Psalms: New European Christadelphian Commentary

Duncan Heaster

Carelinks

PO Bo 152, Menai NSW 2234

AUSTRALIA

www.carelinks.net

Copyright

Copyright © 2018 by Duncan Heaster.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2018

ISBN 978-0-244-99633-8

PREFACE

This commentary is based around the New European Version of the Bible, which is generally printed with brief commentary on each chapter. Charities such as Carelinks Ministries and the Christadelphian Advancement Trust endeavour to provide totally free copies worldwide according to resources and donations available to them. But there is a desire by many to go beyond those brief comments on each chapter, and delve deeper into the text. The New European Christadelphian commentary seeks to meet that need. As with all Divine things, beauty becomes the more apparent the closer we analyze. We can zoom in the scale of investigation to literally every letter of the words used by His Spirit. But that would require endless volumes. And academic analysis is no more nor less than that; we are to live by His word. This commentary seeks to achieve a balance between practical teaching on one hand, and a reasonable level of thorough consideration of the original text. On that side of things, you will observe in the commentary a common abbreviation: “s.w.”. This stands for “same word”; the same original Greek or Hebrew word translated [A] is used when translated [B]. This helps to slightly remove the mask of translation through which most Bible readers have to relate to the original text.

Are there errors of thought and intellectual process in these volumes? Surely there are. Let me know about them. But finally- don’t fail to see the wood for the trees. Never let the wonder of the simple, basic Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Kingdom become obscured by all the angst over correctly interpreting this or that Bible verse. Believe it, respond to it, be baptized into Him, and let the word become flesh in you as it was so supremely in Him.

If you would like to enable the NEV Bible and associated material to remain freely available, do consider making a donation to Carelinks Ministries or The Christadelphian Advancement Trust. And please pray that our sending forth of God’s word will bring back glory to His Name and that of His dear Son whom we serve.

Duncan Heaster

dh@heaster.org

Psalm 1

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers- This Psalm can be understood as a general introduction to the Psalms, summing up the way of the Godly. We should note from this verse that the teaching is not that we should have nothing to do with sinners; but rather that we should not walk in their way nor share their judgments of situations. This is the art of being the light of the world- to be in the world, as the Lord Jesus was, to engage constantly with it, but to walk, stand and judge in God's way. It is the "way" of sinners which will perish (:6); our judgment is therefore according to our overall "way", rather than occasional actions of sin or righteousness. Ps. 1:1 seems to allude to Lot's progressive apostacy, speaking of the righteous man not walking, standing or sitting with the wicked- in other words, the righteous man will learn from Lot's mistakes.

Any serious reading of the Psalms raises repeated questions as to the original context of each Psalm. Some were written by David, but only parts of them seem to apply to his life; some verses clearly apply to other historical contexts, especially the situation of the exiles in Babylon and the restoration. A verse here and there has clear relevance to the Lord Jesus, but the surrounding verses don't. Some verses are quoted in the New Testament but the surrounding contexts don't appear to fit the context in which the verse is used. I suggest the resolution of all this is to understand that the Psalms were written largely by David for use in the future temple, or in the sanctuary as it existed at his time; but under Divine inspiration, they were rewritten and reapplied to various later historical contexts. This explains why some verses in a Psalm are very relevant to e.g. the restoration from Babylon, but other verses aren't; they remain only clearly appropriate to David. This also helps explain why the Septuagint (which is the preferred version for quotation in the New Testament) is in places very different from the Hebrew (Masoretic) text. The points of major difference are likely a result of this process of rewriting.

The Inspired Re-Writing Of The Old Testament In Babylon

Briefly, here are corroborative reasons for thinking that perhaps the whole existing canon of Old Testament Scripture was [under inspiration] edited, re-written and codified during the exile in Babylon:

- According to Jewish tradition, Ezra edited and produced the Pentateuch in its present form in Babylon (Carl Kraeling, The Synagogue (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1956) pp. 232-235 reproduces plates from the synagogue wall at Dura-Europas showing Ezra doing this in Babylon). This would account for the record of Jacob in exile being so verbally similar to the allusions made to it in the restoration-from-Babylon prophecies in Isaiah. There was certainly great scribal activity in Babylon- 2 Macc. 2:13 speaks of Nehemiah founding a library of the Jewish scriptures there. This gives another perspective on the way Nehemiah’s prayer in Neh. 1 is so full of references to Deuteronomy- if the latter had just been re-written and presented to the Jews in Babylon. The commands to build the tabernacle are repeated in Exodus, and there is the record of Israel's golden calf apostasy set in the middle of them. Ex. 25:1-31:18 give the tabernacle building commands, then there's the golden calf incident, and then the commands are repeated in Ex. 35-40. Surely this was edited in this manner to give encouragement to the exiles- the commands to rebuild the temple had been given in detail in Ez. 40-48, but the exiles failed- and yet, the implication runs, God was still willing to work again with His people in the building of His sanctuary despite their failure. There is good internal reason to think that the Pentateuch likewise was re-written in places to bring out the relevance of Israel's past to those in captivity. Consider the use of the word pus, 'scatter'. It was God's intention that mankind should scatter abroad in the earth and subdue it (Gen. 1:28); but it required the judgment of the tower of Babel to actually make them 'scatter' (Gen. 11:4). Thus even in judgment, God worked out His positive ultimate intentions with humanity. And this word pus is the same word used with reference to Judah's 'scattering' from the land into Babylonian captivity (Ez. 11:17; 20:34,41; 28:25). The intention, surely, was to show the captives that they had been scattered as the people had at the judgment of Babel / Babylon, but even in this, God was working out His purpose with His people and giving them the opportunity to fulfill His original intentions for them.

- The Talmud claims that the majority of the prophetic books were re-written and edited into their present form during the captivity, under the guidance of a group of priests called "The Great Assembly" (M. Simon and I.W. Slotski, eds, The Soncino Talmud: Babba Bathra 14b - 15a (London: The Soncino Press, 1935) Vol. 1 pp. 70,71). There are many verbal points of contact between Chronicles and the returned exiles.

- Time and again we encounter the phrase "to this day" in the historical books of the Old Testament (e.g. "the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there to this day", 2 Kings 16:6)- and each time it appears the reference is to the time of the restoration, when presumably those books were edited and rewritten as relevant for the Jews, either those still in Babylon or those who had returned to the land. A good case can be made, for example, that the book of Judges was rewritten at that time in order to show that God's people don't need a King in order to be His people, but rather they can be ruled by Spirit-filled leaders (See W.J. Dumbrell, 'No King In Israel', Journal For The Study Of The Old Testament Vol. 25 (1983) pp. 23-33).

- The way Deuteronomy refers to cities East of Jordan as being "on this side Jordan" (e.g. Dt. 4:41,49) would suggest that the editor of the book was writing from a location East of Jordan- likely Babylon. The comment in Josh. 15:63 that "the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day" sounds very much as if it were written in the captivity, lamenting the way that the local tribes still lived in Zion. "The children of Judah" is very much a phrase used about the exiles. Thus books like Joshua were written up in the captivity in order to show Judah how they were repeating the sins of their forefathers, and appealing to them thereby to learn the lessons. It's even possible that the lament that "Geshur and Maacath dwell in the midst of Israel unto this day" (Josh. 13:13 RV) is a reference to "Geshem the Arabian" and Sanballat dwelling amongst Israel at the time of their return (Neh. 2:19 etc.).

- It has been observed that the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings have certain similarities. For example, they all quote the Deuteronomy version of Israel's earlier history, leading to the suggestion that Deuteronomy was the first of the collection, a kind of introductory background history. The curses listed in Dt. 28 are all especially relevant to the situation in Judah before the Babylonian invasion, and a number of the curses are alluded to in Lamentations as being descriptive of the situation after the final destruction of Jerusalem. Some of the curses can have little other application, e.g. Dt. 28:41 speaks of begetting children, "but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity". Other relevant passages are Dt. 28:36 (a king taken captive), 49,50,52. These "former prophets" (Deuteronomy - 2 Kings) appear to have been edited during the exile as history which spoke to the concerns and needs of the exiled people of God (The similarities of style, language and indications of common editing are explained in detail in Martin Noth, The Deuteronomistic History (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1981); there is a good summary in Terrence Fretheim, Deuteronomic History (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1989). See too M. Weinfeld, Deuteronomy And The Deuteronomic School (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972)). This combined history speaks mainly of the southern Kingdom, which was the group who went to captivity in Babylon; and it explains why this captivity was justified, as well as giving many examples of where repentance could bring about a restoration (1 Kings 8:46-53 is specific). This history addresses the questions which concerned the captives- does God abandon His people for ever? Are Israel entirely to blame for what happened? Is there hope of restoration after receiving Divine judgment and breaching His covenant? Can God have a relationship with His people without a temple? To what extent will God always honour the promises to Abraham and David? Should other gods also be worshipped? Reading these books from this perspective reveals how incident after incident was especially selected by the inspired editors in Babylon in order to guide God's people there. Take the story of Naaman's Hebrew "maid". Naaman had been the enemy of Israel, and that little child [Heb.] was one of the children of those taken captive. But she witnessed to her captor; he turned to Yahweh; and his skin became like that of "a little child" (2 Kings 5:14)- like her. The message was obvious. The children of the captivity were likewise to witness to their captors and bring them into covenant with Yahweh.

- A comparison of Psalms 14 and 53 illustrate this process of re-writing at Hezekiah's time. These Psalms are both "A Psalm of David", and are virtually identical apart from Ps. 53:5 adding: "There were they in great fear, where no fear was; For God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: Thou hast put them to shame, because God hath rejected them". This surely alludes to the Assyrian army encamped against Jerusalem (2 Chron. 32:1), put into fear by the Angels, and returning "with shame of face to his own land" (2 Chron. 32:21). Yet both Psalms conclude with a verse which connects with the exiles in Babylonian captivity: "Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad". So it would appear that the initial Psalm was indeed written by David; the version of Ps. 14 which is now Ps. 53 was added to and adapted in Hezekiah's time (Prov. 25:1), and both versions had a final verse added to them during the exile. A number of Psalms appear to have some verses relevant to the exile, and others relevant to earlier historical situations. It would seem that an inspired writer inserted the verses which spoke specifically to the exilic situation. Psalm 102 is an example. Ps. 102:2-12 and 24-25a appear to be the original lament; and the other verses are relevant to the exile. Psalm 22 likewise appears to have had vv. 28-32 added with reference to the exiles; other examples in Psalms 9, 10; 59; 66; 68; 69:34; 85; 107; 108 and 118.

- There are evident similarities between the vocabulary and style of Zechariah, Job and the prophets of the restoration. Thus both Job and Zechariah refer to the ideas of the court of Heaven, "the satan" etc. My suggestion is that Job was rewritten during the exile, hence the many points of contact between Job and Isaiah's prophecies about the restoration. When we read that Job has suffered less than his iniquities deserve (Job 11:6), this is the very term used to describe Israel's sufferings in Babylon (Ezra 9:13). Job, "the servant of the Lord", is being set up as Israel, just as that same term is used about Israel in Babylon throughout the latter part of Isaiah. Job's mockery by the Arabian friends perhaps parallels the Samaritan and Babylonian mockery of Judah; his loss of children is very much the tragedy of Judah at the hands of the Babylonians which Lamentations focuses upon. And Job's final revival and restoration after repentance would therefore speak of the blessed situation which Judah could have had at their return to the land. Job's response to the words of God and Elihu would then speak of Judah's intended repentance as a result of God's word spoken to them by prophets like Haggai and Zechariah. There are many connections between Job and the latter parts of Isaiah which speak about the restoration.

Psalm 1:2 but his delight is in Yahweh’s law- David may have learnt this from Samuel's teaching that God doesn't delight in sacrifices but in obedience; and if God delights in obedience then our delight should be in the law / principles / commandments which are the basis of that obedience (s.w. 1 Sam. 15:22). David's "delight" was in the things of the future Kingdom of God (s.w. 2 Sam. 23:5); our "delight" in those things is reflected in our attitudes to God's word. And we shall be finally judged according to our 'delights', our dominant desires (s.w. Ecc. 3:17; 8:6). The Lord Jesus was devoted to sharing Yahweh's "delight" (Is. 53:10). We shall be judged according to what are our dominant desires.

On His law he meditates day and night- David makes several allusions to Joshua. He speaks of how the man who meditates in God’s word day and night will prosper in his ways; and he uses the very same Hebrew words as found in Josh. 1:8 in recounting God’s charge to Joshua. But David’s point is that the man who does these things will not “walk in the counsel of the ungodly”- he won't give in to peer pressure. The fact that Joshua was wrongly influenced by his peers in later life would indicate that he didn’t keep the charge given to him. David speaks of how he "meditates day and night" on God's law (Ps. 1:2), and also of how he meditates upon "God" at night (Ps. 63:6) and in the day (Ps. 71:24). "The word was God", and still is, in the sense that our devotions to God are to be according to His word; for in practice, what we see of God is largely through His hand and statements in history which we find in His word.

Psalm 1:3 He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither; whatever he does shall prosper- Bringing forth fruit in season is the language of the blessings which could come upon Israel for obedience to the covenant (s.w. Lev. 25:9; 26:4; Zech. 8:12). But even if they weren't as a nation, the essence of these blessings was to be realized in the lives of individuals who were. Likewise had Judah been obedient and responsive to God's word, leaves which don't wither would have appeared around the restored temple system (s.w. Ez. 47:12). Their lack of spiritual fruit precluded those potential prophecies coming true. But these words are quoted in Rev. 22:2 concerning our holding out of life to the mortal population at the Lord's return. The conclusion? If we witness now we are living the Kingdom life now, and therefore we will be perpetuated in that time. The fact we teach others to do righteousness will therefore be a factor in our acceptance (Mt. 5:19); although not the only one. There is a connection between us 'freely giving' the Gospel now (Mt. 10:8), and being given 'freely given' salvation at the last day (Rom. 8:32; Rev. 21:6). The freeness of God’s gift to us should be reflected in a free spirited giving out of the Gospel to others.

Psalm 1:4 The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away- This is the language of the future condemnation of the wicked, alluded to in Daniel's vision of the image being reduced to chaff and driven away. But the essence of judgment is now. They are now like that, and this will be revealed in the future day of judgment (:5).

Psalm 1:5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous- See on :4. The congregation of the righteous of today is connected to the crowd of justified ones at the day of future judgment; for they 'stand' in that they are made to stand, justified by grace. This is what Paul envisages in Rom. 14:4 in a judgment seat context: "Yes, he shall be made to stand up. For the Lord has power to make him stand".

Psalm 1:6 For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish- God 'knows' the way of all men. But the Hebrew sense of 'knowing' is not that of technical knowledge, but more of relationship. Our way of life in relationship with Him; whereas the wicked don't walk with that 'knowledge', and their way or path leads to eternal death.

Psalm 2

Psalm 2:1 Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?- The question "Why?" may be purely rhetorical, as if to say that their raging is in vain because they are fighting against God and His anointed. As noted on :2, this Psalm has multiple later applications; but the primary application may have been to David as the Lord's anointed (:2) feeling under threat of Gentile invasion, but calming himself with the realization that he as Yahweh's faithful anointed would be preserved. He had learnt that in his wilderness years, surrounded by Saul's forces; and as in our lives, the lessons are repeated in different contexts in our later years.

Consider how many different applications the NT gives to Psalms 2 and 110. There is a tendency amongst some personality types to turn every disagreement over interpretation of Scripture into a right : wrong, truth : error scenario. Matters relating to basic doctrine are capable of being dealt with like this. But to turn the interpretation of every Bible verse into a conflict area is a recipe for ecclesial disaster. So often the debate becomes personal, with a brother sure that he is right and the other wrong, and the other must be shown to be wrong. This leads inevitably to pride, and there is the possibility that the other party is degraded and feels abused by the other. We simply have to accept that much of Scripture is open to various levels of interpretation, which if placed side by side would appear to be contradictory. .

Psalm 2:2 The kings of the earth take a stand- In the sense of military confrontation (s.w. 1 Chron. 11:14). The picture of Jerusalem surrounded by armies with the Christ within it has specific reference to the last days. But the exact chronology of latter day events is impossible to work out ahead of time, for the purpose of Bible prophecy is not to provide world history in advance. Rather, when these things come to pass, then we shall know. The same scene is found in Revelation when Gog and Magog surround the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem and are destroyed; I have argued in commentary on Revelation that this refers to events around the Lord's return and not later.

And the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh, and against His Anointed saying- See on :1. The Greek word “Christ” means ‘anointed’. This Psalm is quoted in the New Testament more than any other Scripture. It’s applied in various contexts- e.g. to the Roman and Jewish rulers trying to destroy Christ at His death (Acts 4:26); to the resurrection of Christ (2:7 = Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5); to the opposition to Christ’s people as they preached the Gospel (Acts 4:25) and to the situation soon after His return, when the rebellious nations will seek to overthrow Christ’s rule (2:9 = Rev. 2:27). What this shows is that Old Testament scripture can have multiple interpretations, in the same way as different people at different times can find the same Scripture speaking personally to them; and as we can find a single Bible passage amazingly relevant to us in different contexts and various times of our lives.

Psalm 2:3 Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us- The primary application would be to peoples once under David's domination desiring to rebel and even attack Jerusalem.

Psalm 2:4 He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision- One application of this Psalm was to Hezekiah being surrounded by the Assyrians in Jerusalem. God's view was that the faithful daughter of Zion had laughed at and derided the Assyrians (Is. 37:22). But here we read that this was true of God. The faithful remnant, the daughter of Zion, were scared of the Assyrians at the time, and hardly seemed confident. But God imputed His confidence and attitudes, His Spirit, to that of His weak but faithful people.

Psalm 2:5 Then He will speak to them in His anger, and terrify them in His wrath- Connecting this with :12, this appears to be a conditional statement. God's anger could have been turned away had they reverenced His Son.

Psalm 2:6 Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion- If the idea were simply of 'seating' then an appropriate word would have been used. But the Hebrew used here for "set" is usually translated 'to pour', 'sacrifice' (s.w. Ps. 16:4) or 'cover'. Clearly there is a suggestion of the sacrifice of God's Son on a hill near Zion. From this point, the speaker becomes His Son (:7).

Psalm 2:7 I will tell of the decree- The same phrase used of declaring the covenant (Ps. 50:16). The new covenant was declared in the death (:6) and resurrection of the Son of God; and here we have Him as it were proclaiming that new covenant.

Yahweh said to me, You are My son. Today I have become your father- This is given various applications in the New Testament, especially to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (Acts 13:33 cp. Rom. 1:4). This would be appropriate to the allusion to the Lord's death noted on :6. But the application to Hezekiah in Jerusalem continues; the same words are used for how Hezekiah felt that "this day" (s.w. "today"), the children are come to the birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth" (Is. 37:3, s.w. "become your father"). Yahweh was strong enough. The righteous remnant, the primary fulfilment of the "suffering servant" prophecies, could have been brought forth after the enemies surrounding Jerusalem were destroyed. But they were not, and instead of 'inheriting' the Gentiles (:8), Hezekiah didn't "ask of Me" for that, and rather made covenants with them involving accepting their gods. The great potential possible wasn't realized, and so the Psalm was reapplied to the things of the Lord Jesus.

There is no recorded moment when God said these words to the Lord Jesus, although He surely did (Heb. 1:5). Presumably we have here a unique insight into the words spoken by the Father to the Son on the resurrection morning; it is perhaps appropriate that they aren't recorded historically. The moment was too intimate.

Psalm 2:8 Ask of Me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost ends of the earth for your possession- See on :7 for the potential reference to Hezekiah. God promised Abraham a very specific "inheritance... possession" in Canaan (Gen. 17:8; Dt. 4:21; 32:49). And yet this promise seems to be interpreted in later Scripture as referring to the world-wide Kingdom which will be established at the second coming (e.g. Rom. 4:13 speaks of how Abraham was promised that he would inherit the world; Ps. 72 and other familiar prophecies speak of a world-wide Messianic Kingdom, based on the promises to Abraham). One possible explanation is found in Psalm 2, where the Father seems to encourage the Son to ask of Him "the heathen [i.e., not just the Jews] for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [not just the land of promise] for thy possession" (Ps. 2:8). Could it be that due to the Lord's spiritual ambition, the inheritance was extended from the Jewish people to all nations, and from literal Canaan to all the earth? This is not to say, of course, that fundamentally the promises to Abraham have been changed. No. The promise of eternal inheritance of Canaan still stands as the basis of the Gospel of the Kingdom (Gal. 3:8), but that promise has been considerably extended, thanks to the Lord's spiritual ambition.

I suggested on :7 that we have here a prophecy of a conversation between the Father and Son at the resurrection. "Ask of me... and I can give you anything you ask for" was the typical boast of ancient rulers, and we recall the experience of Esther and the daughter of Herodias. But in God's case it was true. He has been "given" the nations, but in the sense that they were to submit to His Son (:10). And this is the spirit in which we go forth and obey the great commission.

Could it be that due to the Lord's spiritual ambition, the inheritance was extended from the Jewish people to all nations, and from literal Canaan to all the earth? This is not to say, of course, that fundamentally the promises to Abraham have been changed. No. The promise of eternal inheritance of Canaan still stands as the basis of the Gospel of the Kingdom (Gal. 3:8), but that promise has been considerably extended, thanks to the Lord's spiritual ambition.

Psalm 2:9 You shall break them with a rod of iron, you shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel- Quoted about the Lord Jesus and those in Him, in Rev. 2:27. As He will rule the world with a rod of iron (Ps. 2:9) and brake the nations to powder at His return (Dan. 2:44), so will each of those in Him (Rev. 2:27). And notice how Ps. 2:1,2, a prophecy about opposition to Jesus personally, is appropriated to those who preach Him, because they are in Him (Acts 4:25,26). The breaking as a potter's vessel recalls the imagery of Jeremiah, where this is only done because the clay has not responded as required. The nations this is done to have therefore had a chance to respond to the Divine hand, and have chosen not to. In the last days, this would imply that the Gospel must first go to all nations who are then going to be judged for refusing to respond to it. And the Lord specifically stated this (Mk. 13:10).

Psalm 2:10 Now therefore be wise, you kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth- The judgment upon the nations of :9 doesn't have to happen; if they are wise and are "instructed". True wisdom is to repent; knowledge in the Hebraic sense refers to relationship with God, rather than technical knowledge of information. In fact the first sin was to partake of the fruit which would apparently make men "wise" (Gen. 3:6). It was a short cut to 'wisdom' in the sense of relationship. And too often the same mistake is made today, whereby knowledge is confused with the wisdom and instruction of repentant relationship with God.

Psalm 2:11 Serve Yahweh with respect and rejoice with trembling- That trembling, joy and respect is what arises from realizing that they should have been condemned (:9), but the outcome had been changed because they had the wisdom to repent. This mixture of joy, humility and certainty in His grace is very persuasive in our witness; when it is evidenced within the very fibers of the being of those saved by grace through faith. The essence of powerful personal witness is contained, I suggest, in the mixture of these two elements within the personality of the preacher. It’s the paradox of Ps. 2:11: “Rejoice with trembling / contrition”. The sense that ‘we have the truth… yes, by God’s grace I will truly be there, and so can you be’; and yet the awful, worrying sense of our own inadequacy as women and men, which should grip and haunt every sensitive spiritual soul.

Psalm 2:12 Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way, for His wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in Him- As explained on :10, the judgment upon the nations of :9 doesn't have to happen; if they are wise and are "instructed" in repentance. The urgency of the appeal is because "soon" the wrath of the Son is to be poured out. This appears therefore to be effectively the text of our latter day appeal, as we take the great commission to the nations which have been given to Him (see on :8). The implication is that none will survive the judgments to come unless they repent. But I suggested on :9 that the people in view are those who have already had a chance to respond to the Gospel, and not the ignorant world.

Psalm 3

Psalm 3:1 A Psalm by David, when he fled from Absalom his son- A fair case can be made that the titles of the Psalms are in fact just as inspired as the verses which follow them. Indeed on at least one occasion they are quoted or alluded to in the New Testament. The LXX treats them as part of the first verse of the Psalms following, although J.W. Thirtle made a fair case that at times the title of a Psalm ought to be attached to the previous Psalm, and it is a title of the previous Psalm appended at the bottom of it.

Yahweh, how my adversaries have increased! Many are those who rise up against me- The historical reference is to how the support for Absalom appeared to mushroom once Ahithophel betrayed David and joined it: "The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom" (2 Sam. 15:12). They considered that God wouldn't now help David (Ps. 3:2); there was a spiritual argument used against David, no matter how wrong it was. We have here a classic example of a collapse mentality, whereby a feeding frenzy begins against an innocent man, and quasi spiritual arguments are brought in to support it. "Many" in Ps. 3:1,2 is the same word used for how the people "increased" with Absalom. "Rise up" in Ps. 3:1 is the word used of Ahithophel wishing to 'rise up" and pursue David (2 Sam. 17:1; 18:31). In response to the rising up of others against him, David asks God to 'rise up' (Ps. 3:7 s.w.). David's prayer in Psalm 3 was answered, and Ahithophel 'rose up' and committed suicide (2 Sam. 17:23).

Psalm 3:2 Many there are who say of my soul, There is no help for him in God! Selah- "Many" is a tacit recognition of how popularly supported was Absalom's uprising (2 Sam. 15:12). But the "selah", the pause for meditation, is an invitation to reflect that masses of human strength is nothing compared to God.

Psalm 3:3 But You, Yahweh, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head- The "selah" of :2 may also reflect David's pause for introspection, as to whether in fact God had really indeed cast him off because of his sins. But he concludes with the triumph of :3, that God now lifted up his head and would be a shield to him- appealing to the promises to Abraham, that God would be a shield to Abraham and his true seed (Gen. 15:1). Such appeal to the promises which form the basis for the new covenant is common in the Psalms, and can just as legitimately be made by us.

Psalm 3:4 I cry to Yahweh with my voice, and He answers me out of His holy hill- David had fled Jerusalem and the "holy hill" of the temple mount, which was now under Absalom's control. But he believes Yahweh is still there, present as it were in the temple, and answering his prayer. He perhaps alludes to the promises that if Israel sinned and were exiled, they could always pray to God and hope for regathering to His holy hill (Dt. 30:1-4; Neh. 1:9). Solomon develops these thoughts further, in teaching that Israel in their dispersion were to pray to God toward Jerusalem, His "holy hill" of Zion (1 Kings 8:48,49). We see therefore how Solomon would have reflected upon his father David's experience; David had prayed towards God's "holy hill" when in exile from it, and had been heard. Solomon may well have been in David's retinue at the time, and would have experienced the wonder of return to Zion because of his father's prayer towards God in Zion.

Psalm 3:5 I laid myself down and slept; I awoke, because Yahweh sustains me- At his very nadir, with the insurrection apparently gaining momentum on every hand, David was able to lay down in peace and sleep, probably near the roadside somewhere on the way. As he awoke, he reflected that Yahweh had sustained him, and would ultimately 'awake' him to salvation. We likewise marvel how Peter could sleep soundly in prison the night before his planned execution. This is the peace which comes from true faith. And let us too not fail to be impressed by God's grace in awaking us each morning. Let our first thoughts on awakening be of Him, in prayer. God will keep us in "perfect peace" if our mind is "stayed" or 'sustained' upon Him (s.w. Is. 26:3). If we allow our mind to be sustained upon Him, He will sustain us. So often the Psalms reflect the mutuality possible between a man and his God. See on Ps. 4:4.

Psalm 3:6 I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side- These thousands of people were those in the "strong" conspiracy of Absalom which at that time appeared to be gathering momentum by the hour (2 Sam. 15:12).

Psalm 3:7 Arise, Yahweh! Save me, my God! For You have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked- "Cheek bone" is literally "the jaw bone", and is the same word used about Samson's victory with a jaw bone when his own people had betrayed him (s.w. Jud. 15:16). The Hebrew could as well be an invitation for God to strike his enemies with the jaw bone. We then go on to observe that Psalm 3 is full of reference to Samson's fight at Lehi. It was also written at a time when David was betrayed by his own people: "Many are saying of me, 'God will not deliver him'" - the thoughts of the Israelites as they delivered the bound Samson to the Philistines. "But you are a shield around me"- how it must have seemed to a spectator. "To the Lord I cry aloud"- as Samson did. "I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me"- huge armies against one solitary man is a clear reference to Samson at Lehi.

Psalm 3:8 Salvation belongs to Yahweh. Your blessing be on Your people. Selah- David wanted salvation from Absalom's rebellion so that God's blessing would be upon His people. He had a far wider ranging motivation than mere personal salvation. David acts here as the High Priest pronouncing the priestly blessing of the people (Num. 6:24); just as he acted several times as a priest. See on Ps. 4:6.

Psalm 4

Psalm 4:1 For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm by David- This Psalm is clearly related to Psalm 3, concerning David's prayer at the time of Absalom's rebellion. It has been observed: "In its metrical structure it very much resembles Ps. 3:1-8; being composed, like that, of a short strophe (verses 1,2), a short anti-strophe (Ps. 3:3,4), and a longer epode (Ps. 3:5-8). The divisions are marked, as in Ps. 3:1-8; by the introduction of the word selah, perhaps meaning "pause," or "rest"". I suggest that Psalm 3 is as it were the raw prayer of David in the heat of the moment; and Psalm 4 is now a more formal arrangement for "stringed instruments".

Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Give me relief from my distress. Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer- The request for mercy may appear to clash with the statement about "God of my righteousness". David may simply mean that he is 'right' in the controversy with Absalom. But Absalom's rebellion was after his sin with Bathsheba, when he had learned the wonder of imputed righteousness. And perhaps it is to this which he alludes. See on :3,5.

Psalm 4:2 You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonour? Will you love vanity, and go seeking after falsehood?- Vanity and falsehood are terms often associated with idolatry. And this was never far from the surface amongst Old Testament Israel. It could be that he laments that Absalom's new ruling junta was devoted to idolatry rather than to Yahweh. David's "glory" was in his God, and Yahweh was being dishonoured by this idolatry.

Psalm 4:3 But know that Yahweh has set apart for Himself him who is Godly: Yahweh will hear when I call to Him- I suggested on :1 that David has in mind the righteousness imputed to him after his sin regarding Bathsheba. "Him who is Godly" is a term he has used about himself in his marvel at God's grace to him at that time, believing that his trust in God's grace and justification by that grace was to be the pattern for all who afterward would be "Godly" (Ps. 32:6). If God had heard his calling upon God's grace at the time of his sin with Bathsheba, He surely would do so now that he was facing the consequences of that sin. We see here how in His grace, God is willing to save sinners like David even from the consequences of their sins.

Psalm 4:4 Be angry, and don’t sin. Search your own heart on your bed, and be still- I suggest this, as often in the Psalms, is a soliloquy- David talking to himself. He was naturally angry with Absalom and those who had betrayed him, but he urges himself not to sin in that anger. He accepts that anger is of itself not sinful, but that it can easily lead to sin. I noted on :1 the connection with Ps. 3, here to Ps. 3:5, where he recalls how whilst on the run from Absalom he had laid down to sleep and awoken assured of God's ultimate salvation. But before he had laid down to sleep that night, he had searched his own heart. It was that good conscience with God which was the basis for his peaceful sleep. Paul quotes this verse as relevant to us all (Eph. 4:26).

The prophets were up against the same passionless spirit that pervades our societies today. The Jews came to discount the existence of God as a person, and condemned any form of anger or passion: “God loves him who never gets angry” (Pesahim 113b); “He who gets angry is regarded as if he would worship an idol” (Maimonides, Mishne Torah, Deoth, Vol. 2, 3). “Do not get angry and you will not sin” (Berachoth 29b). By contrast, consider Ps. 4:4 (quoted in Eph. 4:26 and exemplified in the anger of the Lord Jesus): “Be angry and sin not”. The Rabbinic commentaries changed this to “Tremble before God, and you will not sin”.

Psalm 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, put your trust in Yahweh- This is again David talking to himself (:4). He was exiled from Jerusalem. The sacrifices he has in view were therefore those he had been driven to make in his heart at the time of his sin with Bathsheba (Ps. 51:17)- those of a broken heart. At this point of Absalom's rebellion, he was aware that he was suffering the consequences of that sin, and as noted on :1,3,5, is alluding to the lessons he had learned then.

Psalm 4:6 Many say, Who will show us any good? Yahweh, let the light of Your face shine on us- These "many" are the many who had joined Absalom's rebellion (Ps. 3:2,6; 2 Sam. 15:12). But they wonder "who will show us any good". Perhaps amongst those faithful to David there was the idea that nobody, not even God, would show them any "good" or grace now. But David asks for the light of God's face to shine, the sign of His acceptance. And that is what is so critically important when we are rejected by men. As noted on Ps. 3:8, David alludes to the high priestly blessing (Num. 6:24).

Psalm 4:7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their new wine are increased- The allusion is to how Absalom was feasting in celebration now that he had apparently taken the throne (as happened at the rebellion of 1 Kings  1:19,25). But the gladness of a good conscience with God meant far more to David than such rejoicing and secular feasting. We note that God can operate directly upon the human heart, the outcome of His Spirit working upon the human spirit or heart. And He can do so today just as much.

Psalm 4:8 In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for You, Yahweh alone, make me live in safety- This connects with Ps. 3:5. At his very nadir, with the insurrection apparently gaining momentum on every hand, David was able to lay down in peace and sleep, probably near the roadside somewhere on the way. As he awoke, he reflected that Yahweh had sustained him, and would ultimately 'awake' him to salvation. We likewise marvel how Peter could sleep soundly in prison the night before his planned execution. This is the peace which comes from true faith. And let us too not fail to be impressed by God's grace in awaking us each morning. Let our first thoughts on awakening be of Him, in prayer. God will keep us in "perfect peace" if our mind is "stayed" or 'sustained' upon Him (s.w. Is. 26:3). If we allow our mind to be sustained upon Him, He will sustain us. So often the Psalms reflect the mutuality possible between a man and his God. See on Ps. 4:4.

Psalm 5

Psalm 5:1 For the Chief Musician, with the flutes. A Psalm by David.

Give ear to my words, Yahweh. Consider my meditation- Who we are as persons is effectively our prayer and plea to God. This conception of prayer explains why often weeping, crying, waiting, meditating etc. are spoken of as "prayer" , although there was no specific verbalizing of requests (Ps. 5:1,2; 6:8; 18:1,2,3,6; 40:1; 42:8; 64:1 Heb.; 65:1,2; 66:17-20; Zech. 8:22). The association between prayer and weeping is especially common: 1 Sam. 1:10; Ps. 39:12; 55:1,2; Jn. 11:41,42; Heb. 5:7, especially in the Lord's life and the Messianic Psalms. "The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer" (Ps. 6:8,9) crystallizes the point.

Psalm 5:2 Listen to the voice of my cry, my King and my God; for to You do I pray- The surrounding culture assumed that the louder one cried, the more likely God was to hear. We think of the prophets of Baal on Carmel. But David broke that paradigm; he knew that his internal "meditation" (:1) was seen by God as his "cry". David the king repeatedly calls God his "king". His exaltation didn't lead him to pride, as he was always under the deep impression that he was not the ultimate king (Ps. 5:2; 10:16; 29:10; 44:4; 47:6).

Psalm 5:3 Yahweh, in the morning You shall hear my voice; in the morning I will lay my requests before You- Ps. 5 has similarities with Psalms 3 and 4, both of which I have shown were relevant to Absalom's rebellion. Here the connection is to how David laid down in peace and slept as he fled from Absalom, so confident of his good conscience with God and that God would ultimately save him (see on Ps. 3:5; 4:4). David's first waking moments were naturally of prayer to God. And this is our pattern. He often mentions his habit of regular prayer morning and evening (Ps. 5:3; 55:17; 59:16; 88:3; 119:147). This  should not have to be enforced upon us, but rather the natural outcome of a life lived in constant connection with God. David perceived that the Mosaic ritual of morning and evening sacrifice taught the sacrifice of prayer should be made in daily life, even though at the time of many of the Psalms, David was exiled from the sanctuary. This exile from organized religion led him to make this connection, as it can for us too.

And will watch expectantly- We must be careful what we pray for. Because we will likely receive it in some form. If indeed the context of this Psalm is that of Absalom's rebellion, then we have to note that this same word for 'watching expectantly' is used repeatedly of the expectant watching for news of the battle with Absalom (2 Sam. 18:24-27); and the news was not what David wanted to hear. Absalom had been slain. But he had asked God to save him from Absalom's rebellion, and promised to "watch expectantly" for the answer.

Psalm 5:4 For You are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness, evil can’t live with You- Although this Psalm has relevance to Absalom's rebellion, it is a reworking of David's feelings when persecuted by Saul and likewise on the run from him. For circumstances repeat in our lives, and it would be natural for David to reconsider Psalms written at the time of one exile and apply them to another, just as these Psalms were also used for others in their times of exile. "Wickedness" is the word used about Saul's persecution in 1 Sam. 24:13.

Psalm 5:5 The arrogant shall not stand in Your sight; you hate all workers of iniquity- To stand in God's sight means at times to be His representative. David is saying that the wicked like Saul or Absalom cannot continue as kings, ultimately. The essential problem with them David perceived, was their pride.

Psalm 5:6 You will destroy those who speak lies- "Lies" is the word used in Ps. 4:2 about the men in Absalom's conspiracy. David saw the telling of lies as the epitome of sin (Ps. 58:3 s.w.).

Yahweh abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man- But this is not to say there can be no salvation for such a person; for Jacob and his sons were "deceitful" (s.w. Gen. 27:35; 34:13) but were patiently led to better ways. If as suggested this Psalm originated at the time of Absalom's rebellion, then we can note that Shimei at that time had called David a "bloodthirsty man" (2 Sam. 16:7,8 s.w.). And the same words are used by God about David (1 Chron. 28:3). So we can wonder whether David was too quick here to assume that the 'man of blood' was hated by God and was of course not him. If he has Absalom in view, then his imprecation against Absalom was answered, and he then regretted it. Just as Jeremiah in Lamentations laments the very things which he had prophesied against his own people. We really have to be careful what we pray for, for in essence we shall usually receive it.

Psalm 5:7 But as for me, in the abundance of Your grace I will come into Your house. I will bow toward Your holy temple in reverence of You- David had fled Jerusalem and the "holy hill" of the temple mount (Ps. 3:4), which was now under Absalom's control. But he believes Yahweh is still there, present as it were in the temple, and answering his prayer; he prayed toward the sanctuary which he believed he would return to, by grace. He perhaps alludes to the promises that if Israel sinned and were exiled, they could always pray to God and hope for regathering to His holy hill (Dt. 30:1-4; Neh. 1:9). Solomon develops these thoughts further, in teaching that Israel in their dispersion were to pray to God toward Jerusalem, His "holy hill" of Zion (1 Kings 8:48,49). We see therefore how Solomon would have reflected upon his father David's experience; David had prayed towards God's "holy hill" when in exile from it, and had been heard. Solomon may well have been in David's retinue at the time, and would have experienced the wonder of return to Zion because of his father's prayer towards God in Zion. We note the usage of "holy temple", which didn't exist in David's time. This is a typical example of how the Psalms were rewritten under Divine inspiration. David's faith and hope that he would return to the sanctuary was reapplied to the exiles, who were likewise to believe that they would be regathered to the temple.

Psalm 5:8 Lead me, Yahweh, in Your righteousness because of my enemies. Make Your way straight before my face- David was fleeing from Absalom, not clear where exactly he was going. And he asks to be led, in a straight way; and to realize which way he should take. And whatever the path, he wishes it to be that of righteousness. The "straight" path recalls the language used in Ezekiel about the way of the cherubim (Ez. 1:7), who were to regather Judah to their land and the temple (:7)- if they wished to follow them. David's feelings and faith as he was in exile as a consequence for his sins were to be those of the exiles, in a similar position.

Psalm 5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue- We may well enquire how David thought he knew the state of heart [AV "inward part"] of his enemies (Ps. 5:9; 36:1; 49:11; 62:4; 64:6). Perhaps it was a result of his reflection upon how he had only had a right spirit or heart given by God "within" him as a result of his repentance (Ps. 51:10 s.w.). His enemies were impenitent, and so perhaps on that basis he knew what was in their hearts. But perhaps David was too hasty to judge. For these words are quoted in Rom. 3:13 about all humanity, including the believers who are saved by grace alone. It's as if the Spirit through Paul is somewhat correcting David's idea that only some 'very wicked' people are like this.

Psalm 5:10 Hold them guilty, God. Let them fall by their own advice; thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against You- The rebellion of Absalom was against David, but he rightly perceives it as being essentially against God. Perhaps Ahithophel is particularly in view; he fell by his own advice (2 Sam. 17:23). Whilst his suicide was completely his decision, it was also an answer to David's prayer at this point.

Psalm 5:11 But let all those who take refuge in You rejoice, let them always shout for joy, because You defend them. Let them also who love Your name be joyful in You- David has in mind the loyal ones who remained faithful to him at the time of Absalom's rebellion. Eternal or "always" shouting for joy is the phrase only used elsewhere about the returned exiles (Is. 61:7). Again we see how David's joy upon returning to Zion from exile was intended to be that of the restored exiles- if they followed David's path of penitence.

Psalm 5:12 For You will bless the righteous. Yahweh, You will surround him with favour as with a shield- As in Ps. 3:3, clearly written at the time of Absalom's rebellion (Ps. 3:1). David is appealing to the promises to Abraham, that God would be a shield to Abraham and his true seed (Gen. 15:1). Such appeal to the promises which form the basis for the new covenant is common in the Psalms, and can just as legitimately be made by us.

Psalm 6

Psalm 6:1 For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments, upon the eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm by David.

Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in Your anger, neither discipline me in Your wrath- This sounds like a reflection on his feelings after the sin with Bathsheba. He was so delighted at God's response that David wanted it to be sung by others. The words are very similar to those in Ps. 38:1, also a Bathsheba Psalm, which is titled "to bring to remembrance"; as if David wanted his past sin and forgiveness to be remembered, so that he might fulfil his desire to teach other sinners of God's grace (Ps. 51:13). And he used music to do this. See on Ps. 50:8. David had been open to Nathan's "rebuke" (Ps. 141:5), which was not given in God's anger so much as in His appeal for David to accept His grace. The chastening or "discipline" is the word used for David's experiences after the sin with Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 38:1; 39:11).

Psalm 6:2 Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint. Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled- This would refer to David's pain and illness after his sin with Bathsheba, of which we read in many of the Bathsheba Psalms. His bone pain looked ahead to that experienced by the Lord upon the cross, where He is presented as suffering as David did for sin- whilst personally innocent, He was totally our representative there.

Psalm 6:3 My soul is also in great anguish. But You, Yahweh--how long?- "In great anguish" is a phrase used only here and in :10, and about Saul the night before he died (1 Sam. 28:21). David is wishing his enemies felt like he did (:10), which may be considered a basic psychological reaction to suffering at the hands of others, and yet all the same appears to fall far short of Christian principles. And yet God responded to this- for perhaps this Psalm was originally written earlier in David's life, and it was answered in Saul's sufferings as David had. And then David reused the Psalm with reference to his anguish at the time of his sin with Bathsheba.

Psalm 6:4 Return, Yahweh. Deliver my soul, and save me for Your grace’ sake- The "return" of Yahweh suggests he felt the absence of God's presence, and it is this "return" of Yahweh that he pleads "how long?" in :3. David realized "grace" at the time of his sin with Bathsheba; his salvation could be by grace alone, and not, as he has pleaded in earlier Psalms, because of the pureness of his own hands.

Psalm 6:5 For in death there is no memory of You. In Sheol, who shall give You thanks?- Clear enough evidence that death is unconsciousness. David recognized that his life was indeed a giving of thanks to God, and such praise is in fact the purpose of our lives.

Psalm 6:6 I am weary with my groaning; each night I flood my bed, I drench my couch with my tears- This sounds like an emotional breakdown, regardless of the state of his physical health. Perhaps the groaning and tears were in prayer to God; for most references to David's activity "each night" are to his prayers.

Psalm 6:7 My eye wastes away because of grief, it grows old because of all my adversaries- "Grief" is the word used for the wrath of God (Ps. 85:4), but could also refer to the anger of others- perhaps the family of Bathsheba, or the followers of Saul, was originally in view. A sense of fading vision would be appropriate to both his physical and emotional state. In the Bathsheba context it would seem that during his illness, there arose "adversaries" against him. But as noted on :3,10, the Psalm may have originated whilst under persecution by Saul.

Psalm 6:8 Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity- This is the word for how God had departed from Saul, and maybe this was initially behind David's desire that Saul leave him alone. But it is also the word used for how violence would never depart from David because of his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12:10). David prayed for this to "depart" but it never did. David was open to the possibility that through prayer, God can remove the consequences of sin in this life; but such prayer is not always answered.

For Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping- Who we are as persons is effectively our prayer and plea to God. This conception of prayer explains why often weeping, crying, waiting, meditating etc. are spoken of as "prayer" , although there was no specific verbalizing of requests (Ps. 5:1,2; 6:8; 18:1,2,3,6; 40:1; 42:8; 64:1 Heb.; 65:1,2; 66:17-20; Zech. 8:22). The association between prayer and weeping is especially common: 1 Sam. 1:10; Ps. 39:12; 55:1,2; Jn. 11:41,42; Heb. 5:7, especially in the Lord's life and the Messianic Psalms. "The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer" (Ps. 6:8,9) crystallizes the point.

Psalm 6:9 Yahweh has heard my supplication, Yahweh accepts my prayer- There is no evidence that suddenly David got better and his enemies disappeared. Rather does the reality dawn upon David whilst still in prayer- that his prayer has indeed been accepted. Perhaps there was some visible sign of this, such as a manifestation of Divine glory. But more likely he experienced as we do, a deep sense of reality- that his words had been heard and accepted by God in heaven.

Psalm 6:10 May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed. They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly- As explained on :3, this had initial reference to the destruction of Saul; "dismayed" is s.w. "great anguish" in :3. And yet when this actually happened, David lamented over Saul; perhaps all the more because he realized his prayers against Saul had been answered, and he recognized he ought to have been more charitable to his enemies.

Psalm 7

Psalm 7:1 A meditation by David, which he sang to Yahweh, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite- Cush may be another name for Shimei; or perhaps "the black one of Benjamin" may be another term for Saul. But much in the Psalm is so appropriate to Shimei's cursing of David as he fled from Absalom. But it could equally refer to some supporter of Saul the Benjamite during David's wilderness years. Most likely it could be that a Psalm composed in the wilderness years was later rewritten by David with reference to Shimei's abuse of him.

Yahweh my God, I take refuge in You. Save me from all those who pursue me and deliver me- The idea is that God was David's city of refuge. These cities were for those who needed to flee when being chased by the avenger of blood (Num. 35:26). The imagery is very appropriate to David when fleeing from Saul and Absalom. David's constant meditation upon God's law would have included the sections about the cities of refuge; he realized that actually no such city was available for him, but the spirit of the law led him to reflect that Yahweh was his refuge, wherever he was. David tends to open wilderness Psalms with this reflection, just as we may tend to begin prayers with the same opening phrase and thoughts (Ps. 7:1; 11:1; 16:1; 31:1; 57:1; 71:1).

Psalm 7:2 lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, ripping it in pieces while there is none to deliver- The tenses appear to be saying that this was ongoing. In this case, we see the power of words (:1); the same lesson as taught in the agony Job suffered because of the words of his friends. The image of a lion "ripping to pieces" is the language used of Judah's sufferings at the hands of their enemies (s.w. Ez. 19:12; Zech. 11:16). This Psalm of David was likely used in that context, as it can be by all of us when being ripped apart by others.

Psalm 7:3 Yahweh, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands- David has said these words in a different context, addressed to Jonathan, in 1 Sam. 20:8. This is one of those powerful incidental proofs that the scriptures are accurate and inspired; it is circumstantially credible that a man would use the same turn of phrase both to God and to his close friend. Perhaps this total denial of iniquity was something which, in the bigger picture, the Bathsheba incident was used by God to correct. When we are under patently false accusation, we can easily assume we are in fact innocent totally of any sin at any time in our lives. Reading through the book of Psalms in one or two sittings reveals that frequent and intense self-examination was a leading characteristic of David:, especially while on the run from Saul; as if he began to pick up false guilt from how he was being treated, wondering if it was all in fact justified (Ps. 4:4; 7:3; 17:3; 18:20-24; 19:12; 26:1; 39:1; 59:3; 66:18; 77:6; 86:2; 101:2; 109:3; 139:23,24).

Psalm 7:4 if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, if I have delivered him who without cause was my adversary)- David sounds like Job at this point, in Job's great clearing of himself. But he like David (see on :3) had to be brought to realize that he had protested too much against the patent false accusations made against him. See on :10.

Psalm 7:5 let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; yes, let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust- This again recalls the speeches of Job; see on :4. David felt as if he had been trodden down into the dust; his argument was that this should only have happened if he had done bad things. Whilst he had not done what he was accused of, he had yet to realize that he was all the same a sinner, saved by grace alone.

Psalm 7:6 Arise, Yahweh, in Your anger; lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me; You have commanded judgment- There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. David lifts himself up to God (Ps. 25:1; 28:2; 86:4), and asks God to lift up Himself in response (Ps. 7:6; 10:12; 94:2). David has no doubt that God's judgment is ongoing and that He had "commanded judgment" against Saul; which he knew anyway from the fact Samuel had prophetically condemned Saul on God's behalf. But he impatiently yearned for that Divine word to be activated. The truth was, and is, that in the gap between the Divine judgment and the realization of it- there is an opportunity for repentance, so that the word of judgment may not have to be fulfilled. We all live in that gap.

Psalm 7:7 Let the congregation of the peoples surround You. Rule over them on high- David's conception of the judgment seat was of all nations being judged there, along with Saul and the responsible within Israel. David clearly has in view not merely salvation from Saul and his judgment, but the visible involvement of God to judge all peoples- the picture of the Kingdom of God established upon earth. And then His Kingdom or rulership over all would be established.

Psalm 7:8 Yahweh administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me-  To God, slanderers and false teachers within the ecclesia already are given their condemnation (Rom. 3:8). "The Lord shall judge the people... God judgeth (present tense) the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day... he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows" (Ps. 7:8,11-13 AV). God is now judging men, and preparing their final reward. For the wicked, the arrow is prepared in the bow, the sword is sharpened- all waiting for the final day in which the present judgments will be executed.

Psalm 7:9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God- The future day of global judgment which was in view (see on :7) would essentially be of minds and hearts; David saw through the persecution of Saul to the essential issue, which was that his heart was not right with God. His desire for the "wicked [to] come to an end" speaks of his desire for the death of Saul, and for the establishment of his own kingdom. He saw himself as "the righteous". We wonder if he would have been better to be somewhat more self critical at this point. For he was only "righteous" relative to the sin of Saul, and was not ultimately "righteous" before God, as he later comes to perceive.

Psalm 7:10 My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart- As noted on :9, David might have been a bit more self critical at this point. For he sees himself as "the upright in heart", when there is not a man on earth who sins not- apart from the Lord Jesus. I noted on :4,5,14 that David is seeing himself as Job, and he here continues that connection, seeing that Job is described likewise as "upright in heart" (Job 1:8; 2:3). David sees this as characteristic of all God's people (s.w. Ps. 11:2; 19:8; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11). He sees the wicked as those who are not upright (Ps. 14:3; 53:1,3). But these words which David writes about the wicked are then reinterpreted as applying to all men, God's people included (Rom. 3:12). Like Job, David had to be taught that actually he was failing to see the seriousness of sin; righteousness and acceptability with God is imputed to men by grace through faith, because actually there are none who are upright in heart, apart from God's representative son.

Psalm 7:11 God is a righteous judge, yes, a God who has indignation every day- Although David wants the day of future judgment to come (see on :7), he recognizes that God has not suspended judgment until that last day; He is actively judging now, although He will not fully articulate that judgment until the day of judgment.

Psalm 7:12 If a man doesn’t relent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent and strung His bow- There is a gap between God's pronouncement of judgment and carrying it out. During that gap there can be repentance, and the threatened judgments won't come. We all live within that gap. Even for the likes of Saul and his Benjamite supporters (:1), there was this opportunity for repentance.

Psalm 7:13 He has also Himself prepared the instruments of death, He makes ready His burning arrows- David appears to see God as having prepared torture instruments which will be used to bring about the destruction and death of the wicked at the last day. But we wonder whether David was giving due weight to the fact that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked; His passion is rather for their repentance in this life (Ez. 33:11). But that desire to see Saul or other abusers repenting... is not much seen in David.

Psalm 7:14 Behold, he travails with iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood- David contrasts the behaviour of the wicked with the activity of God in preparing judgment for them (:13). This juxtaposition is true only on one level; the essence of the matter is that God is far more interested in the repentance of the wicked than in destroying them, necessary as that may finally be (Ez. 33:11). He is quoting here from Job 15:35; see on :4,5,10. But David is correct to perceive that sin begins in the human heart, and brings forth sin and then death through a process internal to the human mind (as in James 1:13-15).

Psalm 7:15 He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made- This again is true, but we note David's apparent lack of desire to offer repentance to his abusers; for the way of God is to save those who are in the holes dug by themselves. For we are all in that position.

Psalm 7:16 The trouble he causes shall return upon his own head, his violence shall come down on the crown of his own head- In the context of Shimei, whose cursing was the initial context of this Psalm (see on :1), David sought himself to bring this about. He told Solomon to ensure that Shimei's head and grey hairs should be brought down with blood to the grave by him (1 Kings 2:8,9). This unspiritual attitude of David was rooted in the way that at the earlier point, here in Ps. 7:16, David rejoiced in the thought that Shimei would be condemned by God; and sets about to bring that condemnation about himself. This surely was a case of taking Divine judgment into his own hand in a way he should not have done, and quite overlooking the Divine desire for repentance.

Psalm 7:17 I will give thanks to Yahweh according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High- This praise appears to be at the prospect of God condemning Shimei; when in fact God is far more interested in the repentance of the wicked than in destroying them, necessary as that may finally be (Ez. 33:11).

Psalm 8

Psalm 8:1 For the Chief Musician; on an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by David- Psalm 9 is apparently titled "On the death of the champion", i.e. Goliath. J.W. Thirtle gave evidence to suggest that the titles of the Psalms have sometimes become muddled, with the titles of some Psalms intended to be relevant to the preceding Psalm, in this case Psalm 8. This would lend weight to the suggestion that Psalm 8 is David's reflections after the death of Goliath. The reference here in Ps. 8:1 to Gath would also refer to Goliath, who was from Gath.

Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who has set Your glory above the heavens!- It was David's name which was much set by (1 Sam. 18:30); but David's desire was it should be Yahweh's Name which was now made majestic after the defeat of Goliath, and not his name.

Psalm 8:2 From the lips of babes and infants You have established strength, because of Your adversaries- This may be an intensive plural, referring to David himself, who was considered a youth, and in his humility as he reflected upon his victory, he considered that before God he was but a baby. The Lord quotes this from the LXX, as if the babes and infants were praising Him, the Lord Jesus (Mt. 21:16). The original context clearly speaks of David praising God for His victory over Goliath. But the Lord understood the entire incident as prophetic of His victory over the Goliath of sin; achieved at Golgotha, 'the skull of Goliath'. The entire incident opens up as a prophecy of the Lord's victory over sin (see on 1 Sam. 17).

That You might silence the enemy and the avenger- The initial reference was to the great, blaspheming voice of Goliath being silenced. The words were likely also used about the destruction of Haman (s.w. Esther 8:13). But David's humility is again revealed by calling Goliath "the avenger"; for the Philistines were used by God to revenge the disobedience of the Israelites.

Psalm 8:3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained- It seems the night David killed Goliath, he looked up at the stars, in line with Abraham his spiritual father. "Ordained" is the word used of the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel, the symbolic heavens, under David (1 Sam. 13:13 cp. 2 Sam. 5:12). He perhaps later tweaked his composition, under inspiration, to reflect how this was all pointing forward to the establishment of the Kingdom under himself. But perhaps he also looked further, to how the Kingdom of God in Israel was to be established (s.w. "ordained") ultimately under the hand of his Messianic seed (s.w. 2 Sam. 7:12,13,16).

Therefore, taking this interpretation further, Psalm 8 is quoted in Hebrews 2 to prove the Lord Jesus Christ's superiority over the Angels; as if the triumphant David at this point was representative of the Lord Jesus. Verses 3-5 therefore show His marvel at how a human like Himself should be considered worthy to have such great Angelic attention; based upon David's feelings after the victory. Such was His respect of them: "When I consider Thy Heavens, the work of Thy fingers (the Heavens were created by the Angels; the Law was given by the Angelic finger of God writing on the stones), the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; what is man, that Thou art mindful of Him? ('why should You think so much about mere Me?') and the son of man (Jesus) that Thou visitest (Angelic language) Him? For Thou hast made Him a little lower than the Angels... Thou madest Him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands (the Hand of the Lord is Angelic language; they were used to create all things); Thou hast put all things (including the Angels) under His feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field..."- i. e. the things of the natural creation made and controlled by the Angels.

Psalm 8:4 what is man, that You are mindful of him, and the son of man, that You care for him?- These were David's thoughts as he marvelled at how he had been used to achieve the victory over Goliath. But as explained on :3, he becomes a symbol of the Lord Jesus, the ultimate "son of man". David is here alluding to the earlier words of Job. Probably the only extant scripture at David's time was the book of Job and the Pentateuch, which explains why he so often alludes to the book of Job. Job came to deeply marvel at the fact that despite God's highness, He tests us and meditates upon us every moment of our lives: "What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him?... that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?" (Job 7:17,18). These words became the basis of the thoughts of the Lord Jesus as prophesied in Ps. 8:4: "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him?". Like Job, the Lord learnt from the depth of His own inner struggles about the moral greatness of the Father. So even God's own Son, peerless and spotless lamb of God that He was even in mortal nature, recognized that such was God's moral splendour that He was surprised that during His mortality, God was so intensely interested in Him.

As God was "mindful" of David and thereby all men in Israel through the victory granted over Goliath, so David urged that in response, they should be "mindful" of God (s.w. 1 Chron. 16:12,15). But "mindful" implies 'to remember', and is a term used for answer to prayer (Jud. 16:28; 1 Sam. 1:11 and often). David is acknowledging that he had prayed for victory, and been granted it- but felt unworthy to have received such an answer.

Psalm 8:5 For You have made him a little lower than the Angels, and crowned him with glory and honour- The application to the Lord Jesus is made clear in Heb. 2:7,9. where the midrash / interpretation is added that the Lord Jesus had to be lower than the Angels so that He might experience death; and "a little lower" is interpreted as meaning 'lower for a little / short time'. For Angels cannot die (Lk. 20:35,36), which again supports the view that Angels are spoken of as one category, not good ones and wicked ones; and "Angels" can't die, therefore they can't sin (Rom. 6:23). Belief in sinful Angels roaming the planet is not taught in the Bible. The making of man (or the Lord Jesus) for a short time lower than the Angels is no evidence of His pre-existence or Divine incarnation in Him; for the words in their original context apply to the man David and to "man" generally. The idea is that man, and the Lord Jesus, is made for a little while / period lower than the Angels, and Paul takes this as implying that both the Lord Jesus and ourselves shall be exalted higher than the Angels, seeing we are only for a short period made lower than them.

Psalm 8:6 You make him ruler over the works of Your hands. You have put all things under his feet- David perhaps later reflected how the victory over Goliath set him up to be ruler or king over God's people. But the longer term application is to the Lord Jesus; through His victory at Golgotha, the skull of Goliath, His final kingship over literally all things was assured (1 Cor. 15:25).

The slant taken on this in the Hebrews 2 quotation is that this makes the Lord Jesus greater than Angels, in contrast to the Jewish worship of Angels as being greater than even Messiah. In the same way as the Angels are so closely associated with their charges that they are identified with them, so the Angels are described as the things in the natural world which they have created. Ps. 8:5,6 is quoted in Heb. 2:7 to prove Christ's superiority over the Angels: "Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands (an Angelic phrase); Thou hast put all things under his feet". "All things" often includes Angels in its context in New Testament usage. The works of God's Angel-hands in the natural creation have been put under Christ's feet, but the purpose of the quotation in Heb. 2 is to show that the Angels have been put under Christ's feet. Heb. 2:11 takes the point further by saying that as the Angels are identified so exactly with that they have created, so Christ was identified with His new creation, even to the extent of having an identical nature to them.

Psalm 8:7 all sheep and cattle, yes, and the animals of the field- In Ps. 18:39 (2 Sam. 22:40), David reflects how his victory in battle by God's strength meant that all was subdued under him. The victory in battle which he had in view was supremely that over Goliath, his most major and applauded victory. To a far greater extent, the victory of the Lord Jesus meant not simply the subjugation of Israel beneath Him, but of all creation, including the natural creation.

Psalm 8:8 the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas- The subjection of the animal creation beneath the Lord Jesus suggests an allusion to the way that Adam failed to subject the natural creation beneath him (for he let the serpent dominate him); whereas the Lord Jesus as the second Adam did achieve total mastery over literally all things (cp. Gen. 1:28).

Psalm 8:9 Yahweh our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!- It was David's name which was much set by (1 Sam. 18:30); but David's desire was it should be Yahweh's Name which was now made majestic after the defeat of Goliath, and not his name.

Psalm 9

Psalm 9:1 For the Chief Musician. Set to The Death of the Son- Or, "the death of the champion". J.W. Thirtle gave evidence to suggest that the titles of the Psalms have sometimes become muddled, with the titles of some Psalms intended to be relevant to the preceding Psalm, in this case Psalm 8. This would lend weight to the suggestion that Psalm 8 is David's reflections after the death of Goliath. However there are elements of Psalm 9 which are also clearly appropriate to the victory over Goliath, although the ideas have been developed, under inspiration, relevant to other situations.

A Psalm by David. I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart. I will tell others of all Your marvellous works- Wonder leads to worship, to that flame of praise which is the worship "in spirit and in truth" which the Father seeks. But wonder adds awe and reverence to that worship. And we have to ask how much of that there is in much popular worship today, be it in starchy hymns or rock music. 1 Chron. 16:9 makes the connection between wonder and worship quite plain: "Sing unto him, sing praises unto him; talk of all his wonders". Likewise Ps. 9:1: "I will praise you O Lord; I will show forth all your wonders".

Psalm 9:2 I will be glad and rejoice in You, I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High- The four lines in :1,2 each begin with Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet; a reminder we are reading Hebrew poetry set to music, for easy  memorization by illiterate people. The singing of praise, however, was to be from the "whole heart" (:1), rather than the external appearance of praise which was common in religious thought at the time (cp. Is. 29:13).

Psalm 9:3 When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish in Your presence- David therefore felt God's presence with him in his victories. "Presence" is literally "face", and the idea seems to be that the rout of the Egyptians in Ex. 14:24 was repeatedly seen in David's experience of victories- a turning and fleeing at the revelation of God's face / presence.

Psalm 9:4 For You have maintained my just cause- Again we get the impression that David veers towards self righteousness, attributing his victories to his own rightness rather than God's grace / undeserved favour.

You sit on the throne judging righteously- Continually David expresses his understanding that judgment is ongoing right now, although there will come a future day when those judgments are articulated more visibly.

Psalm 9:5 You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked, You have blotted out their name forever and ever- This appears to be a prophetic perfect, David looking forward to the time when all nations would be gathered and judged (see on Ps. 7:7,8). For the name of the wicked had not been blotted out eternally in David's time, and he later complains as to the continuing prosperity of the wicked in his own time.

Psalm 9:6 The enemy is overtaken by endless ruin. The very memory of the cities which You have overthrown has perished- As discussed on :5, the "endless ruin" of the wicked had not then occurred, and looks to the future. The overthrowing of cities alludes to that of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:25,29; Jer. 20:16; 50:40). David understood the day of judgment to be a visible, clear, miraculous Divine intervention- which didn't occur in his time.

Psalm 9:7 But Yahweh reigns forever, He has prepared His throne for judgment- As explained on :5,6, David is not saying that the judgment has already come; God is actively judging right now (:4), but that is preparation for the future day of judgment. Appreciating this means that we live our lives before the judgment presence of God.

Psalm 9:8 He will judge the world in righteousness, He will administer judgment to the peoples in uprightness- This is quoted in Acts 17:31 concerning the final day of judgment at the Lord's return. David feels God's judgment is ongoing now (Ps. 9:4), but that is preparation for the future day of judgment. Appreciating this means that we live our lives before the judgment presence of God.

Psalm 9:9 Yahweh will also be a high tower for the oppressed; a high tower in times of trouble- David sees that Yahweh will be a "high tower" or place of refuge at the day of future judgment (Ps. 9:8,9, quoted about this in Acts 17:31). But David feels God has been like this to him in this life (2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 18:2; 46:7; 48:3; 59:9,16,17; 62:2; 94:22; 144:2). He therefore sees a seamless experience in his relationship with God in this life, and at the future day of judgment. God saves us right now and is a refuge for us in countless life situations; and this is the guarantee that He will be likewise at the last day.

Psalm 9:10 Those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek You- Faith or trust in God is inspired by knowing or experiencing ['knowing' in the Hebraic sense] the Name of Yahweh. This doesn't mean that knowing the spelling or pronunciation of that Name gives faith; rather, our experience of the characteristics of God's Name, His personality, inspires faith. And Biblical history, as well as our own personal history, is a knowing / experience of that Name.

Psalm 9:11 Sing praises to Yahweh who dwells in Zion, and declare among the people what He has done- The Psalms are full of reference to David's evangelical zeal to take the message of Yahweh, the God whose sanctuary was in Zion, to the Gentile nations. Israel were intended to be a missionary nation, bringing others around them to Zion and relationship with Yahweh. But David was one of the very few who grasped this.

Psalm 9:12 For He who avenges blood remembers them. He doesn’t forget the cry of the afflicted- This sounds as if it may have been added, under inspiration, in the context of the exiles. For David had not personally been slain by Saul, nor, so far as we know, had his immediate family members. Perhaps the murder of Abiathar's family was initially in view (1 Sam. 22:22).

Psalm 9:13 Have mercy on me, Yahweh. See my affliction by those who hate me- The same words are used when David thanks God for saving him from "those who hate me" (Ps. 18:17; 2 Sam. 22:18). That thanksgiving was because he had prayed for salvation from "those who hate me" in Ps. 9:13 (s.w.). We have here a direct example of gratitude for answered prayer.

And lift me up from the gates of death- David so often expresses the feeling that he is really about to die. Perhaps he struggled with some medical condition which made him often feel as if he were about to die from it. Or perhaps this is how close Saul got to slaying him, multiple times. Again this is an allusion to Job's feelings (Job 38:17).

Psalm 9:14 that I may show forth all Your praise. In the gates of the daughter of Zion I will rejoice in Your salvation- Morally disgraced in the eyes of all Israel and even the surrounding nations, not to mention his own family, David didn't have a leg to stand on when it came to telling other people how to live their lives. A lesser man than David would have resigned all connection with any kind of preaching. But throughout the Bathsheba psalms there is constant reference to David's desire to go and share the grace of God which he had experienced with others (Ps. 32 title; 51:13). He titles them ‘maschil’- for instruction / teaching. “Have mercy upon me, O Lord...that I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates” (Ps. 9:13,14).

Psalm 9:15 The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made. In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken- This again is true, but we note David's apparent lack of desire to offer repentance to his abusers; for the way of God is to save those who are in the holes dug by themselves. For we are all in that position. We wonder what nations David has in view; perhaps his words are purely prophetic.

Psalm 9:16 Yahweh has made Himself known; He has executed judgment. The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah- As suggested on :15, this appears to be the prophetic perfect. But it could be that David has himself in view. For he feels that the snares of death were around him (Ps. 18:5). Divine judgment is a making of Himself known; they articulate who He essentially is. People learn the knowledge of Him, His righteousness, through His judgments being in the earth (Is. 26:9).

Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol, even all the nations that forget God- "Turned back" sounds like "the second death" (Rev. 20:4). All die and go to Sheol, but those resurrected and condemned at the final judgment will be sent back there again. "The wicked" in David's experience are parallel with "the nations".

Psalm 9:18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever- The implication is that the final judgment will be when the poor receive their hope, an the needy are never again be forgotten. So this confirms that the situation here is that at the Lord's return.

Psalm 9:19 Arise, Yahweh! Don’t let man prevail. Let the nations be judged in Your sight- This is a clear desire for the latter day of judgment. The sight or presence of God would be through the return of His Son the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 9:20 Put them in fear, Yahweh, and let the nations know that they are only men. Selah- The intention of judgment day is to reveal to men that they are only men. This was what Job had to learn through suffering when relatively innocent; he had to recognize his own humanity. The implication is that human sin is all about playing God and considering ourselves more than men, i.e. effectively playing God. This was the essence of Adam's sin, according to how it is interpreted in Phil. 2- a grasping at equality with God, in a way in which even His Son refused to do.

Psalm 10

Psalm 10:1 Why do You stand far off, Yahweh? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?- David starts off feeling like this, but by the end of the Psalm he is taking comfort in the fact that God is going to come near in judgment (:17,18). This doesn't have to mean that half way through the prayer, an answer came. Rather is this absolutely true to the experience of prayerful men. We begin prayer in desperation, but in the course of that prayer we are persuaded of God's action, and conclude the prayer in grateful peace with Him. The Psalm was perhaps reapplied to the feelings of the exiles, who along with Job, complained that God was apparently standing far off from them (Is. 45:15; Job 23:9).

Psalm 10:2 In arrogance the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught up in the schemes that they devise- The language of hunting down suggests this Psalm was originally composed during Saul's wilderness persecution of David; see on :15. David continually accuses Saul of "arrogance" in the Psalms he wrote reflecting upon Saul's persecution of him; whereas Saul begins as an apparently humble man who doesn't feel worthy to be king, hiding himself to avoid being king (1 Sam. 10:22), and restraining himself when some mocked him as an inappropriate leader (1 Sam. 10:27). Saul's descent into apostasy was therefore primarily a descent into pride. Being called to do something for God so often makes men pride, when the invitation is intended to humble us; just as David's psalm of humility in Psalm 8 after killing of Goliath was a protestation of humility. "Who am I, to do this work for You?" ought to be our sense. However we will note on Ps. 10:10 that Saul had a false humility; so perhaps his initial humility was not genuine.

Psalm 10:3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings; he blesses the greedy, and condemns Yahweh- Saul's boasts are not recorded really in the historical records; but the Psalms are full of reference to them (see on :2). It's unlikely that Saul actually 'condemned Yahweh' in so many words. But we have an example here of how God reads human words and actions for what they in fact imply; see on :11. Saul's blessing of the greedy may refer to his blessing of the Ziphites for betraying David to him (1 Sam. 23:21). They were "greedy" in that they did so in hope of reward from Saul.

Psalm 10:4 The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God- All basic Bible doctrines are meshed together, not only by logic and theory and exposition, but by the fact that one aspect of the spiritual life which they elicit leads into another. The existence of God means that there will be a judgment, and therefore our lives must reflect the fact that we believe that we live under judgment. The wicked think: "He will not require it. All [their] thoughts are, There is no God" (Ps. 10:4 RV). They admit there is a God insofar that they think God will not "require" an account of their lives; and thus effectively they act as if they are atheists. Their inward self-talk is that "There is no God". Thus they say: “God has forgotten… He will never see.” Why do the wicked renounce God? He has said in his heart, “You will not require an account” (Ps. 10:11,13). Note the parallel between their thinking "There is no God" (:4), and thinking that God will not "require" our thoughts and actions of us one day. To believe in God is to believe in His ultimate judgment of us. And thus it would be true that if there were no God, anything would be possible for us.

Psalm 10:5 His ways are prosperous at all times- LXX better reflects the ambiguous Hebrew: "His ways are profane at all times".

He is proud, and Your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them- Again, Saul is accused of pride in that he considered himself above Divine law, thereby condemning God (:3).

Psalm 10:6 He says in his heart, I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble- It was Saul's intention to found a dynasty, hence his anger with Jonathan for not wanting to be part of it, and instead supporting David as the next king. The civil war which followed Saul's death reflected his attempts to found a ruling dynasty.

Psalm 10:7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; beneath his tongue is mischief and iniquity- David is very critical of all his enemies, especially Saul. He sets up a contrast between the righteous and the unrighteous. But his attitude changed somewhat after his sin with Bathsheba, in connection with which he did much of what he accused Saul of, not least willfully exposing Uriah to an ambush so he would be murdered. Therefore Rom. 3:14 quotes this verse (from the LXX) and applies it to all men, the righteous included; leading to the conclusion that we are only made righteous by grace through faith.

Psalm 10:8 He lies in wait near the villages. From ambushes, he murders the innocent, his eyes are secretly set against the helpless- Robbers did not usually murder; so we are to imagine that David has specifically in view Saul's desire to ambush and murder David. "The innocent... the helpless" is how David often describes himself in the Psalms. For "ambushes", see on :7.

Psalm 10:9 He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush. He lies in wait to catch the helpless. He catches the helpless, when he draws him in his net- AV has "the poor" for "helpless". As explained on :7, David's hard judgments against his enemies came home against him; for it was he who arranged the ambush and murder of "the poor" Uriah (2 Sam. 12:1). Therefore Rom. 3:14 quotes :7 LXX and alludes to this whole section- and applies it to all men, the righteous included; leading to the conclusion that we are only made righteous by grace through faith.

Psalm 10:10 The helpless are crushed. They collapse. They fall under his strength- AV "He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall". The allusion is to a lion crouching before pouncing (:9). But the language used is that of crouching in humility; the idea is that a false humility was used to destroy others. I discussed on :2 the apparent humility of Saul when he began his reign; but this was perhaps the pride which apes humility. For we see such fake humility all around us.

Psalm 10:11 He says in his heart, God has forgotten. He hides His face. He will never see it-  It's unlikely that Saul actually 'condemned Yahweh' in so many words. But we have an example here of how God reads human words and actions for what they in fact imply; see on :3.

Psalm 10:12 Arise, Yahweh! God, lift up Your hand! Don’t forget the helpless- There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. David lifts himself up to God (Ps. 25:1; 28:2; 86:4), and asks God to lift up Himself in response (Ps. 7:6; 10:12; 94:2).

Psalm 10:13 Why does the wicked person condemn God and say in his heart, God won’t call me into account?- The implication may be 'Why does the wicked do this and get away with it?'. And the answer of course was that he will not get away with it finally, because judgment day will come. See on :3,11. Like Job, during the course of his reflections, David leads himself to recognizing that judgment day will come, but it must be yet future. And he the more longs for that final "day of the Lord" when men like Saul shall be called to account for their internal mental attitudes, and will answer for what they have said in their hearts.

Psalm 10:14 But You do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into Your hand to deal with. You help the victim and the fatherless- As discussed on :1, David in the course of this prayer persuades himself of the final truth- that there will indeed be a future day of judgment, and God is right now 'considering' or gathering evidence, seeing all the trouble and grief; and finally He will save the victims.

Psalm 10:15 Break the arm of the wicked, as for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until You find none- Whatever the primary reference of this Psalm, it is a reworking of David's feelings when persecuted by Saul and likewise on the run from him. For circumstances repeat in our lives, and it would be natural for David to reconsider Psalms written at the time of one exile and apply them to another, just as these Psalms were also used for others in their times of exile. "Wickedness" is the word used about Saul's persecution in 1 Sam. 24:13. As Saul had 'sought out' David in persecuting him, so David asks God to seek out Saul. See on :2. Sin must be dealt with, and only in eternal death will it finally be sought for and not found- unless it is dealt with now by repentance and Divine covering. This is a powerful argument that the wages of sin is indeed death (Rom. 6:23), rather than anything else, such as eternal punishment.

Psalm 10:16 Yahweh is King forever and ever! The nations will perish out of His land- David the king repeatedly calls God his "king". His exaltation didn't lead him to pride, as he was always under the deep impression that he was not the ultimate king (Ps. 5:2; 10:16; 29:10; 44:4; 47:6).

Psalm 10:17 Yahweh, You have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause Your ear to hear-  Often, “desire” is seen by God as prayer (Ps. 10:17; 21:2; 27:4; 59:10; 92:11; 140:8; 145:19; Mt. 18:32; Rom. 10:1; 1 Jn. 5:15). God interprets that inner desire as prayer, even if it is not articulated in specific requests.  And His response is to "prepare their heart". This is evidence enough that God works directly upon the human heart and psychology, which He does today through the work of His Spirit upon the human spirit. For it is men who must prepare their heart in prayer and relationship toward God (s.w. 2 Chron.  12:14; Job 11:13; Ps. 7:9). But God can also do this for the humble. Hence David later asks God to create in him a 'prepared' heart (s.w. Ps. 51:10). And God heard; for the same phrase is used of how God 'prepared' or (AV) "fixed" his heart (Ps. 57:7; 108:1; 112:7). In allusion to this, Solomon was to later reflect that God can direct or 'prepare' (s.w.) the heart of man, even if he is thinking to direct his steps elsewhere (Prov.  16:9).

Psalm 10:18 to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the dust may terrify no more- In God’s judgment of men it will be made apparent that it was so inappropriate for man who is made of dust to oppress his fellows (Ps. 10:18 RV). Respect of others is sorely lacking in our selfish natures. But the more we reflect upon our own insignificance, as creatures of dust, the more we will see that abuse of others in any form is inappropriate. And we don’t have to wait till judgment day to perceive this- for we know the mortality and constitution of man from basic Bible teaching. This link between our mortality and humility is brought out in Paul’s description of our present state as being “the body of our humiliation” (Phil. 3:21 RV). Believing we are mortal ought to be a humbling thing.

Psalm 11

Psalm 11:1 For the Chief Musician. By David.

In Yahweh I take refuge- The idea is that God was David's city of refuge. These cities were for those who needed to flee when being chased by the avenger of blood (Num. 35:26). The imagery is very appropriate to David when fleeing from Saul and Absalom. David's constant meditation upon God's law would have included the sections about the cities of refuge; he realized that actually no such city was available for him, but the spirit of the law led him to reflect that Yahweh was his refuge, wherever he was. David tends to open wilderness Psalms with this reflection, just as we may tend to begin prayers with the same opening phrase and thoughts (Ps. 7:1; 11:1; 16:1; 31:1; 57:1; 71:1).

How can you say to my soul, Flee as a bird to Your mountain!- David likens himself to a bird whose only option is to flee (1 Sam. 26:20), and such birds lived in the mountains / hill country where David was driven (1 Sam. 23:14; 26:1). David was indeed going to flee- but to God, and not simply acting like a scared man who has to flee someplace else.

Psalm 11:2 For, behold, the wicked bend their bows and set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart- David is seeing himself and the righteous as Job, and he here continues that connection, seeing that Job is described likewise as "upright in heart" (Job 1:8; 2:3). David sees this as characteristic of all God's people (s.w. Ps. 11:2; 19:8; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11). He sees the wicked as those who are not upright (Ps. 14:3; 51:1,3). But these words which David writes about the wicked are then reinterpreted as applying to all men, God's people included (Rom. 3:12). Like Job, David had to be taught that actually he was failing to see the seriousness of sin; righteousness and acceptability with God is imputed to men by grace through faith, because actually there are none who are upright in heart, apart from God's representative son.

Psalm 11:3 If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?- The GNB understands :1-3 as a quotation from the words said to David: "How foolish of you to say to me, "Fly away like a bird to the mountains, because the wicked have drawn their bows and aimed their arrows to shoot from the shadows at good people. There is nothing a good person can do when everything falls apart"". "Foundations" is literally 'what has been appointed or set'. David's enemies had been set under his feet (s.w. Ps. 8:6; 110:1 and often in the Psalms). What God had appointed had not been destroyed, and could not be. So David was not going to respond to his distress in a secular way, but to flee to God, trusting He would maintain His own foundation purpose for David and the righteous.

Psalm 11:4 Yahweh is in His holy temple. Yahweh is on His throne in heaven- In many verses in the Psalms, David expresses his understanding that God's temple is in Heaven (e.g. Ps. 11:4); both David and Solomon recognized that God cannot be confined to a physical house, seeing that even the heavens cannot contain Him (2 Chron. 6:18). But David seems to depart from this understanding in his final obsession for building God a physical temple.

His eyes observe, His eyes examine the children of men- The idea is of squinting. This is how closely God was watching the entire situation between Saul and David, and therefore David didn't need to accept the secular advice of :1-3. See on :5.

Psalm 11:5 Yahweh examines the righteous, but the wicked and him who loves violence His soul hates- Ps. 11:4,5 describes the scene in the court of Heaven: "The Lord's throne is in Heaven (mirrored by the Mighty Angel of Israel being enthroned over the Mercy Seat in the temple): His eyes (Angels) behold, His  eyelids  try, the children of men. The Lord trieth the righteous (who are in His presence by their Angel), but the wicked and him that loveth violence His soul hateth" (AV).

Psalm 11:6 On the wicked He will rain blazing coals; fire, sulphur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup- This is the language of the judgment of Sodom. David expected a day to come when God would open intervene in human affairs after the pattern of how He had done at the time of Sodom; and the wicked amongst Israel would be destroyed at the same time as the world generally is judged. This would imply their resurrection to face that judgment.

Psalm 11:7 For Yahweh is righteous, He loves righteousness. The upright shall see His face- Again David takes comfort in the fact that although he must flee his enemies (see on :1), there will come a day of final judgment. And at that time, David would see God's face. He perhaps learned this from Job's conclusions in Job 19:27- remember that Job and the Pentateuch were likely the only extant scriptures at David's time. His idea of salvation was to see God's face; God again is presented as having literal, personal existence.

Psalm 12

Psalm 12:1 For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

Help, Yahweh; for the Godly man is fading away, the faithful fail from among the children of men- "Him who is Godly" is a term he has used about himself in his marvel at God's grace to him at the time of the sin with Bathsheba, believing that his trust in God's grace and justification by that grace was to be the pattern for all who afterward would be "Godly" (Ps. 32:6). Here he seems to lament that few were following in that path. It has perhaps always been a sense of the righteous that they are in a decreasing minority.

Psalm 12:2 Everyone lies to his neighbour, they speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart- David is very critical of all his enemies, especially Saul. He sets up a contrast between the righteous and the unrighteous. But his attitude changed somewhat after his sin with Bathsheba, in connection with which he did much of what he accused Saul of, not least willfully exposing Uriah to an ambush so he would be murdered. Therefore Rom. 3:10-14 alludes to Ps. 12 (from the LXX) and applies it to all men, the righteous included; leading to the conclusion that we are only made righteous by grace through faith.

Psalm 12:3 May Yahweh cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks great things- These "flattering lips" may have been of false prophets, for the phrase is used in this connection elsewhere (Is. 30:10). Probably Saul had false prophets who assured him that he was in fact doing the right things. For kings of those times usually had their entourage of such prophets. See on :8.

Psalm 12:4 who have said, With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own, who is lord over us?- This great confidence in their words may be because they were false prophets, claiming they were inspired by God; see on :3. One unusual, indeed unique, claim of Yahweh upon men was that their words and thoughts were culpable. Other gods focused upon external behaviours and ritualism. Just as the false gods of our age do likewise. Hos. 14:2 speaks of our lips being offered as calves of sacrifice to our God. Our words are so critically important, and they will influence our eternal destiny (Mt. 12:37).

Psalm 12:5 Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy, I will now arise, says Yahweh; I will set him in safety from those who malign him- David's prayer of :1-4 now appears to be interrupted by God's word directly to him, assuring David that He is going to arise in judgment.

Psalm 12:6 The words of Yahweh are flawless words, as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times- I suggested on :5 that David has been praying in :1-4 and then in :5 God speaks directly to him, giving him a prophetic word assuring him of vindication. And now in the rest of the prayer (:6-8), David rejoices in those words of :5, although his comment upon the nature of God's words is also globally true. "Flawless" is the usual word for "pure". Yahweh's words are being contrasted with the impure words of the wicked, which have been the burden of David's complaint so far.

Psalm 12:7 You will keep them, Yahweh. You will preserve them from this generation forever- David appears to see the righteous in Israel at his time as a minority, persecuted by "this generation", society as a whole at the time.

Psalm 12:8 The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men- "Vile" is a word usually associated with idolatry, the pervasive weakness of Israel in every generation. It would seem that the false prophets of Saul (see on :3) were also associated with idolatry, and this was behind their persecution of Samuel and David. See on Ps. 16:4.

Psalm 13

Psalm 13:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

How long, Yahweh? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?- By the end of the Psalm, David is rejoicing (:5,6). This doesn't have to mean that half way through the prayer, an answer came. Rather is this absolutely true to the experience of prayerful men. We begin prayer in desperation, but in the course of that prayer we are persuaded of God's action, and conclude the prayer in grateful peace with Him. "How long?" is the cry of the exiles, so the Psalm was likely reused in their context.

Psalm 13:2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me?- "My enemy" is clearly Saul (1 Sam. 18:29; 19:17). The David who had once triumphed over his enemy Goliath now felt that Saul was triumphing over him. This, in the bigger Divine picture, may have been to keep David from pride at the amazing victory and triumph. David was indeed to triumph / be exalted over Saul (Ps. 18:48), but he saw it is God triumphing / being exalted (Ps. 18:46). His praise Psalms are full of this word and idea- of the exaltation of God (Ps. 57:5,11) and not himself.

Psalm 13:3 Look, and answer me, Yahweh my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death- David was persuaded that he would one day be slain by Saul (1 Sam. 27:1), yet here in Ps. 13:3 and often in the Psalms he persuades himself, in the course of the same prayer, that in fact God will save him and keep His promise to make him king in Saul's place.

Psalm 13:4 lest my enemy say, I have prevailed against him; lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall- Typical of the shame-based mentality in which he lived, David seems to fear more than death the thought that his enemies would rejoice over his dead body. Saul sought to "prevail against him" (Ps. 13:4), but Saul used the same word in telling David (in a rare moment of reality and humility) that he knew that David would prevail against him (1 Sam. 26:25). Those flash moments of reality and humility which Saul had are to be our warning. The Psalms condemn him as generally proud. We must live life in a spirit of humility, rather than just experiencing a few flash moments of it.

Psalm 13:5 But I trust in Your grace. My heart rejoices in Your salvation- As explained on :1, David rallies himself t the joy which comes from faith in grace. Perhaps there was a significant gap in his prayer between verses 4 and 5.

Psalm 13:6 I will sing to Yahweh, because He has been good to me- Like us, our faith that God will finally come through for us in the future should give us joy now. This faith in God finally 'being good' to David led him to be the same to Saul- the word is used of how David was 'good' rather than evil to Saul, not slaying him when he had the opportunity (1 Sam. 24:17).

Psalm 14

Psalm 14:1 For the Chief Musician. By David- A comparison of Psalms 14 and 53 illustrate the process of re-writing at Hezekiah's time. These Psalms are both "A Psalm of David", and are virtually identical apart from Ps. 53:5 adding: "There were they in great fear, where no fear was; For God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: Thou hast put them to shame, because God hath rejected them". This surely alludes to the Assyrian army encamped against Jerusalem (2 Chron. 32:1), put into fear by the Angels, and returning "with shame of face to his own land" (2 Chron. 32:21). Yet both Psalms conclude with a verse which connects with the exiles in Babylonian captivity: "Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad". So it would appear that the initial Psalm was indeed written by David; the version of Ps. 14 which is now Ps. 53 was added to and adapted in Hezekiah's time (Prov. 25:1), and both versions had a final verse added to them during the exile.

The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none who does good- It should be noted that Rom. 3:13-18 are quoting from the Septuagint of Psalm 14- but those verses aren’t found in the Hebrew text. Time and again the inspired New Testament writers quote from the LXX rather than the Hebrew Masoretic text, often preferring the LXX over the MT, and in this case accepting the LXX addition of verses which the MT omits. It’s hard to gauge the wider significance of this. The LXX versions of the genealogies in Genesis would, e.g., not support the contention that the Genesis 1 creation occurred 4000 years before the birth of Christ. The quotation in Rom. 3:10 from Ps. 14:1-3; 53:1-3 is about the fools who say in their heart that there is no God. Yet Paul applies this to every one of us, himself included. What he’s doing here is similar to what he does at the end of Romans 1- he speaks of the grossest sins such as lesbianism and reasons that we are all in essence guilty and condemned as serious sinners before God. Here he quotes passages which speak of effective atheism and applies them to us all, himself included- even though atheism was abhorrent to the Jews, and Paul may have seemed the last person to be an atheist. But the ‘atheism’ of Ps. 14:1 occurs within the psychological thought processes of the human mind- the fool says in his heart that there is no God. In the context of Romans, Paul is arguing that we call God a liar when we disbelieve His offer of justification and salvation. To deny this is to effectively say in our hearts that there is no God. If God is, then He is a Saviour God. To deny that He will save me is effectively to say He doesn’t exist; for a God who won’t save me may as well not exist. Far too many people claim some level of belief in God’s existence, but in their hearts deny Him, in that they personally doubt whether His promised salvation is really true for me.

Psalm 14:2 Yahweh looked down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who understood, who sought after God- David felt that no one else understood (Ps. 14:2, a wilderness psalm) or was really seeking towards God as he was doing (Ps. 27:4,8). The Hebrew for "understand" here is that translated "wise" concerning David in 1 Sam. 18. But there appears an allusion to God's coming down to view Sodom and investigate, as it were, whether they had done according to the cry which came to Him. David was expecting God's intervention in judgment to be similar to that of His judgment upon Sodom- through direct, supernatural involvement. Effectively, David was looking ahead to the day of final judgment at the Lord's return.

