description and destiny of the righteous.

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

a. Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You: The righteous aren’t made righteous by their words. The righteous are those who trust the LORD and love His name. But their righteousness is evident in their words. They rejoice, they shout for joy, and they are joyful in the LORD.

i. “A touch of enthusiasm would be the salvation of many a man’s religion. Some Christians are good enough people: they are like wax candles, but they are not lighted. Oh, for a touch of flame! Then would they scatter light, and thus become of service to their families. ‘Let them shout for joy.’ Why not? Let not orderly folks object. One said to me the other day, ‘When I hear you preach I feel as if I must have a shout!’ My friend, shout if you feel forced to do so. (Here a hearer cried, ‘Glory!’) Our brother cries, ‘Glory!’ and I say so too. ‘Glory!’ The shouting need not always be done in a public service, or it might hinder devout hearing; but there are times and places where a glorious outburst of enthusiastic joy would quicken life in all around. The ungodly are not half so restrained in their blasphemy as we are in our praise.” (Spurgeon)

b. But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You: This is a permit, a precept, a prayer, and a promise.

i. You have permission for joy. “You have here a ticket to the banquets of joy. You may be as happy as ever you like. You have divine permission to shout for joy.” (Spurgeon)

ii. You have a precept, a command for joy: “Come, ye mournful ones, be glad. Ye discontented grumblers, come out of that dog-hole! Enter the palace of the King! Quit your dunghills; ascend your thrones.” (Spurgeon)

iii. You should pray for joy, both in yourself and others – especially servants of the LORD. “If you lose your joy in your religion, you will be a poor worker: you cannot bear strong testimony, you cannot bear stern trial, you cannot lead a powerful life. In proportion as you maintain your joy, you will be strong in the Lord, and for the Lord.” (Spurgeon)

iv. You have a promise for joy: “God promises joy and gladness to believers. Light is sown for them: the Lord will turn their night into day.” (Spurgeon)

c. You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him: This is the greatest blessing of all – the favor of God. Knowing that God looks on us with favor and pleasure is the greatest knowledge in the world. This is our standing in grace.

i. A shield does not protect any one area of the body. It is large and mobile enough to cover any and every area of the body. It is armor over armor. This is how fully the favor of God, our standing in grace, protects us.

ii. When Martin Luther was on his way to face a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church to answer for what the church said were his heretical teachings, one of the Cardinal’s servants taunted him saying, “Where will you find shelter if your patron, the Elector of Saxony, should desert you?” Luther answered, “Under the shelter of heaven.”

Categories: Old Testament Psalms

Enduring Word

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What Does Psalm 5:8 Mean? ►

O LORD, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; Make Your way straight before me.

Psalm 5:8(NASB)

Verse Thoughts

King David was not exempt from the trials and tribulations that come from living in a fallen world. He had to deal with painful problems from his own rebellions children. He had to deal with passions of the flesh; lustings of the eye and the snare that human pride brings in its wake. He had a family that scoffed at him; friends who betrayed him; a wife who scorned him; enemies who hated him and some who even wished him dead – but David also trusted in the Lord his God.

David was a man after God’s own heart for one reason only – He trusted in the Lord his God and believed all that God promised in His Word. And David sought a deep and lasting relationship with the Saviour of his soul.

David sought the Lord in the early hours or the morning and he ran quickly to the Lord for the refuge and strength that he needed, as he faced the challenges of every day life. David discovered the loneliness of a man when sin is allowed to fester and grow in the heart.. but he also discovered the freedom and joy of sins confessed and sins forgiven.

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And no matter what difficulties and dangers he faced, we always discover David crying out to the Lord in prayer. Lead me, O Lord in Your righteousness because of my foes, was his oft repeated plea, make Your way straight before my path. And in the difficulties and dangers he faced, David prayed for guidance and justice.. he sought God’s help and strength – and he asked for the blessing of the Lord for himself and for others.

None of us are exempt from the trials, tribulations and temptation of life, nor are we immune to the disappointments, discouragement and dangers that we may meet. But we all have the choice to become a man or woman after God’s own heart, by trusting Him in every eventuality of life, by beginning each day in prayer and praise and by engaging in ongoing fellowship with our Father in heaven.