Psalm 14:3 They have all gone aside. They have together become corrupt. There is none who does good, no, not one- David is very critical of all his enemies, especially Saul. He sets up a contrast between the righteous and the unrighteous. But his attitude changed somewhat after his sin with Bathsheba, in connection with which he did much of what he accused Saul of, not least willfully exposing Uriah to an ambush so he would be murdered. Therefore Rom. 3:10-14 alludes to Ps. 14 (from the LXX) and applies it to all men, the righteous included; leading to the conclusion that we are only made righteous by grace through faith.

David often describes himself as "upright in heart" just as Job was (s.w. Job 1:8; 2:3). David sees this as characteristic of all God's people (s.w. Ps. 11:2; 19:8; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11). But he sees the wicked as those who are not upright (Ps. 14:3; 51:1,3). But these words which David writes about the wicked are then reinterpreted as applying to all men, God's people included (Rom. 3:12). Like Job, David had to be taught that actually he was failing to see the seriousness of sin; righteousness and acceptability with God is imputed to men by grace through faith, because actually there are none who are upright in heart, apart from God's representative son.

Psalm 14:4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on Yahweh?- "Knowledge" is used here in the Hebraic sense of relationship. The sinners had no relationship with God; the idea is not so much that they had the wrong theological knowledge of God, but rather that they lacked relationship with Him, what the New Testament would simply call "the Spirit". The eating up of "my people", Israel, could refer to the eating up / devouring of the men of Saul during the civil war (2 Sam. 18:8). Yet David is mature enough to see Saul's men as all the same "my people", members of the same people of God.

Psalm 14:5 There they were in great fear because God is in the generation of the righteous- The Hebrew is difficult, and may be David looking ahead to the final day of justice: "But then they will be terrified, for God is with those who obey him" (GNB).

Psalm 14:6 You frustrate the plan of the poor, because Yahweh is his refuge- Or, "but the LORD is their protection" (GNB). In this case we see that we "the poor" do have our plans frustrated by bullies and those more powerful than us, in whatever sense. But Yahweh is our refuge, not unaware of the situations, and we shall be finally justified and saved by grace.

Psalm 14:7 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When Yahweh restores the fortunes of His people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad- Many NT passages mix a number of OT passages in one 'quotation'; e.g. " The deliverer will come from Zion" (Rom. 11:26) is a conflated quotation of Ps. 14:7; 53:6 and Is. 59:20. And Heb. 13:5 combines quotes from Gen. 28:15; Josh. 1:5 and Dt. 31:16. Heb. 13:5 doesn’t quote any of them exactly, but mixes them together. This Psalm which was clearly David's originally is now reapplied, under inspiration, to the desire for the exiles' fortunes to be revived.

Psalm 15

Psalm 15:1 A Psalm by David.

Yahweh, who shall dwell in Your sanctuary? Who shall live on Your holy hill?- Perhaps this was written before David took the hill of Zion from the Jebusites. He felt they shouldn't be living there because of how they lived so immorally; and was eager to make it his own inheritance by conquest. And it seems from Ps. 16:5,6 that David considered Zion his personal inheritance where he was to live (see on Ps. 17:14). The priests didn't live in the sanctuary, indeed the High Priest could only enter the most holy place briefly once / year. David seems to have had insight into the fact that ultimately that most holy place would be opened and the "blameless" (:2) would be able to not only enter it but live there permanently. These are the very ideas developed in Hebrews, developing the implications of how the Lord had torn down the veil through His death- that we might enter in and dwell there in God's presence and fellowship.

Psalm 15:2 He who walks blamelessly, does what is right- We wonder at David's possible arrogance in assuming that he or any man can walk blamelessly. Only the Lord Jesus fits this. And yet this is the phrase used in God's command to Abraham and his seed (Gen. 17:1). It was only possible for Abraham to do so by his faith in imputed righteousness, by grace through faith. But it's questionable as to whether David at this point realized that; he had to learn it through reflection upon the wonder of how God had counted him righteous after the sin with Bathsheba.

And speaks truth in his heart- David is to be commended for so often perceiving the importance of internal spiritual mindedness, at a time when religion was perceived merely as ritualism and externalities. It is part of being human that we speak to ourselves, and often our self talk can be fantasy / imagination about things which are not true. But this will lead to doing what is not right, David reasons. To speak the truth in our hearts all the time is perhaps the litmus test of our spiritual mindedness. See on Ps. 16:2.

Psalm 15:3 he who doesn’t slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor casts slurs against his fellow man- This  offers commentary upon gossip in relation to our “neighbour”: “He that... speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor receiveth / endureth a reproach against his neighbour” (Ps. 15:2,3 AVmg.). To gossip / backbite is paralleled with receiving gossip. To listen to it and accept it is as bad as to create it in the first place. The antidote is to have a mind that thinks of those things which “are true... lovely... of good report”. We live in a world of conscious untruth and half truth. In our unshareable self, our inner thoughts and musings, let us seek to have only that which is true passing through our meditations. And then we will not want to receive a gossip against our brother, indeed by implication we will not ‘endure’ it, we will tell the gossiper to cease, and certainly not act upon it.

Psalm 15:4 in whose eyes a vile man is despised, but who respects those who fear Yahweh- But God doesn't despise any (Job 36:5). Throughout David’s Psalms in Ps. 1-72, he repeatedly asks for torture upon the sinners and blessing upon himself as the righteous. He speaks of how sinners should be “despised” in the eyes of the righteous (Ps. 15:4), the gatherings of sinners should be “hated” and sinners should not be fellowshipped (Ps. 26:4-6; Ps. 31:6) and how God’s uprightness is shown to the upright and His judgment to the judgmental (Ps. 18:25,26; Ps. 33:22). He invites God’s judgment upon himself and others according to their and his works (Ps. 28:4).  Frequently he alludes to Saul as “the violent man”- even though David committed his share of violence- and asks judgment upon him (Ps. 18:48). Only those with clean hands and pure heart like himself could have fellowship with God (Ps. 24:3,4). Psalm 37 doesn’t indicate any desire to convert the sinners but rather an expectation of their judgment and destruction. God and David laugh at the wicked because their day is coming (Ps. 37:13). There’s no spirit of grace here at all- perhaps that’s why Zech. 12:10 specifically says that the spirit of grace will have to be poured out upon the house of David in the last days. This attitude changed after the sin with Bathsheba, but still something of the old self righteousness and judgmental attitudes are to be found in David in Psalms written after that.

He who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn’t change- Ps. 15:4, in evident allusion to Jephthah, describes those who will attain the Kingdom as fearing Yahweh, and swearing to their own hurt and changing not. Some may swear and change and attain the Kingdom; but we are invited to follow Jephthah to the highest level. The principle of Jephthah's vow is seen in many other Bible characters.

Psalm 15:5 he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken- This appears to be commentary upon the state of affairs under Saul's kingship; and therefore his kingdom and dynasty was "shaken" and removed.

Psalm 16

Psalm 16:1 A Poem by David.

Preserve me, God, for in You do I take refuge- The idea is that God was David's city of refuge. These cities were for those who needed to flee when being chased by the avenger of blood (Num. 35:26). The imagery is very appropriate to David when fleeing from Saul and Absalom. David's constant meditation upon God's law would have included the sections about the cities of refuge; he realized that actually no such city was available for him, but the spirit of the law led him to reflect that Yahweh was his refuge, wherever he was. David tends to open wilderness Psalms with this reflection, just as we may tend to begin prayers with the same opening phrase and thoughts (Ps. 7:1; 11:1; 16:1; 31:1; 57:1; 71:1).

Psalm 16:2 My soul, you have said to Yahweh, You are my Lord. Apart from You I have no good thing- David's addressing of his own "soul" or person is what we might call self talk. David is to be commended for so often perceiving the importance of internal spiritual mindedness, at a time when religion was perceived merely as ritualism and externalities. It is part of being human that we speak to ourselves, and often our self talk can be fantasy / imagination about things which are not true. But this will lead to doing what is not right, David reasons in Ps. 15:2. To speak the truth in our hearts all the time is perhaps the litmus test of our spiritual mindedness. See on :7; Ps. 15:2. The truth in David's heart was that God alone was his Lord, and he had nothing apart from Him.

Psalm 16:3 As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight- David on the run from Saul was aware that there were others in the earth / land who were faithful, and Samuel was obviously one of them. "Excellent ones" is the usual term for nobles or rulers. And so it happened; those who took David's side in the wilderness years were the ones exalted to office in David's kingdom.

Psalm 16:4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god- This is further evidence that idolatry was being practiced at David's time (see on Ps. 12:8; 18:31).

Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips- David knew God well enough to act like the High Priest even when he was not a Levite (2 Sam.6:13-20; and 2 Sam.19:21 = Ex.22:28), he came to understand that God did not require sacrifices, he came to see that the Law was only a means to an end. David’s sons, although not Levites, were “priests” (2 Sam. 8:18 RV). He could say that the Lord was his inheritance [a reference to how he as the youngest son had lost his?], and how he refuses to offer the sacrifices of wicked men for them (Ps. 16:4,5; 119:57)- speaking as if he was a Levite, a priest, when he was not

Psalm 16:5 Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup, you made my inheritance secure- The allusion is to the promise to Aaron and the Levites: "I am thy part ["portion"] and thine inheritance among the children of Israel" (Num. 18:20). It follow straight on from David's reference (noted on :4) to how he acted as a priest, although from Judah. David is presenting himself as a king-priest, after the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4). This is developed in the New Testament, presenting him as a type of the Lord Jesus in this respect. And the following verses in this Psalm are therefore applied to the Lord in the New Testament.

Psalm 16:6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; truly I have a good inheritance- I noted on Ps. 15:1 that "Yahweh, who shall dwell in Your sanctuary? Who shall live on Your holy hill?" was written before David took the hill of Zion from the Jebusites. He felt they shouldn't be living there because of how they lived so immorally, and was eager to make it his own inheritance by conquest; and it seems from Ps. 16:5,6 that David considered Zion his personal inheritance where he was to live. "The lines" refer to inheritance markers, and he considered Zion his great joy (Ps. 137:6), the ultimately pleasant place (Ps. 48:2).

There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. We are God's portion / inheritance (Dt. 4:20; 9:29; Eph. 1:18), and He is our inheritance (Ps. 16:5,6; 73:26; Lam. 3:22-24; Eph. 1:11 RV); we inherit each other.

Psalm 16:7 I will bless Yahweh, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons- The parallelism seems to suggest that David's heart and Yahweh's counsel were the same thing. Perhaps the idea is that the self talk of the spiritually minded person becomes effectively God advising them. See on :2.

Psalm 16:8 I have set Yahweh always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved- The context is of David's desire to take the hill of Zion from the Jebusites, and for it to become his by conquest. He was confident he could do this in God's strength, and by saying "I shall not be moved" he identifies himself with Zion which "shall not be moved" (Ps. 46:5). And indeed God came through for David. Because he put Yahweh "always before me", he was given mount Zion and established his kingdom there. This verse is then quoted about the Lord Jesus- who likewise shall establish His Kingdom upon David's throne in Zion (Lk. 1:34,35) because of His trust in Yahweh.

The Lord Jesus so struggled against sin, He so groaned beneath the mental weight of our sins, that it was as if  He had been through everything David went through emotionally and spiritually. The main reason why there is so much deep personal detail about David is because we are intended to come to know him as a person, to enter into His mind- so that we can have a clearer picture of the mind and personality of the Lord Jesus. Likewise the book of Genesis covers about 2000 years of history, but almost a quarter of the narrative concerns Joseph; surely because we are intended to enter into Joseph, and thereby into the mind of Christ. This is why the thoughts of David in Ps. 16:8-11 are quoted as being the very thoughts of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:27). David's ultimate success in taking the hill of Zion and establishing his Kingdom there was because God foresaw His own work through the Lord Jesus. And so Peter suggests that David appreciated this, and that his trust in Yahweh was in fact his trust in the future Messianic figure who would one day rule upon his throne, and be the basis of his salvation. And so Peter says that so Christ-centered was David's mind that he "foresaw (not "saw" - disproof of the pre-existence) the Lord (Jesus) always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved" (Acts 2:25). David was obsessed, mentally dominated, by his imagination of Christ, so much so that his imagination of his future descendant gave him practical strength in the trials of daily life. Small wonder we are bidden know and enter into David's mind.

Psalm 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also lay to rest in hope- David was singing this Psalm ["my tongue rejoices"] because he believed that even if he didn't permanently inherit Zion in his lifetime, he would be resurrected to receive it, and to see his Davidic throne eternally established there; see on :5,6. It is therefore absolutely appropriate that these words are applied to the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will You allow Your holy one to see corruption- The Greek word translated "leave" or "forsaken" occurs in Acts 2:27, where Peter quotes from Psalm 16 concerning how Christ was always aware of His own righteousness, and therefore confidently knew that God would not "leave (forsake) his soul in hell". In Ps. 22:1, our Lord was doubting these previous thoughts, as expressed here in Ps. 16:10. He then feared that God had forsaken / left Him, when previously He had been full of confidence that God would not do so, on account of His perfect character. Because Christ felt such a sinner deep within Him, He even doubted if He really was the Messiah. This is how deeply, our Lord was our representative, this is how thoroughly He bare our own sins in His own body on the tree, this is how deeply He came to know us, to be able to exactly empathize with us in our spiritual weakness; this was how He became able to have a fellow feeling with those who are out of the way, who have lost the faith, "for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity" (Heb. 5:2).

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy, in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore- "For the joy that was set before him" Christ endured the cross (Heb. 12:2). "Set before" can imply a vision, as if Christ saw something in front of Him as He hung on the cross. The spirit of Christ in Ps. 16:11 describes Christ looking forward to fullness of joy in God's Heavenly presence, because "at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore". Christ is now at God's right hand interceding for us. Therefore one aspect of the joy set before Christ in vision as He hung on the cross was the joy of His future mediation for our sins, as we repent of them and confess them in prayer.

Psalm 17

Psalm 17:1 A Prayer by David.

Hear, Yahweh, my righteous plea; give ear to my prayer, that doesn’t go out of deceitful lips- David has elsewhere lamented the deceitful lips of his opponents, and he comes over as being convinced of his own righteousness, often comparing himself with them, even when he is in God's presence.

Psalm 17:2 Let my sentence come forth from Your presence, let Your eyes look on integrity- David imagines the heavenly throne room sitting right now in judgment upon him, and a favourable sentence coming forth in response to his prayer (as in Ps. 9:4,7 and often). He therefore saw prayer as a foretaste of judgment to come. The New Testament does likewise, speaking of our "boldness" in prayer now (Heb. 4:16; 10:19) and also our boldness in the day of judgment (1 Jn. 4:17). The request for the sentence to come forth suggests David hadn't yet received the answer to his prayer, but was very confident of receiving it (:6).

Psalm 17:3 You have proved my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me, and found nothing. I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey- The sensitivity of God to sin is far higher than we would think. He even notices "the eye that mocketh at his father" (Prov. 30:17); even body language is analyzed by Him, as are our unconscious thoughts as we sleep (Ps. 17:3). But David seems rather over confident of his total purity, for no human heart can be tested by God and 'nothing found' wrong. It was a case of false accusation leading David to assume his total perfection, the same mistake Job made. The Bathsheba experience was used by God to help David quit this attitude. But we can also note that the Saul experience led David to self examination. Reading through the book of Psalms in one or two sittings reveals that frequent and intense self-examination was a leading characteristic of David:, especially while on the run from Saul; as if he began to pick up false guilt from how he was being treated, wondering if it was all in fact justified (Ps. 4:4; 7:3; 17:3; 18:20-24; 19:12; 26:1; 39:1; 59:3; 66:18; 77:6; 86:2; 101:2; 109:3; 139:23,24).

Psalm 17:4 As for the works of men, by the word of Your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent- This could be a reference to how the sons of Zeruiah urged David to slay Saul when he had the chance. But he refused, because he believed Samuel's prophetic word that he would finally be king as being words which dropped from God's lips. This was how deeply he understood Divine inspiration, and it motivated him to obedience.

Psalm 17:5 My steps have held fast to Your paths, my feet have not slipped- David in his earlier Psalms exalts and boasts to God that his feet have not slipped, indeed he was overly confident that his feet would never slip / "be moved" (Ps. 17:5; 21:7; 55:22; 62:2,6; 125:1). His more mature reflection is that he had wrongly said "I shall never slip [AV "be moved"]" (Ps. 30:6), and his feet had indeed slipped, not least over the Bathsheba incident (Ps. 38:16; 94:18). Solomon didn't learn this lesson, for he likewise assumed that the righteous would never be moved / slip (Prov. 10:30), although he appears to accept that even a righteous man like his father had indeed slipped (Prov. 25:26). And Solomon himself did so, not learning the lesson from his father's mistaken assumption that the righteous can never slip.

Psalm 17:6 I have called on You, for You will answer me, God. Turn Your ear to me, hear my words- As noted on :2, David hadn't yet received the answer to his prayer; but he is absolutely confident of the answer. But we note that he parallels the "answer" with God 'hearing my words'. The answer is in the hearing, although the answer may not be as we imagine.

Psalm 17:7 Show Your marvellous grace, You who save those who take refuge under Your right hand from their enemies- Although David seems to insist God answer him because of his own self-perceived righteousness (:2,3), he does here recognize that the answer would be by God's grace alone. And this is so true to human spiritual experience; we can within moments, within the same prayer, recognize that all is of grace; whilst also asserting our own self righteousness. Being at God's right hand suggests David felt he was before God's throne; the immediate reference is to the ark of the covenant. See on :8.

Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye, hide me under the shadow of Your wings- This is an appeal for God to treat him as He treated His true Israel (Dt. 32:10). The shadow of God's wings alludes to the mercy seat, upon which the blood of atonement was sprinkled, overshadowed by the cherubic wings. David saw himself as being right there. This was the throne of God, as it were, where David felt he was safe. See on :7; Ps. 18:28.

We are the apple of God’s eye (Ps. 17:8; Dt. 32:10), and His word must be as the apple of our eye (Prov. 7:2). We dwell in God, and His word dwells in us (Jn. 15:7).

Psalm 17:9 from the wicked who oppress me, my deadly enemies, who surround me- These enemies were "deadly" in that they wished his death. Saul and his supporters are in view. But the word for "oppress" is often used of Judah's Babylonian and Assyrian enemies who surrounded Jerusalem (e.g. Jer. 4:20,30), especially in the surrounding of Jerusalem in Hezekiah's time. Again we see a Psalm of David reused, under inspiration, in later history.

Psalm 17:10 They close up their callous hearts. With their mouth they speak proudly- This would have special relevance to the proud boasts of Rabshakeh outside the surrounded Jerusalem (see on :9).

Psalm 17:11 They have now surrounded us in our steps, they set their eyes to cast us down to the earth- Again, the language of surrounding is very relevant to the Assyrian lion (:12) surrounding Jerusalem.

Psalm 17:12 He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey, as it were a young lion lurking in secret places- As explained on :9-11, this has been reapplied to the lions of Judah's subsequent invaders and abusers, Assyria and Babylon.

Psalm 17:13 Arise, Yahweh, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by Your sword- This is the language of the casting down of the kings of Babylon and Assyria. David's personal salvation from Saul was to be seen as the guarantee that if Judah were likewise faithful, their enemies would also be thrown down.

Psalm 17:14 from men by Your hand, Yahweh, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life- David's portion or inheritance he expected to be a kingdom in his own personal inheritance of mount Zion (see on Ps. 15:1; 16:5,6). He had hoped to receive this fully at the resurrection (Ps. 16:8-10), whereas the inheritance or portion of Saul and his men would be only "in this life".

You fill the belly of Your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children- Here David sounds like Job, whose story he was evidently familiar with and identified with. The wicked prosper, for now- and that is evidence that a future day of judgment and eternal justice is yet to come. Although married, David’s family life was a source of grief to him. He comments that the men of the world “are satisfied with children” (AV), but for him, the only satisfaction would be when he resurrected to behold God’s face and to be turned into that same image: “As for me, I shall behold thy face… I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Ps. 17:14,15 RV). This was his satisfaction; the satisfaction of men of the world was simply in their children, and to “leave the rest of their substance to their babes”, i.e. their grandkids. And David’s perspective must be that of us all.

Psalm 17:15 As for me, I shall see Your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing Your form- Doubtless spurred by the insensitive prying into his private spirituality by his friends / brethren, Job seems to almost exult that he would see God for himself, in his own way, and nobody else (Job 19:21 "and not another") would see God in this way. David had a similar vision; he looked to the day of resurrection when he would be satisfied, when he awoke, with seeing the face of God with a good conscience. These are the sort of pictures which should be embedded in our own private spirituality. Nobody, not even faithful brethren, can have dominion over our faith; by our own faith we stand (2 Cor. 1:24, filling in the ellipsis). David's vision of future reward was to see God's face, a thought unthinkable for many in Israel; and to do so "in righteousness", because righteousness had been imputed to him.

Psalm 18

Psalm 18:1 For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of Yahweh, who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said- The Psalm concludes with a reference to David as the anointed, so this could be a Psalm composed when Saul was slain and David was finally declared king, and his anointing came to fulfilment. It is a "song" but it has no strophes (unlike most of the Psalms), perhaps because it was intended for use at a procession.

I love You, Yahweh, my strength- This bald statement "I love You" is intentionally startling, and is the only place where we read this; usually we read the word of God's love to man. Here, David simply tells God "I love You".

Psalm 18:2 Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge- This is the language of rocky terrain, the type where Saul chased David and God saved him multiple times.

My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower- David sees that Yahweh will be a "high tower" or place of refuge at the day of future judgment (Ps. 9:8,9, quoted about this in Acts 17:31). But David feels God has been like this to him in this life (2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 18:2; 46:7; 48:3; 59:9,16,17; 62:2; 94:22; 144:2). He therefore sees a seamless experience in his relationship with God in this life, and at the future day of judgment. God saves us right now and is a refuge for us in countless life situations; and this is the guarantee that He will be likewise at the last day.

Psalm 18:3 I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies- David's focus of all his praises upon Yahweh was what he wanted his people to follow (Ps. 22:3). The implication of "worthy" could imply a contrast with other gods, as in Ps. 96:4 "He is to be feared / praised above all gods". This would confirm the hints we have that Saul was an idolater (see on :31; Ps. 12:8; 16:4), and that idolatry was prevalent in Israel at the time.

Psalm 18:4 The cords of death surrounded me, the floods of ungodliness made me afraid- David felt as if he had been a sacrifice bound to an altar, and therefore about to be pulled into the grave (:5). The allusion is to Isaac and his miraculous deliverance from such cords, thanks to the ram in the thicket whom David is later to understand as representative of the future Messianic saviour; for the Lord quotes David's "My God, why have You forsaken me?" (Ps. 22:1) as the Aramaic sabachthani, "entangled", the word used of the ram entangled in the thicket.

Psalm 18:5 The cords of Sheol were around me, the snares of death came on me- see on :4. David felt he had come face to face with death, to the point that his salvation was effectively a resurrection. The response to this near death situation is described in :7-12, but it is hard to locate such an incident in the historical records. Perhaps there was a particular salvation from death at Saul's hands which isn't recorded, but David alludes to it here.

"Came on me" is literally 'went before me'. The same word is used in Ps. 59:10: "My God will go before me with His grace". David was inside his house surrounded by his enemies (Ps. 59:1), and escaped through a window. As he planned the escape, he believed that God's grace would go before him. At the end of his life he appears to reflect upon this incident, glorying that although he was "compassed about" with the threat of death, seeing the house was surrounded by Saul's men intending to kill him; yet God's grace had somehow gone before David and prepared a way of escape (Ps. 18:5,18 s.w.).

Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called on Yahweh, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of His temple; my cry before Him came into His ears- David again imagines his prayers as coming into the heavenly throne room, and eliciting a response. His later obsession with building a physical temple for God was a departure from how he had earlier perceived God's temple- as being in Heaven, and accessible by faithful prayer.

Psalm 18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled, the foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because He was angry- The response to the near death situation of :4,5 is described in :7-12, but it is hard to locate such an incident in the historical records. Perhaps there was a particular salvation from death at Saul's hands which isn't recorded, but David alludes to it here. Or perhaps the language here is that of theophany and God manifestation; it may not literally describe things which happened, but the hand of God in saving David was no less than as if He had appeared as He did at Sinai. For the language of earth shaking and quaking is that of the Sinai theophany and the deliverance from Egypt.

Psalm 18:8 Smoke went out of His nostrils, consuming fire came out of His mouth; coals were kindled by it- As discussed on :7, this sounds like the symbolic language of theophany and God manifestation, rather than describing actually observed events in literal terms. The allusion is clearly to what happened at the exodus and Sinai; see on :15.

Psalm 18:9 He bowed the heavens also- The same phrase used of Moses stretching out his hands toward the heavens, and God responding by delivering His people (Ex. 9:22,23; 10:21).

And came down, thick darkness was under His feet- As Yahweh came down at Sinai (Ex. 19:11 s.w.). The idea is that as God had miraculously intervened for the salvation of His people in history, so David felt He had in his life; although there is no historical record of such dramatic scenes as on Sinai and at the Red Sea. We likewise experience His interventions; they aren't as dramatic as in history, but none less dramatic in ultimate reality. This coming down in a saving theophany was what David had in fact prayed for in Ps. 144:5. He asked for a theophany to save him, no less that what happened at Sinai (s.w. Ex. 19:18-20), when again God had as it were made the mountains smoke by His touch. We marvel at David's spiritual ambition, unafraid to ask for a similar theophany to save him. And here he reflects at the end of his life that this prayer was in fact answered. The relevance to the exiles is that Yahweh was prepared to "bow" (s.w. "stretch out") the heavens and "come down" to restore the exiles; but they chose not to make use of that huge potential (s.w. Is. 40:22; 42:5; 64:1). See on :14.

Psalm 18:10 He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, He soared on the wings of the wind- "Wind" and "spirit" are the same words in Hebrew. The cherubim chariot are presented as God's vehicle of manifestation, and this was language the exiles would've been familiar with through the visions of Ezekiel. Yet this is not to say that David also had such a vision. Rather did he perceive God's huge cherubic activity through the various experiences of salvation and grace he had in his life. And this is the same for us.

Psalm 18:11 He made darkness His hiding place, His pavilion around Him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies- All the scene at God's manifestation on Sinai.

Psalm 18:12 At the brightness before Him His thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire- The "coals of fire" speak of Divine judgment (Ps. 140:10), and were part of the cherubim vision (Ez. 1:13; 10:2). Hail and thick clouds were the judgment threatened upon the Assyrians in Hezekiah's time (Is. 28:2; 30:30). David's experience becomes developed as relevant to the manifestation of God in salvation in other contexts.

Psalm 18:13 Yahweh also thundered in the sky, the Most High uttered His voice: hailstones and coals of fire- Hailstones and fire suggests the destruction of Sodom. And yet there is no recorded incident of God consuming David's enemies like this. But he felt that God had indeed come through for Him in no less powerful a way. And we can feel and experience the same.

Psalm 18:14 He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; yes, great lightning bolts, and defeated them-

This continues the thanksgiving that his prayer of Ps. 144:6 had been answered. He had asked for a saving theophany of the magnitude of what was seen at Sinai; see on :9. Now at the end of his life, David was thankful that this prayer had in fact been answered. David rejoices that Divine "arrows" were sent to destroy his enemies (Ps. 7:13; 18:14; 45:5; 64:7; 144:6), in fulfilment of God's promise to do so to the sinful within Israel (Dt. 32:23,42). But David had realized that those same arrows had been fired by God into him in judgment for his sin (Ps. 38:2). This realization was perhaps to help David understand that his rejoicing in Divine arrows of judgment being fired at his enemies had not been mature; for he himself had to realize that he was worthy of the same.

Psalm 18:15 Then the channels of waters appeared, the foundations of the world were laid bare at Your rebuke, Yahweh, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils- The opening word "then" is significant. As the channels of water were laid bare at the exodus, so God had acted for David. As discussed on :7, this section sounds like the symbolic language of theophany and God manifestation, rather than describing actually observed events in literal terms. The allusion is clearly to what happened at the exodus and Sinai; the essence of what God did then was experienced by David, just as it can be by us in our crises.

Psalm 18:16 He sent from on high. He took me, He drew me out of many waters- "Waters" are usually symbolic of armies or nations. David felt he had been surrounded and faced with certain death, but had been as it were airlifted to safety by God. The language here says that God has done this, but it is parallel with David's prayer for this to happen in Ps. 144:7. This triumphant song is therefore praise for the prayer of Ps. 144 being answered. We cannot locate any particular historical incident of fulfilment; perhaps it was too personal and wonderful to be recorded. Just as a Christian man or woman might feel it inappropriate to record God's most dramatic salvation of them when they write their autobiography.

Psalm 18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me- That thanksgiving was because he had prayed for salvation from "those who hate me" in Ps. 9:13 (s.w.). We have here a direct example of gratitude for answered prayer. It seems Saul and his supporters were the initial reference of the "strong enemy" (see on :1). These words are an allusion to his prayer of Ps. 69:14. Now at the end of his life David reflects that he has been delivered from those who hated him (s.w.). At the time, he wept bitterly for Absalom's death; but now in maturity he realized that this was in fact an answer to his prayers.

Psalm 18:18 They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support- See on :5. The phrase "day of calamity" is consistently used of a day of Divine condemnation, especially of Judah at the hand of the Babylonians (Dt. 32:35; Job 21:30; Jer. 18:17; 46:21). Perhaps the Psalm was reworked as comfort for the exiles, that they could be saved even out of the day of their condemnation. And maybe David has the idea that he had been worthy of Divine condemnation, and the judgment was being articulated at the hands of his enemies- but by grace alone, God saved him from it.

Psalm 18:19 He brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me, because He delighted in me- When the Lord’s mockers jeered "If he desireth him" (RV), they were alluding to the LXX of Ps. 18:19 and 91:11. God cannot be tempted, otherwise He would have responded. 'If God likes Him', is what they were really implying.

Psalm 18:20 Yahweh has judged me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me- As noted on :14, David was yet to learn that he himself was a sinner and no man apart from the Lord has clean hands or total personal righteousness.  Yet David twice repeats this self righteousness (:24).

Psalm 18:21 For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God- "Wickedly departed" is the word usually translated "condemn" (e.g. Ps. 37:33). Those who depart from God condemn themselves. This is a major Biblical theme; that the condemned are more self-condemned rather than condemned by God. "We make the answer now". But later David was to realize that he too had wickedly departed from God, and confession of that was vital for salvation (s.w. Ps. 106:6).

David felt preserved by God from Saul and his other enemies (1 Sam. 30:23; 2 Sam. 22:44), because he had preserved or obeyed [s.w.] God's ways (2 Sam. 22:22,24; Ps. 18:21,23); whereas Saul didn't obey / preserve them and was destroyed (1 Sam. 13:13,14; 1 Chron. 10:13). Hence Ps. 145:20: "Yahweh preserves all those who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy".

Reading through the book of Psalms in one or two sittings reveals that frequent and intense self-examination was a leading characteristic of David:, especially while on the run from Saul; as if he began to pick up false guilt from how he was being treated, wondering if it was all in fact justified (Ps. 4:4; 7:3; 17:3; 18:20-24; 19:12; 26:1; 39:1; 59:3; 66:18; 77:6; 86:2; 101:2; 109:3; 139:23,24).

Psalm 18:22 For all His ordinances were before me, I didn’t put away His statutes from me- "Put away" is the word used for how God departed from Saul because he didn't keep God's statutes (1 Sam. 16:14; 18:12; 28:15). David is therefore comparing himself favourably with Saul; for this is his triumph song after Saul has been slain (see on :1).

Psalm 18:23 I was also blameless with Him- A true seed of Abraham, who were to walk with or before Yahweh blameless (s.w. Gen. 17:1).

I kept myself from my iniquity- This sounds like a boast in his iron willed self-control. He would never be able to boast like this after the sin with Bathsheba. It is God by His grace who keeps men from sinning (Gen. 20:6), and not he rigid self-discipline of the deeply religious.

Psalm 18:24 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyesight- As noted on :14, David was yet to learn that he himself was a sinner and no man apart from the Lord has clean hands or total personal righteousness.  Yet David twice repeats this self righteousness (:20). In describing his feelings after the Bathsheba experience, David comments that he was "as a man that hears not [the taunts of others against him], and in whose mouth are no rebukes" (Ps. 38:14). The pre-Bathsheba Psalms present David as a man who was so easily hurt by the taunts of others, and whose mouth was indeed full of rebuke of others. Ps. 18:23-26 has David describing his own uprightness before God, and how God only shows His grace to the pure and upright. How little did he understand grace! Worse still, he several times bids God judge men according to their sins (Ps. 5:10). It is against this background that we must understand the significance of David's statements that after Bathsheba, after how God did not deal with him according to his sin, there were no rebukes of others now in his mouth. Realizing the extent of his personal sin and the depth of God's grace led David to not only be less reproachful of others; but also to be less hurt by their unkindness to him. And in these things we surely have a great lesson to ourselves.

Psalm 18:25 With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful. With the perfect man, You will show Yourself perfect-  we have here the mixture of spirituality and yet arrogance which we can often detect in ourselves. David recognizes his salvation has been through God's mercy; but he sees himself as having earned this mercy by being "perfect". The same word is used of Job, but he had to be taught that that status was a case of having righteousness imputed to him by grace; and because David was unwilling to really learn this, he had to be taught it through the righteousness imputed to him after his sin with Bathsheba.

Psalm 18:26 With the pure, You will show Yourself pure; with the crooked You will show Yourself shrewd- David sees himself as the pure, and Saul as the crooked. Throughout David’s Psalms in Ps. 1-72, he repeatedly asks for torture upon the sinners and blessing upon himself as the righteous. He speaks of how sinners should be “contemned” in the eyes of the righteous (Ps. 15:4), the gatherings of sinners should be “hated” and sinners should not be fellowshipped (Ps. 26:4-6; Ps. 31:6) and how God’s uprightness is shown to the upright and His judgment to the judgmental (Ps. 18:25,26; Ps. 33:22). He invites God’s judgment upon himself and others according to their and his works (Ps. 28:4).  Frequently he alludes to Saul as “the violent man”- even though David committed his share of violence- and asks judgment upon him (Ps. 18:48). Only those with clean hands and pure heart like himself could have fellowship with God (Ps. 24:3,4). Psalm 37 doesn’t indicate any desire to convert the sinners but rather an expectation of their judgment and destruction. God and David laugh at the wicked because their day is coming (Ps. 37:13). There’s no spirit of grace here at all- perhaps that’s why Zech. 12:10 specifically says that the spirit of grace will have to be poured out upon the house of David in the last days. This attitude changed after the sin with Bathsheba, but still something of the old self righteousness and judgmental attitudes are to be found in David in Psalms written after that.

Psalm 18:27 For You will save the afflicted people, but the proud eyes You will bring down- Again David perceives Saul as proud, and Saul's initial apparent humility must therefore be considered in this context. Perhaps he became proud, or maybe he had always been that way, and only appeared humble. But the word "people" may have been added when the Psalm was used by the exiles, for salvation for "the afflicted people" was the prophetic message to them (s.w. Is. 49:19).

Psalm 18:28 For You will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness- The phrase is only used of the lighting of the lamps in the tabernacle (Ex. 25:37; Num. 8:2). I noted on Ps. 17:8 that David seems himself as located on the mercy seat, in the Most Holy place.

Psalm 18:29 For by You I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall- Such victories were given to David against the Philistines; the idea is as in GNB "You give me strength to attack my enemies and power to overcome their defenses". "Troop" is the word used of the Amalekites whom David overcame (1 Sam. 30:8,15). The leaping over a wall may refer to the way that Zion was captured (2 Sam. 5:6-8).

Psalm 18:30 As for God, His way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is tried in the furnace. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him- "The word" specifically in view may be the prophetic word that David would be king and thereby overcome all of Saul's machinations (see on :1).

Psalm 18:31 For who is God, except Yahweh? Who is a rock besides our God- David perceives his victory over Saul (:1) as the vindication of Yahweh above other gods. This would confirm the hints we have that Saul was an idolater (see on Ps. 12:8; 16:4).

Psalm 18:32 the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?- A reference to his victory over Goliath without human armour, trusting completely in God (see on :33,34).

Psalm 18:33 He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and sets me on my high places- As in ::34, this may be a reference to his victory over Goliath, which he saw as the epitome of all his victories. For he ran swiftly towards Goliath before releasing the stone which slew him.

Psalm 18:34 He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze- Perhaps alluding to how it was David's dexterity of hand as a slinger which gave the victory over Goliath. But he recognizes that this was all of God. He is careful not to exalt as if his strength was his own.

Psalm 18:35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great- God’s gentleness, His humility / bowing down (Heb.) has made us great, lifted us up (Ps. 18:35). And we respond to it by humbling ourselves. Paul's take on "the shield of your salvation" is that it means "the shield of faith" (Eph. 6:16). If we enquire 'Faith in exactly what?', the answer is 'faith in salvation at the end of the day, that God will finally save me'.

Psalm 18:36 You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped- David in his earlier Psalms exalts and boasts to God that his feet have not slipped, indeed he was overly confident that his feet would never slip / "be moved" (Ps. 17:5; 21:7; 55:22; 62:2,6; 125:1). His more mature reflection is that he had wrongly said "I shall never slip [AV "be moved"]" (Ps. 30:6), and his feet had indeed slipped, not least over the Bathsheba incident (Ps. 38:16; 94:18). Solomon didn't learn this lesson, for he likewise assumed that the righteous would never be moved / slip (Prov. 10:30), although he appears to accept that even a righteous man like his father had indeed slipped (Prov. 25:26). And Solomon himself did so, not learning the lesson from his father's mistaken assumption that the righteous can never slip.

Psalm 18:37 I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. Neither will I turn again until they are consumed- This is written after God had subdued Saul and David's other enemies (:1). He is taking this as a portent of future victory against all other enemies. But I will explain on :39-42 that David did not use all the potential authority and power of judgment which he was given.

Psalm 18:38 I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet- See on :37. This refers to the potential power of judgment David felt he had been given, but this is not to say he would use it.

Psalm 18:39 For You have armed me with strength to the battle, You have subdued under me those who rose up against me- In Ps. 18:39 (2 Sam. 22:40), David reflects how his victory in battle by God's strength meant that all was subdued under him (s.w. Ps. 8:6), a Psalm about the victory over Goliath). The victory in battle which he had in view was supremely that over Goliath, his most major and applauded victory. To a far greater extent, the victory of the Lord Jesus meant not simply the subjugation of Israel beneath Him, but of all creation, including the natural creation.

Psalm 18:40 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me- Those who hated David surely refer to the house of Saul (:1). But David did not cut them off- even though he was given the opportunity of doing so.

Psalm 18:41 They cried, but there was none to save; even to Yahweh, but He didn’t answer them- A reference to God refusing to answer Saul just before he died (1 Sam. 28:6).

Psalm 18:42 Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets- I noted on :40 that David didn't execute the judgments against the house of Saul which he could have done. The language of being "cast out" and being driven by the wind is that of Divine judgment. It could be that David intends us to understand that although he was given the opportunity of judging them ["that I might cut off...", :40], he didn't- he left it to God's judgment.

Psalm 18:43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people, You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me- David expected in faith that now he was solidly established as Israel's king, the surrounding Gentiles would come to serve him and his God (see on :49).

Psalm 18:44 As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me; the foreigners shall submit themselves to me- David's vision was that his kingdom would take the good news of Israel's God to the surrounding Gentiles (see on :49). Some of them would submit to David and his God, whereas others would not (:45).

Psalm 18:45 The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their close places- This may allude to how Saul's persecutors of David included "foreigners" such as Cush (see on Ps. 7:1) and Doeg the Edomite (1 Sam. 22:22).

Psalm 18:46 Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation- David had earlier lamented that Saul "My enemy" (= Saul, 1 Sam. 18:29; 19:17) was "exalted over me" (Ps. 13:2 s.w.). The David who had once triumphed over his enemy Goliath now felt that Saul was triumphing over him. This, in the bigger Divine picture, may have been to keep David from pride at the amazing victory and triumph. And he learned the lesson. David was indeed to triumph / be exalted over Saul (Ps. 18:48), but he saw it is God triumphing / being exalted (Ps. 18:46). His praise Psalms are full of this word and idea- of the exaltation of God (Ps. 57:5,11) and not himself.

Psalm 18:47 even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me- An allusion to how David had restrained himself from murdering Saul when he could have done, and instead had trusted in God to execute vengeance. Here David reflects that God had indeed cast down the peoples under him (2 Sam. 22:48; Ps. 18:47); by saying this he considers that his prayer of Ps. 56:7 has been answered: "In anger cast down the peoples, God". Perhaps when he prayed it, he just wanted God's anger to be poured out immediately, the day of judgment to come there and then, when the scales will be adjusted and men and nations cast down or lifted up. But he reflects that in a sense that had happened in his life, in that the peoples were cast down beneath him.

Psalm 18:48 He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, You lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man- See on :46. The violent man was initially Saul (see on :1). The Hebrew word hamas [basically meaning 'physical violence arising from wicked plans'] is quite common in Scripture, and the usages speak of how God is provoked by hamas to bring judgment upon the enemies of His people (Gen. 6:11-13; Mic. 6:12; Zeph. 1:9) and also to intervene in order to save His people (Ps. 18:49; Ps. 72:14). How amazingly appropriate that an organization actually called hamas has arisen in these last days to do violence to Israel! If Biblical history means anything to us, clearly enough God's intervention in appropriate judgment and salvation cannot be far off. Note how Hagar's persecution of Sarah- typical of the Arab-Jew conflict- is described as her hamas (Gen. 16:5).

Psalm 18:49 Therefore I will give thanks to You, Yahweh, among the nations, and will sing praises to Your name- Again we see how David was one of the few in the Old Testament who had a sense of taking the good news of Yahweh's covenant to the Gentiles. And he apparently did so through exporting his musical productions to the surrounding peoples, who may well have been able to understand David's Hebrew.

Psalm 18:50 He gives great deliverance to His king, and shows grace to His anointed, to David and to his seed, forevermore- The Psalm concludes with a reference to David as the anointed, so this could be a Psalm composed when Saul was slain and David was finally declared king, and his anointing came to fulfilment. But the reference to eternal salvation for "his seed" could suggest it was composed after he had received the promises of 2 Sam. 7.

Psalm 19

Psalm 19:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

The heavens declare the glory of God, the expanse above shows His handiwork- Psalm 8 records David looking up at the skies after his victory over Goliath, marvelling at God's grace to man. Perhaps this is the same scene. Ps. 19 speaks of how the sun, moon and stars speak to humanity with no voice nor words. And yet that very passage is applied in the New Testament to the preachers of the Gospel. In mankind's meeting with us they should be seeing the same unspoken message which there is in the heavens above. We really can lead them on from their vague sense that there's something else out there in life and existence. They may feel that the answers lie shrouded by some impenetrable fog. But we need the spirit of Paul, when he noticed an altar to an unknown God. "Whom you ignorantly seek / worship, Him I will declare to you". People are fast realizing that advanced technology, social reforms, a rational approach to life... simply isn't the answer to our spiritual needs. People are seeking something beyond. They're asking the right questions, but seeking answers in the wrong places.

Having spoken of the vital need for preachers, Paul quotes this verse as concerning the preaching of the Gospel: "Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world" (Rom. 10:18). Paul is doubtless alluding to the great commission here. But he says that it is fulfilled by the preachers spoken of in Ps. 19:1-4, which he quotes. This speaks of the "heavens" declaring God's gospel world-wide. In the same way as the sun 'goes forth' all over the world, so will the "heavens" go forth to declare the Gospel. The 'heavens' do not just refer to the twelve in the first century; the New Testament says that all in Christ are the "heavenlies"; we are all part of the "sun of righteousness". The arising of Christ as the sun at His second coming (Mal. 4:2) will be heralded by the church witnessing the Gospel of His coming beforehand. The enthusiast will note a number of other preaching allusions in Ps. 19: "The expanse shows  His handiwork" uses a word (in the Septuagint) which occurs in Lk. 9:60 concerning the publishing of the Gospel. "Their voice is gone out through all the earth" (:4) is picked up by Paul in describing his preaching (2 Cor. 10:13-16 AVmg.). The idea of 'going out' throughout the earth was clearly at the root of Christ's great commission (Mk. 16:15). Yet the "heavens" to which this refers in Ps. 19 are interpreted by the New Testament as referring to all  believers in Christ.

Psalm 19:2 Day after day they pour forth speech, and night after night they display knowledge- As explained on :1, the New Testament interprets this as meaning that the lights of the heavens declare God's glory in the same way as Christian preachers constantly and continually present an unbroken witness to the Gospel. This means that David isn't saying that any amount of stargazing will of itself reveal the truths of the Gospel to men. The New Testament quotations (see on :1) are saying that as the stars and the sun daily pour out their testimony to the whole earth, so do the Christian preachers. This rather deconstructs the idea that God's truth is held only by one small group in some suburb who keep that truth largely to themselves.

Psalm 19:3 There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard- As explained on :1, the New Testament interpretation is that as the stars and the sun daily pour out their testimony to the whole earth, so do the Christian preachers. And that Gospel is to go to all languages and peoples. And yet that witness is in who we are. The heavenly bodies, like the Christian preachers, are simply there, who they are. And this is the witness which will go to the ends of the earth. We can get all too caught up with ‘mission work’ in the sense of taking the message to all the earth through advertising and visits; but the essential witness, which will extend to the very core of this world, is the silent witness of who we are. Hence RV "Unheard is their voice", just as men can be won for Christ "without the word" (1 Pet. 3:1). We have assumed that there are men and women sitting in their homes trying to figure out whether, e.g., God is a trinity or not, just waiting for our preaching to reach them. Yet this just isn’t the case. When men and women saw the result of the Lord’s ministry, they asked: “What new doctrine is this?” (Mk. 1:27). Now this is how we need people to be with us- to ask us, with the implication they are ready and willing to listen, what exactly it is that we believe. But they only get to that point by seeing the effect of our lives and witness.

LXX offers "It is not a speech or words whose voice is unintelligible". The simple message of the Gospel is as clear as the sunlight; it doesn't require any great process of theological interpretation before it is seen for what it is.

Psalm 19:4 Their voice has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world- This is picked up by Paul in describing his preaching (2 Cor. 10:13-16 AVmg.). The idea of 'going out' throughout the earth was clearly at the root of Christ's great commission (Mk. 16:15). See on :1. "Voice" is "line" in some manuscripts. The idea is that the territory of dominion for the message has been defined- and it is the whole world. As explained on :1, this is well interpreted in the New Testament with reference to the universality of the great commission, to take the Gospel to the whole planet and to every language upon it (:3).

And yet that huge work has been split up by God in His providence. We each have our specific area, either of people or the world, in which God intends us to make a witness. Paul thus spoke of how both he and other brethren had their specific "line" or sphere in which they were intended to witness (2 Cor. 10:16 cp. Ps. 19:4 AVmg.; Am. 7:17). We each have ours, whether it be the people who live in our block of flats, an area of our own country or city; or another part of the world.

In them He has set a tent for the sun- The special attention given to the sun is surely because it was a symbol of Messiah (Mal. 3:2). This is singled out as the major witness. Yet the witness of the heavenly bodies is understood as a representation of the witness of God's people to the Gospel (see on :1). They are "the sun" in that their witness is in Christ, they are Him to this world. The sun was a common symbol for a person, and the "tent" in view is the temporary abode at a wedding feast, which is the theme continued in :5.

Psalm 19:5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course- As the sun arises and passes across the sky (:6), so the Messianic sun (:4), the bridegroom, comes out. The dawn is therefore symbolic of Messiah's coming out from heaven to marry His bride, the church. This going forth of the bridegroom from his "chamber" clearly looks ahead to the going forth of Messiah when the Davidic kingdom is finally fully established and all Judah's enemies destroyed (s.w. Joel 2:16).

Psalm 19:6 His going forth is from the end of the heavens, his circuit to its ends; there is nothing hidden from its heat- "Heat" is carefully chosen. For men can hide from the light of the sun, but not from its heat; sinners ultimately cannot hide themselves from God's sun (s.w. Job 34:22). The witness of the sun, reaching to every man, is being used as the pattern for all the witness of God's people who preach His word (:1,2). It cannot fail to have its impact and that word preached will not return without achievement and effect. "Circuit" is a poor translation and means simply "end", which is how the Hebrew is usually translated. It would be incorrect to base any argument for circular motion upon this word.

Psalm 19:7 Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh’s testimony is sure, making wise the simple- The sudden change of subject to God's word is not at all out of context; for as explained on :1-4, the interpretation is that as the stars and the sun daily pour out their testimony to the whole earth, so will the preachers of God's word. The sureness of the sun's activities and the perfection of its light are therefore seen as reflections of the nature of God's word, especially as it is manifest in the flesh of Messiah (:5).

Psalm 19:8 Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. Yahweh’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes- See on :7. It is quite likely that Ps. 19:8,10 were written with Jonathan's experience of 1 Sam. 14  in mind: "The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes... sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb". Psalm 19 may well have been written in the Bathsheba period: "Cleanse (s.w. Ps. 51:2) thou me from secret faults". So the memory of Jonathan stayed with David all his life long. "Enlightening" is the word used of lights appearing at creation, on account of Gods spoken word (s.w. Gen. 1:15,17). The idea is that there is a new creation being achieved through the witness of that word, with lights going on in the darkness of previously darkened minds.

Psalm 19:9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever- The context is all about God's law and word. So the idea may be that we read n an ellipsis: 'the word which teaches the fear of Yahweh...'.

Yahweh’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether- See on :7. This may sound axiomatic, but the idea is that those influenced by God's word become "true" themselves. Truthfulness is therefore an essential psychological response in all those influenced by God's truth.

Psalm 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb- The power of transformation in God's word is priceless. No human wealth or enjoyment of the senses [eating of honey] can equal it.

Psalm 19:11 Moreover by them is Your servant warned- "Warned" is "taught". The idea is that the laws and principles of God become teachers of themselves. There is an upward spiral in spirituality. Obedience leads to an experience of God's word as a teacher, obviating the need to rely upon human interpretations; the commandment itself comes to be the teacher of itself. That is the idea here.

In keeping them there is a great reward- It might help if we try to visualize the practical benefits of keeping the Mosaic laws (as in Ex. 15:26). "In keeping of them is great reward", David commented (Ps. 19:11). Moses likewise: "The Lord commanded us to do all these statutes... for our good always" (Dt. 6:24)- not for their irritation, or as a pointless test of obedience. Perhaps this is why the giving of the Law is described as an expression of God's love for Israel (Dt. 33:2-4).

Psalm 19:12 Who can discern his own errors? Forgive me from sins of ignorance- Reflecting upon the power and necessity of God's law and word elicits a natural awareness that we often must have failed to obey. And so David prayed for cleansing from "secret faults" (AV)- things which we do not specifically repent of, and yet which are still sinful in God's sight. All sin is sin- sin is not definable according to our awareness of it (as witness the Mosaic trespass offerings). If we disagree that we are forgiven for sins which we do not specifically repent of and forsake, then we must conclude that we actually know every one of our sins; and that just one sin, unrepented of, will keep us from salvation. None of us has the self knowledge, nor the appreciation of God's  righteousness, to be confident that we do know each of our sins. It is only the self-righteous who claim that they have confessed every one of their sins. So we are driven to rely on salvation by grace- believing that we will be forgiven for sins we commit, which we do not recognize. If we hope for any amount of forgiveness without specific repentance, then we ought not to make it a principle that we will never forgive our brother unless he outwardly shows his repentance. For we all somehow hope for forgiveness without repentance.

Perhaps David went so far down the road of self-examination that the sin with Bathsheba made him realize that it was probably associated with many others which he did not even realize: "Who can understand his own errors? cleanse (s.w. Ps. 51:1,2 re. the Bathsheba affair) thou me from secret faults" (Ps. 19:12 AV). If our own self-examination and repentance is after the pattern of David's, we will appreciate how that each of our sins is associated with so many others. We will be aware how that each spiritual event in our life makes us either weaker or stronger in facing the next one, how that each temptation is intertwined with others, so that in reality we do not commit (say) three or four sins per day. We are constantly failing and winning, and therefore we live in God's mercy; we do not just experience it for the few seconds in which we pray to Him for forgiveness to be granted. David's sin with Bathsheba is a process we each go through in one way or another.

Paul says that although he knows of nothing that would stand against him at the judgment, this doesn't justify him, because the Lord sees differently to us (1 Cor. 4:4 RSV). David likewise knew that his own self-examination was unable to give him an accurate picture of his status before God; "Who can understand his (own) errors?" (Ps. 19:12). All too often one hears it said: 'It's OK in my conscience, so there's nothing wrong with it'. Yet my comment is that our 'conscience', our natural sense of right and wrong, won't jump outside of us at judgment day and stand there and judge us. There is one thing that will judge us: the word of the Lord (Jn. 12:48). Morality isn't relative; there is such a thing as ultimate right and wrong, regardless of what our intuitive sense is.

Psalm 19:13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be upright, I will be blameless and innocent of the great transgression- A fair case can be made that David's sin with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah was in fact a sin of presumption. David confessed that there was no sacrifice appropriate to his (singular) sin; his many individual sins associated with the matter were perceived as one sin, and that was the sin of presumption. The fact that he is condemned for having "despised the commandment of the Lord" (1 Sam. 12:9) indicates that He knew all along what God's will really was. The fact that the flesh took over does not in any way mitigate his responsibility in this. This is a direct quote from the Law's definition of the sin of presumption: "The soul that does anything presumptuously... because he has despised the word of the Lord... that soul shall utterly be cut off" (Num. 15:30,31). Knowing David’s emotional nature and also the fact that he did not completely turn away from God afterwards, we would have expected a quicker repentance if it had been a passing sin of passion. It would therefore seem reasonable to assume that the sin was of presumption rather than passion.

In this case, we can reflect that God will keep men from sinning, but only if they wish to be kept from sinning. And David didn't wish for this at the time. In this case, 2the great transgression" would refer to the sin of presumption. Or we can read this as meaning that David is writing after the time of his sin, and is asking to be held back from repeating it, lest he become guilty of the "great transgression", the sin with Bathsheba. In this case, he felt as if he was as it were forgiven of that sin conditional upon not repeating it.

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, Yahweh, my rock and my redeemer- The request is for God to "let" or allow us certain mental attitudes. Again and again in the psalms, we see David recognizing the direct operation of God upon the human spirit or heart- and that continues to be effected to this day, by His Spirit.

Psalm 20

Psalm 20:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David- It's possible to understand this Psalm as composed when David came to the tabernacle to offer sacrifice before going to war. The people pray for him in :1-3, then in :4 the High Priest speaks; then David and the people in :5; then once the offering has been burnt, the High Priest in :6, then :7,8 by David and his soldiers; and then :9 as a chorus by all present. It seems Ps. 21 is a psalm of thanks forr the victory given; and I note on Ps. 21:1 that this may have specifically been the victory over the Ammonites which David was given by grace right after his sin with Bathsheba.

May Yahweh answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high- The intention of David's Psalms were to share his experience of God's grace and salvation with others. This Psalm is very clear- David is saying 'May this be true for you as it was for me'. And this is really the basis of all our witness. It was David who had been answered in his 'days of trouble', and set on high (Ps. 20:1). His desire was fulfilled- for this verse of the Psalm clearly was reapplied to the "day of trouble" of the Assyrian invasion (s.w. Is. 37:3) and also to the Babylonian traumas of the exiles (s.w. Jer. 16:19; 30:7; Nah. 1:7; Hab. 3:16). See on Ex. 25:8.

Psalm 20:2 send you help from the sanctuary, grant you support from Zion- The perception was that God lived in the sanctuary, perhaps symbolized by the shekinah glory there. This Psalm was written therefore after the ark had come to Zion. See on Ps. 80:1.

Psalm 20:3 remember all your offerings and accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah- As noted on :1, success in the war and answer to prayer was thought to depend upon the offering of sacrifice. After the sin with Bathsheba, David was to mature in his understanding- that salvation and God's operation with His people is by grace and not because He desired sacrifice (Ps. 40:6; 51:16,17).

Psalm 20:4 May He grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfil all your word- It is God's word which is fulfilled, but if His word dwells in us, then our word becomes His word (Jn. 15:7); progressively, therefore, as we grow in Him and His word, we have an ever more impressive experience of answered prayer because our desires, the things we pray for, are in line with His desires and word.

Psalm 20:5 We will triumph in Your salvation, in the name of our God, we will set up our banners- The setting up of banners implies going out to war; see on :1.

May Yahweh grant all your requests- This may be the response of the priest or the people to the confident prayer in the first half of the verse.

Psalm 20:6 Now I know that Yahweh saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven, with the saving strength of His right hand- The sanctuary was seen as "heaven" on earth, located then in Zion (:2). The conception was that there was a little place on earth where God was king, heaven on earth. The Lord later develops this idea; the kingdom of heaven is to become the kingdom of God on the entire earth, not just a small spot on mount Zion.

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust the name of Yahweh our God- As noted on :1, this is relevant to prayer before going into battle- when apparently disadvantaged by obedience to the Mosaic command not to use horses and chariots. Solomon’s obsession with large numbers of horses and chariots (2 Chron. 1:14) was a marked contrast to these words of one of David’s songs which Solomon must have often hummed to himself. He knew this, but the knowledge resided in just one part of his brain- in reality, he went ahead and did the very opposite.

Psalm 20:8 They are bowed down and fallen, but we rise up, and stand upright- This was a prayer before going into battle (:1); but David exemplifies the command to believe that prayer is answered even before it is (Mk. 11:24).

Psalm 20:9 Save, Yahweh! Let the King answer us when we call!- David was the king, but he and the people are taught in this song (see on :1) to believe that Yahweh is their ultimate king, and David was merely reigning on His behalf.

Psalm 21

Psalm 21:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

The king rejoices in Your strength, Yahweh! How greatly he rejoices in Your salvation!- The Psalm could be thanks for David's becoming king after Saul's death, when he had the crown placed upon his head (:3). But the reference to being given eternal life at this time (:4) means that the "salvation" in view is surely not limited to David's miraculous salvation from Saul and establishment as king of Israel. It perhaps refers to his greater belief that his Messianic son would become an eternal king of Judah. But there are many connections with Ps. 20, which I explained as a Psalm before going into battle, perhaps against the Ammonites (see on Ps. 20:1). The crowning of David in :3 could however refer to the crowning of David with the gold crown of the Ammonite king (2 Sam. 12:30; 1 Chron. 20:2). This however was straight after his sin with Bathsheba. So David's joy in God's salvation was due to his sense that God had given him this victory by grace when he himself was a sinner. His thanks for giving him eternal life (:4) was therefore in the sense that he believed that despite his sin, he would be eternally saved, and he saw the victory against Ammon as a foretaste of that.

Psalm 21:2 You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah- Often, “desire” is seen by God as prayer (Ps. 10:17; 21:2; 27:4; 59:10; 92:11; 140:8; 145:19; Mt. 18:32; Rom. 10:1; 1 Jn. 5:15). God interprets that inner desire as prayer, even if it is not articulated in specific requests. The heart's desire in this case was the prayer for victory against the Ammonites in Ps. 20:4.

Psalm 21:3 For You meet him with the blessings of goodness, You set a crown of fine gold on his head- The reference would be to he crowning of David in :3 could however refer to the crowning of David with the gold crown of the Ammonite king (2 Sam. 12:30; 1 Chron. 20:2). This however was straight after his sin with Bathsheba. So David's joy in God's salvation was due to his sense that God had given him this victory by grace when he himself was a sinner.

Psalm 21:4 He asked life of You, You gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever- His thanks for giving him eternal life comes after his forgiveness for the sin with Bathsheba (see on :1-3). It was therefore in the sense that he believed that despite his sin, he would be eternally saved, and he saw the victory against Ammon as a foretaste of that.

Psalm 21:5 His glory is great in Your salvation; You lay honour and majesty on him- David marvelled at this because he was such a sinner who had just been forgiven for the sin with Bathsheba. The victory against Ammon assured him that God was going to eternally save him, as it was a foretaste of God's great salvation (see on :1-4).

Psalm 21:6 for You make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in Your presence- After the sin with Bathsheba, David had asked for God to restore to him the joy of God's salvation (Ps. 51:12), and here he is thanking God for having done so, through the blessing of God's grace. See on :1.

Psalm 21:7 for the king trusts in Yahweh. Through the grace of the Most High, he shall not be moved- David in his earlier Psalms exalts and boasts to God that his feet have not slipped, indeed he was overly confident that his feet would never slip / "be moved" (Ps. 17:5; 21:7; 55:22; 62:2,6; 125:1). His more mature reflection is that he had wrongly said "I shall never slip [AV "be moved"]" (Ps. 30:6), and his feet had indeed slipped, not least over the Bathsheba incident (Ps. 38:16; 94:18). As explained on :1, this Psalm may well have been written immediately after receiving forgiveness for the sin; and so David is asking that he shall never slip like that again. Solomon didn't learn this lesson, for he likewise assumed that the righteous would never be moved / slip (Prov. 10:30), although he appears to accept that even a righteous man like his father had indeed slipped (Prov. 25:26). And Solomon himself did so, not learning the lesson from his father's mistaken assumption that the righteous can never slip.

Psalm 21:8 Your hand will find out all of Your enemies; Your right hand will find out those who hate You- David saw the victory over the Ammonites as an encouragement that all his future enemies would likewise be overcome; but by God's hand / operation / strength, rather than his own military prowess (:3).

Psalm 21:9 You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of Your anger. Yahweh will swallow them up in His wrath, the fire shall devour them- This is the language of the condemnation of the last day (Mt. 13:42). David sees a portent of future things in his victory over the Ammonites, and the Divine judgment and salvation by grace meted out thereby. See on :1-3.

Psalm 21:10 You will destroy their descendants from the land, their posterity from among the children of men- David saw these Ammonites as a seed which should be destroyed from the eretz. His vision was of the eretz promised to Abraham full of the righteous.

Psalm 21:11 For they intended evil against You, they plotted evil against You which cannot succeed- There is a strange connection of ideas here with Joseph's comment to his brothers that "You thought / intended evil against me; but God meant it unto good... to save much people alive" (Gen. 50:20). The connection shows Joseph to be far more gracious spirited than David, who seems to relish the thought of God's destruction of his enemies (despite his recent forgiveness for the Bathsheba / Uriah incident, see on :1).

Psalm 21:12 For You will make them turn their back when You aim drawn bows at their face- As noted on :11, this appears a far too bloodthirsty attitude. So often in the psalms, David reveals a vicious desire for the blood of his enemies. Perhaps it was because of this bloodlust that David was precluded from building the temple because he had been a man of wars and had shed blood (1 Chron. 28:3). Solomon also shed blood as did many of God's servants, so that alone seems no reason why David couldn't build the temple. Perhaps it was his bloodthirsty attitude, albeit tinged with moments of great grace, forgiveness and gentleness, which led to God's prohibition. Shimei called David a "bloodthirsty man" (2 Sam. 16:7,8 s.w.). And the same words are used by God about David (1 Chron. 28:3). So we can wonder whether David was too quick in Ps. 5:6 to assume that the 'man of blood' was hated by God and was of course not him.

Psalm 21:13 Be exalted, Yahweh, in Your strength; so we will sing and praise Your power- Whatever David's weakness of attitude noted on :11,12, he is very deeply and genuinely aware that he is strong only in God's strength, and this awareness was the basis for his absolutely genuine praise of Yahweh; despite having wrong attitudes in other sectors of his life. And all the same he was accepted by God.

Psalm 22

Psalm 22:1 For the Chief Musician; set to The Doe of the Morning- The hind is the symbol of grace and innocence (Song 2:7,9). This is in intentional contrast to the abusers who are called bulls, lions and dogs. Perhaps "the morning" alludes to the hope of resurrection.

A Psalm by David- Not all the experiences listed here appear to have been true of David, nor of any Biblical character. We conclude that some of the language of piercing and crucifixion was therefore initially intended symbolically. But it all came together in a literal sense for the Lord Jesus.

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?- David felt as if he had been a sacrifice bound to an altar, and therefore about to be pulled into the grave (Ps. 18:5,6; 116:3; 140:5). The allusion is to Isaac and his miraculous deliverance from such cords, thanks to the ram in the thicket whom David is later to understand as representative of the future Messianic saviour; for the Lord quotes David's "My God, why have You forsaken me?" (Ps. 22:1) as the Aramaic sabachthani, "entangled", the word used of the ram entangled in the thicket.

This verse is quoted by the Lord Jesus just moments before He died, and it has been suggested He cited the entire Psalm on the cross, as the last verse finishes (in LXX) with something similar to His last words, "it is finished". It certainly reflects a crisis in the Lord in His last few minutes of human life. He had been crying out aloud for deliverance, presumably for some time, according to Ps. 22:1-6, both during and before the unnatural three hour darkness. He felt that His desire for deliverance was not being heard, although the prayers of others had been heard in the past when they cried with a like intensity. The Lord Jesus was well aware of the connection between God's refusal to answer prayer and His recognition of sin in the person praying (2 Sam. 22:42 = Ps. 2:2-5). It is emphasized time and again that God will not forsake those who love Him (e.g. Dt. 4:31; 31:6; 1 Sam. 12:22; 1 Kings 6:13; Ps. 94:14; Is. 41:17; 42:16). Every one of these passages must have been well known to our Lord, the word made flesh. He knew that God forsaking Israel was a punishment for their sin (Jud. 6:13; 2 Kings 21:14; Is. 2:6; Jer. 23:33). God would forsake Israel only if they forsook Him (Dt. 31:16,17; 2 Chron. 15:2). The Lord was so identified with our sin that He felt as a sinner, although he wasn't in fact.

The Greek word translated "forsaken" occurs in Acts 2:27, where Peter quotes from Psalm 16 concerning how Christ was always aware of His own righteousness, and therefore confidently knew that God would not "leave (forsake) his soul in hell". In Ps. 22:1, our Lord was doubting His previous thoughts, as prophesied in Ps. 16:10. He now feared that God had forsaken Him, when previously He had been full of confidence that God would not do so, on account of His perfect character. Because He felt such a sinner deep within Him, He even doubted if He really was the Messiah. This is how deeply our Lord was our representative, this is how thoroughly He bare our own sins in His own body on the tree, this is how deeply He came to know us, to be able to exactly empathize with us in our spiritual weakness; this was how He became able to have a fellow feeling with those who are out of the way, who have lost the faith, "for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity" (Heb. 5:2).

In every other recorded prayer of His in the Gospels, the Lord addressed the Almighty as “Father"; but finally He used the more distant “My God", reflecting the separation He felt. But therefore His mind flew to Ps. 22:1, and He quoted those words: "My God, why have You forsaken me". But the fact His mind went to the Scriptures like that was His salvation. There is reason to think that in His last few minutes, the Lord quoted the whole of Ps. 22 out loud. . Thus He asked for a drink "that the Scripture might be fulfilled", or finished, and then His words "It is finished" followed- which are actually an exact quote from the Septuagint of the last verse of Ps. 22. Psalms 22 and 69 can be clearly divided into two halves; the first half speaks of the confused thoughts of the Lord Jesus as He hung on the cross, but then there is a sudden rally, and His thoughts become clearly more confident and positive, centered around the certainty of our future salvation. As Christ quoted or at least thought through Psalm 22, He came to the glorious conclusion: Of course this is how Messiah must feel, He must feel forsaken, as Ps. 22 prophesied, but He would go on to save God's people! Just because Messiah would feel forsaken didn't mean that He Himself had sinned! We can almost sense the wave of reassurance that swept over our Lord, that deep knowledge of His own good conscience. And therefore how desperate He was, despite that ravaging thirst, to utter to the world that cry, "It is finished" ; to show to us all that He had achieved God's work, that He had perfectly manifested the Father, and that thereby He really had achieved our redemption.

Why are You so far from helping me- "Helping" is Yeshua. The words clearly have relevance to the Lord Jesus; He wondered whether He was really 'Jesus'.

And from the words of my groaning?- Literally, as AV, "roaring". This is how David felt at the time of desolation he felt after the sin with Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 32:3). This was probably the historical context of the Psalm. And yet it is those Psalms written whilst far from God which are most appropriate to the Lord Jesus on the cross. He didn't sin; but on the cross He was so identified with us as sinners that He felt as a sinner, and the words of David whilst far from God therefore seemed appropriate to Him. See on :19.

The same word is used of the roaring of the enemies as lions (:13). In response, David / Jesus roared to God. Because the weight is on the arms, the crucified can't speak easily. The whole conversation between the thief and the Lord would probably have been whispered, with long intervals between words. The final two loud cries of the Lord must have been made with immense pain. It also explains why they confused His "Eli, Eli" with 'Eliyahu' (Elijah); He was probably speaking very quietly. There is no recorded reaction of the crowd to His prayers. Yet Ps. 22:1 speaks of His prayer as a lion roaring to God, and yet He felt that the abuse of the crowd was like the ravening and roaring of a lion (Ps. 22:13). It may be that they hurled abuse back at Him in response to the roaring of His prayers.

Psalm 22:2 My God, I cry in the daytime, but You don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent- As suggested on :1, the Lord did so both during and before the unnatural three hour darkness.

Psalm 22:3 But You are holy, You who inhabit the praises of Israel- The simple take away from this is that whether or not God comes through for us as we hope or expect, or even think He should- we accept He is right and holy, and we are never to charge God foolishly. Both David and the Lord were very aware that they were not alone, but there was an "Israel" of God's true people over time and space who were still faithful- even if they were not immediately visible.

David's focus of all his praises upon Yahweh as alone "worthy" of praise was what he wanted his people to follow (Ps. 18:3; 22:3). The implication of "worthy" could imply a contrast with other gods, as in Ps. 96:4 "He is to be feared / praised above all gods". This would confirm the hints we have that Saul was an idolater (see on :31; Ps. 12:8; 16:4), and that idolatry was prevalent in Israel at the time.

Psalm 22:4 Our fathers trusted in You- they trusted, and You delivered them- As noted on :1, whether or not God comes through for us as He has done in history is no reason to charge Him foolishly. This experience is to humble us, as we see in :6. See on :20.

Psalm 22:5 they cried to You, and were delivered. They trusted in You, and were not disappointed- The idea in the Lord's mind was surely that men less spiritual than Himself had received miraculous deliverance, but His cry for deliverance was unheeded. As explained on :6, this brought Him to the final humility required before His death. The nature of the argument requires that the Lord expected some form of immediate deliverance, as David did. And we naturally struggle to reconcile this with His clear awareness that He must die on the cross and be resurrected. But this is the same question as to how He knew Judas would betray Him, and yet treated Judas as His own familiar friend in whom He trusted. It is a legitimate part of being human that we may know something on one level, and yet desperately believe and feel in a different way. We think of Samson trusting Delilah when he surely knew the inevitable was going to happen. Love and identity with others can be reasons this happens- and they were exactly what the Lord was full of in His time of dying.

Psalm 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people- Phil. 2:4-7 speaks of the Lord Jesus as being progressively humbled right up to the point of His death. The Lord quoted this Psalm just moments before His death. What brought Him to this final humility was the reflection that although God had come through for men who were less perfect than Himself (:5), God had not done so for Him, at least not immediately. "Worm" is the word for 'scarlet' but probably the idea is simply of a worm, and this Psalm was likely used in the context of the exiles, "you worm Jacob" (Is. 41:14). They too had to be humbled before they could be saved and become the salvation of others. The reference to "worm" maybe significant in that worms "are simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning worms have both male and female reproductive organs. During sexual intercourse among earthworms, both sets of sex organs are used by both worms. If all goes well, the eggs of both of the mates become fertilized". Some worms are capable of parthenogenesis (asexual reproduction). There could therefore be a reference here to the virgin birth.

Psalm 22:7 All those who see me mock me, they insult me with their lips, they shake their heads and say- This is again the language of Job, whose book David would have been familiar with. The connection between Ps. 22:7 and Mt. 27:39 would suggest that the 'passers-by' were there with the express intent of taunting Him. Because His eyes were inevitably downward, it would have been difficult for the Lord not to look at them. Their words were exactly those of the Sanhedrin (Mt. 26:61), so presumably they came from there- the work colleagues of Joseph and Nicodemus.

Psalm 22:8 He trusts in Yahweh; let Him deliver him. Let Him rescue him, since He delights in him- We wonder why men so versed in the Old Testament would actually quote these words about the Lord. For by quoting them, they were presenting Him as the suffering believer of Psalm 22 who was to be justified. It seems that it was a case of hate blinding the eyes and sense of those caught up in it. They knew the words, and quoted them out of context, as they thought. They surely later realized what they had done. And were driven either to even deeper psychological blindness, or repentance.

Psalm 22:9 But You brought me out of the womb, You made me trust at my mother’s breasts- The Lord’s mother and aunty stood by the cross- the tragedy of His mother being there needs no comment. If dying men do indeed think back to their childhood, His thoughts would have been with His mother. She would have seen the blood coming from the feet. Her head would have been parallel with His knees. His face marred more than the sons of men (Is. 52:14), sore from where His beard had been pulled off (Is. 50:6), teeth missing and loose, making His speech sound strange, fresh and dried blood mixing... and His mother there to behold and hear it all. She must have thought back, and surely He did too; for He was only a man. Mother around the house as a child, mending clothes, getting food, explaining things, telling Him about Simeon's prophecy, of how a sword would break her heart as well as His. This isn't just emotional speculation. Ps. 22:9,10 emphasizes the Lord's thoughts for His mother and His babyhood with her: "Thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou keptest me in safety (AVmg.- a reference to Herod's persecution) when I was on my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly". The temptation would have been to go on and on. Was I too hard on her in Cana? How I must have stung her when I said " Behold my mother and my brethren" are these half hearted, superficially interested people (Mt. 12:49). She was the best mother I could have ever had. Like any man would think. And He was a man. Not a mere man, but a man. I wonder if He said those words of breakage, of severance, between Him and her, because these feelings welling up within Him were affecting His concentration on the Father.

Psalm 22:10 I was thrown on You from my mother’s womb; You are my God since my mother bore me- See on ::9. The Lord's thoughts for His mother are absolutely psychologically credible; for she was the only person who knew for sure that there had been a virgin birth, and He was God's Son.

Psalm 22:11 Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none else to help- "None else to help" felt so appropriate for the Lord, for His mother and few loyal friends stood "far" from the cross. The same words are used for how Israel and the exiles were under persecution with none to help apart from God (Ps. 107:12; Lam. 1:7). The paradox was that God saved His people through the Lord Jesus exactly because they had "none to help" (Is. 63:5 s.w.). But He Himself had to go through that experience of having none to help (Ps. 22:11). Their salvation was achieved through His being their total representative.

Psalm 22:12 Many bulls have surrounded me, strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me- It could be in the historical application that David felt surrounded by enemies from Bashan. Bulls don't usually encircle a man to kill him. There is a sense that there is a supernatural, divinely controlled way in which the opposition was being orchestrated. The parallel is in :16, where it is the assembly (NEV "company") of the wicked who do this, alluding to the Sanhedrin.

Psalm 22:13 They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring- The same word is used of the roaring of the enemies as lions (:1 AV). In response, David / Jesus roared to God. The repeated reference to lions may reflect the later usage of the Psalm at the time of the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions, where again the imagery of lions was used.

Psalm 22:14 I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joint- The emphasis upon David's sense of dehydration looked forward to the Lord's thirst on the cross. Every word He spoke out loud was an expenditure of effort and saliva. He was intensely aware of this. He realized that unless He had more moisture, He just would not be able to speak out loud any more. And yet He so desperately wanted His last words to be heard and meditated upon. His sweat in the Garden had been dropping like blood drops; the nervous tension of bearing our sins sapped moisture from Him. There would have been a loss of lymph and body fluid to the point that He felt as if He had been "poured out like water" (Ps. 22:14); He "poured out his soul unto death" (Is. 53:12), as if His sense of dehydration was an act He consciously performed; He felt that the loss of moisture was because He was pouring it out Himself. This loss of moisture was therefore due to the mental processes within the Lord Jesus, it was a result of His act of the will in so mentally and emotionally giving Himself for us, rather than just the physical result of crucifixion. The same word for "poured out" is used of pouring out the soul to the Lord (1 Sam. 1:15; Ps. 62:8; 102:1; 142:2).

My heart is like wax; it is melted within me- The language of condemnation (Ps. 68:2; 97:5); and meting or fainting hearts is the description of the faithless (s.w. Dt. 20:8; Josh. 2:11; 7:5; Ps. 112:10; Is. 13:7). As discussed on :1, the Lord felt like a sinner, totally identifying with the feelings of sinners and their condemnation, whilst being personally innocent.

Psalm 22:15 My strength is dried up like a shard of pottery; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death- As noted on :1, the initial context of the Psalm was David's collapse of health after the sin with Bathsheba. The dehydration would be associated with various serious diseases. And it pointed forward to the Lord's thirst on the cross. David felt dead, already back to dust, when he wasn't. Perhaps the Lord likewise reasoned (for a moment, in the crisis of the cross) that He might somehow experience effective death without dying. Although before that He clearly predicted His death for three days. Perhaps the extreme language is because David is continually alluding to Job's feelings in suffering.

Psalm 22:16 For dogs have surrounded me, a company of evildoers have enclosed me- The assembly (AV) of the wicked who do this alludes to the Sanhedrin. They are unclean animals (as in :11)- when they prided themselves upon their purity.

They have pierced my hands and feet- As discussed on :1, not all the experiences listed here appear to have been true of David, nor of any Biblical character. We conclude that some of the language of piercing and crucifixion was therefore initially intended symbolically. But it all came together in a literal sense for the Lord Jesus. There is also the possibility that there were historical sufferings of David which are simply not recorded, and yet are alluded to in the Psalms.

Psalm 22:17 I can count all of my bones, they look and stare at me- This is from the perspective of the crucified Lord Jesus looking downwards at His own body. And yet on the cross He saw all His bones, which represented the future members of His body (Eph. 5:30). David was presumably seriously, perhaps terminally ill as a result of the sin with Bathsheba; and the Psalms written at that time are descriptive of the Lord's time of dying. For then He was supremely identified with sinful people.

Psalm 22:18 They divide my garments among them, they cast lots for my clothing- Again we wonder as to how this could be done without people instantly perceiving a fulfilment of the Psalm. As noted on :8, it seems that it was a case of hate blinding the eyes and sense of those caught up in it. They knew the words, and quoted them out of context, as they thought. They surely later realized what they had done. And were driven either to even deeper psychological blindness, or repentance.

Psalm 22:19 But don’t be far off, Yahweh. You are my help: hurry to help me- David prayed at the time of the Bathsheba incident for God not be far from him nor forsake him (Ps. 38:21). But in Ps. 22:1,19 he feels he has been forsaken and that God is "far off". But this Psalm is absolutely the feelings of the Lord Jesus on the cross- because He was so intensely identified with sinners. I noted on :3 that the historical context of this Psalm was the sin with Bathsheba. David repeatedly asks God to "hurry to help me" (Ps. 22:19; 38:22; 40:13; 70:1,5; 141:1). But David had hurried (s.w.) to be obedient to God, always wanting to 'say yes straight away' (Ps. 119:60). Our response to God's voice is therefore related to His response to our voice; if His words abide in us, then we experience positive experience in answered prayer (Jn. 15:7).

Psalm 22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!- Life is perceived rightly as our most precious possession. The Lord's desire for deliverance, like David's, meant that He wanted immediate deliverance; He had to come to realize that the prayer would be answered, but not immediately. Such deliverance from the sword became appropriate to the salvation from Assyria (s.w. Mic. 5:6). But it is a quotation from the situation of Moses, who was saved from the sword of Pharaoh (s.w. Ex. 18:4). Moses was one of the 'fathers' whose prayers for deliverance had been heard (:4,5). The pinnacle of the Lord's humility just before He died was in realizing that others less spiritual than Himself had been delivered. What seemed so unfair and unjust, God coming through for him or her but not for me... caused the Lord to reach the required acme of humility with which He died (Phil. 2:6-12). And yet for many, those issues of injustice lead them to lose faith in God, because they refuse to humble themselves.

Psalm 22:21 Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen, You have answered me- At this point the tone of the psalm changes. Whilst at the lion's mouth, the Lord Jesus felt answered. It seems He perceived that the answer was going to come in resurrection, rather than in immediate deliverance after the pattern of Isaac (see on :1). This of course was what the Lord had earlier believed, reflected in His clear teaching that He was to die and be dead for three days.

Psalm 22:22 I will declare Your name to my brothers, in the midst of the congregation I will praise You- The Name was declared in the Lord’s death, as He had foretold (Jn. 17:26). Forgiveness of sins is through baptism into the Name (Acts 2:38), as even in OT times forgiveness was for the sake of the Name (Ps. 79:9). And yet through the cross and blood of Christ is forgiveness made possible. His blood and death therefore was the supreme declaration of God’s Name; through His cross the grace and forgiveness, love, salvation and judgment implicit in the Name was all enabled and revealed in practice. Ps. 22:22 prophesied that “I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the congregation [ekklesia, LXX]", and this is quoted about the Lord Jesus and His church in Heb. 2:12. "In the midst of..." is interpreted in Heb. 2:12 as a reason for understanding that the Lord had our human nature. He died with the vision of being one with us, singing along with us; not of being above us. It was to us His brethren that the Name was declared; in the eyes of an unbelieving world, this was just another crucified man, a failure, a wannabe who never made it. But to us, it is the declaration of the Name. It was and is done in the midst of the ecclesia, as if the whole church from that day to this beholds it all at first hand. And our response is to in turn “Declare his righteousness" (Ps. 22:31), in response to seeing the Name declared, we declare to Him…in lives of love for the brethren. For the Name was declared, that the love that was between the Father and Son might be in us.

The Lord died with the vision of us His "brothers", the congregation in whose midst He would walk and fellowship, as He does today. We, and His fellowship with us, was the vision He died with and was His comfort all through His time of dying. So the Lord's prayer thoughts to the Father on the cross included His awareness that the ekklesia, the church or "congregation", were His brothers. For He realized that it was through His sacrifice that a new family was being created. The declaration or preaching of the Father's Name to us was supremely through the Lord's death on the cross. The cross was the supreme declaration of the Name (Jn. 17:26); the first letters of the Hebrew title over the cross spelt 'YHWH'. And that declaration of the Name in the naked, bleeding, betrayed and crucified Christ was to us. And the Lord looked forward, perhaps in literal terms, to singing praise to the Father in the midst of His brothers. This all hardly sounds as if the Lord Jesus was "God the Son". He positioned Himself in the midst of His brethren, singing God's praise- even after His exaltation.

Psalm 22:23 You who fear Yahweh, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him! Stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel!- The seed of Jacob, the true Israel, were understood by the Lord as "my brothers", the ekklesia (:22), the "humble" (:26), the new people who were to be born through His sacrifice (:31). This was to be the new Israel of God. The Lord died with us in view.

Psalm 22:24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither has He hidden His face from him; but when he cried to Him, He heard-

In deep sickness or depression it can simply be that we find formal, verbalized prayer impossible. Ps. 77:4 speaks of this: "I am so troubled that I cannot speak" (formally, to God). It's in those moments that comfort can be taken from the fact that it is our spirit which is mediated as it were to God. Tribulation is read as prayer- hence even the Lord's suffering on the cross, "the affliction of the afflicted", was read by the Father as the Lord Jesus 'crying unto' the Father (Ps. 22:24). This is sure comfort to those so beset by illness and physical pain that they lack the clarity of mind to formally pray- their very affliction is read by the Father as their prayer.

Psalm 22:25 Of You comes my praise in the great assembly; I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him- Verse 22 prophesied that “I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the congregation [ekklesia, LXX]", and this is quoted about the Lord Jesus and His church in Heb. 2:12. "In the midst of..." is interpreted in Heb. 2:12 as a reason for understanding that the Lord had our human nature. He died with the vision of being one with us, singing along with us; not of being above us. And here we have the same idea; the Lord looked ahead to the day when along with other God fearers, He would pay his vows before God. His God was their God, as He specifically stated after His resurrection (Jn. 20:17).

As discussed on :1, this was originally a Psalm written at the time of the sin with Bathsheba and Uriah. David increasingly recognized his sinfulness and his reliance upon the grace of God. One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps.  4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). Indeed, Ps. 71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men.

Psalm 22:26 The humble shall eat and be satisfied, they who seek after Him shall praise Yahweh. May your hearts live forever- Psalms 22 and 69 describe the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross foreseeing "the great congregation" gratefully and humbly eating in memory of Him (cp. the breaking of bread), serving Him, inheriting Zion and declaring His righteousness and His victory on the cross to others down the generations. Let us remember this as we break bread and witness to Him (Ps. 22:30,31).

Psalm 22:27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh, all the families of nations shall worship before You- As a result of the Lord being lifted up on the stake, “all the ends of the world shall… turn unto [s.w. ‘convert to’] the Lord” (Ps. 22:27). Jn. 12:38-41 draws a parallel between being converted, and understanding the prophecies of the glory of the crucified Christ. To know Him in His time of dying, to see the arm of Yahweh revealed in Him there and to respond, is to be converted. This is why the cross is at the center of all truly Christian witness.  The Lord saw a new community developing from His dead and resurrected body, comprised of people from all nations, and thereby fulfilling the implications of the promises to Abraham.

In Lk. 24:45-47 we read how Christ explained to the disciples that their preaching of the Gospel "among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" was foretold in the Psalms and prophets. So the Bible student asks: Where  in the Psalms and prophets? The Lord spoke as if the prophecies about this were copious. There do not seem to be any specific prophecies which speak of the twelve spreading the Gospel from Jerusalem in the first century. Instead we read of the Gospel being spread from Jerusalem in the Kingdom, and often the phrase "all nations" occurs in a Kingdom context, describing how "all nations" will come to worship Christ at Jerusalem (Ps. 22:27; 67:2; 72:11,17; 82:8; 86:9; 117:1; Is. 2:2; 66:18,20; Jer. 3:17; Dan. 7:14; Hag. 2:7; Zech. 8:23). This selection of "Psalms and prophets" is impressive. Yet the Lord Jesus clearly interpreted these future Kingdom passages as having relevance to the world-wide spreading of the Gospel. "All nations" also occurs in many passages exhorting us to praise Yahweh among all the nations of this world. The reason for this is that God's glory is so great it should be declared as far as possible by us. 1 Chron. 16:24,25 is typical of many such verses: "Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. For  great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised...for all the gods of the people are idols". World-wide preaching is therefore an aspect of our praise of Yahweh, and as such it is a spiritual work which is timeless.

Psalm 22:28 For the kingdom is Yahweh’s, He is the ruler over the nations- The "for" connects this with surrounding verses, where the Lord has foreseen the new community of worshippers as emerging from the dust of death through a resurrection of the body similar to that which was to be His experience, in answer to His prayer in this Psalm (:29). And this was to be at the time when Yahweh's Kingdom was established over the nations; that new community which was to be created (:31) would comprise peoples from all nations (:27).

A number of Psalms appear to have some verses relevant to the exile, and others relevant to earlier historical situations. It would seem that an inspired writer inserted the verses which spoke specifically to the exilic situation. Psalm 22 thus appears to have had vv. 28-32 added or rewritten with reference to the exiles; other examples in Psalms 9, 10; 59; 66; 68; 69:34; 85; 107; 108 and 118.

Psalm 22:29 All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship, all those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who can’t keep his own soul alive- In :26, the community envisaged by the Lord who would "eat ad worship" were "the humble". He looked to the day when the poor would become the eternally rich, and the hungry would eat. This situation was envisaged as happening when those humble ones who had returned to dust would again "bow before Him". As the Lord Jesus perceived that the answer to His prayer was to be through resurrection, so He further perceived that this would enable the resurrection of those in Him. They are characterized as those who recognize they cannot keep their own soul alive. They denied that they had any inherent immortality (no immortal soul), and their search for a resurrection of the body by grace was to be met in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 22:30 Posterity shall serve Him, future generations shall be told about the Lord- AV "a seed". The Lord perceived that through His death and resurrection (in answer to His prayer for deliverance from death in this Psalm), the "seed" of promise would be developed. They were to be comprised of people from "all nations" (:27,29), and as noted on :31, the Lord perceived that the new community of saved ones would be characterized by telling others about Him, His death and resurrection.

Psalm 22:31 They shall come and shall declare His righteousness to a people that shall be born, for He has finished it- The seed of Jacob, the true Israel, were understood by the Lord as "my brothers", the ekklesia (:22), the "humble" (:26), the new people who were to be born through His sacrifice (:31). This was to be the new Israel of God who were 'to come'; their lead characteristic was that they would "declare His righteousness" to others. Witness is to be at the core of the redeemed community. The Lord died with us in view.

Psalm 23

Psalm 23:1 A Psalm by David. Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall be in need of nothing- There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father  is essentially mutual. David was a shepherd, but Yahweh was his shepherd (Ps. 23:1), and he was to shepherd Israel (2 Sam. 5:2 Heb.). It seems this Psalm was written when David was on the run from Absalom, having fled Jerusalem for his life, and now making his way along the banks of the river Kidron into the wilderness (2 Sam. 15:23), to be surprised by the feasts prepared for him in the desert (:5) by Ziba (2 Sam. 16:2) and Barzillai (2 Sam. 17:27-29). With no clear plan or course of action apart from to get away from Jerusalem, wandering in the desert... David felt all the same that God was his shepherd and was leading him. As having nothing, he had all things.

Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green meadows, He leads me beside still waters- This is the language of sheep lying down and being led. As noted on :1, David had no clear plan when he suddenly had to flee Jerusalem. But he has a strong sense of being led. The still waters and green meadows may refer to how the Kidron brook began, but 2 Sam. 15:23 notes that David's path soon went from there into the desert. So maybe he is perceiving the wilderness as "green meadows" because God is leading him. Perhaps he had in view how God lead (s.w.) Israel through the desert, but with the waters of the stream from the rock going with them (Ex. 15:13). The restoration application is to God's promise to "lead" (s.w.) the exiles on the desert journey back to Zion (Is. 40:11; 49:10).

Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul- As God doesn’t faint or weary, so somehow those who identify their lives with His will also keep on keeping on- even now (Is. 40:31 cp. 29). David felt that his youth was renewed like the eagle's in his repeated experience of God's grace (Ps. 103:5), that his soul was restored (Ps. 23:3), and that a right spirit could be renewed by God within him (Ps. 51:10). This is the equivalent of the "newness of life" which is promised to us through acceptance of God's Spirit.

The great restoration prophecies of Jer. 23:1-8 and Ez. 34:1-31 speak of the flock of Israel going astray due to bad shepherds, being saved by the good shepherd, being delivered / gathered, and then returning to the land. The Hebrew word shub means both 'to return' in the sense of returning to the land, and 'turning' in the sense of repentance. But these restoration prophecies are packed with allusion to the great shepherd Psalm 23. Here, David says that the good shepherd 'causes me to repent' (Ps. 23:3 Heb.). This is matched in Ez. 36 by the idea of God giving Israel a new heart. And the Lord's amazing parable of the good shepherd (Lk. 15:1-7) brings together Ps. 23 and also these restoration passages, in speaking of how He goes out and finds the lost sheep and brings it back home (Kenneth Bailey brings together all the many points of similarity between Ps. 23, Jer. 23:1-8, Ez. 34:1-31 and the parable of the lost sheep (Lk. 15:1-7) in his book Jacob And The Prodigal (Downers Grove: IVP, 2003) p. 70). The sheep is found, and accepts being found- there is no actual mention of repentance. Thus the 'return' of Judah to their land was intended as a work of God- He would make them return, He would give them repentance [note how Acts 11:18 speaks of God granting men repentance]. This is all such wonderful grace. The even more incredible thing, though, is that Judah refused to accept this grace; they didn't 'return' to the land because they saw no need to 'return' to God. They willingly forgot that they were only in Babylon because of their sins; to 'return' to the land was a 'return' to God, which He had enabled. But they were like the lost sheep refusing to sit on the shepherd's shoulders, preferring to sit in a hole and die... and this is the warning to us. For truly, absolutely all things have been prepared for us to enter the Kingdom. It's only those who don't want to be there who won't be.

He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake- Here is yet another evidence that there can be a higher hand in the achievement of human spirituality. This guidance is part of God's sovereign ability to act "for His Name's sake"; if a man wants to be righteous, he will be confirmed in that path.

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death- The immediate context was David fleeing Jerusalem at the time of Absalom's rebellion. He passed through a valley from the top of which Shimei, one of Absalom's supporters, threw rocks at him and cursed him (2 Sam. 16:13). There was naturally the fear of an ambush, for David's location was thereby clearly known to his enemies.

I will fear no evil, for You are with me- This was the fear of ambush just described. David's sense that 'God is with me' is that of 'Emmanuel', God with us, the great comfort to the exiles in Isaiah's restoration prophecies. He felt the essence of the result of the yet future work of the Lord Jesus.

Your rod and staff, they comfort me- This returns to the idea of David being God's sheep in :1. He believed he was suffering God's rod of correction, the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba; and yet at the same time, God's staff of protection against his enemies. "Comfort" is the word used for repentance or change of mind. Although he had repented for the sin with Bathsheba, his experience of the ongoing consequences led him to further repentance. And likewise in our experience, repentance tends to be a process, moving to ever deeper levels and further dimensions over time.

Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies- I noted on :4 that David's flight from Jerusalem was not in secret; Shimei and other "enemies" were aware of his path. The reference is to the feasts prepared for him in the desert by Ziba (2 Sam. 16:2) and Barzillai (2 Sam. 17:27-29). But the phrase "prepare a table" is that used of the preparation of the table of shewbread (Ex. 40:4), and it is used in a religious sense in Is. 65:11; Ez. 23:41. Perhaps David held some kind of religious ceremony whilst on the run, the equivalent to our breaking of bread meeting. And his experience of the Lord's table strengthened him with great encouragement, as we also can experience.

You anoint my head with oil- David recalls how Samuel had anointed him as a teenager. He was the anointed king of Israel. And he had learnt from Saul's demise that this could only be undone by God and not by man.

My cup runs over- With everything against him, fleeing from his own son Absalom who had garnered mass support, with no clear plan as to where to go or how now to act, David felt he had blessing above blessing- because he had experienced God's grace.

Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and grace shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever- see on Gen. 28:20,21. As explained on :5, despite being at the nadir of his life at the time of Absalom's rebellion, David felt he was so blessed with God's grace and kindness. The fact God had saved him from execution after the Bathsheba incident... was felt by David to be such an experience of saving grace, that nothing else mattered. Although now heading away from the sanctuary in Zion, he was certain that finally he would dwell in Yahweh's sanctuary eternally. Perhaps he is displaying faith that he would ultimately return to Zion; but more likely he has in view his eternal future in the Kingdom yet to come.

Psalm 24

Psalm 24:1 A Psalm by David- This Psalm may have been used when David brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the sanctuary on Zion (2 Sam. 6:12). Perhaps the Levites who carried it sung this, or it was sung by a choir of Levites at this time.

The earth is Yahweh’s, with all its fullness; the world, and they who dwell in it- The fact that "the earth is the Lord's" is used to highlight the wonder of the fact that therefore how much moreso do His people belong to Him, and are cared for by Him with such sensitivity (Ex. 19:5; Dt. 10:14; Ps. 50:12; 89:11). Just as the eretz / earth / land promised to Abraham is Yahweh's, so is in fact the entire planet, and His purpose was perceived by David as incorporating the entire planet and not just Israel.

Psalm 24:2 For He has founded it on the seas, and established it on the floods- The eretz in view in :1 was the territory promised to Abraham, greater Israel. It is presented as founded upon the seas and rivers ("floods") of Gentile nations; for as noted on :1, the eretz is paralleled with the entire world. David perceived God's intention was that the Gentiles should also come to Israel's God.

Psalm 24:3 Who may ascend to Yahweh’s hill? Who may stand in His holy place?- This rhetorical question is given in the context of having implied that people well beyond Israel had a place in God's Kingdom. But that Kingdom was not just for any Israelite; it was for anyone who kept His ways as later defined in the Psalm. And it seems David is saying that the sanctuary on mount Zion, God's holy hill, was open to all regardless of ethnicity. And even entrance into the holy place was no longer just for Levites, but for whoever was spiritually qualified. David himself was not a Levite but at times acted as one.

Psalm 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully- Throughout David’s Psalms in Ps. 1-72, he repeatedly asks for torture upon the sinners and blessing upon himself as the righteous. He speaks of how sinners should be “contemned” in the eyes of the righteous (Ps. 15:4), the gatherings of sinners should be “hated” and sinners should not be fellowshipped (Ps. 26:4-6; Ps. 31:6) and how God’s uprightness is shown to the upright and His judgment to the judgmental (Ps. 18:25,26; Ps. 33:22). He invites God’s judgment upon himself and others according to their and his works (Ps. 28:4).  Frequently he alludes to Saul as “the violent man”- even though David committed his share of violence- and asks judgment upon him (Ps. 18:48). Only those with clean hands and pure heart like himself could have fellowship with God (Ps. 24:3,4). Psalm 37 doesn’t indicate any desire to convert the sinners but rather an expectation of their judgment and destruction. God and David laugh at the wicked because their day is coming (Ps. 37:13). There’s no spirit of grace here at all- perhaps that’s why Zech. 12:10 specifically says that the spirit of grace will have to be poured out upon the house of David in the last days. This attitude changed after the sin with Bathsheba, but still something of the old self righteousness and judgmental attitudes are to be found in David in Psalms written after that.

In describing his feelings after the Bathsheba experience, David comments that he was "as a man that hears not [the taunts of others against him], and in whose mouth are no rebukes" (Ps. 38:14). The pre-Bathsheba Psalms present David as a man who was so easily hurt by the taunts of others, and whose mouth was indeed full of rebuke of others. Psalms 24, 25 and 26 are full of David explaining that fellowship with God was dependent upon a man's "integrity", walking in truth, hating sinners, personal innocence, "uprightness", clean hands and pure heart. And throughout these Psalms, David holds up himself as the great example.

Psalm 24:5 He shall receive a blessing from Yahweh, namely righteousness from the God of his salvation- This passage implies that our purity is not so much from forsaking sin, but rather from the imputation of God's righteousness to us. The letter to the Romans makes it clear that such imputation depends upon faith, not works (e.g. rectifying marriage problems). It is God's righteousness which is credited to us, not our own (2 Cor. 5:21). And as noted on :3, David is open to the idea that all people, regardless of ethnicity, could partake of this imputed righteousness by grace through faith.

Psalm 24:6 This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face- We are frequently reminded in the prophets that the spiritual way of life is one which is seeking God. We are to seek His face (Ps. 24:6; 27:8)- which it is impossible to behold (Ex. 33:20). Actually finding God in the ultimate sense is therefore unattainable in this life; but our whole mortal life must be lived in this spirit of seeking ultimate perfection. Seeking God is often defined in the prophets as forsaking our sins and desiring to be righteous (Amos 5:5,8,14,15). None of us are completely successful in our seeking of God, and therefore it follows that none of is completely forsakes all our sinfulness.

Even that of the God of Jacob. Selah- Every reference to "the God of Jacob / Israel" is effectively saying: 'I'm the God that stuck with mixed up, struggling Jacob. And I'll stick with you too, through spiritual thick and thin, and bring you through in the end'. This is the love of God for Jacob. So close is the association between God and Jacob that there are times when the name 'Jacob' becomes a synonym for 'the God of Jacob'. Ps. 24:6 is an example: "The generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob" (cp. other examples in Is. 44:5; Jer. 10:16; 51:19). The name of Israel therefore was paralleled with the name of God- Joshua feared that the name of Israel would be cut off, “and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?” (Josh. 2:9).

Psalm 24:7 Lift up your heads, you gatekeepers! Be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in- As noted on :1, the immediate reference was to the ark entering Zion. The mercy seat over which the glory of the shekinah was seen was understood as enthroned there. In this sense God was king there. And yet His entry into the sanctuary is parallel with the entry of righteous people into it, of all ethnicities (see on :1-5). The gatekeepers are being exhorted to lift up their heads and open the gates- both to God in the ark, and to all righteous people.

Psalm 24:8 Who is the King of glory? Yahweh strong and mighty, Yahweh mighty in battle- "Who is...?" matches the same rhetorical question in :3. The entry of God and that of His people is paralleled.

Psalm 24:9 Lift up your heads, you gatekeepers; yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in- This states that when the gatekeepers of Zion lift up their heads [to God in truth], then the King of glory will come in. And the Lord applies these words to His true people of the last days in Lk. 21:28- they are to likewise lift up their heads [so that] their redemption will draw nigh, or be hastened. Israelite repentance is a condition for the Lord’s return.

Psalm 24:10 Who is this King of glory? Yahweh of Armies is the King of glory! Selah- The entry of the ark into Zion looked forward to the final entry of God's glory into Zion in the person of the Lord Jesus in the last day. Christ's approach to Jerusalem is described in Ps. 24:10: "Who is this King of glory? The Lord of Hosts (Angels), he is the King of glory". Thus Christ, the Lord of glory, will be especially clearly associated with the Angels as He approaches Jerusalem. He comes with all the Holy Angels with Him, with “saints”, i.e. Angels, to relieve the invasion of the latter-day Sennacherib.

Psalm 25

Psalm 25:1 By David- This Psalm is based around the alphabet. But the letters beth and vav are omitted, instead of koph there is resh; and the he section is doubled at the end. This isn't careless construction or corruption, but rather does Hebrew poetry function through such intentional omissions or departures from an expected pattern.

To You, Yahweh, do I lift up my soul- There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. David lifts himself up to God (Ps. 25:1; 28:2; 86:4), and asks God to lift up Himself in response (Ps. 7:6; 10:12; 94:2). Lifting up is the language of sacrifice; David sees himself as a priest offering himself.

Psalm 25:2 My God, I have trusted in You; don’t let me be shamed- Typical of men of his time, David seems to fear shame more than death itself. Defeat meant shame, and he desperately begged not to be shamed. Perhaps it was the function of his failure with Bathsheba to help him redefine the motives for his trust in God.

Don’t let my enemies triumph over me- These are the words of Hannah (1 Sam. 2:1). David had the humility to be influenced by a woman's words, something unusual for males of his time.

Psalm 25:3 Truly, no one who waits for You shall be shamed. They shall be shamed who deal treacherously without cause- As noted on :2, David had to be taught that those who wait upon / serve God can be shamed, by their sins. And it was David who dealt with Uriah treacherously without cause.

Psalm 25:4 Show me Your ways, Yahweh, teach me Your paths- Seeing David had access to the existing scriptures, as Ps. 119 shows, this indicates that David believed that God could show him His ways in a way other than simply reading the text of the Bible. Just as is true today, and as is often mentioned in Ps. 119, God is willing to operate directly on the hearts of men in a way over and above His written word. David realized this, and asked to be taught and shown God's ways (Ps. 25:4; 143:8). "Show" is the usual word for 'to know'. Knowledge in its ultimate, spiritual sense is not attained simply by reading or hearing the text of the Bible; not that I am at all decrying that. But there is a higher, Divine hand at work in making us know Divine knowledge. Moses had prayed the same words in Ex. 33:13: "Show me [make me to know] Your way, that I may know [s.w. "show"] You [and] find grace in Your sight". The gift of knowledge, in the Hebraic sense of relationship, is related to God's grace. That knowledge which is in view is not the same as technical, theological knowledge. Moses' prayer was answered; the same words are used in saying that God "made known His ways to Moses" (Ps. 103:7).

Psalm 25:5 Guide me in Your truth, and teach me- As noted on :4, the desire for guidance or being led suggests that there is a higher power available, beyond a man engaging alone with God's word and seeking to obey it in his own strength. The idea is beyond that of guidance; the same word is translated "make me to go in the path of Your commandments" (Ps. 119:35). It is the word used for a bow being bent; the idea is of God's hand directly and forcefully acting upon a willing human mind. The idea of the gift of the Holy Spirit is the New Testament equivalent of this.

For You are the God of my salvation; I wait for You all day long- David wanted to be guided because he knew that the end point of the path was "my salvation". His 'waiting' can be understood as an idiom for 'serving', or a waiting for salvation to be revealed in his lifetime.

Psalm 25:6 Yahweh, remember Your tender mercies and Your grace, for they are from old times- Mercy and grace often refer to the Abrahamic covenant, made in "old times". David perceived God's entire path with His people as being of "tender mercies", whereas the skeptic will not see His path in history that way.

Psalm 25:7 Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions- It should be noted that the sin of adultery is not highlighted in Nathan's rebuke of David, but rather that David had "killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife". This is twice emphasized in 2 Sam. 12:9,10. This is not to say that the sin of weakness, of the moment, was irrelevant in God's sight. But the emphasis on how he had taken Bathsheba as his wife hints that this had been his long term intention, further suggesting that his sin with her was the end result of much prior meditation. This further illuminates the way in which David speaks of his sin with Bathsheba as if it comprised a whole multitude of other sins: "I acknowledged my sin (singular) unto thee... I said, I will confess my transgressions (plural)" (Ps. 32:5 cp. 38:3,4,18). Ps. 25:7 also occurs in a  Bathsheba context: "Remember not the sins of my youth..."; as if facing up to his sin with Bathsheba made David face up to sins of years ago, possibly also in a sexual context.

Remember me according to Your grace, for Your goodness’ sake, Yahweh- "Remember me" carries the connotation of 'remember me for good and therefore forgive me at the judgment' in Jud. 16:28; Lk. 23:46.

Psalm 25:8 Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore He will instruct sinners in the way- David felt that his sin and its forgiveness was a time of instruction for him, and he vows to in turn teach sinners God's way (Ps. 32:1 etc.). God wishes to manifest Himself through our witness; He wants to use each one of us as a witness to Himself. Rev. 12:11 may imply that our testimony to others is proportionate to our victory against the devil. Preaching is therefore an expression of basic righteousness. God teaches sinners His ways because He is essentially good (Ps. 25:8); and if we are righteous, we will manifest Him in this.

Psalm 25:9 He will guide the humble in justice; He will teach the humble His way- To receive the guidance and teaching discussed on :4,5, we must be humble, as the clay must be soft to be worked by the Divine hand. Comparing with the context of :8, David parallels “the meek” and the repentant sinner (:8,9). The publican was so worried about his own position before God that he paid no attention, so we sense, to the hypocritical brother next to him: “The publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner…this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for …he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:13-14). That sin-conscious man is an essay in self-humbling.

Psalm 25:10 All the ways of Yahweh are grace and truth to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies- "Grace and truth" is a term associated with the promises to Abraham, which formed the new covenant. If that covenant was kept, then God would lead those within it- in grace and truth. See on :13.

Psalm 25:11 For Your name’s sake, Yahweh, pardon my iniquity, for it is great- See on Ex. 32:32. David, realizing he was seen by God as a representative of his people, prayed for forgiveness in that he realized that he was thereby a pattern for all the wayward people of God. “For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity; for it is great” is an undoubted reference to Moses praying for Israel’s forgiveness relating to the golden calf (Ex. 32:30,31). He saw himself as both Moses in prayer and also guilty Israel. He saw Bathsheba had been his golden calf idol, mixing as it had done sexual abandon with an appearance of Yahweh worship. There was nobody to pray for him apart from himself. He saw himself as all Israel, savable only by pure grace and the sincere prayer of a mediator- even if the mediator himself was guilty. God's Name is His character and personality (Ex. 34:5-7), and integral to that is His desire to forgive.

Psalm 25:12 What man is he who fears Yahweh? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose- The man who fears Yahweh is the repentant, humbled sinner who is open to instruction (:8,9). This is the man who fears Yahweh and His judgments in a way they should be feared. The Father opens up new ways of understanding for us each, of His choosing and according to our individual needs, in response to our living a God-fearing life. If our hearts are knit together in brotherly love, the more we will understand- for true understanding is, in the end, to fathom the depths of God’s love (Col. 2:2).

Psalm 25:13 His soul shall dwell at ease, His descendants shall inherit the land- David here appropriates the promises to Abraham to himself (see on :10). He saw the outcome of the promised blessing as peace with God, knowing that we have been forgiven (:8,10). And this is how the New Testament interprets the Abrahamic blessing (Acts 3:25,26).

Psalm 25:14 The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear Him; He will show them His covenant- "Friendship" is better "secret" or "council". What is so awesome is that the Hebrew word sod, 'council' or 'court', is something open to us as mortals. In Biblical times, Kings had their sod, their gathering of intimate advisors and ministers. But we, mere mortals on earth, are invited to be part of the sod of God Almighty, having His purpose and plans revealed to us (Ps. 25:14; Job 29:4). But sod members weren't passive listeners; they gave their advice and requests, and the King factored that into His decision making. This is a picture of the power of prayer from those who have understood the way and essence of the King of Heaven.

God’s doctrines are described as a secret, a mystery; the Hebrew word used in this connection means ‘A confidential plan revealed to intimate friends’; and yet they are revealed to the true believers (Am. 3:7-8; Jer. 23: 18,22 AV mg.; Ps. 25:14; Eph. 3:3-6). Therefore the congregation of true believers is called “the secret assembly of the saints”(Ps. 89:7 Heb.). There are many Bibles around, but God’s doctrines are to some extent a secret, and not understood by many of those who possess and read the Bible. It therefore follows that the Bible must be written in such a way as to conceal Truth from the majority of readers.

Psalm 25:15 My eyes are ever on Yahweh, for He will pluck my feet out of the net- The metaphor suggests that instead of looking carefully at his feet to ensure he didn't step into a net or trap, David's eyes instead were looking upwards to Yahweh. See on Ps. 26:3.

Psalm 25:16 Turn to me- The phrase used of God having respect to those in covenant with Him (Lev. 26:9); the theme of covenant relationship is clearly in David's mind (:10,13,14).

And have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted- This would be appropriate to how David felt when ill and politically isolated after his sin with Bathsheba.

Psalm 25:17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses!- These troubles of the heart surely refer to his feelings at the time after the sin with Bathsheba. David's mind was on how Jacob and Joseph had been rescued from their "troubles" (s.w. Gen. 35:3; 42:21). Such "troubles" come to those who break covenant (Dt. 31:17,21), and David is asking for covenant relationship to be restored (:10,13,14,16).

Psalm 25:18 Consider my affliction and my travail, forgive all my sins- David perceived that his affliction was a result of his sins; yet he saw it as "travail", pregnant with the hope of restored relationship with God and a new birth to a new life with Him.

Psalm 25:19 Consider my enemies, for they are many; they hate me with total hatred- The sin with Bathsheba led to David having enemies, within his own family, and also within Bathsheba's family. For Ahithophel David's counsellor was her grandfather.

Psalm 25:20 Oh keep my soul, and deliver me; let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in You- "Disappointed" is s.w. "ashamed" in :2. Typical of men of his time, David seems to fear shame more than death itself. Defeat meant shame, and he desperately begged not to be shamed. Perhaps it was the function of his failure with Bathsheba to help him redefine the motives for his trust in God.

Psalm 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You- If David means that his own previous integrity and uprightness should preserve him, then he was arguing for salvation by works. And if he intended to from then on promise integrity, then he also failed in that. He still hasn't come to a total casting of himself upon God's grace. “I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul” was surely a collapse of faith and "uprightness" (1 Sam. 27:1). And it led to the way in which David deceived Achish by pretending he was attacking Jewish towns, when in fact he was going out and attacking the Amalekite settlements, killing all men, women and children in them so that nobody was left alive to tell that it was David who had attacked them (1 Sam. 27:8-10). Innocent people were slain by David’s sword for the ‘political’ reason that he had to keep Achish ‘in the dark’ about what he was really up to. And so in case a 5 year old say something incriminating later, David simply killed the little boy. Indeed, when Achish later says that David would be best not to go with him to fight Saul, David hypocritically says: “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant so long as I have been with you unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies [i.e. Saul] of my lord the king?” (1 Sam. 29:8). This was hardly an example of the “integrity” and “uprightness” which David glorifies in his Psalms, and which he insisted he was full of (Ps. 25:21). Indeed he claims that his integrity is the basis of his acceptance by God (Ps. 26:1).

Psalm 25:22 Redeem Israel, God, out all of His troubles- David parallels his own afflictions and need for forgiveness with Israel’s need for redemption (Ps. 25:18,22); or how the saving strength of Yahweh’s anointed (i.e. David) was to be Israel’s saving strength likewise (Ps. 28:8,9). This is why his Psalms were reused in later historical contexts within Israel. The feelings and pulse of David are expressed at more length than those of any other Bible character; and therefore in these we are to see something of the Lord we follow. It is significant that David is seen as the representative of Israel, just as was and is the Lord- hence, e.g., the confusion between “the city of Judah” and “the city of David” (2 Kings 14:20 cp. 2 Chron. 25:28 AVmg.). But this is an alphabetical Psalm, the :21 was already the last letter of the alphabet, and it is now repeated. This could imply that this verse was added later, under inspiration, because it was so well perceived that David was a patter for all God's subsequent people.

Psalm 26

Psalm 26:1 By David.

Judge me, Yahweh, for I have walked in my integrity. I have trusted also in Yahweh without wavering- What David learnt from the Bathsheba failure is in essence what we all have to learn. Psalm 26 was surely written before he sinned with her. He speaks of how he had walked in integrity before God “without wavering” (Ps. 26:1 RV), and how his foot did not slip (Ps. 26:12). He was yet to "walk" upon the roof of his house and lust after Bathsheba. What else does this evidently pre-Bathsheba Psalm indicate about David’s attitude, and what changed after Bathsheba? He speaks in Ps. 26:5 of how he refuses to sit at table with sinners. Yet the Lord rejoiced to do just this. He contrasts his righteousness with the sinfulness of the wicked (Ps. 26:10,11)- a far cry from Paul’s insistence in Romans that we have sinned just as much as the world has, in the sense that we desperately need salvation by grace. When David asks for forgiveness in Ps. 26:11 (“redeem me, and be merciful unto me”), he therefore was apparently asking for mercy in an almost technical way, perhaps seeing the only mercy he required as a resurrection from the dead.  All these attitudes changed radically after his Bathsheba experience. He could look back and reflect how “As for me, I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved” (Ps. 30:6), perhaps looking back to Ps. 26:10, where he had felt confident his foot had never been moved. And he speaks of how he only stands strong because of God’s gracious favour (Ps. 30:7). God works through sin and failure- to bring us to know His grace. We follow the same learning curve as David, if we are truly God’s man or woman.

“I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul” is surely a collapse of faith (1 Sam. 27:1). And it led to the way in which David deceived Achish by pretending he was attacking Jewish towns, when in fact he was going out and attacking the Amalekite settlements, killing all men, women and children in them so that nobody was left alive to tell that it was David who had attacked them (1 Sam. 27:8-10). Innocent people were slain by David’s sword for the ‘political’ reason that he had to keep Achish ‘in the dark’ about what he was really up to. And so in case a 5 year old say something incriminating later, David simply killed the little boy. Indeed, when Achish later says that David would be best not to go with him to fight Saul, David hypocritically says: “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant so long as I have been with you unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies [i.e. Saul] of my lord the king?” (1 Sam. 29:8). This was hardly an example of the “integrity” and “uprightness” which David glorifies in his Psalms, and which he insisted he was full of (Ps. 25:21). Indeed he claims that his integrity is the basis of his acceptance by God (Ps. 26:1).

Psalm 26:2 Examine me, Yahweh, and prove me; test my heart and my mind- David was confident not only of legalistic obedience but also of a heart in which God would find nothing wrong. Indeed David had been considered a man after God's own heart  (1 Sam. 13:14), but it seems this led David to assume that from then on, his heart would be always found perfect before God. He didn't remain the idealistic, spiritually minded shepherd boy. And this assumption that how he was at one point in his life was how he would always be... led him into his sin with Bathsheba.

Psalm 26:3 For Your grace is before my eyes, I have walked in Your truth- Grace and truth often refer to the covenant with Abraham, which David so often alludes to and feels bound to. We notice that his eyes were not upon the path of his feet, but were toward God and His grace; that meant that in practice, he would walk in "truth". The same idea is in Ps. 25:15 "My eyes are ever on Yahweh, for He will pluck my feet out of the net". The metaphor suggests that instead of looking carefully at his feet to ensure he didn't step into a net or trap, David's eyes instead were looking upwards to Yahweh. And so here too, if the focus of our eyes is upward towards God's grace, then we will naturally walk in the path of truth. So often religious people have put the emphasis the other way around; truth in the sense of theoretical purity of understanding has been given the priority, and with eyes down upon that, the wonder of God's grace has not been the guiding light of their walk.

Psalm 26:4 I have not sat with deceitful men, neither will I go in with hypocrites- So often David makes reference to his hypocritical enemies within Israel, and the judgments to come upon the wicked (Ps. 1:1; 4:3; 5:5; 15:4; 26:4,5; 35:3-8; 45:7; 52:6; 58:6; 104:35; 109:5-20; 137:8,9; 139:21). The hypocrisy in view may refer to the prevalent idolatry which was deceit against God, and not simply to their two faced behaviour to David personally.

Psalm 26:5 I hate the assembly of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked- Throughout David’s Psalms in Ps. 1-72, he repeatedly asks for torture upon the sinners and blessing upon himself as the righteous. He speaks of how sinners should be “contemned” in the eyes of the righteous (Ps. 15:4), the gatherings of sinners should be “hated” and sinners should not be fellowshipped (Ps. 26:4-6; Ps. 31:6) and how God’s uprightness is shown to the upright and His judgment to the judgmental (Ps. 18:25,26; Ps. 33:22). He invites God’s judgment upon himself and others according to their and his works (Ps. 28:4). Frequently he alludes to Saul as “the violent man”- even though David committed his share of violence- and asks judgment upon him (Ps. 18:48). Only those with clean hands and pure heart like himself could have fellowship with God (Ps. 24:3,4). Psalm 37 doesn’t indicate any desire to convert the sinners but rather an expectation of their judgment and destruction. God and David laugh at the wicked because their day is coming (Ps. 37:13). There’s no spirit of grace here at all- perhaps that’s why Zech. 12:10 specifically says that the spirit of grace will have to be poured out upon the house of David in the last days. This attitude changed after the sin with Bathsheba, but still something of the old self righteousness and judgmental attitudes are to be found in David in Psalms written after that.

Psalm 26:6 I will wash my hands in innocence- David's insistence upon his own purity (see on :2) may not necessarily be naive self-righteousness, but rather a reflection of his faith in God's cleansing, which has thereby made him innocent before God. This is also an allusion to the priests washing before they came to the altar (Ex. 30:17-21). We note David acted as a priest even though he was not a Levite.

So I will go around Your altar, Yahweh- Walking around the altar in procession was not required by the Mosaic law, but was clearly done by other religions. We recall the priests of Baal doing so on Mount Carmel. Perhaps this and other Psalms were sung during such processions around the altar.

Psalm 26:7 that I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard, and tell of all Your wondrous works- As noted on :6, it would appear that whilst marching around the altar, this and other Psalms were sung in praise, including the recounting of God's works in history.

Psalm 26:8 Yahweh, I love the habitation of Your dwelling place, the place where Your glory dwells- David contrasts his love of the sanctuary (where God dwelt, Ex. 25:8) and the shekinah glory with his dislike of the gatherings of sinners (:5). The implication could be that those gatherings also had a religious dimension, which involved idolatry. We see the power of idolatry in that despite the visible presence of the shekinah, men still worshipped idols- proof enough that visible miracle is no absolute basis for faith or spiritual behaviour.

Whilst on the run from Saul, David longed to be in the "place... and habitation / dwelling" of Yahweh, at the sanctuary operated by Samuel. There was no temple, but Yahweh still had a place and dwelling on earth. But later in Ps. 132:5 David seems to feel that Yahweh needed a more grandiose "place... dwelling" (s.w.), otherwise He would have no dwelling place. Over the years, he had come to focus more upon the physical and external rather than upon the essential and the spiritual. This is a tendency for all of us.

Psalm 26:9 Don’t gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men- In describing his feelings after the Bathsheba experience, David comments that he was "as a man that hears not [the taunts of others against him], and in whose mouth are no rebukes" (Ps. 38:14). The pre-Bathsheba Psalms present David as a man who was so easily hurt by the taunts of others, and whose mouth was indeed full of rebuke of others. Psalms 24, 25 and 26 are full of David explaining that fellowship with God was dependent upon a man's "integrity", walking in truth, hating sinners, personal innocence, "uprightness", clean hands and pure heart. And throughout these Psalms, David holds up himself as the great example.

Psalm 26:10 in whose hands is wickedness, their right hand is full of bribes- This appears to be commentary upon the state of affairs under Saul's kingship and Absalom's corruption; but the later prophets so often criticize the leadership of Israel for taking bribes, and perhaps this was rewritten in order to make this point to those later generations.

Psalm 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity. Redeem me, and be merciful to me- The two halves of this verse are an intentional contrast. David is persuaded of his own integrity, but he realizes he still needs mercy and redemption; he therefore asked for forgiveness for his sins of ignorance.  Paul had a similar sense (1 Cor. 4:4). It was this abiding sense of the need for God's mercy which was David's salvation.

Psalm 26:12 My foot stands in an even place- The idea may be as in Ps. 27:11, that he felt he was being led in a path where there were no spiritual stumblingblocks.

In the congregations I will bless Yahweh- It is the struggle of every spiritually minded and righteous man to humble himself to accept he is only part of a far wider congregation, comprised of believers who may frankly be less spiritually minded than himself (Ps. 26:12; 35:18; 68:26). David and the Lord Jesus are parade examples of achieving this sense.

Psalm 27

Psalm 27:1 By David- The references to armies and war being against David (:3) suggest this Psalm was written whilst fleeing Saul or Absalom. David's great longing was for the sanctuary (:4) which he was excluded from, and his desire was to return there. And yet he still feels God's presence with him in exile. These Psalms were therefore understandably used for the exiles in captivity.

Yahweh is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?- The reference to "light" may be because David so loved seeing the shekinah glory over the ark in the sanctuary: "Yahweh, I love the habitation of Your dwelling place, the place where Your glory dwells" (Ps. 26:8). On the run, he had no access to the sanctuary, and had actually sent the ark back to Zion when he fled from Absalom. And yet he feels that God's "light" is still with him wherever he is. And all those unable to access church meetings and the visible gatherings of God's people can know the same. Likewise David was fleeing away from the "stronghold" of Zion, but felt that God was His strength or stronghold.

Psalm 27:2 When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell- "Came upon me to eat up my flesh" (AV). This is what Ahithophel proposed at the time of Absalom's uprising; to 'come upon' David, as the dew falls (2 Sam. 17:12), aiming to totally destroy David. But they were the ones who were to fall (s.w.).

Psalm 27:3 Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident- Perhaps a reference to Ahithophel's advice to surround David with a huge army, at the time of Absalom's rebellion. The conditional "though an army..." is appropriate in that Ahithophel's advice was not actually implemented.

Psalm 27:4 One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after: That I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life, to see Yahweh’s beauty, and to inquire in His temple- David's simple desire was to be able to again worship God in the sanctuary on Mount Zion. Under inspiration, this is rewritten and reapplied to the exiles and their desire to return to the temple; for there was no temple in David's lifetime.

Often, “desire” is seen by God as prayer (Ps. 10:17; 21:2; 27:4; 59:10; 92:11; 140:8; 145:19; Mt. 18:32; Rom. 10:1; 1 Jn. 5:15). God interprets that inner desire as prayer, even if it is not articulated in specific requests.

Psalm 27:5 For in the day of trouble He will keep me secretly in His pavilion, under the shadow of His tabernacle He will hide me. He will lift me up on a rock- Although David was exiled from the sanctuary (:4), he felt he was within the tabernacle, even under the shadow of the cherubic wings over the ark; with the shekinah glory as it were around him, over the blood of atonement sprinkled upon the mercy seat. Again and again, Old Testament incidents taught that the intensest presence of God was not in fact in the Jerusalem sanctuary, but in the hearts of sincere, exiled believers. And so it has often been in the later Christian experience; spirituality and the most active presence of God has often been experienced in exile from the established, visible sanctuaries. See on Ps. 29:8.

Psalm 27:6 Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tent. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh- David looked forward to returning to the sanctuary in Zion and praising God for his salvation from his enemies. However when Absalom was slain, his head was not at all lifted up.

Psalm 27:7 Hear, Yahweh, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy also on me, and answer me- "Have mercy" or 'give graciously' is the word of Jacob when seeking to return from exile, yet facing apparently insuperable obstacles (Gen. 33:5,11). Time and again we see the example of taking strength from historical (Biblical) precedents.

Psalm 27:8 When You said, Seek my face, my heart said to You, I will seek Your face, Yahweh- This can be understood as David's plea to be allowed back into the Jerusalem sanctuary to worship / seek God. Hence GNB "When you said, "Come worship me," I answered, "I will come, LORD"". But David appears somewhat manipulative in this argument, because he is experiencing the sanctuary presence of God from far outside it (see on :5).

We are frequently reminded in the prophets that the spiritual way of life is one which is seeking God. We are to seek His face (Ps. 24:6; 27:8)- which it is impossible to behold (Ex. 33:20). Actually finding God in the ultimate sense is therefore unattainable in this life; but our whole mortal life must be lived in this spirit of seeking ultimate perfection. Seeking God is often defined in the prophets as forsaking our sins and desiring to be righteous (Amos 5:5,8,14,15). None of us are completely successful in our seeking of God, and therefore it follows that none of is completely forsakes all our sinfulness.

The historical point when God invited David to seek His face may have been when Samuel anointed David, and gave him the message that he was to be king. And doubtless David was told at the time that he was to seek God's face. When under persecution by Saul, when the promise of kingship seemed so far from fulfilment, David reminds God that he had indeed sought His face as required; and asks God to fulfil the prophetic word about kingship (Ps. 119:58).

Psalm 27:9 Don’t hide Your face from me; don’t put Your servant away in anger. You have been my help, don’t abandon me, neither forsake me, God of my salvation- David feels that his suffering at Absalom's hand is a result of his sin with Bathsheba (which indeed it was), but is making the mistake of assuming that suffering the consequences of sin means that sin hasn't been forgiven. Or we can reflect that Paul can speak in Rom. 7 as if he is two different people; “I myself serve the law of God”, but “my flesh” serves sin. Likewise David asked God not to hide His face from him, David personally, (Ps. 27:9; 69:17; 102:2; 143:7), but to hide His face from David’s sins (Ps. 51:9). And one wonders whether the way the records of the Lord’s temptations are written implies some similar recognition by the Spirit of the two ‘men’ within the Lord.

Psalm 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then Yahweh will take me up- He evidently loved his parents and expected their passing when he wrote this. Perhaps therefore the Psalm had its genesis in David's experience when fleeing from Saul, when he sent his parents to Moab for safety (1 Sam. 22:3). But now he edits the Psalm and develops it with reference to his flight from Absalom. And yet 'forsaking' could imply they turned against him. This would then make David's sufferings the more poignant. David loved his parents, especially caring for their safe keeping in his wilderness years; only to be forsaken by them (the Hebrew means just that), and to be rejected by his brothers and sisters (Ps. 27:10; 38:11; 69:8; 88:18).

This speaks Messianically of the Lord’s sense of being forsaken. The disciples forsook Him (Mt. 26:56), His mother left Him, on John’s arm, and so the words of Ps. 27:9,10 started to come true: "Leave me not, neither forsake me, O God... when my father and my mother forsake me" . All His scaffolding was being removed. He had leaned on His disciples (Lk. 22:28), He had naturally leaned on His mother. Now they had forsaken Him. And now His mother had forsaken Him. And so He pleaded with His true Father not to leave Him. And hence the agony, the deep agony of Mt. 27:46: "My God, my God, Why hast thou (this is where the emphasis should be) forsaken me?".

Psalm 27:11 Teach me Your way, Yahweh. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies- When David fled Jerusalem from Absalom, he apparently had no clear game plan. He didn't know quite where to go, as Absalom appeared to have garnered mass popularity. And yet David felt he was being led in a straight path; God likewise would lead the exiles in a straight path if they repented and wished to be truly restored to Zion (s.w. Is. 40:4; 42:16 s.w.).

Psalm 27:12 Don’t deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty- So many of the Psalms contain references to Saul's smear campaign against David (Ps. 27:12; 31:13; 109:23 cp. 1 Sam. 26:19). This frequency of reference in itself indicates the weight with which this tragedy rested upon David's mind. And it seems this situation repeated at the time of Absalom's rebellion, to which this psalm was reapplied by David.

Psalm 27:13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living- This appears to be another reference to David's desire to be restored to the sanctuary in Zion, to see the shekinah glory which he saw as the quintessence of God's goodness.

Psalm 27:14 Wait for Yahweh, be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for Yahweh- Again we see David understanding his experiences as setting a pattern for others. This is the way to use suffering, as 2 Cor. 1:4-7 makes clear. The way David's Psalms were rewritten for use in other contexts is evidence enough that his desire was fulfilled. The hearts or spirits of others were to "take courage". The Greek and Hebrew words translated  'spirit' don't only mean 'power'. They frequently refer to the mind / heart. We read of God giving men a new heart, a new spirit; of Him working on men's hearts to make them do His will. He gives them a new spirit. This doesn't mean that they of their own volition have the power of the Holy Spirit gifts, as, e.g., some in the early church did. God will strengthen the heart / spirit of those who try to be strong (Ps. 27:14; 31:24). He can even, somehow, withhold men from sinning (Gen. 20:6), and keep us from falling (Jude 24). We should therefore have no essential objection to the idea of the Lord granting us His Spirit, in the sense of His thinking, His heart / mind.

We’re familiar with the references to God hardening the heart of Pharaoh (Ex. 14:8 etc.). However, the same Hebrew words occur in a positive context- for God also hardens or strengthens the hearts of the righteous (Ps. 27:14; Is. 35:4). Indeed, Is. 35:4 speaks of how the righteous shouldn’t have a weak or [Heb.] ‘fluid’ heart, but rather a hardened one. Clearly enough, God solidifies human attitudes, one way or the other. This is a sobering thought- for He is prepared to confirm a person in their weak thinking. But on the other hand, even the weakest basic intention towards righteousness is solidified by Him too.

Psalm 28

Psalm 28:1 By David.

To You, Yahweh, I call. My rock, don’t be deaf to me; lest, if You are silent to me, I would become like those who go down into the pit- Rocks are only a place of safety if they have caves within them. The imagery suggests this is a wilderness Psalm, whilst David was on the run from Saul. Indeed this is how probably most of the Psalms originated, although they were edited for relevance to later situations and generations.

Psalm 28:2 Hear the voice of my petitions when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your Most Holy Place- There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. David lifts himself up to God (Ps. 25:1; 28:2; 86:4), and asks God to lift up Himself in response (Ps. 7:6; 10:12; 94:2). David at this point is in exile from the sanctuary but still prays towards it. This therefore became appropriate material for the Jewish captives of later generations.

Psalm 28:3 Don’t draw me away with the wicked- This is the language of final condemnation. David is asking not to be condemned along with the wicked at the last day.

With the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts- Clearly David has in view specific people with whom he mixed, but knew they would be condemned at the last day. We query whether such judgment of others' salvation was appropriate.

Psalm 28:4 Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings. Give them according to the working of their own hands; bring back on them what they deserve- Throughout David’s Psalms in Ps. 1-72, he repeatedly asks for torture upon the sinners and blessing upon himself as the righteous. He speaks of how sinners should be “contemned” in the eyes of the righteous (Ps. 15:4), the gatherings of sinners should be “hated” and sinners should not be fellowshipped (Ps. 26:4-6; Ps. 31:6) and how God’s uprightness is shown to the upright and His judgment to the judgmental (Ps. 18:25,26; Ps. 33:22). He invites God’s judgment upon himself and others according to their and his works (Ps. 28:4).  Frequently he alludes to Saul as “the violent man”- even though David committed his share of violence- and asks judgment upon him (Ps. 18:48). Only those with clean hands and pure heart like himself could have fellowship with God (Ps. 24:3,4). Psalm 37 doesn’t indicate any desire to convert the sinners but rather an expectation of their judgment and destruction. God and David laugh at the wicked because their day is coming (Ps. 37:13). There’s no spirit of grace here at all- perhaps that’s why Zech. 12:10 specifically says that the spirit of grace will have to be poured out upon the house of David in the last days. This attitude changed after the sin with Bathsheba, but still something of the old self righteousness and judgmental attitudes are to be found in David in Psalms written after that.

Psalm 28:5 Because they don’t respect the works of Yahweh, nor the working of His hands, He will break them down and not build them up- This is alluded to in 2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10 about how we ought to build up the weak and condemned, rather than destroying them. It's as if Paul felt David had things the wrong way around at this point. See on :3,4.

Psalm 28:6 Blessed be Yahweh, because He has heard the voice of my petitions- As so often in the Psalms, there appears a change in attitude half way through them. What begins as desperate pleading turns into a peaceful sense of having been answered by God. This could have been because of some visible or audible answer coming in the course of the prayer. But I would suggest it is far truer to the experience of prayerful people that in the course of prayer, we who began in urgent pleading with God for action become convinced that in essence He has already responded. And we see this often in the Psalms.

Psalm 28:7 Yahweh is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in Him, and I have been helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank Him- This is another reference to Abraham, for whom Yahweh was a shield (Gen. 15:1). As noted on :6, David feels motivated to thank God for answers which he has apparently not yet received.

Psalm 28:8 Yahweh is their strength- "Strength" is Yeshua. So we have here an allusion to 'Jesus Christ / the anointed'.

He is a stronghold of salvation to His anointed- In Old Testament times, God described His whole people as His anointed one, His Christ: “The Lord is a strength unto his people, and he is the saving strength of his anointed” (Ps. 28:8 RVmg.). The whole people were His anointed King, His Messiah, the anointed one. And so it is for all those today who are “in Christ”. Thus the prophecy about Christ personally that He would tread upon snakes and wild animals (Ps. 91:13) is quoted as being fulfilled in the disciples, who ‘were’ Christ on their preaching mission (Lk. 10:19; Mk. 16:18). Zion was the stronghold, but even outside the sanctuary, David realized God was just as much present and active.

Psalm 28:9 Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance. Be their shepherd also, and bear them up forever- The feelings and pulse of David are expressed at more length than those of any other Bible character; and therefore in these we are to see something of the Lord we follow. It is significant that David is seen as the representative of Israel ["be their shepherd also"], just as was and is the Lord- hence, e.g., the confusion between “the city of Judah” and “the city of David” (2 Kings 14:20 cp. 2 Chron. 25:28 AVmg.). Or consider how David parallels his own afflictions and need for forgiveness with Israel’s need for redemption (Ps. 25:18,22); or how the saving strength of Yahweh’s anointed (i.e. David) was to be Israel’s saving strength likewise (Ps. 28:8,9).

Psalm 29

Psalm 29:1 A Psalm by David- The last verse concludes: "A Song for the Dedication of the Temple". Perhaps this was written by David before his death in anticipation of the building of Solomon's temple.

Ascribe to Yahweh, you sons of the mighty, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength- This could refer to the Angels in the court of heaven (Ps. 89:6 cp. Ps. 29:5,7). David saw his praise of God in the sanctuary as reflecting that of the Angels in the heavenly sanctuary, which was mirrored in the earthly one (Heb. 9:23).

Psalm 29:2 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to His name. Worship Yahweh in holy array- As noted on :1, this was "A Song for the Dedication of the Temple". David therefore feels that the heavely temple is reflected in the earthly temple. As the priests in the earthly temple were clothed in “holy garments for glory and for beauty” (Ex. 28:2) so were the Angels above.

Psalm 29:3 Yahweh’s voice is on the waters. The God of glory thunders, even Yahweh on many waters- This is all the language of theophany (Ex. 9:23; Ps. 18:9,13; 104:3; Rev. 10:3). Perhaps David expected a theophany at the dedication of the temple, and the voice of Yahweh to be heard as at Sinai. But I have argued elsewhere that David's obsession with the physical temple was misplaced idealism. God only reluctantly accepted it; His immediate response to David's request to build Him a house was that He didn't want one. Therefore it could be that here we have David as it were running ahead of himself in expectation that God would respond to the temple with the theophany he expectantly hoped for in this psalm.

Psalm 29:4 Yahweh’s voice is powerful. Yahweh’s voice is full of majesty- The sanctuary was full of power and majesty (Ps. 96:6 s.w.); David imagines God's voice booming in majesty through the new temple.

Psalm 29:5 The voice of Yahweh breaks the cedars. Yes, Yahweh breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon- David had made plans for cedars to be brought from Lebanon for the new temple. He imagines the voice of Yahweh tearing through the temple as a wind, stronger than the cedars.

Psalm 29:6 He also makes them to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox- GNB "He makes the mountains of Lebanon jump like calves and makes Mount Hermon leap like a young bull". It is as if the temple comes alive with joy now that God has entered it. And there is the idea that Lebanon and Hermon, from where the cedars came from, would join in response to God's word. For David ever had the hope of Gentile response to Israel's God.

Psalm 29:7 Yahweh’s voice strikes with flashes of lightning- This is the language of theophany (Ex. 9:23; Ps. 18:9,13; 104:3; Rev. 10:3), which David hoped and expected would happen when the temple was dedicated; see on :1.

Psalm 29:8 Yahweh’s voice shakes the wilderness, Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh- "Kadesh" is the same word as "sanctuary" (e.g. Ps. 20:2; 63:2). The idea is that the wilderness is as holy as the sanctuary. This is a common theme in the Psalms. Although David was exiled from the sanctuary (Ps. 27:4), he felt he was within the tabernacle, even under the shadow of the cherubic wings over the ark (Ps. 27:5); with the shekinah glory as it were around him, over the blood of atonement sprinkled upon the mercy seat. Again and again, Old Testament incidents taught that the intensest presence of God was not in fact in the Jerusalem sanctuary, but in the hearts of sincere, exiled believers. And so it has often been in the later Christian experience; spirituality and the most active presence of God has often been experienced in exile from the established, visible sanctuaries.

Psalm 29:9 Yahweh’s voice makes the deer calve, and strips the forests bare. In His temple everything says, Glory!- As explained on :8, David had learned that the glory and presence of God was as real in the wilderness and forests as in the Jerusalem sanctuary. And so in this proposed dedication of the temple, he makes the point that the same voice of God which would thunder "Glory!" in the temple was just as present and active in the desert.

Psalm 29:10 Yahweh sat enthroned at the flood; truly, Yahweh sits as King forever- The reference would be to the mercy seat as a kind of throne for God. As He had judged the earth at the time of the flood, so He would as it were reign in judgment when the ark was permanently settled in the new temple; that was David's idea. Note how David the king repeatedly calls God his "king". His exaltation didn't lead him to pride, as he was always under the deep impression that he was not the ultimate king (Ps. 5:2; 10:16; 29:10; 44:4; 47:6).

Psalm 29:11 Yahweh will give strength to His people, Yahweh will bless His people with peace. A Psalm. A Song for the Dedication of the Temple- See on :1. The allusion is to the priestly blessing of Num. 6:24. This was to be given from the new temple which David envisioned.

Psalm 30

Psalm 30:1 By David- The primary context may have been David's relief at having been healed and forgiven after his sin with Bathsheba.

I will extol You, Yahweh, for You have raised me up, and have not made my enemies to rejoice over me- The political threats to David immediately after his sin with Bathsheba aren't detailed in the historical narratives, but the Psalms often refer to them. However, David suffered so much from Bathsheba's grandfather Ahithophel, his own son Absalom and others. So his rejoicing as if all consequences of the sin were somehow annulled is in a sense incorrect.

Psalm 30:2 Yahweh my God, I cried to You, and You have healed me- Whilst this applies to David's healing of his mortal sickness after the sin with Bathsheba, the same word for "healed" is used of Hezekiah's healing (2 Kings 20:8). So many of the Psalms were clearly rewritten with reference to Hezekiah.

Psalm 30:3 Yahweh, You have brought up my soul from Sheol. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit- "Brought up" is the language of resurrection. The language on one hand suggests a kind of living death; and yet there is also the clear hint at resurrection, because finally it was only true of the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 30:4 Sing praise to Yahweh, You saints of His, give thanks to His holy name- David wanted the whole world and brotherhood of his time to praise God- because of the grace shown to him. This was the great positive outcome of David's awful sins.

Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment; His grace is for all our lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning- There is no indication in the historical records that God's anger was visibly poured out upon David because of his sin. But the Psalms so often imply this. The silence of the historical record about his mortal sickness at the time is perhaps because the record reflects the forgiveness and blessing given at the time. God's anger with the exiles is likewise likened to being only for a relatively short moment; a night of weeping to be followed by an eternal dawn. The restoration prophets are full of these images.

Psalm 30:6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved- What David learnt from the Bathsheba failure is in essence what we all have to learn. Psalm 26 was surely written before he sinned with her. He speaks of how he had walked in integrity before God “without wavering” (Ps. 26:1 RV), and how his foot did not slip (Ps. 26:12). What else does this evidently pre-Bathsheba Psalm indicate about David’s attitude, and what changed after Bathsheba? He speaks in Ps. 26:5 of how he refuses to sit at table with sinners. Yet the Lord rejoiced to do just this. He contrasts his righteousness with the sinfulness of the wicked (Ps. 26:10,11)- a far cry from Paul’s insistence in Romans that we have sinned just as much as the world has, in the sense that we desperately need salvation by grace. When David asks for forgiveness in Ps. 26:11 (“redeem me, and be merciful unto me”), he therefore was apparently asking for mercy in an almost technical way, perhaps seeing the only mercy he required as a resurrection from the dead.  All these attitudes changed radically after his Bathsheba experience. He could look back and reflect how “As for me, I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved” (Ps. 30:6), perhaps looking back to Ps. 26:10, where he had felt confident his foot had never been moved. And he speaks of how he only stands strong because of God’s gracious favour (Ps. 30:7). God works through sin and failure- to bring us to know His grace. We follow the same learning curve as David, if we are truly God’s man or woman. The soliloquy of David is commented upon in Rom. 4:6: “David pronounceth blessing upon the man [i.e. any man, each of us] unto whom God reckoneth righteousness…” (RV). Rom. 4:9 RV likewise speaks of David in the soliloquy of Ps. 32 pronouncing blessing upon us.

It has been rightly noted that David's remaining at Jerusalem " at the time when kings go forth to battle" (11:1) is the classic example of the devil finding work for idle hands. It was the set up for David's sin with Bathsheba. That he was lying down on his bed in the late afternoon rather than working would exemplify the same thing. He appears to recognize his attitude problem in Ps. 30:6: " In my prosperity I said, I shall never be (spiritually) moved" . In the lead up to the sin, God had given him victory after victory- leading him to think that he must therefore be spiritually OK because of his many physical blessings (1 Chron. 18:6 RV). His conscience had been blunted. David may have cleverly alluded to this when he comments that the ark was abiding in a tent, and therefore he would not go down to his house (2 Sam. 11:11). The tension between a tent and a house is surely intended to take David back to his words in 2 Sam. 7:2, where he laments as unacceptable the fact that he lives in a house but the ark is in a tent. And David was ‘tarrying’, living in a settled way, in a house in Jerusalem now.

The fact that he is condemned for having "despised the commandment of the Lord" (2 Sam. 12:9) in David's sin with Bathsheba indicates that He knew all along what God's will really was. The fact that the flesh took over does not in any way mitigate his responsibility in this. This is a direct quote from the Law's definition of the sin of presumption: "The soul that doeth ought presumptuously... because he hath despised the word of the Lord... that soul shall utterly be cut off" (Num. 15:30,31). Knowing David’s emotional nature and also the fact that he did not completely turn away from God afterwards, we would have expected a quicker repentance if it had been a passing sin of passion. It would therefore seem reasonable to assume that the sin was of presumption rather than passion. In his prosperity he had said “I shall never be moved” and he was determined that he couldn’t be (Ps. 30:6). Hearing those words from Nathan must have struck real fear into David- he was being incriminated for the supreme sin of presumption, for which there was no provision of sacrifice or repentance.

David in his earlier Psalms exalts and boasts to God that his feet have not slipped, indeed he was overly confident that his feet would never slip / "be moved" (Ps. 17:5; 21:7; 55:22; 62:2,6; 125:1). His more mature reflection is that he had wrongly said "I shall never slip [AV "be moved"]" (Ps. 30:6), and his feet had indeed slipped, not least over the Bathsheba incident (Ps. 38:16; 94:18). Solomon didn't learn this lesson, for he likewise assumed that the righteous would never be moved / slip (Prov. 10:30), although he appears to accept that even a righteous man like his father had indeed slipped (Prov. 25:26). And Solomon himself did so, not learning the lesson from his father's mistaken assumption that the righteous can never slip.

Psalm 30:7 You, Yahweh, when You favoured me, made my mountain stand strong; but when You hid Your face, I was troubled- David's mountain presumably refers to his kingdom. The troubles that came to David's kingdom as a result of his sin with Bathsheba never really left him; the kingdom was never really "strong" as it had been before. It was full of division and infighting.

Psalm 30:8 I cried to You, Yahweh; to Yahweh I made supplication- "Supplication" is the same word translated "have mercy" in :10, and is the term used in David's plea for forgiveness in Ps. 51:1. The cry for mercy suggests the moral guilt of the sin with Bathsheba, which had its consequence in David's mortal sickness with which it seems he was stricken soon afterwards (as in Ps. 41:4).

Psalm 30:9 What profit is there in my destruction, if I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise You? Shall it declare Your truth?- These are very much the thoughts of Hezekiah when terminally ill. But David clearly had these same thoughts. There is the clear implication that there is no conscious survival of death. After death there is no praise of God; and that points up the critical importance to use life to praise Him. The implication of David's argument, even if it could appear somewhat manipulative, is that God ought to keep him alive as he can then praise God. But God isn't interested in receiving praise for its own sake; otherwise there would be no death in this life for the righteous. So there seems some error of logic in the argument, although it is true so far as it goes. "Declare" is the word used for David's declaration of praise after his forgiveness concerning Bathsheba (Ps. 51:15). The "truth" which David declared after his forgiveness (Ps. 30:9) was the ultimate truth, of God's forgiveness of him by grace; a 'declaring' of his sin (Ps. 38:18 s.w.) and God's forgiveness.

Psalm 30:10 Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy on me. Yahweh, be my helper- Earlier David had sought Yahweh's help (s.w.) on the basis that he had been obedient to God's word (Ps. 119:173 s.w.), and was innocent (Ps. 119:86 s.w.). But the sin with Bathsheba led David to beg for God to be his helper purely on the basis of grace (Ps. 30:10 s.w.). He had asked for God's words to be his "helper" (Ps. 119:175), but now he quits his academic study and begs directly for God Himself to be his "helper".

Psalm 30:11 You have turned my mourning into dancing for me. You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness- David removed his sackcloth when his child died (2 Sam. 12:20-22). It was perhaps at this point that he realized that he had been truly forgiven; hence the strange and much observed paradox of David's relative rejoicing at a time when he was supposed to be mourning for his child's death.

Psalm 30:12 To the end that my heart may sing praise to You, and not be silent. Yahweh my God, I will give thanks to You forever!- David often uses the idea of ‘confession’, in the double Hebrew sense of both confessing sin and yet also confessing the knowledge of God to others (e.g. Ps. 30:12 AV cp. NEB). Imagine his attitude in preaching! There must have been a true humility in his style of speaking, his body language and in his message- coupled with an earnestness and intensity few have since matched.

Psalm 31

Psalm 31:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

In You, Yahweh, I take refuge- The idea is that God was David's city of refuge. These cities were for those who needed to flee when being chased by the avenger of blood (Num. 35:26). The imagery is very appropriate to David when fleeing from Saul and Absalom. David's constant meditation upon God's law would have included the sections about the cities of refuge; he realized that actually no such city was available for him, but the spirit of the law led him to reflect that Yahweh was his refuge, wherever he was. David tends to open wilderness Psalms with this reflection, just as we may tend to begin prayers with the same opening phrase and thoughts (Ps. 7:1; 11:1; 16:1; 31:1; 57:1; 71:1).

Let me never be disappointed. Deliver me in Your righteousness- Typical of men of his time, David seems to fear shame [s.w. "disappointed"] more than death itself. Defeat meant shame, and he desperately begged not to be shamed. Perhaps it was the function of his failure with Bathsheba to help him redefine the motives for his trust in God.

Psalm 31:2 Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me quickly- The way men like Abraham and Moses reasoned with God and changed His stated purpose indicates the condescension of God to us. The way He hears and responds to human prayer is humility itself. David realized this: " Bow down thine ear to me" he prayed, recognizing that it was through His humility that God hears human prayer (Ps. 31:2).

Be to me a strong rock, a house of defence to save me- Exiled from the stronghold of Zion, David looked instead to God, whose 'Zion' he now perceived to be wherever he was.

Psalm 31:3 For You are my rock and my fortress- or the allusion to Zion, see on :2.

Therefore for Your name’s sake lead me and guide me- The Hebrew for "lead" is only used elsewhere in Ps. 23:2 in the context of God leading David as he fled Jerusalem during Absalom's rebellion. Perhaps he had in view how God lead (s.w.) Israel through the desert (Ex. 15:13). The restoration application is to God's promise to "lead" (s.w.) the exiles on the desert journey back to Zion (Is. 40:11; 49:10).

Psalm 31:4 Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for You are my stronghold- Although David fled the stronghold of Zion during Absalom's rebellion (see on :3), he felt God was still his stronghold, and he needed no human strength. The net secretly laid clearly alludes to Absalom's deceitful plans. The net secretly laid would refer to Absalom's lengthy planning of his rebellion.

Psalm 31:5 Into Your hand I commend my spirit. You have redeemed me, Yahweh, God of truth- These words were quoted by the Lord on the cross as His very last words (Lk. 23:46); and we wonder whether "You have redeemed me" were His first words upon resurrection. The context is Absalom's rebellion (:3,4), and again we see how the Psalms most appropriate to the crucifixion are those written about David's experience of the consequence of his sins. The Lord on the cross suffered the consequence of sin whilst personally innocent.

If we place the seven last sayings of Christ chronologically, we find that the number of words Christ uttered runs 12-9-4-3-1-1-8. This indicates that He found speaking increasingly difficult on the cross. Now He breathes His last using these words, literally giving His Spirit to God. The Greek translated "commend" means literally to place beside, to lay down beside. The Lord Jesus had a sense that His character would not be forgotten by the Father, it would take it's place beside the Father as it were, as He later would physically. This is not, of course, to give any support to the notion of disembodied spirits. Existence can only be in an animate, bodily sense. Yet the word "commend" in the Greek does suggest that Christ felt that the place He would soon take beside the Father was due to the fact that His spirit / mind had found acceptance with Him first. The Father's hands no doubt is an idiom for His care, His preservation (cp. Mt. 4:6). Christ was taking comfort in the fact that His character, those endless minutes of spiritual effort, of struggle to develop and preserve a spiritual mind, would surely not be forgotten, it would be preserved in the Father's hands.

He could have avoided His final death; but He chose not to, and in this sense He willingly gave His life rather than had it taken from Him. The death of human beings can be seen as a result of physical processes over which they have no control. They are killed, often against their will, or disease takes hold of them and eventually forces them to a point where they breathe their last. There is never a conscious giving up of the last breath as an act of the will. Death either occurs in a state of semi-consciousness or unexpectedly, in a moment. We usually, in the final analysis, cling to life at all costs, throwing our feeble best into the fight we have no chance to win. Truly did Dylan Thomas observe that men do not "go gentle into that good night" but "‘rage, rage against the dying of the light". The death of the Lord Jesus Christ was altogether different- and the death of the thieves next to Him would have highlighted this. It is so often emphasized that He gave His life for us: "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures" in itself suggests that the death of Christ was an act of the will. He gave His flesh for us (Jn. 6:51).

The Lord was at great pains to emphasize this aspect of His death, saying the same thing time and again: " I lay down my life for the sheep...therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life...no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself...this commandment have I received of my Father" (Jn. 10:15-18). The death of Christ was therefore a conscious act of giving, it was not simply a result of being murdered by the Jews or Roman soldiers. No man took Christ's life from Him, He laid it down of Himself, i.e. of His own will. It is therefore apparent that Christ's death was not solely a physical result of being impaled on the stake. The fact He died abnormally quickly is proof enough of this. And it explains why the centurion when he saw how the Lord so cried out was by this fact persuaded that He was the Son of God (Mk. 15:39). That last outbreathing, that death as an act of the will, was something phenomenal. We are therefore driven to the conclusion that Christ was in a position to give His life at a certain point in time chosen by Himself. "He poured out his soul unto death" (Is. 53:12) suggests that the actual point of His death was a result of mental activity within the mind of the Lord Jesus. He was the servant who "makes himself an offering for sin" (Is. 53:10).

The Greek para-tithemi means literally to place or lay down beside. Tithemi is the same word translated "lay down" when we read of Christ laying down His life for us. It is the word used to describe the palsied man being laid down at the feet of Jesus (Lk. 5:18), or the laying of a foundation stone (1 Cor. 3:11). It is also translated to bow down. The point at which Christ laid down His life, bowing down before the Father, was therefore when He commended His spirit to the Father. When Christ "yielded up the spirit" (Mt. 27:50), He was commending His spirit to God, laying down His life for us. The Greek for "yielded up" is para-didomi, to yield or give beside, and is evidently related in meaning to para-tithemi, to commend, to lay down beside.

So the idea of Christ giving Himself for us therefore refers to that final moment of giving up, yielding, laying down His breath for us. Paul was evidently moved by this; he marvelled at how Christ "gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20), using the same word as in Jn. 19:30 concerning him giving up His spirit. And we can enter into that sense or marvel and wonder. Paul again alludes to this in Eph. 5:2: "Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour". And therefore, Paul goes on, fornication, covetousness, foolish talking etc. should not even be named amongst us, "but rather giving of thanks" (Eph. 5:3,4).

That wondrous moment when Christ reached such self-control as to give His life for us, to breathe out His last breath for us as an act of the will, that moment was evidently deep within the mind of Paul. Because of it we should find ample inspiration to "walk in love" towards each other, to be so full of praise for this that we have no time to even speak about the sins to which are earthly nature is so prone. These are high ideals indeed, yet in Paul (another sin-stricken human) they began to be realized. They really can be realized in our lives, we truly can begin to appreciate the intensity of that yielding up, that laying down of the life spirit of our Lord Jesus- and therefore and thereby we will find the inspiration to respond in a life of true love for each other.

It seems likely that Peter was at the cross, and therefore his letters are packed with allusions to it. What he saw there had a lifelong impact upon him. He makes at least two allusions to the words of Christ on the cross, and bids us enter into the spirit of it. "Hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps... who... when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously" (1 Pet. 2:21-23). This is the same word as used about Christ commending His spirit to God in that final agony. We really are bidden enter into His example and follow Him. Christ overcame the temptation to react wrongly to His sufferings by instead committing Himself to God. This idea of laying Himself down for us was what enabled Him not to get bitter. The antidote to our own bitterness is likewise to enter into this spirit of laying down our lives.

The hands of God are also connected with the Angels, the means by which God performs His actions. Moses' hands being upheld by the hands of others can be seen as a type of the Lord Jesus being sustained by Angelic hands on the cross, connecting with the Messianic prophecy of Gen. 49:24 concerning the hands of Messiah being strengthened for His mediation by the hands of God. Throughout Scripture, God's hands are associated with His creative work in the natural creation (e.g. Ps. 8:6; 95:5; Heb. 1:10)- work which was and is performed through the Angels.

Psalm 31:6 I hate those who regard lying vanities, but I trust in Yahweh- This would be another hint in the Psalms that David's enemies, be they Saul or Absalom, were involved in idolatry; whereas David trusted Yahweh alone. See on :14.

Throughout David’s Psalms in Ps. 1-72, he repeatedly asks for torture upon the sinners and blessing upon himself as the righteous. He speaks of how sinners should be “contemned” in the eyes of the righteous (Ps. 15:4), how he hates them, how the gatherings of sinners should be “hated” and sinners should not be fellowshipped (Ps. 26:4-6; Ps. 31:6) and how God’s uprightness is shown to the upright and His judgment to the judgmental (Ps. 18:25,26; Ps. 33:22). He invites God’s judgment upon himself and others according to their and his works (Ps. 28:4).  Frequently he alludes to Saul as “the violent man”- even though David committed his share of violence- and asks judgment upon him (Ps. 18:48). Only those with clean hands and pure heart like himself could have fellowship with God (Ps. 24:3,4). Psalm 37 doesn’t indicate any desire to convert the sinners but rather an expectation of their judgment and destruction. God and David laugh at the wicked because their day is coming (Ps. 37:13). There’s no spirit of grace here at all- perhaps that’s why Zech. 12:10 specifically says that the spirit of grace will have to be poured out upon the house of David in the last days. This attitude changed after the sin with Bathsheba, but still something of the old self righteousness and judgmental attitudes are to be found in David in Psalms written after that.

Psalm 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your grace, for You have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities- "Adversities" is the word used of Jacob and Joseph when in exile situations apparently lacking any human hope of restoration (Gen. 35:3; 42:21). The comfort that God sees and knows leads David to joy in an otherwise joyless situation.

Psalm 31:8 You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy, You have set my feet in a large place- This language of constriction, being shut up, was perhaps based upon David's living in caves at the time of his exile from Saul; and he reuses those Psalms when under persecution from Absalom and others. It continues the allusion to Joseph in the pit noted on :7. He saw those constricted places as "a large place", and here we have a timeless encouragement for all who find themselves constricted in whatever way.

Psalm 31:9 Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief- "Grief" is the word used for the wrath of God (Ps. 85:4), but could also refer to the anger of others- perhaps the family of Bathsheba, or the followers of Saul, was originally in view. A sense of fading vision would be appropriate to both his physical and emotional state. In the Bathsheba context it would seem that during his illness, there arose "adversaries" against him. But the Psalm may have originated whilst under persecution by Saul.

Psalm 31:10 For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my sin, my bones are wasted away- What is in places a wilderness Psalm was clearly reused by David during his illness after the sin with Bathsheba. In our lives too, circumstances repeat under God's good hand, as He repeats the lessons and we learn them through that repetition. Despite his undoubted physique stamina, David was a broken man, even quite early in his life, prone to fits of introspection; dramatic mood-swings (cp. 1 Sam.2 4:14 with 25:6,22,34;), sometimes appearing a real 'softie' but hard as nails at others (consider Ps. 75:10 and the whole of Ps. 101); easily getting carried away: be it with excessive emotional enthusiasm for bringing the ark back, in his harsh response to Hanun humbling his servants, his over-hasty and emotional decision to let Amnon go to Absalom's feast when it was obvious what might well transpire, his anger "flaring up" because of incompetency (2 Sam.11:20 NIV),  or in his ridiculous softness for Absalom. He had a heart cruelly torn so many ways. All these traits are amply reflected in the Psalms: Ps. 6:7; 31:10; 42:3,6; 38:8; 55:4; 56:8; 69:3,29; 88:3,9; 94:19 (what introspection!); 102:4; 116:3; 143:4.

Psalm 31:11 Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbours, a fear to my acquaintances. Those who saw me on the street fled from me- David's family appear to have later disowned him during Saul’s persecution (Ps. 31:11), fleeing from him, as the Lord’s friends also did (Ps. 31:11 = Mt. 26:56). Here we have another allusion to Job. It is twice stressed that David's brothers "followed Saul" (1 Sam.17:13,14); is it possible to argue back from this that Christ's brothers were strong Judaists?  The "neighbours" could also here refer to the neighbouring nations around Judah. The recoiling from David "on the street" could refer to some visible skin disease, perhaps leprosy.

Psalm 31:12 I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man; I am like broken pottery- According to how Jeremiah later uses the metaphor of pottery, this would imply that David felt as if he were the vessel which God had broken. There is continually the sense that his physical condition was a judgment for his immorality.

Psalm 31:13 For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life- So many of the Psalms contain references to Saul's smear campaign against David (Ps. 27:12; 31:13; 109:23 cp. 1 Sam. 26:19). This frequency of reference in itself indicates the weight with which this tragedy rested upon David's mind. And yet the pain of slander continued at the time of his sin with Bathsheba, and later during Absalom's rebellion. The plot to take away David's life could specifically refer to Ahithophel's advice to Absalom.

Psalm 31:14 But I trust in You, Yahweh. I said, You are my God- The stress may be upon "You", given the note on :6 that David's enemies, be they Saul or Absalom, were involved in idolatry; whereas David trusted Yahweh alone.

Psalm 31:15 My times are in Your hand- This could be an admission that the time of his death was in God's hand, but he committed his life into God's hands (:5). LXX "My lots are in thy hands" could mean that he rejected the idea of drawing lots in order to know where to run or how to act; or that if he did, he recognized that God's hands would control the outcome.

Redeem me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me- "Redeem / deliver me from the hand..." is again a quotation from Jacob's words when he found his relative Esau barring his path back home (Gen. 32:11,30). And the word is used of David's desire for deliverance from Saul (1 Sam. 26:24); and yet this was a redemption unappreciated by him as it ought to have been (2 Sam. 12:7). Finally David recognized that this prayer was answered (2 Sam. 22:18,49). As David had earlier prayed for redemption / deliverance from Saul and his enemies (Ps. 31:15; 59:1; 144:7), he would later pray for redemption / deliverance from his sins (Ps. 39:8; 79:9).

Psalm 31:16 Make Your face to shine on Your servant; save me in Your grace- At this time David rejoiced in God's grace (:7), and yet also felt God's face was not shining upon him. We can still rejoice in Divine grace even if we don't have a buzz of emotional awareness that God is shining upon us.

Psalm 31:17 Let me not be disappointed, Yahweh, for I have called on You- "Disappointed" is 'shamed'. It is likely that the Lord was crucified naked, thereby sharing the shame of Adam's nakedness. The shame of the cross is stressed (Heb. 11:26; 12:2; Ps. 31:17; Ps. 69:6,7,12,19,20). And we are to share those sufferings. There must, therefore, be an open standing up for what we believe in the eyes of a hostile world. Preaching, in this sense, is for all of us. And if we dodge this, we put the Son of God to a naked shame; we re-crucify Him naked, we shame Him again (Heb. 6:6). He was crucified naked, and the sun went in for three hours. He must have been cold, very cold (Jn. 18:18). Artemidorus Daldianus (Oneirokritika 2.53) confirms that the Romans usually crucified victims naked. Melito of Sardis, writing in the 2nd century, writes of “his body naked and not even deemed worthy of a clothing that it might not be seen. Therefore the heavenly lights turned away and the day darkened in order that he might be hidden who was denuded upon the cross" (On the Pasch 97). The earliest portrayals of the crucified Jesus, on carved gems, feature Him naked.

Let the wicked be disappointed, may they be silent in Sheol- Clearly David understands the punishment of the wicked to be silence in the grave, and not eternal torment.

Psalm 31:18 Let the lying lips be mute, which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt- This implies David was a victim of slander far more than the historical records suggest. The silencing of the lying lips may connect with the wish that the wicked "be silent" in the grave. This wishing of death upon slanderers seems rather extreme and out of step with the later spirit of the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 31:19 Oh how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have worked for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men!- David's thoughts in :18,19 have been upon the final future condemnation of the wicked. Therefore the goodness "laid up" for the righteous would refer to the future reward of the Kingdom of God. The nature of our eternal existence will be unique to each of us, and God is developing or 'working' it right now through our experience of life. We note that David's trust in Yahweh was unashamed and public, "before the sons of men".

Psalm 31:20 In the shelter of Your presence You will hide them from the plotting of man. You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues- The reference may be to the plotting of Absalom and his party to overthrow David, which went on many years before Absalom's putsch. The pain of words is difficult to deal with; here David imagines himself as living in a Divinely provided pavilion which was somehow soundproofed against "the strife of tongues". And again David sees himself as dwelling in the shadow of the cherubic wings over the mercy seat, where the shekinah presence of Yahweh was to be seen. And he felt that wherever he was.

Psalm 31:21 Praise be to Yahweh, for He has shown me His marvellous grace in a fortified city- This could refer to David’s escape from Keilah, or how he got out of Gath when he fled there and the Philistines turned against him (1 Sam. 21:10-14). Or maybe this refers to how safe felt in his fortified city of Ziklag.

Psalm 31:22 As for me, I said in my haste, I am cut off from before Your eyes. Nevertheless You heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to You- If "eyes" refer to Angels, this could be a prophecy of the Lord Jesus’ fear of losing the Angelic presence whilst He was on the cross- hence Mt. 27:46.

Psalm 31:23 Oh love Yahweh, all you His saints! Yahweh preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly- David persistently sees the problem of his enemies, be they Saul or Absalom, as pride. And yet when the 'full recompense' of death came upon those men, David genuinely mourned and was heart broken. Sometimes we get the impression that the Psalms, although inspired, are very much a flow of consciousness statement.

Psalm 31:24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in Yahweh- This is another teaching to the effect that God will strengthen human hearts. The Greek and Hebrew words translated  'spirit' don't only mean 'power'. They frequently refer to the mind / heart. We read of God giving men a new heart, a new spirit; of Him working on men's hearts to make them do His will. He gives them a new spirit. This doesn't mean that they of their own volition have the power of the Holy Spirit gifts, as, e.g., some in the early church did. God will strengthen the heart / spirit of those who try to be strong (Ps. 27:14; 31:24). He can even, somehow, withhold men from sinning (Gen. 20:6), and keep us from falling (Jude 24). We should therefore have no essential objection to the idea of the Lord granting us His Spirit, in the sense of His thinking, His heart / mind.

Psalm 32

Psalm 32:1 By David. A contemplative psalm- Or maschil. Being so certain of having received God's mercy, and therefore knowing the joy of living in good conscience with God, led David to preach to those around him. "Then will I teach transgressors  thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee" (Ps. 51:13). Note too that Psalm 32 is a  'Maschil' psalm- 'for instruction'. If we have really experienced the mercy of God, we will preach to others from our personal experience. 'Preaching' will not be something which we will have to will ourselves to do, nor will it be just a compartment of our lives. Like David, our very existence, the very spirit of our lives, will be an open proclamation of what God's mercy has achieved in us. Morally disgraced in the eyes of all Israel and even the surrounding nations, not to mention his own family, David didn't have a leg to stand on when it came to telling other people how to live their lives. A lesser man than David would have resigned all connection with any kind of preaching. But throughout the Bathsheba psalms there is constant reference to David's desire to go and share the grace of God which he had experienced with others (Ps. 32 title; 51:13). He titles them ‘maschil’- for instruction / teaching. “Have mercy upon me, O Lord... that I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates” (Ps. 9:13,14).

Blessed is he whose iniquity is forgiven, whose sin is covered- "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven" (Ps. 32:1), David wrote, after experiencing God's mercy in the matter of Bathsheba. But Paul sees this verse as David describing "the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works" (Rom. 4:6). Each of us are in need of a like justification; therefore we find ourselves in David's position. The Spirit changes Ps. 32:1 ("Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven") to "Blessed are they" (Rom. 4:7) to make the same point.

Paul quotes David’s rejoicing in the righteousness imputed to him when he had sinned and had no works left to do- and changes the pronoun from “he” to “they” (Rom. 4:6-8). David’s personal experience became typical of that of each of us. It was through the experience of that wretched and hopeless position that David and all believers come to know the true ‘blessedness’ of imputed righteousness and sin forgiven by grace.

After his sin with Bathsheba, David was a desperate man. Sin is serious. He had to die, and he was shamed before all Israel. What he had done could not be undone, nor could it be forgiven through sacrifice. No amount of re-interpretation of the texts could get round it. Having been confronted by his desperation for nine months, he found a miraculous forgiveness. And he uttered a soliloquy: "Blessed is he (himself- David) whose transgression is forgiven" (Ps. 32:1). Rom. 4:6,7 slightly changes this, with the preface that these words describe "the blessedness of [any] man" who finds true forgiveness: "Blessed are they whose iniquities [plural] are forgiven". The point is plain: David's desperation is that of every one redeemed in Christ.

Psalm 32:2 Blessed is the man to whom Yahweh doesn’t impute iniquity- "Blessed is the man (e.g. David, or any sinner- David is our example) to whom Yahweh doesn't impute iniquity" is alluded to in 2 Cor. 5:19: "God was in Christ... not imputing (the world's) trespasses unto them".

In whose spirit there is no deceit- In Christ there was no guile (1 Pet. 2:22), as there was not in David (or any other believer) after the justification of forgiveness (Ps. 32:2). "Blessed is the man...i n whose spirit is no guile"  is picked up in Rev. 14:5: "In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God". The picture of forgiven David in Ps. 32 is what we will each be like after acceptance "before the throne of God". Yet David's experience can also be ours here and now; in those moments of true contrition, we surely are experiencing salvation in prospect.

In the same way as God did not impute iniquity to David, so David did not 'impute iniquity' to Shimei for cursing him, and did not carry out a rightful death sentence against that man (2 Sam. 19:19,21). Note how Shimei uses the very same wording which David used in his repentance: "I have sinned" (2 Sam. 19:20). It makes a good homework to now look through the New Testament, looking for David allusions.

Psalm 32:3 When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long- This must refer to David's roaring to God in prayer (Ps. 22:1) before David's repentance, whilst keeping silent about his sin. In the same context he laments: "I have roared by reason of the disquietness (bad conscience) of my heart" (Ps. 38:8). His very separation from God made him pray to God the more, pleading for some form of spiritual healing. But without realistic confession of sin, such prayer was shouting out words into the darkness. David found that attempting to have a relationship with God in such bad conscience only adds to the pain.

Psalm 32:4 For day and night Your hand was heavy on me, my strength was dried as in the heat of summer. Selah- David found his sins associated with Bathsheba "as an heavy burden... too heavy for me... I am (thereby) bowed down greatly" (Ps. 32:4,6). Surely our Lord was thinking back to David when He invited all of us: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden (with sins), and I will give you rest... for my... burden is light" (Mt. 11:28-30).

Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to You, I didn’t hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah- Solomon inserts parts of his father’s Bathsheba psalms in his prayers for how all Israel could be forgiven if they “confess thy name... when thou afflictest them... saying, We have sinned... forgive thy people... and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed” (1 Kings 8:35,47,50 = Ps. 32:5 etc.). On the basis of David’s pattern, all God’s people can find forgiveness, if they make a like confession.

It should be noted that the sin of adultery is not highlighted in Nathan's rebuke of David, but rather that David had "killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife". This is twice emphasized in 2 Sam. 12:9,10. This is not to say that the sin of weakness, of the moment, was irrelevant in God's sight. But the emphasis on how he had taken Bathsheba as his wife hints that this had been his long term intention, further suggesting that his sin with her was the end result of much prior meditation. This further illuminates the way in which David speaks of his sin with Bathsheba as if it comprised a whole multitude of other sins: " I acknowledged my sin (singular) unto thee... I said, I will confess my transgressions (plural)" (Ps. 32:5 cp. 38:3,4,18). Ps. 25:7 also occurs in a  Bathsheba context: "Remember not the sins of my youth..." ; as if facing up to his sin with Bathsheba made David face up to sins of years ago, possibly also in a sexual context.

Psalm 38 speaks of how the guilt of his sin weighed so heavily upon him (Ps. 38:4 NIV), whereas Ps. 32:5 describes how the guilt of sin has now been lifted from him- implying that he wrote Ps. 38 some time after the sin, but before repenting properly. The point is, he didn’t crash completely, he didn’t turn away from God in totality- he was still writing Psalms at the time!

Psalm 32:6 For this, let each one who is Godly pray to You- The serious but repentant sinner is here called "Godly". This is alluded to in 2 Cor. 7:7-11. Paul wished to interpret the news from Titus as meaning that the Corinthians had repented of their deep immorality: "Ye were made sorry... ye sorrowed to repentance...ye were made sorry after a Godly manner (cp. "every one that is Godly...", Ps. 32:6)... for Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation... ye sorrowed after a Godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation (cp. David's in 2 Sam. 12:5)... what zeal... your mourning, your fervent mind" (AV). Allusion after allusion to David is being piled up here. The eight references to their "sorrow" in four verses is surely a signpost back to David's intense sorrow for his sin with Bathsheba: "My sin is ever before me (Ps. 51:3)... my sorrow is continually before me... I will be sorry for my sin... many sorrows shall be to the wicked" who, unlike David, refused to repent (Ps. 38:17,18; 32:10). This association between sin and sorrow is a common one (Job 9:28; 1 Tim. 6:10; Ex. 4:31; Is. 35:10. The last two references show how Israel's sorrowing in Egypt was on account of their sinfulness). We must pause to ask whether our consciousness of sin leads us to a like sorrowing, whether our repentance features a similar depth of remorse. It would appear that Paul is likening Corinth to David. They too were guilty of sexual "uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness" (2 Cor. 12:21). As David's repentance was made in a "day of salvation", so in 2 Cor. 6:2 Paul told Corinth that they were in a similar position to him; they too had the chance of repentance. Those who had heeded this call earlier had experienced the zeal and clear conscience which David did on his repentance (2 Cor. 7:9-11). In this case, Paul would be likening himself to Nathan the prophet. This zeal which was seen in both David and Corinth is a sure sign of clear conscience and a joyful openness with God. Again, we ask how much of our zeal is motivated by this, or is it just a continuation of a level of service which we set ourselves in more spiritual days, which we now struggle to maintain for appearances sake?

In a time when You may be found. Surely when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach to him- This is alluded to in 2 Cor. 6:2: "In a time of acceptance I hearkened to you, and in a day of salvation did I succour you. Behold, now is the time of acceptance; behold, now is the day of salvation". This quotation is in support of the statement that we have received God's grace, charis, gift of the Spirit; but we are not to receive it in vain, but rather make use of it. The 'succouring' in view refers to just that. The same word is used in Heb. 2:18 of how the Lord Jesus gives us such help in time of temptation. Seeing that temptation is internal to the human mind, this help is surely psychological, within the heart- which is exactly what the gift of the Spirit is all about. Forgiveness is indeed in view, but beyond that- strength against falling into sin.

For every sinner, for whom David is our example, now is the time when God may be "found" in the sense of experiencing His forgiveness. God is love towards men, He is forgiveness. To experience this and respond back to it is therefore to find the knowledge of God. This "time when You (i.e. God's forgiveness, which is God) may be found" which David speaks of is that of 2 Cor. 6:2: "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation". Paul was speaking of how all sinners, baptized or not, need to realize this; we are all in David's position. Some complain that they did not experience a very great upsurge in finding and knowing God at the point of baptism. This may be due to an insufficient emphasis on the need for repentance and appreciating the seriousness of sin before baptism; and not being willing to make use of the Spirit gift which we are then given. We must not think that we know God because we believe a Statement of Faith and have been baptized. "Now is the accepted time", Paul wrote to the baptized Corinthians, to truly take on board the marvel of God's forgiveness, to know it and respond to it for ourselves, and thereby to come to a dynamic, two-way relationship with God.

As David "found" God through experiencing His forgiveness, so can " every one that is Godly" today. It is quite possible that "seek and you shall find" (Mt. 7:7) was uttered by the Lord with his mind on Ps. 32:6 and David's experience. After all, we cannot expect this to be a blank cheque offer, that whatever we seek for we must receive. But if these words are an allusion to David's seeking and finding forgiveness in Ps. 32:6, then the promise is more realistic. If we seek for forgiveness and a living relationship with God, then we have this unconditional promise that we will find this. Yet in a sense, the time when we will ultimately find God will be at the judgment: we will "find mercy of the Lord in that day" (2 Tim. 1:18), so that "ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless" (2 Pet. 3:14). We will find God, as He will find us, in that great moment of consummation; "for then shall (we) know (God), even as also (we) are known" by Him (1 Cor. 13:12; ). Then we will "be found in him...that I may (then) know him" (Phil. 3:9,10). Yet David says that after forgiveness, we can find and know God. It is as if whenever we sin, we in a sense face our judgment seat.

Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place, You will preserve me from trouble, You will surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah- "In the hidden part You shall make me to know wisdom" (Ps. 51:6) David meditated, as he looked forward to his new life with God after receiving forgiveness. His very innermost being would then be able to learn more deeply of God's real wisdom. There is a connection between David knowing God in his "hidden part", and Ps. 32:7: "You art my hiding place", or 'hidden part'. This shows that David felt that after his repentance, God Himself would live in David's 'hidden part', that part of his mind and thinking which no one else knows. Through knowing God, God would come and live in that part which truly knew God. The tabernacling of God in our 'hidden part' also requires us to come to know Him, as David did.

David came to know the marvel of all this. And David is our example. His response was to eagerly desire to spread the knowledge of God which he acquired through his experience of God's forgiveness. "I will instruct thee and teach thee" he exalts in Ps. 32:8. He knew that as God would surround him with songs of deliverance on forgiveness, so "he (anyone) that trusteth in the Lord (as David did), mercy shall compass him about" (Ps. 32:10). "Then will I teach transgressors thy ways" (Ps. 51:13) is another example. Likewise, Peter (Lk. 5:8-10), Isaiah (Is. 6:5-9) and Paul (Eph. 3:8) all received preaching commissions straight after their experience of forgiveness. Our knowledge of God through receiving it should be a powerful stimulus to our personal witnessing. There is every reason why some of our witnessing should include personal testimony of what the Lord has done for us.

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go, I will counsel you with my eye on you- These could be God's words to David, assuring him that He would use this experience of sin and restoration to teach him and lead him further in the way to life. Or as noted on :1, seeing this is a Psalm for instructing others, these may be David's words, seeking to bring others to know the way he himself had trodden. "Counsel" is the word used of Ahithophel, David's counsellor who was Bathsheba's grandfather, who later betrayed him and turned against him (2 Sam. 15:12; 16:23). Perhaps David is reflecting that due to his experience of grace, he is now qualified to counsel others; and therefore Ahithophel, Israel's renowned counsellor, was thereby further offended. See on Ps. 33:18.

Solomon taught his son obedience to him as a father, but not to God Himself. He tells him: “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths” (Prov. 4:11), repeating the words of David in Ps. 32:8: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye”. But those words in their context were wrung from a David desperately grateful for God’s forgiveness of his sin with Bathsheba. Solomon hadn’t gone through this contrition- he was a self-justified womanizer, and yet he used the same outward form of words as his father.  Solomon was playing God by implying that his words carried the weight of God’s words.

Psalm 32:9 Don’t be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding, who are controlled by bit and bridle, or else they will not come near to you- Through David's repentance he obviously learnt from his sin, as we can from each of ours. Ps. 32:9 comments that men ought to learn from David’s example, and not be as horses who must have their mouths kept in with a bridle. In Ps. 39:1 David reminisces how he had earlier said [before his sin with Bathsheba] that he would stop himself sinning by restraining himself with a bridle. He learnt that sheer will power is not enough; blind resolution to simply ‘obey’ will fail. Instead, it is a living relationship with the Father, a deep sense of His glory, that creates an environment of life where we just won’t do what David did with Bathsheba. This was what he learnt, and this is what he was so eager to pass on to us in the post-Bathsheba Psalms of  David's repentance. "Come near" is a common idiom for offering sacrifice and worshipping God. The idea may be that God doesn't want to force men to come near to Him through using the force of bit and bridle; rather does He want genuinely repentant sinners like David, in awe of His grace, to come to Him of themselves with the "understanding" of Him as the God of all grace. But God all the same causes men to "come near" to Him (Ps. 65:4 s.w.); but not be coercion, rather by the experience of His grace.