The consequences of living in a sinful world are pain and sorrow, but from the time that we wake, until the moment our head touches the pillow in the night time hours, we have a choice to seek the Lord in all things and to submit to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us choose to walk in spirit and truth all the days of our life; to depend on the Lord from morning ’til night – to submit our lives to the guidance of the Spirit of God, and to pray:- lead me in Your righteousness; make Your way straight before my face. May our prayer be: Thy will not mine be done, as we face the challenges of life, in this Christ-rejecting, sinful world.

Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/psalm-5-8

Psalm 5 Commentary

Explaining The Book

7 years ago

Psalm 5 Commentary

We’ll approach Psalm 5 like we have all the psalms. We’ll explore its genre, underlying situation, structure, topic, and theme. And finally we’ll study each verse of this psalm.

Psalm 5 Genre

As has been our custom, we start these lessons considering the genre of the psalm that we’re studying. And Psalm 5 is another lament psalm. You probably didn’t believe me when I said in our first lesson that lament psalms account for about 1/3 of the entire book of Psalms. But this is the 3rd lament psalm we’ve seen in the first 5 psalms.

So Psalm 5 is a lament psalm. But how do you know it’s a lament psalm? Let’s just remind ourselves about the essence of a lament psalm. Otherwise known as complaint psalms, these psalms always feature some sort of complaint. In Psalm 5, the complaint is primarily found in Psalm 5:9. Typically the complaint is about wicked people. For example, back in Psalm 3 where the complaint involved David’s enemies who were seeking to destroy him. Or in Psalm 4 where the complaint was directed toward faithless Israelites who were turning to idols. And these people very much affect the poet writing the Psalm. These evil people are creating a crisis in the life of the psalmist. And it’s this crisis that lament psalms aim to deal with. In fact, in lament psalms we see the psalmist actually mastering this crisis in his life.

Well, what is the crisis of Psalm 5? That’s where we get into the second general phenomenon that we look for in a psalm – the underlying situation.

Psalm 5 Underlying Situation

The underlying situation is the thing in the life of the psalmist that caused him to write his poem.

You remember that in Psalm 3 the underlying situation was easy to get. It was stated at the very beginning of the psalm. David was being chased by his son Absalom.

Psalm 4 was a little more difficult to get. It was harder to get, but finally we discovered that the underlying situation of Psalm 4 was a drought that was threatening agricultural Israel’s harvest.

But what’s the underlying situation for Psalm 5? It’s pretty vague again – probably even more so than in Psalm 4. This time, I think what’s spurring David on to write this poem is wicked people. Again, that’s nothing new or special to this psalm only.

But in this case, a certain part of the body of the wicked is repeatedly mentioned. Psalm 5:9 – “For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.”

And because this is the case, David asks for the Lord to – Psalm 5:8 – “Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.”

So, David needs the Lord’s guidance and protection because of his enemies. And in particular, these enemies are using their mouths to attack David. Remember – In Psalm 3, the enemies were using “sticks and stones” – so to speak – and were trying to “break [David’s] bones” or worse. But in Psalm 5 they’re using “words” to “hurt” David.

So, the underlying situation in this psalm is – “wicked men using their words to destroy the righteous”.

Now, I want to point out one thing here. When we talk about a psalm being a “Psalm of David”, we shouldn’t immediately assume that the psalm was written by David when he was king. David was a king for a good part of his life. So, any psalm he writes very well may be from that period in his life. But he wasn’t always a king. Any one of his psalms could have been written when he was a shepherd watching his father’s sheep. Or some of his psalms could be written during the tumultuous years when Saul was pursuing him. Sometimes, we just don’t know. And you can imagine that depending on when he wrote his psalms, he was probably facing some really different kinds of challenges. A shepherd faces different issues than does a fugitive than does a king.

So, Psalm 5’s underlying situation – the wicked using their words to destroy the righteous – could have happened at various times in David’s life – either times when he himself personally faced this kind of ordeal or when he witnessed others experiencing it.

This psalm could have been produced after Doeg the Edomite told Saul that the priests had helped David, his enemy. And Saul slaughtered the priests because of the words of the wicked Doeg.