Psalm 32:10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but grace shall surround him who trusts in Yahweh- The nervous effects on David may well have continued throughout the rest of his life. Despite exalting in the fact that he has now confessed his sin and been forgiven, David uttered Ps. 32:4: "Day and night thy hand was heavy upon me (in the days before repentance): my moisture is (present tense) turned into the drought of summer. Selah" (AV). Is this not an eloquent picture of the David who was once so sure of himself, full of vitality, now shrivelled up, at least emotionally? "Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about" (Ps. 32:10) may also give insight here. It does not say 'Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but the repentant will have joy'. Instead, the contrast is made between sorrow and experiencing God's mercy; as if to imply 'The sorrows brought about by sin will go on and on in this life, but knowing you are surrounded by God's mercy more than compensates'. It takes little imagination to realize how that after his sin, David must have become a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, tortured with deep and manic depressions. David's repentance comes as a relief to the reader.

Psalm 32:11 Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!- see on Ps. 51:4. We along with all the righteous ought to “shout for joy” that David really was forgiven- for there is such hope for us now. David is our example. No matter how we have sinned, we can still like him feel and be "upright in heart" before God. And yet the intensity of David’s repentance must be ours. He hung his head as one in whose mouth there were no more arguments, hoping only in the Lord’s grace (Ps. 38:14 RVmg.). David is seeing himself and the righteous as Job, and he here continues that connection, seeing that Job is described likewise as "upright in heart" (Job 1:8; 2:3). David sees this as characteristic of all God's people (s.w. Ps. 11:2; 19:8; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11). He sees the wicked as those who are not upright (Ps. 14:3; 51:1,3). But these words which David writes about the wicked are then reinterpreted as applying to all men, God's people included (Rom. 3:12). Like Job, David had to be taught that actually he was failing to see the seriousness of sin; righteousness and acceptability with God is imputed to men by grace through faith, because actually there are none who are upright in heart, apart from God's representative son.

Psalm 33

Psalm 33:1 Rejoice in Yahweh, you righteous! Praise is fitting for the upright- This may continue from the previous Psalm, which has conclude that those like David who have seriously sinned and yet been forgiven... are the joyfully "upright in heart" who can legitimately "rejoice" (Ps. 32:11 s.w.).

Psalm 33:2 Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre, sing praises to Him with the harp of ten strings- This continues the theme of Ps. 32 (see on :1); David is inviting praise to be offered for his forgiveness, and for that which is now demonstrated as possible for all repentant sinners. He was renowned for his harp playing; and he now invites us all to follow him and also take up the harp in worship of the grace shown him.

Psalm 33:3 Sing to Him a new song, play skilfully with a shout of joy!- Is. 42:9,10 says that we sing the “new song” now, because we sing / meditate of the “new things” which will be in the Kingdom. In that day, we will “sing a new song” (Rev. 5:9; 14:3). And yet this is undoubtedly picking up on the way in which we can now sing the ‘new song’, every morning (Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1). This was how David felt after receiving God's grace over the Bathsheba incidents. Likewise, all things will be made new at the Lord’s coming (Rev. 21:5), and yet those in whom the new creation is worked out already have all things made new in their spiritual experience (2 Cor. 5:17,18). The life that the Lord Jesus had and now lives is the essence of the Kingdom life. Who He was and is, this is the definition of the Kingdom life. It’s why one of His titles is “the kingdom of God” (Lk. 17:21). And it’s why it can be said that we ‘have’ eternal life now, in that we can live the essence of the life we will eternally live, right now.

Psalm 33:4 For the word of Yahweh is right, all His work is done in faithfulness- The specific word of Yahweh David may have in view is the message from Nathan the prophet which condemned him for his sin with Bathsheba. Part of repentance is acceptance that God is right.

Psalm 33:5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the grace of Yahweh- David so often parallels righteousness and justice / truth (Ps. 9:8; 33:5; 37:6; 72:2; 94:15; 99:7; 103:6; 106:3). Indeed, this parallel is so common in God's word. What it means is that the righteousness of God is a just righteousness. It's not fake, 'I'll turn a blind eye'. It is true, real, valid, and has integrity underpinned in the very essential justice of God Himself. Justice and righteousness may appear abstract ideas, mere theology. But the result is that the person who believes God's righteousness is imputed to him or her... will feel this, they will know it to be true, they can by grace, in faith, quietly hold their head up before God. And David after Bathsheba is our example. He believed and felt this imputed righteousness. It's not so much a case of 'forgiving ourselves' after God has forgiven us, but rather of being swamped by this very real and legitimate sense that truly, we have been counted righteous. And Paul in Romans holds up David after Bathsheba as the personal example to "every one who is Godly" in their time of spiritual need. See on Ps. 41:12.

Psalm 33:6 By Yahweh’s word the heavens were made- I suggested on :4 that the word of Yahweh which David initially had in view was the message from Nathan the prophet which condemned him for his sin with Bathsheba. But just as that one prophetic word had produced a new creation within David, so that same word called into existence all of creation.

All their army by the breath of His mouth- Many passages clearly identify God’s spirit with His power. In order to create the earth, “the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light” (Gen. 1:2,3). God’s spirit was the power by which all things, e.g. light, were made. “By His spirit He has created the heavens; His hand has formed the crooked serpent” (Job 26:13). A comparison of Mt. 12:28 and Lk. 11:20 shows that “the finger of God” and “the spirit of God” are parallel - God in action is His spirit. “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth” (Ps. 33:6).

God’s spirit was seen at work in the creation: “By his spirit he has created the heavens” (Job 26:13) - the spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters to bring about the present creation (Gen. 1:2). Yet we also read that “by the word of the Lord” the world was made (Ps. 33:6), as shown by the Genesis narrative recording that “God said” things were to be created, and it happened. God’s spirit, therefore, is very much reflected in His word. Likewise our words express our inner thoughts and desires - the real ‘us’ - very accurately. Jesus wisely pointed out: “Out of the abundance of the heart (the mind) the mouth speaks” (Mt. 12:34).

Psalm 33:7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses- David's response to his experience of grace was to commit himself to teaching others God's ways (see on Ps. 32:1). And perhaps his idea of building a temple was an outflow from that. As God gathered the waters together, so David responded by gathering together the Gentiles within Israel ("the waters of the sea") to construct a temple (s.w. 1 Chron. 22:2). And in the restoration context, God was likewise willing to gather together the exiles from the seas of the Gentiles (s.w. Ps. 147:2), repeating the miracle of the Red Sea deliverance, where God's word also made the waters stand as a heap (s.w. Ps. 78:13). As God "lays up... in storehouses", so David laid up all the required materials with which Solomon was to build the temple.

Psalm 33:8 Let all the earth fear Yahweh, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him- David's vision was of all the people within the eretz promised to Abraham coming to fear the God of Israel- all because he had sinned grievously and had been forgiven.

Psalm 33:9 For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood firm- As noted on :4,6, the word of Yahweh which David initially had in view was the message from Nathan the prophet which condemned him for his sin with Bathsheba. But just as that one prophetic word had produced a new creation within David, so that same word called into existence all of creation. David likewise was made to 'stand firm' despite his sin (s.w. 2 Sam. 22:34; Ps. 30:7; 31:8).

Psalm 33:10 Yahweh brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no power- Perhaps a reference to how by grace God gave David victory over the Ammonites straight after his receipt of forgiveness over the matter of Bathsheba. He saw in that victory an assurance of God's acceptance of him.

Psalm 33:11 The counsel of Yahweh stands fast forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations- David likewise was made to 'stand firm' despite his sin (s.w. 2 Sam. 22:34; Ps. 30:7; 31:8). See on :9. God's word reflects His thoughts and intentions. David felt he was to become part of that eternal purpose, and his kingdom or "mountain" would stand fast as part of that (Ps. 30:7). He perceived that his kingdom was to be God's Kingdom.

Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance- As noted on Ps. 31:6,14, idolatry was prevalent in the Israel of David's time. But their God was to be Yahweh exclusively, for He had exclusively chosen Israel as His people.

Psalm 33:13 Yahweh views from heaven; He sees all the sons of men- As will be noted on :14, God was seen as looking down here, yet His dwelling place was also seen as being in Zion.

Psalm 33:14 From the place of His habitation He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth- That place of habitation may refer to Zion rather than Heaven Himself. For the idea is of God looking out from there upon the peoples of the eretz, rather than looking down upon them.

Psalm 33:15 He who fashions all of their hearts; and He considers all of their works- We have here two apparently contradictory ideas; works reflect thoughts / hearts. Yet God fashions or directs human hearts, and yet He judges their works. Yet from this dialectic comes the conclusion that God indeed works directly upon human hearts, but only in confirming their freewill decisions. And therefore He can legitimately judge their works. In the restoration context, this refers to how God was prepared to fashion or create out of the exiles a new people with new hearts (s.w. Is. 43:1,21; 44:2; 64:8). The word is also used in the Hezekiah context (Is. 37:26). David realized that as God fashioned the earth (Ps. 95:5), so He can fashion human hearts (Ps. 33:15). His word and Spirit work in doing both things, with the same boundless possibility and power.

Psalm 33:16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength- The numbering of Israel was a weak moment for David (note 2 Sam. 24:3,4,10), leading to suffering for others. Yet this same David had written that “there is no king saved by the multitude of an host” (Ps. 33:16). David apparently wrote this before that realization. He knew the theory, but failed to apply it in reality.

Psalm 33:17 A horse is a vain thing for safety, neither does he deliver any by his great power- David was carefully obedient to the Mosaic legislation about not using horses, but instead trusting in the cherubim horses of God's salvation (Dt. 17:16; 20:1). Solomon his son totally ignored all this, having so many horses he had to build cities to house them all. And yet Solomon was quite obsessed with "David my father"; but when it came to real issues, he ignored David.

Psalm 33:18 Behold, Yahweh’s eye is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His grace- There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. Our eye is upon Him (Ps. 25:5; 69:3; 123:2), as His eye is upon us (Ps. 32:8; 33:18). The Lord stresses, with apparently needless repetition, that to the man who responds to His word, "I will sup with him and he with me" (Rev. 3:20). And David took this mutuality even further; for in Ps. 32:8 David says that in response to his experience of forgiveness regarding Bathsheba, "I will counsel you with my eye on you".

Psalm 33:19 to deliver their soul from death, to keep them alive in famine- Under the old covenant, famine was not supposed to come if the people were obedient. Remember that the context is about his experience of forgiveness regarding the Bathsheba incident. So the idea is that even when suffering the punishment for sin, God will still show grace and keep His repentant people "alive in famine".

Psalm 33:20 Our soul has waited for Yahweh; He is our help and our shield- As explained on Ps. 32:1, David was resolved to make his experience of salvation by grace the pattern for all men. And so the Psalm concludes by emphasizing that David's path is "ours".

Psalm 33:21 For our heart rejoices in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name- These words could have been part of David's original Psalm, as suggested on :20; or they could have been added under inspiration by those who later perceived that indeed David's forgiveness and restoration was to be programmatic for all God's people.

Psalm 33:22 Let Your grace be on us, Yahweh, according as we have hope in You- There was no sacrifice prescribed for David's sins with Bathsheba and Uriah; the death penalty was required. But David's vision of God's grace was large enough for him to ask for forgiveness, and his hope for it was not disappointed. But it all depends upon the breadth of our vision. Perhaps the most telling example is in Abraham’s request that God would spare Sodom for the sake of fifty righteous men there. He then lowers the number to 40, and then finally to ten, assuming that surely Lot’s family were righteous and would comprise ten righteous. If Abraham had left off praying at, say, forty... then this would have been the limit God set. If there were ten righteous there, the city wouldn’t have been saved. But Abraham went on to set the limit at ten. But we wonder, what would have happened if he had gone further and asked God to save Sodom for the sake of one righteous man, i.e. Lot? My sense is that the Father would have agreed. But the city wasn’t saved for the sake of the one man Lot, because Abraham limited God’s desire to save by the smallness of his vision. This principle can possibly be extended even wider.

In describing his feelings after the Bathsheba experience, David comments that he was "as a man that hears not [the taunts of others against him], and in whose mouth are no rebukes" (Ps. 38:14). The pre-Bathsheba Psalms present David as a man who was so easily hurt by the taunts of others, and whose mouth was indeed full of rebuke of others.  David's view of God's mercy was that it would be only according to, proportionate to, our hope in God (Ps. 33:22)- it was only through his Bathsheba experience that David came to know that grace is simply not proportionate to any human virtue.

Psalm 34

Psalm 34:1 By David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed- This Psalm is based around the alphabet. But the letters beth and vav are omitted, instead of koph there is resh; and the he section is doubled at the end. This isn't careless construction or corruption, but rather does Hebrew poetry function through such intentional omissions or departures from an expected pattern.

I will bless Yahweh at all times; His praise will always be in my mouth- We are to imagine David leaving Gath, which had seemed like a trap in which he would certainly die, and then feeling the words of this Psalm- and then writing them down for others to sing with him (:3).

Psalm 34:2 My soul shall boast in Yahweh. The humble shall hear of it, and be glad- David was not going to brag that he had slipped out of encirclement in Gath (see on :1) by his own strength and initiative; rather would he boast in Yahweh's salvation of him. Others who were humbled by their situations would be glad, because David's salvation would be perceived by them as programmatic for them too.

Psalm 34:3 Oh magnify Yahweh with me, let us exalt His name together!- Constantly we see David's earnest desire to reach out to others, so that they would make his feelings and essential experiences their own, and also magnify Yahweh. 'Magnify' or 'making great' is a theme of God's relationship with the patriarchs. Abraham's seed was to be magnified / made great (s.w. Gen. 12:2), with His grace magnified toward them (Gen. 19:19). And in response, David wants to magnify Yahweh with the other members of the seed.

Psalm 34:4 I sought Yahweh and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears- Those fears were that he was in an enclosed Philistine city, and they had recalled his slaughter of Goliath and many other Philistines whose relatives were in the city. And yet because of that deliverance, David knows that God will likewise save others amongst His people from their difficult situations. “The righteous cried, and the Lord heard”, he could write, with easy reference to his crying to God when with Abimelech [see Psalm title]; but he goes straight on to say that God delivers all the righteous out of all their troubles (Ps. 34:4,6,17 RV).

Psalm 34:5 They looked to Him, and were radiant.; their faces shall never be covered with shame- "Radiant" is the word used of the restoration of the exiles (Is. 60:5; Jer. 31:12; Mic. 4:1). David's restoration is used as a pattern for the exiles, but the reality was that they didn't repent as he did.

Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and Yahweh heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles- "Troubles" is the word used about Jacob, whose cry from exile was heard and he was delivered from his troubles (Gen. 35:3). And the theme of Jacob continues later in the Psalm.

Psalm 34:7 The angel of Yahweh encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them- Encamps" means more 'to settle down'- the Angel does not rush into our lives at our frantic behest when we are in a sudden crisis, but has settled down around us for a long time in preparing that trial. This promises that the Angel of the Lord will encamp /Mahanaim around all His servants, just as the Angel did at Mahanaim for Jacob. The allusion is to Jacob. His struggle at [or with] Penuel strikes a chord with each of us. Frank Lake has pointed out that each person struggles to find peace in their relationships with others and also with their God- whether or not they are conscious of those struggles. Jacob’s experience is clearly set up as representative of our own.

Psalm 34:8 Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him- This is the idea of 1 Jn. 5:9,10: "This is the witness of God... He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself... the (i.e. this) witness of God is greater" than that of men. The ultimate proof that the Truth is the Truth is not in the witness of men- be they archaeologists, scientists, good friends or who. The real witness of God is deep in yourself. "Taste and see, that Yahweh is good" is the most powerful appeal.

Psalm 34:9 Oh fear Yahweh, you His saints, for there is no lack to those who fear Him- David predicates "no lack" upon fearing Yahweh and simply trusting in Him (Ps. 34:8,9). Solomon picks up the idea of the righteous experiencing "no lack" but instead claims it is a reward for generosity (s.w. Prov. 28:27). This is a parade example of the difference between David and Solomon. Solomon picks up his father's words and conclusions, but reframes them to justify himself and works rather than faith.

Psalm 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek Yahweh shall not lack any good thing- See on 9. This is the phrase used of how the Israelites "lacked nothing" in the desert (Ex. 16:18; Dt. 2:7; Neh. 9:21), and neither would they in the promised land (Dt. 8:9).  The contrast is how the lions lacked, but David the sheep shepherded by Yahweh did not lack / want (Ps. 23:1 s.w.). But now David extends that sense to all "who seek Yahweh". His experience was to be theirs. And the phrase is used of how the restored exiles would likewise not lack (Is. 51:14).

Psalm 34:11 Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh- David had taught his children with these words. Did David say this to his children every evening? And Solomon uses just the same words, even whilst disobeying God’s law at the same time in his own life: “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father… I give you good doctrine… for I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments and live” (Prov. 4:1-4). And so Solomon taught his kids with the same outward form of words, although the personal reality of wisdom was lost on him. He repeats these very words of David when teaching his own son: “My son, keep [retain] my words… keep my commandments and live” (Prov. 7:1,2). The idea of keeping commandments in order to live is a reference back to the many Deuteronomy passages where Moses pleads with Israel to keep God’s commands and live. But Solomon came to perceive his father David’s commands as those of God, and in his generation he watered this down in his own mind until he assumed that his commands to his children were to be treated by them as the law of God- no matter how far he had strayed himself from God’s law.

Psalm 34:12 Who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?- The prerequisite is to 'desire life... many days', to actually want to live for ever. And to this day, this is actually lacking in the majority- for all their interest in healthy living and extending lifespans. But the opportunity of eternity is actually not attractive- because their lives are not actually fulfilling because God and His Spirit is not in first place.

Psalm 34:13 Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies- We note that in first place was keeping the tongue from evil. David perceived the critical importance of control of our words.

Psalm 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it- David several times speaks of the need to fear God and ‘depart from evil’, and the blessedness of the man who does so (Ps. 34:14; 37:27); and Solomon repeats his father repeatedly on this point (Prov. 3:7; 4:27; 13:19; 14:16; 16:6,17). Yet they are surely alluding to Job, who feared God and “eschewed” [s.w. ‘depart from’] evil (Job 1:1). Without doubt, these allusions indicate that they saw Job as symbolic of all the righteous. And this is no mere piece of painless Bible exposition; Job in all his turmoil really is the pattern for each one of us, the path through which we each must pass.

Psalm 34:15 Yahweh’s eyes are toward the righteous, His ears listen to their cry- Whilst pretending to be mad in Gath (:1), David was in fact crying out to God. Or perhaps his cries of feigned madness were treated by God as cries to Him. Because God sees situations as prayers; the efficacy of prayer isn't a function of our ability to verbalize. Although "the righteous" here is originally David, his whole idea in the Psalm is that he and his answered prayer is representative of all believers. And this is confirmed by the fact that this verse is quoted about all believers in 1 Pet. 3:12. It could be that Yahweh's "eyes" have special reference to the Angels who operationalize His response to prayer.

Psalm 34:16 Yahweh’s face is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth- In the context of :15, the sense would be that He does not answer the prayers of evildoers. Which means that our experience of answered prayer is therefore a premonition of our ultimate acceptance at the last day.

Psalm 34:17 The righteous cry, and Yahweh hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles- As discussed on :16, the implication is that the experience of answered prayer is therefore a premonition of our ultimate acceptance at the last day. The allusion is to how Israel in Egypt cried and were heard by the God who delivered them from their troubles (Dt. 26:7 s.w.). And yet Israel were hardly "righteous". They took the idols of Israel with them through the Red Sea, carrying the tabernacles of their gods through the desert along with that of Yahweh. Again, as so often, David seems to assume that God's activity depends upon personal righteousness; when after his failure with Bathsheba he came to see that this is not necessarily the case. Because God's grace is different to that.

Psalm 34:18 Yahweh is near- Literally, 'next to', 'neighbour / relative to'. This is how close God feels to the broken hearted and crushed; and conversely, how far He is from the self satisfied and self congratulatory, 'the strong' in secular terms. It is this feature of Yahweh which makes Him unique; no other God has this characteristic of 'nearness' (s.w. Dt. 4:7).

To those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit- This was how David felt as he pretended to be insane (:1) in order to escape. He was driven so low that his spirit was crushed and broken. We note the parallel between the heart and the spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit therefore speaks of a new heart being given.

Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all- Total deliverance will only be at the last day, and maybe David has this in view.

Psalm 34:20 He protects all of his bones; not one of them is broken- The prophecy of Ps. 34:20 about not a bone of the Lord being broken is clearly applied to Him in Jn. 19:36. But the context is clearly about all of us- any righteous man. The preceding verse speaks of how the Lord delivers the righteous man out of all his tribulations- and this verse is applied to other believers apart from the Lord Jesus in Acts 12:11 and 2 Tim. 3:11,12. The chilling fact is that we who are in the body of the Lord are indeed co-crucified with Him.

Psalm 34:21 Evil shall kill the wicked; those who hate the righteous shall be condemned- This is true so far as it goes, but David and Solomon both had a tendency to eagerly condemn their enemies. It was said almost on the eve of Saul's death (see on :1) and indeed it did come about for Saul. Perhaps David's idea was that the wicked would be killed in this life, as he knew Saul would be; but also condemned at the last judgment.

Psalm 34:22 Yahweh redeems the soul of His servants; none of those who take refuge in Him shall be condemned- David had taken refuge in Gath and was suffering because of it (see on :1). Perhaps here is a tacit recognition that he should have made Yahweh his city of refuge rather than Gath.

Psalm 35

Psalm 35:1 By David- Like many of the Psalms, this appears to have begun as a reflection upon Saul, and was then used again by David at the time of Absalom's rebellion.

Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me- These were exactly David's words about Saul (1 Sam. 24:15). David imagined the court of Heaven to be permanently sitting, and he invites God to enter into legal judgment with Saul and then carry out an appropriate judgment.

Psalm 35:2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help- The 'standing up' continues the legal allusions of :1. We may enquire why God is bidden take hold of defensive things like shield and protective armour. Perhaps the idea is that God was to show to David's enemies that all their offensive weaponry was nothing compared to His defense.

Psalm 35:3 Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me- GNB "Lift up your spear and war ax against those who pursue me". If we stick with "block [the way]", we can think of Saul being turned back from pursuing David by news of a Philistine incursion, or Absalom being persuaded not to follow the advice of Ahithophel in immediately pursuing David.

Tell my soul, I am Your salvation- David is asking God to persuade him, to tell him in his soul, deep within him. This is another of the frequent indications in the Psalms that David believed God was capable of talking directly to the human heart over and above His written word; for as we see from Ps. 119, David had access to that word anyway. But he asks God to write the reality of salvation deeper in his own soul.

Psalm 35:4 Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonour. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded- Saul sought  to take David's life. So many of the Psalms contain imprecations against those who were seeking David's soul- not just his physical life, but seeking to destroy his very being (e.g. Ps. 35:4; 40:14; 54:1; 63:9; 70:2; 71:13). These imprecations expose the evil of Saul, and asks God to condemn him. Some of those Psalms appear to have been written by David in the Saul days, and then rewritten at the time of Absalom's rebellion- another man who sought David's soul, and yet whom David loved. The words of this prayer are also in view in Ps. 44:7, where David considers them to have been answered.

The words are repeated in Ps. 40:14. That Psalm appears to have some reference to David's sin with Bathsheba, which provoked the plotting against David's life referred to here. And yet we wonder as to how David could so bitterly wish the destruction of his opponents, when he himself had been saved by grace.

Psalm 35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, Yahweh’s angel driving them on- David wishes that those who chased him (:6) be chased by God's Angel in the condemnation process of the last day (see on :6). "Chaff before the wind" recalls the destruction of the image representing worldly empires in Dan. 2. This continual wishing of condemnation upon enemies is certainly out of step with the love and prayerful pity for enemies inculcated in the spirit of Christ and specific New Testament teachings.

The idea of threshing is often associated with the judgement; the unworthy will be as chaff chased by the Angels. The Angels are made spirit (the same word Hebrew word as 'winds') and are being likened to the wind in this threshing process, driving the unworthy away; as Adam, typifying the rejected, was chased out of Eden by the Angels. "As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more; but the righteous is an everlasting foundation" (Prov. 10:25) appears the basis of the parable of the house on the rock, making the whirlwind correspond to the second coming in judgement. "The whirlwind" is Angel cherubim language; as if it is by that means that the wicked will be destroyed.

Psalm 35:6 Let their way be dark and slippery, Yahweh’s angel pursuing them- See on :6. Again we have to reflect that this willing of men into condemnation is so different to the spirit of the Christ whom David saw in spirit always before his face. The language here is used of God's confirmation of Judah in their sinful way (Jer. 23:12 = Ps. 35:6); whichever path we choose, we are confirmed in. Those who are of a slippery tongue (Ps. 55:21 s.w.) will be confirmed in this; they will, as it were, slip headlong into condemnation. Their own chosen way is their judgment.

Psalm 35:7 For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me, without cause they have dug a pit for my soul- The continued emphasis in David's psalms upon "without cause" surely reflects a self righteousness (Ps. 35:19; 69:4; 109:3; 119:161). For David's righteousness was only impressive relative to the wickedness of his enemies; before God, it was filthy rags. It was true that Saul persecuted David "without cause" (s.w. 1 Sam. 19:5), but the experience of "without cause" persecution can lead us to an inappropriate self-righteousness. This is what happened to Job, who also suffered "without cause" (s.w. Job 2:3), and had to be convicted of self-righteousness at the end of the story. And it seems this happened to David. David himself intended to shed blood "without cause" and was only saved from it by grace (s.w. 1 Sam. 25:31).

Psalm 35:8 Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself; let him fall into that destruction- This death wish seems to have come true of Absalom rather than Saul; for Absalom's death by his hair catching in a tree and literally falling to his death after being struck dead there would be more appropriate to these words than Saul's death. And David was to bitterly mourn Absalom's death. We need to ask ourselves how we would really feel if our bitter feelings were actually fulfilled by God.

Psalm 35:9 My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh, I shall rejoice in His salvation- When David's great enemies (Saul and Absalom) did fall, David mourned and didn't rejoice.

Psalm 35:10 All my bones shall say, Yahweh, who is like You, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?- Just as the description of Absalom's death in :8 didn't exactly come true for Absalom, so we wonder how David was robbed by his enemies. However he may have in view the fact that Saul and Absalom abused the poor generally, as was foretold of Saul by Samuel. It was this, rather than Saul's actual persecution of David, which David sees as the prime example of Saul's wickedness.

Psalm 35:11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they accuse me of things that I know nothing about- Again we struggle to find much evidence of this in the historical records; but the intrigues after the sin with Bathsheba may well be what is in view. And Saul likely mobilized support for his anti-David campaign by a slander campaign, saying things such as those willingly believed by Nabal (1 Sam. 25:10).

Psalm 35:12 They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul- This is exactly the language of how Saul treated David, who showed him "good" in preserving his life, and was rewarded for it with "evil" by Saul (1 Sam. 24:17). This injustice bereaved David, he was deeply hurt by the injustice of it all. We only sense this here in the Psalms; the historical record gives little indication of the psychological trauma David experienced because of it.

Psalm 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I afflicted my soul with fasting- Saul is in view (see on :12). The sickness of Saul was psychological, and David not only played the harp for him but also prayed and fasted in sackcloth for him. This again is something we don't see in the historical records.

My prayer returned into my own bosom- GNB "I prayed with my head bowed low", ESV "with head bowed on my chest". But it could also be an idiom implying his prayer had gone unanswered (as in Mt. 10:13; Ps. 79:12). Or he could mean that although the prayer was unanswered, a blessing still returned to him because he had prayed (as in Jer. 18:20).

Psalm 35:14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother- This is one verse which to me is a cameo of the extent of the victory which David won against the mind of the flesh, against our massive tendency to repay sin with sin, bitterness with bitterness, anger with anger. If we take nothing else away from this, please focus your mind on this, and keep the memory: Here David protests his love for the one who was persecuting him (:12) and is reflecting upon his attitude to Saul's death. "As one who mourns for his mother". This is surely one of the most powerful figures that could be employed. Picture a young man of say 24, in a dark blue suit, kneeling down at the graveside of his mother, surrounded by friends and relatives, bowing down heavily in his grief. Or picture a man of 34, 44, 54, hair greying and receding now, bowing himself down heavily. Or even 64, 74, alone in his grief, bowing down heavily to the green turf, muttering words about mum. Perhaps some of us haven't yet experienced this; many have. If you haven't, just imagine it. Surely it brings a lump to your throat. Now it was with this intensity of grief that David mourned the death or sickness of his persecutor. This is a wondrous reflection of his devotion, his true love, his triumph over bitterness and anger, over all the human actions that had been directed against him. The heavy bowing down of the Lord Jesus as he wept over Jerusalem, the city that hated and rejected him, whose leaders slew him, whose people screamed for his blood. David wept for Saul as if he was his friend or brother. Who was David's friend and brother? Surely Jonathan his brother-in-law. But he wept for Saul, David says, as he wept for Jonathan. This is testified to historically by David's lament of 2 Sam. 1. And still David sought out the house of Saul, “that I may shew the kindness of God” unto them (2 Sam. 9:3). It was the experience of Divine kindness that motivated David. As he hoped for fellowship at the King’s table in the future, so David delighted in inviting his former enemies to partake of his table, now he was king (2 Sam. 9:7,11,13). And if we hope to share the Lord’s table in the Kingdom, we must share it with our weaker brethren now. I see in all this such a triumph for David, that a man should reflect the love of God to such an extent, to love in the face of such hatred, to not just love those who loved him.

The deep sorrow of the Lord Jesus for Judas and all those who turn away is surely typified here. Right at the bitter end, the Lord still referred to him as His friend (Mt. 26:50), even though a few hours before He had been speaking of how the faithful few were His friends, and how He would give His life for His friends (Jn. 15:13-15). Throughout His ministry, the Lord had spoken of the faithful as His friends (Lk. 14:20; 11:8; 12:4). This was the spirit of the Lord Jesus in His time of dying, this is what enabled Him to  go through the mock trial, the intense degradation, the bitter pain of rejection, without bitterness and the sin of unholy anger. To be like David to Saul, like Paul to Corinth, like Christ to the Jews, like God to us, really is possible. If that's how we can live, we will truly be in the new life.

Psalm 35:15 But in my adversity- Literally 'limping', a strange term to use, until we perceive yet another allusion to Jacob limping home from exile (s.w. Gen. 32:31). The same word is used of the exiles who were to be regathered and reestablished as a kingdom in the face of all opposition (Mic. 4:6,7).

They rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease- This may refer to Saul's various secret plans to kill David, hidden from him even by those supposedly close to him.

Psalm 35:16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me- These feasts may be a reference to idol worship, which was prevalent in Israel at David's time and amongst his enemies (see on Ps. 31:6). There may also be reference to Absalom's deceitful feasts of 2 Sam. 13:24; 15:7-10. Gnashing of teeth is the language of condemnation at the last day (Mt. 8:12 etc.). But those thus condemned will have gnashed their teeth at their brethren in this life. By doing so, they are living out their own condemnation.

Psalm 35:17 Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions- "Precious life" is literally 'my darling', 'my only one'. I suggest this isn't narcissism, but rather a rightful appreciation of the value and meaning of our own life; which we want preserved so that we can use it for God.

Psalm 35:18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly, I will praise You among many people- David's vision was to take the good news of God's grace to the assembly of God's people and also to the "many people" of the Gentiles. David knew his sinfulness, he knew his reliance upon the grace of God, more and more as he got older. One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps. 4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). Indeed, Ps. 71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men.

It is the struggle of every spiritually minded and righteous man to humble himself to accept he is only part of a far wider congregation, comprised of believers who may frankly be less spiritually minded than himself (Ps. 26:12; 35:18; 68:26). David and the Lord Jesus are parade examples of achieving this sense.

Psalm 35:19 Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes- For "without a cause", see on :7. "Wrongfully" reflects again David's deep sense of injustice (see on Ps. 35:7). He uses the word for "false witness", as if they were breaking one of the ten commandments; and he uses it often, heaping condemnation upon any who dare lie / bear false witness about him (Ps. 38:19; 52:3; 63:11; 101:7; 119:29,69,86,118; 120:2; 144:8,11). And yet David lied and deceived in order to get Uriah killed so that he could take his wife for himself. Surely reflection upon that sin made him realize that his zeal to condemn dishonesty was at best misplaced; to lament it is one thing, but David was to be taught that he had himself done the very thing he so condemned.

Psalm 35:20 For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land- The devising of words reflects David's deep sense that the essence of spirituality is deep in the mind or heart; words issue from the heart.

Psalm 35:21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me- The allusion to lions or wild animals is so frequent in David's thinking. His victories over wild animals in his youth remained an abiding memory.

They said, Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!- The weakness they thought their eyes had seen was nothing compared to the way Yahweh's eye had seen them (:22).

Psalm 35:22 You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent. Lord, don’t be far from me- See on :21. The plea for God not to "be far from me" is common (Ps. 22:11,19; 35:22; 38:21; 71:12). The emphasis perhaps is to be placed upon David not wanting God to be far from him, seeing that he felt others were 'far' from him (s.w. Ps. 88:8,18). He accepted his social and psychological isolation from others, but he didn't want God to be likewise far off from him. In the context of the exiles, God was willing to not be 'far off' from the exiles if they repented (Is. 46:13).

Psalm 35:23 Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!- A window on what communication can be with our creator is provided by considering the  ‘imprecatory Psalms’ like this one; where the writer wishes terrible judgments upon his enemies. It is possible to understand these Psalms in terms of the promises to Abraham- that God will curse those who curse the true seed of Abraham. They can therefore be seen to be merely asking for the promises to Abraham to be fulfilled against God’s enemies. But another angle on this problem is to consider how the Psalmists talk to God in a far ‘rougher’ way than we do. They pour out their feelings, their anger and frustration with their enemies, their inability to understand how God is working… and they let it all hang down. They seem to have no reserve with God; they talk to Him as if He is their friend and acquaintance. David pleads with God to ‘avenge my cause’ (Ps. 35:23), he protests how he is in the right and how he longs for God to judge him. And so do the prophets, in the interjections they sometimes make in commentary on the prophecy they have just uttered. The emotion which David often seems to have felt was “Damn these people!”, but he pours this out to God and asks Him to damn them. When we like David feel our enemies are unjust, we can:

1. Seek revenge. But this isn’t a response we can make, Biblically.

2. Deny the feelings of hurt and anger. And yet, they surface somehow. And we join the ranks of the millions of hurt people in this world, who ‘take it out’ in some way on others.

3. Or we can do as David seems to have done. Take these feelings, absolutely as they are, with no rough edges smoothed off them…to God Himself. Pour them all out in prayer and leave Him to resolve the matter. In passing, this fits in with the conclusions of modern psychiatry- that we can’t eliminate our feelings, so we must express them in an appropriate way.

This latter option is how I understand the imprecatory Psalms.

Psalm 35:24 Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to Your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me- Time and again in the Psalms, David expresses his good conscience in terms of asking God to come and judge him (e.g. Ps. 35:24). Was this not some reference to the future theophany which David knew some day would come?

Psalm 35:25 Don’t let them say in their heart, Aha! That’s just the way we want it! Don’t let them say, We have swallowed him up!- The reference may be to Ahithophel's plan to swallow up David at the time of Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam. 17:12,16 s.w.). David's prayer of Ps. 35:25; 69:15; 124:3 not to be swallowed up / destroyed was answered, but he was devastated at the answer- for it meant the death of his son Absalom. Again David has Job in mind, who had his 'brethren' arguing that he should be swallowed up / destroyed without cause (Job 2:3 s.w.).

Psalm 35:26 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour who magnify themselves against me- The only other occurrence of the phrase "rejoice at my calamity" is in Prov. 2:14, where David's son Solomon condemns those who "rejoice to do evil" (s.w.). He is quoting these reflections of David upon the coalition of haters who joined Absalom in trying to overthrow him. Solomon speaks the truth, but he does so with an eye on justifying himself against his brother Absalom and those who had followed him. Always Solomon is harnessing 'truth' to an agenda of self-justification; and we must be warned by this.

Psalm 35:27 Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favour my righteous cause. Yes, let them say continually, Yahweh be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant!- David's desire for the glorification of God rather than himself is always to be noted and commended. His own name had been magnified (1 Chron. 11:9), by God's grace; but he wanted Yahweh's Name to be magnified by as many as possible, as well as by himself.

Psalm 35:28 My tongue shall talk about Your righteousness and about Your praise all day long- Although David asks for his "righteous cause" to be favoured (:27), he rejoices not in his rightness, but in God's righteousness.

Psalm 36

Psalm 36:1 For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of Yahweh.

An oracle is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes- Saul was characterized by disobedience, and it was specifically for this that he was rejected by God and replaced with David. But David seems overly focused upon the disobedience of others, when he himself was also a sinner. Therefore Rom. 3:18 quotes these words about all men, including those like David who are saved by grace through faith. Paul is applying the descriptions of the very worst of humanity and admitting that in essence, this is what is going on within his heart and within the heart of every man. Truly, bad man only do what good mean dream of. We may well enquire how David thought he knew the state of heart [AV "inward part"] of his enemies (Ps. 5:9; 36:1; 49:11; 62:4; 64:6). Perhaps it was a result of his reflection upon how he had only had a right spirit or heart given by God "within" him as a result of his repentance (Ps. 51:10 s.w.). His enemies were impenitent, and so perhaps on that basis he knew what was in their hearts.

Psalm 36:2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes, too much to detect and hate his sin- As discussed on :1, we may wonder how David can be confident he knows so much about the state of Saul's heart. He had been summoned to play the harp for Saul so that the "evil spirit" or depressed attitude of mind would leave Saul. He was therefore working as an amateur psychologist; his work was not merely to play a harp, but to lift Saul's depression. And this Psalm is as it were his case report on Saul's heart. Self flattery is indeed the reason why personal sin cannot be detected in self examination. And depression, such as Saul suffered, is not of itself humility; it can be, as with Saul, self flattery.

Psalm 36:3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit; he has ceased to be wise and to do good- Saul initially wisely refused to go after those who opposed his kingship, and is presented as thoughtful for his father's feelings (1 Sam. 9:5). But from there he embarked upon a downward spiral of self deception which resulted in being deceitful to others, not least to his servant David. Solomon may allude here in saying that we are to cease (s.w.) from our own wisdom (Prov. 23:4). Saul went the other way; he ceased from God's wisdom and turned to his own wisdom. His access to Divine wisdom was surely through Samuel's prophetic words to him.

Psalm 36:4 He plots iniquity on his bed- David rightly perceived that what a man thinks alone on his bed is a litmus indicator of his essential spirituality  (Ps. 4:4; 149:5), and he condemns Saul for plotting sin on his bed (Ps. 36:4). And yet the same phrase "on his bed" is used for how David plotted the sin with Bathsheba on his bed (2 Sam. 11:2). David was surely taught by his sin that he had been too quick to condemn others for their wicked thoughts upon their beds.

He sets himself up in a way that is not good. He doesn’t hate evil- To omit to hate evil is the same as to commit it. The Messianic king was to "hate evil" (s.w. Is. 7:15,16), just as Job did. But Saul precluded all the possibilities to be the anointed / Messianic king by loving evil.

Psalm 36:5 Your grace, Yahweh, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies- This understanding of "mercy and truth", a phrase often used about the promises to Abraham, was what sustained David when he realized he had sinned with Bathsheba and Uriah. He perceived God's grace was infinite, and this faith was put to the test by his sin. It's amazing how God works even through human failure to lead us further along the path of knowing His grace.

Psalm 36:6 Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are like a great deep. Yahweh, You preserve man and animal- The infinite height of God's grace (:6) is compared to the height and depth of His rightness and justice. His grace isn't cheap, neither does it infringe His holiness and righteousness. This is the infinite wonder of it all. Some reverence God's physical power and majesty rather than His moral majesty. David got the balance right when he reflected that God's righteousness "is like the great mountains". He saw God's moral strength reflected in the massive physicality of God's creation. Job had to be taught this lesson.

Psalm 36:7 How precious is Your grace, O God!- Even before his sin with Bathsheba, David talks much about God's grace. But clearly he never appreciated it fully until after he was personally thrown upon it in moral terms; and the same can be true of us. For who can say they have fathomed God's grace. There are rungs up the ladder in appreciating it.

The children of men take refuge under the shadow of Your wings- David often says that this is where he personally feels located, under the cherubic wings overshadowing the mercy seat, with the shekinah glory above him and the blood of atonement beneath him. But he invites all God's people to share his experience; that is the purpose of his Psalms.

Psalm 36:8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of Your house- Although exiled from the sanctuary whilst persecuted by Saul, David knew that finally he would return to it. And he saw himself as representative of all God's people; which made his Psalms so relevant to the exiles. Perhaps "house" was inserted when the psalms were rewritten for the exiles; for there was no "house" of God in David's time.

You will make them drink of the river of Your pleasures- God will "make us" partake of the blessings of the Kingdom of God. It reminds us of how the Lord Jesus said that in His Kingdom, He will "make us" sit down at a table, and He will come and serve us (Lk. 12:37), knowing full well that he who sits at meat is greater than he who serves (Lk. 22:27). It isn't so difficult to imagine this scene: the Lord of glory wanting us to sit down to a meal, and then He comes and serves us. He will have to "make us" sit down and let ourselves be served. Perhaps "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom" (Mt. 25:34) likewise suggests a hesitancy of the faithful to enter the Kingdom, seeing they have had such doubt about salvation. Perhaps this is typified by Joseph's revelation to his brethren; they slink away from him, and he has to encourage them: "Come near to me, I pray you" (Gen. 45:4).

"River" can as well mean "spring" (see :9), and may refer to the Gihon spring near mount Zion; David understood this as representative of God's eternal blessings which the righteous will partake of. "Pleasures" is related to the word for Eden; David envisaged Eden restored, based around the sanctuary in Zion. He was looking very much ahead; for at that time, Zion was not under Israelite control nor had David yet moved the sanctuary there.

Psalm 36:9 For with You is the spring of life; in Your light shall we see light- David saw the spring in Zion (see on :8) as a symbol of eternal life, and the day when God's light would be the light of all His people. No longer would the shekinah glory be just over the ark, but would be global. And perhaps he looks ahead to the Lord Jesus, who was to be God's light (Jn. 1:4,9). In that light do we understand all things.

Psalm 36:10 Oh continue Your grace to those who know You, Your righteousness to the upright in heart- David is seeing himself and the righteous as Job, and he here continues that connection, seeing that Job is described likewise as "upright in heart" (Job 1:8; 2:3). David sees this as characteristic of all God's people (s.w. Ps. 11:2; 19:8; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11). He sees the wicked as those who are not upright (Ps. 14:3; 51:1,3). But these words which David writes about the wicked are then reinterpreted as applying to all men, God's people included (Rom. 3:12). Like Job, David had to be taught that actually he was failing to see the seriousness of sin; righteousness and acceptability with God is imputed to men by grace through faith, because actually there are none who are upright in heart, apart from God's representative son.

Psalm 36:11 Don’t let the foot of pride come against me; don’t let the hand of the wicked drive me away- Foot and hand are paralleled, as are "pride" and "the wicked". David rightly saw pride as the epitome of wickedness. "Drive away" is s.w. "vagabond" (Gen. 4:12,14). He didn't want to permanently be like Cain, exiled from the sanctuary. His love of the sanctuary is repeated throughout the Psalms, and came to full term in his plans to build the temple; his exile from it was perhaps to teach him that God really doesn't live in structures, and is equally present in human hearts wherever they are. Perhaps we all too have David's tension between his love of the structure on one hand, and his personal spirituality on the other.

Psalm 36:12 There the workers of iniquity are fallen, they are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise- "There" appears to refer to David's imagination of the outcome of the day of judgment. He sees the punishment of the wicked as being put down permanently into the grave, suffering "the second death"- and not eternal torment.

Psalm 37

Psalm 37:1 By David- This psalm of David has clear relevance to the exiles, awaiting a "soon" restoration to the land of Israel. It appears to have been rewritten, under inspiration, with reference to them. The Psalms of David are typically about his own personal desires and hopes for restoration, but this Psalm is solely an encouragement to others.

Don’t fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness- Those who "work unrighteousness" is a phrase frequently used of the apostate amongst the exiles in Babylon (e.g. Ez. 18:24; 33:13 cp. Zeph. 3:13). The faithful were not to be envious of their apparent success in Babylon but instead to focus upon the hope of restoration to the land.

Psalm 37:2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green plant- The language of how things were to be at the restoration (Is. 40:7,8).

Psalm 37:3 Trust in Yahweh, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture- In the restoration context, this could be similar to Jeremiah's message for the exiles to dwell in Babylon and establish themselves, but in hope of eternal inheritance of the land of Israel. Or the idea could be that by a return to faith and good behaviour, the flock of Judah would be restored to their land and find safe pasture there, a figure used like this in Ez. 34.

The believing life affects every part of human existence. Thus Psalm 37 parallels those who have faith, who do good (:3), who hope (:9), who are meek (:11), pure (:18), generous (:22), just (:28), wise, speakers of truth (:29), waiting for the Lord (:34), peacemakers (:37). It’s not that some of us have faith and another, e.g., is generous. We may be better at some aspects of the Christ-life than others, but our model is Him, as a total person. The image of slavery suggests a total devotion of life to our Lord’s cause. Just as every part of the animal had to be offered, so we as “living sacrifices” (Rom. 12:1) cannot just offer certain aspects of our lives to the Lord.

Psalm 37:4 Also delight yourself in Yahweh, and He will give you the desires of your heart- The desires of the heart is paralleled in this Psalm with inheriting the land eternally. If this is our greatest desire, we shall receive it. This is a sublime truth. All those who truly love the Lord's appearing as the master passion of their lives- will be acceptable to Him (2 Tim. 4:8). This is why the hope of the Kingdom can never be a mere hobby, but is by its very nature the all consuming passion of human life. Perhaps David alludes to his own overriding passion and desire for relationship with God and salvation in Ps. 38:9.

Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in Him, and He will do this- What He will "do" is to grant the desire of our heart (:4), which is defined in this Psalm as eternally inheriting the land. And this will be achieved by imputing righteousness to us (:6). We are to commit our life's way to Yahweh, knowing that it is His desire to grant us our heart's desire- a place in His Kingdom. David speaks of committing our life's way to Yahweh and then trusting that He will bring us to His Kingdom; Solomon tweaks this into "Commit [s.w.] your works unto Yahweh" (Prov. 16:3). We see here Solomon's works-based approach.

Psalm 37:6 He will make your righteousness go forth as the light, and your justice as the noon day sun- In the immediate context, this refers to righteousness being imputed as the basis upon which believers can eternally inherit the land; see on :4,5.

David so often parallels righteousness and justice / truth (Ps. 9:8; 33:5; 37:6; 72:2; 94:15; 99:7; 103:6; 106:3). Indeed, this parallel is so common in God's word. What it means is that the righteousness of God is a just righteousness. It's not fake, 'I'll turn a blind eye'. It is true, real, valid, and has integrity underpinned in the very essential justice of God Himself. Justice and righteousness may appear abstract ideas, mere theology. But the result is that the person who believes God's righteousness is imputed to him or her... will feel this, they will know it to be true, they can by grace, in faith, quietly hold their head up before God. And David after Bathsheba is our example. He believed and felt this imputed righteousness. It's not so much a case of 'forgiving ourselves' after God has forgiven us, but rather of being swamped by this very real and legitimate sense that truly, we have been counted righteous. And Paul in Romans holds up David after Bathsheba as the personal example to " every one who is Godly" in their time of spiritual need. See on Ps. 41:12.

Psalm 37:7 Rest in Yahweh, and wait patiently for Him- He delays the second coming because He waits and hopes for repentance and spiritual growth from us. But He praises the faithful for patiently waiting for Him (Is. 30:18; Ps. 37:7). Here we see the humility of God's grace.

Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen- In the restoration context, this clearly applies to the "wicked Haman" (Esther 7:6), who apparently prospered and made wicked plots.

Psalm 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret, it leads only to evildoing- God's anger was to cease in the salvation of the exiles (Ps. 85:4; Is. 10:25; 54:8; 60:10), as it has towards us. And if we believe this, then we too are to cease from anger and wrath, seeing every provocation of our wrath as an opportunity to live out how God has ceased from  wrath with us.

Psalm 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh shall inherit the land- Those who wait for Yahweh are clearly the faithful amongst the exiles, waiting for the prophetic word of restoration to come true. These thoughts had their genesis whilst David was on the run from Saul, encouraging those with him that one day soon they would rule the Kingdom which would fall to David.

Psalm 37:10 For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more- The expectation of restoration and salvation from the wicked in "a little while" is very relevant to the exiles. Our sufferings now are only for a moment compared to the glorious eternity of the Kingdom (Ps. 37:10; 2 Cor. 4:17), and yet the language of the Bible also expresses God’s appreciation that from our perspective, our time of probation is “a long time” (Mt. 25:19).

Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there- Solomon in his collapse of faith appears to allude here; but he considers that not finding the place of the deceased is just an example of life's vanity (Ecc. 8:10 s.w.). David his father saw it is a triumph of good over evil and a foretaste of how things shall be eternally put right at the last day. But Solomon lost the kingdom perspective, using the words of David his father simply in a secular sense.

Psalm 37:11 But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace- This "abundance of peace" is the language of the restored Kingdom of God upon earth (Ps. 72:3). The Lord quotes this in Mt. 5:5. The potential possible for the exiles was precluded by their lack of repentance; but the prophecies of eternal restoration are reinterpreted and reapplied to the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus which is to be established at His return.

Psalm 37:12 The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth- Just as they will at the last day (Ps. 112:10). Gnashing of teeth is the language of condemnation at the last day (Mt. 8:12 etc.). But those thus condemned will have gnashed their teeth at their brethren in this life. By doing so, they are living out their own condemnation.

Psalm 37:13 The Lord will laugh at him, for He sees that his day is coming- The Lord laughing at the wicked is the language of Ps. 2 about the final day of judgment, and also has relevance to the situation in Jerusalem at Hezekiah's time (Is. 37:22).

Throughout David’s Psalms in Ps. 1-72, he repeatedly asks for torture upon the sinners and blessing upon himself as the righteous. He speaks of how sinners should be “contemned” in the eyes of the righteous (Ps. 15:4), the gatherings of sinners should be “hated” and sinners should not be fellowshipped (Ps. 26:4-6; Ps. 31:6) and how God’s uprightness is shown to the upright and His judgment to the judgmental (Ps. 18:25,26; Ps. 33:22). He invites God’s judgment upon himself and others according to their and his works (Ps. 28:4).  Frequently he alludes to Saul as “the violent man”- even though David committed his share of violence- and asks judgment upon him (Ps. 18:48). Only those with clean hands and pure heart like himself could have fellowship with God (Ps. 24:3,4). Psalm 37 doesn’t indicate any desire to convert the sinners but rather an expectation of their judgment and destruction. God and David laugh at the wicked because their day is coming (Ps. 37:13). There’s no spirit of grace here at all- perhaps that’s why Zech. 12:10 specifically says that the spirit of grace will have to be poured out upon the house of David in the last days. This attitude changed after the sin with Bathsheba, but still something of the old self righteousness and judgmental attitudes are to be found in David in Psalms written after that.

In describing his feelings after the Bathsheba experience, David comments that he was "as a man that hears not [the taunts of others against him], and in whose mouth are no rebukes" (Ps. 38:14). The pre-Bathsheba Psalms present David as a man who was so easily hurt by the taunts of others, and whose mouth was indeed full of rebuke of others. Psalm 37 speaks of the wicked without any apparent interest in their conversion, but rather is there an emphasis upon their condemnation, even a gloating over it, and the [surely incorrect] fantasy that God laughs at the thought of how He will punish the wicked in future (Ps. 37:13).

Psalm 37:14 The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright in the way- Language used about the oppressors of Judah in exile (Is. 5:28; 21:15). David sees uprightness as characteristic of all God's people (Ps. 11:2; 19:8; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11). He sees the wicked as those who are not upright (Ps. 14:3; 51:1,3). But  all men, God's people included, are not upright (Rom. 3:12). Like Job, David had to be taught that actually he was failing to see the seriousness of sin; righteousness and acceptability with God is imputed to men by grace through faith, because actually there are none who are upright in heart, apart from God's representative son.

Psalm 37:15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken- Language relevant to the death of Absalom. But when David's imprecations against his enemies such as Saul and Absalom came true, he was mortified with grief. We must be careful what we desire, for God reads our desires as prayers. David considers that it is his Divinely given strength which will break the bows (Ps. 18:34).

Psalm 37:16 Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked- The Hebrew seems to mean that the small numbers of the righteous are better than the great numbers of the wicked. David foresaw that even amongst God's people, both of his time and amongst the later exiles, only a minority would be truly spiritual.

Psalm 37:17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Yahweh upholds the righteous- As we will see on :24, David feels he is the one who has been 'upheld' despite his sin with Bathsheba. He sees himself therefore as "the righteous", but only because he deeply believed in imputed righteousness.

Psalm 37:18 Yahweh knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever- To 'know the days' of someone can be read as an idiom for "takes care of" (as GNB). The idea of eternal inheritance alludes to the promises to Abraham. But as the New Testament makes clear, the "seed" died without receiving the fulfilment of the promises; eternal inheritance can only come when the Kingdom is established upon earth. And there was the potential that this could have happened had the exiles been repentant and desirous of participating in such a restored Kingdom; but they weren't, and so the Kingdom promises have been rescheduled and reapplied.

Psalm 37:19 They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil; in the days of famine they shall be satisfied- Under the old covenant, famine was not supposed to come if the people were obedient. So the idea is that even when suffering the punishment for sin, God will still show grace and keep His repentant people "alive in famine".

Psalm 37:20 But the wicked shall perish, the enemies of Yahweh shall be like the passing beauty of the fields. They will vanish-- vanish like smoke- LXX "the enemies of the Lord at the moment of their being honoured and exalted have utterly vanished like smoke". This could refer to the destruction of Haman, in the context of the exiles. But consumption into smoke is the language of sacrifice. The sacrifices taught Israel that God especially valued the fat- the best parts of their lives were to be freely offered to Him. But the wicked at judgment day will be as the fat of lambs, consumed upon the altar (Ps. 37:20). We either give our best to the Lord’s service now, or He will ultimately take it from us anyway. Cars, houses, flats, valued jewelry, banknotes stashed away, bank accounts, our innermost emotions, jealousy, love... we either give them now, or He will take them from us in the day of judgment.

Psalm 37:21 The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously- The idea may be that the righteous forgive. They give out, whereas the wicked effectively steal.

Psalm 37:22 For such as are blessed by Him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by Him shall be cut off- Another allusion to the blessing associated with the Abrahamic promises. We note that the opposite of blessing is the curse of permanent death- not eternal conscious punishment. "Cut off" is the same word for the cutting of the covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15:18). The idiom was to emphasize that those who rejected the covenant would be "cut off" (Gen. 17:14); blessing and life eternal were only available through the covenant.

Psalm 37:23 A man’s goings are established by Yahweh; He delights in his way- If a man prepares his way after God’s principles (2 Chron. 27:6; Prov. 4:26), then God will ‘prepare’ that man’s way too (Ps. 37:23; 119:5), confirming him in the way of escape. God “delights in every detail of their lives” (Ps. 37:23); and the more we perceive that interest, the more we will live the purpose driven life. Yet the tendency is to just assume these gifts from God as what we have almost by right, and that He is willing for us to live the life He has given us without deeply analyzing our choices and decisions; that our talents are things we can use as we wish because they are what life dished up to us. But they have been granted by an eager Father, anxiously watching how we will use them in His  service, not our own. Life is a test, a trust, rather than a few decades pursuing our own happiness. We have been made unique, with unique thumbprints, eyes, voices, and each heart beats to a different pattern. And of course all this is reflected in our unique emotional makeups. All these things are given us to fulfill our unique role in the body of Christ- a part only we can play. We have a huge personal responsibility to use our lives for the God who gave them to us. What is made in His image- i.e. our bodies- must be given back to Him.

When Solomon teaches that God must be allowed to establish or direct our way (Prov. 4:26; 16:29), he is using the same Hebrew words as in Ps. 37:23 and Ps. 119:5, when David says the same. It’s as if he was given God’s truth and yet he never quite made it his very own- he still articulated it in terms of the faith of his fathers. And thus he lost it in the end.

Psalm 37:24 Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for Yahweh holds him up with His hand- As this was written at the end of David's life (:25), he had in view his sin with Bathsheba.

Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread- Yet the exiles and their children did "beg bread" (s.w. Lam. 1:11). The implication therefore is that they did so because they were not righteous.

Psalm 37:26 All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His seed is blessed- We will always be given enough to give to others- if that is what we want to do. The Lord's parable of the friend at midnight seems to be teaching the same (Lk. 11:5-9). This is quite a challenging idea, in an age when masses live on minimum wage. The idea that 'If I get wealthy, I'll be generous' is quite different to God's approach. If we see others' need, and we genuinely wish to meet it, then the resources to meet it will be provided- whether through our own hands or by other means.

Psalm 37:27 Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever- "Depart from evil" could be read as an appeal to repentance; and this was especially relevant to the exiles. If they truly repented and did good, then they would receive eternal inheritance of the land. It is the phrase used to describe how Job hated evil (Job 1:8); and the exiles were bidden follow his pattern.

Psalm 37:28 For Yahweh loves justice, and doesn’t forsake His saints. They are preserved forever- Eternal preservation is surely appropriate to the idea of eternity at the Lord's return.

But the children of the wicked shall be cut off- The wickedness of the wicked is that they influence their children to live in a way which will also merit condemnation.

Psalm 37:29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever- This is in direct allusion to the promises to Abraham, and is quoted by the Lord in Mt. 5:5. I noted on :4-6 that David may have in view 'imputed righteousness' when he speaks of "the righteous". He is writing this after his sin with Bathsheba, from which he had learned that lesson (:25). And yet it is possible that he reverted to his previous black and white view of God's people as divided into sinners and righteous, with no attention paid to the fact that the righteous sin and things are not so black and white.

Psalm 37:30 The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom, his tongue speaks justice- The words of the righteous are connected with what is in their heart (:31); a fundamental connection repeated by the Lord in His teaching. The only other parallel between wisdom and justice is found in the description of David's son Solomon (1 Kings 3:28). But I have elsewhere suggested that even this was Solomon merely living out parental expectation, and finally he turned away from the way of wisdom and justice.

Psalm 37:31 The law of his God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide- See on :30. David recognized elsewhere that his steps had slid (Ps. 38:16; 94:18). But at the end of his life, he reflects that the steps of the righteous don't slip (Ps. 37:25,31). Perhaps David came to minimize his earlier slipping, especially in the matter of Bathsheba, in his old age. Or perhaps he was able to look back and see that despite temporary sliding of steps, ultimately the steps of the righteous don't slide in the overall path of their life.

Psalm 37:32 The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him- But the eyes of God also watch the righteous, as David often comments; indeed He "watches the nations" (Ps. 66:7). And His Divine watching seeks to save us. In this contest between God and man, God will ultimately win.

Psalm 37:33 Yahweh will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged- The hand of the wicked does at times triumph over the righteous in this life, as David himself experienced. But the ultimate perspective is that at the last day, God will not condemn the righteous. This is to be the final perspective on all suffering of the righteous at the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 37:34 Wait for Yahweh, and keep His way- The righteous are to commit their way to Yahweh (:5). But by doing so, their way becomes His way.

And He will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it- The point of eternal inheritance of the land was to be at the same time as the righteous see the cutting off of the wicked. This implies the resurrection of both categories amongst God's people to face judgment, and the righteous witnessing the condemnation of the wicked- which will not be to eternal punishment, but to the cutting off in "the second death".

Psalm 37:35 I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil- LXX "like the cedars of Libanus", perhaps a reference to the pride of the kings of Babylon, who are likened in the prophets to a tree being cut down.

Psalm 37:36 But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found- The language of the passing away of Babylon and all her pomp (Dan. 2:35). This was particular comfort for the exiles.

Psalm 37:37 Note the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace- The Hebrew appears to be similar to the LXX: "Maintain innocence, and behold uprightness: for there is a remnant to the peaceable man". Again this has particular comfort for the exiles, the remnant of Judah who were to be restored to the land- if they were upright.

Psalm 37:38 As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off- This continues the connection with the images of all Judah's enemies being destroyed together (Dan. 2:35; see on :36).

Psalm 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh; He is their stronghold in the time of trouble- Although exiled from the stronghold of Zion, Judah would be saved by Yahweh being their stronghold. He could be a stronghold for His people far from Zion, as David learned in his times of exile. Yah's salvation is ultimately Yeshua, the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 37:40 Yahweh helps them, and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, because they have taken refuge in Him- The idea seems to be that they are rescued at some point after they have chosen to take refuge in God. "Saves" is the word commonly used in the restoration prophecies for the salvation of the exiles from Babylon (e.g. Is. 60:16). But to make that great salvation operational, they needed to consciously take refuge in Yahweh. Is. 57:13 appears to allude to Ps. 37: "He who puts his trust (s.w.) in Me shall inherit the land".

Psalm 38

Psalm 38:1 A Psalm by David, for a memorial- Psalm 38 appears to be David's lament of his bad conscience, some time before he makes his confession of Ps. 51. But he wishes his situation then to be remembered, to be memorialized, perhaps because he perceived that so many sinners remain in that limbo position for too long, and need to move forward from a niggle about sin towards the full repentance which David came to. In the context of the exiles, they needed to also make this move; and the same word for "memorial" is used often of how they were intended to "remember" (Is. 44:21; 46:8,9).

Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in Your wrath, neither chasten me in Your hot displeasure- The chastening or "discipline" is the word used for David's experiences after the sin with Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 6:1; 39:11). David had been open to Nathan's "rebuke" (Ps. 141:5), which was not given in God's wrath so much as in His appeal for David to accept His grace. But this verse is quoted in Heb. 12:5,6 about all of God’s children, who have to go through David’s basic experience in order to become the accepted sons of God. We do all have to be rebuked and chastened, even if like children, like David, we so fear it.

Psalm 38:2 For Your arrows have pierced me, Your hand presses hard on me- Soon after the sin with Bathsheba, David was struck with an apparently terminal disease. He realized this was from God's hand. His sense of being "pierced" means that the language becomes relevant to the piercing of the Lord Jesus on the cross. The Bathsheba psalms are so often those most relevant to the crucifixion experience; because there the Lord achieved total identity with sinful, condemned humanity. He felt exactly as David did- even though He was personally sinless. Solomon seems to comment upon God's arrows piercing or 'entering' (s.w.) David when he wrote that "A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred lashes into a fool" (Prov. 17:10). True as this is, Solomon was all the same justifying his father's response to the rebuke of Nathan and the Divine arrows which 'entered deep' to David.

Psalm 38:3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin- The same language is used in the description of sinful Judah in Is. 1:6. David is used as a role model for their repentance.

Psalm 38:4 For my sins have gone over my head; as a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me-

It should be noted that the sin of adultery is not highlighted in Nathan's rebuke of David, but rather that David had " killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife" . This is twice emphasized in 12:9,10. This is not to say that the sin of weakness, of the moment, was irrelevant in God's sight. But the emphasis on how he had taken Bathsheba as his wife hints that this had been his long term intention, further suggesting that his sin with her was the end result of much prior meditation. This further illuminates the way in which David speaks of his sin with Bathsheba as if it comprised a whole multitude of other sins: " I acknowledged my sin (singular) unto thee...I said, I will confess my transgressions (plural)" (Ps. 32:5 cp. 38:3,4,18). Ps. 25:7 also occurs in a  Bathsheba context: " Remember not the sins of my youth..." ; as if facing up to his sin with Bathsheba made David face up to sins of years ago, possibly also in a sexual context.

Psalm 38 speaks of how the guilt of his sin weighed so heavily upon him (Ps. 38:4 NIV), whereas Ps. 32:5 describes how the guilt of sin has now been lifted from him- implying that he wrote Ps. 38 some time after the sin, but before repenting properly. The point is, he didn’t crash completely, he didn’t turn away from God in totality- he was still writing Psalms at the time!

We must bear the burden either of our sins (Am. 2:13; Is. 58:6; Ps. 38:4) or of the Lord's cross (Gal. 6:4 etc.). We will experience either the spiritual warfare of the striving saint (Rom. 7:15-25), or the lusts of the flesh warring in our members, eating us up with the insatiability of sin (James 4:1; Ez. 16:28,29). Either we will mourn now in repentance (Lk. 6:25; the Greek for " mourn" is often in a repentance context), or we will mourn at the judgment (Mt. 8:12 etc.).

Psalm 38:5 My wounds are loathsome and corrupt because of my foolishness- David clearly directly connected his illness with his sin. There was likely no medical truth in this; but God worked through his misunderstanding, just as He did through similar misunderstandings about demons in the first century. We may well enquire whether "foolishness" is not rather a mild term for what he had done (also used in Ps. 69:5); surely "wickedness" would have been more appropriate. "Foolishness" is often used in Proverbs to refer to unwisdom and even silliness. But what David did surely requires more extreme language. We note that David has been quick to use a wide range of harsh adjectives and ideas in describing the wickedness of others like Saul who had tried to murder the innocent. And David had actually done so.

Psalm 38:6 I am pained- "Mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me" (Ps. 38:4) was spoken before David's frank confession of Ps. 51. It therefore reveals how David felt swamped by his sense of sin; whilst recognizing it, he couldn't come to terms with explicitly confessing it. Every child of God must have come somewhere near to this feeling. The flesh can deceive us that just recognizing our sin somewhere in our consciousness is all that is needed. The lesson taught by David is that there is the need for frank and total confession; otherwise, the bad conscience will only deepen. "I am pained" (Ps. 38:6) uses Hebrew which is elsewhere translated 'to commit iniquity' (Ps. 106:6), 'to be crooked'. This is David recognizing 'I am a sinner'- but still this did not help him. Specific, uninhibited confession was still not forthcoming.

And bowed down greatly- The word can mean 'to humble'; and this is the required response to sin. David was representative of Israel in their sinfulness (s.w. Ps. 107:39); they were intended to follow his path of penitence.

I go mourning all day long- Evidence of a psychological and emotional breakdown.

Psalm 38:7 For my waist is filled with burning- AV "a loathsome disease". Earlier David had used the word in describing himself as "lightly esteemed" (1 Sam. 18:23). What had been mere words expressing theoretical humility were now translated into actual ownership. Our expressions of humility likewise are brought into reality by God's hand, often working through our own sins.

There is no soundness in my body- The word used for Judah's woeful condition in Is. 1:6. It should be noted that David/Bathsheba language is used to describe Israel's spiritually fallen state (e.g. Ps. 38:7 = Is. 1:6; Ps. 51:7 = Is. 1:18; Ps. 65:2 = Is. 40:15). David recognized this in Ps. 51:17, where he likens his own state to that of Zion, which also needed to be revived by God's mercy. As David's sin is likened to the killing of a lamb (2 Sam. 12:4), so the Jews killed Jesus. The troubles which therefore came upon his kingdom have certain similarities with the events of AD67-70.  They were also repeated in the Nazi Holocaust, and will yet be. Israel are yet to fully repent after the pattern of David.

Psalm 38:8 I am faint and severely bruised; I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart- "When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring" (Ps. 32:3) must refer to David's roaring to God in prayer (Ps.22:1) before  David's repentance, whilst keeping silent about his sin. In the same context he laments: "I have roared by reason of the disquietness (bad conscience) of my heart" (Ps. 38:8 AV). His very separation from God made him pray to God the more, pleading for some form of spiritual healing. But without realistic confession of sin, such prayer was shouting out words into the darkness. David found that attempting to have a relationship with God in such bad conscience only adds to the pain.

Psalm 38:9 Lord, all my desire is before You; my groaning is not hidden from You- All his desire was for forgiveness and salvation; and this was granted. At the end of his life (Ps. 37:25), David reflected that if we "delight yourself in Yahweh... He will give you the desires of your heart" (Ps. 37:4). The desires of the heart is paralleled in Psalm 37 with inheriting the land eternally. If this is our greatest desire, we shall receive it. This is a sublime truth. All those who truly love the Lord's appearing as the master passion of their lives- will be acceptable to Him (2 Tim. 4:8). This is why the hope of the Kingdom can never be a mere hobby, but is by its very nature the all consuming passion of human life.

Psalm 38:10 My heart throbs, my strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me- This could refer to heart problems and failing eyesight, perhaps suggesting David had suffered a stroke soon after sinning with Bathsheba. The language however seems tailored by him to allude to Job, whose sufferings he often feels he fellowships. And this is how we should be- seeing precedent in Biblical characters for all our experiences.

Psalm 38:11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague, my kinsmen stand far away- It is possible to infer that David and Bathsheba experienced a falling out of love immediately after the incident- as with many cases of adultery and fornication. In contrast to their previous close contact, she had to send to tell him that she was pregnant. In addition, before David's repentance he appears to have suffered with some kind of serious disease soon after it: "My loins are filled with a loathsome (venereal?) disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh" (:7 AV). It is even possible that David became impotent as a result of this; for we get the impression that from this point onwards he took no other wives, he had no more children, and even the fail safe cure for hypothermia didn't seem to mean much to David (1 Kings 1:1-4). Therefore "My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore" (Ps. 38:11) must refer to some kind of venereal disease. The Hebrew word translated " lovers" definitely refers to carnal love rather than that of friendship. It may be that an intensive plural is being used here- in which case it means 'my one great lover', i.e. Bathsheba. We have commented earlier how Amnon's obsessive love for Tamar was an echo of David's relationship with Bathsheba. There may be a parallel in the way in which afterwards, "Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he loved her" (2 Sam. 13:15). All this would have been yet another aspect of the emotional trauma which David went through at this time; to fall out of love with the woman for which he had almost thrown away his eternal salvation. And in addition to this, all Israel would have got to know about what had happened- with a fair degree of exaggeration thrown in, we can be sure.

The fact that the Father and Son right now accept us should strengthen against the pain of rejection both from the world we preach to, and from our brethren. Thus in Ps. 38:11-15 David laments at how rejected he is by all, and yet takes strength from God’s acceptance of him. Our conviction that we are accepted of Him should enable us to overcome the waves of rejection that inevitably accompany the preaching of the Gospel, and which discourage so many would-be preachers. We simply must believe that we will be there. David so often looks forward to the day of judgment with eagerness. David's enthusiasm for the coming of judgment reflected his understanding that it will be a day of the display of Divine mercy.

The Bathsheba Psalms all have special relevance to the Lord on the cross. His lovers, friends and kinsmen stood far off from Him, perhaps in a literal sense, perhaps far away from understanding Him. If Mary wasn't initially at the cross, John's connection between the dividing of the clothes and her being there would suggest that she had made the clothes. In any case, the four women at the cross are surely set up against the four soldiers there- who gambled over the clothes. Perhaps the other women had also had some input into the Lord’s clothing. "But there stood by the cross..." makes the connection between Mary and the clothes. It seems that initially, she wasn't there; He looked for comforters and found none (Ps. 69:20- or does this imply that the oft mentioned spiritual difference between the Lord and His mother meant that He didn't find comfort in her? Or she only came to the cross later?).

Psalm 38:12 They also who seek after my life lay snares, those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all day long- It seems that there were plots against David immediately after his sin with Bathsheba- although the historical records don't appear to mention them. Bathsheba's grandfather, Ahithophel, later sided with Absalom against David. But the language here is relevant to Saul's persecution. David perhaps rewrote a wilderness Psalm with relevance to his later situation, perceiving that circumstances repeat in the life of the believer, and what he had learnt from one situation was to be applied to later ones in our lives.

Psalm 38:13 But I, as a deaf man, don’t hear. I am as a mute man who doesn’t open his mouth- This could refer to how David didn't hear or see the plans to overthrow him- because he didn't want to. Just as Samson chose not to perceive in reality that Delilah was going to betray him despite knowing she would, and as the Lord knew Judas would betray Him, but trusted him as His own familiar friend. David likewise must have known the deceit of Ahithophel and Absalom; but he chose not to see it, for love’s sake. See on Ps. 41:9.

Or we can read this as meaning that he didn't pay attention to the bad things said about him at this time. Maybe he was alluding to how Saul, when likewise criticized by “sons of belial”, “was as though he had been deaf” to their words (1 Sam. 10:27 RVmg.). He saw the good in Saul, he remembered that one good example he showed- and it empowered him to follow it.

Psalm 38:14 Yes, I am as a man who doesn’t hear, in whose mouth are no reproofs- See on Ps. 51:4. We along with all the righteous ought to “shout for joy” that David really was forgiven (Ps. 32:11)- for there is such hope for us now. David is our example. And yet the intensity of David’s repentance must be ours. He hung his head as one in whose mouth there were no more arguments, hoping only in the Lord’s grace (Ps. 38:14 RVmg.). In describing his feelings after the Bathsheba experience, David comments that he was "as a man that hears not [the taunts of others against him], and in whose mouth are no rebukes" (Ps. 38:14 AV). The pre-Bathsheba Psalms present David as a man who was so easily hurt by the taunts of others, and whose mouth was indeed full of rebuke of others.

Psalm 38:15 For in You, Yahweh, do I hope. You will answer, Lord my God- David's Psalms written before the sin with Bathsheba reflect a profound sense of God's grace. Now this theoretical awareness is tested in practice. David knows he is guilty of death under the Mosaic law; there is no sacrifice prescribed for his gross sins. And yet he appears so positive of being answered by God. It's wonderful how God uses sin and all manner of human dysfunction in order to help us actualize our previously theoretical understandings of His love and grace.

Psalm 38:16 For I said, Don’t let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips- David recognized that his steps had slid (Ps. 38:16; 94:18). But at the end of his life, he reflects that the steps of the righteous don't slip (Ps. 37:25,31). Perhaps David came to minimize his earlier slipping, especially in the matter of Bathsheba, in his old age. Or perhaps he was able to look back and see that despite temporary sliding of steps, ultimately the steps of the righteous don't slide in the overall path of their life.

Psalm 38:17 For I am ready to fall; my pain is continually before me- "In mine adversity (Heb. tsela, limping) they rejoiced" (Ps. 35:15), "I am ready to halt (tsela) and my sorrow (repentance) is continually before me" (Ps. 38:17) uses a word which occurs elsewhere mainly in the context of Jacob limping after the night of wrestling (Gen. 32:31). This is one of many of David’s allusions to Jacob.

Many of the Psalms understood by the Jews as relevant to the Nazi holocaust are Bathsheba Psalms. “Out of the depths” they cried like David; and at the entrance to Bergen-Belsen it stands written: “My sorrow is continually before me” (Ps. 38:17), in recognition of having received punishment for sin [note how these kind of plaques contain no trace of hatred or calling for Divine retribution upon the persecutors]. See on 2 Cor. 7:7-11.

David's genuine sorrow for his sin during this period is still a powerful exhortation to us, whose every sin must be repented of and forgiven after the pattern of David's repentance. The extent of his sorrow is heavily stressed: "My sorrow is continually before me... my sin is ever before me" (Ps. 38:17; 51:3). How much sorrow is there for our sins? Have the years mellowed our terror at sin? Things which once appalled us can so easily become sins of habit, the real sorrow we once experienced on committing them can be watered down to just a vague tickle of conscience. The significance of David's sin and repentance being held up as an example of our own should be a good antidote against such problems. The chilling thing is, despite all this awareness of his sin during the nine month period, when he was told the parable by Nathan- he just didn’t see it. Every part of the story had such relevant application, but David was blinded to it. He knew he had sinned, but this was only on a surface level. “Thou art the man” was still news to him. We have commented that “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments” (Ps. 119:176) was likely written by David with his mind on his follies relating to Bathsheba. The point, is in the ‘lost’ state, he still remembered the commandments. He didn’t turn his back on God; and neither do we, in our semi-spiritual unspirituality. We can likewise be blinded to true, personal understanding of God’s message because of our refusal to truly repent. Corinth and the Hebrews could not understand the strong meet of the word because they were divided; their divisiveness hindered their understanding. Husbands and wives find their prayers hindered unless they are themselves united.

Psalm 38:18 For I will declare my iniquity, I will be sorry for my sin- David through his Psalms was publically declaring his sin. "For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin" (Ps. 38:17,18) may mean that David was so swamped by the trauma of the sin and the distancing from God which he was experiencing, that he could only vaguely resolve that some time in the future he would get down to a serious prayer session, in which he would analyze and confess his sin. But instead he goes on desperately pleading "O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me...". Our own sins so often gives us a nagging conscience; not because we are consciously trying to pretend that we never sinned, but because we will not make the effort to overcome the circumstances which stop us making the mental effort necessary to put ourselves straight with God.

"Declare" is the word used for David's declaration of praise after his forgiveness concerning Bathsheba (Ps. 51:15). The "truth" which David declared after his forgiveness (Ps. 30:9) was the ultimate truth, of God's forgiveness of him by grace; a 'declaring' of his sin (Ps. 38:18 s.w.) and God's forgiveness.

Psalm 38:19 But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous- "Without reason" reflects again David's deep sense of injustice (see on Ps. 35:7). He uses the word for "false witness", as if they were breaking one of the ten commandments; and he uses it often, heaping condemnation upon any who dare lie / bear false witness about him (Ps. 38:19; 52:3; 63:11; 101:7; 119:29,69,86,118; 120:2; 144:8,11). And yet David lied and deceived in order to get Uriah killed so that he could take his wife for himself. Surely reflection upon that sin made him realize that his zeal to condemn dishonesty was at best misplaced; to lament it is one thing, but David was to be taught that he had himself done the very thing he so condemned. We sense that he has not yet come to full recognition of the enormity of his sin; for to complain that his sufferings are "without reason" is inappropriate given what he did.

Psalm 38:20 They who also render evil for good are adversaries to me, because I follow what is good- As noted on :19, we sense that David's sense of outrage and injustice, insisting he has done "good", is inappropriate considering the enormity of his sin. He still has to come to a fullness of repentance; and indeed it could be argued from some of the post Bathsheba Psalms that he perhaps failed to have the depth of repentance he might have done, or at least rationalized his behaviour over the years.

Psalm 38:21 Don’t forsake me, Yahweh. My God, don’t be far from me- David prayed at the time of the Bathsheba incident for God not be far from him nor forsake him (Ps. 38:21). But in Ps. 22:1,19 he feels he has been forsaken and that God is "far off". But Psalm 22 is absolutely the feelings of the Lord Jesus on the cross- because He was so intensely identified with sinners. I noted on Ps. 22:3 that the historical context of that Psalm was the sin with Bathsheba. The plea for God not to "be far from me" is common (Ps. 22:11,19; 35:22; 38:21; 71:12). The emphasis perhaps is to be placed upon David not wanting God to be far from him, seeing that he felt others were 'far' from him (s.w. Ps. 88:8,18). He accepted his social and psychological isolation from others, but he didn't want God to be likewise far off from him. In the context of the exiles, God was willing to not be 'far off' from the exiles if they repented (Is. 46:13).

Psalm 38:22 Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation- David repeatedly asks God to "hurry to help me" (Ps. 22:19; 38:22; 40:13; 70:1,5; 141:1). But David had hurried (s.w.) to be obedient to God, always wanting to 'say yes straight away' (Ps. 119:60). Our response to God's voice is therefore related to His response to our voice; if His words abide in us, then we experience positive experience in answered prayer (Jn. 15:7).

Psalm 38 appears to be David's lament of his bad conscience, some time before he makes his confession of Ps. 51. Psalm 38 shows that David certainly had some faith in God before his confession: "Forsake me not... make haste to help  me, O Lord my salvation" (Ps. 38:22). Yet it is possible to intensely believe in the mercy of God, His ability to save, and yet not have the real faith- which is to believe that this mercy and salvation really can still apply to us personally. Thus he prays "Make me to hear joy and gladness" (Ps. 51:8). His introspective world of sin and self-hate found joy a paradigm impossible to relate to; as with mercy and salvation, he knew spiritual joy existed, but seemed unable to make this apply to him personally.

Psalm 39

Psalm 39:1 For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David- The Psalm is similar to Psalms 38 and 40, and they all appear to be David's reflections upon his sin with Bathsheba and his sufferings and resolutions which arose from that. Jeduthun was perhaps "the chief musician" who was to perform the Psalms or teach them to others (1 Chron. 16:41,42,44; 25:3-6).

I said, I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me- Through  David's repentance he obviously learnt from his sin, as we can from each of ours. Ps. 32:9 comments that men ought to learn from David’s example, and not be as horses who must have their mouths kept in with a bridle. In Ps. 39:1 David reminisces how he had earlier said [before his sin with Bathsheba] that he would stop himself sinning by restraining himself with a bridle. He learnt that sheer will power is not enough; blind resolution to simply ‘obey’ will fail. Instead, it is a living relationship with the Father, a deep sense of His glory, that creates an environment of life where we just won’t do what David did with Bathsheba. This was what he learnt, and this is what he was so eager to pass on to us in the post-Bathsheba Psalms of  David's repentance.

Psalm 39:2 I was mute with silence; I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred- This clearly connects with Ps. 38:14. He hung his head as one in whose mouth there were no more arguments, hoping only in the Lord’s grace (Ps. 38:14 RVmg.). In describing his feelings after the Bathsheba experience, David comments that he was "as a man that hears not [the taunts of others against him], and in whose mouth are no rebukes" (Ps. 38:14 AV), as if he was "mute". The pre-Bathsheba Psalms present David as a man who was so easily hurt by the taunts of others, and whose mouth was indeed full of rebuke of others.  Or we can read this as meaning that he didn't pay attention to the bad things said about him at this time. Maybe he was alluding to how Saul, when likewise criticized by “sons of belial”, "held his peace" and “was as though he had been deaf” to their words (1 Sam. 10:27 RVmg.). He saw the good in Saul, he remembered that one good example he showed- and it empowered him to follow it.

Psalm 39:3 My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned: I spoke with my tongue- This again alludes to some of the scenes in the book of Job, where the friends and Elihu feel an answer brewing up within them, and eventually they let their tongues speak out the thoughts which were boiling up within them.

Psalm 39:4 Yahweh, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am- David was so sick and depressed that he felt he only had some days left to live, and he asked to be told how long he had left. Or we could read somewhat deeper; as if David recognized his sin, but had not yet come to the full repentance required (see on Ps. 38:1). He realized that, and asked to be taught his frailty.

Psalm 39:5 Behold, you have made my days mere handbreadths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath. Selah- This is effectively the answer to his prayer in :4 to be shown his frailty. So often in the Psalms, the answer appears to come during the prayer. I doubt this was because of a flash of supernatural revelation. Rather, as is so true in our own prayer lives, the answers to our questions become apparent within our prayer, as we pray on and remain in God's presence.

Psalm 39:6 Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather- The references to "every man" (:5 also) are typical of the Bathsheba Psalms; David on one hand could be accused of rationalizing his great sins by arguing that he is only human, like other men. Or we could more generously argue that he saw the grace poured out to him as programmatic for all men, seeing all are serious sinners.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon comes to conclude that although he had heaped up riches, his life was vanity- indeed, all is vanity, because one doesn’t know how wise will be the person to whom one leaves their life achievements. And yet one of David’s songs which Solomon must have sung went like this: “Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them” (Ps. 39:6). Solomon didn’t think about the implications of the words of his dad’s hymns. It took him  a lifetime to learn the truth of them for himself, and by then it was too late (so it seems to me). So with us, to learn and heed wisdom rather than have to learn it all again by experience- this is one of the hardest things for us, especially if our background was in a home of truth and wisdom.

Psalm 39:7 Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You- David's hope was simply "You", God; by which he surely means, relationship with God restored. David was waiting for nothing else apart from that. This is the equivalent thought to that in Ps. 38:9 "Lord, all my desire is before You; my groaning is not hidden from You". All his desire was for forgiveness and salvation; and this was granted. At the end of his life (Ps. 37:25), David reflected that if we "delight yourself in Yahweh... He will give you the desires of your heart" (Ps. 37:4). The desires of the heart is paralleled in Psalm 37 with inheriting the land eternally. If this is our greatest desire, we shall receive it. This is a sublime truth. All those who truly love the Lord's appearing as the master passion of their lives- will be acceptable to Him (2 Tim. 4:8). This is why the hope of the Kingdom can never be a mere hobby, but is by its very nature the all consuming passion of human life.

Psalm 39:8 Deliver me from all my transgressions- At this point, David doesn't feel totally delivered from his sins. He has still to come to the total assurance of repentance and forgiveness, whereby in later Psalms he can describe himself as "righteous", so confident was he of imputed righteousness by faith through grace. "Redeem / deliver me from the hand..." is again a quotation from Jacob's words when he found his relative Esau barring his path back home (Gen. 32:11,30). And the word is used of David's desire for deliverance from Saul (1 Sam. 26:24); and yet this was a redemption unappreciated by him as it ought to have been (2 Sam. 12:7). Finally David recognized that this prayer was answered (2 Sam. 22:18,49). As David had earlier prayed for redemption / deliverance from Saul and his enemies (Ps. 31:15; 59:1; 144:7), he would later pray for redemption / deliverance from his sins (Ps. 39:8; 79:9).

Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish- Despite claiming to have forgiveness as his only hope and desire (see on :7), his fear of shame before others clearly remains.

Psalm 39:9 I was mute. I didn’t open my mouth, because You did it- See on :2. Another explanation of his silence could be to how David didn't hear or see the plans to overthrow him- because he didn't want to. Just as Samson chose not to perceive in reality that Delilah was going to betray him despite knowing she would, and as the Lord knew Judas would betray Him, but trusted him as His own familiar friend. David likewise must have known the deceit of Ahithophel and Absalom; but he chose not to see it, for love’s sake. See on Ps. 41:9.

Psalm 39:10 Remove Your scourge away from me; I am overcome by the blow of Your hand-

"Remove" is the word used for how violence would never depart from David because of his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12:10). David prayed for this to "depart" but it never did. David was open to the possibility that through prayer, God can remove the consequences of sin in this life; but such prayer is not always answered. But the "scourge" more comfortably refers to David's illness. It has been observed that the Psalms contain several usages of language which is specifically related to leprosy. It could be that David was struck with some form of leprosy after the sin. See on :11.

Psalm 39:11 When You rebuke and correct man for iniquity, You consume his days like a moth- The correcting or "discipline" is the word used for David's experiences after the sin with Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 6:1; 38:1; 39:11). “I was dumb, I opened not my mouth: because thou didst it... when thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth” (Ps. 39:9,11) may all suggest David suffered some kind of stroke, leaving him dumb and without his legendary beauty. In all this he was brought to know the spirit of Christ crucified, in whom there was no beauty that he should be desired, and who was dumb as a lamb before her shearers. The links between the Bathsheba Psalms about  David's repentance and the crucifixion are copious. The Lord on the cross came to know the feelings of David after his sin, He felt a leprous sinner although He never committed sin, so that even when we sin we are not in that sense separated from our Lord. He even then has a fellow feeling with every failure.

Surely every man is but a breath. Selah- Constantly in the Bathsheba Psalms, David sees his experience as that of every man. The same radical grace is available to us all. The "Selah" in this Psalm is clearly the equivalent of breaking the Psalm into stanzas, even if they are of differing lengths; in this Psalm the divisions are clearly marked by the "Selah". From :1-5, then :6-11, and now :12 to the end.

Psalm 39:12 Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and give ear to my cry. Don’t be silent at my tears- Who we are as persons is effectively our prayer and plea to God. This conception of prayer explains why often weeping, crying, waiting, meditating etc. are spoken of as "prayer", although there was no specific verbalizing of requests (Ps. 5:1,2; 6:8; 18:1,2,3,6; 40:1; 42:8; 64:1 Heb.; 65:1,2; 66:17-20; Zech. 8:22). The association between prayer and weeping is especially common: 1 Sam. 1:10; Ps. 39:12; 55:1,2; Jn. 11:41,42; Heb. 5:7, especially in the Lord's life and the Messianic Psalms. "The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer" (Ps. 6:8,9) crystallizes the point.

For I am a stranger with You, a foreigner, as all my fathers were- Again David pleads his connection with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He too has had no continuing city, has been treated as a foreigner, and thereby he feels he is one of the seed of Abraham, and appeals for the same grace to be shown to him what had been shown to the fathers.

Psalm 39:13 Oh spare me- As David respected God's words (Ps. 119:117), so he asks God to spare or respect him (s.w.). This is not to be read as meaning that Bible study assures a man of salvation; but rather that there is a mutuality in relationship between God and man. Our respect of His words is reflected in His saving respect of us.

That I may recover strength, before I go away, and exist no more- Clearly enough, David saw death as unconsciousness and non-existence; rather than envisaging an immortal soul going to heaven after death.

Psalm 40

Psalm 40:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David- The Psalm is similar to Psalms 38 and 39 [and parts of it are repeated in Ps. 70], and they all appear to be David's reflections upon his sin with Bathsheba and his sufferings and resolutions which arose from that. Jeduthun was perhaps "the chief musician" (Ps. 39:1) who was to perform the Psalms or teach them to others (1 Chron. 16:41,42,44; 25:3-6).

I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry- David now emerges from all his desperate prayers in Ps. 38,39 whilst sick after the sin with Bathsheba. He triumphs in total rescue from the situation because he presumably was feeling better. But we know that the consequences of the sin were to continue for him. His cry was not completely heard, and his cries of the previous two Psalms were hardly 'waiting patiently for Yahweh'. Like us, he imagines total answer to prayer when in fact things are not that simple. And he has failed in appreciating that the essential desire he had was for forgiveness (see on Ps. 38:9; 39:7). He recognizes later in this Psalm that the consequences of his sin continue, and he asks for them also to be removed, despite Nathan's words to him to the effect that they would continue. See on :17.

Psalm 40:2 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand- He likens himself to Joseph in the pit, who was saved from it. But Joseph was innocent; David wasn't. And again we get a hint that his repentance was not as total as it might have been. His later Psalms continue to present himself as righteous and suffering "without a cause". When there was a cause.