There were at least two times when David was hiding in a city from Saul. And then the citizens of that city went and told Saul and were planning to hand David over to him. Maybe David wrote this psalm after one of those times.

The psalm may have come from the time that his son Absalom was winning the hearts of his people and then led them in rebellion against David.

We don’t know for sure. But all of these are possibilities. And here’s what’s more important than locating a certain recorded episode in David’s life that brought about this psalm: Do you know what this is like? Can you identify with David? Do you know what it’s like to have wicked men use their words to try to destroy you? Does your church know what it’s like to have wicked men try to shut the doors through their gossip and slander? Well, then this psalm applies to you. It’s a psalm to emulate and pray personally to the Lord when you’re facing these kinds of problems.

So, Psalm 5 is a lament psalm written because David wants to complain to God about wicked men who are using their words to try to destroy the righteous.

Psalm 5 Structure

Now, let’s talk about the structure of this psalm. Surely by now we all know how many components make up the structure of a lament psalm. Five. So, let’s find them.

Invocation

We see the invocation in Psalm 5:1-3. The psalmist is calling on God. And he says

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. 2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. 3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Confidence

Next, the psalmist expresses his confidence in the Lord in Psalm 5:4-7.

For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. 7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

And it’s interesting, because the psalmist approaches expressing his confidence in God in two different ways.

First, he states that he is confident in God’s purity. And that purity will not allow unrighteous violent men to get away with their wickedness.

But the psalmist isn’t simply confident that God will punish evil, though. He’s confident that God has been and will continue to be merciful to him.

So, that’s the two-pronged approach that the psalmist gives concerning his confidence in the Lord.

Petition

Next, we have the psalmist’s petition in Psalm 5:8 and Psalm 5:10. It’s kind of split up. He says

Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.

And we’ll get to Psalm 5:9 in just a bit, but skip to Psalm 5:10.

Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.

The psalmist’s petition is similar to his statement of confidence in God. It also has two aspects.

First, the psalmist asks for guidance and help in the journey of life. But he needs that guidance because of his enemies.

And so second, he also petitions the Lord to destroy those enemies – these wicked men who are using their words to destroy the righteous.

Lament

And that brings us to the 4th part of the structure of Psalm 5. The lament. It’s found in the verse that we just skipped over – Psalm 5:9.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

Praise

Then lastly, the psalm’s structure ends with praise in Psalm 5:11-12.

11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. 12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

So, Psalm 5 is a psalm in which David laments the fact that there are wicked men using their words to destroy the righteous. And we just saw the layout and structure of the psalm.

Psalm 5 Topic/Theme

Now, we’ll try to grasp Psalm 5’s topic and theme. What is the psalm about?

Well, you could say – isn’t it just about the wicked – and how they try to destroy the righteous?

The answer – not exactly. That’s the underlying situation. But the underlying situation isn’t necessarily the same thing as what the psalm is about.

The topic of a psalm needs to somehow be related to everything that’s stated in that psalm. So, the invocation in Psalm 5:1-3 – they have nothing to do with wicked people destroying righteous people – for example.

Topic: Deliverance

So, what is the topic of Psalm 5? I think it’s about deliverance. That’s a common theme in the psalms – especially in the lament psalms.

So then, the invocation is where the psalmist is preparing to seek deliverance from the Lord.

The statement of confidence serves as the psalmist’s way of expressing trust in God to deliver.

The petition is where the psalmist requests God to deliver.

The lament is the reason the psalmist gives for needing deliverance.

And the concluding praise section gives the psalmist’s praise to the Lord for deliverance.

So, what’s Psalm 5 about? What’s its topic? Deliverance.

Theme: The Righteous Delivered from the Wicked

But what’s the theme of Psalm 5? How would we summarize what the psalmist says about the topic of deliverance?

I think we could sum up the theme of Psalm 5 this way. The Lord will deliver the righteous from the wicked. That might sound a little generic. It might seem like most lament psalms could be summarized this way. But that doesn’t make it any less the theme of this psalm. I think Psalm 5 is communicating that the Lord will deliver the righteous from the wicked.