Psalm 40:3 He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God- Is. 42:9,10 says that we sing the “new song” now, because we sing / meditate of the “new things” which will be in the Kingdom. In that day, we will “sing a new song” (Rev. 5:9; 14:3). And yet this is undoubtedly picking up on the way in which we can now sing the ‘new song’, every morning (Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1). This was how David felt after receiving God's grace over the Bathsheba incidents. Likewise, all things will be made new at the Lord’s coming (Rev. 21:5), and yet those in whom the new creation is worked out already have all things made new in their spiritual experience (2 Cor. 5:17,18). The life that the Lord Jesus had and now lives is the essence of the Kingdom life. Who He was and is, this is the definition of the Kingdom life. It’s why one of His titles is “the kingdom of God” (Lk. 17:21). And it’s why it can be said that we ‘have’ eternal life now, in that we can live the essence of the life we will eternally live, right now.

Even in the Old Testament, the idea of living in a spirit of newness of life is to be found. David six times invites us to sing with him “a new song” (Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1 cp. Is. 42:10). Invariably these songs are associated with the experience of God’s redemption (cp. Rev. 5:9). Obviously those ‘new songs’ were intended to be repeatedly sung. Our regular experience of forgiveness and redemption should urge us onwards in the spirit of ‘newness of life’. Like Paul we die daily with the Lord, and the power of His resurrection life likewise daily breaks out in us.

David felt able to praise God despite having many of his prayers and issues still unanswered (:14-17). The experience of forgiveness was enough for him, as it should be for us.

Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Yahweh- Again we see David convinced that his judgment and forgiveness would lead others to trust in God's grace, just as he had done. This is critical in coping with suffering- to perceive that whatever we suffer is not simply for ourselves, but so that we might share the comfort we receive with others likewise suffering (2 Cor. 1:4-7). This was why David wrote these Psalms and handed them to the chief musician for mass distribution (see on :1).

Psalm 40:4 Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust and doesn’t respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies- Even in apparent contrition and joy at grace received, David seems unable to rejoice in it without a sideways swipe at others. He considers his enemies proud, and to be serving idols- for that is the sense of "turn aside to lies". And indeed idolatry was prevalent in Israel, and amongst David's enemies. Again we have the hint that his repentance was not as thoroughgoing as we might have expected.

Psalm 40:5 Many, Yahweh my God, are the wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts which are toward us. They can’t be declared back to You. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered- Yet through these Psalms, David is indeed declaring God's grace to him (see on :10). But he says he does so with a great sense of inadequacy; for he cannot render back to God according to the grace shown him. Hezekiah is condemned for this (2 Chron. 32:25). And yet David admits this is how man is, faced with the extent of God's grace to him. We have here another example of how two men may do the same thing [here, not rendering back according to God's grace], and yet be judged differently according to their attitude of mind.

Psalm 40:6 Sacrifice and offering You didn’t desire. You have digged my ears. You have not required burnt offering and sin offering- David was aware that God didn't really want sacrifice, or else he would so eagerly have offered it (Ps. 51:16,17). But there were no sacrifices prescribed for his sins of adultery and murder. Instead, David perceived that what God wanted in essence was a broken and contrite spirit. The Bathsheba incident was programmatic for David's understanding of God, and his prayers and psalms subsequently can be expected to have constant allusion back to it. We meet the same idea of God not ultimately wanting sacrifice in Ps. 40:6-9: "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire [but instead] mine ears hast thou opened [Heb. 'digged'- a reference to a servant being permanently committed as a slave to his master]: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come... to do thy will... thy law is within my heart". In Ps. 51:17, David had reasoned that instead of sacrifice, God wanted a heart that was broken and contrite. Here he reflects that instead of sacrifice, God wants a heart that has the law of God within it. This ultimately is the effect of God's law being in our heart- it creates a broken and contrite heart. But how? In the experience of most of us, the law does this through convicting us of our inability to keep the it. And so we see how guilt and grace work so seamlessly together. David's broken heart was a heart which knew he had sinned, sinned irreversibly, and condemned himself. But this, he perceived, was the result of God's law being within his heart. But the words of Ps. 40:6-9 are applied in the New Testament to the Lord's death upon the cross. What's the connection, and what's the lesson? In essence, through David's experience of sin, and the work of God's law upon his heart, he came through that sin to have the very mind of the Lord Jesus as He hung upon the cross, matchless and spotless in His perfection, as the Lamb for sinners slain. Again and again we see the lesson taught- that God works through human sin, in this case, in order to bring us to know the very mind of Christ in His finest hour of glory and spiritual conquest. We must not only let God's word work its way in us; but we need to recognize when dealing with other sinners that God likewise is working with them. He doesn't shrug and walk away from sin; He earnestly seeks to use our experience of it to bring us closer unto Himself.

As noted on Ps. 20:13, success in war and answer to prayer was thought to depend upon the offering of sacrifice. After the sin with Bathsheba, David now matures in his understanding- that salvation and God's operation with His people is by grace and not because He desired sacrifice (Ps. 40:6; 51:16,17).

This passage is quoted of the Lord Jesus in Heb. 10:5-12. It was the Lord's love of the word which made Him endure the cross and obtain that great salvation, both for Himself and for us. His crucifixion was likened to His ear (His hearing of the word) being nailed to an upright piece of wood (cp. the cross; Ex. 21:6 = Ps. 40:6-8 = Heb. 10:5-12).  Paul perceives that firstly, there was the statement that God did not desire animal sacrifices of themselves in order to remove sin; and secondly, the Lord Jesus came to do God's will, in a way which animals simply could not do. This division into first and second is pressed into a similarity with the first and second covenants, as noted on Heb. 9:1. God's desire was that sacrifice should be offered under the Old Covenant, but this could not take away sin of itself. What He desired far more ['not A but B' can mean 'not so much A as B'] was the sacrifice of the One who did His will perfectly.

"You have digged my ears" is quoted differently in Heb. 10:5 as "a body did You prepare for me". God did want sacrifices, but not for the sins David had committed concerning Uriah and Bathsheba. The Greek word "body" is also translated "slave" (Rev. 18:13). The idea cannot be that a body was prepared on earth, and some Divine Spirit incarnated it and the body became known as 'Jesus of Nazareth'. As noted above, the primary reference of the Psalm 40 quotation is to David after his sin with Bathsheba reflecting that sacrifices were not appropriate, and all he could do was to offer himself as the humble servant of Yahweh for the rest of his days. In any case, reading this as meaning that the 'Spirit Jesus' came down from Heaven and lived inside a specially prepared body is reading too much in to the words. Jesus began as an egg within Mary, which divided and re-divided until it became a fetus, then a child and thence "the man Christ Jesus". Jesus 'was' the body; He didn't somehow enter into a body which was prepared somewhere on earth. I therefore suggest that we read "body" as "slave" or "servant". And this is in fact what the Hebrew text implies in Psalm 40; Paul is quoting here from the Septuagint, but the Hebrew reads: "My ears You have digged / bored" (Ps. 40:6). The allusion is to how a servant could choose to remain within his master's house as a permanent slave because he so loved his wife and family and his master; and in this case his ear was bored through and nailed to an upright piece of wood (Ex. 21:6). This clearly hinted at the crucifixion. The Lord Jesus was the slave who willingly decided to devote Himself permanently to the service of the Master's household, demonstrating it by His crucifixion; His ministry for us is therefore eternal, unlike that of the Levitical priests. Paul nearly always quotes the Septuagint rather than the Masoretic text, but the sense here is essentially the same, although the readings differ. The idea is that God didn't want dead animals, but a totally dedicated servant / slave who would perfectly do His will and devote himself to the permanent service of His household. And that person was the Lord Jesus, typified by the repentant David. Phil. 2:7,8 along with the prophecies of the suffering servant makes it clear that the Lord was supremely a slave / servant in His death on the cross.

Psalm 40:7 Then I said, Behold, I have come- We must remember that these words were first spoken and felt by David, reflecting upon God's grace which he received after his sin with Bathsheba; and his desire to respond to that grace practically. Although they are applied to the Lord Jesus in Heb. 10:5-12, it would be a totally false step of logic to assume that "I come..." means that the Lord Jesus 'came' from heaven to earth at His birth or supposed 'incarnation'. That is clearly not what David intended when he spoke these words about himself.

The quotation from Psalm 40 is of words first thought and spoken by David in reflecting that there was no sacrifice which could be offered to deal with his sin in effectively murdering Uriah and committing adultery. All he could offer God was a broken heart, and a desire to humbly serve Him in whatever days he might be given by grace. The Bathsheba Psalms all have further reference to the attitude of the Lord Jesus on the cross; the brokenness of David at that time, physically and psychologically, pointed forward to that of the Lord in His time of dying. The purpose of this is to teach us to what extent the Lord Jesus identified with hopelessly fallen man especially at the time of His dying; whilst Himself never having sinned. The reference to David is evidence enough that the words of this passage do not demand an incarnation of some Divine Spirit into a body waiting on earth to receive it, as Trinitarians claim. The language of Psalm 40 originally applied to David's feelings after his sin with Bathsheba. It is interpreted as being appropriate to the Lord's feelings when He "came into the world".

"Came into" in Heb. 10:5 is the very word which has been used in that section of Hebrews about the Lord's coming into the Most Holy, representing Heaven itself (Heb. 6:20; 9:12,24,25). The reference could be to the Lord's beginning of His priesthood in Heaven, rather than having any reference to His birth or death on earth. But "into the world" is the phrase so often used in John's Gospel for the Father sending His Son into the world at the start of His ministry at age 30 [not necessarily at His birth]. And the same phrase "came into the world" is used of how "I am come a light into the world" (Jn. 12:46) and how the Lord "came into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth" (Jn. 18:37). That witness began to be given at age 30, which was when the Lord "came into the [Jewish] world". "The world" in John's Gospel nearly always refers to the Jewish world, as it does in this context in Heb. 9:26; and the Lord came into that world when His ministry to them began at age 30. We would therefore interpret this as meaning that the Lord began His ministry with the understanding that God had never wanted the animal sacrifices of themselves, but rather required a representative human being to perfectly do God's will. And this He dedicated Himself to doing in the ministry which culminated in the final doing of God's will by dying on the cross. The death of the cross is so often spoken of as the Father's "will".

It is written about me throughout the book in the scroll- David understood that the law of Moses which condemned him actually spoke (between the lines) about desperate sinners like himself who were condemned by that law. Within that same law were continual hints of God's grace outside of that law. And these words came to comfortably apply to the Lord Jesus in that He was foretold through the Old Testament.

Psalm 40:8 I delight to do Your will, my God. Yes, Your law is within my heart- David knew he was condemned by the law as an adulterer and murderer. And yet he was confident of acceptance in that the spirit of the law was truly in his heart, as Ps. 119 demonstrates. These words naturally came true in the Lord Jesus to a far greater extent.

The will of God is specifically associated with the Lord's death on the cross (e.g. Mt. 26:39). The entire scroll of the Pentateuch [the "roll of the book" known to David at the time of Psalm 40] implied the death of a perfect human sacrifice who would complete God's will for human salvation in totality. And Paul is applying these thoughts of David to the Lord Jesus as He began His ministry [or perhaps specifically when He died, or when He began His priestly service on entering Heaven; see on :5].

This is quoted and interpreted in Heb. 10:9 as: "Then he said: Behold, I come to do Your will. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second". As noted on Heb. 10:8, the "first" statement is associated with the first covenant, the law of Moses. The doing of God's will by the perfect sacrifice establishes "the second", i.e. the new covenant; and by doing so, the first covenant is made old (Heb. 8:13), or as stated here, 'taken away', or literally 'slain / killed'. This is how totally the old covenant had been taken away. The second or new covenant was "established" in that as explained above, it was based upon the promises to Abraham which already existed, but which were mediated or brought into operation by the Lord's sacrifice. Thereby, men and women could become "in" the seed of Abraham, and the promises which were originally to only Abraham and his singular seed thereby were made to all within the One Messianic seed. These promises, this second or new covenant, was 'established' by the Lord's death; and thereby the "first", Mosaic covenant was done away. To return to that was therefore to reject the Lord's work and to shy away from the wonder of salvation now made so sure and established.

Heb. 10:10 interprets further: "By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all". The "will" of God refers to God's will that none should perish but all should be saved (Mt. 18:14; Jn. 3:16; 6:40). That will lead to the giving of His Son; and yet the Son had to freely fulfill that will of His own volition. The incredible will of God for human salvation was demonstrated publically by the offering of the Lord's body. This "once and for all" declared the will of God to save us, ending for all time any doubt or niggling suspicion that He is somehow indifferent to human salvation and is simply leaving us to make our own decisions without any passion or will from His side. The Lord's death was therefore His "will" (Mt. 26:42). The doing of God's will by His Son is parallel with the finishing of His work (Jn. 4:34), coming to a climax in His last words from the cross: "It is finished". Yet we too are to play our part in the doing of that will- in reaching out to save others by the grace of the Lord Jesus (Heb. 10:36; 13:21). "The offering of the body of Jesus" alludes to how the offering of animal bodies could not save of itself; but again it was the life and person of the Lord Jesus which saves, rather than simply His body, which was like any other human body.

Psalm 40:9 I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, You know- Through his Psalms, David was proclaiming to all that God was right and he was wrong, and yet thereby he had been saved by grace outside of the Mosaic system of sacrifices. The verse also describes how the Lord Jesus accomplished God’s will as the ultimate sacrifice, through the death of the cross. That death is foretold by the Lord, in the prophetic perfect, as ‘preaching righteousness to the great congregation’ [LXX ekklesia]. In living out the dying of the man Christ Jesus in our daily lives, we are making the witness of Christ. This and :10 speak of how the Lord Jesus would proclaim righteousness to the ekklesia and declare God’s faithfulness and salvation, i.e. the things of His Name. Yet this passage is quoted in Heb. 10:5-7 about the cross. It was there above all that “thy law is within my heart" and He “preached righteousness". This is why Paul can talk of “the preaching [which is] the cross". He as He was there is the ultimate witness. And this was why the Yahweh Name was written up over Him.

Psalm 40:10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart. I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation. I have not concealed Your grace and Your truth from the great assembly- Ps. 39:9,11 seems to describe an illness with which David was afflicted after his sin with Bathsheba. Psalm 40 then seems to be giving thanks for David’s cure and receipt of forgiveness; and it is replete with reference to David’s desire to spread the word: “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit…he hath put a new song in my mouth… many shall see it, and fear, and turn to the Lord [alluded to in the way the Acts record accounts for the many conversions after the death of Ananias and Sapphira]… blessed is that man [cp. Ps. 32:1)…I have preached righteousness [a ‘prophetic perfect’, meaning ‘I will do this…’]  in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips…I have declared (LXX euangelizesthai- evangelized) thy faithfulness and thy salvation [unto]… the great congregation” (Ps. 40:2-5,9,10 AV). All desire to evangelize must likewise be based in a marvel at God's grace to us despite our sins.

There is a connection between our preaching and salvation, because salvation depends upon faith; and if we believe, if we have drunk the living water, it will spring up in us and bubble over to others. Because David did not conceal God’s mercy and truth [a phrase often referring to the Gospel covenant to Abraham] from others, therefore God would not conceal His mercy and truth from David (Ps. 40:10,11). The farmer who sows seed is likened to every preacher of the Gospel; and yet his own life and the lives of others depends upon the sowing of the seed. This is how vital preaching is; it isn’t the only virtue which the redeemed believer is expected to demonstrate, but it is one of them.

Psalm 40:11 Don’t withhold Your tender mercies from me, Yahweh; let Your grace and Your truth continually preserve me- David appears both confident of having received God's mercy (see on :1), and yet also asking for those mercies. Perhaps he speaks earlier in the prophetic perfect, certain of receiving what is yet future. Or perhaps he believes he has received forgiveness, but wants help dealing with the consequences. Or perhaps his faith in the receipt of forgiveness is oscillating. "Grace / mercy and truth" is a term often used about the promises to Abraham. David rightly perceived that the essence of the blessing promised was forgiveness, as does Paul in Gal. 3 and Peter in Acts 3:24-27- and not just eternal inheritance of land on earth.

Psalm 40:12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me- David sees his sins and their consequences as "without number", but he uses the same word for God's "infinite" or "without number" "understanding" (s.w. Ps. 147:5). God understands better than we do the nature of our sins and their consequences.

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head- The same word is used of Laban's overtaking Jacob (Gen. 31:25); again he takes comfort from the precedents in the story of Jacob. It is the same word for the Egyptians overtaking the Israelites before the Red Sea deliverance (Ex. 14:9; 15:9). He was like the man guilty of blood whom the avenger of blood had overtaken (Dt. 19:6), and he was desperately seeking a city of refuge in Yahweh. 2 Sam. 15:14 uses the same word for  "overtaken". The way he was saved from being overtaken by Absalom in judgment for this was perhaps an answer to his prayer of Ps. 40:12. In the context of the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba, David says that his sins and their consequences are "more than the hairs of my head" (Ps. 40:12). But he uses the same phrase in saying that his "without a cause" enemies are "more than the hairs of my head" (Ps. 69:4). But again we note that he considers those consequences of his sin to be "without cause", and we wonder at the depth of his repentance and sense of culpability.

My heart has failed me- This continues to reference David's emotional and psychological breakdown after the sin with Bathsheba; the same phrase is in Ps. 38:10.

Psalm 40:13 Be pleased, Yahweh, to deliver me. Hurry to help me, Yahweh- David repeatedly asks God to "hurry to help me" (Ps. 22:19; 38:22; 40:13; 70:1,5; 141:1). But David had hurried (s.w.) to be obedient to God, always wanting to 'say yes straight away' (Ps. 119:60). Our response to God's voice is therefore related to His response to our voice; if His words abide in us, then we experience positive experience in answered prayer (Jn. 15:7).

Psalm 40:14 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonour who delight in my hurt- Saul sought  to take David's life. So many of the Psalms contain imprecations against those who were seeking David's soul- not just his physical life, but seeking to destroy his very being (e.g. Ps. 35:4; 40:14; 54:1; 63:9; 70:2; 71:13). These imprecations expose the evil of Saul, and asks God to condemn him. Some of those Psalms appear to have been written by David in the Saul days, and then rewritten at the time of Absalom's rebellion- another man who sought David's soul, and yet whom David loved. These words perhaps originated in the wilderness Psalm of Ps. 35:4. But David repeats them here, in this Psalm which appears to reference to David's sin with Bathsheba, which provoked the plotting against David's life referred to here. And yet we wonder as to how David could so bitterly wish the destruction of his opponents, when he himself had been saved by grace.

Psalm 40:15 Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, Aha! Aha!- David's repeated desire to see the condemnation of those who were judging him seems inappropriate for a man saved by grace; for they were the vehicles for receiving the consequences of his sins.

Psalm 40:16 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You. Let such as love Your salvation say continually, Let Yahweh be exalted!- Again we query why and how David continues to see people in such black and white terms, divided between the righteous and unrighteous, when he himself had been revealed as a righteous man who had sinned seriously.

The faithful are described as "those that seek (God)... such as love Your salvation". But truly seeks God (Rom. 3:11- the context concerns all of us, believers and unbelievers); and yet we are those who seek Him. We must be ambitious to do the impossible. Those who truly love righteousness and the Kingdom will be rewarded with it. Likewise Paul in 1 Cor. 8:2,3 describes the faithful man as one who accepts he knows nothing as he ought to know, but truly loves God. Heb. 9:28 is clear: "Unto them that look for (Christ) shall He appear the second time... unto salvation". Those who truly look for Christ will be given salvation.

David responded to their seeking of him by seeking God more. He uses the language of the hunt and chase to describe how he was drawing closer to God: "My soul followeth hard after thee" (Ps. 63:8; Ps. 63 is a wilderness psalm, see title). “Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul... let all those that seek thee rejoice" (Ps. 40:14,16). In this sense, David felt he wasn't fleeing from his enemies as much as fleeing to God: "Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies (from whom he was running): I flee unto thee to hide me" (Ps. 143:9). This fleeing to God didn't mean that David and Jesus didn't respond or retaliate verbally; both of them, especially the Lord Jesus, did. They both pleaded their innocence, and accused their enemies of being unfair and hypocritical. Yet this must have been done from a genuine motive of love; as David loved Saul, as the thought of Saul's death must have torn at his heart, so the Lord Jesus loved Israel, weeping over Jerusalem, wishing to himself like a child for the impossible: that they would know him as their Saviour. Both David and Jesus had a real sense of direction, they could see that their mental, emotional and physical sufferings were leading them towards an altogether higher relationship with the Father. They took those sufferings as an almost welcome push towards the Father. They had a sure sense of spiritual direction in all their afflictions; this accounts for the human loneliness which they both felt.

Psalm 40:17 But I am poor and needy. May the Lord think about me. You are my help and my deliverer. Don’t delay, my God- He recognizes towards the end of this Psalm that the consequences of his sin continue, and he asks for them also to be removed, he is "needy" for answers, despite Nathan's words to him to the effect that they would continue. Yet in :1 he triumphs that his prayers have been heard and all is well; he has come up out of the pit (:2). This could therefore be read as assuming that because he was over his sickness, all his other issues were resolved. Or those earlier statements could be read as faith that he would be ultimately delivered from all the problems which his sin had caused.

Psalm 41

Psalm 41:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David- Jeduthun was perhaps "the chief musician" (Ps. 39:1) who was to perform the Psalms or teach them to others (1 Chron. 16:41,42,44; 25:3-6).

Blessed is he who considers the poor. Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil- The Hebrew for "consider" really means to understand- that’s how it is normally translated. To be sensitive to the poor, to understand them, to have a heart that bleeds for them- this is what God seeks in us. And yet David appears here to be justifying himself as delivered from his day of evil because he had been generous to the poor- when in fact David was saved by grace and not by such good works. Many of the Psalms are clearly relevant to David, and yet just as clearly relevant to Hezekiah and other Kings. Thus Ps. 41 is David’s reflection on the situation of 2 Sam. 15- but evidently it’s been re-written with reference to Hezekiah, also afflicted with an “evil disease”; and Ahithophel’s part in David’s life was played out in Hezekiah’s life by Shebna (Is. 22:15). It seems apparent they were re-written over time, and hence have relevance to various historical settings.

Psalm 41:2 Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive. He shall be blessed on the earth, and he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies- As noted on :1, David was preserved by grace and not by the fact he had been generous to the poor (:1), as he liked to imagine.

Psalm 41:3 Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed, and restore him from his bed of illness- The previous Psalms (Ps. 38-40) have described David on his bed of apparently terminal sickness after the sin with Bathsheba, being saved by grace. And he wishes to encourage all men to share in his path of healing and experience of grace.

Psalm 41:4 I said, Yahweh, have mercy on me! Heal me, for I have sinned against You- "Have mercy" here and in :10 is the term used in David's plea for forgiveness in Ps. 51:1. The cry for mercy suggests the moral guilt of the sin with Bathsheba, which had its consequence in David's mortal sickness with which it seems he was stricken soon afterwards (as in Ps. 30:8).

Psalm 41:5 My enemies speak evil against me: When will he die, and his name perish?- David's prayers for restoration after the crisis with Bathsheba do indeed include a bald admission of sin as in :4. But his prayers seem to spend far more time in asking for deliverance from his enemies, avoidance of personal shame, and judgment upon them- again suggesting his repentance was not all it might have been.

Psalm 41:6 If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes outside, he tells it- The person in view is his "familiar friend" of :9. He doesn't perhaps name Ahithophel because these Psalms were written whilst he still felt the possibility of restoring his relationship with Ahithophel and didn't want to openly state what he knew Ahithophel (Bathsheba's grandfather) was up to. Whilst on his bed of sickness, it seems Ahithophel visited David, speaking falsehood to him, and then went outside and slandered him to the world, as in :8.

Psalm 41:7 All who hate me whisper together against me. They imagine the worst for me- 2 Sam. 12:19 speaks of David's courtiers whispering about him soon after the sin with Bathsheba. So we can assume that his courtiers are in view here, caught up in the conspiracy to overthrow him, putting around the idea that he was too weak to resist any conspiracy (:8).

Psalm 41:8 An evil disease, they say, has afflicted him. Now that he lies he shall rise up no more- Heb. 'a disease of Belial'. The idea was that because David had sinned, some kind of supernatural 'devil' or demons had smitten David and he would die. We notice that David didn't share this mistaken, paganic view; instead he repeatedly attributes his disease to Yahweh, and believed that therefore Yahweh could lift it.

Psalm 41:9 Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who ate bread with me- The person in view is clearly Ahithophel, David's counsellor, the "man of my peace" (2 Sam. 15:12), referenced also in Ps. 55:13,14. The king's counsellor in oriental courts always ate at his table. The Lord's invitation to all, sinners included, to eat at His table... is therefore a sublime insight into how radically inclusive He was and is.

The verse is quoted specifically about Judas in Jn. 15:18. The Lord knew beforehand that Judas would betray Him, just as Samson knew surely that Delilah would; although neither man could admit it to himself. This is just a psychological condition typical of human beings. It helps explain why the Lord Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas would betray him (Jn. 6:64), and yet how He could really trust in Judas as his own familiar friend, confide in him (Ps. 41:9), tell him that he would sit with the other eleven on thrones in the Kingdom (Mt. 19:28). This was ever a serious contradiction for me, until considering the Samson : Delilah relationship in depth. A man can know something about someone on one level, but act and feel towards them in a quite different way than this knowledge requires.

Has lifted up his heel against me- Apparently an allusion to how the seed of the woman would strike the seed of the serpent with his heel (Gen. 3:15). Ahithophel was treating David as the seed of the serpent, rather than realizing that a member of the seed of the woman can still sin, be forgiven and remain on the Lord's side rather than that of the serpent.

Psalm 41:10 But You, Yahweh, have mercy on me, and raise me up, that I may repay them- As noted on :4, the cry for mercy and being raised up from the bed of sickness was primarily in the context of David's sin with Bathsheba. But even in that dire situation, David is still thinking of repaying his enemies. Grace is such a difficult concept to totally grasp, and the old ways of behaviour-based judgment die so hard.

Psalm 41:11 By this I know that You delight in me, because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me-  Tenses in Hebrew aren't exact (unlike in Greek). Seeing this is a prayer for help (:10),, the idea may be 'I will now that You delight in me if you save me from my enemies'. This would be manipulative. David has previously claimed that his only desire is for forgiveness; whereas here he reveals how desperately he wanted to be saved from the consequences of those sins. And Nathan's prophetic word had made it clear that God intended him to suffer those consequences.

Psalm 41:12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and set me in Your presence forever- He looked forward to eternity as being in God's presence eternally. His focus was not upon living on a perfected earth, true as that may be; but rather upon relationship with God.

The Bathsheba Psalms, and those written after that time, clearly reflect how David had a sense of integrity before God. Ps. 41:4,12 is a good example: “I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned…as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever”. How could David, David the adulterer and the murderer, speak of his integrity…? Only, surely, because he truly believed in imputed righteousness. Although I have noted the possibility throughout the Psalms that David was perhaps not as repentant as he might have been for his sin. Yet forgiven sinners- and none of us are essentially any different to David- can have genuine integrity before God and men, because of this wonderful thing called imputed righteousness, justification by grace, call it by whatever theological term we like. But the bottom line in practice is that we can have genuine integrity before God and man. Yet, of course, men are no so willing to accept this… those who break that 11th commandment ‘Thou shalt not be caught!’ are very often treated as if they can never have any integrity, and are for ever second class citizens in their community. But this isn’t the way of those who seek to reflect God’s way of dealing with sin.

Psalm 41:13 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting! Amen and amen- David was bidding all people share in his experience of grace through joining in with his Psalms; he wishes them to say "Amen and amen" on a personal level, thus personalizing his experiences to themselves.

Psalm 42

Psalm 42:1 For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by the sons of Korah- "By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers. They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19. Or if we insist on reading "by", it could have been a Davidic Psalm edited and as it were released by a group called "the sons of Korah" during the captivity in Babylon. But the Psalm clearly has reference to David's time at Mahanaim, which could have been months (2 Sam. 17:24; 19:32), whilst fleeing Absalom. This was the original context of the Psalm, but David sitting by the waters in exile was obviously relevant to the captives sitting by the rivers of Babylon. Hence the title in the Syriac: "A Psalm which David sung when he was an exile and desired to return to Jerusalem"; the Arabic "A Psalm for the backsliding Jews".

As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after You, God- The theme of water in this Psalm (:7 too) is appropriate to David being by the waters of the Kidron and then the Jordan as he fled from Absalom. David sitting by the waters in exile was obviously relevant to the captives sitting by the rivers of Babylon.

Psalm 42:2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?- This reveals David's special longing for the sanctuary in Zion, where he 'appeared before God' to keep the Mosaic feasts (Ex. 23:17). But the application to the Lord Jesus is very clear- His was the ultimate, actual appearance before God in Heaven.

Psalm 42:3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, Where is your God?- This would imply that David's enemies had access to him whilst he lay at Mahanaim in exile from Absalom; we recall how Shimei followed David on the route, cursing him as he went. Or perhaps his own supporters were saying this. The exiles were likewise mocked in Babylon; and the Lord Jesus likewise on the cross.

Psalm 42:4 These things I remember and pour out my soul within me, how I used to go with the crowd, and led them to God’s house, with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day- This is David recalling how he used to lead the people towards the sanctuary on Zion on feast days. "God's house" however suggests the temple, and this was not built in David's time. So this may well have been added under inspiration when the Psalm was used by the sons of Korah in the Babylonian exile; see on :1.

Psalm 42:5 Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God!- This kind of self-talk should characterize all of God's true people. For this is the very essence of spiritual mindedness. Psalm 42 has many echoes of the cross, although primarily it refers to David's longing for the tabernacle whilst exiled by Absalom.  "Why art thou cast down, O my soul?" (:5 AV) is the same in the Septuagint as Mt. 26:38 "Now is my soul troubled".

For I shall still praise Him for the saving help of His presence- Perhaps applicable to a vision of glory appearing to the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane, transferring some of the glory of His countenance to Jesus as He did to Moses, so that the Lord's arresters initially fell down when they saw Him. David spoke of praising God for the health of His face; and then talks of how God is the source of the health of his face (Ps. 42:5,11 RV). It’s as if the glory of the invisible God rubbed off upon David, as it did literally for Moses, whose faced became radiant with the glory of the Angel who spoke to him.

Psalm 42:6 My God, my soul is in despair within me- Despite his undoubted physique stamina, David was a broken man, depressed, and even quite early in his life, prone to fits of introspection; dramatic mood-swings (cp. 1 Sam. 24:14 with 1 Sam. 25:6,22,34;), sometimes appearing a real 'softie' but hard as nails at others (consider Ps. 75:10 and the whole of Ps. 101); easily getting carried away: be it with excessive emotional enthusiasm for bringing the ark back, in his harsh response to Hanun humbling his servants, his over-hasty and emotional decision to let Amnon go to Absalom's feast when it was obvious what might well transpire, his anger "flaring up" because of incompetency (2 Sam. 11:20 NIV),  or in his ridiculous softness for Absalom. He had a heart cruelly torn so many ways. All these traits are amply reflected in the Psalms: Ps. 6:7; 31:10; 42:3,6; 38:8; 55:4; 56:8; 69:3,29; 88:3,9; 94:19 (what introspection!); 102:4; 116:3; 143:4.

Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar- This may have been the area of Mahanaim, where it seems David remained whilst in exile from Absalom (2 Sam. 17:24). "The heights of Hermon" is literally 'the Hermons', LXX "the Hermonites", perhaps referring to the mountain range which began at Mount Hermon and continued to the Mahanaim area. "Mizar" is unknown, but could be read as "the little hill" (LXX). However, this interpretation of the geography could appear forced, especially with the reference to "cataracts" in :7. Hence Ray Stedman suggested that David was recalling "an experience that he had when he was in the northern part of Israel near Mount Hermon, at the head of the Jordan River, on a little peak of the range where Mount Hermon is located, called Mount Mizar (which, incidentally, means "little mountain"). On that occasion he could hear the waterfalls of that mountainous region, the thundering cataracts. He became aware of how they seemed to be calling to one another, "deep calling unto deep," and it reminded him that the deeps in God call out to the deeps in man".

Psalm 42:7 Deep calls to deep at the noise of Your waterfalls. All Your waves and Your billows have swept over me- Waterfalls" is better "cataracts", perhaps referring to the spot on the Jordan River where he was sitting as he composed this Psalm. See on :6. David like Jonah feels he has drowned and is in a living death.

Psalm 42:8 Yahweh will command His grace in the daytime. In the night His song shall be with me: a prayer to the God of my life- Yahweh's song connects with how the exiles also by the waters (of Babylon) were asked to sing Yahweh's song, the Psalms used in temple worship. David says that he will sing Yahweh's song, the temple liturgy, even though in exile from the temple. For he realizes that God's presence is not limited to the sanctuary. GNB may be correct in suggesting: "May the LORD show his constant love during the day, so that I may have a song at night". "The God of my life" could mean the God who alone could preserve David's life; or the God who was the focus of David's life.

Psalm 42:9 I will ask God, my rock, Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?- The prototype of Christ feeling forsaken was in David feeling forsaken by God when he fled from Absalom (Ps. 42:9; 43:2; 88:14); but clearly he was not actually forsaken. Despite these feelings, David was spiritually mature enough to still consider God as his "rock", even though he felt God wasn't coming through for him as he expected. He expresses the same in Ps. 43:2. "Oppression" was what God's later people were to suffer at the hands of their enemies (s.w. Is. 30:20; Dt. 26:7); David's suffering was seen as that of God's later people, and so his Psalms were reused in this context.

Psalm 42:10 As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me, while they continually ask me, Where is your God?- David was sensitive to words; whilst in exile from Absalom, his enemies clearly had access to him and were communicating with him "continually". And he felt those words as swords. The sword that pierced Christ's soul on the cross was the sword of the abuse which was shouted at Him then (Ps. 42:10); and the piercing of Christ's soul, Simeon had said, was the piercing of Mary's soul too. In other words, they were both really cut, pierced, by this mocking of the virgin birth. Neither of them were hard and indifferent to it. And the fact they both stood together at the cross and faced it together must have drawn them closer, and made their parting all the harder. She alone knew beyond doubt that God was Christ's father, even though the Lord had needed to rebuke her for being so carried away with the humdrum of life that she once referred to Joseph as His father (Lk. 2:33). For everyone else, there must always have been that tendency to doubt.

Psalm 42:11 Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise Him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God- "Despair" is the word used of David's feelings after the sin with Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 38:6). It is the word for bowing down, for humility. But nobody likes being bowed down in humility, and David likewise wriggles against it. But we see here the kind of self-talk which is characteristic of all those who are truly spiritually minded. This 'bowing down' was to characterize the sufferings of Judah for their sins (s.w. Is. 2:11; 5:15; 26:5). David was possibly asking himself a rhetorical question- Why was he bowed down? Because God wanted to humble him so that He might restore him. But "help" is the usual word for 'salvation', and "countenance" is the usual word for 'face'. 'Save my face' would be a fair translation. And here again we encounter our concerns as to whether David's repentance was as thorough as it might have been. He did indeed confess his sin and seek forgiveness. But so much of his praying at this time is for God to save him from shame, and to judge and destroy and eternally condemn those at whose hands he was receiving judgment for his sins. And this was the problem with the exiles whom he later came to represent.

Psalm 43

Psalm 43:1 Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men- Many Biblical characters worked their way through this problem of being distracted by others in their community. Ps. 43:1 begins with David lamenting how he had been unfairly judged by an “unmerciful nation” of Israel, but concludes with him focusing back on his personal relationship with the Father: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?... hope thou in God... who is the health of my countenance and my God” (:5 AV). David felt that his judgment by his nation in the wake of his sin with Bathsheba was unjust, and he asks God to legally plead his case against them. But before the court of Divine justice, David had been verily guilty. Again we sense that his desire for forgiveness was genuine enough, but the extent of his penitence was continually limited by his abiding sense that he was better than his nation, and his fear of shame in their eyes.

In the context of the exiles, the "ungodly nation" was Babylon; the "wicked men" were initially the supporters of Saul and Absalom, but then became the Babylonians.

Psalm 43:2 For You are the God of my strength. Why have You rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?- Despite these feelings, David was spiritually mature enough to still consider God as his "strength", even though he felt God wasn't coming through for him as he expected. David of all people appeared confident in his relationship with God and his personal hope of salvation. And yet he frequently felt at times “cast off” (Ps. 43:2; 44:9; 60:1; 74:1; 77:7; 88:14; 89:38; 108:11), using a Hebrew word elsewhere commonly used about God’s final rejection of sinners. David genuinely felt a condemned man- and yet he rejoiced in God’s salvation. Few of us get the balance so right. The prototype of Christ feeling forsaken was in David feeling forsaken by God when he fled from Absalom (Ps. 42:9; 43:2; 88:14); but clearly he was not actually forsaken. "Oppression" was what God's later people were to suffer at the hands of their enemies (s.w. Is. 30:20; Dt. 26:7); David's suffering was seen as that of God's later people, and so his Psalms were reused in this context.

Psalm 43:3 Oh, send out Your light and Your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy hill, to Your great tent- David sees himself as Israel in the wilderness, being led by the light of the shekinah glory in the cloud and fire. So often we have noted that David felt the presence of God in exile just as much as he did in the sanctuary in Zion; thus he often comments that he is under God's wings, as if he felt located on the mercy seat with the blood of atonement beneath him and the cherubic wings and shekinah glory above him. But still he is so desperate for the sanctuary in Zion, as if he maybe hadn't quite learned the lesson; and maybe this was why he was so insistent upon building a physical temple there, even though God had said this was not in fact what He wanted.

Psalm 43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy. I will praise You on the harp, God, my God- We again note that the literal altar in Zion was David's greatest joy; see on :3. He seems to equate "God" with "the altar of God"; as many do today, he failed to separate religious externalities from God. But then we can also note that as we go through the life of David, it is evident he went along roads few others have travelled. For example, who else would offer his sacrifice upon the altar and then start strumming his harp in praise as he watched the animal burn (Ps .43:4 Heb.)? This was a new paradigm in Israelite worship.

Psalm 43:5 Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise Him: my saviour, my helper, and my God- "Despair" is the word used of David's feelings after the sin with Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 38:6). It is the word for bowing down, for humility. But nobody likes being bowed down in humility, and David likewise wriggles against it. But we see here the kind of self-talk which is characteristic of all those who are truly spiritually minded. This 'bowing down' was to characterize the sufferings of Judah for their sins (s.w. Is. 2:11; 5:15; 26:5). David was possibly asking himself a rhetorical question- Why was he bowed down? Because God wanted to humble him so that He might restore him.

AV has as in Ps. 42:11 "Praise Him who is the health of my countenance". But "health" is the usual word for 'salvation', and "countenance" is the usual word for 'face'. 'Save my face' would be a fair translation. And here again we encounter our concerns as to whether David's repentance was as thorough as it might have been. He did indeed confess his sin and seek forgiveness. But so much of his praying at this time is for God to save him from shame, and to judge and destroy and eternally condemn those at whose hands he was receiving judgment for his sins. And this was the problem with the exiles whom he later came to represent.

Psalm 44

Psalm 44:1 For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. A contemplative psalm- "By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers. They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19. Or if we insist on reading "by", it could have been a Davidic Psalm edited and as it were released by a group called "the sons of Korah" during the captivity in Babylon.

The Psalm appears to be reflection upon Israel's defeat, at least temporarily. This isn't recorded in the historical records of David's life. But the Psalm has many connections with Psalm 60, which is Davidic Ps. 60:1,10 = Ps. 44:9,10; Ps. 60:11 = Ps. 44:26 etc.). So it appears to be a comment upon a temporary set back and defeat during this campaign against Edom.

We have heard with our ears, God; our fathers have told us, what work You did in their days, in the days of old- In the times of mass illiteracy, the history of Israel would have been repeated orally. This was not to be just the job of the priests, the teachers of Israel, but of the "fathers" of all the tribes. The emphasis in the Psalm is upon God's work being greater than any human work.

Psalm 44:2 You drove out the nations with Your hand, but You planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but You spread them abroad- The "them" is Israel, contrasted with "the nations / peoples". "Drove out" is the word for "inherit" in the promises that Abraham's seed would "inherit" the land (:3; Gen. 15:7,8; 28:4). As in our experience, there is always a primary fulfilment of God's promises and eternal covenant, which was based around the promises to Abraham. This was of particular comfort to the exiles (s.w. Ps. 69:35). Although God appeared not to be coming through for them at the time (see on :1), they were to take comfort in the covenant with Abraham; God's hand had worked in the past and would do so again, and the land was ultimately theirs. Even if at the moment their enemies were in the ascendancy.

Psalm 44:3 For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but Your right hand, and Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You were favourable to them- This contrasts with how Jacob's final words were to the effect that he had carved out his own inheritance at Shechem by his sword and bow (Gen. 48:22). David is recognizing that this attitude was wrong; and yet the spiritually weak "Jacob" was still to be saved by God's grace (:4).

Psalm 44:4 You are my King, God. Command victories for Jacob!-  David the king repeatedly calls God his "king". His exaltation didn't lead him to pride, as he was always under the deep impression that he was not the ultimate king (Ps. 5:2; 10:16; 29:10; 44:4; 47:6). His personal relationship with God was, he believed, the basis for "victories for Jacob", all God's weak and wandering people.

Psalm 44:5 Through You will we push down our adversaries. Through Your name will we tread them under who rise up against us- The connections with Ps. 60 (see on :1). lead us to conclude that this prayer was heard in the final victory against Edom (see on Ps. 60:1), who had 'risen up' against Israel.

Psalm 44:6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me- The more closely we analyze the Bible heroes, the more apparent it is that they were shot through with weakness; and some of those weaknesses it seems they unsuccessfully battled with until the day of their death. I think of Jacob, always trusting in his own strength, being progressively taught to trust in Yahweh's strength. And yet right at the very end of his life, he lets slip a comment which would seem more appropriate to his earlier life: "Shechem... which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow" (Gen. 48:22). The wrongness of this attitude seems to be alluded to in Josh. 24:12, which says that God drove out the Amorites "but not with your sword, neither with your bow" . And here in Ps. 44:3,6 also. So Jacob, right at the end of his life, still hadn't completely overcome that besetting weakness of self-reliance. This is, of course, a dangerous road to go down. In no way can we be complacent about our urgent need for spiritual growth. But on the other hand, we will never reach the stature of Christ without righteousness being imputed to us. In this sense, true Christian believers aren't good people. Perhaps David had learned from the demise of Saul and Jonathan, whose "bow... and sword" were used by them in the fateful battle on Gilboa (2 Sam. 1:22), yet didn't save them.

Psalm 44:7 But You have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us- The Psalm will go on to complain that now, their adversaries were in the ascendancy (:22,23 etc.). But David refuses to thereby forget that God has indeed amazingly come through for His people in the past. So often, the sense that God is not coming through for us right now leads people to discount all His amazing historical grace. And that is one function of Biblical history.

Psalm 44:8 In God we have made our boast all day long, we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah- As noted on :7, it is quite a reflection of David's faith and spirituality that he could praise and boast of God, even when (as the Psalm goes on to state), he feels God has not come through for him as He ought to have done.

Psalm 44:9 But now You rejected us, and brought us to dishonour, and don’t go out with our armies- Even when feeling rejected by God, David still praised God and boasted of what He had done in the past (:7,8). This should be our attitude- that even if rejected by God, or feeling rejected, our basic love and respect of Him should continue. God not going out with Israel's armies, and their turning back from their enemies (:10), is all the language of the punishments for Israel breaking the covenant. Instead of confessing this, David instead focuses upon the sinfulness of their enemies, and asking God to reverse the situation. As in his own attitude to his sin with Bathsheba, he appears more interested in seeing the consequences of sin taken away than in actually repenting and receiving forgiveness.

Psalm 44:10 You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take spoil for themselves- As noted on :9, turning backs before enemies was a curse for breaking the covenant. David should have recognized this, and confessed it and urged Israel to repent. Instead, rather like in his own difficulty in repenting over his sin with Bathsheba, he instead focuses upon the consequences for sin and begs God to remove them.

Psalm 44:11 You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations- This was surely added, under inspiration, by the exiles using this psalm of David.

Psalm 44:12 You sell Your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale- This would imply that Yahweh as the seller considered His people worthless, and was pleased to get rid of them for nothing. This is far from a fair description of what happened at the captivity. The explanation as to why they were sold for nothing is given clearly in Jer. 15:13: "Your substance and your treasures will I give for a spoil without price and that for all your sins". Just as David struggled to accept that the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba were appropriate and just, so did the exiles. They had sold themselves into captivity, according to their own prophets. If God has as it were profited by their sale, then they would have criticized that too. In fact, Is. 50:1 presents God's lack of gain from their 'sale' as an example of His love and grace: "Thus says Yahweh, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorce, for which I have put her away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities were you sold".

Psalm 44:13 You make us a reproach to our neighbours, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us- This was exactly as the prophets had warned would happen if they continued in their sins (Ez. 23:32; Hos. 7:16 etc.). To complain about it was simply refusing to accept the consequence for sin.

Psalm 44:14 You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples- As noted on :13, this was exactly as the prophets had warned would happen if they continued in their sins and suffered the curses for breaking the covenant (Dt. 28:37; Jer. 24:9 etc.). To complain about it was simply refusing to accept the consequence for sin.

Psalm 44:15 All day long my dishonour is before me, and shame covers my face- Verses 13 and 14 are clearly the feelings of the exiles, but they were based upon David's own feelings of shame over the sins connected with Bathsheba and Uriah. Again we note that he seems more concerned about the removal of the consequence for his sins, especially his shame, rather than in receiving forgiveness.

Psalm 44:16 at the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger- This is the term used of Goliath in Ps. 8:2. But the taunts of the likes of Shimei, reproaching him for being a "man of blood" (2 Sam. 16:8), were largely true. Shimei's words were painful to David, perhaps because they contained a fair amount of truth.

Psalm 44:17 All this has come on us, yet have we not forgotten You, neither have we been false to Your covenant- The language now again returns to "we", the exiles. Perhaps at best they were saying 'We have not broken the covenant, so it is unfair we are suffering the results of our fathers breaking the covenant'. Ezekiel was up against the same argument. And his answer was that indeed God punishes men for their own sins and not those of their fathers- and the new generation of exiles had indeed sinned themselves. And also to be factored in to this is the fact that sin often brings consequences to others. That is part of what sin is. Like David, they were struggling to accept consequences of sin.

Psalm 44:18 Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from Your path- To judge oneself as innocent of any sin of the heart is surely arrogance. 'Turning back' is associated with idolatry (Is. 42:17). And there is plenty of evidence within Ezekiel that the exiles were still idolatrous. We note how the names 'Mordecai' (based upon 'Marduk') and 'Esther' were reflective of idolatry.

Psalm 44:19 though You have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death- "The haunt of jackals" is likely a reference to Babylon, seen as the land of the shadow of death. David had felt "broken" (s.w. "crushed") because of his sin with Bathsheba and the consequences (Ps. 51:8). It seems the exiles edited his words and applied them to themselves- whilst missing the point, that David suffered rightly, and so did they. Their 'covering' with death was appropriate judgment (s.w. Is. 29:10).

Psalm 44:20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread forth our hands to a strange god- Ps. 44:20 balances the sin of omission against the sin of commission: “If we have forgotten the name of our God [omission], or stretched out our hands to a strange god” [commission]. It makes a good exercise to watch for how many times the Proverbs treat sins of omission as if they are sins of active commission. "He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster" (Prov. 18:9)- 'mere' laziness, as we may see it, an omission of working- is the same as the commission of a purposefully destructive person. But as noted on :18, the exiles generally were guilty of idolatry. So even if those now appropriating David's Psalm to themselves were innocent, they needed to be far more honest and realistic about the state of their community.

Psalm 44:21 won’t God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart- As David confidently asked God to search his heart, so did the exiles (s.w. Ps. 139:1,23). But Judah were in captivity exactly because God had searched their hearts and found them seriously astray from Him (s.w. Jer. 17:10). It was their duty now in exile to search their own hearts and repent (s.w. Lam. 3:40).

Psalm 44:22 Yes, for Your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter- "For Your sake" implies God was somehow unjust in treating them as sheep for the slaughter. It was the Lord Jesus who was to save them by becoming the "sheep for the slaughter", identifying with their condemnation, so that any who identified with Him could be saved from it. But instead, the exiles here lament their situation and asked for these consequences of their sins to be removed- with no mention of repentance or guilt.

This verse is quoted in Rom. 8:36, in the context of talking about the condemnation of sin (Rom. 8:34). In the context of Romans, Paul has been arguing that we are all rightly condemned. But his final point at the climax of his argument here at the end of Romans 1-8 is that despite that, God's love is still with us and He shall by grace save His true people from that condemnation which they rightly experience (Rom. 8:37-39). This was the perspective which the exiles, and David, ought to have had; and Paul uses this verse precisely in the way I have suggested we interpret it.

Psalm 44:23 Wake up! Why do You sleep, Lord? Arise! Don’t reject us forever- To accuse God of sleeping seems as inappropriate as the disciples' demand for the Lord Jesus to awake from sleep because His apparent sleeping showed that He didn't care that they perished (Mk. 4:38). He did of course care for their perishing. He gave His life for that. David in better moments realized that God doesn't sleep (Ps. 121:4). Likewise it was inappropriate to claim that God was going to reject His people forever (also in Ps. 74:1). The prophets had made it abundantly plain that God would not reject forever. Israel had "the hope of Israel" as surely as the planets are in the sky.

Psalm 44:24 Why do You hide Your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?- "Oppression" was what God's later people were to suffer at the hands of their enemies for their sins (s.w. Is. 30:20; Dt. 26:7); David's suffering was seen as that of God's later people, and so his Psalms were reused in this context. But that suffering was judgment and consequence for sin. It was the cloud of their sin which hid them from God's face, rather than Him losing interest in them and looking somewhere else.

Psalm 44:25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body clings to the earth- "Bowed down" is used of the exiles in Lam. 3:20. But it is David who speaks of his body clinging or cleaving to the dust (Ps. 119:25). Again we have to conclude that the person feelings of David after his sin with Bathsheba are appropriate by the exiles, and his Psalm rewritten in their context.

Psalm 44:26 Rise up to help us- This is the appeal of David personally (Ps. 35:2), but now appropriated to the exiles.

Redeem us for Your grace’ sake- After all the insistence that they are suffering unreasonably (see on :13,14), there does come an appeal to God's grace. We would perhaps rather see confession of sin and of Divine justice; but at least there is an awareness of grace.

Psalm 45

Psalm 45:1 For the Chief Musician. Set to The Lilies- This is the word for "trumpets". It was a song to accompany the trumpet symphony at a wedding.

A contemplation by the sons of Korah- "By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers. They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19. Or if we insist on reading "by", it could have been a Davidic Psalm edited and as it were released by a group called "the sons of Korah" during the captivity in Babylon.

A wedding song- I suggest all of Psalms 1-72 were written by David (Ps. 72:20), so we can assume this was David's song for Solomon, as was Ps. 72.

My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king- David expected Solomon to be the next king.

My tongue is like the pen of a skilful writer- The inspired writer of Psalm 45 says that his tongue is like the pen of a writer (Ps. 45:1). The writer is God. God was using the inspired person’s words as His pen, with which to communicate to men. Ezra likewise saw himself as a “scribe of the law of the God of heaven” (Ezra 7:21). The God who is in Heaven wrote through a scribe here on earth. That’s the idea of inspiration.

Psalm 45:2 You are the most excellent of the sons of men. Grace has anointed your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever- Whilst this Psalm is quoted about the Lord Jesus in Heb. 1, we must remember that the initial context was David's prayer for Solomon at his wedding. He clearly assumes Solomon's excellence above all his brothers, perhaps referred to as "the sons of men", and automatic blessing from God as the one anointed by grace to the kingship. It was exactly these parental expectations and unrealistic assumptions which were to be Solomon's undoing in later life. "Excellent" is AV "fairer" and appears to be a reference to Solomon's beauty, glorified in Song 5:10-16.

Psalm 45:3 Strap your sword on your thigh, mighty one, in your splendour and your majesty- This appears to be David drunk with fatherly pride as it were, as he sees Solomon riding to the nuptials to claim his bride.

Psalm 45:4 In your majesty ride victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds- This speaks in the Hebrew text of 'meekness-righteousness', as if meekness is the very essence of righteousness; and it was this which Solomon was to fight for.

Psalm 45:5 Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies- Solomon was envisaged as conquering the surrounding nations. David rejoices that Divine "arrows" were sent to destroy his enemies (Ps. 7:13; 18:14; 45:5; 64:7; 144:6), in fulfilment of God's promise to do so to the sinful within Israel (Dt. 32:23,42). But David was to later realize that those same arrows had been fired by God into him in judgment for his sin (Ps. 38:2). This realization was perhaps to help David understand that his rejoicing in Divine arrows of judgment being fired at his enemies had not been mature; for he himself had to realize that he was worthy of the same.

Psalm 45:6 Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of your kingdom- We must ever remember that this Psalm is primarily David addressing his son Solomon at his wedding. Solomon was not "God" so we can interpret this as being used in the sense of "mighty one", as in :3. The New Testament quotation of it about the Lord Jesus is not, therefore, declaring Him "God" in a Trinitarian sense; but rather emphasizing His highly exalted status. David was wrong to imagine that his son would have an eternal Messianic kingdom; although that may have been potentially possible, had Solomon been obedient. But his misplaced expectation is applied to the Lord Jesus, who will ultimately fulfil it. David imagined that Solomon's reign was to be characterized by "equity"; but in fact this didn't work out. For Solomon ended up abusing his people. And so whatever possibilities there were for him to be the Messianic ruler, they were precluded by his later unfaithfulness. And so the language is reapplied and rescheduled to the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 45:7 You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; therefore God, even your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows- This is applied to the Lord Jesus in Heb. 1:9. The Lord Jesus had a wondrous mixture of "grace and truth" which has so eluded Christianity. His hating sin more than any other man was one reason for the height of his exaltation above all others by the Father. But Hebrews 1:9 understands the "fellows" as referring not only to men but Angels; for it is used in the course of arguing that the Lord Jesus although once human, is not an Angel; He is greater than or "above" Angels. This is typical of Jewish midrash (interpretation). Words are quoted not perfectly in context, and then the words are given an interpretation appropriate to the point being made.  The emphasis upon "God, even your God" is evidence enough that the Lord Jesus was not God; for God the Father is His God, as He Himself said (Mt. 27:46; Jn. 20:17).  This is not the only passage where there is an intentional juxtaposition of language about the Lord Jesus; He is called "God" (but see on :6), but now we read of 'his God', God the Father, as Heb. 1:9 interprets it. Out of this dialectic comes the true interpretation; the Lord Jesus was totally human, He was not God in the Trinitarian sense, God the Father was His Father and God; but because He was morally perfect, He was exalted to a status that can only be described in the highest possible terms.

It is also worth asking the question, in the context of Solomon: 'Who anointed him above his fellows to be king? Who judged him as such a spiritual person?'. The answer is surely his father David. And "God" / "mighty one" (note the word Yahweh isn't used here) could simply be a Hebraic way of referring to David.

Psalm 45:8 All your garments smell like myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Out of the ivory palaces the stringed instruments have made you glad- Having addressed the groom, the Psalm moves to address the bride, as she walks out of an ivory palace to the sound of stringed instruments. Ahab had an ivory palace (1 Kings 22:39; Am. 3:15), so it is not unthinkable that there was such a "palace" in Jerusalem at the time of Solomon's wedding. He himself made an ivory throne for himself. It would appear that this woman was a foreigner, perhaps the daughter of the queen of Sheba (:9) or an Egyptian woman. But Solomon,  just  like  the foolish young man he later wrote about, had gone right ahead down the road to spiritual disaster he so often warned others about. He warns the young man of the dangers of the Gentile woman who perfumes her bed with myrrh (Prov. 7:16,17)- and then falls for just such a woman (Ps. 45:8).

Psalm 45:9 Kings’ daughters are among your honourable women- Presumably these were not David's daughters, but the bridesmaids. It seems clear that this woman was a Gentile daughter of a king and queen; probably from Egypt.

At your right hand the queen stands in gold of Ophir- Perhaps she was the daughter of the queen of Sheba, and her mother was present at the wedding. Solomon's bride was in any case the daughter of a queen, and her sisters acted as her bridesmaids; they were king's daughters. The marriage of the "son of David" to a Gentile indeed fits the type well, regarding the marriage of the Lord Jesus. But in the immediate context, David and Solomon were surely wrong to go ahead with marrying outside of the covenant.

Psalm 45:10 Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear- This may be David's desire for his new daughter in law to turn her ear to the God of Israel and convert. But this ought to have been done well before the wedding day. "Turn your ear" is a phrase used about responding to Yahweh's wisdom (Ps. 49:4; Prov. 2:2 and so often in Proverbs).

Forget your own people, and also your father’s house- Separation from the world unto the things of God is brought out in the way Ps. 45:10.16 alludes to the Mosaic laws about a Gentile woman forgetting her father’s house. Indeed the Psalm appears to have relevance to Solomon’s marriage to a Gentile [and note the allusions to Joseph’s marriage to a Gentile]: “Forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house [this is the ‘separation from’ the world]… instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, which thou mayest make princes in all the earth [land- of Israel]”. The emotional pain of separation from her father’s world would be offset by her bringing forth Godly children within the hope of Israel. The whole process of separating from and yet also separating unto seems to me to create a kind of synergy from the whole dialectic. It's by separating from the world that we go back into this world in service and witness and caring concern. And if we don't find ourselves 'separated unto' those things- have we actually separated from this world in the way God intends?

Psalm 45:11 So the king will desire your beauty; honour him, for he is your lord- David is saying that his son will be yet the more attracted to her beauty if she accepts the God of Israel (see on :10); but this of course should have all happened well before the wedding day.

Psalm 45:12 The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift, the rich among the people entreat your favour- It seems David was friends with Hiram king of Tyre (1 Kings 5:1), and the court of Tyre was represented at the wedding.

Psalm 45:13 The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold- This can easily be understood in the type as the Lord's bride being internally "glorious", with the gold of faith interwoven in her clothing.

Psalm 45:14 She shall be led to the king in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you- The language of embroidery, gold and the spices of :8 is that of the tabernacle and priestly garments. It's as if David wishes to present this Gentile girl as somehow connected with the external symbols of the true faith of Yahweh; even though :10 implies she was not in fact converted to Him at this point.

Psalm 45:15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led; they shall enter into the king’s palace- The idea may be that these Gentile girls (:9) would come and live with the bride in Solomon's palace. David was wishing to see in all this a foretaste of the gathering of the Gentiles to Israel's God. But in reality :10 implies she was not in fact converted to Him at this point. And Solomon would be led astray by these women in the long term. The same ultimate hollowness is to be found throughout the Song of Solomon.

Psalm 45:16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you shall make them princes in all the land- With Solomon as king, his bride's children would be princes in the land of Israel. So David imagined. And this would take the place, psychologically, of her sacrifice of her relationship with her "fathers"; see on :10.

Psalm 45:17 I will make your name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore the peoples shall give you praise forever and ever- Again David comes over as somewhat arrogant and ahead of himself in thinking that this daughter in law would be made by him to have an eternal name in Israel, and also be the praise of the Gentiles. For :10 implies she was not in fact converted to Israel's God at this point. The mere external tokenism was to lead to this marriage going terribly wrong in spiritual terms, leading to the spiritual demise of Solomon.

Psalm 46

Psalm 46:1 For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah- "By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers. They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19.

According to Alamoth- "Virgins". This is a musical direction, perhaps implying it was to be sung on high notes, with voices  like those of "virgins".

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble- In the Hezekiah context, this could be seen as the answer to Isaiah's prayer in Is. 33:2: “May You be their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble”. The Psalm appears relevant to a time when Zion was surrounded by armies, and yet God destroyed them and saved His people. This would fit the deliverance from the Assyrians at Hezekiah's time; probably a Psalm written by David commemorating a great deliverance was edited and reapplied to this incident.

Psalm 46:2 Therefore we won’t be afraid though the earth shakes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas- "Mountains" may be an intensive plural for the one great mountain, of Zion; and it looked likely to be cast into the seas of the Gentiles, surrounded as Zion was by Assyrian troops. I have suggested on Rev. 8:8 that the mountain cast into the seas in the Apocalypse also refers to Zion. The "we" refers in the first instance to Isaiah, Hezekiah and the faithful remnant within Jerusalem.

Psalm 46:3 though its waters roar and are troubled, though the mountains tremble with their swelling. Selah- The mountains, the great mount Zion (:2), did tremble with fear because of the roaring of the seas of nations around it. But later Isaiah was to glory in the fact that just as the waters roared at the Red Sea and God calmed them, so He came through for Judah at this time (Is. 51:15). But there was to be a time when the waters of Babylon would likewise roar, and overcome Judah (s.w. Jer. 6:23), and the latter day Assyrian confederacy against Zion will do likewise (s.w. Ps. 83:2).

Psalm 46:4 There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad- The roaring of the mighty waters of the surrounding Gentiles is contrasted with a tiny stream within Zion. Under siege, Jerusalem has no natural water supply; and so Hezekiah had built a conduit bringing a trickle of water into Zion from the Gihon (2 Kings 20:20). And the city was "glad" of that. This tiny stream kept the people alive. And the Psalmist sees in this a symbol of God's abiding deliverance of His people.

The holy place of the tents of the Most High- The tents of the Assyrians around Jerusalem are contrasted with the invisible tents of God's Angels camped within the besieged city. Things may appear hopeless in secular terms, but in spiritual terms God's saving power is ultimately far superior to whatever we may apparently be outnumbered by.

Psalm 46:5 God is in her midst, she shall not be moved- This connects with David's statement that he personally "shall not be moved" in Ps. 16:8: "I have set Yahweh always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved". The context is of David's desire to take the hill of Zion from the Jebusites, and for it to become his by conquest (see on Ps. 15:1; 16:5,6). He was confident he could do this in God's strength, and by saying "I shall not be moved" he identifies himself with Zion which "shall not be moved" (Ps. 46:5). And indeed God came through for David. Because he put Yahweh "always before me", he was given mount Zion and established his kingdom there. This verse is then quoted about the Lord Jesus- who likewise shall establish His Kingdom upon David's throne in Zion (Lk. 1:34,35) because of His trust in Yahweh.

God will help her at dawn- A reference to how the 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were slain overnight, and their corpses discovered by the Jews "early in the morning" (2 Kings 19:35).

Psalm 46:6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved. He lifted His voice, and the earth melted- Here we have made explicit that the raging waters of :2,3 represent the nations confederate with Assyria. God's lifted up voice presumably refers to the quiet prophetic words uttered by God through Isaiah, to the effect that He would deliver His people. Those quiet words were perceived by the faithful as God roaring so loud that the earth melted.

Psalm 46:7 Yahweh of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah- God's "armies" are the Angels, and it was just one of them who went out and slew 185,000 of the surrounding soldiers. "The God of Jacob" is a phrase which elicits the reflection that Jacob was not spiritually strong, and his God saved him by grace; and that was indeed the case at the time of the salvation of Zion from the Assyrians.

David sees that Yahweh will be a "high tower" or place of refuge at the day of future judgment (Ps. 9:8,9, quoted about this in Acts 17:31). But David feels God has been like this to him in this life (2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 18:2; 46:7; 48:3; 59:9,16,17; 62:2; 94:22; 144:2), and He was like this by grace to the Jews of Isaiah's day. David therefore sees a seamless experience in his relationship with God in this life, and at the future day of judgment. God saves us right now and is a refuge for us in countless life situations; and this is the guarantee that He will be likewise at the last day.

Psalm 46:8 Come, see Yahweh’s works- As explained on :10, the prophetic intention was that the victory over Assyria and her confederacy was to lead to Judah inviting those nations to come and "see" Yahweh's works, and therefore to accept Him as their God. But Hezekiah failed miserably in this.

What desolations He has made in the earth- "Desolations" is the word used about the threatened judgments upon Judah (Is. 5:9; 24:12; Jer. 19:8). "Made" translates a Hebrew word with a wide range of meaning, translated "change" in 2 Sam. 12:20; Job 17:12. Perhaps the idea is that the nations were to be invited to consider how the desolations threatened upon Jerusalem had been "changed"- by the repentance of a remnant. And this would have been intended to elicit repentance amongst the nations.

Psalm 46:9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots in the fire- Several of the prophecies against Judah's enemies include the threat of Divine fire; it is likely that the Angel used fire to destroy the Assyrians. Remember that God makes His Angels as a flame of fire (Ps. 104:4).

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth- Being still or slack is the term used in Zeph. 3:16 for the people of Zion actively going out to war. The idea is that the Jews in Jerusalem were not to do anything, apart from trust in Yahweh. They were not to answer a word to their reproaches, but to trust in Yahweh (Is. 36:21). They were to resign all attempts at resolving the invasion in their own strength. The intention was that Israel's God would be exalted, or accepted as alone worthy of praise, in the entire eretz promised to Abraham. But Hezekiah let the ball drop. The surrounding nations came and were allowed by Hezekiah to influence Judah, rather than Hezekiah and Judah bringing these nations beneath Israel's God. He was not "exalted in the earth" as was intended and as was potentially possible.

Psalm 46:11 Yahweh of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah- See on :7, where this verse is repeated.

Psalm 47

Psalm 47:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah- "By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers. They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19. Or if we insist on reading "by", it could have been a Davidic Psalm edited and as it were released by a group called "the sons of Korah" during the captivity in Babylon.

Oh clap your hands, all you nations. Shout to God with the voice of triumph!- This Psalm may follow on from Ps. 46, which gives glory to God for saving Zion at the time of the Assyrian invasion. The last part of that Psalm speaks of the prophetic intention that the victory over Assyria and her confederacy was to lead to Judah inviting those nations to come and "see" Yahweh's works (Ps. 46:8), and therefore to accept Him as their God. But Hezekiah failed miserably in this. The intention was that Israel's God would be exalted, or accepted as alone worthy of praise, in the entire eretz promised to Abraham. But Hezekiah let the ball drop. The surrounding nations came and were allowed by Hezekiah to influence Judah, rather than Hezekiah and Judah bringing these nations beneath Israel's God. He was not "exalted in the earth" as was intended (Ps. 46:10) and as was potentially possible.

But Ps. 47 emphasizes this potential. The language of shouting and clapping alludes to the salute given to a new  king on his accession  (2 Kings 11:12; 1 Sam. 10:24). In Num. 23:21, “the shout of a king” refers to the shout celebrating Yahweh as king. The nations were intended to accept Yahweh as their new king.

Psalm 47:2 For Yahweh Most High is awesome. He is a great King over all the earth- God is king over all the earth, and He was then specifically over the eretz promised to Abraham. But the peoples of the eretz still had to come to acknowledge Him as their king, and it was the prophetic intention that after the victory over Assyria, they would do so- in response to Judah's invitation to them.

Psalm 47:3 He subdues nations under us, and peoples under our feet- The reference is to the subduing of Assyria and the confederacy with her, after the miraculous Angelic destruction of their army. But Hezekiah never drove home the victory; Assyria continued as a nation for some time, and instead Judah submitted themselves under their gods, rather than the other way around.

Psalm 47:4 He chooses our inheritance for us, the glory of Jacob whom He loved. Selah- Jacob gloried in his future inheritance in the Kingdom in that he spoke of Shechem in about his last words (Gen. 48:22), and wanted to buried in Canaan rather than in the opulence of Egypt. We will each have an individual future within God's Kingdom, chosen by Him, and we are to glory in that above all secular things.

Psalm 47:5 God has gone up with a shout, Yahweh with the sound of a trumpet- "Gone up" suggest the ascension of the throne (as GNB). The language of shouting and trumpets  alludes to the salute given to a new  king on his accession  (2 Kings 11:12; 1 Sam. 10:24). In Num. 23:21, “the shout of a king” refers to the shout celebrating Yahweh as king. The nations were intended to accept Yahweh as their new king.

Psalm 47:6 Sing praise to God, sing praises. Sing praises to our King, sing praises- This is an appeal to the Gentile world to sing praises to "our king", Israel's King, Yahweh. It was this appeal which Hezekiah and Judah ought to have been making to the Gentiles after the rout of the Assyrians (see on :1).

Psalm 47:7 For God is the King of all the earth. Sing praises with understanding- The Gentiles were asked to accept Yahweh as king of the entire eretz promised to Abraham; but they were not to give lip service praise to Him, as subjected peoples typically did to the gods of the victors. They were to sing praise "with understanding". And this would require Judah to teach them- which they did not, at that time. The scenario however is rescheduled and reapplied to the final establishment of God's Kingdom in Zion at the Lord's return.

Psalm 47:8 God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne- The throne of God is envisaged as being in Zion, and from there all the nations in the eretz (:7) were to be ruled over. This was what was intended to come about after the Assyrian defeat.

Psalm 47:9 The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham- "The peoples" apparently refer to "the nations" (:8) of the entire eretz promised to Abraham (:7). But they are "the people of the God of Abraham". Abraham rather than Jacob is mentioned because the peoples dwelling in the eretz were mainly descended from Abraham.

For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is greatly exalted!- "Shields" is another way of referring to the "princes"; it is s.w. "ruler". The rulers of the peoples in the eretz each had their shields or banners, but they potentially all belonged to Israel's God; they were potentially His people, and the Psalm is appealing for them to actually exalt Him as their God in reality. This is what we are doing in our appeal to people today.

Psalm 48

Psalm 48:1 A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah- "By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers. They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19. Or if we insist on reading "by", it could have been a Davidic Psalm edited and as it were released by a group called "the sons of Korah" during the captivity in Babylon.

Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain- I suggest this Psalm may follow on from Ps. 46 and Ps. 47, which give glory to God for saving Zion at the time of the Assyrian invasion. The last part of Ps. 47 invites the surrounding nations to accept Yahweh of Israel as their God; and Ps. 46:8 speaks of the prophetic intention that the victory over Assyria and her confederacy was to lead to Judah inviting those nations to come and "see" Yahweh's works, and therefore to accept Him as their God. But Hezekiah failed miserably in this. The intention was that Israel's God would be exalted, or accepted as alone worthy of praise, in the entire eretz promised to Abraham. But Hezekiah let the ball drop. The surrounding nations came and were allowed by Hezekiah to influence Judah, rather than Hezekiah and Judah bringing these nations beneath Israel's God. He was not "exalted in the earth" as was intended (Ps. 46:10; 47:8) and as was potentially possible. The intention was that the nations would come and praise God on "His holy mountain" of Zion, just as Is. 2:2-4 had prophesied as being possible in Isaiah's time.

Psalm 48:2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the north sides, the city of the great King- Sennacherib wanted to set his throne on the temple mount (compare Is. 14:13 and Ps. 48:2 and notice the many allusions in Ps. 48 to the raising of Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem). But now the city of Zion was to be perceived as the joy or praise of the entire eretz promised to Abraham.

I noted on Ps. 15:1 that "Yahweh, who shall dwell in Your sanctuary? Who shall live on Your holy hill?" was written before David took the hill of Zion from the Jebusites. He felt they shouldn't be living there because of how they lived so immorally, and was eager to make it his own inheritance by conquest; and it seems from Ps. 16:5,6 that David considered Zion his personal inheritance where he was to live. He considered Zion his great joy (Ps. 137:6), the ultimately pleasant place (Ps. 48:2).

Psalm 48:3 God has shown Himself in her citadels as a refuge- The entire eretz had seen that Yahweh, the God of Zion, had been a refuge there for His true people. But the Psalm was likely an edit of an earlier Psalm of David; according to Ps. 72:20, this Psalm was one of David's. David sees that Yahweh will be a "high tower" or place of refuge at the day of future judgment (Ps. 9:8,9, quoted about this in Acts 17:31). But David feels God has been like this to him in this life (2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 18:2; 46:7; 48:3; 59:9,16,17; 62:2; 94:22; 144:2). He therefore sees a seamless experience in his relationship with God in this life, and at the future day of judgment. God saves us right now and is a refuge for us in countless life situations; and this is the guarantee that He will be likewise at the last day.

Psalm 48:4 For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together- This is the scene of Ps. 2; the nations assembled against Zion in Hezekiah's time, in that the Assyrian army was really comprised of a confederacy of local nations, just as will be seen in the attack of the latter day Assyrian. "Passed by together" is LXX "they came together". The desire to take Zion was what unified them; and so will the Jerusalem issue for the latter day Assyrian confederacy.

Psalm 48:5 They saw it, then they were amazed. They were dismayed. They hurried away- This would refer to the fleeing of the remnants of the Assyrian confederacy after they saw the slaying of 185,000 soldiers in one night by one Angel.

Psalm 48:6 Trembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail- The image of a woman in her time of delivery may imply that

Psalm 48:7 With the east wind, You break the ships of Tarshish- The idea may be as NET and GNB, which sees this verse as developing the theme of 'trembling' of :6: "like ships tossing in a furious storm". This version of the text omits the word "Tarshish". If we retain it, then we are to understand that the destruction of the enemies of Zion will include the destruction of their "ships of Tarshish". I have argued on Ez. 38 that Tarshish is one of the ten surrounding peoples listed in Ez. 38 who will come against Zion in the last days. Tarshish is therefore again demonstrated to be against Zion and not for her. This is another nail in the coffin of the idea that Tarshish refers to  Anglo Saxon support of Israel in the last days. Tarshish is here presented as against God's people, not for them, and Ez. 38 says likewise.

Psalm 48:8 As we have heard, so we have seen- Isaiah's prophetic word came true.

In the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God- There were armies of Angels within the besieged city, and just one of them slew 185,000 soldiers.

God will establish it forever. Selah- The eternal establishment of Zion is the language of the Kingdom prophecies. The Kingdom of God established in Israel could have come in some form at Hezekiah's time. But it was precluded by Hezekiah's personal failure, and the refusal of the people to accept Isaiah's teaching.

Psalm 48:9 We have thought about Your grace, God, in the midst of Your temple- This could imply that the holy place in the midst of the temple was now open to all. And there was the reflection there that Zion had been saved by grace- because Judah were not at all spiritually strong at the time of her deliverance.

Psalm 48:10 As is Your name, God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness- God's right hand had judged the Assyrians, and His Name or reputation was rightly earned; the news of Him was true, and the ends of the eretz, including Babylon, had heard correctly about Him. Hence their ambassadors came to Hezekiah. But instead of leading them to accept Israel's God, Hezekiah failed.

Psalm 48:11 Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of Your judgments- The daughters of Judah would refer to the cities around Jerusalem which had fallen to the Assyrians but were now liberated.

Psalm 48:12 Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its towers- Literally, "encircle it". It was the Assyrians who had encircled Jerusalem. It was their military commanders who had numbered her towers as they planned their assault (Is. 33:18). Instead, the believers were to as it were do the same, assessing Zion's defences- and as explained on :13, to conclude that her defence was in her God and His grace.

Psalm 48:13 Mark well her bulwarks- Or NET "defences". This then connects with :14 NET: "Our God is our defender for ever". Zion's defence was Yahweh. And the Psalm invites us to "mark well" what her defence was- her God.

Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation- "Palaces" is NET "fortresses", but the strong tower, or fortress, of Zion was her God.

Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death- See on :13. "Guide" is a military term for leading forth an army. Judah never fought against the Assyrians; but spiritually they were led forth as an army of faith by God.

Psalm 49

Psalm 49:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah- "By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers. They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19. Or if we insist on reading "by", it could have been a Davidic Psalm edited and as it were released by a group called "the sons of Korah" during the captivity in Babylon.

Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world- David, or whoever the Psalmist was who used his Psalm, was interested in appealing not just to Israel but to the Gentiles. The message of rejection of materialism was to be presented to them too. The moral teachings of the true God were and are attractive to secular Gentiles.

Psalm 49:2 both low and high, rich and poor together- Trust in wealth and materialism, which this Psalm addresses, is a problem not just for the wealthy but in fact for all of society, including the poor.

Psalm 49:3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom, my heart shall utter understanding- This appears to be a claim to direct Divine inspiration in the truths about materialism which are now to be sung about.

Psalm 49:4 I will bend my ear to a proverb, I will open my riddle on the harp- It seems that :1-4 are an introduction, and the song begins from :5 onwards. The mention of the harp reminds us that the Psalm at least originated in David (Ps. 72:20). But as noted on :1, the Psalm may have been directed to the exiles in Babylon, who were tempted towards materialism. Their wealth, hinted at in the conclusion of the book of Esther, was what likely stopped the majority from obeying the call to return to the land and rebuild God's Kingdom there on the ruins left from the Babylonian invasion.

Psalm 49:5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity barks at my heels, surrounding me?- If we read "days" as an intensive plural, the idea would be that a great day of evil is coming upon "me", all of us, when sin finally catches up with us like a dog barking at our heels, and we must die. In that day, wealth cannot save us- that is the theme to be developed now throughout the Psalm.

Psalm 49:6 Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches- The Lord and Paul appear to allude here in saying that those who trust in riches will find entrance to the Kingdom very hard (Mk. 10:24; 1 Tim. 6:17).

Psalm 49:7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him- We may well ask as to why the Psalm doesn't simply say that the wealthy cannot save themselves from death. But instead the angle taken is that they cannot redeem their brother from death. The reason perhaps is to raise the suggestion that there is in fact a redeemer who can redeem his brother, but not by wealth. David would have understood that redeemer as God, but in reality His redemptive work was to be achieved in His Son, whose redeeming blood is far more costly than secular wealth (1 Pet. 1:18,19). We note that this redemption therefore is for His brothers rather than universal.

The language of redeeming life with money is based upon the law's regulations that in some cases, such as if an ox gored a man to death, the guilty party could pay money to avoid the death penalty (Ex. 21:30; Num. 35:31). This seems to be in view, because the same language is used. But the point is that ultimately, death itself is inevitable and cannot be staved off by money. And perhaps the idea is that the offender personally had to pay from their own money, and no relative could pay for them. Whereas the redemption God could and would provide was for others, because we simply cannot pay ourselves.

Psalm 49:8 For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough- A temporary stay of execution for money is one thing (see on :7). But no payment can ultimately redeem a person from death itself. This recognition of utter bankruptcy in the face of death was being used by the Psalmist to appeal even to Gentiles (see on :1), because awareness of this is a subconscious truth for all men. The Davidic origin of the Psalm is indicated by the way that Saul used the same phrase of David's saving of his life: "My soul was precious in your eyes" [s.w. "life is costly"] (1 Sam. 26:21). David is alluding to this; Saul's human life had been precious or costly to him, but he was unable to redeem Saul eternally. Only God could do that, if Saul by faith accepted God's grace. David wished that Solomon would have the same perspective, considering the soul or life of people to be "precious" or "costly" (Ps. 72:14). But sadly Solomon abused his people later, as it were whipping them with whips. In the restoration context, God appreciated the preciousness of the soul or life of His people, and offered to eternally redeem them (s.w. Is. 43:4). See on :15.

Psalm 49:9 that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption- David clearly saw death as "corruption" and as the cessation of life. Unlike many around him at the time, he rejected the idea of an immortal soul and conscious survival of death.

Psalm 49:10 For He sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others- It is secular wisdom which is in view; for these apparently wise men still have the same basic human assumption that they will somehow survive death (:11).

Psalm 49:11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves- This is profound psychological insight into how the unspoken, subconscious assumption is that somehow, we will exist beyond death; and our wealth and secular achievement can guarantee this. It is this subconscious eagerness to believe this which explains the huge popularity of the false doctrine of an immortal soul in most religions. And this is why the hard truths of the Bible in this area are unpopular. Even if we are in some form remembered for a few millennia- this too shall pass. And death remains death. Only Divine redemption can change this.

We may well enquire how David thought he knew the state of heart [AV "inward part"] of his enemies and wealthy people (Ps. 5:9; 36:1; 49:11; 62:4; 64:6). Perhaps it was a result of his reflection upon how he had only had a right spirit or heart given by God "within" him as a result of his repentance (Ps. 51:10 s.w.). His enemies were impenitent, and so perhaps on that basis he knew what was in their hearts. Or this may simply have been the result of Divine inspiration (see on :3).

Psalm 49:12 But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish- See on :11. We could not wish for a clearer statement of conditional immortality and a denial of the immortal soul concept. This sublime truth is repeated twice in this Psalm (:12,20). And remember that is it being used in order to preach good news to Gentiles (:1). Likewise in Is. 40, the good news is that "all flesh is as grass". For those fearing immortal torment after death, this was in a sense good news; but the true good news is that if we accept this truth, then we can turn to God for the redemption intimated in :8. This theological attack on the immortal soul concept was relevant for the exiles, who were tending to accept the Babylonian theology on these issues, and thus lose their focus upon the final day of Israel's Hope as the resurrection of the dead.

Psalm 49:13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. Selah- The "wise" of :10 are hereby declared fools. As are all who look to the wealthy as wise. The readership of "follow my example to get rich" books is huge. But this is presented as approving foolishness. Sin is associated by God with utter and derisible foolishness (e.g. Num. 12:11; 2 Tim. 3:9); but this isn't how man in his unwisdom perceives it at all. Indeed, to him self-denial is inexplicable folly and blindness to the essentials of human existence.  The folly of sin is only fully evident to God.

Psalm 49:14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd- The implication is that they are experiencing a living death, they are following the shepherd "death" to an eternal grave. The implication as noted on :8 is that there is another shepherd and another flock- leading to life.

The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansions- Again we have the implication (see on :8) that the tragedy of eternal death need not be so for all. "The upright" will reappear "in the morning". A morning is coming- for the upright. The day of resurrection from the dead to eternal life.

Psalm 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me. Selah- David here states clearly that although no man can redeem his brother, nor himself, yet God can. God is therefore presented as a redeemer, an understanding to be articulated through the future work of His Son. "Receive" is the same word translated "carry away" in :17. Secular man carries nothing away from this life, ultimately. But God carries away His people, although they are unconscious; they are in His care, and shall be revived again at the resurrection. In this life, David felt his prayers had been "received" (s.w. Ps. 6:9). His experience of answered prayer was therefore a foretaste of his faith that God would finally receive or accept him (Ps. 49:15; 73:24 s.w.).

Psalm 49:16 Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased- Why does secular man fear when others become rich? Because they fear that actually the materialistic dream will not in fact be true for them. They consider that wealth is a kind of lottery- if another man wins it, then there's less chance we shall win it. Again we have a powerful insight into modern day psychology when it comes to wealth. These ancient words are intensely, bitingly relevant to modern man- in a way that only Divinely inspired words could be.

Psalm 49:17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him- It was common in Egypt and Babylon to bury a man's wealth with him. His glory did descend after him- but he could not carry it away anywhere. For death is total unconsciousness.

Psalm 49:18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul- and men praise you when you do well for yourself- This again is an observation so true to life. Spend a fortune on an expensive cruise- and you will be praised by your neighbours. The wealthy and successful become the pinups of the poor. The wealthy congratulate themselves on their wealth, and are congratulated by others. But the perceptive minority will see through this, and it is to these people worldwide (see on :1) that the Psalm / song is addressed.

Psalm 49:19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light- The Psalm is addressing Gentiles (:1), who would not be resurrected as they are not responsible to Divine judgment. Yet they were being offered the opportunity of redemption from death, if they accepted the good news of Israel's God and His covenant.

Psalm 49:20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the animals that perish- We could not wish for a clearer statement of conditional immortality and a denial of the immortal soul concept. This sublime truth is repeated twice in this Psalm (:12,20). And remember that is it being used in order to preach good news to Gentiles (:1). Likewise in Is. 40, the good news is that "all flesh is as grass". For those fearing immortal torment after death, this was in a sense good news; but the true good news is that if we accept this truth, then we can turn to God for the redemption intimated in :8. This theological attack on the immortal soul concept was relevant for the exiles, who were tending to accept the Babylonian theology on these issues, and thus lose their focus upon the final day of Israel's Hope as the resurrection of the dead.

Psalm 50

Psalm 50:1 A Psalm by Asaph- Although all of Psalms 1-72 were by David (Ps. 72:20), it seems they were rewritten and edited, under inspiration, for use in later contexts. This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

However there is a clear linkage between Psalms 50 and 51. The language about God not wanting sacrifice is clearly related (Ps. 50:8 = Ps. 51:16,17). The Psalm is a threat of judgment upon God's people, but clearly it is relevant to David. There is a structural connection between the Psalms:

A 50:1–6 About sacrifice and Zion

B 50:7–15 Deliverance and sacrifice

C 50:16–21 The rebuke

D 50:22–23 The call to repent given judgment to come

E 51:1 The appearance of Nathan to condemn David

D 51:1–2 An appeal to God's grace

C 51:3–9 Confession

B 51:10–17 About sacrifice and deliverance

A 51:18–19 About sacrifice and Zion.

The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset- The chapter is about judgment; God "speaks and summons the earth" (ESV) from east to west. The call or summons is to judge His people from wherever they are (:4). And they need to prepare for that judgment and act appropriately.

Psalm 50:2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth- The implication is that the judgment happens at Zion, the place of God's throne, when His glory will visibly shine forth from it.

Psalm 50:3 Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before Him, it is very stormy around Him- The Psalmists often complain that God 'keeps silent'. But finally He will "come", with all the fire and wind associated with His previous theophanies.

Psalm 50:4 He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that He may judge His people- The call to judgment is for those who are responsible to God, Israel "His people" (:5). The calling to heavens and earth may refer to how His judgments of His people affect both those in the ruling classes ("heavens") as well as the ordinary people ("earth"). This is exactly the language of Is. 1:2, where the heavens and earth of Judah are called to judgment.

Psalm 50:5 Gather My saints together to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice- "Saints" doesn't have to imply 'holy ones' in the sense of righteous ones; it is simply the title for God's separated out people, Israel (Ex. 19:6; Ps. 79:2; 85:8). And there is much negative to say about them in :7-15. They are perhaps "saints" only in that God has imputed righteousness to them. The old covenant appears to be the covenant in view, for that was dependent upon Israel's offering of sacrifice for inauguration (Ex. 24:3-8; Heb. 9:18). The new covenant, based upon the promises to Abraham, was a promise of salvation by God's unilateral grace; it didn't require sacrifice by Abraham for it to come into effect. The offering of the Lord's body was to confirm that covenant, to commend it to us; it was not of itself required for the covenant of grace to be made with Abraham.

Psalm 50:6 The heavens shall declare His righteousness, for God Himself is judge. Selah- There could be no doubt that the judgment of Israel was just / righteousness; the whole heaven and earth declare that God is a just judge.

Psalm 50:7 Hear, My people, and I will speak; Israel, and I will testify against you. I am God, your God- This appeal to "My people" appears in contrast to the address to the "wicked" in :16. But the condemnation of "the wicked" in :16-23 is appropriate to those who are within Israel and responsible to God. So it could be that the section from :7-15 is addressed to the weak but potentially spiritual within God's people, His true Israel; whereas :16-23 is to those in Israel who had totally turned away from Yahweh.

Psalm 50:8 I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before Me- Although this is a Psalm of Asaph (:1), it may well have been a rewrite of one of David's psalms. The allusion is to how after his sin with Bathsheba, David perceived that God didn't require bulls and goats, but rather the sacrifice of  contrite heart (Ps. 51:16,17). See on :1. David had been open to Nathan's "rebuke" (s.w. Ps. 6:1; 38:1; 141:5), which was not given in God's anger so much as in His appeal for David to accept His grace.

Psalm 50:9 I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens- This connects with the teaching in the following Psalm, that God didn't require sacrifice from David for his sins, but rather a broken and humbled heart (Ps. 51:16,17). It would seem therefore that this Psalm originated with David, although it may have been edited subsequently. This was comfort for the exiles, who would have been unable to offer sacrifice away from the temple. God didn't want sacrifice, essentially. But rather trust in His ability to forgive and restore, after the pattern of David's experience.

Psalm 50:10 For every animal of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills- God apparently is not a fan of 'sacrifice' because humans inevitably think that they are giving God something; it suggests that man owns things which God doesn't. David therefore says that all the sacrifices and gifts for the temple were in fact only giving God what He had already given to the 'donors' (1 Chron. 29:16); thus all apparent generosity to God is only a giving back to Him of what He already knows.

Psalm 50:11 I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are Mine- God not only owns the wild birds, but knows them. Wild animals are typically used as representative of Israel's enemies; and these too are known and owned by Him.

Psalm 50:12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all that is in it- The fact that "the earth is the Lord's" is used to highlight the wonder of the fact that therefore how much moreso do His people belong to Him, and are cared for by Him with such sensitivity (Ex. 19:5; Dt. 10:14; Ps. 50:12; 89:11). Just as the eretz / earth / land promised to Abraham is Yahweh's, so is in fact the entire planet (Ps. 24:1), and His purpose was perceived by David as incorporating the entire planet and not just Israel. The argument here continues that God is not "hungry" for ritualistic obedience, but for His people to be spiritually minded, praising Him and trusting in Him (:14,15). The Father's hunger was reflected in the hunger of His Son for fruit on the fig tree (Mt. 21:18). Even if it were immature fruit, His hunger was such that He would have accepted it. But instead He found only leaves, the appearance of spiritual fruit, but no reality.

Psalm 50:13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?- As explained on :12, the Father's hunger is not for flesh and blood, but for spirituality. Such flesh and blood was indeed offered to God but He found it an irritation, for it was not a reflection of spirituality (Is. 65:5; Am. 4:4 and often in the prophets). God was not a pagan deity, placated by flesh and blood.

Psalm 50:14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, pay your vows to the Most High- Heartfelt praise was what God hungered for (:12), not ritualistic sacrifice. To this day, He is thrilled by from the heart thanksgiving, and actions of gratitude for what He has done ["pay your vows"].

Psalm 50:15 Call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honour Me- The intention of David's Psalms were to share his experience of God's grace and salvation with others. It was David who had been answered in his 'days of trouble', and set on high (Ps. 20:1). His desire was fulfilled- for this verse of the Psalm clearly was reapplied to the "day of trouble" of the Assyrian invasion (s.w. Is. 37:3) and also to the Babylonian traumas of the exiles (s.w. Jer. 16:19; 30:7; Nah. 1:7; Hab. 3:16). See on Ex. 25:8. God didn't want sacrifice as much as He wanted faith in His promise of deliverance.

Psalm 50:16 But to the wicked God says, What right do you have to declare My statutes and to have taken My covenant on your lips- The appeal to "My people" in :7-15 appears in contrast to this address to the "wicked" in :16. But the condemnation of "the wicked" in :16-23 is appropriate to those who are within Israel and responsible to God, having taken His covenant onto their lips. So it could be that the section from :7-15 is addressed to the weak but potentially spiritual within God's people, His true Israel; whereas :16-23 is to those in Israel who had totally turned away from Yahweh.

Psalm 50:17 since you hate instruction- Solomon later accuses any who refuse his Proverbs of doing just this, hating instruction, which here in Ps. 50:17 means 'You are condemned' (s.w. Prov. 5:12; 12:1; 15:10).

And throw My words behind you?- Nobody would have said they did that to God's words. But here we have an example of where God interprets human attitudes for what they are in practice. But we must sound a caveat- we can too quickly say that 'Because you said A, therefore, that means B'. And often we are wrong. But God has the right and ability to judge in this way.

Psalm 50:18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers- This is not to teach guilt by association; for the Lord ate with sinners in order to bring them to Himself. But 'consenting with' a thief is paralleled with committing the same sin as adulterers. The idea is that by mixing with such company, what begins with consenting to their behaviour leads men to actually commit the sins of those they consort and consent with. "Consent" is the word for approval, delighting in, agreement with (s.w. Ps. 49:13). We may begin by vicariously approving the behaviour of sinners and mixing with them, and this will lead us into committing their sins. Perhaps the parallel between theft and adultery is because adultery is a form of theft.

Psalm 50:19 You give your mouth to evil, your tongue frames deceit- This is an example of how the final judgment will involve God giving people flashbacks from their lives (see on :21). But the present tense is used, because they were impenitent, and therefore in essence continue in those positions right up to judgment day.

Psalm 50:20 You sit and speak against your brother, you slander your own mother’s son- This example of a flashback at the day of judgment (see on :21) involves the virtual photograph of a man sitting and speaking slander against his brother. The body language and circumstance is recorded. On Ps. 51:5 I suggest that this may in fact be a rebuke of David having slandered his own brother.

Psalm 50:21 You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought that I was just like you. I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes- I suggested on :1 and Ps. 51:5 that Psalm 50 is judgment directed at David. This verse would therefore in that context speak to God's apparent silence after David's sin, and then rebuking and accusing him through Nathan.

In a more general sense, the day of judgment will be a face to face meeting between God and man, with flashbacks of human life provided to those who are to be condemned. We tend to see ourselves as little sinners, just a fraction over the line, we come to the end of the day with no real sense of having offended God, no sense of how deeply sin and indifference hurts Him. Perhaps we see God as altogether too human, like us not very shocked at habitual sin, comfortably numb to the fact that sinful thoughts really are as bad as the action. God's words to Israel are so relevant to us, living in a world where sin means nothing, and where God never openly intervenes in judgment. And it can be that we also lack the faith, or perhaps the concentration and reflection, to meditate on the actual reality of sin forgiven that we have experienced in Christ. Our temptation is to think that God sees things as we see them, to think that God is merely an ideal human being. But the day of judgment will reveal otherwise (Ps. 50:21). He is God, not man. It is not for us to set the terms. As the Lord taught in His parable of the approaching army, it's either total, abject surrender before the King of Heaven, accepting whatever terms He asks, or a foolhardy attempt to meet Him in head on confrontation (Lk. 14:31). Those who challenge the harder side of God are often called 'brave'; but their 'bravery' is foolhardy rebellion against the sovereign Almighty.

Psalm 50:22 Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be none to deliver- The deliverer was God (:15). But He would not do this if they forgot Him. The threat of tearing to pieces uses a term especially relevant to lions (Ps. 17:12; 22:13), a symbol of Judah's later enemies (Jer. 5:6 s.w.), who would be used by God to inflict such tearing into pieces (Hos. 5:14; 6:1 s.w.).

Psalm 50:23 Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies Me, and prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him- God is not practicing universal salvation. His salvation, Yehoshua, Jesus, is to those who prepare their way to desire it. Heartfelt praise was what God hungered for (:12), not ritualistic sacrifice. To this day, He is thrilled by from the heart thanksgiving, and actions of gratitude for what He has done ["pay your vows", :14].

Psalm 51

Psalm 51:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba- It is amazing how sudden David's proper repentance seems to have come. There is no reason to be unduly afraid of a sudden, emotional confession of sin, prompted by a certain circumstance, as David's was by Nathan's parable. Psalm 51 may well have been prayed but moments after Nathan finished his parable. And Psalm 32, describing the joy of David's repentance, would have followed soon after. The Psalms are several times presented in pairs which are related to each other; and Ps. 50 and 51 are certainly connected.

The language about God not wanting sacrifice is clearly related (Ps. 50:8 = Ps. 51:16,17). The Psalm is a threat of judgment upon God's people, but clearly it is relevant to David. There is a structural connection between the Psalms:

A 50:1–6 About sacrifice and Zion

B 50:7–15 Deliverance and sacrifice

C 50:16–21 The rebuke

D 50:22–23 The call to repent given judgment to come

E 51:1 The appearance of Nathan to condemn David

D 51:1–2 An appeal to God's grace

C 51:3–9 Confession

B 51:10–17 About sacrifice and deliverance

A 51:18–19 About sacrifice and Zion.

Have mercy on me, God, according to Your grace. According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions- Mercies and truth are often references to the promises to Abraham- to bless his seed with forgiveness of sins (Acts 3:25,26). Like us, in crises we are thrown back upon the basics of our faith. The promises to Abraham which re the basis of the new covenant. It is noteworthy that Peter appeals to Israel to repent and be converted “that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19)- quoting the words of Ps. 51:1, where the sin of David with Bathsheba is ‘blotted out’ after his repentance and conversion. Each sinner who repents and is baptized and leads the life of ongoing conversion is therefore living out the pattern of David’s repentance. “Have mercy on me, O God…” is quoted by the publican in Lk. 18:13. He felt that David’s prayer and situation was to be his. And he is held up as the example for each of us.

David’s experience of God’s grace stayed with him when he faced up to the results of his errors in the future, too. From experience, he can ask to fall into the Lord’s hand rather than man’s, because “his mercies are great” (2 Sam. 24:14)- using the same two Hebrew words he had used when Nathan came to him here in Ps. 51:1 AV: “Have mercy upon me… according unto the multitude [Heb. ‘greatness’] of thy tender mercies”. And so the experience of God’s gracious mercy over one sin fortifies us to believe in His grace when, sadly, we fall again; although, in passing, I think that in 2 Sam. 24, David himself didn’t really do so much wrong. Yet he perceived himself to have sinned, so the point is still established.

We find the Psalms so often expressing David’s intense anger- even to the extent of contradicting his other more gracious statements about people, and also being at variance with his own beggings for mercy and grace at the time of his sin with Bathsheba. Consider “Hold them guilty, O God; Let them fall by their own counsels; Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions; For they have rebelled against thee” (Ps. 5:10). Yet David has to use these very words about himself in Ps. 51:1 when he pleads with God to be merciful to him.  David’s ‘imprecatory Psalms’, in which he asks for bloodcurdling judgments upon his enemies, are hard to justify in the light of Christ’s teachings. They appear to be a continuation of the moments of bitterness, anger and brutality which we saw in the above mentioned historical examples.

Psalm 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin- This in New Testament terms would equate with the desire to be washed and regenerated in baptism. "The washing of regeneration" (Tit. 3:5) may allude here. The Mosaic rituals required sinners or unclean persons to wash themselves, and to cleanse themselves of uncleanness through performing rituals; but David moves closer to the understanding of grace by realizing that he has to ask God to wash him. For there was no help for him in any of the Mosaic rituals, given the nature of his sins. This need for washing from sin is relevant to Judah in their later sinfulness (s.w. Jer. 4:14). Israel were to be encouraged by David's experience that they coild receive "plenteous" redemption (Ps. 130:7; s.w. "wash me thoroughly from my iniquity" in Ps. 51:2), and be "abundantly pardonned" (s.w. Is. 55:7).

Psalm 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions- This very phrase was used by David in insisting that he did not acknowledge any transgression in him whilst in exile from Saul (1 Sam. 24:11). What he said and felt then may have been relatively true, compared to the unspirituality of Saul and the false accusations against him. But perhaps there was an element of the overly self righteous in his words, and the sin with Bathsheba made him realize this. It is the same phrase which is as it were put in the mouth of the repentant exiles in Is. 59:12; they were intended to follow David's path of repentance.

My sin is constantly before me- David's confession of sin in Ps. 51:3,4 is packed with Job allusions; as if Job's physical trials brought about the same effect as David's full recognition of his sin. The extent of his sorrow is heavily stressed: "My sorrow is continually before me... my sin is ever before me" (Ps. 38:17; 51:3 AV). How much sorrow is there for our sins? Have the years mellowed our terror at sin? Things which once appalled us can so easily become sins of habit, the real sorrow we once experienced on committing them can be watered down to just a vague tickle of conscience. The significance of David's sin and repentance being held up as an example of our own should be a good antidote against such problems. The chilling thing is, despite all this awareness of his sin during the nine month period, when he was told the parable by Nathan- he just didn’t fully see it. Every part of the story had such relevant application, but David was blinded to it. He knew he had sinned, but this was only on a surface level. “Thou art the man” was still news to him. “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments” (Ps. 119:176) was likely rewritten by David with his mind on his follies relating to Bathsheba. The point, is in the ‘lost’ state, he still remembered the commandments. He didn’t turn his back on God; and neither do we, in our semi-spiritual unspirituality. We can likewise be blinded to true, personal understanding of God’s message because of our refusal to truly repent. Corinth and the Hebrews could not understand the strong meat of the word because they were divided; their divisiveness hindered their understanding. Husbands and wives find their prayers hindered unless they are themselves united.

I have noted on :1 and :5 that Ps. 51 is presented as David's response to the message of general judgment in Ps. 50. The connection here is to Ps. 50:8, where God says that He doesn't ask for sacrifices to be "constantly before Me" (s.w.). David realizes that. What God wants is for us to have constantly before us a realization of His grace and our position as sinners before Him.

Psalm 51:4 Against You, and You only, have I sinned- Perhaps David uses the idea of "only" in the sense of "You above all", for he had sinned against Bathsheba, Uriah and other related parties. Or more negatively, we could wonder whether again he is limiting his recognition of sin, by reasoning that he had not sinned against Uriah since he was dead, nor against Bathsheba in that David [wrongly] counted her as equally culpable.

And done that which is evil in Your sight; that You may be proved right when You speak, and justified when You judge- He recognized that God works through our sinfulness- he is effectively saying 'I sinned so that You might be justified...'. These words are quoted in Rom. 3:4,5 in the context of Paul's exultation that "our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God"- in just the same way as David's did! Because God displays His righteousness every time He justifies a repentant sinner, He is in a sense making Himself yet more righteous. We must see things from God's perspective, from the standpoint of giving glory to God's righteous attributes. If we do this, then we can see through the ugliness of sin, and come to terms with our transgressions the more effectively. And Paul quotes David's sin with Bathsheba as our supreme example in this. We along with all the righteous ought to “shout for joy” that David really was forgiven (Ps. 32:11)- for there is such hope for us now. David is our example. And yet the intensity of David’s repentance must be ours. He hung his head as one in whose mouth there were no more arguments, hoping only in the Lord’s grace (Ps. 38:14 RVmg.). Notice too how Ps. 51:1 “Have mercy on me, O God…” is quoted by the publican in Lk. 18:13. He felt that David’s prayer and situation was to be his. And he is held up as the example for each of us.

David was very conscious that his sin had been "in Your (God's) sight" (Ps. 51:4). The psalms of repentance have several examples of him talking like this. It may be to this Davidic theme that the parable of the prodigal son (i.e. each of us) refers: "I have sinned... in Your sight" (Lk. 15:18,21). It is significant that our Lord's supreme parable of repentance refers back to that of David. It has been observed that there are many connections between the Psalms related to the Bathsheba incident, and those which are especially prophetic of Christ's crucifixion. David's intense suffering on account of sin was therefore prophetic of our Lord's mental and physical suffering for the same reason. He there felt as a condemned sinner, whilst personally spotless, because of the depth of His identification with sinful man. It is truly breathtaking to discern how God works through our sins, to the extent that through the struggle for repentance which they engender, they can associate us with the sufferings of His sinless Son.

In Rom. 3:4, Paul speaks of how God will “overcome when You are brought to judgment [Gk.]”. “Overcome” is the legal word for winning a case in court. It is our doubts as to the extent of God’s grace, that He abides faithful even throughout our unfaithfulness, which is effectively our bringing God to court, to judgment. Paul is here quoting Ps. 51:4, which were David’s words of reflection upon his sin unto death, and God’s forgiveness of him. He reflected that he had sinned so that God might be justified when He is brought to judgment by us. Again we are up against an amazing grace. God uses our sin, our doubt of His forgiveness, in order to declare Himself yet more righteous when He is put in the dock to answer against our false charges: ‘Is He really able to forgive me that? Will He really not hold this eternally against me? Will I really be saved, sinner that I am? Can God really accept me after what I have done, all I have failed to do as I should, all I have not been...?’. These are the kinds of questions with which we accuse God. Effectively the case against God’s grace is that He will not actually forgive, justify and save weak sinners. And He gloriously wins the case against us. And He even uses our sin, as He used David’s (who becomes a figure of us all), in order to prove this to us and to the world. And so, in a matchless logical tour de force, Paul triumphs in Rom. 3:5: “Our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God".

David confession that he had sinned against God uses the very language of faithful Joseph who refused ongoing sexual temptation with these words (Gen. 39:9). Could this not imply that Bathsheba wife of Uriah was seen by David as similar to Potiphar’s wife? Perhaps she was; or perhaps we are to see here another example of David seeking to mitigate his sin.  There is no hint in the psalms of David's regret for having sinned against an innocent Bathsheba. Her child had to die; the retribution did not just come upon David. The incident is referred to as "the matter of Uriah" (1 Kings 15:5); her name does not figure in those sinned against. "She came in unto him, and he lay with her" (2 Sam. 11:4) is an odd way of putting it; it reverses the usual Biblical reference to intercourse as a man coming in to the woman. The reason for this inversion seems to be to balance the blame. And there seems an evident similarity between the way the sin occurred within the city, and the way Dt. 22:24 says that in cases of adultery both parties were to be stoned if the sin occurred within a city and the woman didn’t cry out. Bathsheba doesn’t seem to have cried out- and so she bears equal blame, it would seem. This makes Bathsheba more of a sinner than a saint. This said, Nathan's parable describes David as killing the sweet lamb (Bathsheba); if she was partly guilty for the actual act, this may suggest a killing of her spirituality by David, at least temporarily.

"Justified", that God is right and man is wrong, is the central point of the argument, and is the crux of repentance:

A :1 blot out

B :2a wash

C :2b cleanse

D :3 I know

E :4a I sinned

F :4b you are justified

E :5 I... a sinner

D :6 teach me

C :7a clean

B :7b wash

A :9 blot out.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me- It could be that David was incorrect in this. His sin made him perhaps blame it upon his being conceived out of wedlock; which would explain the tension between him and his much older brothers. But our biological background is no excuse for sin. Or perhaps David was blaming his sin upon some false idea that human conception, birth and being is of itself sinful. But this isn't the true picture of human nature. For whatever we posit about human nature, we are saying about the Lord Jesus, who fully shared our nature and yet was holy, harmless and undefiled (Heb. 7:26). Clearly being human, having human nature, doesn't of itself alienate God from man. Nor are we inevitable sinners. So it seems to me that here David is here excusing his sin by wrongly blaming it upon such other factors. Again we get the sense so often that David's repentance was not as thorough going as it might have been.

But there is another, somewhat complicated, explanation of these strange words. I noted on :1 that Psalms 50 and 51 are related. By considering this in more detail, we see that this verse is the match to Ps. 50:20:

A 50:2, 5: "Out of ZION... a covenant with me by SACRIFICE"

B 50:8 "your BURNT OFFERINGS are continually before Me"

C 50:9 "I will not accept a bull from your house"

D 50:15 "call on me... I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me"

E 50:18–20 recitation of Decalogue

F 50:20 "You slander your own MOTHER’S child"

G 50:22 call to repentance: you who forget GOD

H 51:1 Nathan’s confrontation of David

Ga 51:1 prayer of repentance:

Fa 51:5 "a sinner when my MOTHER conceived me"

Ea 51:6 "teach me wisdom"

Da 51:14 "deliver me from bloodshed... and my tongue will sing aloud"

Ca 51:16 "You have no delight in sacrifice"

Ba 51:16 "if I were to give a BURNT OFFERING"

Aa 51:18, 19 Do good to ZION... then You will delight in right SACRIFICE"

David had been accused of slandering his own mother's son- namely himself and perhaps his brother. Here in Ps. 51:5 he admits that what he has said; he has accused his mother of conceiving in sin, out of wedlock. Perhaps David's tensions with his brothers had led to him accusing one of them of being illegitimate.

Psalm 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts- "Desire" is the word used by David at the end of his life of how God desired or delighted in him (2 Sam. 22:20). Perhaps this desire or delight was because of the "truth" in David's heart in recognizing his sins and accepting God's grace. God did not "desire" sacrifice as much as this truth (s.w. Ps. 40:6; 51:16).

Through his experience, David came to know what he calls 'truth in the inward parts': that the required sacrifice was a desperately broken and contrite heart (Ps. 51:17). Repentance is really about recognizing this truth within us; this, and not a set of theologically pure propositions, is the ultimate "truth". According to Paul's use of the Bathsheba incident, David's learning curve must be ours. There are other links which show that David's sin, desperation and restoration are typical of the experience of all God's true people (e.g. Ps. 51:7 = Is. 1:18).

His very innermost being would then be able to learn more deeply of God's real wisdom. There is a connection between David knowing God in his "hidden part", and Ps. 32:7: "Thou art my hiding place" , or 'hidden part'. This shows that David felt that after his repentance, God Himself would live in David's 'hidden part', that part of his mind and thinking which no one else knows. Through knowing God, God would come and live in that part which truly knew God. The tabernacling of God in our 'hidden part' also requires us to come to know Him, as David did.

You teach me wisdom in the innermost place- Here again we see the activity of God's Spirit on the very innermost parts of the human psyche, the "heart".

Psalm 51:7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow- It should be noted that David / Bathsheba language is used to describe Israel's spiritually fallen state (e.g. Ps. 38:7 = Is. 1:6; Ps. 51:7 = Is. 1:18; Ps. 65:2 = Is. 40:15). David recognized this in Ps. 51:17, where he likens his own state to that of Zion, which also needed to be revived by God's mercy. As David's sin is likened to the killing of a lamb (2 Sam. 12:4), so the Jews killed the Lord Jesus. The troubles which therefore came upon his kingdom have certain similarities with the events of AD67-70.   They were also repeated in the Nazi Holocaust, and will yet be. Israel are yet to fully repent after the pattern of David.

"Purge me... and I shall be clean... create in me a clean heart" (Ps. 51:7,10) shows that David understood the 'me' which needed cleansing as being his own mind. This was clearly a result of the great level of self-examination which brought forth his real repentance. "Against thee, thee only have I sinned" (Ps. 51:4) was a conclusion wrung out of so much reflection about what he had done; as is his recognition that his "sin" had involved many "transgressions" (Ps. 51:3).

Hyssop was used in the rituals for cleansing leprosy, and it is possible that David was struck with something like this disease after his sin with Bathsheba. This would explain why all his family and friends kept distant from him at that time of illness.

Psalm 51:8 Let me hear joy and gladness- It is possible to intensely believe in the mercy of God, His ability to save, and yet not have the real faith- which is to believe that this mercy and salvation really can still apply to us personally. Thus he prays "Let me hear joy and gladness". His introspective world of sin and self-hate found joy a paradigm impossible to relate to; as with mercy and salvation, he knew spiritual joy existed, but seemed unable to make this apply to him personally.

So that the bones which You have broken may rejoice- Here we see the contrast with the Lord Jesus, who identified with David's feelings after the sin with Bathsheba, but whose bones were not broken.

Psalm 51:9 Hide Your face from my sins- Paul can speak in Rom. 7 as if he is two different people; “I myself serve the law of God”, but “my flesh” serves sin. Likewise David asked God not to hide His face from him, David personally, (Ps. 27:9; 69:17; 102:2; 143:7), but to hide His face from David’s sins (Ps. 51:9). And one wonders whether the way the records of the Lord’s temptations are written implies some similar recognition by the Spirit of the two ‘men’ within the Lord.

And blot out all of my iniquities- We note with concern that in a Psalm written apparently after this time concerning the time of Absalom's rebellion, David asks that the sins of his enemies not be blotted out (Ps. 109:14). Again we wonder as to whether David maintained an awareness of the enormity of God's grace to him. In the context of the exiles, they were comforted that God would likewise blot out their iniquities- if they repented as David did (s.w. Is. 43:25; 44:22).

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, renew a right spirit within me- Here we see clearly enough that God can work directly on the human heart or spirit, through the work of His Holy Spirit (:11,12). His Spirit works upon the human spirit. And the same word for "create" is used of the natural creation; here we have the doctrine of a new creation in the hearts of people, of the kind repeatedly offered to the exiles in later Isaiah- if they followed David's path of repentance.

David felt that his youth was renewed like the eagle's in his repeated experience of God's grace (Ps. 103:5), that his soul was restored (Ps. 23:5), and that a right spirit could be renewed by God within him (Ps. 51:10). This is the equivalent of the "newness of life" which is promised to us through acceptance of God's Spirit. As God doesn’t faint or weary, so somehow those who identify their lives with His will also keep on keeping on- even now (Is. 40:31 cp. 29).

David had earlier understood that for the humble and righteous, God can "prepare their heart" (Ps. 10:17). This is evidence enough that God works directly upon the human heart and psychology, which He does today through the work of His Spirit upon the human spirit. For it is men who must prepare their heart in prayer and relationship toward God (s.w. 2 Chron.  12:14; Job 11:13; Ps. 7:9). But God can also do this for the humble. Hence David later asks God to create in him a 'prepared' heart (s.w. Ps. 51:10). And God heard; for the same phrase is used of how God 'prepared' or (AV) "fixed" his heart (Ps. 57:7; 108:1; 112:7). In allusion to this, Solomon was to later reflect that God can direct or 'prepare' (s.w.) the heart of man, even if he is thinking to direct his steps elsewhwere (Prov.  16:9).

Psalm 51:11 Don’t throw me out from Your presence, and don’t take Your spirit of holiness from me- The implication seems to be that whilst we are in God's presence, in covenant relationship with Him, then His Holy Spirit is working in our lives and hearts (:10). This is the litmus test as to whether we are in fellowship with God- rather than acceptance of any particular set of theological propositions. The request for restoration of the Spirit in :12 could suggest that God had withdrawn His Holy Spirit from David in the time between the sin with Bathsheba and his repentance; but see on :12.

Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, uphold me with a willing spirit- Ps. 51:11,12 speaks of God's "free spirit" [or 'willing spirit' ASV], paralleling it with God's Spirit, His "presence", the "joy of thy salvation". All those terms are parallel. God wills us to be spiritual, with His "willing spirit". The spirit of God is His presence, His salvation, joy, freedom. The Hebrew translated "free" really means 'generous'- the generosity of God's Spirit / mind / ways is shown in His forgiveness and saving of us. If God's spirit is His character, then, it is free, joyous, generous etc. Human beings can also have a "free heart" - the same Hebrew word appears translated like this in 2 Chron. 29:31 etc.- i.e. a spirit of generosity. When we have this, we are reflecting the "free spirit" / attitude of God. Whenever we are generous, His Spirit, with all its generosity, dwells in us and becomes our spirit. It is in this sense that I see a window into understanding the gift of God's spirit into the heart / mind / attitude of the believer. If God's spirit is free / generous, then so is ours to be; if His Spirit is joyous, just, true etc, then so is ours to be. In this sense we receive of His Spirit by reflecting His free and generous mind to others.

There is good reason to think that David did not spiritually crash completely, during the months in which he refused to fully acknowledge his sin. Although he no longer felt confident of having God's salvation, he still felt that God's Spirit / presence was with him. Hence he prayed in his confession: "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me (i.e. he felt that he had these things even then). Restore unto me the joy of salvation...thy free spirit" (Ps.51:11,12). He was very conscious that God was so closely watching him: " Hide thy face from my sins...against thee (have I) done this evil in thy sight" (Ps.51:4,9). " Day and night thy hand was heavy upon me" (Ps.32:4), he later recognized as he reflected upon God's close scrutiny of his life during those unrepentant months.

Psalm 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, sinners shall be converted to You- Being so certain of having received God's mercy, and therefore knowing the joy of living in good conscience with God, led David to preach to those around him. And he was certain that if he were forgiven and restored, he would make converts on the basis of  this wonderful grace being publicized. Note too that Psalm 32 is a 'Maschil' psalm- 'for instruction', or teaching of others. If we have really experienced the mercy of God, we will preach to others from our personal experience. 'Preaching' will not be something which we will have to will ourselves to do, nor will it be just a compartment of our lives. Like David, our very existence, the very spirit of our lives, will be an open proclamation of what God's mercy has achieved in us. And indeed David turned men to God after he himself had turned back to Him in repentance about Bathsheba. And we will only be powerful preachers if we preach likewise.

Morally disgraced in the eyes of all Israel and even the surrounding nations, not to mention his own family, it could be argued that David didn't have a leg to stand on when it came to telling other people how to live their lives. A lesser man than David would have resigned all connection with any kind of preaching. But throughout the Bathsheba psalms there is constant reference to David's desire to go and share the grace of God which he had experienced with others (Ps. 32 title; 51:13). He titles them ‘maschil’- for instruction / teaching. “Have mercy upon me, O Lord... that I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates” (Ps. 9:13,14).

When David wrote that “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee” (Ps. 51:13), he was paralleling his teaching with others’ conversion- in a way that suggests he was so confident that his preaching would certainly bring forth conversion. Yet distribution of leaflets, countless conversations... all these preaching activities are inevitably repetitious, and so few respond that we can lose our basic love for our fellow man, and lose the hopeful spirit which pervades throughout the self-revelation of our Heavenly Father.

Psalm 51:14 Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness- Deliverance from sin was to be the prayer of the exiles (Ps. 79:9 s.w.); again, David's path of repentance and restoration is set up as the pattern for the exiles. Solomon often speaks of righteousness delivering the wise; he has missed the desperation of his father, who prayed for God to deliver him.

David's prayer of repentance and request to be saved from "blood guiltiness" (Ps. 51:14) is literally 'from blood'. He was a man of blood and was guilty of Uriah's innocent blood. David had asked for 'men of blood' to be slain (Ps. 55:23 s.w.), those who had taken the blood of the innocent (Ps. 94:21), and for 'men of blood' to be expelled from his presence (Ps. 139:19). And it is not at all clear whether all those Psalms were written before his sin with Bathsheba. God was trying to teach David that he was the type of person whom he condemned. And yet it is unclear if he learned that lesson. Solomon liberally condemns the man who sheds innocent blood (Prov. 6:17; 28:17), refusing to recognize that his much lauded father had done just this, and was only saved by grace and not by any obedience to wisdom. There is so little grace in the book of Solomon's Proverbs because Solomon had failed to perceive the grace shown to his father.

The desire to be saved from blood guiltiness could also be read as a desire to be saved from the consequences of the shedding of Uriah's blood. Ahithophel, Bathsheba's grandfather, turned against David because of it. Again we note that his desire to be saved from shame and the consequences of the sins appears greater and more frequently stated than his desire for forgiveness.

Psalm 51:15 Lord, open my lips; my mouth shall declare Your praise- During the illness David endured after the sin with Bathsheba, it seems he may have suffered a stroke which left him dumb. He wanted healing so that he could then praise God. "Declare" is used here for David's declaration of praise after his forgiveness concerning Bathsheba; the "truth" which David "declared" after his forgiveness (Ps. 30:9) was the ultimate truth, of God's forgiveness of him by grace; a 'declaring' of his sin (Ps. 38:18 s.w.) and God's forgiveness.

Psalm 51:16 For You don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it; You have no pleasure in burnt offering- As noted on Ps. 20:13, success in war and answer to prayer was thought to depend upon the offering of sacrifice. After the sin with Bathsheba, David now matures in his understanding- that salvation and God's operation with His people is by grace and not because He desired sacrifice (Ps. 40:6; 51:16,17). This was spoken by David perhaps more concerning this sin of presumption for which there was no sacrifice prescribed, rather than about the actual sin of adultery. The sin of presumption, however, must not give us the impression that David was a hard, callous man. Everything we know about him points to him be a big hearted, warm softie. David's sin with Bathsheba was in that sense out of character. Yet such is the stranglehold of sin that even he was forced to act with such uncharacteristic callousness and indifference to both God and man in order to try to cover his sin.

Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise- See on :7. As noted on :1, this is David's response to the judgment threatened in Ps. 50:8. David was aware that God didn't really want sacrifice, or else he would so eagerly have offered it. Instead, David perceived that what God wanted in essence was a broken and contrite spirit. The Bathsheba incident was programmatic for David's understanding of God, and his prayers and psalms subsequently can be expected to have constant allusion back to it. We meet the same idea of God not ultimately wanting sacrifice in Ps. 40:6-9: "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire [but instead] mine ears hast thou opened [Heb. 'digged'- a reference to a servant being permanently committed as a slave to his master]: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come... to do thy will... thy law is within my heart". In Ps. 51:17, David had reasoned that instead of sacrifice, God wanted a heart that was broken and contrite. In Ps. 40 he reflects that instead of sacrifice, God wants a heart that has the law of God within it. This ultimately is the effect of God's law being in our heart- it creates a broken and contrite heart. But how? In the experience of most of us, the law does this through convicting us of our inability to keep the it. And so we see how guilt and grace work so seamlessly together. David's broken heart was a heart which knew he had sinned, sinned irreversibly, and condemned himself. But this, he perceived, was the result of God's law being within his heart. But the words of Ps. 40:6-9 are applied in the New Testament to the Lord's death upon the cross. What's the connection, and what's the lesson? In essence, through David's experience of sin, and the work of God's law upon his heart, he came through that sin to have the very mind of the Lord Jesus as He hung upon the cross, matchless and spotless in His perfection, as the Lamb for sinners slain. Again and again we see the lesson taught- that God works through human sin, in this case, in order to bring us to know the very mind of Christ in His finest hour of glory and spiritual conquest. We must not only let God's word work its way in us; but we need to recognize when dealing with other sinners that God likewise is working with them. He doesn't shrug and walk away from sin; He earnestly seeks to use our experience of it to bring us closer unto Himself.

Psalm 51:18 Do well in Your good pleasure to Zion, build the walls of Jerusalem- It seems apparent the Psalms were re-written over time, and hence have relevance to various historical settings.  Psalm 51 down to :17 is clearly relevant to David’s sin with Bathsheba. But then, in order to make the entire Psalm an acrostic, we find verses apparently ‘added’, referring to God building the walls of Jerusalem and acceptable sacrifice being offered again in the temple [which didn’t exist in David’s time]. David’s sin and restoration was evidently understood by some inspired scribe or prophet at the time of the exile to speak to Judah’s sin, punishment and restoration. Hence the apparent changes of some passages from “I” to “we”.

David saw his sufferings as being bound up with those of Israel; those who hated him hated Zion, those who blessed him blessed Zion, and God's salvation of Israel was being expressed through God's deliverance of him in the daily vicissitudes of life; as God had chosen Zion, so He had David His servant; David's joy was Zion's joy, and her exaltation would be David's  (Ps. 51:18; 69:35; 87:2; 106:5; 121:3,4; 125:1; 128:5; 146:10; 149:2). This is how we are to make sense of suffering- by understanding that it plays a role in the salvation of others, and is part of a wider nexus of Divine operation. We suffer so that we may be able to minister the comfort we receive to others (2 Cor. 1:4). Job likewise came to realize that his sufferings were not so much for his personal maturing, but for the teaching and salvation of the friends.

Psalm 51:19 Then You will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings. Then they will offer bullocks on Your altar- This surely alludes to the statement in the previous Psalm that God doesn't delight in burnt offerings as much as in trust in Him in the day of trouble (Ps. 50:8). See on :1. After his sin with Bathsheba, David perceived that God didn't require bulls and goats, but rather the sacrifice of  contrite heart (Ps. 51:16,17). But here he again envisages offering sacrifice. We could conclude that he means sacrifices now offered in the right spirit. Or we could see this as a slip back from grace towards the old way of works-based thinking.

Psalm 52

Psalm 52:1 For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, David has come to Abimelech’s house- This incident caused the slaughter of the 85 priests of Abimelech's family (1 Sam. 22:18). These are David's reflections upon this.

Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s grace endures continually- Doeg apparently boasted about the slaughter of the priests. "Mighty man" is the word used of Goliath the "champion" (1 Sam. 17:51). As his proud boasts had been brought down by God's grace working through David, so David believed Doeg would eventually be conquered likewise; see on :2 for another allusion to Goliath. We can also look to past precedents in our lives for encouragement as to how God will finally come through for us.

Psalm 52:2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully- David was to later plot the destruction of Uriah by his words; and when he repented of this in Ps. 32:2, he says that lack of deceit / guile (s.w.) is only possible through imputed righteousness. David's intolerance of "deceitful" persons (Ps. 52:2; 101:7; 120:3) must be compared with the fact that he himself was only counted as not deceitful by grace; for he was very deceitful regarding Uriah. "Razor" is the same word used for the sheath of Goliath's sword (1 Sam. 17:51); the same verse speaks of Goliath as the "champion", s.w. "mighty man" in :1.

Psalm 52:3 You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah- "Lying" reflects again David's deep sense of injustice (see on Ps. 35:7). He uses the word for "false witness", as if they were breaking one of the ten commandments; and he uses it often, heaping condemnation upon any who dare lie / bear false witness about him (Ps. 38:19; 52:3; 63:11; 101:7; 119:29,69,86,118; 120:2; 144:8,11). And yet David lied and deceived in order to get Uriah killed so that he could take his wife for himself. Surely reflection upon that sin made him realize that his zeal to condemn dishonesty was at best misplaced; to lament it is one thing, but David was to be taught that he had himself done the very thing he so condemned.

Psalm 52:4 You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue- Doeg is here addressed as if he is his own tongue. As "the word was God", so a man is his words. This points up the critical importance of our words.

Psalm 52:5 God will likewise destroy you forever- Doeg would be destroyed "likewise" by the sword, as the priests were slain by the sword; but "forever", perhaps implying that David understood the destruction of the 85 priests as not being "forever" in that they would be resurrected.

He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent, and root you out of the land of the living. Selah- "Tent" is appropriate as Doeg lived in a tent as an itinerant herdsman (1 Sam. 21:7).

Psalm 52:6 The righteous also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying- This is best understood as the language of the last judgment, as there is no evidence that it happened to Doeg in this life. There is a Biblical theme that the judgment seat will be before all; the righteous will see the wicked walking naked in their shame; and will see the destruction of Doeg, resurrected and condemned to the second death.

Psalm 52:7 Behold, this is the man who didn’t make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness- Doeg clearly was motivated by a love of riches, and was rewarded by Saul materially for bringing about the betrayal of David and the slaughter of the priests.

Psalm 52:8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house. I trust in God’s grace forever and ever- At the time of the Psalm (:1), David was still on the run from Saul. But he felt as if he was in the sanctuary. The "house" of God was not then built; perhaps this was added in the exile, to encourage the exiles that like David they by God's eternal grace could likewise effectively be in His "house"- even whilst in exile from it.

Psalm 52:9 I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it. I will hope in Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your saints- David speaks of that yet future as if it is yet done. This is how God sees things, and the invitation to have faith is an invitation to see things from His perspective. David sees himself at the last day in the presence of other faithful ones, thanking God for His judgments upon the wicked.

Psalm 53

Psalm 53:1 For the Chief Musician. To the tune of Mahalath. A contemplation by David- "Mahalath" means "sickness", and this may have been written or used with reference to the time when David was sick after the sin with Bathsheba. The AV adds the title "Maschil", for instruction; as if this may have been one of the songs David wrote after receiving forgiveness, in an attempt to bring others to know the grace he had experienced.

The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity. There is no one who does good- The Psalms are sometimes paired, and we wonder if Ps. 53 continues the reflections of Ps. 52 about Doeg. However, "Nabal", whose name means "fool", died from heart failure; and perhaps he is here in view. Or perhaps a Psalm initially about Nabal was reworked to be relevant to Doeg and other individuals who had rejected God. The denial of God need not refer to atheism as we understand it; for atheism was almost unheard of in David's time. Rather does it refer to the inner mentality which acts as if there is no God. The same phrase is used in Ps. 14:1, and the Targum on that verse is ‘There is no government of God in the earth’. God may exist theoretically, but is not a factor in human life. And we too can be effective atheists in this sense.

The quotation in Rom. 3:10 from Ps. 14:1-3; 53:1-3 is about the fools who say in their heart that there is no God; and it seems David has specific enemies of his in view, perhaps Nabal or Doeg. Yet Paul applies this to every one of us, himself included. What he’s doing here is similar to what he does at the end of Romans 1- he speaks of the grossest sins such as lesbianism and reasons that we are all in essence guilty and condemned as serious sinners before God. Here he quotes passages which speak of effective atheism and applies them to us all, himself included- even though atheism was abhorrent to the Jews, and Paul may have seemed the last person to be an atheist. But the ‘atheism’ occurs within the psychological thought processes of the human mind- the fool says in his heart that there is no God. In the context of Romans, Paul is arguing that we call God a liar when we disbelieve His offer of justification and salvation. To deny this is to effectively say in our hearts that there is no God. If God is, then He is a Saviour God. To deny that He will save me is effectively to say He doesn’t exist; for a God who won’t save me may as well not exist. Far too many people claim some level of belief in God’s existence, but in their hearts deny Him, in that they personally doubt whether His promised salvation is really true for me.

Psalm 53:2 God looks down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there are any who understood, who seek after God- David clearly assumed that although this was generally the case, he and the righteous did understand and seek after God. But as noted on :2, Paul sees David as being overly generous to himself, and "concludes all under sin", including the righteous. We note that understanding God is paralleled with seeking after Him. Nobody arrives at 100% understanding of God; the true understanding is to have a heart which seeks to understand Him.

Psalm 53:3 Every one of them has gone back. They have become filthy together. There is no one who does good, no, not one- David often describes himself as "upright in heart" just as Job was (s.w. Job 1:8; 2:3). David sees this as characteristic of all God's people (s.w. Ps. 11:2; 19:8; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11). But he sees the wicked as those who are not upright, who have "gone back" (Ps. 14:3; 51:1,3). But these words which David writes about the wicked are then reinterpreted as applying to all men, God's people included (Rom. 3:12). Like Job, David had to be taught that actually he was failing to see the seriousness of sin; righteousness and acceptability with God is imputed to men by grace through faith, because actually there are none who are upright in heart, apart from God's representative son.

Psalm 53:4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on God?- This Psalm which was originally about Doeg or Nabal comes to be reapplied to the general enemies of God's people, who 'ate them up' as did the Babylonians and Assyrians. Their abuse of people was because they lacked "knowledge", and yet adultery is also a sin reflecting a lacking of knowledge or understanding (Prov. 6:32). Again, David uses terms about the wicked which become relevant to himself. All sin against others is a reflection of a lack of understanding and personal calling upon God.

Psalm 53:5 There they were in great fear, where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you. You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them- As noted on :4, a Psalm which began as David's reflections upon individuals like Doeg or Nabal comes to be applied to Israel as a whole. A comparison of Psalms 14 and 53 illustrate the process of re-writing at Hezekiah's time. These Psalms are both "A Psalm of David", and are virtually identical apart from Ps. 53:5 adding: "There were they in great fear, where no fear was; For God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: Thou hast put them to shame, because God hath rejected them". This surely alludes to the Assyrian army encamped against Jerusalem (2 Chron. 32:1), put into fear by the Angels, and returning "with shame of face to his own land" (2 Chron. 32:21). Perhaps the idea is that the Jews who feared them need not have feared them. Yet both Psalms conclude with a verse which connects with the exiles in Babylonian captivity: "Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad". So it would appear that the initial Psalm was indeed written by David; the version of Ps. 14 which is now Ps. 53 was added to and adapted in Hezekiah's time (Prov. 25:1), and both versions had a final verse added to them during the exile.

Psalm 53:6 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back His people from captivity, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad- "Salvation" is Yeshua. Clearly the desire is for Yeshua / Jesus to come out of Zion, and this is how it is interpreted in Rom. 11:26. Many NT passages mix a number of OT passages in one 'quotation'; e.g. " The deliverer will come from Zion" (Rom. 11:26) is a conflated quotation of Ps. 14:7; 53:6 and Is. 59:20. And Heb. 13:5 combines quotes from Gen. 28:15; Josh. 1:5 and Dt. 31:16. Heb. 13:5 doesn’t quote any of them exactly, but mixes them together. As noted on :5, this Psalm had initial application to individuals in David's time, but :4,5 are reworked with relevance to the Assyrian invasion; and now in this verse the Psalm is given relevance to the exiles awaiting restoration to Zion. And this is how we too are invited to personalize and use the scriptures.

Psalm 54

Psalm 54:1 For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Isn’t David hiding himself among us?- Most people react badly to betrayal, and it leaves a lingering sense of bitterness. But David dealt with it by writing songs about his experiences, openly sharing how he thought and felt, and bringing God into every feeling and situation.

Save me, God, by Your name. Vindicate me in Your might- David understood God's Name as the summary of His personality and character; and it was according to his understanding of this that he asks for salvation. For the summation of God's character is that He is a loving saviour. This came to full term in His Son, and abides true for all time.

Psalm 54:2 Hear my prayer, God. Listen to the words of my mouth- This could imply that David prayed his prayers out loud.

Psalm 54:3 For strangers have risen up against me- The Ziphites were from Judah (Josh. 15:55), but David treats them as Gentiles, which is the implication of "strangers". To hate our brother (for David was also from Judah) is to classify ourselves with the world.

Violent men have sought after my soul- The very phrase used of Saul's hunting of David at the time of the incident with the Ziphites (1 Sam. 23:15). Saul sought  to take David's life. So many of the Psalms contain imprecations against those who were seeking David's soul- not just his physical life, but seeking to destroy his very being (e.g. Ps. 35:4; 40:14; 54:1; 63:9; 70:2; 71:13). These imprecations expose the evil of Saul, and asks God to condemn him. Some of those Psalms appear to have been written by David in the Saul days, and then rewritten at the time of Absalom's rebellion- another man who sought David's soul, and yet whom David loved.

They haven’t set God before them. Selah- The implication is that David had done this (Ps. 16:8). Always David likes to present himself as of a totally superior spiritual class to his enemies; the sin with Bathsheba was to mean that so much of his hard words about others became relevant to him, driving him to throw himself upon Divine grace alone.

Psalm 54:4 Behold, God is my helper, the Lord is the one who sustains my soul- The tone of the Psalm changes from desperate begging for help, to confidence that God has heard him. This may have been because of some direct Divine revelation; but I suggest rather it is what happens in our prayers. Within the prayer we ourselves become persuaded of God's answer and find peace and confidence in Him.

Psalm 54:5 He will repay the evil to my enemies; destroy them in Your truth- "Truth" is often a reference to God's covenant. He appeals for judgment of his enemies on the basis that he considers they have broken covenant with God and must receive the curses associated with doing so.

Psalm 54:6 With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to You. I will give thanks to Your name, Yahweh, for it is good- David at this time was on the run from Saul. His freewill offering would have had to be made outside of the sanctuary system. Although he may have in view returning to the sanctuary and offering there, once all his enemies (including Saul) had been destroyed (:7).

Psalm 54:7 For He has delivered me out of all trouble. My eye has seen triumph over my enemies- He speaks in the past tense when he has the future in view. David speaks of that yet future as if it is yet done. This is how God sees things, and the invitation to have faith is an invitation to see things from His perspective. David sees himself at the last day in the presence of other faithful ones, thanking God for His judgments upon the wicked.

Psalm 55

Psalm 55:1 For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David- The context appears to be when David was still in Jerusalem (:9-11), and realized the extent of Absalom's rebellion and Ahithophel's deceit.

Listen to my prayer, God. Don’t hide Yourself from my supplication- David's prayer before fleeing Jerusalem was presumably written down, or recalled under Divine inspiration; and he wanted it to be known for all time and to all peoples, that God had saved him from apparently inevitable destruction- both personally and of his kingdom.

Psalm 55:2 Attend to me, and answer me- If we "attend" to God's word (Prov. 2:2; 4:1; 7:24), then He will "attend" to our word, of prayer (Ps. 55:2 and often in the Psalms). There is thereby a mutuality between God and man. Our attitude to His word becomes reflected in His attitude to our words in prayer; for God and man are in dialogue.

I am restless in my complaint and moan- David's moaning or weeping was his prayer (:1). Who we are as persons is effectively our prayer and plea to God. This conception of prayer explains why often weeping, crying, waiting, meditating etc. are spoken of as "prayer", although there was no specific verbalizing of requests (Ps. 5:1,2; 6:8; 18:1,2,3,6; 40:1; 42:8; 64:1 Heb.; 65:1,2; 66:17-20; Zech. 8:22). The association between prayer and weeping is especially common: 1 Sam. 1:10; Ps. 39:12; 55:1,2; Jn. 11:41,42; Heb. 5:7, especially in the Lord's life and the Messianic Psalms. "The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer" (Ps. 6:8,9) crystallizes the point.

Psalm 55:3 because of the words of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they bring suffering on me, in anger they hold a grudge against me- The "grudge" could well refer to Ahithophel's grudge against David, seeing that he was Bathsheba's grandfather. We may rightly feel that David ought to have been more acceptive of the results and consequences of his sin with Bathsheba; but so much of his prayer life after the incident appears to be complaint about the consequences and badgering God to remove them- rather than glorying in the grace and forgiveness given him.

Psalm 55:4 My heart is severely pained within me, the terrors of death have come upon me- Despite his undoubted physique stamina, David was a broken man, even quite early in his life, prone to fits of introspection; dramatic mood-swings (cp. 1 Sam.24:14 with 1 Sam. 25:6,22,34;), sometimes appearing a real 'softie' but hard as nails at others (consider Ps. 75:10 and the whole of Ps. 101); easily getting carried away: be it with excessive emotional enthusiasm for bringing the ark back, in his harsh response to Hanun humbling his servants, his over-hasty and emotional decision to let Amnon go to Absalom's feast when it was obvious what might well transpire, his anger "flaring up" because of incompetency (2 Sam. 11:20 NIV),  or in his ridiculous softness for Absalom. He had a heart cruelly torn so many ways. All these traits are amply reflected in the Psalms: Ps. 6:7; 31:10; 42:3,6; 38:8; 55:4; 56:8; 69:3,29; 88:3,9; 94:19 (what introspection!); 102:4; 116:3; 143:4.

Psalm 55:5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, horror has overwhelmed me- This seems the very opposite to the situation in Ps. 78:53, where the faithful were not fearful, and it was their Egyptian enemies who were "overwhelmed". He feels overwhelmed [s.w. "covered"] with horror, rather than feeling covered by Yahweh's protective cherubic wings, as he often confidently expresses (Ps. 143:9 s.w.). David appears to feel he is spiritually without God and facing the judgment of condemnation. His faith in forgiveness regarding Bathsheba and Uriah appears deeply dented at this point; because he had set his mind to assume that he was not going to suffer the consequences of the sin. Yet Nathan had assured him that he would, and he clearly struggled with that.

Psalm 55:6 I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest- The "I said..." suggests this Psalm is David's recollection of how he felt just before fleeing Jerusalem from Absalom (see on :1).

Psalm 55:7 Behold, then I would wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah- David did indeed lodge in the wilderness when he fled Absalom. But initially it seemed that flight even to the wilderness was impossible, because it would require David to have wings and fly there from Jerusalem (:6). He felt he was encircled. See on :10.

Psalm 55:8 I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm- David appears to wish to have a shelter from the storm- when elsewhere he proclaims Yahweh to be just this. His confusion is because he expects God to remove from him the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba- and when God will not, David feels God is somehow not there for him. He fails to appreciate the wonder of the fact God had no executed him, and had extended the forgiveness which only comes from radical grace.

Psalm 55:9 Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city- This clearly alludes to Babel. David sees Jerusalem as no better than Babel / Babylon; and thereby the Psalm came to have relevance to the exiles with their desire to see judgment upon Babylon. This is however what happened to Absalom's putsch- it imploded and they were confounded.

Psalm 55:10 Day and night they prowl around on its walls, malice and abuse are also within her- David had felt that fleeing Jerusalem was next to impossible because he was encircled within the city; hence he felt he needed to be as a bird to fly away, over the top of them. See on :7. His escape was therefore just in time, and was itself a token of God's deliverance, seeing there were opposing forces trying to catch him if he fled.

Psalm 55:11 Destructive forces are within her, threats and lies don’t depart from her streets- "Destructive" or "wickedness" is the word used of the wickedness of Ahithophel and Absalom (Ps. 55:11). Solomon's Proverbs seem in places a justification of himself as king over his brother Absalom. He uses the same word to speak of "transgressors are taken in their own wickedness / destructiveness" (Prov. 11:6); how a liar [Absalom] listens to a 'destructive' tongue [in taking advice from Ahithophel] (Prov. 17:4); and how a foolish son [Absalom] is the calamity or destruction of his father (Prov. 19:13).

Psalm 55:12 For it was not an enemy who insulted me, then I could have endured it; neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, then I would have hidden myself from him- This suggests that Ahithophel's deceit of David went undetected for some time. The equivalent off Ahithophel is clearly Judas in the context of the Lord Jesus. And we wonder how He could have known from the beginning that Judas would betray Him, and yet apparently trust and like him so much that the betrayal came as a shock. We may be helped by considering how Samson surely knew Delilah would betray him, and yet still loved and trusted her, time and again. This is the nature of the human condition, to know and yet act as if we do not know. It is one of the features of love. The problem we have in understanding Samson (if we do have a problem with it) occurs again, in exactly the same form, when we consider the Lord's relationship with Judas. He knew from the beginning who should betray him. He knew that the one with whom He shared especially sweet counsel would betray Him (Ps. 55:12-14). And surely the Lord Jesus had reflected on David's experience with Ahithophel. And yet He spoke of how the twelve (including Judas) would sit on twelve thrones, sharing his glory (Mt. 19:28). He loved Judas and treated him as a close friend, even though he knew that this very close friend would betray Him. There is, to my mind, no satisfactory explanation of this apart from to realize the utter humanity of the Lord; that just like Samson, He could sincerely love a man whom he knew would betray Him. This same Lord is the same today and forever. He isn't a hard man. He loves and actively fellowships at the time with those whom later He knows will betray Him, even now. He doesn't just not bother because He knows they will later turn nasty. Lord, we salute you for this, your utter grace.

Psalm 55:13 But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend- The person in view is clearly Ahithophel, David's counsellor, the "man of my peace" (2 Sam. 15:12), referenced also in Ps. 41:9. He was Bathsheba's grandfather, so we can imagine how his bitterness with David developed. The application of this passage to the Lord Jesus is an essay in His utter humanity. Judas was His friend and "a man like me".

Psalm 55:14 We took sweet fellowship together- No "house" of God existed in David's time, so perhaps this was edited at a later period. "Fellowship" is better "counsel", and the word carries the idea of decision making. Ahithophel had been David's advisor and confidante. And they had sweet fellowship together- apparently.

We walked to God’s house in company- "In company" is a word only used elsewhere in Ps. 64:2, where it is translated "insurrection", again perhaps in the context of Absalom. The double meaning of the word chosen reflects the duplicity of Ahithophel.

Psalm 55:15 Let death come suddenly on them, let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in their midst- Going alive into the grave is the language of Korah's rebellion. That is how David sees Absalom's rebellion. And yet when Absalom was indeed suddenly slain, David breaks down in grief. We must be careful what we pray for and what we wish upon men, lest it come true and it is not actually what we want.

Psalm 55:16 As for me, I will call on God. Yahweh will save me- The tone of the Psalm changes; see on :18. The idea of Yahweh's saving is 'Yehoshua', 'Jesus'. David was coming to faith in the essence of the yet future Lord Jesus.

Psalm 55:17 Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress; He will hear my voice- David's first waking moments were naturally of prayer to God. And this is our pattern. He often mentions his habit of regular prayer morning and evening (Ps. 5:3; 55:17; 59:16; 88:3; 119:147). This  should not have to be enforced upon us, but rather the natural outcome of a life lived in constant connection with God. David perceived that the Mosaic ritual of morning and evening sacrifice taught the sacrifice of prayer should be made in daily life, even though at the time of many of the Psalms, David was exiled from the sanctuary. This exile from organized religion led him to make this connection, as it can for us too.

Psalm 55:18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, although there are many who oppose me- The tone of the Psalm changes from desperate begging for help, to confidence that God has heard him. This may have been because of some direct Divine revelation; but I suggest rather it is what happens in our prayers. Within the prayer we ourselves become persuaded of God's answer and find peace and confidence in Him.

Psalm 55:19 God, who is enthroned forever, will hear, and answer them. Selah. They never change, those who don’t fear God- God's eternal kingship perhaps suggests that at some time, these people will come to judgment. For God is sitting as eternal judge, and those who will not change or repent will be judged by Him. At what time that will be- isn't the issue. They will come to judgment.

Psalm 55:20 He raises his hands against his friends, he has violated his covenant- The individual in view is surely Ahithophel. The covenant in view is presumably that with God; for there is no evidence he had made a covenant with David. But to raise our hand against our brother, to hate our brother, is to break covenant with God- as the New Testament is clear. Mal. 2:10 uses the same phrase to break or violate the covenant- and again says we do so if we deal treacherously with our brother.

Psalm 55:21 His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords- This laments how words can not reflect the true state of a man’s heart. So why, then, is there so much emphasis on spoken words as the basis for judgment to come? Surely it is that although thoughts will also be judged, and the hypocrites revealed for who they are, it doesn’t follow that a good man sometimes uses ‘corrupt speech’. It’s impossible. A good man cannot bring forth bad words. But a bad man can sometimes bring forth words which seem good on the surface, but which are in fact counterfeit. But it can’t happen another way- a good man’s words aren’t just his surface level sin.

"Smooth" or slippery is the language used of God's confirmation of Judah in their sinful way (Jer. 23:12 = Ps. 35:6); whichever path we choose, we are confirmed in. Those who are of a slippery tongue (Ps. 55:21 s.w.) will be confirmed in this; they will, as it were, slip headlong into condemnation. Their own chosen way is their judgment.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on Yahweh, and He will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved- David in his earlier Psalms exalts and boasts to God that his feet have not slipped, indeed he was overly confident that his feet would never slip / "be moved" (Ps. 17:5; 21:7; 55:22; 62:2,6; 125:1). His more mature reflection is that he had wrongly said "I shall never slip [AV "be moved"]" (Ps. 30:6), and his feet had indeed slipped, not least over the Bathsheba incident (Ps. 38:16; 94:18). Solomon didn't learn this lesson, for he likewise assumed that the righteous would never be moved / slip (Prov. 10:30), although he appears to accept that even a righteous man like his father had indeed slipped (Prov. 25:26). And Solomon himself did so, not learning the lesson from his father's mistaken assumption that the righteous can never slip.

Psalm 55:23 But You, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in You- David's prayer of repentance and request to be saved from "blood guiltiness" (Ps. 51:14) is literally 'from blood'. He was a man of blood and was guilty of Uriah's innocent blood. David had asked for 'men of blood' to be slain (Ps. 55:23 s.w.), those who had taken the blood of the innocent (Ps. 94:21), and for 'men of blood' to be expelled from his presence (Ps. 139:19). And here David is writing after his sin with Bathsheba. God was trying to teach David that he was the type of person whom he condemned. And yet it is unclear if he learned that lesson. He asks not only for deliverance, but for judgment upon his enemies, and seems to take comfort in the prospect of their destruction. This is hardly the spirit of the Lord Jesus. Solomon liberally condemns the man who sheds innocent blood (Prov. 6:17; 28:17), refusing to recognize that his much lauded father had done just this, and was only saved by grace and not by any obedience to wisdom. There is so little grace in the book of Solomon's Proverbs because Solomon had failed to perceive the grace shown to his father.

Psalm 56

Psalm 56:1 For the Chief Musician. To the tune of Silent Dove in Distant Lands. A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath- As David was as it were in captivity to the Philistines, feeling like a Jewish dove in Gentile lands, so the exiles felt. Hence the usage of this Psalm by them. A case can be made that the whole of book 3 of the Psalter (Psalms 73-89) was written / edited in Babylon. The Psalms of Korah (83-87) seem to reflect the longing of the righteous remnant in Babylon for the temple services. And it is just possible that the entire Psalter was re-edited there in Babylon, under inspiration- for so many Psalms have elements of appropriacy to the exiles in Babylon and the restoration. The LXX titles of Psalm 56 [“Concerning the people that were removed from the Sanctuary”] and 71 [“Of the sons of Jonadab, and the first that were taken captive”] speak for themselves. Likewise the LXX attributes Psalms 146-148 to Haggai and Zechariah.

Many of the Psalms appear to be paired; Ps. 56 and Ps. 57 are an example. They are very similar. The title of Ps. 56 therefore provides a context for Ps. 57, which was "A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave" (Ps. 57:1). David's time when seized by the Philistines in Gath could refer to some unrecorded capture and detention of him in Gath- the home town of Goliath, whose sons  / relatives had also been slain by David's men, and David had slain "ten thousands" of Philistines. Or it could refer to the time when he was serving Achish king of Gath and had to feign himself mad in order to get released. Perhaps things were far tougher for David at that time than recorded in 1 Sam. 21:10-15. Whatever, David took comfort from his situation with Saul (the subject of Ps. 57) and reapplied it to his situation in Gath in Ps. 56. And this is how we too pass through life- experiences in one situation strengthen us for another.

Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long he attacks and oppresses me- The "attacks" upon David in Gath were surely verbal ones; but he felt them as real beatings and death threats. He was so sensitive to words that today we would likely place him somewhere on the autism spectrum.

Psalm 56:2 My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me- The word used of Saul wanting to swallow up David in Ps. 57:3. But now it is used of the Gentile enemies of David. This means that Saul was acting as a Gentile to David, and this is quite a common conception in the Psalms; that those Israelites who hated David are treated by him as outside the covenant and effectively Gentiles. It was their hatred which led them to break the covenant, just as hating our brother means we have broken the new covenant.

Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You- It seems that David in the crisis in Gath reminded himself of one of his life principles, and kept repeating it to himself- that in times of fear, he would trust in Yahweh. This is the essential stuff of spiritual life; to repeat little phrases like that to ourselves, in both ordinary life and times of crisis.

Psalm 56:4 In God, I praise His word. In God do I put my trust. I will not be afraid- what can flesh do to me?- In the Hezekiah context, this would have been relevant to the reflection that Sennacherib had with him only an arm of flesh (2 Chron. 32:8). The "word" David praised and trusted was not the entire scriptures which he had then available. Rather does it refer to the specific prophetic word that he should be king after Saul, and / or that his kingdom would ultimately flourish. This likewise is "the word" he has in view in Ps. 119, rather than "the Bible" generally. In the Hezekiah context, it was Isaiah's prophetic word of deliverance from Assyria which was to be trusted; to trust God's word is to trust Him. For "the word was God". Our attitude to His word is our attitude to Him.

Psalm 56:5 All day long they twist my words, all their thoughts are against me for evil- The twisting of words apparently applies to the Philistines (:1), but these are also David's thoughts whilst suffering at the hands of Saul and then Absalom's supporters. With us too, circumstances repeat in our lives; our attitudes and faith are developed and tested.

Psalm 56:6 They conspire and lurk, watching my steps, they are eager to take my life- See on :5; these are also David's thoughts whilst suffering at the hands of Saul and then Absalom's supporters. His Psalms were rewritten by him and reapplied to different situations, and this is how God also uses His own word, rescheduling and reinterpreting as needed. This explains why in Matthew especially, many New Testament quotations of the Old are not in perfect context; rather is it a case of reapplication and reinterpretation.

Psalm 56:7 Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, God- David later reflects that God had indeed cast down the peoples under him (2 Sam. 22:48; Ps. 18:47); by saying this he considers that his prayer of Ps. 56:7 has been answered. Perhaps when he prayed it, he just wanted God's anger to be poured out immediately, the day of judgment to come there and then, when the scales will be adjusted and men and nations cast down or lifted up. But he reflects that in a sense that had happened in his life, in that the peoples were cast down beneath him.

Psalm 56:8 You number my wanderings- David had at this point in his life come to be in Gath and in danger of death; and this was far from the first time in his life he had been in such danger. He saw all his life and every point in it as part of "my wanderings", and they had been "numbered" by God, just as the book of Numbers is God's numbering of Israel's wanderings. He knew God was not unmindful. But LXX "O God, I have declared my life to thee" has a beauty to it; relationship with God involves us telling Him our lives and situations, even though He knows them all.

You put my tears into Your bottle. Aren’t they in Your book?- Tear bottles were kept by mourners at funerals; they put their tears in a bottle which they then kept in memory of the deceased. But David says that his tears are in God’s bottle. The idea was that your tears went into your bottle. But David was so intimate with God that he perceived that his tears were in fact God’s; and vice versa. Perhaps he considered that he would die in Gath (see on :1), and God would mourn for him and record his death.

Psalm 56:9 Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call. I know this, that God is for me- Seeing he was surrounded in Gath, this was quite some faith. But I suggested on :8 that he may have considered the possibility that he was meant to die in Gath. And so the "day" he would in the future "call" would then refer to the day of judgment. And even in defeat and death, God was still "for me". This is an abiding principle to live by.

Psalm 56:10 In God, I will praise His word. In Yahweh, I will praise His word- The "word" David praised and trusted was not the entire scriptures which he had then available. Rather does it refer to the specific prophetic word that he should be king after Saul, and / or that his kingdom would ultimately flourish. This likewise is "the word" he has in view in Ps. 119, rather than "the Bible" generally. In the Hezekiah context, it was Isaiah's prophetic word of deliverance from Assyria which was to be trusted; to trust God's word is to trust Him. For "the word was God". Our attitude to His word is our attitude to Him.

Psalm 56:11 I have put my trust in God; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?- It seems that David in the crisis in Gath reminded himself of one of his life principles, and kept repeating it to himself- that in times of fear, he would trust in Yahweh. This is the essential stuff of spiritual life; to repeat little phrases like that to ourselves, in both ordinary life and times of crisis.

Psalm 56:12 Your vows are on me, God. I will give thank offerings to You- This promise to offer thank offerings presupposes that David would again one day be free to return to Zion or to the sanctuary; unless he offered in the wilderness.

Psalm 56:13 For You have delivered my soul from death, and prevented my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living- This may have been added after the deliverance; or it could be that David, as he sometimes does, speaks of future things as being in the past. This is what faith is about- believing in things from God's viewpoint, that what is yet future is now, in essence, for those with Him.

Psalm 57

Psalm 57:1

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of Do Not Destroy. A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave-

Many of the Psalms appear to be paired; Ps. 56 and Ps. 57 are an example. They are very similar. The title of Ps. 56 ["when seized by the Philistines in Gath"] therefore provides a context for Ps. 57, which was "A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave" (Ps. 57:1). David's time when seized by the Philistines in Gath could refer to some unrecorded capture and detention of him in Gath- the home town of Goliath, whose sons  / relatives had also been slain by David's men, and David had slain "ten thousands" of Philistines. Or it could refer to the time when he was serving Achish king of Gath and had to feign himself mad in order to get released. Perhaps things were far tougher for David at that time than recorded in 1 Sam. 21:10-15. Whatever, David took comfort from his situation with Saul (the subject of Ps. 57) and reapplied it to his situation in Gath in Ps. 56. And this is how we too pass through life- experiences in one situation strengthen us for another.

Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in You-

The idea is that God was David's city of refuge. These cities were for those who needed to flee when being chased by the avenger of blood (Num. 35:26). The imagery is very appropriate to David when fleeing from Saul and Absalom. David's constant meditation upon God's law would have included the sections about the cities of refuge; he realized that actually no such city was available for him, but the spirit of the law led him to reflect that Yahweh was his refuge, wherever he was. David tends to open wilderness Psalms with this reflection, just as we may tend to begin prayers with the same opening phrase and thoughts (Ps. 7:1; 11:1; 16:1; 31:1; 57:1; 71:1).

Yes, in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge, until disaster has passed-

Likewise David realized that the cherubim shadowing the mercy seat were over him; he was as it were located on the very mercy seat. But he was nowhere near the sanctuary, and possibly in a state of ritual uncleanness and not technically obedient to the law. But he perceived from that same law that God is in fact beyond the confines of ritual. With God in his heart, he was as it were covered by His glory and the blood of atonement on the mercy seat.

Psalm 57:2

I cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes my requests for me-

The thought of the highness and power of God is an inspiration to faith in prayer. The requests of prayer are "accomplished"; not answered by a simple flash action, but involve working out so many facets of the answer.

Psalm 57:3

He will send from heaven and save me, He rebukes the one who is pursuing me. Selah. God will send out His grace and His truth-

The word "send" is normally translated 'to send away, to let depart', implying physical movement away. This implies Angels are physically sent over space to answer prayer. The same word occurs in other verses where this same idea stands up well- e.g. Ps. 144:7 "Send Thine hand (an Angel) from Heaven...”. It seems that great stress is placed in Scripture on the Angels physically moving through space, both on the earth and between Heaven and earth, in order to fulfil their tasks, rather than being static in Heaven or earth and bringing things about by just willing them to happen. See on Gen. 18:10

Psalm 57:4

My soul is among lions. I lie among those who are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword-

This could be understood as a reference to the men with David. He lay down to sleep next to them. David's men represent the followers of the Lord Jesus (cp. Heb. 13:13). David's motley crew were bitter men, "them that are set on fire... whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword" (Ps. 57:4). So rough were they that David says that having to live with them almost destroyed him spiritually (1 Sam. 26:19). This typology would explain why the body of Christ seems full of bitter men and women with hard words- who eventually will be the rulers in Messiah's Kingdom, after the pattern of David's men. There can be no misunderstanding of David as some softie who let anything go. Of course he was a sensitive man, with a soft heart. The way others’ words so hurt him is evidence enough of this (Ps. 57:4). Yet this was marvellously blended with his clear recognition of evil and firmly expressed desire not to mix with it.

Psalm 57:5

Be exalted, God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be above all the earth!-

David had earlier lamented that Saul "My enemy" (= Saul, 1 Sam. 18:29; 19:17) was "exalted over me" (Ps. 13:2 s.w.). The David who had once triumphed over his enemy Goliath now felt that Saul was triumphing over him. This, in the bigger Divine picture, may have been to keep David from pride at the amazing victory and triumph. And he learned the lesson. David was indeed to triumph / be exalted over Saul (Ps. 18:48), but he saw it is God triumphing / being exalted (Ps. 18:46). His praise Psalms are full of this word and idea- of the exaltation of God (Ps. 57:5,11) and not himself.

Psalm 57:6

They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down, they dig a snare before me. They fall into its midst themselves. Selah-

It is a common theme that the wicked snare themselves, falling into their own pit, judged by their own words, rather than God specifically snaring them (e.g. Ps. 7:15; 9:15; 57:6; Prov. 26:27; 28:10; Ecc. 10:8).  From their own mouth and words men will be judged (Mt. 12:37; Lk. 19:22 cp. 2 Sam. 1:16; 1 Kings 20:40). It could even be that the Lord cites the condemnatory words of the rejected uttered during their lifetimes and leaves these as their condemnation. Woe, therefore, to he or she who has said unrepentantly that they don’t want to be in the Kingdom if brother x or sister y are going to be there. “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life; but he that openeth wide his lips [in this life] shall have destruction” at judgment day (Prov. 13:3).

The snare was dug "before me". Solomon alludes to this in Prov. 1:17 "For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird". All Solomon says is inspired truth, but clearly he has a subtext of justifying his father David; this was an obsession with him.

Psalm 57:7

My heart is steadfast, God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises-

David had earlier understood that for the humble and righteous, God can "prepare their heart" (Ps. 10:17). This is evidence enough that God works directly upon the human heart and psychology, which He does today through the work of His Spirit upon the human spirit. For it is men who must prepare their heart in prayer and relationship toward God (s.w. 2 Chron.  12:14; Job 11:13; Ps. 7:9). But God can also do this for the humble. Hence David later asks God to create in him a 'prepared' heart (s.w. Ps. 51:10). And God heard; for the same phrase is used of how God 'prepared' or (AV) "fixed" / NEV 'made steadfast' his heart (Ps. 57:7; 108:1; 112:7). In allusion to this, Solomon was to later reflect that God can direct or 'prepare' (s.w.) the heart of man, even if he is thinking to direct his steps elsewhere (Prov.  16:9).

Psalm 57:8

Wake up, my glory! Wake up, psaltery and harp! I will wake up the dawn-

Or as AV "I myself will awake early". The Psalms continually stress the importance of starting each day with the Lord; David gives the impression his heart was bursting with praise as he awoke, and he instinctively wanted to grab his harp and play and sing praise.

Psalm 57:9

I will give thanks to You, Lord, among the peoples, I will sing praises to You among the nations-

David knew his sinfulness, he knew his reliance upon the grace of God, more and more as he got older; and increasingly he wanted to spread the knowledge of Israel's God to the Gentile nations around him. One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps. 4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). Indeed, Ps.71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men.

Psalm 57:10

For Your great grace reaches to the heavens, and Your truth to the skies-

The message David wanted to preach to the Gentiles (:9) was that God's grace stretches between heaven and earth. "Mercy / grace and truth" is a phrase often used about the promises to Abraham. David saw these as the parade example of God's grace, and he wanted to share that covenant with the Gentiles (:9). But the observation could be made that nearly all the "Gentiles" in the land [eretz] promised to Abraham were in fact Abraham's seed in some way anyway. But David is directing them back to their roots and urging them to accept the covenant made with their forefather instead of the idols they had chosen.

Psalm 57:11

Be exalted, God, above the heavens. Let Your glory be over all the earth- The earth / eretz refers to the land promised to Abraham. It was David's desire that God be exalted there, lifted up to heaven, as it were, by the people living there. See on :10. David was a man of wide spiritual vision. The visible glory of God was in those days only seen over the ark of the covenant; but he had a vision of it spreading from there over the entire "earth", and here he is praying for that day to come about. But as noted on :9, he realized [as we must in our day] that this will only happen once the Gospel has been taken to "all the earth".

Psalm 58

Psalm 58:1

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of Do Not Destroy. A poem by David-

This Psalm is a criticism of corrupt judges and leadership. Such criticism of Israel's judges is common in the prophets (Is. 1:16-25; Is. 10:1-4; Jer. 5:26-29; Mic. 3:9-12). So it could refer to the situation in Israel at the time of Saul or perhaps during Absalom's brief reign. But the Psalm may well have been reused regarding the corrupt leadership of Babylon over the exiles, or of the corrupt Jewish leadership within Babylon.

Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?-

The sin of keeping silence in the face of others' oppression is perhaps the most common sin of omission. So many who have struggled against abusive regimes have come to this conclusion- that the real abusers were all the good people who remained silent and thus empowered abusive regimes. "Do ye indeed in silence speak righteousness?" (Ps. 58:1 RV). Speaking and acting righteously whilst keeping silent about others' abuse is not righteousness. But "silent ones", Heb. elem, may be an intentional parody of elohim, mighty ones, a term also used for Israel's judges, who were intended to reflect the judgment of the elohim above.

Psalm 58:2

No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth-

David again comes over as (overly?) confident of knowing the hearts of men. It could be argued that he believed that works reflect thoughts, as the Lord also taught, and therefore reasoned back from actions to thoughts. Instead of measuring out justice, they measured out violence.

Psalm 58:3

The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies-

This is not true in real time. But for timeless God, this is His perspective on them. Likewise in other cases He expresses His timelessness in ways which men can only understand as predestination. Or we could simply understand this as hyperbole, an exaggerated statement to the effect that the wicked go wrong from their youth. Or it could be that David is imputing too much sin to his enemies. See on :5.

He clearly refers here to a category of people, "the wicked", and not to all humanity. So it cannot be used as any proof that all human beings are like this from birth. We must remember that whatever we posit about human nature generally, we are saying about the Lord Jesus. For He shared our nature completely, and yet was holy, harmless and undefiled (Heb. 7:26).

Psalm 58:4

Their poison is like the poison of a snake; like a deaf cobra that stops its ear-

David presents these people as the seed of the serpent of Gen. 3:15, abusing the seed of the woman, the righteous. Solomon speaks of the wicked within Israel as stopping their ears at the cry of the poor (Prov. 21:13 s.w.). He is alluding to how David his father had complained that the judges of Israel were like cobras who stopped their ear to the voice of charmers, refusing the voice of God's word (Ps. 58:4 s.w.). Connecting the ideas, the cry of the poor is the cry of God's word to us; our response to them is our response to them.

Psalm 58:5

which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skilful the charmer may be-

Cobras are not actually deaf, but they can appear deaf to attempts to charm them with words and sounds. This provides some balance to the hyperbole of :3. The wicked are given the chance to respond to God's word, but refuse it- and so their biographies appear to be consistently wicked even from their youth. 'Not listening to the voice' is the phrase so often used of Israel's refusal to listen to God's voice (s.w. Ps. 81:11; 106:25; Jer. 3:13 etc.). Even those who are snakes can be charmed by God's word- if they unstop their ears.

Psalm 58:6

Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh-

Lions are symbolic of Israel's Gentile enemies, as well as of the leadership of Judah in Ez. 19:3-6. God's apostate people are often likened to Gentiles; hence the double symbolism of the lion, representing both them and also the Gentiles.

Psalm 58:7

Let them vanish as water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt-

This could be asking for the judgments of the corrupt judges and leadership to be somehow rendered powerless. But again we note with concern that instead of wishing their repentance and salvation, David seems quite obsessed with wishing their condemnation. Whereas God has no joy at all in the death of the wicked (Ez. 33:11). In the Hezekiah context we note that the only other usage of the phrase "vanish as water" is in Is. 8:6.

Psalm 58:8

Let them be like the path of a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun-

The idea may be that the snail appears to be melting into nothing during its very path through life; and this was how it was with the wicked. This idea is developed in :9; judgment is in essence now.

Psalm 58:9

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike-

This suggests that David expected the time of judgment to come very soon. Divine judgment was to come as a whirlwind from the desert, suddenly sweeping away the kindling which desert travellers had made to heat their pots. He saw his enemies as kindling burning, some of it green and not good kindling; but before they could generate much heat, they were to be swept away in judgment. This implies that they were as it were on fire already; the essence of judgment is going on now. Cheyne offers: "Before your pots can feel the thorns, and while your flesh (i.e. the flesh in the pots, on which you are about to feast) is still raw, the hot wrath of Jehovah shall sweep it away".

Psalm 58:10

The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked-

Again it seems that David's reveling in the blood of the condemned is out of step with the God who takes no pleasure [cp. 'rejoicing'] in the death of the wicked (Ez. 33:11). It was perhaps because of David's attitude to "blood" rather than simply his shedding of blood which disqualified him from building the temple; God was not pleased with this attitude (1 Chron. 22:8).

Psalm 58:11

so that men shall say, Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth-

David here looks ahead to the day of final judgment. But again as noted on :10, we wonder at his logic; he appears to think that rejoicing in the death of the wicked therefore implies there is a great reward for the righteous. Grace seems not to factor, neither the awareness that the righteous have done what the wicked have done, and are saved by grace through faith rather than their works.

Psalm 59

Psalm 59:1

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of Do Not Destroy. A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him-

As Saul "watched" or "kept" the house, David's response was to keep or watch over God's ways (:9 s.w.).

Deliver me from my enemies, my God; lift me on high from those who rise up against me-

"Redeem / deliver me..." is a quotation from Jacob's words when he found his relative Esau barring his path back home (Gen. 32:11,30). And the word is used of David's desire for deliverance from Saul (1 Sam. 26:24); and yet this was a redemption unappreciated by him as it ought to have been (2 Sam. 12:7). Finally David recognized that this prayer was answered (2 Sam. 22:18,49). As David had earlier prayed for redemption / deliverance from Saul and his enemies (Ps. 31:15; 59:1; 144:7), he would later pray for redemption / deliverance from his sins (Ps. 39:8; 79:9).

Psalm 59:2

Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, save me from the bloodthirsty men-

"Workers of iniquity" is a phrase used only in Job (Job 31:3; 34:8,22) and then by David (with Solomon later alluding to David's usage of the phrase). Apart from the law of Moses, Job was likely the only "scripture" David had access to; and so he often alludes to Job, seeing in him a parade example of innocent suffering. We too have been given scripture, which is largely a collection of biographies, in order to see that man is not alone in his apparently unique experiences; each are in essence passing through that which has already been experienced amongst God's people.

Psalm 59:3

For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me- "Lie in wait" is the word for ambush. Solomon often uses the word, as if it is for him a major characteristic of sinners (Prov. 1:11,18; 7:12; 12:6; 23:28; 24:15). But it's a rather specific word to use so often. It's as if Solomon is consciously alluding to his father's experiences at the hands of the house of Saul (s.w. Ps. 10:9; 59:3), whom Solomon considered a threat to his own kingship. And so he seems to rather like using the term about sinners, as if using his wisdom to have a dig at his immediate opposition.

Not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh-

Reading through the book of Psalms in one or two sittings reveals that frequent and intense self-examination was a leading characteristic of David:, especially while on the run from Saul; as if he began to pick up false guilt from how he was being treated, wondering if it was all in fact justified (Ps. 4:4; 7:3; 17:3; 18:20-24; 19:12; 26:1; 39:1; 59:3; 66:18; 77:6; 86:2; 101:2; 109:3; 139:23,24).

Psalm 59:4

I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!-

As noted on :5, this attitude was to change after his sin with Bathsheba. The injustice of Saul's persecution weighed heavily on David's mind in the Psalms written at this time. But clearly this led him too far along the road of self righteousness and assumption of his general perfection, which led him into the sin with Bathsheba. We too can wrongly respond to false accusation in the same way.

Psalm 59:5

You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse Yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah-

"Show mercy" is the term used in David's plea for forgiveness in Ps. 41:4; 51:1. "I have done no wrong" (:4) was typical of David's attitude before the sin with Bathsheba. He was taught that mercy to the undeserving is the essence of the Gospel; whereas previously he had railed against the display of any such mercy. AV "Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors" heightens the lesson. "Transgressors" or "traitors" is the term used by David of Saul and his supporters (Ps. 25:3; 59:5; 119:158). Solomon uses this term, teaching that "transgressors" must be rooted out of the earth / eretz promised to Abraham (Prov. 2:22), and that the "transgressors" are to face judgment (Prov. 11:3,6; 13:2; 21:18; 22:12; 23:28; 25:19). All Solomon says is true, but he clearly has in view the house and supporters of Saul, who were a group he felt he needed to repress in order to keep his own kingdom and power intact.

Psalm 59:6

They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city-

This is a description of Saul's men prowling around the city, ensuring David didn't escape (:1). But the language is repeated in :14, with the Hebrew suggesting they would be made to do this again- in the condemnation of the last day. As they had prowled around the perimeters of the city like dogs, so they would be thrown out of Zion in the last day and wander in the darkness of rejection and condemnation. The idea is that they were living out their own condemnation. Their hatred of their brother led them to act out ahead of time the condemnation of the wicked.

Psalm 59:7

Behold, they spew with their mouth; swords are in their lips-

Here again we see the lesson of Job's sufferings; that human words are of immense power, and can be as swords.

For, they say, who hears us?-

Here we have an example of God perceiving what human words and attitudes mean in reality, before Him. For they likely didn't actually exalt that nobody heard their words, and that therefore they were unaccountable to God. But this was what their attitudes implied.

Psalm 59:8

But You, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations-

David was in an apparently hopeless position, with the house he was in, and the entire city, encicled by Saul's men (:1,6). But he was confident that at that moment, Yahweh was laughing at those men. He was treating them as the Gentile nations. David commonly perceives the hateful and apostate within Israel as mere Gentiles. Or perhaps "the nations" was added under inspiration at a later point, perhaps during the exile.

Psalm 59:9

Oh my Strength, I watch for You- As Saul "watched" or "kept" the house, David's response was to keep or watch over God's ways (:1 s.w.).

For God is my high tower-

David sees that Yahweh will be a "high tower" or place of refuge at the day of future judgment (Ps. 9:8,9, quoted about this in Acts 17:31). This was his ultimate defence, rather than the house in which he was taking refuge at the time (:1). But David feels God has been like this to him in this life (2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 18:2; 46:7; 48:3; 59:9,16,17; 62:2; 94:22; 144:2). He therefore sees a seamless experience in his relationship with God in this life, and at the future day of judgment. God saves us right now and is a refuge for us in countless life situations; and this is the guarantee that He will be likewise at the last day.

Psalm 59:10

My God will go before me with His grace- David was inside his house surrounded by his enemies (:1), and escaped through a window. As he planned the escape, he believed that God's grace would go before him. At the end of his life he appears to reflect upon this incident, glorying that although he was "compassed about" with the threat of death, seeing the house was surrounded by Saul's men intending to kill him; yet God's grace had somehow gone before David and prepared a way of escape (Ps. 18:5,18 s.w.).

God will let me look at my enemies in triumph-

AV "See my desire upon my enemies". David's desire to see his enemies condemned seems to sharply contradict the Father who has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ez. 33:11).

Psalm 59:11

Don’t kill them immediately, or my people may forget. Scatter them by Your power-

David wanted them to be destroyed (:13), but he wanted them to be scattered and then destroyed, so that their doom would be a lesson to as many people as possible. This was what happened to God's apostate people- they were scattered as a lesson to the nations.

And bring them down-

The phrase is usually used by David to mean 'bring them down to the grave'.

Lord our shield-

Another allusion to the promise that God would be a shield to Abraham and his seed. The promises to Abraham were continually appealed to by David in his times of crises.

Psalm 59:12

For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride-

We note how "sin" and "words" are paralleled. Pride and words spoken are the basis for their condemnation- things which would be shrugged off merely as surface level weakness by many today.

For the curses and lies which they utter-

There were no expletives used in ancient languages. The curses they uttered were imprecations for Divine judgment upon David; and he asks for these curses to come true for them. But again we note the lack of grace and desire for their repentance on David's part.

Psalm 59:13

Consume them in wrath, consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah-

The idea may be that he wanted the God of Jacob to be known as king throughout the eretz promised to Abraham. He wished for the Kingdom, the dominion of the king, to be known within that entire territory. And David considered that the destruction of the wicked would achieve this.

Psalm 59:14

At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city-

The ecclesia in the wilderness were ‘types of us’. They were rejected from entry into the Kingdom; and when that finally sunk in, they “returned [s.w. convert, turn back] and wept before the Lord; but the Lord would not hearken to your voice” (Dt. 1:45). The rejected will “return [s.w. convert] at evening: they make a noise like a dog [whining for acceptance], and go round about the city [cp. the foolish virgins knocking on the closed door]”. This is the picture of Rev, 22:15, where the dogs wander outside the closed city of Zion. The language here repeats that of :6. This was a description of Saul's men prowling around the city, ensuring David didn't escape (:1). But the language is repeated here in :14, but with the Hebrew suggesting they would be made to do this again- in the condemnation of the last day. As they had prowled around the perimeters of the city like dogs, so they would be thrown out of Zion in the last day and wander in the darkness of rejection and condemnation. The idea is that they were living out their own condemnation. Their hatred of their brother led them to act out ahead of time the condemnation of the wicked.

Psalm 59:15

They shall wander up and down for food, and howl all night because they aren’t satisfied-

David was confident that God would deliver him from his encirclement, and that all who were out watching for him that night would find he had escaped and be "not satisfied". But he sees this as looking forward to their ultimate disappointment in the condemnation of the last day; see on :14. The lack of "satisfaction" is a major theme in the descriptions of condemnation for those who break the covenant (s.w. Lev. 26:26). And it is the principle we must live by today; that the only satisfaction is in the things of God's Kingdom. Even in this life, the eye is not "satisfied" with seeing or wealth (s.w. Prov. 27:20; Ecc. 1:8; 4:8; 5:10). And those who seek such satisfaction from those things will find that dissatisfaction is the lead characteristic of their condemnation (Ps. 59:15). Tragically Solomon knew the truth of all this but lived otherwise; just as so many do who give lip service to the idea that the things of the flesh cannot satisfy.

Psalm 59:16

But I will sing of Your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of Your grace in the morning. For You have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress-

David escaped by night from his house when surrounded by Saul's men (:1). This Psalm is his confident prayer before escaping out of the window. He was confident that by morning he would be safe and able to praise God for the deliverance. But the words also have generic reference to how David's first waking moments were naturally of prayer to God. And this is our pattern. He often mentions his habit of regular prayer morning and evening (Ps. 5:3; 55:17; 59:16; 88:3; 119:147). This  should not have to be enforced upon us, but rather the natural outcome of a life lived in constant connection with God. David perceived that the Mosaic ritual of morning and evening sacrifice taught the sacrifice of prayer should be made in daily life, even though at the time of many of the Psalms, David was exiled from the sanctuary. This exile from organized religion led him to make this connection, as it can for us too.

Psalm 59:17

To You, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy-

As noted on :16, Dvid was confident that God would deliver him from his hopeless situation, in the house encircled by men sent to murder him (:1). He was confident that one day he would sing praises to God for the deliverance; either the next morning (:16), or in the eternal dawn of God's Kingdom upon earth.

Psalm 60

Psalm 60:1 For the Chief Musician. To the tune of The Lily of the Covenant. A teaching poem by David, when he fought with Aram Naharaim and with Aram Zobah, and Joab returned, and killed twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt-

God not going out with Israel's armies, and their turning back from their enemies at this time (:10; Ps. 44:10), is all the language of the punishments for Israel breaking the covenant. But this Psalm 60 is a celebration of victory; a victory given because they had kept the covenant (:1). So the idea may be that David saw in the victory that now Israel were back in covenant relationship with Yahweh. Hence it is "to the tune of The Lily of the Covenant".

God, You have rejected us. You have broken us down, You have been angry. Restore us again- The Psalm is clearly related to Ps. 44, which appears to be a comment upon a temporary set back and defeat during this campaign against Edom. But despite this, the Psalm glorifies how God had come through for His people, despite the temporary reverses. See on :10,11.

Psalm 60:2 You have made the land tremble, You have torn it. Mend its fractures, for it quakes- "Fractures" is "breaches", and we wonder whether the Psalm was rewritten or reapplied with relevance to the exiles. A case can be made that the whole of book 3 of the Psalter (Psalms 73-89) was written / edited in Babylon. The Psalms of Korah (83-87) seem to reflect the longing of the righteous remnant in Babylon for the temple services. And it is just possible that the entire Psalter was re-edited there in Babylon, under inspiration- for so many Psalms have elements of appropriacy to the exiles in Babylon and the restoration. The LXX titles of Psalm 56 [“Concerning the people that were removed from the Sanctuary”] and 71 [“Of the sons of Jonadab, and the first that were taken captive”] speak for themselves. Likewise the LXX attributes Psalms 146-148 to Haggai and Zechariah. Even Psalm 60, whose title apparently refers to David, is full of reference to the exiles: "O God, You have scattered us [recognizing God's hand in the Babylonian scattering of Judah]; O restore us again [RV]"; to which God responds that the land is in fact His and His alone (Ps. 60:6-9), i.e. Judah did not in His eyes belong to the Babylonian nor Persian empires. The request for God to "heal the breaches" (Ps. 60:2) was answered in that God raised up Ezra and Nehemiah with the potential power to indeed mend the breaches in Jerusalem and the temple.

Psalm 60:3 You have shown Your people hard things, You have made us drink the wine that makes us stagger- Taking the cup of wine is a double symbol: of blessing (1 Cor. 10:16; 11:25), and of condemnation (Ps. 60:3; 75:8; Is. 51:17; Jer. 25:15; Rev. 14:10; 16:19). Why this use of a double symbol? Surely the Lord designed this sacrament in order to highlight the two ways which are placed before us by taking that cup: it is either to our blessing, or to our condemnation. Each breaking of bread is a further stage along one of those two roads. The relevance of this to the exiles is that indeed they had been shown hard things and had drunk the wine of condemnation, 'staggering' as a result of the invasion (Is. 29:9). They themselves were stiffnecked (s.w. "hard"), and reaped an appropriate judgment.

Psalm 60:4 You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah- "The truth" is a reference to the covenant; see on :1. The poles or banners of the Israelite army were in the name of that covenant. But there is a deeper, Messianic connection between "the truth" and the banner or pole. This is another link between the concept of ‘truth’ and the cross. In Ps. 60:4 God’s Truth is displayed on the banner (s.w. “pole”, on which the snake was lifted up). John struggled with words, even under inspiration, to get over to us the tremendous truth and reality of what he witnessed at the cross (Jn. 19:35). God is the ultimate Truth, and the cross was the ultimate declaration of His Truth.