Psalm 5:1-12 Commentary

So, to summarize, Psalm 5 is David’s lament to the Lord that there are evil people using their words to destroy the righteous. It’s also David’s request for God to deliver the righteous from those wicked individuals. And ultimately, it’s David’s expression of confidence that God will indeed deliver the righteous from those wicked people.

So, let’s take the remaining space here going through the psalm one last time, noticing the details of this poem. We’ll start back with the invocation in Psalm 5:1-3.

Psalm 5:1-3

David says,

Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my meditation.
2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:
for unto thee will I pray.
3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD;
in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Psalm 5:1

Let’s look at those first two statements. The psalmist wants the Lord to give ear to his words. He’s going to speak and he wants the Lord to listen and respond to those words.

But there are more than words being expressed here. Because the next line has David requesting that the Lord would “consider” his “meditation”. A meditation is not something verbal – at least not in a coherent form. Other translations translate this word as “groanings” or “sighings”. In fact, the only other place this word is used, the KJV translates it as “musing”. So, this meditation is an utterance that cannot be clearly understood by the human ear. It’s communicating something, to be sure. But sometimes that’s how our prayers are. Sometimes you can articulate your concerns to the Lord or to others. But sometimes your problem overwhelms you in your own mind and heart to the point where you’re communicating something. But no one could possibly understand. But the Lord can.

The Lord gave ear to David’s words. He listened to them. But for David’s meditations or groanings or sighings – the Lord does something different. The Lord doesn’t hear these things. He rather “considers” them. The KJV translates that word in other places as “understand” or “perceive” or “discern”.

So, the Lord listens to audible words. And he can even perceive our deepest thoughts.

Psalm 5:2

Next, David in Psalm 5:2 brings in this image of God being a king. And this fits so well. Who better to deliver the righteous who are being afflicted by the wicked?

Israel’s executive branch was her king. The king was to keep law and order. And even David – whether he was king or not at this point in his life – recognized that he needed the Lord to act as king and make matters right.

Innocent people were being destroyed. The Lord our king must act! The Lord must deliver!

Psalm 5:3

And since the Lord is king, David is going to approach him with his case according to Psalm 5:3.

It makes you think of a court room setting. Early in the morning, David is going to come to the king’s palace and plead his case before the only one who can ultimately do anything about his problem.

And when David comes to the Lord’s palace to plead his case, he really does have a case. When the KJV says that David is going to “direct” his prayer, he’s saying that he’s going to lay out his case in order. He’s going to bring the evidence of the wicked men’s wrongdoing. He’s going to bring the evidence of the innocence of the righteous. He’s going to lay it all out before the Lord.

And then he’s going to watch to see the Lord’s verdict.

Psalm 5:4-7

And there’s no doubt in David’s mind that the verdict will be favorable to the righteous. Because what we have next in Psalm 5:4-7 is his statement of confidence in the Lord.

David says,

4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness:
neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight:
thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing:
the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy:
and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

Psalm 5:4

David knows God’s character. God won’t let the guilty get away with their assault against the righteous.

Psalm 5:4 reminds me of the statement in James 1:13 to the effect that God can’t be tempted with evil. Evil has no influence on him because he has nothing in him that answers to evil’s temptations.

And not only does God have no pleasure in evil. But evil won’t even be granted temporary residence with God. The psalmist uses a pictorial word in Psalm 5:4. The word “dwell” is actually “sojourn” – like a brief stay. Evil can’t even visit God. He’s that holy.

Psalm 5:5

And back to the courtroom setting. In Psalm 5:5 we’re presented with this group known as the “foolish” in the KJV. The word is actually halal – as in Halelujah – Praise the Lord. It has to do with praising something. And in this case, these foolish folks are praising themselves. We could refer to them as the boastful.

So, these boastful fools might present themselves before God to defend themselves. But they won’t stand. They’ll be found guilty and condemned. Why? Because God hates those who practice evil – and in the context he is hating those who use their words to destroy the righteous. God hates those kinds of people.

Psalm 5:6

And David continues in Psalm 5:6 describing his confidence in the Lord to render the right verdict against these wicked men.

It’s interesting that he uses two more terms that have to do with the wicked using their mouth wrongly.