Psalm 60:5 So that Your beloved may be delivered, save with Your right hand, and answer us- "The beloved of Yahweh" was Israel nationally (s.w. Dt. 33:12; Jer. 11:15; 12:7). But it was also David personally; Ps. 108:6 has the same words, but concludes "and answer me". A Psalm about David's personal deliverance is extended to all Israel. David saw himself as representative of God's people. It could be that Solomon is in view also; for his original name was Jedidiah (2 Sam. 12:25), 'the beloved of Yahweh', referred to in that way by David in Ps. 45:1. Perhaps Solomon was involved in the battle against the Edomites and David is asking for his son to be preserved.

Psalm 60:6 God has spoken from His sanctuary: I will triumph. I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth- Presumably there was a direct Divine communication from the sanctuary, perhaps through the mouth of Nathan, encouraging Israel to continue in the Edom campaign despite the reverses experienced (see on Ps. 44). The idea of 'division' and 'measuring' is 'possession' and inheritance (as Josh. 18:10). The idea therefore is that Israel is God's, and He had given it to Israel for inheritance; therefore those seeking to take it from them would be defeated. Perhaps Succoth and Shechem are mentioned because of their connections with Jacob, mentioned together in Gen. 33:17,18. As He had been with Jacob, despite allowing him to experience many setbacks and near defeats, so He would be with the later seed of Israel.

Psalm 60:7 Gilead is Mine and Manasseh is Mine. Ephraim also is the helmet of My head. Judah is My sceptre- The emphasis is that the land belongs to God, it "is Mine"; therefore those seeking to take it from God's people. would be defeated. Gilead and Manasseh represent the territory east of the Jordan; and Ephraim and Judah refer to the tribes west of the Jordan. The territories east of the Jordan just as much were God's as those to the west of it; for the Edomites were seeking to take firstly the Israelite territory east of the Jordan.

Psalm 60:8 Moab is My wash basin. I will throw My shoe on Edom, I shout in triumph over Philistia- They were to become subservient to Yahweh. And that could imply that the hope was that they would accept Him as their God. For that was what conquered peoples usually did. David had earlier shouted in triumph over the Philistines when he slew Goliath; and that was to prepare him for this later victory. Circumstances repeat in our lives because they are under God's control.

Psalm 60:9 Who will bring me into the strong city? Who has led me to Edom?- "Strong city" can mean the fortified, strengthened city under siege (2 Kings 25:2 s.w.). The reference may be to Sela or Petra, Edom's capital, which claimed to be fortified against any invader (Obadiah 3).

Psalm 60:10 Haven’t You, God, rejected us? You don’t go out with our armies, God- The Psalm is clearly related to Ps. 44, which appears to be a comment upon a temporary set back and defeat during this campaign against Edom. But despite this, the Psalm glorifies how God had come through for His people, despite the temporary reverses. So this comment that God has rejected them would be looking back to how they once felt; for this Psalm is a victory song over Edom after defeating them (:1).

God not going out with Israel's armies, and their turning back from their enemies at this time (Ps. 44:10), is all the language of the punishments for Israel breaking the covenant. But this Psalm 60 is a celebration of victory; a victory given because they had kept the covenant (:1). So the idea may be that David saw in the victory that now Israel were back in covenant relationship with Yahweh.

Psalm 60:11 Give us help against the adversary, for the help of man is vain- Perhas a reference to some attempt to hire mercenaries to help them in the campaign against Edom.

Psalm 60:12 Through God we shall do valiantly, for it is He who will tread down our adversaries- David sees in the victory against Edom a guarantee that God will give them victory against future adversaries. This could be argued to be over interpretation; because as noted on :9, Divine blessing was related to whether Israel kept the covenant or not. And David seems to fail to emphasize this conditional element in God's help, just as he downplayed it in his enthusiasm to see Solomon as the fulfilment of the promised Messianic seed. And this led to Solomon's arrogance and spiritual collapse.

Psalm 61

Psalm 61:1

For the Chief Musician. For a stringed instrument. By David.

Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer-

David at this point was at the extremity of the land (:2), so it refers to his exile from the sanctuary at the time of Saul or Absalom.

Psalm 61:2

From the end of the land I will call to You when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I-

Although this is a Psalm of David (:1) it clearly has reference to the captives who were located at "the end of the land" / eretz promised to Abraham. He feels his own mental ("heart") and physical ("rock") strength has been overwhelmed and so he throws himself upon God. We too are brought to realize our own lack of human strength so that we might more powerfully turn to God. The rock higher than David was ultimately God, but he may also have in view the rock of mount Zion. In Absalom's time, this would have been where the sanctuary was, which he so hankered to return to.

Psalm 61:3

For You have been a refuge for me, a strong tower from the enemy-

David often takes strength from God's previous deliverances to cope with whatever he was now facing (Ps. 61:3). This may sound natural, but in fact it isn't; because we are inclined to forget the great things He has done for us, as Israel did in the desert.

Psalm 61:4

I will dwell in Your tent forever, I will take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah-

Clearly David longed to be back in the sanctuary. But he feels that he is in fact underneath the cherubim wings over the ark, with the glory of God above him and the blood of atonement beneath him. And he realized that whether or not in this life he ever got back to the sanctuary, he would eternally dwell in God's tabernacle.

Psalm 61:5

For You, God, have heard my vows- Vows were made as promises to do things for God if He came through for you. So this still suggests that David was too works based in his attitude.

You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name- This seems another appeal to the promises to Abraham. The inheritance promised to Abraham's seed was to be experienced by David.

Psalm 61:6

You will prolong the king’s life; his years shall be for generations- If this Psalm originally came from the wilderness years when David was not yet king, then this reflects his deep faith in Samuel's words that he should be king. Or if the Psalm has application to Absalom's rebellion and David's exile then, we could then detect an allusion to the promises to David in 2 Sam. 7. He saw that they implied his own eternity. Perhaps by "the king" he therefore has in view the Messianic king from his seed, rather than himself. The prospect of eternity, of the Kingdom established on earth, is for all believers the perspective on current exiles and rejections.

Psalm 61:7

He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever-

This surely alludes to the word in the promises to David that his throne would be established "in the presence" (2 Sam. 7:16). The translations tend to add "in your presence", but the grammar is indeterminate. It could as well mean in God's presence, and this is how David interprets it here in Ps. 61:7.

Appoint Your grace and truth that they may preserve him-

This prayer for the "king" in the third person may read strangely. Perhaps David speaks of himself as king in the third person because at the time he wrote the Psalm he was not actually king. Or if he has his future eternity in view, or that of his Messianic seed, that had also not yet begun. But he believed that "grace and truth", a term often used about God's promises, would bring about the fulfilment of those promises.

Psalm 61:8 So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may fulfil my vows daily- David's vision of eternity was praising God eternally, and every day of that eternity he would spend fulfilling the vows he had made to God in this life. Whilst his conception of "days" appears inappropriate to existence outside the space-time continuum, it is true enough that the nature of our eternity will to some degree reflect our visions of it now. If like David we have praise welling up within us and we seek to just express it far better, without the limitations of our humanity- then this is what our eternity will be like. We will not simply be "given" a form of existence, by God's sovereign choice; who we eternally shall be is who we desire to be in this life.

Psalm 62

Psalm 62:1

For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by David.

My soul rests in God alone. My salvation is from Him-

As noted on :4 and elsewhere, the Psalm seems relevant to David's betrayal by Ahithophel and Absalom. He emphasizes that God alone can save; seeing he has been stabbed in the back by those he considered his own family and friends.

Psalm 62:2

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress-

"Alone" is related to the word for "one". Because God is one, the only source of power, we are to trust in Him alone. Here we see the meaning of the unity of God in practice. David sees that Yahweh will be a "high tower" or place of refuge at the day of future judgment (Ps. 9:8,9, quoted about this in Acts 17:31). But David feels God has been like this to him in this life (2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 18:2; 46:7; 48:3; 59:9,16,17; 62:2; 94:22; 144:2). He therefore sees a seamless experience in his relationship with God in this life, and at the future day of judgment. God saves us right now and is a refuge for us in countless life situations; and this is the guarantee that He will be likewise at the last day.

I will never be greatly shaken-

David's faith grows as his prayer goes on, for by :6 he is saying that he will not be shaken at all. And so we find in our prayer experience too; the process of prayer is such that we rise from our knees far stronger in faith and clarity of spiritual understanding than when we knelt down.

Psalm 62:3

How long will you assault a man, would all of you throw him down, like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?- The "assault" would refer to their intentions (:4) and words. David sees their attitudes and words for what they really were. David feels his power is tottering, but is angry they seek to push him over.

Psalm 62:4

They fully intend to throw him down from his high place- "Fully intend" is s.w. "counsel", the word used of Ahithophel, David's counsellor who was Bathsheba's grandfather, who later betrayed him and turned against him (2 Sam. 15:12; 16:23). Perhaps David is commenting upon Ahithophel's counsel to Absalom which was designed to destroy him. See on Ps. 32:8.

They delight in lies; they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah-

We may well enquire how David thought he knew the state of heart [AV "inward part"] of his enemies (Ps. 5:9; 36:1; 49:11; 62:4; 64:6). Perhaps it was a result of his reflection upon how he had only had a right spirit or heart given by God "within" him as a result of his repentance (Ps. 51:10 s.w.). His enemies were impenitent, and so perhaps on that basis he knew what was in their hearts.

Psalm 62:5

My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my expectation is from Him-

Again we note that "alone" is related to the word for "one". The unity of God implies our total trust in Him alone. And we have another example of how within prayer (for this Psalm is a prayer) we can deviate from talking to God, to addressing ourselves within our own self talk. This is the stuff of real spiritual mindedness. David's "expectation" in the context of Ps. 62:5 was the continuation of his own kingdom, despite all the threats against it from the likes of Saul, Absalom and others who would usurp his Davidic kingship and kingdom. Solomon likely uses the word for "expectation" with the same subtext; that all opposition to him was based upon a false expectation which would be dashed by God (s.w. Prov. 10:28; 11:7,23; 23:18; 24:14). The hope or expectation of David was that of all exiled Judah (s.w. Jer. 31:17; Lam. 3:29).

Psalm 62:6

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be shaken-

David in his earlier Psalms exalts and boasts to God that his feet have not slipped / been shaken, indeed he was overly confident that his feet would never slip / "be shaken" (Ps. 17:5; 21:7; 55:22; 62:2,6; 125:1). His more mature reflection is that he had wrongly said "I shall never slip [AV "be moved"]" (Ps. 30:6), and his feet had indeed slipped, not least over the Bathsheba incident (Ps. 38:16; 94:18). Solomon didn't learn this lesson, for he likewise assumed that the righteous would never be moved / slip (Prov. 10:30), although he appears to accept that even a righteous man like his father had indeed slipped (Prov. 25:26). And Solomon himself did so, not learning the lesson from his father's mistaken assumption that the righteous can never slip.

Psalm 62:7

With God is my salvation and my honour. The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God-

The continued language of rocks and caves is appropriate to David in the wilderness, running either from Saul or Absalom.

Psalm 62:8

Trust in Him at all times, you people-

This is quite a challenge- to consistently trust God "at all times", in all situations, and not just those desperate ones or ones which nudge us specifically towards faith in God.

Pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge for us. Selah-

David knew his sinfulness, he knew his reliance upon the grace of God, more and more as he got older. For this Psalm clearly has some relevance to his situation whilst fleeing from Absalom. One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps. 4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). He wants others to find God a "refuge for us" as He had been for David. Indeed, Ps.71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men.

Psalm 62:9

Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up; they are together lighter than a breath-

David eagerly looks forward to the judgment seat (Ps. 62:9 RV, 12) as a source of comfort in his present distress. Those whom he had trusted in had betrayed him, whatever their social status. But David reasons further to perceive that in fact this is how all men are. These ideas are repeated in the context of the exiles, encouraging them that literally all men, even the great and might of the Babylonian-Persian empire, are too light to influence the balances of Divine judgment (Is. 40:15).

Psalm 62:10

Don’t trust in oppression, don’t become vain in robbery-

This seems to have been a characteristic of the reigns of Saul and Absalom. But the language of oppression and robbery is often used in the prophets concerning the leadership of God's people at later points (Is. 30:12; 59:13). This was the equivalent of how Saul oppressed David (Ps. 119:121,122,134). Samuel's insistence that he has not oppressed the people is in the context of his warning that Saul would do this (1 Sam. 12:3,4). When Solomon later condemns the 'oppressors' (s.w. Prov. 14:31; 22:16; 28:3,24), he has in view a wishing of judgment upon the house of Saul. "The poor" whom they had oppressed would easily refer to David (1 Sam. 18:23; Ps. 34:6).

If riches increase, don’t set your heart on them-

The next verses explain why. Our hearts are to be set exclusively upon God and the saving power of His grace (:11,12). Increased wealth tempts people to trust in that wealth for power; but the only power is in God's free gift of grace.

Psalm 62:11

God has spoken once; twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God-

"Once... twice" appears to be a Hebraism meaning 'certainly'. "Power" is here placed in opposition to human riches and oppression (:10). The attraction of wealth is here defined as "power". And yet it is mythical that wealth can buy power, ultimately. All power is with God, and the battle is not to the strong nor the race won by the swift. The power of God is revealed above all in His grace (:12); this is His ultimate power, of an order far above human wealth.

Psalm 62:12

Also to You, Lord, belongs grace, for You reward every man according to his work-

See on :11. God feels every sin, and judges it at the time, searching our hearts even for our motives- and He rewards sin with the death sentence. For the wages of sin is death. And yet, we don’t die. The fact God views sin like this, and yet by grace forgives us, makes that grace and forgiveness all the more wonderful. Rev. 22:12 quotes this about the latter day of judgment. We cannot be saved by our works. So because that day will on one hand be a reward of works and yet we shall be saved... our acceptance must therefore be by pure grace.

Psalm 63

Psalm 63:1

A Psalm by David, when he was in the desert of Judah-

This surely refers to David's experience at the hands of Saul, and yet it was appropriated by him to the situation he endured in exile from Absalom.

God, You are my God; I will earnestly seek You-

David was fleeing from Saul, but he perceives this as a fleeing towards God, a seeking for Him. We too mush see the push factors of life as in fact pull factors towards God.

My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water-

This longing for God was in terms of longing to be able to worship Him again in the sanctuary, from which he was exiled during the persecution from Saul (:2). And yet he was to come to realize that there in the desert he was as much in God's presence, even beneath the cherubim wings of the ark, as he was in the sanctuary.

Psalm 63:2

So I have seen You in the sanctuary, watching Your power and Your glory-

As David had watched the glory of God and sensed His power over the ark in the sanctuary, "so" He sees God's presence in the desert.

Psalm 63:3

Because Your grace is better than life, my lips shall praise You-

The idea is that ‘more than my own life do I value God’s love / grace, His hesed , covenant love, for me’. Even if he were to die, having known God's grace was enough, and David would ever praise God for that.

Psalm 63:4

So I will bless You while I live, I will lift up my hands in Your name-

As explained on :3, David feels that the wonder of praising God at this moment was enough for him, whether or not he was to die at the time.

Psalm 63:5

My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food-

The same word used of how Israel in the desert were "satisfied" with the food of God's provision (Ex. 16:8,12). David clearly saw them at that time as a precedent for himself whilst in the desert (:1). Being "satisfied" with food was the continual promise for obedience to the covenant (Dt. 8:10,12; 11:15; 31:20). But he speaks in the future, "shall be satisfied", perhaps ultimately with his eye upon the Kingdom of God coming upon earth; although clearly he expected some form of this in his own immediate experience in this life.

My mouth shall praise You with joyful lips-

David's joy was not in the experience of deliverance, but in his perception of God's grace (:3).

Psalm 63:6

when I remember You on my bed, and think about You in the night watches-

This "bed" would have been somewhere in the desert whilst on the run from Saul (:1). David speaks of how he "meditates day and night" on God's law (Ps. 1:2), and also of how he meditates upon "God" at night (Ps. 63:6) and in the day (Ps. 71:24). "The word was God", and still is, in the sense that our devotions to God are to be according to His word; for in practice, what we see of God is largely through His hand and statements in history which we find in His word.

Psalm 63:7

For You have been my help-

In the Hezekiah context, this would have applied to how Ahaz had given money to the king of Assyria, but "he helped him not" (2 Chron. 28:21 s.w.). God was thereby revealed as the sole "hope of Israel".

I will rejoice in the shadow of Your wings-

This could mean that David was full of faith that he would return to the sanctuary; or that he felt that even in exile from the sanctuary, he was as it were right there beneath the cherubic wings over the ark, with God's glory above him and the blood of atonement beneath him. This was an encouragement to the exiles.

Psalm 63:8

My soul stays close to You, Your right hand upholds me-

David responded to their seeking of him by seeking God more. He uses the language of the hunt and chase to describe how he was drawing closer to God: "My soul followeth hard after thee" (Ps. 63:8; Ps. 63 is a wilderness psalm, see title). "Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul... let all those that seek thee rejoice" (Ps. 40:14,16). In this sense, David felt he wasn't fleeing from  his enemies as much as fleeing to  God : "Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies (from whom he was running): I flee unto thee to hide me" (Ps. 143:9). This fleeing to  God didn't mean that David and Jesus didn't respond or retaliate verbally; both of them, especially the Lord Jesus, did. They both pleaded their innocence, and accused their enemies of being unfair and hypocritical. Yet this must have been done from a genuine motive of love; as David loved Saul, as the thought of Saul's death must have torn at his heart, so the Lord Jesus loved Israel, weeping over Jerusalem, wishing to himself like a child for the impossible: that they would know him as their Saviour. Both David and Jesus had a real sense of direction, they could see that their mental, emotional and physical sufferings were leading them towards an altogether higher relationship with the Father. They took those sufferings as an almost welcome push towards the Father. They had a sure sense of spiritual direction in all their afflictions; this accounts for the human loneliness which they both felt. David felt that no one else understood (Ps. 14:2, a wilderness psalm) or was really seeking towards God as he was doing (Ps. 27:4,8). The Hebrew for "understand" here is that translated "wise" concerning David in 1 Sam. 18.

Psalm 63:9

But those who seek my soul to destroy it shall go into the lower parts of the earth-

Saul sought  to take David's life. So many of the Psalms contain imprecations against those who were seeking David's soul- not just his physical life, but seeking to destroy his very being (e.g. Ps. 35:4; 40:14; 54:1; 63:9; 70:2; 71:13). These imprecations expose the evil of Saul, and asks God to condemn him. Some of those Psalms appear to have been written by David in the Saul days, and then rewritten at the time of Absalom's rebellion- another man who sought David's soul, and yet whom David loved.

David's characteristic of self-examination cannot be unrelated to the fact that while on the run from Saul, he keenly meditated on the word of God (largely in the Law); Ps. 119 has many connections between his love of the word and the outlaw experiences. Perhaps David thought so much of the Law that he came close to the spirit of Moses in the desert; for "those that seek after my soul... shall go into the lower parts of the earth" is clearly alluding to the fate of Moses' enemies, Korah et al .

"The lower parts of the earth" may well be a reference to some supposed place of punishment after death. But we know from Ps. 49 and so often in the Psalms, that David believed death was unconsciousness. He may therefore have been alluding to a common curse formula, probably used by Saul against David, and wishing it to come back upon Saul.

Psalm 63:10

They shall be given over to the power of the sword. They shall be jackal food-

When this happened to Saul and he was slain by his own sword, David wept deeply and genuinely. But what had happened was the fulfilment of his own prayer. Perhaps the desperate attempt to rescue Saul's body from the walls of Bethshan was an attempt to stop the latter part of the verse coming true. David surely learned the lesson we all have to- that we must be careful what we ask for in prayer lest we receive it.

Psalm 63:11

But the king shall rejoice in God-

This is tacit reflection of David's faith in Samuel's prophetic word that David was indeed to be king. Perhaps David speaks of himself in the third person because he is not yet the king.

Everyone who swears by Him will praise Him, for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped-

The whole reason for the Law of Moses was “so that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rom. 3:19). Paul is quoting here from Ps. 63:11: “the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped”. He’s reasoning that because we’re all sinners, we’re all liars- for untruth is the essence of sin. We are not being true to ourselves, to God, to His word, to our brethren… we profess covenant relationship with God, to be His people, and yet we fail to keep the terms of that covenant. And the Law of Moses convicted all God’s people of this, and in this way led them to the need for Christ. Yet Is. 52:15 prophesied that the crucified Jesus would result in men shutting their mouths. The righteousness and perfection displayed there in one Man, the very human Lord Jesus, has the same effect upon us as the Law of Moses- we shut our mouths, convicted of sin.

"Speak lies" reflects again David's deep sense of injustice (see on Ps. 35:7). He uses the word for "false witness", as if they were breaking one of the ten commandments; and he uses it often, heaping condemnation upon any who dare lie / bear false witness about him (Ps. 38:19; 52:3; 63:11; 101:7; 119:29,69,86,118; 120:2; 144:8,11). And yet David lied and deceived in order to get Uriah killed so that he could take his wife for himself. Surely reflection upon that sin made him realize that his zeal to condemn dishonesty was at best misplaced; to lament it is one thing, but David was to be taught that he had himself done the very thing he so condemned.

Psalm 64

Psalm 64:1

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David-

As noted on :2, this Psalm appears to be based during the insurrection of Absalom.

Hear my voice, God, in my complaint. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy-

Prayer is perhaps the area where it is easiest to have only a surface level of spirituality, without getting down to real faith, real perseverance in prayer, real wrestling with God. Elijah " prayed in his prayer" (James 5:17 AVmg.) reflects the Spirit's recognition that there is prayer, and real prayer. “Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer” (Ps. 64:1 AV) seems to say the same: there is our true, pleading voice: and the outward form of prayer. The form of words we use, the outward form, conceals the real thing; the real groaning of spirit which is counted by God as the real prayer. The tendency to multiply words in prayer without intensely meaning them is probably behind the Lord's teaching about faith as a grain of mustard seed, which could move a mountain (Lk. 17:20). He's surely saying that a little bit of the real thing can do such wonders.

Who we are as persons is effectively our prayer and plea to God. This conception of prayer explains why often weeping, crying, waiting, meditating etc. are spoken of as "prayer", although there was no specific verbalizing of requests (Ps. 5:1,2; 6:8; 18:1,2,3,6; 40:1; 42:8; 64:1 Heb.; 65:1,2; 66:17-20; Zech. 8:22). The association between prayer and weeping is especially common: 1 Sam. 1:10; Ps. 39:12; 55:1,2; Jn. 11:41,42; Heb. 5:7, especially in the Lord's life and the Messianic Psalms. "The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer" (Ps. 6:8,9) crystallizes the point.

Psalm 64:2

Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil-

"Conspiracy" sounds like the time of Absalom's putsch. "Noisy crowd" is AV "insurrection". But that is the same word used of Ahithophel in Ps. 55:14: "We walked to God’s house in company". "In company" is a word only used elsewhere in Ps. 64:2, where it is translated "insurrection" (AV), again in the context of Absalom. The double meaning of the word chosen reflects the duplicity of Ahithophel.

Psalm 64:3

who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrows, deadly words-

When men speak hard words against us, the situation on earth is somehow mirrored in the court of Heaven- Ps. 64:3,7 speak of how men "aim their arrows, even bitter words"; and God responds by shooting arrows from His Heavenly control room. The language of sharpening could suggest that David wrote this as he sensed the oncoming insurrection of Absalom (:1,2).

Psalm 64:4

to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly-

Nathan had told David that he was to suffer the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba for the rest of his life. But in the Psalms associated with Absalom's rebellion, which was a consequence of his sin (Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather), David often laments that he is suffering as an innocent man. This is another reason for querying whether he maintained the intensity of repentance for the sin which he had at the time. And we can likely identify with that weakness; the intensity of repentance is hard to maintain, and we often rework the narrative of what happened in our own minds- biased of course towards our own justification. See on :6.

Psalm 64:5

They encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly-

David appears to have inside knowledge of how they were congratulating themselves on their plans. Absalom's plans for rebellion were therefore more or less known to David ahead of time. And yet in love he tolerated him and Ahithophel, perhaps in desperate hope of their repentance. This typifies how the Lord Jesus knew ahead of time that Judas would betray Him and yet still lovingly tolerated him, and did not at all take precipitate, defensive action.

They say, Who will see them?-

Again we doubt whether these men really thought their plans were invisible to God. But this was the subconscious state of their minds. This was how God read their attitude and perhaps revealed it to David.

Psalm 64:6

They plot injustice, saying, We have made a perfect plan! Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning-

We may well enquire how David thought he knew the state of heart [AV "inward part"] of his enemies (Ps. 5:9; 36:1; 49:11; 62:4; 64:6). Perhaps it was a result of his reflection upon how he had only had a right spirit or heart given by God "within" him as a result of his repentance (Ps. 51:10 s.w.). His enemies were impenitent, and so perhaps on that basis he knew what was in their hearts.

AV has "They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search". Nathan had told David that he was to suffer the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba for the rest of his life. But in the Psalms associated with Absalom's rebellion, which was a consequence of his sin (Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather), David often laments that he is suffering as an innocent man. This is another reason for querying whether he maintained the intensity of repentance for the sin which he had at the time. And we can likely identify with that weakness; the intensity of repentance is hard to maintain, and we often rework the narrative of what happened in our own minds- biased of course towards our own justification. See on :4.

Psalm 64:7

But God will shoot at them, they will be suddenly struck down with an arrow-

David rejoices that Divine "arrows" were sent to destroy his enemies (Ps. 7:13; 18:14; 45:5; 64:7; 144:6), in fulfilment of God's promise to do so to the sinful within Israel (Dt. 32:23,42). But David was failing to realize that those same arrows had been fired by God into him in judgment for his sin (Ps. 38:2). This realization was perhaps to help David understand that his rejoicing in Divine arrows of judgment being fired at his enemies had not been mature; for he himself had to realize that he was worthy of the same. But as noted on :4,6, it appears David didn't perceive this as he might have done.

Psalm 64:8

Their own tongues shall ruin them; all who see them will shake their heads-

Speaking of the sudden destruction of the wicked at the future judgment, David reflected: “So they shall make their own tongues to fall upon themselves” (Ps. 64:8). Unsound speech will be condemned, or [will lead to our] condemnation (Tit. 2:8). The implication seems to be that our words will be quoted back to us during the judgment process. Brother, sister, think about this. Ancient Hebrew had no expletives. Curses were uttered in terms of  imprecations wishing Divine judgment against a person at the last day. And so David asks that these curses uttered upon him come literally true for those who spoke them.

Psalm 64:9

All mankind shall be in awe. They shall declare the work of God, and shall wisely ponder what He has done-

The judgment of his opponents which David had in view was therefore that at the last day. For it is a theme in Bible teaching about judgment that the judgment of the wicked will in some sense be public, before others, and the observers are brought to God by what they see (Is. 26:9; Rev. 16:15).

Psalm 64:10

The righteous shall be glad in Yahweh, and shall take refuge in Him. All the upright in heart shall praise Him!-

David is seeing himself and the righteous as Job, and he here continues that connection, seeing that Job is described likewise as "upright in heart" (Job 1:8; 2:3). David sees this as characteristic of all God's people (s.w. Ps. 11:2; 19:8; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11). He sees the wicked as those who are not upright (Ps. 14:3; 51:1,3). But these words which David writes about the wicked are then reinterpreted as applying to all men, God's people included (Rom. 3:12). Like Job, David had to be taught that actually he was failing to see the seriousness of sin; righteousness and acceptability with God is imputed to men by grace through faith, because actually there are none who are upright in heart, apart from God's representative son.

Psalm 65

Psalm 65:1

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song-

The context appears to be David at the time of Absalom's rebellion, thanking God for restoring him, and looking ahead to God's Kingdom coming upon earth.

Praise waits for You, God, in Zion. To You shall vows be performed-

David had made various vows as to what he would do if he returned to Zion. And now he was to fulfil them, and this song is one of them. The Hebrew implies "silent praise", a way of expressing the inadequacy of the audible song which David has composed. There may be an allusion to the silence in the sanctuary (later the temple courts) as the people awaited the reappearance of the High Priest on the day of atonement to declare their forgiveness. And there was to be silent praise this had been granted. As noted on :3,4, David seems aware that his suffering at the hands of Absalom was a consequence for his sin with Bathsheba, and he thanks God for his forgiveness. I have noted elsewhere however that he seemed to struggle with it all, with some of the Absalom period Psalms reflecting his feeling that he was suffering as an innocent man.

Who we are as persons is effectively our prayer and plea to God. This conception of prayer explains why often weeping, crying, waiting, meditating etc. are spoken of as "prayer" , although there was no specific verbalizing of requests (Ps. 5:1,2; 6:8; 18:1,2,3,6; 40:1; 42:8; 64:1 Heb.; 65:1,2; 66:17-20; Zech. 8:22). The association between prayer and weeping is especially common: 1 Sam. 1:10; Ps. 39:12; 55:1,2; Jn. 11:41,42; Heb. 5:7, especially in the Lord's life and the Messianic Psalms. "The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer" (Ps. 6:8,9) crystallizes the point.

Psalm 65:2

You who hear prayer, to You all men will come- This refers to the coming near in sacrifice which is alluded to in :4. David saw his experience of forgiveness and grace concerning his sin with Bathsheba as programmatic for "all men", and he wanted to teach and preach it.

It should be noted that David/Bathsheba language is used to describe Israel's spiritually fallen state (e.g. Ps. 38:7 = Is. 1:6; Ps. 51:7 = Is. 1:18; Ps. 65:2 = Is. 40:15). David recognized this in Ps. 51:17, where he likens his own state to that of Zion, which also needed to be revived by God's mercy. As David's sin is likened to the killing of a lamb (2 Sam. 12:4), so the Jews killed Jesus. The troubles which therefore came upon his kingdom have certain similarities with the events of AD67-70.  They were also repeated in the Nazi Holocaust, and will yet be. Israel are yet to fully repent after the pattern of David.

Psalm 65:3

Sins overwhelmed me-

The allusion to David's sin with Bathsheba which began in :1 is continued in :4. David perceives that his personal sin ("me") is representative of "our [plural] transgressions". He saw in his salvation by grace a pattern for all who would afterward sin, as he makes clear in Ps. 32. The same word used for how David's sins "overwhelmed me" (Ps. 65:3) is used of how overwhelming or "great" is God's grace (Ps. 103:11; 117:2). David felt overwhelmed firstly by his sin and then by God's grace. This explains his fragile emotional and nervous state, as often reflected in the Psalms. But his path is to be that of all God's true Israel.

But You atoned for our transgressions-

The words used for the atoning of Israel's sins, if they were to follow the pattern of David in repentance (Ps. 79:9; Is. 27:9; Dan. 9:24).

Psalm 65:4

Blessed is the person whom You choose and cause to come near, that he may live in Your courts. We will be filled with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple-

"Come near" is a common idiom for offering sacrifice and worshipping God. The idea is used in Ps. 32:9 of how men ought to learn from David’s example, and not be as horses who must have their mouths kept in with a bridle. God doesn't want to force men to come near to Him through using the force of bit and bridle; rather does He want genuinely repentant sinners like David, in awe of His grace, to come to Him of themselves with the "understanding" of Him as the God of all grace. But God all the same causes men to "come near" to Him (Ps. 65:4 s.w.); but not be coercion, by bit and bridle, rather by the experience of His grace, through the operation of the Holy Spirit.

The reference to the "courts" of the "temple" indicates that the Psalm was rewritten and reapplied to the exiles, in their hope for restoration if they followed the pattern of David's repentance and restoration.

Psalm 65:5

By awesome deeds of righteousness You answer us, God of our salvation-

The Psalm now moves towards a greater relevance to the exiles (see on :4) and the hope of God's restored Kingdom coming on the earth. Such restoration was to be by grace alone, but was brought about in "righteousness", in justice. Paul in Romans 1-8 develops this theme; that condemned sinners are justified by grace in a way that is all the same "just". This is the wonder of God's grace and His saving work through His Son. For it was in Jesus, Yehoshuah, the salvation of God / Yah, that He saves rejected sinners in total justice.

You who are the hope of all the ends of the earth, of those who are far away on the sea-

This had particular reference to the exiles dwelling in Babylon and Assyria, at the ends of the eretz promised to Abraham. Those "on the sea" likewise refer to God's people scattered even beyond that territory, in what is symbolically called "the sea" of even more distant Gentile areas. The term is used in that sense in :7.

Psalm 65:6

who by His power forms the mountains, having armed Yourself with strength-

The implication could be that God would form new "mountains", perhaps an intensive plural referring to the one great mountain, of Zion. He would take His strength to Himself in restoring and reforming Zion.

Psalm 65:7

who stills the roaring of the seas, the crashing of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations-

As noted on :5, the seas refer to the Gentile nations beyond the eretz or territory promised to Abraham. Those nations worldwide would be stilled, when God forms or reforms the great mountain of Zion (:6). The Lord Jesus spoke of the situation just prior to His return as the sea and waves roaring, apparently alluding here (Lk. 21:25). "Stills" is literally 'to speak loudly to', and is usually translated "praise". The Lord Jesus fulfilled this, on God's behalf, by addressing the roaring of the storm on Galilee. This was a microcosm of the coming of His Kingdom. The language used here (and in Ps. 74:23) is that used of the gathering of the Assyrian and Babylonian armies against Zion (Is. 13:4; 17:12,13; 25:5; Jer. 25:31). But God's word was to calm that, in order to reestablish His Kingdom. And that is what we now read of in this Psalm.

Psalm 65:8

They also who dwell in distant places are afraid at Your wonders. You call the morning’s dawn and the evening with songs of joy-

The picture is of the knowledge of the God of Israel spreading worldwide, from sun rise to sunset, so that dawn and evening would be accompanied by songs of praise from the Gentiles to the God of Israel. It was in this sense that the roaring of the Gentile seas would be made calm (:7).

Psalm 65:9

You visit the earth, and water it; You greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of water. You provide them grain, for so You have ordained it-

Fecundity within the earth / eretz promised to Abraham is part of the blessing for obedience to the covenant. Here David envisages it as happening abundantly- because the people of the earth / land had followed his pathway of repentance and restoration. This is the picture of Eden restored, with the river of God providing enrichment; the picture is repeated in the final visions of God's Kingdom at the end of Revelation. "The river of God" is specifically envisaged as flowing from Zion (Ps. 46:4), lending weight to my suggestions elsewhere that Eden was based around Zion.

Psalm 65:10

You drench its furrows, You level its ridges, You soften it with showers, You bless it with a crop-

The impression is of superabundant blessing, with God's hand working to create the optimal topography of the land [although "ridges" may refer to the furrows] and provide the optimal rainfall for maximal fruitfulness. "Soften" is the word used of the melting away of the Canaanite tribes before Israel entered the land.

Psalm 65:11

You crown the year with Your bounty, Your carts overflow with abundance-

"Crown" is better 'encircle'. The idea is that God's bounteous blessing is experienced all around the year- and not just at the time of harvest, as understood by the pagan religions. His blessing is not just occasional, but every moment. God's harvest or "carts" is that of His people, such is their identity in His Kingdom. But "carts" is s.w. "paths". The idea also is that this Kingdom situation would come about only when God's paths or ways were followed.

Psalm 65:12

The wilderness grasslands overflow, the hills are clothed with gladness-

The perspective on the land is as it were an aerial view, with the hills and valleys (:13) apparently clothed with blessing. David is seeing things from God's heavenly perspective; this is a vision of the Kingdom of God upon earth.

Psalm 65:13

The pastures are covered with flocks, the valleys also are clothed with grain. They shout for joy! They also sing-

LXX "Sing hymns", as if David's Psalms of the Kingdom would be sung by the valleys, as it were; in that they would echo the sounds of those singing those hymns.

Psalm 66

Psalm 66:1

For the Chief Musician. A song. A Psalm-

I assume from Ps. 72:20 that this is still one of the Psalms of David. It is a Psalm of praise to God for all He has done in saving David from some specific situation (:10-12), but it has clearly been reused by a later inspired hand, given the reference to the temple (:13).

Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!-

The invitation is to the entire eretz to convert to Israel's God. This Psalm imagines that David's invitation to them to praise God will be positively responded to (:4).

Psalm 66:2

Sing to the glory of His name! Offer glory and praise!-

By singing along with the words of David's Psalms, the Gentile nations within the eretz (:1) would be praising His Name. David perceived that the offering God really wanted was not so much animals slain upon the altar in Zion, as the sacrifice of praise. David had learned this from his own experience of sinning concerning Uriah and Bathsheba. Unable to offer any sacrifice to atone for what he had done, he concluded that the sacrifice required was a humble heart.

Psalm 66:3 Tell God, How awesome are Your deeds! Through the greatness of Your power, Your enemies submit themselves to You-

Here David is as it were teaching the Gentiles how to pray to God in praise, putting words in their mouths. The submission of God's former enemies was therefore not forced upon them by God, but was rather a voluntary submission in awe at His power and works, especially His fearsome deeds of judgment upon sinners (s.w. Ps. 64:9).

Psalm 66:4

All the earth will worship You, and will sing to You; they will sing to Your name. Selah-

This Psalm imagines that David's invitation to the Gentiles within the eretz to praise God will be positively responded to (:1). They would appreciate God's Name, His essential character and purpose.

Psalm 66:5

Come and see God’s deeds- awesome work on behalf of the children of men-

David invites us to come and see the works God did at the Red Sea, commenting: “there did we rejoice in him” (Ps. 66:6). He praises God for saving him in the language of Israel’s Red Sea deliverance, speaking of it as “the day of my trouble” (Ps. 86:7,8 = Ex. 15:11). He saw how their circumstances and his were in principle the same; he personalized the Scripture he had read, inviting us to play "Bible television" with the text. We are to go and see the Red Sea all over again.

Psalm 66:6

He turned the sea into dry land, they went through the river on foot. There we rejoiced in Him-

The Psalms so often encourage Israelites to feel as if they personally had been through the Red Sea experience. Generation would tell to generation the Passover story, and would also sing of God’s greatness as Israel did in Ex. 15 (Ps. 145:5-7). Hence: “He turned the sea into dry land…there let us (AV: did we) rejoice in him” (Ps. 66:6 RVmg.). We too are enabled by Scripture to feel as if we were there, and to rejoice in what God did for us there. This of course depends upon our sense of solidarity with God’s people over time, as well as over space. The message here has special appropriacy to the exiles, who were encouraged to make a similar exodus to the promised land.

Psalm 66:7

He rules by His might forever-

The idea is that God has not only been occasionally active by His might in history, such as at the Red Sea (:6). His saving activity is constant and not occasional.

His eyes watch the nations-

Very relevant to the exiles. God's Angelic "eyes" watch and guide the nations as part of His continual activity towards the salvation of His people. The Hebrew conception of an "eye" was that if it is watching you, then it is guiding and manipulating you (hence the concept of the "evil eye").

Don’t let the rebellious rise up against Him. Selah-

"Rebellious" is indeed how Israel were in the wilderness (s.w.  Neh. 9:29; Ps. 68:6; 78:8). David is urging Israel to learn from this and not be rebellious but accept God's guidance of them towards the promised land; especially relevant to the exiles. But sadly they remained rebellious (s.w. Is. 65:2).

Psalm 66:8

Praise our God, you peoples! Make the sound of His praise heard-

David invites the Gentiles to praise "our God", Yahweh of Israel, and in turn to spread the knowledge of Him to others.

Psalm 66:9

who preserves our life among the living, and doesn’t allow our feet to be moved-

God's preservation of Israel was by grace, and was intended to be a witness to the nations amongst whom they had been scattered. For the context is of witness to the Gentiles (:8). God had allowed the feet of His people to be moved out of their land, but the intention was that this was to be temporary, and their return would be a witness to the Gentiles amongst whom they lived- leading them to join in and also come to Zion in penitence and faith. And then He would not again allow their feet to be moved from their land (s.w. Ps. 121:3).

Psalm 66:10

For You, God, have tested us. You have refined us, as silver is refined-

These are the intended feelings of the exiles upon restoration, perceiving their captivity as a time of refining and "testing", just as the fathers were tested by Joseph / Jesus (s.w. Gen. 42:15,16). But the exiles failed to be refined as intended (Is. 1:25), and it must be repeated (s.w. Zech. 13:9).

Psalm 66:11

You brought us into prison, You laid a burden on our backs-

The imagery of the exile as a prison from which the exiles could be "brought out" is often used in later Isaiah. But most refused that redemption, and preferred to remain in Babylon. The burden laid on their backs is describing their exile in the language of the abuse in Egypt. But their experience there was nowhere near as bad, and the book of Esther reveals the Jews as wealthy and prosperous there.

Psalm 66:12

You allowed men to ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but You brought us to the place of abundance-

This is indeed what happened when Israel were brought out of Egypt, passing through the fire and water of the pillars of cloud and fire leading them. But the exiles for the most part declined this great salvation offered. Instead of men riding over their heads they could have had God's cherubic chariot doing so (s.w. Ps. 68:4,33; Hab. 3:8).

Psalm 66:13

I will come into Your temple with burnt offerings. I will pay my vows to You-

David desired to offer sacrifice in the sanctuary because of some great deliverance received. This is therefore reworked, under inspiration, with relevance to the time when the temple was built. The restored exiles ought to have vowed to offer sacrifice there in thanksgiving for their deliverance, but the record of the restoration indicates that they did so at best only half heartedly.

Psalm 66:14

which my lips promised and my mouth spoke, when I was in distress-

David had apparently promised that if he was preserved, he would go to the sanctuary and offer sacrifice, and he was eager to do this. His time of "distress" or AV "trouble" therefore looks ahead to the time of Jacob's trouble in the last days.

Psalm 66:15

I will offer to You burnt offerings of fat animals, with the offering of rams, I will offer bulls with goats. Selah-

Whenever this Psalm was originally written, it was presumably before David had come to the conclusion that God doesn't want animal sacrifice as much as He desires the sacrifice of a broken heart (Ps. 51:17). Israel unfortunately didn't learn that lesson; for the few exiles who did return did so without contrite hearts, and offered merely tokenistic sacrifices. Or perhaps, if this Psalm is written after the Bathsheba issues (as suggested on :16), David is slipping back from his earlier understanding that God didn't really want sacrifice.

Psalm 66:16

Come and hear, all you who fear God; I will declare what He has done for my soul-

David knew his sinfulness, he knew his reliance upon the grace of God, more and more as he got older. One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps. 4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). Indeed, Ps.71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men. David's desire to declare what had been done for his "soul" was not simply the message of forgiveness; rather it was of spiritual and psychological restoration through the work of the Holy Spirit (Ps. 23:3; 51:12). The intention was that the exiles would follow his path of repentance toward such restoration of their soul.

Psalm 66:17

I cried to Him with my mouth. He was extolled with my tongue-

The idea is that David prayed for help and at the same time praised God for already answering him, such was his faith. Hence GNB "I cried to him for help; I praised him with songs".

Psalm 66:18

If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn’t have listened- This appears self righteous. For apart from the Lord Jesus, there is no heart in which there has been no cherishing of sin. In the matter of Bathsheba, David is set up as the parade example of a man who lusted in his heart, and then performed the fantasized sin. And yet here he predicates God's answer to his prayer as being on the basis of his spotless heart. He fails to perceive that his deliverance or salvation was by grace. This raises the question as to whether this Psalm originated before or after the sin with Bathsheba. If after (see on :16), then again we wonder as to the extent of his repentance; he apparently failed to maintain the intensity of his grasp of grace and his own sinfulness. And we all have that same tendency.

Psalm 66:19

But most certainly, God has listened. He has heard the voice of my prayer-

As discussed on :18, David wrongly predicates God's listening to his voice upon his apparently spotless heart (:18). We can note that he speaks of the voice of his prayer, as if within verbalized prayer there is an essence of our spirit which is the true voice of the prayer, and God hears this. Therefore it is wrong to think that we cannot pray well or effectively because we aren't good at verbalizing.

Psalm 66:20

Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor His grace from me-

David had a theoretical understanding that the salvation given him was by grace alone; and yet as noted on :18,19, he still maintained an inappropriate self-righteousness. And our professed understanding of grace can be similar.

Psalm 67

Psalm 67:1

For the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm. A song-

This appears to have initially been a thanksgiving song for a good harvest, but it clearly has been developed to understand the harvest as the spiritual harvest of Gentiles for God's Kingdom, with God's blessing of Israel by grace leading to Gentiles being converted to the God of Israel.

May God be merciful to us, bless us, and cause His face to shine on us. Selah-

Heb. 'shine with us', as if God's joy is now that of His people. Blessing is often understood as forgiveness; this was the "mercy" implicit in the promises to Abraham and David. The shining of God's face with His people suggests restoration of fellowship and loving acceptance of them by grace. And this was what led to the harvest now to be celebrated in the Psalm.

The allusion is clearly to the High Priestly blessing of the people in Num. 6:24,25. But that blessing was to be shared with all the Gentiles. This is the same idea with which Ps. 68 begins, supporting the suggestion that the Psalms are often paired. This Ps. 67 would thus be an introduction to Ps. 68.

Psalm 67:2

That Your way may be known on earth, and Your salvation among all nations-

God's grace in forgiving Israel (:1) was to reveal His way to the rest of the nations in the eretz, and serve as an advertisement for the fact that Yahweh is a God who saves; a principle brought to final articulation in the person of the Lord Jesus, Yehoshua, Yah's salvation. This was based upon the experience of David, who wished to advertise to the world his forgiveness and experience of God's grace after his sin. The idea was that the exiles would follow his pattern of repentance and his path to restoration. They didn't, but finally they will, at the last day.

Psalm 67:3

let the peoples praise You, God. Let all the peoples praise You-

This may be an invitation for the "peoples" of the eretz to praise Israel's God for His characteristic salvation and mercy (:1,2). "Let" can as well be translated "May...". Although "let" might suggest David was asking that Yahweh extend His saving plan to the Gentiles even at that stage.

Psalm 67:4

Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples with equity, and govern the nations on earth. Selah-

The vision was of God's kingdom or governance being over all the nations of the eretz / earth; and because of their acceptance of this, they would be glad. The justice of His judgments would be a cause for joy. This vision of kingdom or empire building was totally opposite to that understood at the time, where nations were militarily and economically dominated and forced into submission. Yahweh's Kingdom would extend by the choice of the subjected peoples, who would be awed by God's grace to Israel, who would become the parade example of what it meant to have Yahweh as King.

Psalm 67:5

Let the peoples praise You, God. Let all the peoples praise You-

"Let" might suggest David was asking that Yahweh extend His saving plan to the Gentiles even at that stage. But David was well ahead of his time in this desire. For Israel failed to be the example of God's kingship over a people, and the Gentiles therefore weren't encouraged to repent. We note the emphasis upon "all the peoples"- including their recent abusers, those whom Israel might consider beyond God's saving purpose.

Psalm 67:6

The earth has yielded its increase. God, even our own God, will bless us-

The God of Israel would bless "us", Israel, with great harvests, and this would be a visible testament to His grace toward them. But the restored exiles experienced failed harvests; because they didn't repent. Perhaps "God" rather than "Yahweh" is used at this point because this would be the perspective of the observing Gentiles.

Psalm 67:7

God will bless us. All the ends of the earth shall fear Him-

This again points up the issue; God would bless Israel ("us") by grace because of their repentance and obedience to the covenant; and therefore all the ends of the eretz promised to Abraham, including the nations like Assyria and Babylon at the very ends or boundaries of that territory, would also "fear Him" in the sense of accepting covenant relationship with Him. The Psalm concludes with another reference to the high priestly blessing (see on :1).

Psalm 68

Psalm 68:1

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song-

This appears to be a song sung as the Israelites went out to battle. They took courage from God's previous marchings forth to victory, both from Egypt and then through Canaan; and the spirit of those victories was to be repeated, and come to ultimate term in the victory of the Lord Jesus and the establishment of His Kingdom upon earth.

Let God arise! Let His enemies be scattered! Let them who hate Him also flee before Him-

The allusion is clearly to the High Priestly blessing of the people in Num. 6:24,25, given whenever they began their onward journey to the promised land. This was how Ps. 67:1 begins, but the point is made in that Psalm that the blessing was to be shared with all the Gentiles. This is the same idea with which Ps. 68 begins, supporting the suggestion that the Psalms are often paired. Ps. 67 would thus be an introduction to Ps. 68.

God sees those who love the world as hating Him. Likewise the Bible speaks of the world as being sinful and actively hating God, whereas to human eyes the world is for the most part ignorant. Thus the Canaanite nations did not know much about the God of Israel, and yet they are described as actively hating Him (Num. 10:35 NIV; Ps. 68:1).

Psalm 68:2

As smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God-

This is the language used by David of the final judgment (Ps. 1:4; 112:10) but he sees in every victory of God's people a foretaste of the final victory. It was this kind of victory which could have been granted to the exiles over Babylon (s.w. Is. 41:2)- had they desired to really leave and restore the Kingdom. But they didn't, and so this kind of victory over the nations surrounding Zion will be finally given to the Lord Jesus at the last day (s.w. Mic. 1:4).

Psalm 68:3

But let the righteous be glad, may they rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice with gladness-

The conflicts between Israel and other nations are seen by David as a struggle between the righteous and the "wicked" (:2). But Israel themselves were never totally righteous; the dichotomy is over simplistic and even self-righteous. But it will ultimately be this way when the Lord Jesus returns.

Psalm 68:4

Sing to God! Sing praises to His name! Extol Him who rides on the clouds: to Yah, His name! Rejoice before Him!-

God "rode upon the heavens" to save Israel from Egypt and the Egyptians (s.w. Dt. 33:26; Hab. 3:8). David felt this was how God had delivered him personally (s.w. Ps. 18:10). The allusion is clearly to the cherubim, the chariots upon which God rode. In the context of the exiles, God was ready to ride forth upon the cherubim which Ezekiel had seen in vision in Babylon by the Chebar river. But Israel would not.

Psalm 68:5

A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in His holy habitation-

The exiles were those who had been left as fatherless and widows in the destruction of Jerusalem (s.w. Lam. 5:3), because they had despised the fatherless (Ez. 22:7). But God was prepared to arise and deliver the fatherless. But the reality was that they precluded this potential operation of God by preferring to remain in Babylon.

Psalm 68:6

God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land-

The allusion is to how Israel in Egypt were saved through uniting in family units around the Passover lamb. Those without families were set together with families, and were delivered as families. And God was willing to repeat the Exodus deliverance for the captives in Babylon / Persia. See on Ps. 107:41.

We forsake all human relationships to follow the Lord Jesus (Mt. 19:27-29). And He promises to compensate for this even in this life. But it depends to what extent we are willing to accept and perceive it. Through meaningful fellowship with our brethren we will find those relationships which we have given up compensated for, even if we aren’t physically close to our brethren. To be set in a new family is paralleled with being brought out from slavery. Part of the process of our redemption is that we are set in a new ecclesial family. The implication of Ps. 68 could be that it was in these family groups that they travelled through the wilderness. The N.C.V. reads: “God is in his holy Temple. He is a father to orphans, and he defends the widows. God gives the lonely a home. He leads prisoners out with joy...”. The very house / family of God becomes the house / family of the lonely. Hence the ecclesia is the house of God (1 Cor. 3:16). We find true family in the new family of God.

Psalm 68:7

God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness... Selah-

As God went before the people in the pillars of fire and cloud, so He would lead His people to victory again. And the particular reference was to the possibility of delivering the exiles from captivity and leading them through the wilderness, perhaps also led by Angels, to the promised land.

Psalm 68:8

The earth trembled. The sky also poured down rain at the presence of the God of Sinai- at the presence of God, the God of Israel-

Earthquake and rain was sent at the time of the exodus. This was in fact to soften up Canaan for the arrival of the Israelites; they could have entered a land well watered by these rains, with harvest ready to be picked (:9). But because of their rebellion, this great potential didn't come about; because they in their hearts turned back to Egypt. And so it was with the exiles.

Psalm 68:9

You, God, sent a plentiful rain. You confirmed Your inheritance when it was weary-

As noted on :8, this rain was to prepare Canaan to be full of fruit by the time the Israelites arrived there. They left at Passover, and were intended to arrive in Canaan at harvest time. But such great potentials are wasted all the time by the desire to remain in Egypt / Babylon.

Psalm 68:10 Your congregation lived therein. You, God, prepared Your goodness for the poor- This 'preparation' is as explained on :8,9. The language of inheritance (e.g. 1 Pet. 1:4) and preparation of reward (Mt. 25:34; Jn. 14:1) in the NT is alluding to the OT background of the land being prepared by the Angels for Israel to inherit (Ex. 15:17 Heb.; 23:20; Ps. 68:9,10 Heb.) . We must be careful not to think that our promised inheritance is only eternal life; it is something being personally prepared for each of us. The language of preparation seems inappropriate if our reward is only eternal life.

Psalm 68:11

The Lord announced the word; the women who proclaimed it are a great company-

There is the implication that a great number of Angels- perhaps the guardian Angels of each of the Israelites- were with them too: "great was the company of those that published it... even thousands of Angels" (Ps. 68:11 AV). This "great company" is defined in :17 as "the chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels". These Angels were the cherubic chariots which are envisaged as going out with the Israelites to every battle. The word published was the word concerning Israel leaving Egypt and overcoming every obstacle that lay in the way to entering and possessing the promised land. The same promise is to each of us in our journey from the Red Sea of baptism to the Kingdom (1 Cor. 10:1,2).

If we prefer the rendering "the women...", then the reference is to Miriam and the women of Israel proclaiming God's word of deliverance as already fulfilled. And it was women who first proclaimed the Lord's resurrection, the surmounting of all that may appear to lie in our way towards possession of the Kingdom.

Psalm 68:12

Kings of armies flee! They flee! The women who wait at home divide the spoil-

We note the emphasis upon the women (:11). The Canaanites did indeed flee, but Israel failed to believe that. They preferred to think that the Canaanites were invincible, and to return to Egyptian bondage. It was the same in principle at the restoration. Enemies would turn their backs and flee only if Israel were faithful to the covenant.

Psalm 68:13

while you men sleep among the campfires-

This appears to allude to the rebuke of Deborah that the men of Israel were cowards and not using the great Divine potential for victory (Jud. 5:16). This would fit the context of the praise of women at this time (:11,12).

the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining gold-

Israel is the turtle dove (Ps. 74:19). Perhaps this is an allusion to some poem known at the time, lamenting the glory which could have been Israel's but was wasted potential. In which case this battle cry is urging the male warriors to not be like their historical counterparts and fail to use all the Divine potential for victory. Or the idea may be to rebuke a love of silver and gold rather than arising and fighting to possess the land- a rebuke appropriate to the exiles who preferred the wealth of Babylon.

Psalm 68:14

When the Almighty scattered kings in her, it snowed on Zalmon-

The scattered kings in the land ("her") would drop their weapons and armour and flee (:12). With the sun shining off all those items, it would appear like the snow which fell on Salmon, a hill near Shechem (Jud. 9:48), the central point in the land. Or perhaps there is reference to a snowstorm assisting the rout of enemies.

Psalm 68:15

The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains, the mountains of Bashan are rugged-

LXX "The mountain of God is a rich mountain; a swelling mountain, a rich mountain". This would refer to Zion (as in :16), which was to be elevated as the central focus of God's Kingdom. "Mountains" would then be read as an intensive plural for the one great mountain. The one great mountain of Bashan, if we retain that reading, would be Hermon.

Psalm 68:16

Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever-

The Psalm now moves in focus away from being a battle song as the troops marched out (:1) to describing the Kingdom of God to be restored in Israel. For this was to be the final outcome of all Israel's battles. Yahweh will dwell there eternally only when the Kingdom is reestablished in Israel. The surrounding hills around Zion represent therefore the nations surrounding Israel. They were not to be envious, but rather to accept Israel's God enthroned in Zion (:30,31).

Psalm 68:17

The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the sanctuary-

As explained on :11, the huge Angelic activity of God at the time of the exodus could have been replicated for the exiles, and for Israel in any of their conflicts. There is the implication that God would again gather Israel through those Angels to make another covenant with them. Jer. 31 and Ez. 20 offered a new covenant to the exiles, seeing they had broken the old covenant. But they refused it. These things were all reapplied and rescheduled. For the huge cherubic activity of God now works to bring individuals of all nations to a point, as at Sinai, where delivered from Egypt they can accept the new covenant.

Psalm 68:18

You have ascended on high, You have led away captives in your victory train, You have received gifts to distribute among men, yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there-

These words are quoted specifically about the victory of the Lord Jesus on the cross, His ascension to Heaven and gift of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:8). As noted on :17, the exiles generally refused the scenario made possible for them. And yet the offer of a new covenant remains and has been extended to individuals of all nations, brought through the Red Sea of baptism to a point (cp. Sinai, :17) where they can enter covenant.

Israel were slaves in Egypt, and then after the Red Sea baptism became slaves of God. Ps. 68:18 pictures them as a train of captives being led out of Egypt, merging into the image of a train of a captivity led into a different captivity. Romans 6 powerfully brings home the point: we were slaves of sin, but now are become slaves of righteousness. The gifts of the Spirit which were given were initially revealed in a miraculous form, but the essential purpose of the gift of the Spirit is so that God might dwell among us, even in the hearts of the formerly rebellious. And this is just as much His activity today as ever before.

Psalm 68:19

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. Selah-

LXX "Blessed be the Lord God, blessed be the Lord daily; and the God of our salvation shall prosper us". Israel's deliverance and salvation from Egypt become the spiritual experience of all those saved in Christ. "Burdens" were associated with the slavery in Egypt; it was as if God was with them in that slavery, carrying their burdens with them. And this would have had special relevance to the exiles in Babylon and Assyria.

Psalm 68:20

God is to us a God of deliverance; to Yahweh the Lord belongs escape from death- Remember that this was initially a battle song as troops began to march to war (see on :1). The comfort was that God would save them from death, because that is the lead characteristic of Yahweh. And that would be ultimately true- even if they died in battle, the Israelites had the unique hope of the resurrection of the body.

Psalm 68:21

But God will strike through the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness-

Thus would suggest that the Israelites were only marching to war against the impenitent who had refused God's calls to repent. The allusion is to the striking of the serpent upon the head (Gen. 3:15), and Israel were to be as the seed of the woman bringing this about.

Psalm 68:22

The Lord said, I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again from the depths of the sea-

This appears to reference words of God unrecorded in the previous historical records. Or the idea may be that as God had saved Israel from Egypt through the Red Sea, so He would do so "again" in every struggle of the Israelites. And this will come ultimately true at the last day.

Psalm 68:23

that you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies-

The taking of a portion or inheritance may allude to the conquest of Canaan, which the Israelite soldiers were to replicate every time they marched to battle (:1). These words were used by David of how God had wounded all his enemies under his feet (Ps. 18:38) and he wished this to be the experience of all God's people. So often he sees his life as a pattern for God's people to follow.

Psalm 68:24

They have seen Your processions, God, even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary-

The "they" may refer to God's enemies (:23), but it is hard to understand how they had seen the processions in the sanctuary. Perhaps the processions were victory parades after the victory, with the captive enemies seeing them in shame (see on :25). Or we may go with LXX "Thy goings, O God, have been seen; the goings of my God, the king, in the sanctuary". We note that David repeatedly calls God "my king" or "the king". He realized that he was only king on God's behalf, and all the desire of Israel for a human king had been a rejection of Yahweh.

Psalm 68:25

The singers went before, the minstrels followed after in the midst of the ladies playing with tambourines, singing-

We note the repeated focus upon the role of women (see on :11,12). The reference to tambourines recalls Miriam and the women of Israel rejoicing at the salvation from Egypt. The processions in the sanctuary of :24 were therefore envisaged as processions of praise for victories granted in the spirit of that over Egypt.

Psalm 68:26

Bless God in the congregations, even the Lord in the assembly of Israel!-

This could be an invitation to the Gentiles to praise God along with the Israelites. This is a common theme of David. The "congregations" may be an intensive plural for the one great congregation of Israel. David often talks of how he wishes the congregation to praise God. It is the struggle of every spiritually minded and righteous man to humble himself to accept he is only part of a far wider congregation, comprised of believers who may frankly be less spiritually minded than himself (Ps. 26:12; 35:18; 68:26). David and the Lord Jesus are parade examples of achieving this sense. LXX "Praise God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountains of Israel".

Psalm 68:27

There is little Benjamin, their ruler, the princes of Judah, their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali-

The idea may be that the two and ten tribe kingdoms were represented together. LXX "There is Benjamin the younger one in ecstasy, the princes of Juda their rulers, the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali". Perhaps Zebulun and Naphtali were chosen because they were commended for their bravery at the time of Deborah (Jud. 5:18), and she has been in view in :13, in her criticizing of the other tribes for not being as Zebulun and Naphtali. Or in the context of the exiles, it could be that they are mentioned as the areas which suffered most from the invaders (Is. 11:1). But they are envisaged here in glory in Zion.

Psalm 68:28

Your God has commanded your strength. Strengthen, God, that which You have done for us-

There may be an allusion here to 'Hezekiah', strengthened by Yah.

Psalm 68:29

Because of Your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bring presents to You-

Clearly this was rewritten at some point after David, or maybe David was looking forward to the temple which Solomon would build. In this case, his vision for that temple was as a focal point for the Gentiles to come to and learn of Yahweh. Instead it became filled with their paganic images.

Psalm 68:30

Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Being humbled, may they bring tribute of bars of silver. Scatter the nations that delight in war-

The vision was that entity which had abused God's people, be it Babylon, Assyria or Egypt, would be humbled and come to Zion in repentance with tribute to Yahweh; and those who refused to repent would be scattered in condemnation. But LXX has "Rebuke the wild beasts of the reed: let the crowd of bulls with the heifers of the nations be rebuked, so that they who have been proved with silver may not be shut out: scatter thou the nations that wish for wars". Those refined as silver refer to the exiles after their spiritual education in Babylon; but the truth was that they did not respond as intended, and remained not purified.

Psalm 68:31

Princes shall come out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God-

What began as a battle song ends up with a vision of the Gentile enemies accepting the God of Israel. This was the intended outcome of the campaign, rather than mere punishment for its own sake.

Psalm 68:32

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord! Selah-

This appears to be encouragement to the Gentile enemies to praise Israel's God. This was ever David's vision, as it is God's.

Psalm 68:33

To Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old; behold, He utters His voice, a mighty voice-

LXX "Sing to God that rides on the heaven of heaven, eastward: lo, he will utter a mighty sound with his voice". The reference to "eastward" would allude to the east wind which destroyed the Egyptians, associated with the clouds upon which the cherubim as it were rode. The mighty voice of God may be that which is verbalized in :34; it is an appeal for repentance and acceptance of Yahweh. "Which are of old" suggests that how God has acted in history, He will do again; a major theme of this Psalm.

Psalm 68:34

Ascribe strength to God! His excellency is over Israel, His strength is in the skies-

This is an appeal for the enemies to repent; to perceive that He is king over Israel, they are His Kingdom; and the Gentile peoples can likewise become part of that Kingdom. For that was ever God's intention.

Psalm 68:35

You are awesome, God, in Your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to His people. Praise be to God!-

The reference to "the God of Israel" is because as noted in the previous verses, the appeal is for the Gentiles to become part of God's Kingdom. "Your sanctuaries" may refer to the one great sanctuary, Zion. It was David's vision that Zion with the temple upon it should become the parade example of God's manifestation, and would serve as a magnet for the Gentiles to come. This vision is repeated in the prophets.

Psalm 69

Psalm 69:1

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of Lilies. By David-

Paul confirms this Davidic authorship (Rom. 11:9). But the Psalm seems so relevant to Jeremiah sinking in the mud. Perhaps David's Psalm was edited under inspiration to be relevant to Jeremiah, or was prayed by him and then rewritten by him. It is clearly appropriate to the Lord's crucifixion and is cited several times about Him in the New Testament. The parallels with Ps. 22 mean that it likely has the same original context- in the sufferings experienced by David as a result of his sin with Bathsheba. The Lord Jesus on the cross was so identified with sinners that although personally innocent, He fully entered into the feelings of condemned sinners. And therefore the words and thoughts of David when at this point are appropriated to Him on the cross.

Save me, God, for the waters have come up to my neck!-

David was at a point where he felt death was imminent. But as suggested above, it could well be that the Psalm was rewritten by Jeremiah on reflection at his experiences in the dungeon.

Psalm 69:2

I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me-

This is the picture of a man treading water with the last of his strength as he faces death by drowning. The exact historical reference within David's life isn't clear. It could be, as suggested on :1, that his general sense of being overcome by troubles has been developed by Jeremiah.

Psalm 69:3

I am weary with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail, looking for my God-

The idea seems to be that he has put his last energy into appealing for God's salvation, but this had not been forthcoming. The Lord's desire for a drink because "I thirst" was therefore only so that He could continue praying. Ps. 119:82 has the same idea, in that David's eyes failed for looking for the fulfilment of God's word that he would become king and his kingdom be established. Perhaps that was the original reference here, as David faced the loss of his kingdom to usurpers like Absalom and Adonijah.

Psalm 69:4

Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head-

See on :8. The continued emphasis in David's psalms upon "without cause" surely reflects a self righteousness (Ps. 35:19; 69:4; 109:3; 119:161), and a refusal to accept that what happened to him was a result of his sin with Bathsheba- as Nathan had explained. For David's righteousness was only impressive relative to the wickedness of his enemies; before God, it was filthy rags. It was true that Saul persecuted David "without cause" (s.w. 1 Sam. 19:5), but the experience of "without cause" persecution can lead us to an inappropriate self-righteousness. This is what happened to Job, who also suffered "without cause" (s.w. Job 2:3), and had to be convicted of self-righteousness at the end of the story. And it seems this happened to David. David himself intended to shed blood "without cause" and was only saved from it by grace (s.w. 1 Sam. 25:31).

In the context of the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba, David says that his sins and their consequences are "more than the hairs of my head" (Ps. 40:12). But he uses the same phrase in saying that his "without a cause" enemies are "more than the hairs of my head" (Ps. 69:4). But again we note that he considers those consequences of his sin to be "without cause", and we wonder at the depth of his repentance and sense of culpability.

Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty-

It is inevitable that to someone of the Lord’s intellectual ability as the Son of God, to a man with His sense of justice and with His knowledge of the Jews and their Law, everything within Him would have cried out at the protracted injustices of His trials. He had the strong sense within Him at this time that He was hated without cause, that the Jews were "mine enemies wrongfully" (Ps. 69:4). I suggested on Ps. 22 that this struggle with injustice and the apparent inconsistency of God was the Lord's final struggle in the moments before He died, and was required to bring Him to the acme of humility required for His final moment of death (Phil. 2:7-10). However, on the level of David, he was wrong to consider that it was somehow unfair that he was suffering the results of his sin with Bathsheba; for such troubles were exactly what Nathan had predicted would happen.

I have to restore what I didn’t take away-

"Take away" is the term used for stolen or lost goods which were to be restored. Perhaps there is reference to some false accusation against David which he felt aggrieved about. The allusion is to Jacob having to make good for the lost cattle of Laban during his time of exile, which David often looked to as representative of his experiences. But I suggested on :1 that this Psalm may have been rewritten by Jeremiah, so maybe there was some such incident in his life, perhaps concerning the property be redeemed. But these possible incidents are all typical of the way the Lord Jesus restored salvation and ultimately the garden of Eden, suffering in order to restore that which He took not away, and epitomized in the way He restored the ear of Malchus just before His death. That incident was perhaps providentially used by the Father to prepare His Son for His death to restore that which He had not taken away.

Psalm 69:5

God, You know my foolishness. My sins aren’t hidden from You-

I noted on :4 that David was failing to accept the consequences of his sins with Bathsheba and Uriah. But true to our own experience, we can in one breath struggle to accept consequences of sin, minimizing what we did long ago- and yet almost in the same breath, accept full responsibility for them. But again, we may well enquire whether "foolishness" is not rather a mild term for what he had done (also used in Ps. 38:5); surely "wickedness" would have been more appropriate. "Foolishness" is often used in Proverbs to refer to unwisdom and even silliness. But what David did surely requires more extreme language. We note that David has been quick to use a wide range of harsh adjectives and ideas in describing the wickedness of others like Saul who had tried to murder the innocent. And David had actually done so.

"Why (oh why) hast Thou forsaken me?" is surely the Lord Jesus searching His conscience with desperate intensity, finding nothing wrong, and crying to God to show Him where He had failed, why the Father had forsaken Him. It may be that initially He assumed He had sinned (Ps. 69:5), going through the self-doubt which David went through at the time of Absalom's rebellion (Ps. 3:2). As David had felt then that God had cast him off, even though "my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail", so the Lord felt (Ps. 89:33,38). But then with an unsurpassedly rigorous self-examination, He came to know that He really hadn't. This means that once over the crisis, our Lord died with a purity of conscience known by no other being, with a profound sense of His own totality of righteousness. Again, this enables us to better enter into the intensity of "It is finished".

Psalm 69:6

Don’t let those who wait for You be shamed on my account, Lord Yahweh of Armies. Don’t let those who seek You be brought to dishonour through me, God of Israel-

"Wait" is better "hope". Perhaps David has in view those who were hoping for the fuller establishment of God's Kingdom on earth under his kingship, which hope appeared to be dashed whilst he was now exiled during the rebellion of Adonijah or Absalom. David had supporters at the time of Absalom's rebellion, who remained in Jerusalem pretending to be on Absalom's side, but working to bring down his coup. And David here prays for them.

Psalm 69:7

Because for Your sake I have borne reproach. Shame has covered my face-

But David's shame was surely because of his own sake, and not for God's sake. He always seems to struggle in taking full responsibility for the consequences of his sins. But it could be argued that he means that his reproach was because his enemies were jealous of his spirituality, and therefore they reproached him for the sake of his relationship with God.

Psalm 69:8

I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s children-

Absalom's rebellion had been orchestrated over many years, and it seems he got David's own brothers onside with him. Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather and it seems he too had fomented opposition to David amongst his own family. But suffering consequences of his sin within his own family was exactly what Nathan had said would happen; and now it happens, David appears to rail against it. But the human pain of it all must not be thereby minimized. David loved his parents, especially caring for their safe keeping in his wilderness years; only to be forsaken by them (the Hebrew means just that), and to be rejected by his brothers and sisters (Ps. 27:10; 38:11; 69:8; 88:18). All this was after the pattern of Job, to whom David here alludes (see on Job 19:12-14).

The essence of all this happened to the Lord Jesus, whose brothers initially did not believe in Him. "Stranger" implies a Gentile. The Lord Jesus was accused of being the illegitimate son of a Roman soldier. The way He compared Himself to a Samaritan, half Jew and half Gentile, shows that especially on the cross, this is how He felt. He was mindful of both Jewish and Gentile aspects of His future body as He died. Mary was a woman, a real mother, and her special love for Jesus would have been noticed by the others. This probably had something to do with the fact that all her other children had rejected Jesus as a "stranger", i.e. a Gentile; perhaps they too believed that this Jesus was the result of mum's early fling with a passing Roman soldier.

In Gethsemane the Lord spoke of drinking the cup of His final death and suffering. But earlier He had spoken in the present tense: “the cup that I drink of... the baptism that I am baptized with" (Mk. 10:38). The drinking of the cup of death was ongoing. Likewise there are several verses in Psalms 22 and 69 which are evidently relevant to both the Lord's life and also His final hours on the cross. "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up" is in the context of the cross, but is applied to an earlier period of the Lord's life (Ps. 69:9 cp. Jn. 2:17). "I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children" is another example (Ps. 69:8); it is a prophecy about the final sufferings of the Lord in crucifixion, and yet it is elsewhere quoted about the experiences of His ministry. And “they hated me without a cause" (Ps. 69:4) was true throughout the Lord’s life (Jn. 15:25) as well as particularly in His death.

Psalm 69:9

For the zeal of Your house consumes me-

See on :8. On a human level, David seems to have become obsessed with preparing for the physical building of the temple in his old age. He truly commented: " The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up" (Ps. 69:9). The RV margin of 1 Chron. 28:12 makes us wonder whether the dimensions of the temple were in fact made up within David’s own mind: “David gave to Solomon his son the pattern… the pattern that he had in his spirit  [AV “by the spirit”] for the… house of the Lord”. But here David cites his obsession with building a temple as a kind of reason for considering that his suffering the consequence of sin was unreasonable. But the New Testament reapplies these words to the Lord's zeal for cleansing the temple.

The Law taught that a man had to bring a burnt offering, of his own voluntary will, in symbol of his own dedication to his God. It was to be consumed by the flames of the Christ-altar, until all that was left was a pile of ashes. And he was to see in this a parable of his own life; totally consumed in service, until at the end, we're left a pile of ashes. We are as water spilt upon the ground that cannot be gathered again. The Man we follow is the supreme example. He knew himself that "the zeal of Your house consumes me"; the same Hebrew word is used as in Lev. 6:10: "take up the ashes which the fire has consumed".

The idea of deferral of fulfilment is common enough in Scripture once you look for it. “The wrath of the Lord was upon Judah” in Hezekiah’s time; but he made a covenant with God and cleansed the temple “that his fierce wrath may turn away from us” (2 Chron. 29:8,10). But this day of the Lord’s wrath was deferred until 90 years later (Zeph. 1:18; 2:2). Hezekiah’s zealous cleansing of the temple (2 Chron. 29:12-16) cannot fail to have been one application of Ps. 69:9 “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up”- and yet these words are applied to the Lord’s cleansing of the temple and His death in the first century. Could it not be that the Lord Jesus cleansed the temple fully understanding these things, and seeking to defer God’s wrath upon Judah, to give them a chance to repent? And it was delayed- in that there was no immediate wrath from Heaven against the Jews for murdering the Son of God. And yet the days were shortened as well as deferred for the elect’s sake. An amazing Father somehow builds all these various factors into His time periods. Truly everything happens in our lives at the ‘right’ time!

The reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me-

Scriptures which were relevant to Christ are actually directly applicable to us too, who are in Christ. Thus Paul reasons: "Christ pleased not himself, but as it is written (he quotes Ps. 69:9), The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning...." (Rom. 15:3,4). So here Paul points out a well known Messianic prophesy, applies it to Christ, and then says that it was written for us. This is exactly Peter's point, when he says that the words which were spoken to Christ at the transfiguration were also for our benefit, and that the word of prophecy which we have is to be treated in the same manner as if we had been cowering with Peter on the mount, hearing the words which Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus.

Psalm 69:10

When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach-

I suggested on :7 that the subconscious reason for David's reproach was his relationship with God. And this was certainly true for the Lord Jesus whom he typified, as it was true for Jeremiah (see on :1). David had earlier observed that when Saul was sick he had wept and fasted for him (Ps. 35:13), and he did so again at Saul's death; and perhaps this was being politically used against him.

Psalm 69:11

When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them-

In the context of the Lord Jesus, we see this fulfilled in the continual usage of the words "Jesus" and "Christ" as bywords to this day. Becoming a byword was the punishment for breaking the covenant (s.w. Dt. 28:37). The Lord Jesus was therefore suffering as representative of a sinful, condemned Israel. The exiles ought to have found comfort in these prophecies. On the level of David, he was mocked as one suffering for breaking the covenant. When in fact it was quite the other way around.

Psalm 69:12

Those who sit in the gate talk against me; I am the song of the drunkards-

This is another allusion to Job, whom David continually sees as his pattern (see on Job 19:12-14). It was David's own son who stood in the gate talking against his own father (2 Sam. 15:2-6). This was the typical consequence of David's sin with Bathsheba which Nathan had predicted; and yet when it happened, David complains about it, as if still struggling to accept Nathan's words, and not focused enough upon the simple wonder of the fact he had been forgiven and his life preserved by God's amazing grace.

Psalm 69:13

But as for me, my prayer is to You, Yahweh, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of Your grace, answer me in the truth of Your salvation-

In the context, these are the thoughts of Christ on the cross. As He prayed on the cross, so we should arm ourselves with the same attitude of mind in prayer (cp. 1 Pet. 4:1). These words are alluded to in 2 Cor. 6:2, where we are told to draw near to God (and encourage others to do so), because now is the accepted time and the day of our salvation. The crucified Lord reflected there that His prayer was offered to God "in an acceptable time". And yet this very passage is taken up in 2 Cor. 6:2 concerning the necessary vigour of our crying to God for salvation. That the intensity of the Lord's prayerfulness and seeking of God on the cross should be held up as our pattern... the very height of the ideal is wondrous.

Psalm 69:14

Deliver me out of the mire, and don’t let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters-

This suggests a man at the very end of life, facing imminent death. I suggested on :1 that there is no particular time in David's life where this is recorded of him. Yet the words are so relevant to Jeremiah, who it seems reused this Psalm. Perhaps Jonah did likewise, for death in "the deep waters" applied to him. And they were exactly relevant to the Lord Jesus on the cross. These words are alluded to in Ps. 18:17, where at the end of his life David reflects that he has been delivered from those who hated him (s.w.). At the time, he wept bitterly for Absalom's death; but in maturity he realized that this was in fact an answer to his prayers.

Psalm 69:15

Don’t let the flood waters overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up. Don’t let the pit shut its mouth on me-

The reference may be to Ahithophel's plan to swallow up David at the time of Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam. 17:12,16 s.w.). David's prayer of Ps. 35:25; 69:15; 124:3 not to be swallowed up / destroyed was answered, but he was devastated at the answer- for it meant the death of his son Absalom. Again David has Job in mind, who had his 'brethren' arguing that he should be swallowed up / destroyed without cause (Job 2:3 s.w.).

Psalm 69:16

Answer me, Yahweh, for Your grace is good. According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, turn to me-

Although earlier David has complained that he is suffering unfairly (see on :4), he again returns to his awareness that he can only be saved by grace; for he is indeed a sinner suffering the consequence of his sins. True to our own experience, we can in one breath struggle to accept consequences of sin, minimizing what we did long ago- and yet almost in the same breath, accept full responsibility for them (see on :5).

Psalm 69:17

Don’t hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me speedily!-

David feels that his suffering at the hands of Absalom and his group was because God was hiding His face. But this was not the case. He is failing to give due weight to the words of Nathan. He was to suffer these consequences for his sin, but that didn't mean God was hiding His face from him; for he was really and truly forgiven and restored before God. The exiles appear to have likewise struggled with the issue of consequence for sin. David had asked God not to hide his face from him, David personally, (Ps. 27:9; 69:17; 102:2; 143:7), but to hide His face from David’s sins (Ps. 51:9). But it seems that in crisis he wondered whether he had in fact been forgiven.

Psalm 69:18 Draw near to my soul, and redeem it. Ransom me because of my enemies-

David often speaks of drawing near to God, and yet he invites God to draw near to him (Ps. 69:18). Yet David also recognizes that God “is” near already (Ps. 75:1). I take all this to mean that like us, David recognized that God “is” near, and yet wished God to make His presence real to him. Truly can we pray David’s prayers. So often, prayer is described as coming near to God (Ps. 119:169 etc.)- and yet God “is” near already. Prayer, therefore, is a way of making us realize the presence of the God who is always present. You are not alone, I am not alone; “For I am with you”. God is with us for us in His Son. Of course, we must draw near to Him (Ps. 73:28); and yet He is already near, not far from every one of us (Acts 17:27).

And yet it could be argued that God had already forgiven David, ransoming and redeeming him. But he was left to suffer the consequences of those sins, and because of that, in crisis he starts to wonder whether he has indeed been forgiven. And we can do the same so easily. The consequence of sin is death, and we can squirm against this when we or others face it... forgetting the wonder of the fact that we are indeed redeemed and ransomed from the power of the grave, although we must still take the consequences. The exiles likewise had to understand that they had been redeemed (s.w. Ps. 74:2) but were suffering the consequence of sin. God was indeed their redeemer (Is. 41:14; 43:1 s.w.). At the very end of his life, David realized that he had in fact been redeemed (s.w. 1 Kings 1:29). He could give up his spirit to God in death, knowing that He was redeemed from the power of the grave (s.w. Ps. 31:5; 49:15). His sure hope in the resurrection of the body looked ahead to the attitude with which the Lord Jesus died.

Psalm 69:19

You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonour; my adversaries are all before You-

The tone of the Psalm begins to change from this point. This so often happens in the Psalms; David begins by praying desperately for help, and then within the same Psalm, becomes calmer, and ends up rejoicing. Perhaps there was some dramatic Divine revelation to him during the prayer. But rather I suggest that this is simply true to our spiritual experience in prayer; we too within the course of prayer become calmer, seeing God's hand, aware that He does know precisely all our situation, better than we do; and shall finally bring us to the great salvation of His eternal Kingdom. And thus we conclude the prayer in joy and peace before Him.

Psalm 69:20

Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness-

The Lord didn't just passively enduring the polemics of the Pharisees; they were His chicks, He really wanted them under His wings (cp. Israel dwelling under the wings of the cherubim). We must ever remember this when we read the records of Him arguing with them and exposing their hypocrisy. He wasn't just throwing back their questions, playing the game and winning, just surviving from day to day with them. He was trying to gather them, and their rejection of His words really hurt Him. Their reproach broke His heart; He didn't just brazenly endure it as we might the ravings of a drunken man (Ps. 69:20). David here alludes to Job's experiences (see on Job 19:12-14).

The shame of the cross is a theme of the records. The reproach broke the Lord's heart (Ps. 69:20). It could even be that He suffered a heart rupture, a literal broken heart, some hours prior to His death- hence when His side was pierced, blood flowed out- and corpses don’t usually bleed. It has been commented that severe emotional trauma is enough to cause such a rupture. He wasn't hard and impervious to it all. He knew who He was, and where He was going. To be treated as He was, was such an insult to the God of all grace. And He keenly sensed this. Heb. 12:2,3 parallels the Lord's enduring of the cross with His enduring "such contradiction of sinners against Himself".

It is likely that the Lord was crucified naked, thereby sharing the shame of Adam's nakedness. The shame of the cross is stressed (Heb. 11:26; 12:2; Ps. 31:17; Ps. 69:6,7,12,19,20). And we are to share those sufferings. There must, therefore, be an open standing up for what we believe in the eyes of a hostile world. Preaching, in this sense, is for all of us. And if we dodge this, we put the Son of God to a naked shame; we re-crucify Him naked, we shame Him again (Heb. 6:6). He was crucified naked, and the sun went in for three hours. He must have been cold, very cold (Jn. 18:18). Artemidorus Daldianus (Oneirokritika 2.53) confirms that the Romans usually crucified victims naked. Melito of Sardis, writing in the 2nd century, writes of “his body naked and not even deemed worthy of a clothing that it might not be seen. Therefore the heavenly lights turned away and the day darkened in order that he might be hidden who was denuded upon the cross" (On the Pasch 97). The earliest portrayals of the crucified Jesus, on carved gems, feature Him naked.

I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; for comforters, but I found none-

"But there stood by the cross..." makes the connection between Mary and the clothes. It seems that initially, she wasn't there; He looked for comforters and found none (Ps. 69:20- or does this imply that the oft mentioned spiritual difference between the Lord and His mother meant that He didn't find comfort in her? Or she only came to the cross later?). His lovers, friends and kinsmen stood far off from Him (Ps. 38:11), perhaps in a literal sense, perhaps far away from understanding Him. If Mary wasn't initially at the cross, John's connection between the dividing of the clothes and her being there would suggest that she had made the clothes. In any case, the four women at the cross are surely set up against the four soldiers there- who gambled over the clothes. Perhaps the other women had also had some input into the Lord’s clothing.

Psalm 69:21

They also gave me gall for my food; in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink-

It is hard to find an occasion in David's life which would have been relevant to this. But I suggested on :1 that the Psalm was rewritten by Jeremiah. Perhaps they passed down gall and vinegar to him in the dungeon. But the Psalm clearly refers to the Lord Jesus, supremely. The Hebrew can stand the translation ‘poison’ (see RSV). Given the extended, agitated torture of crucifixion, there was a custom for close friends to get close enough to the cross to lift up a poisonous substance which the crucified would lick, and thereby die quickly. It is just possible that a friend (or even his mother?) or a sympathetic soldier did this. Again, in this case it would seem that the Lord chose the highest level; our salvation would surely have been theologically achievable if He had taken it. But He chose to attain for us not only salvation, but “such great salvation" by always taking the highest level. He became obedient not only to death, but “even the death of the cross".

Psalm 69:22

Let their table before them become a snare, may it become a retribution and a trap-

A "table" is literally that which was spread forth, and need not refer to a piece of wood with legs. The idea is that their table, in the sense of a piece of material unrolled and spread upon the ground, was to turn into an animal trap into which they themselves would fall. The verse is quoted from the LXX in Rom. 11:9 and applied to the Jews who refused to accept the Lord Jesus as Messiah and king. Those who treated David likewise represented the Jews of the first century. Thus again David at this point is understood as a type of the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 69:23

Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see; may their backs be continually bent-

This is quoted in Rom. 11:10 about the Jews who rejected the kingship of the Lord Jesus, whom David typified. This darkening of Jewish hearts / eyes has been spoken of in Rom. 1:21 (s.w.), and I have argued on Romans 1 that 'Jews' and 'Gentiles' refer specifically to the Jewish and Gentile Christian converts within the church at Rome- rather than to Jews and Gentiles in some generic, global sense. As noted on Rom. 11:10, what is in view here is the stumbling of Jewish Christian believers out of the way, leading to their being cut off from the Christ-olive tree. '"Bend the back" uses the same word as just used in Rom. 11:4 for those who bowed the knee to Baal. They would be confirmed in their idolatry. And perhaps the reference is to how the Christian Jews who fell away from faith would eternally bow down at the last judgment (Rev. 3:9).

Psalm 69:24

Pour out Your indignation on them; let the fierceness of Your anger overtake them-

This is the language used about God's judgment upon the Gentiles (Ps. 79:6; Jer. 10:25). David often sees the apostate within Israel as no better than Gentiles. And yet when Absalom did die, David was heartbroken, even though it was the answer to prayers like this. Being "overtaken" suggests being overtaken by military defeat, which is what happened to Absalom.

Psalm 69:25

Let their habitation be desolate, may no one dwell in their tents-

These words are quoted about Judas in Acts 1:20, who is clearly typified by Ahithophel, who was a main mover in Absalom's rebellion. The condemnation of Jewry for crucifying Christ in Ps. 69:25 ("let their habitation be desolate") is quoted in the singular about Judas in Acts 1:20. What was true of Judas was also true of Israel in general; in the same way as the pronouns used about Judas merge from singular into plural in Ps. 55:13-15 ("a man mine equal... let death seize upon them"), as also in Ps. 109:3 cp. :8.

Psalm 69:26

For they persecute him whom You have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom You have hurt-

The parallel between "him" and "those" reflects David's awareness that his sufferings were representative of those of God's people. This is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus on the cross, who was "wounded" for our sins on the cross (s.w. Is. 53:5; Zech. 13:6), with the "wound" of the judgment for sin which was the just desert of His people (s.w. Jer. 30:14; Lam. 2:12).

Psalm 69:27

Add iniquity to their iniquity; don’t let them come into Your righteousness-

It is a feature of God's dealings with men that He confirms the degree of spiritual success or failure which we achieve or aim for by our own freewill effort. Thus we read nine times that Pharaoh hardened his own heart; but ten times that God hardened his heart. Similarly, God adds iniquity unto the iniquity of those who willfully sin (Ps. 69:27; Rev. 22:18). Conversely God imputes righteousness, adding His own righteous characteristics to us, in response to our faith. This is the key idea of 'justification by faith', being counted righteous although personally we are not.

Psalm 69:28

Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous-

The suggestion is that they had been in the book of life, they were part of the Israel of God, but David wishes for them to be removed from it. This wishing of condemnation upon enemies, even when they include your own son [Absalom], seems so far from the spirit of the God who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and instead wishes that all men come to repentance. Desire for repentance in his enemies is rarely seen in David; we find only death wishes, and even a desire for their eternal damnation. He continues to divide his world into the sinners and "the righteous", forgetting that he was only righteous after his sins of adultery and murder because he was counted righteous. The spirit of Moses was so different, wishing himself blotted out of the book of life so that sinful Israel might enter the land (Ex. 32:32).

Psalm 69:29

But I am in pain and distress. Let Your salvation, God, protect me-

"Protect me" is AV "set me up on high". David sees the contrast between his present lowness and the height of his ultimate exaltation. David again sees himself as following the pattern of Job (s.w. Job 5:11). This was ultimately true of the Lord Jesus in His ascent to Heaven and Divine nature. Solomon presents his father David's being 'set on high' (Ps. 69:29) as programmatic for the exaltation of all the righteous; he sees David as the epitome of the righteous, and thereby justifies the Davidic dynasty (s.w. Prov. 18:10; 29:25).

Psalm 69:30

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving-

Again we note the change in tone of the Psalm. As noted on :19, David begins by praying desperately for help, and then within the same Psalm, becomes calmer, and ends up rejoicing. Perhaps there was some dramatic Divine revelation to him during the prayer. But rather I suggest that this is simply true to our spiritual experience in prayer; we too within the course of prayer become calmer, seeing God's hand, aware that He does know precisely all our situation, better than we do; and shall finally bring us to the great salvation of His eternal Kingdom. And thus we conclude the prayer in joy and peace before Him.

Psalm 69:31

It will please Yahweh better than an ox, or a bull that has horns and hoofs-

David had earlier come to realize that a broken and contrite heart was worth more to God than any animal sacrifice (Ps. 51:17). Here he develops the idea to say that praising God for His grace (:30) was worth more than sacrifices; and that praise offered from a humble heart is hugely valuable to God. Hence the theme of humility continues in :32.

Psalm 69:32

The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live-

As noted on :31, a humble heart full of praise of grace is so valuable to God. The idea may be that the humble "see" or perceive that God wants praise of His Name rather than sacrifices; and this is what God had Himself wanted. It was this attitude of heart which would live for ever (Heb.). Although we have no immortal soul, the righteous have an immortal spirit in that who we are in our hearts now is who we shall eternally be.