They speak leasing – they lie, is what that means. And they’re deceitful.

And all of this wrong speech that the wicked practice – it isn’t just for amusing themselves. They’re bloody, the text says. They use their words to kill people.

Think of Jezebel’s command to certain worthless men to lie about Naboth. “Naboth did blaspheme God and the king!” they said in 1 Kings 21:13. That one lie resulted in the stoning to death of an innocent man.

Those kind of people God abhors. He detests them. He is repulsed by them.

Boy, you might think, I’m not used to God thinking this way of people. I’m used to him “so loving the world” (John 3:16) and turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39 and Luke 6:29) and praying for the forgiveness of those who crucified him (Luke 23:34) and such.

And he does all those things. We’ll even see that kind of character from him in the next verse (Psalm 5:7).

But I think if we don’t see the true repulsion that God has towards sin, we can take even the incarnation of Christ lightly.

What’s the big deal about God the Son living among sinful men if God loves man’s sin?

But he doesn’t. And he’s repulsed by it.

And at the same time, God is merciful to many. To all who trust in him and turn from their evil deeds.

Psalm 5:7

So, in Psalm 5:7, David is expressing confidence that God will deliver him from those deceptive bloodthirsty men.

In contrast to them, David will enter God’s house. Why? Because David never sinned? No. Because of the multitude of God’s mercy – his chesed – his loyal covenant love. That makes all the difference.

It’s because of God’s loyal love that any of us are any different from the wicked world around us. It’s God’s loyal love that pulled some of us from a way of life that resembled these wicked men in Psalm 5. And that same loyal love is what gave David confidence to enter God’s house. Just like he’s one of God’s family. He can come right in – experience the protection of a home, the warmth, the comfort of a home – but only because of God’s great loyal love.

And even though David is a welcomed guest in God’s home, he’s not taking that privilege lightly. He’s not going to be putting his feet up on the table any time soon. He enters in reverence and in fear of displeasing this great, loving, holy God.

Now, the last word of Psalm 5:7 is “temple”. And that’s a legitimate translation. But in 10 out of the 80 times that word appears in the Old Testament, it’s translated in the KJV as “palace”.

Remember what David said God was in the invocation? A king. Where do kings live? Not usually in temples, but in palace. Though this king is also God and so his palace is a temple.

Psalm 5:8

Now, in light of David’s confidence that God will deliver him from the wicked, we have his specific petition to the Lord starting in Psalm 5:8.

David says,

8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies;
make thy way straight before my face.

Let me draw our attention to the last word before the semicolon – “enemies”. The word is typically translated as “enemy”. But it has the idea of someone watching. So, you’ve got David on the narrow dark path that life sometimes is for us. And what makes matters worse is that he’s got wicked people who are watching him and waiting to destroy him. It’s no wonder that he cries out to God for leading along that path.

And that path – the path of life – might have dangerous twists and turns along the way. And so David asks God to make that path straight. Remove the obstacles. Take away the things that would cause him to stumble on this path.

Psalm 5:9

Well, what would cause David to stumble? Answer – the very ones who were watching for his life. The wicked.

And so, in Psalm 5:9, David actually interrupts his petition to God in order to break into the lament of this psalm.

David more graphically illustrates the effect that these wicked men are having on the righteous:

9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;
their inward part is very wickedness;
their throat is an open sepulchre;
they flatter with their tongue.

This is why David needed to be guided by the Lord on the path of life and to have his path straightened out. Because these very guys are on that path. And when you get the picture of what David is saying, it’s pretty terrifying.

David again points to their mouth. And let me try to reveal what the psalmist is really communicating.

Let’s start from the end of Psalm 5:9. They flatter with their tongue. Literally, they make their tongue smooth. Their tongue is pictured as being smooth, then. Not literally, but metaphorically. This is a poem after all. So we’re picturing their smooth tongue.

And tongues are kind of connected to and proceed from the throat. Well, David next pictures the throats of these wicked men – the throats that give voice to the words that they use to destroy the righteous – as open graves.

And finally, the inward parts – their belly – is not necessarily “wickedness” as the KJV has it. This word refers to destruction or calamity or ruin.

So, it’s a strange picture and one that only poetry can get away with. But here’s what’s being pictured. The righteous are walking along the path of life. They’re unsuspecting and suddenly they slip on the smooth tongue of the wicked and into the open grave. And like dead men, the righteous fall into those graves and meet their destruction. And all of this is picturing the effect that the words of these wicked men have on the righteous.

Psalm 5:10

So in light of this happening, David returns to his petition for deliverance – with more of a focus on God stopping the evil deeds of these wicked men.

10 Destroy thou them, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions;
for they have rebelled against thee.

As opposed to David entering God’s house in the multitude of God’s loyal love, David asks that these men be cast out in the multitude of their transgressions.

And if we’re continuing with this royal motif, the king can do this – right? A king can banish his subjects for their rebellion.

And that’s what it comes down to in David’s mind. The sin of these men are not against men only. These wicked men – by slandering and lying and doing all sorts of other evil with their tongue – they’re rebelling against God ultimately.

Psalm 5:11-12

Well, the psalm ends on a happy note.

11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice:
let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them:
let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous;
with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

As opposed to the wicked, who will be cast out, those of us who are righteous like David – we just need to rejoice. Do you see the three different words expressing this emotion? “Rejoice”, “shout for joy”, and “be joyful”. Why should the righteous rejoice? Because we trust the Lord and love his name and because he ultimately defends us from our enemies and from all evil.

Again, God is a shield for the righteous – for those who love his name and trust him. And this shield is all around us. He’s not going to let anything touch us.

The Lord shows this kind of favor to these kinds of people. And we praise him for this – the blessing and protection that only he can provide.

So, Psalm 5 – the Lord will deliver the righteous from the wicked.

What does Psalm 5:8 mean?

In the middle of dangerous circumstances (2 Samuel 15:13–14), David prioritizes the will of God. He asks the Lord to guide him, in no small part because there are evil men seeking to kill him (Psalm 3:1). Wicked men lay in wait to kill David, so he needed to follow the Lord’s guidance to stay safe and to persevere in righteousness.

We, too, need guidance from the Lord as we navigate through a world that seeks to conform us to its philosophy and conduct. Jesus said His sheep hear His voice and follow Him, literally taking the same road he takes (John 10:4). Romans 12:2 exhorts us to not be conformed to this world, and 1 John 2:15 counsels: “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” First John 2:16 explains, “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” The evil world system seeks to destroy our testimony as surely as David’s enemies wanted to destroy him, so we need to follow the path God has drawn out for us in His Word.

Context Summary

Psalm 5:7–12 reflects David’s confidence in God’s justice. The Lord punishes the guilty but rewards the righteous. Other passages tell us the Lord loves righteousness and justice (Psalm 36; 58; 97). Isaiah 30, Luke 18, and Romans 1 reveal these characteristics of God, as well. Romans 3 paints the entire human race as guilty before God, but Romans 4—6 show how God justifies the guilty who believe on His crucified and risen Son Jesus (John 3:16–18). David’s prayer for blessing resembles the apostle Paul’s benedictions at the close of some of his epistles (1 Corinthians 16:23; Galatians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:28).

Chapter Summary

Psalm 5 begins with David’s urgent prayer for the Lord to heed his groaning and cry. He addresses the Lord as his King and his God, and indicates that he prays in the morning and watches for an answer. He recognizes that God takes no pleasure in the wicked but destroys evil, lying, bloodthirsty, or deceitful men. He anticipates that the God who loves him will allow him to enter the tabernacle, where he will offer reverential worship. He prays for the Lord’s leading so that he will escape his enemies, whom he identifies as devoid of truth and violent. He prays further that the Lord will cause those rebels to bear the consequences of their transgressions. The psalm closes with an appeal to the righteous to sing for joy as they take refuge in the Lord, and David asks the Lord to bless and protect the righteous

God’s Promise To Honor And Complete His Work

VERSE OF THE DAY

Psalm 138:8 (New International Version)

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The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.

The lord will clear me white and snow; for your love lord is everlasting. Do not abandon the plans you work so hard to create

The LORD will fulfill [his purpose] for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever– do not abandon the works of your hands.