Psalm 69:33

For Yahweh hears the needy, and doesn’t despise His captive people-

This has clearly been rewritten with reference to the captive exiles; see on :35. The captives were despised (s.w. Neh. 2:19) as David was for his sin (s.w. Ps. 22:6,24), and as was the Lord Jesus on the cross (s.w. Is. 53:3), but God did not despise them and would destroy that opposition. Yet perhaps it had a historical basis in David appreciating that although he had despised God in his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah (s.w. 2 Sam. 12:10), God by grace had not despised him. Because God did not despise David's contrite and broken heart (s.w. Ps. 51:17, a passage also alluded to in :31). The exiles had likewise despised God (s.w. Ez. 16:59) but would not be despised by God.

Psalm 69:34

Let heaven and earth praise Him; the seas, and everything that moves therein!-

David associates the salvation of Zion with the "seas" praising God, the Gentiles beyond the "earth" / land promised to Abraham. This is the prophetic vision; of Zion's redemption being a powerful example for the Gentiles to accept Israel's God.

Psalm 69:35

For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it-

David saw his sufferings as being bound up with those of Israel; those who hated him hated Zion, those who blessed him blessed Zion, and God's salvation of Israel was being expressed through God's deliverance of him in the daily vicissitudes of life; as God had chosen Zion, so He had David His servant; David's joy was Zion's joy, and her exaltation would be David's  (Ps. 51:18; 69:35; 87:2; 106:5; 121:3,4; 125:1; 128:5; 146:10; 149:2). This is how we are to make sense of suffering- by understanding that it plays a role in the salvation of others, and is part of a wider nexus of Divine operation. We suffer so that we may be able to minister the comfort we receive to others (2 Cor. 1:4). Job likewise came to realize that his sufferings were not so much for his personal maturing, but for the teaching and salvation of the friends.

Or we can understand this reference to Zion as an example of a Psalm of David being rewritten and reapplied, under Divine inspiration, to a later historical situation- perhaps to the restoration, when the exiles again lived in the cities of Judah. See on :33. "Own it" is the word for "Drove out" in Ps. 44:2. It is the word for "inherit" in the promises that Abraham's seed would "inherit" the land (Gen. 15:7,8; 28:4). As in our experience, there is always a primary fulfilment of God's promises and eternal covenant, which was based around the promises to Abraham. This was of particular comfort to the exiles. Although God appeared not to be coming through for them at the time, they were to take comfort in the covenant with Abraham; God's hand had worked in the past and would do so again, and the land was ultimately theirs. Even if at the moment their enemies were in the ascendancy.

Psalm 69:36

The children also of His servants shall inherit it. Those who love His name shall dwell therein-

No longer would the inheritance of Zion be predicated upon belonging to the tribe of Judah, in whose inheritance Jerusalem fell. Zion, the beloved temple mount, would be inherited by all who truly love God's Name, who love His characteristics. All who love the Lord's appearing will be saved by Him (2 Tim. 4:8). Simple love of God and His ways and character is the lead characteristic of those who shall be saved eternally.

Psalm 70

Psalm 70:1

For the Chief Musician. By David. A reminder-

This is a fragment from Ps. 40:1-17, although here "Yahweh" is used instead of "elohim". And the final verse changes Psalm 40:17 "Yet the Lord thinks upon me" to an appeal for urgent help. It could be that David recalls his earlier successful prayer for urgent help in a situation and repeats it, although without the praise for an answer, which has not yet been received. Perhaps this is the sense of the Psalm title "a reminder", to act as God had done previously. Psalm 40 is an appeal for help with the consequences of the sin with Bathsheba, and maybe Psalm 70 was related to facing another such consequence.

Hurry, God, to deliver me. Come quickly to help me, Yahweh-

David repeatedly asks God to "hurry to help me" (Ps. 22:19; 38:22; 40:13; 70:1,5; 141:1). But David had hurried (s.w.) to be obedient to God, always wanting to 'say yes straight away' (Ps. 119:60). Our response to God's voice is therefore related to His response to our voice; if His words abide in us, then we experience positive experience in answered prayer (Jn. 15:7).

Psalm 70:2

Let them be disappointed and confounded who seek my soul. Let those who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace-

Saul sought  to take David's life. So many of the Psalms contain imprecations against those who were seeking David's soul- not just his physical life, but seeking to destroy his very being (e.g. Ps. 35:4; 40:14; 54:1; 63:9; 70:2; 71:13). These imprecations expose the evil of Saul, and asks God to condemn him. Some of those Psalms appear to have been written by David in the Saul days, and then rewritten at the time of Absalom's rebellion- another man who sought David's soul, and yet whom David loved. These words perhaps originated in the wilderness Psalm of Ps. 35:4. But David repeats them here, in this Psalm which appears to reference to David's sin with Bathsheba, which provoked the plotting against David's life referred to here. And yet we wonder as to how David could so bitterly wish the destruction of his opponents, when he himself had been saved by grace.

Psalm 70:3

Let them be turned back because of their shame who say, Aha! Aha!-

David's repeated desire to see the condemnation of those who were judging him seems inappropriate for a man saved by grace; for they were the vehicles for receiving the consequences of his sins.

Psalm 70:4

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You. Let those who love Your salvation continually say, Let God be exalted!-

Again we query why and how David continues to see people in such black and white terms, divided between the righteous and unrighteous, when he himself had been revealed as a righteous man who had sinned seriously.

The faithful are described as "those that seek (God)... such as love Your salvation". But truly seeks God (Rom. 3:11- the context concerns all of us, believers and unbelievers); and yet we are those who seek Him. We must be ambitious to do the impossible. Those who truly love righteousness and the Kingdom will be rewarded with it. Likewise Paul in 1 Cor. 8:2,3 describes the faithful man as one who accepts he knows nothing as he ought to know, but truly loves God. Heb. 9:28 is clear: "Unto them that look for (Christ) shall He appear the second time... unto salvation". Those who truly look for Christ will be given salvation.

David responded to their seeking of him by seeking God more. He uses the language of the hunt and chase to describe how he was drawing closer to God: "My soul followeth hard after thee" (Ps. 63:8; Ps. 63 is a wilderness psalm, see title). “Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul... let all those that seek thee rejoice" (Ps. 40:14,16). In this sense, David felt he wasn't fleeing from his enemies as much as fleeing to God: "Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies (from whom he was running): I flee unto thee to hide me" (Ps. 143:9). This fleeing to God didn't mean that David and Jesus didn't respond or retaliate verbally; both of them, especially the Lord Jesus, did. They both pleaded their innocence, and accused their enemies of being unfair and hypocritical. Yet this must have been done from a genuine motive of love; as David loved Saul, as the thought of Saul's death must have torn at his heart, so the Lord Jesus loved Israel, weeping over Jerusalem, wishing to himself like a child for the impossible: that they would know him as their Saviour. Both David and Jesus had a real sense of direction, they could see that their mental, emotional and physical sufferings were leading them towards an altogether higher relationship with the Father. They took those sufferings as an almost welcome push towards the Father. They had a sure sense of spiritual direction in all their afflictions; this accounts for the human loneliness which they both felt.

Psalm 70:5

But I am poor and needy. Come to me quickly, God. You are my help and my deliverer. Yahweh, don’t delay-

See on :1. This final verse changes Psalm 40:17 "Yet the Lord thinks upon me" to an appeal for urgent help. It could be that David recalls his earlier successful prayer for urgent help in a situation and repeats it, although without the praise for an answer, which has not yet been received. Perhaps this is the sense of the Psalm title "a reminder", to act as God had done previously. Psalm 40 is an appeal for help with the consequences of the sin with Bathsheba, and maybe Psalm 70 was related to facing another such consequence.

Psalm 71

Psalm 71:1

In You, Yahweh, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed-

Typical of men of his time, David seems to fear shame [s.w. "disappointed"] more than death itself. Defeat meant shame, and he desperately begged not to be shamed. Perhaps it was the function of his failure with Bathsheba to help him redefine the motives for his trust in God. This Psalm repeats language from Ps. 22,31,35,40- which were all in the context of his sin with Bathsheba. It seems that this Psalm 71 is his plea for help as he continues to face the consequences of that sin even in his old age.

The idea is that God was David's city of refuge. These cities were for those who needed to flee when being chased by the avenger of blood (Num. 35:26). The imagery is very appropriate to David when fleeing from Saul and Absalom. David's constant meditation upon God's law would have included the sections about the cities of refuge; he realized that actually no such city was available for him, but the spirit of the law led him to reflect that Yahweh was his refuge, wherever he was. David tends to open wilderness Psalms with this reflection, just as we may tend to begin prayers with the same opening phrase and thoughts (Ps. 7:1; 11:1; 16:1; 31:1; 57:1; 71:1). But here he now reuses this lesson learned in the context of Absalom's rebellion.

A case can be made that the whole of book 3 of the Psalter (Psalms 73-89) was written / edited in Babylon. The Psalms of Korah (83-87) seem to reflect the longing of the righteous remnant in Babylon for the temple services. And it is just possible that the entire Psalter was re-edited there in Babylon, under inspiration- for so many Psalms have elements of appropriacy to the exiles in Babylon and the restoration. The LXX titles of Psalm 56 [“Concerning the people that were removed from the Sanctuary”] and 71 [“Of the sons of Jonadab, and the first that were taken captive”] speak for themselves. Likewise the LXX attributes Psalms 146-148 to Haggai and Zechariah. David's experience of grace and appeal for salvation by grace was therefore intended to be programmatic for the exiles in Babylon.

Psalm 71:2

Deliver me in Your righteousness and rescue me. Turn Your ear to me and save me-

David appealed to God's righteousness for deliverance from the consequence of his sins (Ps. 71:2). This was appropriate, seeing that David had been saved from death by God's imputation of His righteousness to David (Ps. 32:1-4), by grace through faith; seeing David's sins left him with no righteousness of his own. And it was on this basis that David believed he would continue to be saved / delivered / rescued (s.w. Ps. 51:14 in the Bathsheba context). But Solomon failed to learn from his mother and father's experience of grace, teaching instead that personal righteousness is what saves (Prov. 10:2; 11:4,6).

Psalm 71:3

Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go-

David had often used this image in the wilderness Psalms. But he asks that God will continue to be his refuge, now that in later life he faced another crisis. This is the force of "always", throughout his life.

Give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress-

David envisages a Divine command being issued in the court of Heaven, and then this being operationalized on earth (presumably by the Angels).

Psalm 71:4

Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man-

This may have originated in his thoughts about Saul, but the context is now of salvation from Absalom and Ahithophel, and as noted on :1, it becomes the intended appeal of the exiles for deliverance from Babylon, then Haman, and indeed from all their captors. "The hand of the wicked / unrighteous" is the term used for the Babylonians in Ez. 7:21.

Psalm 71:5

For You are my hope, Lord Yahweh; my confidence from my youth-

As noted on :3, David is asking that God will continue to be his refuge as he was when on the run from Saul, now that in later life he faced another crisis. This is the force of "always" in :3, throughout his life. We note that the Hebrew idea of "hope" is not 'a hope for the best', but rather an absolute confidence; hence "hope" and "confidence" are here paralleled. The "hope of Israel" is the utter certain confidence of Israel. The same idea is implicit in the Greek word elpis.

Psalm 71:6

I have relied on You from the womb. You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb-

David here likens God to a midwife, who gently eased and took him from his mother's womb. This usage of female imagery about God was unusual for the time, indeed quite a paradigm breaker, and reflects David's relatively high view of women- compared at least to contemporary attitudes. If David was the youngest of many sons, his mother may well have had difficulties in his birth, and so his very survival was perhaps seen by him as a reflection of grace.

I will always praise You-

The force of "always" in :3 is as here; David will praise God on his harp as he did in the wilderness years in exile from Saul, right to the end of his days.

Psalm 71:7

I am a marvel to many, but You are my strong refuge-

"Marvel" is the usual word for "miracle". David may mean that "many" considered his survival to be miraculous, but he attributes that to God as being his "strong refuge". But the word can occasionally mean a man of sign or symbol to others (s.w. Ez. 12:6,11). In this case, David would be again aware (as he often is) that his life and experience of Divine grace was representative of that of all God's true people.

Psalm 71:8

My mouth shall be filled with Your praise, with Your honour all the day-

Despite fears for his immediate future (:9), David's vision is of himself in the Kingdom, eternally praising God for His saving grace. This is the perspective we must have before us.

Psalm 71:9

Don’t reject me in my old age. Don’t forsake me when my strength fails-

David frequently expresses his aloneness, and the comfort He therefore finds in God. But this had to grow over time. His fears were those of the exiles (see on :1).  Is. 46:4 seems almost to be in answer to David’s fear, and is addressed to the exiles: “Even to old age I am he, and even to grey hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; yea, I will carry, and will deliver”.

Psalm 71:10

For my enemies talk about me, they who watch for my soul conspire together- "Conspire" is s.w. "counsel", the word used of Ahithophel, David's counsellor who was Bathsheba's grandfather, who later betrayed him and turned against him (2 Sam. 15:12; 16:23). Perhaps David is commenting upon Ahithophel's counsel to Absalom which was designed to destroy him. See on Ps. 32:8.

Psalm 71:11

saying, God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him-

It was at this time that David felt God had forsaken him (Ps. 22:1). But He had not, ultimately. So we have here an example of false guilt being placed upon a man even of David's faith and spirituality. We must take guilt for sins we have done. This is the true guilt. But the world is full of those who place false guilt upon others, and we can too easily absorb it. And yet I suppose it is impossible, at least by any intellectual process, to precisely divide false guilt from true guilt. We can take comfort that the Lord Jesus was our guilt offering, for all our guilt, of whatever kind. We note that they pursued David because they thought God had forsaken him and would not therefore judge them.

Psalm 71:12

God, don’t be far from me. My God, hurry to help me-

The plea for God not to "be far from me" is common (Ps. 22:11,19; 35:22; 38:21; 71:12). The emphasis perhaps is to be placed upon David not wanting God to be far from him, seeing that he felt others were 'far' from him (s.w. Ps. 88:8,18). He accepted his social and psychological isolation from others, but he didn't want God to be likewise far off from him. In the context of the exiles, God was willing to not be 'far off' from the exiles if they repented (Is. 46:13).

Psalm 71:13

Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed-

David's desire was heard in that the sword and the forest devoured or consumed Absalom and his forces (2 Sam. 18:8). But when the prayer was answered, David wept bitterly for the loss of Absalom. We are thereby warned to be careful what we pray for, lest we receive it- which in some form we will.

Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me-

Saul sought or 'wanted' to take David's life. So many of the Psalms contain imprecations against those who were seeking David's soul- not just his physical life, but seeking to destroy his very being (e.g. Ps. 35:4; 40:14; 54:1; 63:9; 70:2; 71:13). These imprecations expose the evil of Saul, and asks God to condemn him. Some of those Psalms appear to have been written by David in the Saul days, and then rewritten at the time of Absalom's rebellion- another man who sought David's soul, and yet whom David loved.

Psalm 71:14

But I will always hope, and will add to all of Your praise-

The tone of the Psalm begins to change from this point. This so often happens in the Psalms; David begins by praying desperately for help, and then within the same Psalm, becomes calmer, and ends up rejoicing. Perhaps there was some dramatic Divine revelation to him during the prayer. But rather I suggest that this is simply true to our spiritual experience in prayer; we too within the course of prayer become calmer, seeing God's hand, aware that He does know precisely all our situation, better than we do; and shall finally bring us to the great salvation of His eternal Kingdom. And thus we conclude the prayer in joy and peace before Him.

Psalm 71:15

My mouth will tell others about Your righteousness and Your salvation all day, though I don’t know its full measure-

David had vowed the same at the time of his forgiveness for the sin with Bathsheba. Now he promises it again, if God delivers him from the consequence of that sin. We note that he vows to tell others that which he admits he cannot fully fathom. Full intellectual grasp of the message of grace is not possible nor required to be able to share it with others.

Psalm 71:16

I will declare the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh. I will make mention of Your righteousness, even of Yours alone-

David appealed to God's righteousness for deliverance from the consequence of his sins (Ps. 71:2). This was appropriate, seeing that David had been saved from death by God's imputation of His righteousness to David (Ps. 32:1-4), by grace through faith; seeing David's sins left him with no righteousness of his own. And it was on this basis that David believed he would continue to be saved / delivered / rescued (s.w. Ps. 51:14 in the Bathsheba context). This salvation by grace of a condemned sinner was and is "the might acts of Yahweh", as dramatic as what He did at the Red Sea or in any visible miracle.

Psalm 71:17

God, You have taught me from my youth. Up until now I have declared Your wondrous works-

As noted on :3, David could look back and perceive the continuous action of God in his life, and despite his sin with Bathsheba, he rightly perceived that he had made a continuous positive response to His hand. From his youth, David had asked to be taught God's way (Ps. 119:7,12,26,64,66,68,73,108,124,135), and at the end of his life David recognized that indeed God had "taught me from my youth" (s.w. Ps. 71:17). In secular life, teaching is something experienced in youth, and then life is spent practicing what was learned. But in spiritual life, David perceived that the God who had taught him from his youth was continuing to teach him (Ps. 71:17). This is part of the "newness of life" experienced in Christ, the ever fresh spring water that we drink.

Psalm 71:18

Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me, until I have declared Your strength to the next generation, Your might to everyone who is to come- This seems to mean that David is writing this when he is old. I discussed on :11 how David was picking up and absorbing the attitude of his critics that God had forsaken him- when God hadn't. He wishes to stay alive so that he might spread the knowledge of God's grace to the next generation (:15,16). His entire purpose of living was in order to evangelize God's grace; and that should be why we wish to stay alive. God's might and strength, as discussed on :16, are revealed in His gracious forgiveness and salvation of condemned sinners.

One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps. 4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). Indeed, Ps.71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men.

Psalm 71:19

Your righteousness also, God, reaches to the heavens; You have done great things. God, who is like You?-

As discussed on :16, the "great things" performed by God were His forgiveness and salvation of a condemned sinner like David. He did this by His righteousness, by imputing it to sinners; and David was the parade example of this (Ps. 32:1-4). This is described in Ps. 71:19 as God doing "great things", the phrase used of the great things worked in visible miracles in Egypt (Ps. 106:21) and at creation (Ps. 136:7). But the forgiveness of people like David is no less a great miracle. Such great things are done because of His mercy / grace (Ps. 136:4).

Psalm 71:20

You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles, You will let me live. You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth-

The confusion between "me" and "us" is intentional, because as noted on :1, these personal experiences of David are being reapplied to the exiles, and ultimately to the entire community of God's people. We too can therefore personalize the Psalms as we read them. "Troubles" is the word used of Jacob's time of trouble (Gen. 35:3; Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1). David's experience of trouble was representative of how the exiles and all God's people could ultimately follow the path of Jacob to deliverance out of exile and from his strong enemies. But in Ps. 71:20 David sees his deliverance from the day of trouble as ultimately being in the resurrection of the body, being 'brought up again from the depths of the earth'. We note David doesn't speak of coming down from heaven, but of resurrection out of the earth and only then, at that point, being allowed to live [eternally].

Psalm 71:21

increase my honour, and comfort me again-

This is in the context of the clear statement of faith in the resurrection of the body in :20. David was perhaps concluding that Nathan was right after all about the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba. He would not be honoured nor comforted in this life as he wished, but only at the last day.

Psalm 71:22

I will praise You with the harp for Your faithfulness, my God. I sing praise to You with the lyre, Holy One of Israel-

The context of :20,21 appears to speak of David's position after the resurrection he looked forward to. He imagines himself continuing to praise God on the harp as he had done in this life. Whether that shall literally happen is a question and interest only for literalists. But the idea is established- that the essence of how we have served God in this life is how we shall eternally serve Him. Hence the Lord Jesus can invite us to live "the eternal life" right now; in that we can live the kind of life we shall eternally live in God's Kingdom.

Psalm 71:23

My lips shall shout for joy! My soul, which You have redeemed, sings praises to You!-

The context is of the resurrection from the dead (:20,21), when David shall finally be "redeemed". It seems he had looked in vain for redemption from the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba, and concludes that his house / kingdom / family in this life "is not so with God" (2 Sam. 23:5). And so he focuses himself here upon his final redemption in the last day at the resurrection (:20).

Psalm 71:24

My tongue will also talk about Your righteousness all day long, for they are disappointed and they are confounded who want to harm me-

David speaks of how he "meditates day and night" on God's law (Ps. 1:2), and also of how he meditates upon "God" at night (Ps. 63:6) and in the day (Ps. 71:24). But as noted on :20-23, David here speaks of how he shall do this in God's Kingdom. He was living the Kingdom life now; as the Lord Jesus would put it in John's Gospel, he "had eternal life".

Psalm 72

Psalm 72:1

A Psalm for Solomon-

David's hopes and expectations for Solomon are expressed in Psalm 72, "A Psalm for Solomon". The Hebrew title can equally mean "A Psalm of Solomon". David was so certain that his expectations would be fulfilled. David's prediction that Solomon would wisely judge his people (Ps. 72:2) was perhaps why Solomon asked God to give him wisdom to judge God's people. His wise judgment of the prostitutes, and his willingness to consider such cases, was surely a living out of David's expectation that he would deliver the poor, needy and those with no helper (Ps. 72:12). The prediction that Solomon would be given of the gold of Sheba (Ps. 72:15) was fulfilled by Solomon's willful trading with Sheba to get gold from there, and one wonders whether he in fact invited the Queen of Sheba to visit him in order to fulfil the prediction that the rulers of Sheba would come to him with gifts (Ps. 72:10).

God would only have a permanent physical house when His people were permanently settled, never to be moved again (2 Sam. 7:10), i.e. in the Kingdom. Yet Solomon perceived that his kingdom was in fact the final Kingdom of God. David made this mistake, in assuming in Ps. 72 that Solomon’s Kingdom would undoubtedly be the Messianic one… and Solomon repeated the error, yet to a more tragic extent.

Solomon abused his people and turned away from God (1 Kings 12:14). David's vision of his son as the Messianic ruler didn't come about. But these words were inspired, and they will come true- through reapplication to the Lord Jesus, his greater son. David had many sons, but clearly Solomon was the favourite, the love child, effectively, of David's relationship with Bathsheba, the married woman he had become besotted with. It was this favouritism which no doubt provoked Absalom and his other sons to make the rebellions they did, no doubt deeply irked by prophecies like this in Ps. 72, which served the same function as Jacob's giving the priestly coat to Joseph. And it led Solomon to ultimate spiritual failure, because he came to assume that he would automatically fulfil the promises to David about a Messianic son. And so he came to consider himself spiritually inviolate, and came to live a life of debauchery rather than spirituality. David of course claimed that God had chosen Solomon out of all his sons (1 Chron. 28:5), but there is no record of that happening; rather do we suspect that David came to imagine that his own choice was in fact God's. Psalm 72 was David's declaration that he believed Solomon would be the Messianic ruler; but that was proven wrong, because Solomon did not reign with justice and turned away from Yahweh. The words will come true in the person of the Lord Jesus, but David was wrong to insist they must apply to Solomon.

God, give the king Your justice; Your righteousness to the royal son-

The idea of a gift of righteousness had been learned by David after his sin with Bathsheba (Ps. 32:1-4)- when he had no righteousness of his own. But righteousness was imputed by grace through faith, and Solomon knew little of grace and faith. The Proverbs, true as they are so far as they go, reveal a self-congratulatory, works-based spirit which has little to say about grace.

Psalm 72:2

He will judge Your people with righteousness, and Your poor with justice-

Solomon ultimately failed to do this, whipping the people and abusing them to complete his endless, obsessive building projects. The prophecy had possibility of later fulfilment in Zerubbabel, but that too didn't come about; and so it was reapplied finally to the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus.

The majestic prophecy of Jer. 23:5-7 had prophesied that when Israel returned from Babylon, “the branch” would rise and save them “and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth”, i.e. establish the Messianic Kingdom (cp. Ps. 72:2; Is. 9:7). But Zerubbabel, the “branch-from-Babylon”, lead the people back from Babylon, half heartedly built a temple- which faithful men wept at, when they saw how feeble it was compared to that which should have been (Ezra 3:12). And then he beat it back to Babylon.

David so often parallels righteousness and justice / truth (Ps. 9:8; 33:5; 37:6; 72:2; 94:15; 99:7; 103:6; 106:3). Indeed, this parallel is so common in God's word. What it means is that the righteousness of God is a just righteousness. It's not fake, 'I'll turn a blind eye'. It is true, real, valid, and has integrity underpinned in the very essential justice of God Himself. Justice and righteousness may appear abstract ideas, mere theology. But the result is that the person who believes God's righteousness is imputed to him or her... will feel this, they will know it to be true, they can by grace, in faith, quietly hold their head up before God. And David after Bathsheba is our example. He believed and felt this imputed righteousness. It's not so much a case of 'forgiving ourselves' after God has forgiven us, but rather of being swamped by this very real and legitimate sense that truly, we have been counted righteous. And Paul in Romans holds up David after Bathsheba as the personal example to " every one who is Godly" in their time of spiritual need. See on Ps. 41:12.

Psalm 72:3

The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people, the hills will bring the fruit of righteousness-

This is better translated to the effect that the mountains [an intensive plural for the one great mountain, Zion] would bring peace to the little hills. The vision was of the surrounding nations, the hills, being brought to peace with God through the function of the sanctuary in Zion which David planned for Solomon to build. But Solomon intermarried with the surrounding peoples, and was influenced by them to idolatry rather than bringing them to Israel's God.

Psalm 72:4

He will judge the poor of the people, he will save the children of the needy and will break the oppressor in pieces-

The RV says that Ps. 72 is a Psalm of Solomon- in which case we have David or Solomon asking God to give him the throne, in return for which he would establish the Messianic Kingdom. His judging of the poor harlots would therefore have been in conscious fulfilment of the predictions he himself had made as to what his Messianic Kingdom would be like- as a time when the poor would be judged by him (Ps. 72:4,13). He came to articulate God’s Kingdom in terms of how he wanted his Kingdom to be. It could be truly said that there is an urgent need for us to be convicted - deeply convicted - of our desperate need for the person of Jesus, His second coming and Messianic Kingdom.  Solomon was so obsessed with himself, so inward-looking, so sure of his spiritual pedigree, so sure of the intellectual correctness of his spiritual knowledge that his need for salvation didn't enter his heart.   Because he never publicly sinned (unlike David) he lacked the awareness of his own sinfulness which would have helped him realize he was only a primary fulfilment of the Davidic promises.   Lack of  awareness of our own sinfulness is connected with a lack of true enthusiasm for the Messianic Kingdom.   Because he thought the kingdom was with him, Solomon evidently failed to discern the chronic need of his own nature, both physically and morally.

Psalm 72:5

They shall fear You while the sun endures; and as long as the moon, throughout all generations-

David imagined Solomon's kingdom morphing into the eternal Messianic kingdom. This was parental obsession, overlooking the fact that all men sin and must die, and are saved from the grave only by grace through faith.

Psalm 72:6

He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth-

In Prov. 19:12 Solomon speaks as if his own wisdom was like the dew coming down- as if he felt that the mere possession of wisdom made him the Messiah figure which his father had so hoped for him to be in Ps. 72:6. And he says as much in Prov. 29:3: “Whoso loveth wisdom [exactly what Solomon was commended for doing] rejoiceth his father”. He saw his wisdom and knowledge as some sort of a reward in themselves: “the prudent are crowned with knowledge” (Prov. 14:18). This is of course true in a sense, as all the Proverbs are. But Solomon surely had the idea that he, who was so renowned for his knowledge, was somehow thereby rewarded by having it. This assumption by Solomon was likely behind each of the many references he makes to the value of wisdom and the blessedness of the man who has it. It is rather like feeling that ‘we have the truth’ because somehow our correct understanding of doctrines is a reward for our righteousness, and mere possession of doctrinal truth means that we are acceptable to God.

Micah’s description of how “the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass” (Mic. 5:7) is consciously alluding to the then-famous Messianic prophecy of Ps. 72:6: “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth”. The blessings Messiah brings are to be articulated through the witness of those in Him.

Psalm 72:7

In his days, the righteous shall flourish-

Solomon's later statement that the righteous would flourish is therefore a reference to this (Prov. 11:28), assuming that David's fantasy of Solomon having an eternal kingdom was going to be fulfilled in him. In Ps. 92:11,12, David thinks that he himself will see the righteous flourishing (s.w. Ps. 72:7). So he may be imagining that he would somehow be resurrected and see this happening in Solomon's reign. His hope will come ultimately true, but through the kingdom of the Lord Jesus and not Solomon.

And abundance of peace-

This had been David's vision of the future Kingdom of God (s.w. Ps. 37:11), but he assumes and wishes that Solomon's kingdom would have become that.

Until the moon is no more- As discussed on :5, David liked to imagine that Solomon's kingdom would be eternal.

Psalm 72:8

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the land-

Solomon was intended by David to fulfil the promises to Abraham; for Israel had never fully inherited the land area promised to him. This was David’s prayer for Solomon; that he should have been the Messiah, and his Kingdom should have been Messiah’s. 1 Chron. 28:6,7 definitely seems to imply that Solomon could have lived for ever had he been obedient: “I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments”. But  Solomon failed, what was potentially possible didn’t come true, due to his apostasy. But these words are alluded to in Zech. 8:5, as if to say that now, again, it could come true through the work of Joshua and Zerubbabel, and the priesthood and people being obedient to the temple prophecies of Ezekiel. If they wanted the Kingdom to come, then they had to live the Kingdom life. The coming King (and Joshua was prophesied as a king) was to free Judah from Persia’s dominion, and establish God’s Kingdom, with boys and girls playing in the streets of Jerusalem (Zech. 8:5). “From sea even to sea” is a conscious quote of this famous Messianic prophecy of Ps. 72:8.

David had prophesied that his great son would "have dominion from sea to sea" (Ps. 72:8). 'Have dominion' is the Hebrew word translated 'rule over' in 1 Kings 5:15. David's vision of his Messianic son having a world-wide Kingdom, in which all people blessed him for his grace and beneficence, was abused by Solomon into justifying 'having dominion' over people as his personal slaves; and they certainly didn't bless him for it but rather complained (1 Kings 12:11). It's as if Solomon grabbed the word 'rule over / have dominion', wrenched it out of context, and used it to justify his actions, giving a quasi-Biblical justification to his pure selfishness. This is where knowledge of God's word can be a dangerous thing; leading people into a stronger self-justification than they would otherwise have had if they were guided by self-recognized greed alone.

Psalm 72:9

Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; his enemies shall lick the dust-

We must read :9-11 in the context of David's vision of Solomon ruling over the entire eretz promised to Abraham (:8). The references to the Bedouins of the desert, the kings of Tarshish and Sheba (:10), therefore refer to the nations on the boundaries of that territory. The idea is that Solomon was to rule over the entire eretz- and even beyond, even over the peoples just over the borders of it.

Psalm 72:10

The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute, the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts-

See on :9. These were the areas on the edge of the eretz promised to Abraham, and indeed the queen of Sheba did come to Solomon with gifts. We note that "Tarshish" here doesn't refer to the United Kingdom. The earth was understood as the territory promised to Abraham, and anything beyond it is spoken of as the sea or islands.

Psalm 72:11

Yes, all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him-

This homage and the gifts of :10 were not to be because these nations have been forced into submission, as was usually the case in kingdom building at that time. They fall before him with their gifts because ["for"] of his justice (:12,15). The queen of Sheba brought her gifts from respect (:10), not because she was forced to. And so it is and shall ever be in the extension of God's Kingdom upon earth.

Psalm 72:12

For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper-

As noted on :11, the astounding justice and loving care of the king of the kingdom would bring other nations to willingly submit and offer gifts (:10,11); not as signs that they had been forced into submission by military prowess. All visions of the Lord Jesus at His return forcing nations to accept Him at the point of a sword... are out of step with all we have seen and known of Him, as well as of these prophecies. These words were not fulfilled in Solomon as David confidently expected; Solomon whipped the people rather than delivering the needy who cried for help. And his throne hardly endured as long as the sun.

Psalm 72:13

He will have pity on the poor and needy, he will save the needy persons-

See on :4. Pity on the surrounding Gentiles is the language of Jonah 4:11 about Nineveh. The old covenant required that Israel show no pity to the nations of the eretz promised to Abraham, lest they lead the people into idolatry (s.w. Dt. 7:16). David, as so often, is looking beyond this to a new situation whereby Israel's king would show them pity, if like Nineveh they were repentant. But Solomon mixed with those nations and accepted their idols. David had seen himself as "poor and needy", needing grace after his sin with Bathsheba and its consequences (Ps. 40:17; 70:5; 86:1; 109:16,22). He wished Solomon to likewise have pity on the "poor and needy" amongst the Gentiles, those who had likewise repented (Ps. 72:13). And David was especially desirous to himself see the "poor and needy" blessed and accepted as he had been (Ps. 82:3,4; 113:7). It is our personal experience of needing grace which leads us to have a heart for those like us, the poor and needy. Any other motivation will ultimately not abide. Solomon appears to glorify his mother Bathsheba for likewise pitying the poor and needy (Prov. 31:9,20).

Psalm 72:14

He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence, their blood will be precious in his sight-

The Hebrew word hamas [basically meaning 'physical violence arising from wicked plans'] is quite common in Scripture, and the usages speak of how God is provoked by hamas to bring judgment upon the enemies of His people (Gen. 6:11-13; Mic. 6:12; Zeph. 1:9) and also to intervene in order to save His people (Ps. 18:49; Ps. 72:14). How amazingly appropriate that an organization actually called hamas has arisen in these last days to do violence to Israel! If Biblical history means anything to us, clearly enough God's intervention in appropriate judgment and salvation cannot be far off. Note how Hagar's persecution of Sarah- typical of the Arab-Jew conflict- is described as her hamas (Gen. 16:5).

In Ps. 49:8 David had used the same words for how the soul or life of persons should be treated as "precious". Saul used the same phrase of David's saving his life: "My soul was precious in your eyes" [s.w. "life is costly"] (1 Sam. 26:21). David is alluding to this; Saul's human life had been precious or costly to him, but he was unable to redeem Saul eternally. Only God could do that, if Saul by faith accepted God's grace. David wished that Solomon would have the same perspective, considering the soul or life of people to be "precious" or "costly", appreciating the value and meaning of human persons. But sadly Solomon abused his people later, as it were whipping them with whips.

Psalm 72:15

They shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba. Men shall pray for him continually, they shall bless him all day long-

The idea is that because the poor and needy would be allowed to "live" and would be treated with justice and grace (:14), Sheba would give her gold and continual prayer be made for the king. It was usual that conquered peoples were forced to pray to the gods of their conquerors, and to give their gold. But as noted on :10,11, the growth of this Kingdom of God would be on a quite different basis. Peoples would be awed by the grace displayed, and would voluntarily come to worship Israel's God, acting as if they had indeed been conquered by Him- but by His love and grace, rather than His sword.

Psalm 72:16

Abundance of grain shall be throughout the land, its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field!-

As a result of just kingship, the blessings for obedience to the covenant would come about, in terms of agricultural fecundity. "Abundance of grain" recalls the situation in the seven years of plenty in Egypt, the implication being that this grain would be shared with the Gentile world around them, in order to lead them to Israel's God.

Psalm 72:17

His name endures forever, his name continues as long as the sun-

Again David is imagining Solomon ruling eternally, but without due regard for the results of sin and the need for the grace of resurrection and forgiveness. And it was surely Yahweh's Name which should have been spoken of in this way and not Solomon's.

Men shall be blessed in him, all nations will call him blessed-

The allusion is to the Abrahamic promise of Gen. 18:18: "All the nations of the earth will be blessed in him". But the promise about Abraham personally and his seed is too quickly assumed by David to be relevant to Solomon personally. There is an intended ambiguity in the grammar, as to whether "be blessed" is purely a prediction, or a command- to chose to become blessed in him. That choice is now made in terms of choosing to be baptized into the Lord Jesus, the true seed of Abraham, so that we might receive the blessing of forgiveness and life eternal inheriting the earth (Acts 3:25,26; Gal. 3:27-29).

Psalm 72:18

Praise be to Yahweh God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvellous deeds-

This is an invitation for the "nations" of :17 to praise the God of Israel, not because they have been forcefully subjugated, but because they recognize that He is the one and only God, who can do such marvellous things as restoring His sinful people.

Psalm 72:19

Blessed be His glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with His glory! Amen and amen-

As noted on :18 this is David's desire that the entire eretz promised to Abraham be filled with peoples who genuinely wish to bless the name of Israel's God and thereby give glory to Him.

Psalm 72:20

This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse-

I suggested on Ps. 1:1 that this means that for sure Psalms 1-72 were all written by David, although most of them were edited and reapplied, under inspiration, to later situations; and I gave reasons for thinking that the majority of the later Psalms, although not all, were likewise originally his inspired work.

Psalm 73

Psalm 73:1

Book III. A Psalm by Asaph-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

A case can be made that the whole of book 3 of the Psalter (Psalms 73-89) was written / edited in Babylon. The Psalms of Korah (83-87) seem to reflect the longing of the righteous remnant in Babylon for the temple services. And it is just possible that the entire Psalter was re-edited there in Babylon, under inspiration- for so many Psalms have elements of appropriacy to the exiles in Babylon and the restoration. The LXX titles of Psalm 56 [“Concerning the people that were removed from the Sanctuary”] and 71 [“Of the sons of Jonadab, and the first that were taken captive”] speak for themselves. Likewise the LXX attributes Psalms 146-148 to Haggai and Zechariah.

Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart-

This redefines "Israel" away from ethnic definition; the Israel of God are the "pure in heart". This Psalm may initially have been David's thanksgiving for God's restoration of his kingdom after the rebellion of Absalom. It describes a struggle with the problem of evil, but begins and ends with triumph that God ultimately is good to Israel. This was particularly relevant to Judah in captivity. But again we query why David so simplistically divides people into the very righteous, of pure heart [which none have ultimately], and the worst sinners.

Psalm 73:2

But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped-

David recognizes that his steps and feet had been stabilized by God (s.w. Ps. 40:2). He saw God's active involvement in helping him see through the problem of evil, and praises God for it. This internal psychological stabilizing of faith and understanding is just as much seen today, through God's work through the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 73:3

For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked-

David had calmly urged not to be envious of the wicked (s.w. Ps. 37:1), but he himself almost failed in this (Ps. 73:3 s.w.). We can profess clearly how much we are not envious of others; and then find ourselves like David, caught in a pang of crisis when we wonder why our lives cannot be like those of the world around us. Solomon simplistically commanded not to be envious of the wicked, drawing a simple contrast between the wicked, and the righteous who are not envious of them (Prov. 3:31; 23:17; 24:1,19 s.w.). But this is not how it was in reality with his father David, who admits to almost having given in to envy of the wicked (Ps. 73:3) despite his earlier simplistic condemnation of such envy (Ps. 37:1), and was only saved from that by God's gracious action on his heart (Ps. 73:2). Solomon's proverbs seem to fail to address this complexity of situations because of his own self-righteousness; and yet all he says is inspired and true so far as it goes.

Psalm 73:4

For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm-

"Firm" is the word used of the prosperous wicked amongst the exiles (Ez. 34:20). But as Ezekiel points out, this was only a temporary illusion. Ultimately, death is indeed a fetter (s.w. "struggles"), broken only by God's grace in Christ. The Psalmist is for a moment forgetting the Biblical picture of death, just as we can.

Psalm 73:5

They are free from the burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men-

Dt. 26:7 uses the word for "burdens" of the judgment of those who break covenant. And God is not unmindful of who breaks covenant with Him. David had earlier confidently stated that the "mischief" (s.w. "burdens") of men would return upon their own heads at death and judgment (Ps. 7:16; 140:9). But in Ps. 73:5 he momentarily doubts this. Our understanding of basic truths can suddenly be eclipsed by moments of doubt, just as we see happening with the disciples on the lake during the storm.

Psalm 73:6

Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck, violence covers them like a garment-

The conclusion therefore is that awareness of the reality of death leads to humility, and those who refuse to perceive Divine judgment in this life become proud and violent, believing they will not face judgment for their actions. Chains were worn around the neck by leaders and governors (we think of Joseph and Daniel being given one); so the implication is that such men were in leadership positions within Israel. Perhaps David has in view Saul and the Absalom-Ahithophel group.

Psalm 73:7

Their eyes bulge with fat, their minds pass the limits of conceit-

This recalls the spirit of Job's complaints at the present prosperity of the wicked. "Conceit" is the word usually translated "image", with reference to idols. David perceives that idolatry is essentially a matter of the heart, and he sees materialism as idolatry- a conception absolutely relevant to our age.

Psalm 73:8

They scoff and speak with malice; in arrogance, they threaten oppression-

The LXX appears to reference the crafty counsel of Ahithophel at the time of Absalom's rebellion: "They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily".

Psalm 73:9

They have set their mouth in the heavens, their tongue walks through the earth-

The idea may be that they speak as if they are God; it is playing God which is the basis for arrogance and price. But LXX has "Against the heavens".

Psalm 73:10

Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance-

"A metaphor for the enjoyment of pleasure". This was how they got people to turn after them, to follow them. David felt that by contrast he had few followers because he didn't have any great hope of prosperity to offer anyone.

Psalm 73:11

They say, How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?-

It's unlikely they actually said those words. But this is an example of where the unspoken implications of positions are stated for what they effectively are. To accept God exists, as these men apparently did, but to say that He has no awareness... is self contradictory. But this is what their attitudes effectively stated.

Psalm 73:12

Behold, these are the wicked-

The Psalmist has built up an image of wicked men having a great life and then dying in peace. This isn't actually the case, but it was and is the image which can be imagined as true.

Being always at ease, they increase in riches-

The wicked and indeed nobody is every "always at ease". This is the idealized image which the doubting psalmist had built up. It is the same false image offered by the media and subliminal advertising today.

Psalm 73:13

Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence-

This language is appropriate to David who considers he washed the blood of Uriah from his hands by repentance, and had his heart cleansed by God's grace for the entire sin with Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 51:4; 26:6). He would be suggesting that because he still suffered the consequence of the sin, all his cleansing from it was pointless grief. And yet this sense that "In vain I have cleansed my heart" could refer to how David in his youth had tried to cleanse his way according to God's word (s.w. Ps. 119:9); and now he momentarily considers he may have wasted his effort. Solomon uses the same word in saying that nobody can say "I have cleansed my heart" (Prov. 20:9); as if disagreeing with his father David on this point. Solomon may be suggesting that all you can do is live an externally clean life, you can never cleanse your heart- and this refusal to allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse him inwardly is what led to his apostasy. For disregarding deep, core level spiritual mindedness and trusting in externalities... is a sure path to spiritual disaster. And Solomon took it.

Psalm 73:14

for all day long have I been plagued, and punished every morning-

"Punished" is LXX "reproved". David may again be railing at how the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba continued, reproving him every morning. He struggled to accept Nathan's inspired words about this consequence. "Plagued" is used in the Bathsheba context (Ps. 32:6 s.w.).

Psalm 73:15

If I had said, I will speak thus; behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children-

LXX "I should have broken covenant with the generation of thy children". He would no longer have been part of the promised seed if he chose to go the way of the wicked.

Psalm 73:16

When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me- "Painful" is s.w. "trouble" in :5. The wicked appear not to have pain or "troubles", but David struggled with the whole problem of evil and the apparent prosperity of the wicked, and this was a pain or trouble to him of itself. David was generally a very spiritual man, but we have here an insight into how even the most spiritually minded have their dark nights of the soul.

Psalm 73:17

until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end-

This could not have been true for the exiles, who were unable to do this. The Psalm originated with David, but was reapplied to the exiles and all who later would struggle with the problem of the apparent prosperity of the wicked. On entering "the sanctuary", he saw the plates around the altar which were all that was left of Korah’s rebellion (Num. 16:38), those who were thrown down into the earth (:18). David perceived the wicked of his age as no better than the wicked within Israel during the wilderness journey.

Psalm 73:18

Surely You set them in slippery places, You threw them down to destruction-

This continues the allusion to the fate of Korah and his supporters (:17). "Thrown down" or "fall" was to be the fate of the unjust princes of Israel (s.w. Ps. 82:7) just as it had been the fate of Korah and the princes with him (Num. 16:2).

Psalm 73:19

How they were suddenly destroyed! They were completely swept away with terrors-

The lament is that the wicked seem to be so prosperous, and then David remembers that one day God will awake (:20). But it is ridiculous to think that God is now actually asleep. The judgment of the rebellious princes in Num. 16 is seen as a pattern for all later rebels; and perhaps David has in view the rebels against him at the time of Absalom. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23)- not 'it will be death at the judgment', it is right now the response God makes to sin. Because God is without time, the judgment has effectively happened to them. We are come to "God the judge of all"- even now (Heb. 12:23). And David perceived that. And yet mourned terribly when actually this happened, and Absalom was suddenly destroyed.

Psalm 73:20

As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when You awake, You will despise their fantasies-

LXX "O Lord, in thy city thou wilt despise their image". David envisages judgment day being administered in Zion, when these men would be resurrected, judged, and die "the second death". To be despised by God is judgment enough. Their "fantasies", their self image (the Hebrew implies) will be revealed as vain.

Psalm 73:21

For my soul was grieved, I was embittered in my heart-

AV "Thus my heart was grieved" - for the tragedy of that rebellion, for the tragedy of men experiencing Divine condemnation. He didn’t gloat over the punishment of the wicked as he thinks about it at this point, although he does elsewhere. He grieved for it; it pricked his conscience, right within the depths of his being (AV "pricked in my reins").

Psalm 73:22

I was so senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You-

The LXX sounds very much like an allusion to Job in his final realization and resolution of 'the problem of evil': "But I was vile and knew not: I became brutish before thee" (cp. Job 40:4). Envying the wicked is indeed being senseless and ignorant, and David uses these terms elsewhere about those who shall be condemned (Ps. 49:10; 92:6). The fact is, even those as spiritual as David can at times be totally unspiritual in their perspective, and like him need to take a grip and return to reality. We surely have all known this.

Psalm 73:23

Nevertheless, I am continually with You. You have held my right hand-

As noted on :22, David recognizes that he has temporarily lost perspective and spiritual focus during his time of envy at the wicked's prosperity. But he marvels that all through that weak period, be it minutes or months, God had remained with him and held his hand. This rules out for all time the attitude of separation from God's people whilst they pass through the dark nights of the soul which afflict all of us. We are to reflect God's continuance with us through it all.

Psalm 73:24

You will guide me with Your word-

"Your word" probably doesn't refer to the "Bible", because David would probably only have known the Pentateuch and Job. And he didn't have the scrolls readily available to him for much of his life. Perhaps the prophetic word he had in view was the promise of restoration and kingship, the final flourishing of his kingdom. This was the same word which in essence the exiles were to be guided by as they too struggled with the problems of justice and evil. And the end point of that guidance was to be "glory"; perhaps a return to the sanctuary where the glory was visible, or the glory of the reestablished Davidic kingdom.

And afterwards receive me in glory-

In this life, David felt his prayers had been "received" (s.w. Ps. 6:9). His experience of answered prayer was therefore a foretaste of his faith that God would finally receive or accept him (Ps. 49:15; 73:24 s.w.). The desire to be received "to glory" may refer to David's belief that he would again be able to enter the sanctuary and see God's glory there, a desire he so often expresses in the exilic Psalms.

Psalm 73:25

Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides You-

David felt forsaken by all at this time, so the origin of the Psalm (however it was later reused by the exiles) was at a time when he was largely forsaken by men; perhaps at the time of Absalom's putsch. For David, Yahweh was not one of a number of deities; he didn't believe in Yahweh as well as idols. And this is a theme he develops in :27.

Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart fails-

Perhaps initially written in David's health crisis after the sin with Bathsheba and whilst on the run from Absalom.

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever- There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. We are God's portion / inheritance (Dt. 4:20; 9:29; Eph. 1:18), and He is our inheritance (Ps. 16:5,6; 73:26; Lam. 3:22-24; Eph. 1:11 RV); we inherit each other. David felt he was alienated from his rightful inheritance whilst on the run from both Saul and Absalom; and the exiles felt likewise.

Psalm 73:27

For, behold, those who are far from You shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You-

This helps the exiles understand that distance from God is not a geographical question of being far from the sanctuary, but such distance and closeness to God is rather a spiritual matter. "Unfaithful" suggests idolatry (s.w. Ps. 106:39), and suggests that the wicked he had envied were in fact idolaters. If the initial context of the Psalm is Absalom's rebellion, then we can see another hint that they too were involved with idolatry.

Psalm 73:28

But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works-

I noted on :27 that David is protesting his sole allegiance to Yahweh and not to idols in addition. In the course of this prayer, David persuades himself that it is he who is close to God, and those he has envied for their wealth are far from Him (:27). You are not alone, I am not alone; “For I am with you”. God is with us for us in His Son. Of course, we must draw near to Him (Ps. 73:28); and yet He is already near, not far from every one of us (Acts 17:27). David often speaks of drawing close to God, and yet he invites God to draw near to him (Ps. 69:18). Yet David also recognizes that God “is” near already (Ps. 75:1). I take all this to mean that like us, David recognized that God “is” near, and yet wished God to make His presence real to him. Truly can we pray David’s prayers. So often, prayer is described as coming near to God (Ps. 119:169 etc.)- and yet God “is” near already. Prayer, therefore, is a way of making us realize the presence of the God who is always present.

LXX concludes: "In the gates of the daughter of Sion". This was so relevant to the exiles, with their desire to return to the Jerusalem temple.

Psalm 74

Psalm 74:1

A contemplation by Asaph-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

God, why have You rejected us forever?-

It was inappropriate to claim that God was going to reject His people forever (also in Ps. 44:23). The prophets had made it abundantly plain that God would not reject forever. Israel had "the hope of Israel" as surely as the planets are in the sky.

Why does Your anger smoulder against the sheep of Your pasture?-

The answer was 'Because they sinned'. But as David struggled to accept the consequences of his sins, so did the exiles.

Psalm 74:2

Remember Your congregation which You purchased of old, which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance-

This appeal to believe they were already "redeemed" is similar to how David asks for redemption (e.g. Ps. 69:18) when in fact he has already been redeemed. God had already forgiven David, ransoming and redeeming him. But he was left to suffer the consequences of those sins, and because of that, in crisis he starts to wonder whether he has indeed been forgiven. And we can do the same so easily. The consequence of sin is death, and we can squirm against this when we or others face it... forgetting the wonder of the fact that we are indeed redeemed and ransomed from the power of the grave, although we must still take the consequences. The exiles likewise had to understand that they had been redeemed (s.w. Ps. 74:2) but were suffering the consequence of sin. God was indeed their redeemer (Is. 41:14; 43:1 s.w.). At the very end of his life, David realized that he had in fact been redeemed (s.w. 1 Kings 1:29). He could give up his spirit to God in death, knowing that He was redeemed from the power of the grave (s.w. Ps. 31:5; 49:15). His sure hope in the resurrection of the body looked ahead to the attitude with which the Lord Jesus died.

The Psalm however clearly applies to the exile, when Judah, the singular tribe, was sent into captivity; the ten tribe kingdom had already gone to Assyria.

Mount Zion, in which You have lived-

Relevant to the exiles, in that Yahweh was no longer living in Zion, the cherubim of glory had departed, as Ezekiel had seen in vision.

Psalm 74:3 Lift up Your feet on the perpetual ruins-

LXX "Lift up thine hands against their pride continually", which connects better with the second half of the verse.

See all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary-

The evil done in the sanctuary had been done by God; this evil was ultimately from God, although the exiles struggled to believe that (Is. 45:5-7). Therefore He was obviously aware of it. It was their refusal to accept that God had been their enemy and had done the "evil" which led them to later feel He was somehow unaware of it.

Psalm 74:4

Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your assembly. They have set up their standards as signs-

This speaks of the Babylonian military standards raised in the temple as glory to their idols, repeated by the Romans in AD70. Israel's enemies are likened to wild beasts roaring; and indeed "the beast" is Israel's neighbours, throughout scripture. But the psalmist appears to ignore the repeated prophetic declaration that this would happen because Judah worshipped idols within the sanctuary, as Ezekiel saw in vision. The psalmist sees only one side of the story- the suffering. The reason for it, and the hope of restoration predicated upon repentance, plays no part in his thinking at this point. And we see that attitude all around us, complaints at Divine judgment and the results of human sin, rather than seeing that suffering in wider spiritual and ethical context.

Psalm 74:5

They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees-

The idea is that there was absolutely no reverence for the sanctity of the temple. And yet Judah had likewise paid no reverence to that, and so they received an appropriate judgment.

Psalm 74:6

Now they break all its carved work down with hatchet and hammers-

LXX "stonecutters". There was a wilful and intentional destruction of the temple. The "carved work" is that of the cherubim and palm trees (s.w. 1 Kings 6:29), broken down because it was overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:22,32,35).

Psalm 74:7

They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground, they have profaned the dwelling place of Your Name-

This burning of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar is recorded in 2 Kings 25:9; 2 Chron. 36:19. The psalmist complains that "they" had done this, whereas the more spiritual perspective was that God had done these things (Lam. 2:6; 4:1) as judgment for Judah's sins. All that is said is true, but lacks humility and spiritual perspective.

Psalm 74:8

They said in their heart, We will crush them completely. They have burned up all the places in the land where God was worshiped-

But Yahweh was to be worshipped in Zion. It was the "high places" built ostensibly to worship Him, which had become the places of idolatry for which God's anger came upon His people This is quite overlooked by the writer. But LXX has "They have said in their heart, even all their kindred together, Come, let us abolish the feasts of the Lord from the earth".

Psalm 74:9

We see no miraculous signs. There is no longer any prophet, neither is there among us anyone who knows how long-

Again this was not quite the case. There was a ministry of the true prophets throughout the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, and Ezekiel and others continued the witness afterwards. But this is overlooked in the desire of the author to focus upon the negative and pain as dismal a picture as possible. There were "signs"; for Jeremiah and Ezekiel were men of sign to the Jews. LXX "and God will not know us any more" was a complete denial of the prophetic pleas to know God in repentance, and the clear hope of restoration offered.

Psalm 74:10

How long, God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?-

The answer to that question is provided in the prophets. It would be until Judah repented. And yet the psalmist overlooks that dimension completely. Just as we can so easily.

Psalm 74:11

Why do You draw back Your hand, even Your right hand? Take it out of Your pocket and consume them!-

Again as on :10, the answer was that God's hand would again be seen active for His people once they repented. But typical of the secular view, the psalmist expects immediate action from God right now, regardless of any spiritual dimension to the basis of His operations with men.

Psalm 74:12

Yet God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth-

The midst of the land was Zion, and there He had done great miracles at the time of Hezekiah- which the psalmist believes can be repeated. The tone of the Psalm changes now. The Psalmist has not made a good case in the preceding verses, as noted above. He is simply demanding immediate release from the exile. Although he is spiritually deficient in failing to factor in Israel's sin and the need for repentance, he all the same has a strong personal faith. Whether or not God comes through for His people on a larger scale, "God is my king". And here we have an example for us all. Our struggle with the problem of evil must not be allowed to take away God's salvation history; His apparent failure to save whom and when and how we think He should must never take away from our personal faith in Him.

We also learn here that a man like this psalmist who may be deficient in attitude and understanding (as witnessed in the notes above on :2-11) may still have genuine faith before God.

Psalm 74:13

You divided the sea by Your strength. You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters-

A clear allusion to God's division of the Red Sea and destruction of the "monsters" of Egypt. The chariots of Pharaoh are likened to sea monsters.

Psalm 74:14

You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces. You gave him as food to people and desert creatures-

Again the power of Egypt is likened to a mythical creature. People of the time found the sea mysterious, and believed in a vast sea dragon lurking there which was invincible, rather like folks tend to believe in a supernatural devil figure. The simple point was that God has and can destroy such entities at ease, to the point that effectively God's people need not believe in them. LXX "Thou didst give him for meat to the Ethiopian nations" perhaps imagines the local peoples picking up the spoil of the Egyptian chariots after the Red Sea drowned them all.

Psalm 74:15

You opened up spring and stream. You dried up mighty rivers-

Alluding to the provision of living water in the wilderness. The same language is used of how God could dry up the rivers around Babylon to destroy her. He did this, through the Medes, but most of Judah preferred to remain in Babylon rather than obey the commands to flee out of her at that point.

Psalm 74:16

The day is Yours, the night is also Yours; You have prepared the light and the sun-

This could continue the allusion to God's care for Israel in the wilderness in :15, this time referring to the provision of light by night and protection from the sun in the day time. Or it could be that the Psalmist, struggling with God's apparent injustice and lack of activity, reflects that of course God is active; for the passing of day and night is evidence enough of that.

Psalm 74:17

You have set all the boundaries of the earth. You have made summer and winter-

As discussed on :16, any illusion that God is somehow inactive is ended by considering the passage of the seasons, all designed and activated by Him. Judah in exile were at the very boundaries of the eretz / land / earth promised to Abraham, and God had decreed that too.

Psalm 74:18

Remember this, that the enemy has mocked You, Yahweh. Foolish people have blasphemed Your name-

Again it is inappropriate to suggest that God has as it were forgotten anything. A more mature perspective would have known that finally "God is not mocked" (Gal. 6:7). But as noted on :12, a man like this psalmist who may be deficient in attitude and understanding (as witnessed in the notes above on :2-11) may still have genuine faith before God.

Psalm 74:19

Don’t deliver the soul of Your dove to wild beasts, don’t forget the life of Your poor forever- Again, Israel's neighbouring enemies are the "wild beasts" of scripture. This imagery is consistent. The argument could be seen as manipulative; for God had taught in His own law that the poor should be cared for and redeemed, yet He appears not to redeem His own "poor". Judah in exile were major sinners, as Ezekiel makes clear. But the psalmist likes to compare them to innocent dove. See on :18.

Psalm 74:20

Honour Your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land- This fails to appreciate the clear teaching of Hosea, Jeremiah and Ezekiel to the exiles; that they had broken the old covenant, and their only hope was to repent and accept the new covenant which was offered. But this wonderful "hope of Israel" fell on deaf ears, because they were so obsessed with a return to how things had been, under the same covenant which was now broken.

Psalm 74:21

Don’t let the oppressed return ashamed; let the poor and needy praise Your name-

David had felt "oppressed" whilst in exile from Saul (s.w. Ps. 9:9; 10:18), and his Psalms show him to have been the "poor and needy" who was ever praising Yahweh's Name (s.w. Ps. 40:17; 70:5). David is set up as the programmatic example for the exiles. But they had to follow his path of humility and repentance.

Psalm 74:22

Arise, God! Plead Your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks You all day-

The psalmist imagines God as in court, saying nothing and being judged by those who mocked Him. But this again reflects a lack of faith and understanding that God is the ultimate judge, and that finally "God is not mocked" (Gal. 6:7).

Psalm 74:23

Don’t forget the voice of Your adversaries; the tumult of those who rise up against You ascends continually-

The language used here (and in Ps. 65:7) is that used of the gathering of the Assyrian and Babylonian armies against Zion (Is. 13:4; 17:12,13; 25:5; Jer. 25:31). But God's word was to calm that, in order to reestablish His Kingdom.

Psalm 75

Psalm 75:1

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of Do Not Destroy. A Psalm by Asaph. A song-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

We give thanks to You, God. We give thanks, for Your Name is near. Men tell about Your wondrous works-

Literally, 'next to', 'neighbour / relative to'. This is how close God feels to the broken hearted and crushed; and conversely, how far He is from the self satisfied and self congratulatory, 'the strong' in secular terms. It is this feature of Yahweh which makes Him unique; no other God has this characteristic of 'nearness' (s.w. Dt. 4:7).

You are not alone, I am not alone; “For I am with you”. God is with us for us in His Son. Of course, we must draw near to Him (Ps. 73:28); and yet He is already near, not far from every one of us (Acts 17:27). David often speaks of drawing near to God, and yet he invites God to draw near to him (Ps. 69:18). Yet David also recognizes that God “is” near already (Ps. 75:1). I take all this to mean that like us, David recognized that God “is” near, and yet wished God to make His presence real to him. Truly can we pray David’s prayers. So often, prayer is described as coming near to God (Ps. 119:169 etc.)- and yet God “is” near already. Prayer, therefore, is a way of making us realize the presence of the God who is always present.

Psalm 75:2

When I choose the appointed time, I will judge blamelessly-

I suggest later in this Psalm that the initial application was to the Assyrian encirclement of Jerusalem at the time of Hezekiah. "The appointed time" is a phrase used about the feasts, and there is reason to believe that God delivered Jerusalem at Passover time. This was the "set time to favour Zion" (Ps. 102:13 s.w.).

Psalm 75:3

The earth and all its inhabitants quake. I firmly uphold its pillars. Selah-

"Inhabitants" of the earth / land quaking or "melting away" is the very phrase used about the inhabitants of Canaan melting away after the miracle at the Red Sea and its associated earthquakes (s.w. Ex. 15:15; Josh. 2:9,24). The implication that God was going to dramatically deliver His people, and then subdue the entire eretz promised to Abraham under them. Despite this quaking, the pillars of the land, as it were, would be held firm by God. His people would be preserved. But this great possibility and potential was not used by those who entered Canaan, nor was it used in Hezekiah's time; for instead of exalting Israel's God in the entire eretz, Hezekiah instead went the way of the surrounding nations.

Psalm 75:4

I said to the arrogant, Don’t boast!; I said to the wicked, Don’t lift up the horn-

This would refer to the proud, boastful words of Rabshakeh outside the walls of Jerusalem.

Psalm 75:5

Don’t lift up your horn on high, don’t speak with a stiff neck-

This is addressed to the entity which has "horns" which Yahweh would break (:10). The Assyrian enemy of Judah is depicted as a beast with horns, and this symbology continues throughout the Bible. The beast is the latter day Assyrian. The proud speaker would likely refer to Rabshakeh speaking loudly and proudly about the failure of Israel's God to save from the Assyrians. This rebuke of the Assyrian was uttered on God's behalf by the faithful remnant within Jerusalem at that time.

Psalm 75:6

For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the south, comes exaltation-

The implication therefore is that exaltation to safety and deliverance comes from the "north", literally "the hidden place", put here for "God". Another take is that the Psalm may have been written or applied to the time when Jerusalem was surrounded by the Assyrian armies. They had approached from the north. There was no good looking for help to come from the other points of the compass. All the nations to whom Judah had looked for help would not deliver her. "Exaltation" is used by David in Ps. 18:48 to mean deliverance from enemies.

Psalm 75:7

But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another-

God right now puts down one and lifts up another– all of which He will also due at the last day (Lk. 14:10 alludes here). The essence of judgment is ongoing now; “we make the answer now”. God’s present judgment is often paralleled with His future judgment. Thus “The Lord shall judge the people... God judges [now] the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day... he will whet his sword; he has [right now]bent his bow, and made it ready.” (Ps. 7:8,11-13). We are come now “to God the judge of all” (Heb. 12:23); God is now enthroned as judge (Ps. 93:2; Mt. 5:34 “the heaven is God’s throne”). We are now inescapably in God’s presence (Ps. 139:2); and ‘God’s presence’ is a phrase used about the final judgment in 2 Thess. 1:9; Jude 24; Rev. 14:10.

Psalm 75:8

For in the hand of Yahweh there is a cup, full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours it out; indeed the wicked of the earth drink and drink it to its very dregs-

This may have originated in David's thoughts about Saul, then reapplied to David's need for salvation from Absalom and Ahithophel, but, it becomes the intended appeal of the exiles for deliverance from Babylon, then Haman, and indeed from all their captors. "The wicked of the earth" is the term used for the Babylonians in Ez. 7:21. The imagery of Babylon being given a cup of wine to drink as judgment is developed in the later prophets.

Taking the cup of wine is a double symbol: of blessing (1 Cor. 10:16; 11:25), and of condemnation (Ps. 60:3; 75:8; Is. 51:17; Jer. 25:15; Rev. 14:10; 16:19). Why this use of a double symbol? Surely the Lord designed this sacrament in order to highlight the two ways which are placed before us by taking that cup: it is either to our blessing, or to our condemnation. Each breaking of bread is a further stage along one of those two roads.

Psalm 75:9

But I will declare this forever: I will sing praises to the God of Jacob-

Eternal praise to the God who saved spiritually weak Jacob is how David perceived eternity. "Declaring" or showing forth praise of God's ways is what David did in this life (Ps. 71:17,18; 92:2,15 and often). But he imagines himself doing so "forever" (Ps. 75:9). This is an example of how we can live the eternal life now, acting now as we shall eternally do in the Kingdom. It is in this sense that the Lord Jesus in John's gospel offers eternal life right now; even though we shall die and only enter eternity at the resurrection of the body.

Psalm 75:10

I will cut off all the horns of the wicked, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up-

The power of Assyria and Israel's enemies generally has been likened to a wild beast, with the particular "horn" of :4,5 referring to Rabshakeh speaking loudly and proudly about the failure of Israel's God to save from the Assyrians. So the beast with many horns of later prophecy is envisaged here- as the Assyrian or Babylonian invader, with the various members of their coalitions as the horns. The idea of the horn of the righteous being exalted is used about what David envisaged happening for God's people in this life (s.w. Ps. 148:14), although the final fulfilment was to be at the last day, when the horn of the wicked is cut off (Ps. 75:10). But there are potential foretastes of the last day in this life. Jeremiah appears to struggle with the Psalms which taught that the horn of the righteous would be lifted up, lamenting that instead the horn of their enemies had been lifted up (s.w. Lam. 2:17). The truth was that the horn of God's people would only be lifted up if they were identified with the lifting up of the horn which was Messiah (Ps. 89:17,24). And because this didn't happen, their horn was not exalted.

Despite his undoubted physique stamina, David was a broken man, even quite early in his life, prone to fits of introspection; dramatic mood-swings (cp. 1 Sam. 24:14 with 25:6,22,34;), sometimes appearing a real 'softie' toward all men, ever reflecting God's grace; but hard as nails at others (consider Ps. 75:10 and the whole of Ps. 101); easily getting carried away: be it with excessive emotional enthusiasm for bringing the ark back, in his harsh response to Hanun humbling his servants, his over-hasty and emotional decision to let Amnon go to Absalom's feast when it was obvious what might well transpire, his anger " flaring up" because of incompetency (2 Sam. 11:20 NIV) etc.

Psalm 76

Psalm 76:1

For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm by Asaph. A song-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

Note how the restoration Psalm Ps. 76:1-5 speaks in the prophetic perfect of a great battle at Jerusalem which Yahweh would win. Perhaps this speaks of the same battle spoken of in Ez. 38, which could have come true in God's prophetic program, had the people rebuilt the city as they should have done.

In Judah God is known, His name is great in Israel-

This is one of the many passages where God emphasizes the essential unity of Israel and Judah through the device of parallelism. Here Judah and Israel are paralleled, and therefore making His Name great is paralleled with knowing Him. To know God is to have a relationship with Him which issues in glorifying His Name. The idea may be that God's Name is being made great, i.e. praised, because God has made Himself known by a great deliverance of Judah- probably referring to the destruction of the Assyrian invaders in Hezekiah's time. I have noted throughout the Psalms that there is sometimes a pairing of Psalms, and Ps. 75 is clearly in the same context.

Psalm 76:2

His tabernacle is also in Salem; His dwelling place in Zion-

"Salem" is used for "Jerusalem" because the idea was that now the temple was in peace, now that the Assyrians had been destroyed.

Psalm 76:3

There He broke the flaming arrows of the bow, the shield and the sword and the weapons of war. Selah-

Not an arrow was shot by the Assyrians in Zion (Is. 37:33); for "there" they were destroyed by just one Angel slaying 185,000 soldiers. "Arrows" here can be translated "lightnings". So the idea may be that God destroyed all the fearsome weaponry which struck fear into the hearts of the Israelites.

Psalm 76:4

Glorious are You and excellent, more than mountains of game-

"Mountains" may be an intensive plural for the one great mountain, Zion, where in the temple treasuries the "prey" ("game") of booty from the destroyed Assyrian army was laid up. But far beyond that was the glory which God brought to Himself by the defeat of the Assyrians. And for this, Yahweh was to be "feared" or 'made glorious' by the surrounding Gentiles (s.w. :7).

Psalm 76:5

Valiant men lie plundered-

Plundered by the inhabitants of Zion coming out to strip the corpses of the 185,000 soldiers slain by the Angel.

They have slept their last sleep. None of the men of war can lift their hands-

The judgment of these Gentiles is presented as an eternal sleep. Death was therefore understood by the psalmist as unconsciousness, and eternal death was the punishment of these people rather than eternal conscious torment.

Psalm 76:6

At Your rebuke, God of Jacob, both chariot and horse are cast into a deep sleep-

This is the language of the victory at the Red Sea ["rebuke... chariot and horse... cast... the deep"], but it is reapplied to the Assyrian defeat. The psalmist perceives a continuity in God's actions. And as noted on :5, the judgment of the invaders was eternal sleep, unconsciousness rather than any idea of conscious torment.

Psalm 76:7

You, even You, are to be feared. Who can stand in Your sight when You are angry?-

"Feared" is s.w. "excellent" in :4. Yahweh was to be "feared" or 'made glorious' by the surrounding Gentiles; but instead, Hezekiah fraternized with them and accepted their gods, rather than bringing them to fear Israel's God, knowing that they must make peace with Him rather than face His anger.

Psalm 76:8

You pronounced judgment from heaven: the earth feared and was silent-

A reference to the judgment from heaven being operationalized by one Angel going forth from heaven to slay the 185,000 Assyrian soldiers encircling Jerusalem. The intention was that the entire eretz promised to Abraham would fear God and be silent before Him because of this. But Hezekiah tragically failed to make use of that potential. The kingdom prophecies in earlier Isaiah could have come to fulfilment in him, in some form; but he would not.

Psalm 76:9

when God arose to judgment, to save all the afflicted ones of the earth. Selah-

The judgment of the Assyrians was a saving of the "afflicted ones". It was a foretaste of the day when God shall finally arise in judgment, and the afflicted / meek shall eternally inherit the earth (Ps. 37:11,29 s.w.). Is. 11:4 spoke of how the Messianic king would judge the abusers of "the meek / afflicted ones of the earth" (s.w.). This "Kingdom" prophecy could have come true in Hezekiah's time, but he sadly was happy to have 15 years to enjoy himself in mortal life, and turned away from the Kingdom potential.

Psalm 76:10

Surely the wrath of man praises You. The survivors of Your wrath are restrained-

The idea may be that after the outpouring of wrath, those who survive it will praise Yahweh. This is what the prophetic intention was for the aftermath of the destruction of the Assyrians and later, after the fall of Babylon. But Hezekiah and later the exiles let the baton drop and didn't fulfil the potential. The whole scenario was reapplied and rescheduled to the last days. "Restrained" is the usual word for "girded", and it parallel with "praises You"; so the idea may be an allusion to the metaphor of being 'girded with praise'.

Psalm 76:11

Make vows to Yahweh your God, and fulfil them!-

An invitation to the surrounding nations to enter into covenant relationship with Yahweh as their God.

Let all of His neighbours bring presents to Him who is to be feared-

This was fulfilled at Hezekiah's time, but Hezekiah misused this and didn't bring those neighbours to Israel's God as was prophetically intended.

Psalm 76:12

He will cut off the spirit of princes, He is feared by the kings of the land-

AV "He is terrible to the kings...". A primary reference to the likes of Sennacherib and Rabshakeh with the princes of Assyria who were with the Assyrian army when it was destroyed.

Psalm 77

Psalm 77:1

For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by Asaph-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help, and for Him to listen to me- This Psalm is similar to Hab. 3, which is a lament of God's apparent inaction at the time of the Babylonian devastation of Judah, and the context may be the same here. And there was the same sense that God wasn't hearing prayer.

Psalm 77:2

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. My hand was stretched out in the night, and didn’t retract. My soul refused to be comforted-

The intention of David's Psalms were to share his experience of God's grace and salvation with others. The idea is 'May this be true for you as it was for me'. And this is really the basis of all our witness. It was David who had been answered in his 'days of trouble', and set on high (Ps. 20:1). His desire was fulfilled- for this verse of the Psalm clearly was reapplied to the "day of trouble" of the Assyrian invasion (s.w. Is. 37:3) and also to the Babylonian traumas of the exiles (s.w. Jer. 16:19; 30:7; Nah. 1:7; Hab. 3:16). See on Ex. 25:8.

"Troubles" is the word used of Jacob's time of trouble (Gen. 35:3; Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1). David's experience of trouble was representative of how the exiles and all God's people could ultimately follow the path of Jacob to deliverance out of exile and from his strong enemies. But in Ps. 71:20 David sees his deliverance from the day of trouble as ultimately being in the resurrection of the body, being 'brought up again from the depths of the earth'.

Psalm 77:3

I remember God, and I groan-

This is the word used of the exiles groaning and apparently getting no relief (Is. 59:11). The Psalm may have begun with David expressing his groaning to God (s.w. Ps. 42:11; 43:5). But the truth was that God likewise groaned for the suffering of His people (s.w. Jer. 31:20).

I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed. Selah-

As noted above, this may have begun as a Psalm recording how David complained (s.w. Ps. 55:17) and felt overwhelmed (s.w. Ps. 61:2; 142:3; 143:4). It becomes the basis for how Habakkuk likewise 'complained' (see on :1) regarding the Babylonian dominance of Judah.

Psalm 77:4

You hold my eyelids open. I am so troubled that I can’t speak-

In deep sickness or depression it can simply be that we find formal, verbalized prayer impossible. Ps. 77:4 speaks of this: "I am so troubled that I cannot speak" (formally, to God). It's in those moments that comfort can be taken from the fact that it is our spirit which is mediated as it were to God. Tribulation is read as prayer- hence even the Lord's suffering on the cross, "the affliction of the afflicted", was read by the Father as the Lord Jesus 'crying unto' the Father (Ps. 22:24). This is sure comfort to those so beset by illness and physical pain that they lack the clarity of mind to formally pray- their very affliction is read by the Father as their prayer.

We must enquire why the Psalmist felt so troubled and overwhelmed when thinking about God and meditating upon the present exile of His people. The answer may be in that he perceived that all this had come upon them for their sins, and restoration would only come from repentance; which seemed very far from the exiles. He comes to realize that they should cease bemoaning their lot, and accept what the prophetic explanation for their sufferings- they had grievously sinned. This would explain why upon thinking about these things, he feels unable to talk to God, just as Daniel felt when realizing the same things.

Psalm 77:5

I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times-

The psalmist has realized that the exile is due to the sin of his people, and the full enormity of it now dawns upon him (see on :4). But he considers God's saving hand in history, and takes comfort from the fact that God still acts for His people even when they are far from Him and impenitent. His purpose is not ultimately thwarted by human sin.

Psalm 77:6

I remember my song in the night. I consider in my own heart; my spirit diligently inquires-

This may preface a quotation from one of his songs of the night, which we have in :7-9. And in that song he asks the questions we too have done at times: Will God's whole salvation project with humanity be declared a failure because of the persistent human propensity to sin and reject Him?

Psalm 77:7

Will the Lord reject us forever? Will He no more be gracious?-

The questions of :7-9 are perhaps rhetorical questions, intentionally begging the answers "No!". His "song in the night" (see on :6) which we have in :7-9 was not therefore a song of doubt, but rather of praise, confident that God will not reject His people, and that His grace is eternal- as the Psalms elsewhere celebrate.

Psalm 77:8

Has His grace vanished forever? Does His promise fail for generations?-

God's grace is eternal (s.w. Ps. 18:50; 52:8). His promises will not fail (Dt. 31:6,8; 1 Kings 8:25; Ps. 89:33). The answer was "of course not". Jeremiah finally came to accept, even in the ruins of Jerusalem, that His purpose would not fail (Lam. 3:22). And this "song in the night" of this psalmist is saying the same.

Psalm 77:9

Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He, in anger, withheld His compassion? Selah-

As explained on :6, the questions of :7-9 were not doubts, but rather rhetorical questions which were answered with a resounding "No!" each time. The connection with Hab. 3 (see on :1) is in the conclusion that in anger God remembers mercy (Hab. 3:2).

Psalm 77:10

Then I thought, I will appeal to this: the years of the right hand of the Most High-

The Hebrew is difficult, but the sense seems to be that the appeal or prayer of the psalmist will result in as the LXX puts it "the change of the right hand of the Most High". God is open to change, He is highly responsive to human prayer and repentance; and that was exactly what was needed to bring about the restoration of Judah.

Psalm 77:11

I will remember Yah’s deeds; for I will remember Your wonders of old-

Asaph lived at the time of the restoration (Ezra 2:41). All his Psalms draw on the past dealings of God with His people and encourage them on this basis to make the wilderness journey back  to the land, just as they had done at the Exodus. As explained earlier on this Psalm, God's wonders of old were in that He had worked with an impenitent and apostate people, towards their salvation. This is the wonder of His history with men, and it is this history which is developed in Ps. 78. I suggest that again we have a pairing of the Psalms, here of Psalms 77 and 78. The salvation history outlined in Ps. 78 is a development of this theme of Ps. 77. Hence Ps. 77:20 ends with Israel being led as a flock, and Ps. 78 continues this theme.

Psalm 77:12

I will also meditate on all Your work, and consider Your doings-

As in Ps. 143:5, the Divine work and doings being considered are His historical grace to His people. For all His work for Israel was by grace, seeing that for the most part they didn't strongly believe in Him and were unfaithful to His covenant; and yet He had still worked for them so mightily, towards their salvation.

Psalm 77:13

Your way, God, is in the sanctuary-

This is the same phrase as in Is. 35:8 "The way of holiness", the path back to Zion which God would create for those who wanted to travel it. So "in" could as well be "to".

What god is great like God?-

The uniqueness of Yahweh, in the context, is that He continues to work for His sinful people by grace, doing great things for them; whereas pagan gods were thought to disown their people for any disloyalty.

Psalm 77:14

You are the God who does wonders-

The wonders in the context are God's desire to continue working with His people even when they are grossly disloyal to Him. It is the wonder of His grace which is in view, and not just His material miracles.

You have made Your strength known among the peoples-

God's strength was declared at the exodus (s.w. Ex. 15:2,13) and the surrounding nations knew this, as witnessed by Rahab's words to the spies. The redemption from Babylon was intended to have the same effect, resulting in the surrounding nations 'knowing' Yahweh as their God. But this didn't happen, for Judah didn't repent, most of them remained in Babylon and refused their great redemption, and continued worshipping the local gods.

Psalm 77:15

You have redeemed Your people with Your arm, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah-

This reference to both Judah and the ten tribes, "Ephraim and Manasseh", reflects the prophetic intention for the regathering of both kingdoms from captivity. Tragically, the ten tribes didn't respond, and most of Judah preferred Babylon to Zion. God's "arm" redeemed them all from Egypt, despite their worshipping of idols and carrying of the tabernacle of their idols through the desert. And that arm was potentially outstretched to redeem them from Babylon. "Redemption" is a major theme of the prophecies of the restoration in later Isaiah.

Psalm 77:16

The waters saw You, God, the waters saw You, and they writhed, the depths also convulsed-

The miraculous redemption of Israel from Egypt could have been the prototype for the restoration of the exiles from Babylon. This point is frequently made in later Isaiah. But the restoration wasn't accompanied by such miracles; because most of Judah didn't want to participate, and remained in Babylon. This is a frequent tragedy in God's dealing with us all; such huge Divine potentials are wasted by human indifference and shortsightedness. The waters of the Red Sea are spoken of as living entities, because those "waters" are intended to be understood as representing the nations who would have fled before God's saving purpose of restoring His people to their land.

It is also possible to understand the apparent "living" nature of the waters because there is an "Angel of the waters" (Rev. 16:5). That a specific Angel controls “the waters” in an area is also implied by the way flood waters are described as praising God (Ps. 42:8; 148:7), water trembling at God’s presence (Ps. 77:17; Hab. 3:10), and the deep waters mourning (Ez. 31:15). These figures of speech may in fact be based upon the real existence of a personal “Angel of the waters”.

Psalm 77:17

The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder, Your arrows also flashed around-

This continues the description of what happened at the Red Sea, although the historical record doesn't much mention the thunder, lightning and theophany which was experienced, according to this and other later descriptions of what happened (e.g. Ps. 77:17,18; 97:4). The clouds pouring out water also recalls the flood; as if the judgment upon Egypt would likewise be seen upon Babylon. But Babylon fell only very slowly, and not in the dramatic, miraculous way envisaged in the prophecies of the fall of Babylon. This was again because the Divine potential wasn't realized because the exiles didn't repent and most actually chose to remain in Babylon.

Psalm 77:18

The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind, the lightnings lit up the world, the earth trembled and shook-

The driving back of the Red Sea, and its return, is explained in Exodus by a "wind" (Ex. 14:21). But here we find that the wind was in fact a whirlwind, associated with an earthquake and lightnings- all language of a theophany.

Psalm 77:19

Your way was through the sea, Your paths through the great waters; Your footsteps were not known-

The allusion is to the way that there are no footsteps seen in water. God's ways are known by their effect, but the process is often not discernible. "Footsteps" is literally "heels"; the reference is to Gen. 3:15. The seed of the serpent was being trodden underfoot in primary fulfilment of that prophecy. It was Israel who walked through the great waters, but the waters returned and there was no trace of their passage. This speaks of the apparent mystery of God's ways; Jn. 3:8 may even allude here.

Psalm 77:20

You led Your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron-

The flock of Israel were led by the hand of an Angel, but that Angel articulated its activity through men. And it is the same today. God's hand is manifest through our hand. As explained earlier on this Psalm, God's wonders of old were in that He had worked with an impenitent and apostate people, towards their salvation. This is the wonder of His history with men, and it is this history which is developed in Ps. 78. I suggest that again we have a pairing of the Psalms, here of Psalms 77 and 78. The salvation history outlined in Ps. 78 is a development of this theme of Ps. 77. Hence Ps. 77:20 ends with Israel being "led" as a flock, and Ps. 78 continues this theme (Ps. 78:14,53 s.w.).

Psalm 78

Psalm 78:1

A contemplation by Asaph-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

Asaph lived at the time of the restoration (Ezra 2:41). All his Psalms draw on the past dealings of God with His people and encourage them on this basis to make the wilderness journey back  to the land, just as they had done at the Exodus. Asaph says he will “utter hidden things…what our fathers have told us…we will not hide them from their children” (:2,4 NIV). He speaks as if these things had been known by the fathers but not repeated to Asaph’s generation, and now Asaph as a teaching priest was going to teach them to the present generation. This would imply that after initially pining for Zion, the Jewish community in Babylon got on with life and forget their historical roots; for “the things” of which the Psalm speaks are a recounting of the covenant history of God with His people. In this context Asaph reminds them that Yahweh had chosen Zion for His temple (:60,68), and now at the restoration “The Lord awoke from sleep, as a man wakes” (:65). Asaph warns them that He has “rejected the tents of Joseph, he did not chose the tribe of Ephraim” (i.e. the 10 tribe Kingdom had been scattered and were not returning at that time), but he chose the tribe of Judah”. The final verses must surely be read as prophetic perfect, i.e. speaking about what was going to happen as if it had: “He beat back his enemies, he put them to everlasting shame…He built his sanctuary…he chose David his servant (the same phrase recurs in Ezekiel’s temple prophecies)… and David shepherded them with integrity of heart” (:67-72). It could have been so that the surrounding Arab enemies of Judah were eternally destroyed (this has never yet happened, so it can’t be describing a previous historical event), the temple built on Zion, and a David-like Messiah appeared. This was potentially possible; but it wasn’t to be. The people preferred to live in ignorance of Asaph’s appeal to their previous history.

Hear my teaching, my people; turn your ears to the words of my mouth-

The initial author of this Psalm appears to be David, at the time when the sanctuary was moved from Shiloh in Ephraim (Josh. 18:1) to Zion in the tribe of Judah. The Psalm emphasizes the rejection of Ephraim, the largest tribe; and the historical account finishes with David. This suggests at best it was written by Solomon, or in his time; but most of the Psalms appear to have originated with David. There is a political pretext to it, however- which is to underline that Judah is the royal tribe and not Ephraim, which was the largest tribe. And the king of the kingdom is to be David and his line, not anyone else. In this opening verse, David appeals to "my people" to accept his appeal to accept him as their king, and his interpretation of the history of Ephraim and Judah.

Psalm 78:2

I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings of old-

What follows is a salvation history of Israel. History is a riddle or parable, but it is uttered or revealed by appreciating that it is really a reflection of God's desire to save and show grace to His sinful people. This is the ultimate interpretation of human history.

Psalm 78:3

which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us-

The idea may be that David is going to reveal the riddle of the historical stories which Israel had heard and known from their fathers (:2).

Psalm 78:4

We will not hide them from their children-

LXX "They were not hid from their children to a second generation; the fathers declaring the praises of the Lord".

Telling to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh, His strength, and His wondrous works that He has done- As explained on Ps. 77, the intention of Israel's history is to reveal Yahweh's amazing grace and patience to such a weak and sinful people. His strength was in His grace. The great physical miracles were noteworthy even moreso for their revelation of God's grace unto salvation.

Psalm 78:5

For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a teaching in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children-

This was to be the lead characteristic of the family of Abraham; the true seed would make known God's teaching to their children (Gen. 18:18). Even in Old Testament times, the basic idea of spreading God’s ways was implicit in God’s commands, although each time it seems to have met with resistance. Adam and Eve were to multiply and fill the earth, but it seems they didn’t even have intercourse , or at least Eve wasn’t pregnant, before they sinned. Noah was given the same command after the flood, but the next we know he is lying there dead drunk. And the incident at Babel shows that effectively, his children had not taken seriously the command to spread throughout the earth. Israel were to be a missionary nation, but they so evidently failed in this. The law given to Israel was intended to be a “testimony”, a witness, as the Hebrew word implies. By living out that law, Israel were to have been a witness to the world, a light to the Gentiles (Ps. 78:5). The prophets are full of invitations for the whole ends of the earth to turn to Israel’s God, yet the nation produced few real missionaries.

Psalm 78:6

that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children-

David is saying that "we" (:4), he and his descendants, would continue declaring God's mighty acts to their children. But he is building up to a contrast with the descendants of Ephraim, whom he will insist had forgotten God's mighty acts, implying they had not taught them to their children. David is correct in viewing attitudes to teaching children as a highly significant indicator as to whether we are the seed of Abraham (Gen. 18:18). But his own house / family was not right with God either, so it seems David is madly pressing ahead with a line of reasoning to justify the establishment of his family line and tribe before God, rather than that of Ephraim, the largest tribe.

Psalm 78:7

that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments-

David often takes strength from God's previous deliverances to cope with whatever he was now facing (Ps. 61:3). This may sound natural, but in fact it isn't; because we are inclined to forget the great things He has done for us, as Israel did in the desert.

Psalm 78:8

and might not be as their fathers-

To condemn and differ from your fathers was a radically counter-cultural position in David's world.

A stubborn and rebellious generation-

The "stubborn and rebellious" were to have been disciplined and rejected from the family (s.w. Dt. 21:18). But lack of obedience to this led to the attitudes of youth becoming the hallmark of an entire generation, as we see today. The grace of it all is seen in how God gave gifts and His Spirit to His people "to the rebellious also" (Ps. 68:18 s.w.), that He might dwell among  them. Israel both before (Is. 1:23; Jer. 5:23) and after the exile (Is. 65:2) were rebellious. David's hope for his natural seed wasn't realized.

A generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was not steadfast with God-

The heart and the spirit are clearly paralleled here. The gift of a holy spirit is therefore the gift of a psychology, an attitude of heart, which is what we all so desperately need. Yet here, the essence of their rebellion was in their hearts. "Steadfast" is s.w. "established" in the promise to David about his kingdom being established by God (2 Sam. 7:16). The idea is that they did not allow their heart or spirit to be established / stabilized by God; the same word is translated "nurse" (2 Sam. 4:4). He is willing and eager to confirm the hearts of men; but that generation didn't allow Him to do so. The word is also translated 'to have faith', and in this sense faith is also not of ourselves, but is the gift of God to those who want it (Eph. 2:8).

Psalm 78:9

The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle-

The idea is that they had the weapons, the potential, but turned back. It is our wasting of Divine potential which is indeed so grievous. But what is the historical reference? There appears to be none, unless Ephraim's general failure to drive out the Canaanites is referenced. But that was true for many of the tribes. There is a reference to some individual Ephraimites being defeated by the Philistines of Gath (1 Chron. 7:20-22). David instead gloriously conquered the Philistine of Gath, Goliath. I suggest that David is slanting history to present Ephraim as far more sinful than Judah, to justify his moving the ark from Shiloh in Ephraim (Josh. 18:1) to Jerusalem in Judah. He is painting Ephraim's failures as of a far worse nature than those of Judah and the rest of Israel- in order to establish his point, that he and his tribe had been chosen. Twisting the incident in 1 Chron. 7 as if it involved all Ephraim is typical of this. Indeed God did choose David and his line. But that didn't need David or Solomon to justify it by presenting themselves as righteous and the rest of Israel as so deeply unworthy and sinful. Likewise our salvation is by the grave of Divine election, but that doesn't mean that we have to pull down others to demonstrate our own worthiness.

The observation has been made that :8 and :10 flow on together and the rhythm of the passage is interrupted by :9; as if this history of God's grace with His people has been used by David or Solomon and had had the rhetoric against Ephraim crudely inserted into it at various points, in order to justify David's line. See on :17.

Psalm 78:10

They didn’t keep God’s covenant, and refused to walk in His law-

This is presented as at variance with the lead characteristic of the seed of Abraham, which was to keep and teach the covenant to others (:5); and which David is insisting he and his line will do.

Psalm 78:11

They forgot His doings, His wondrous works that He had shown them-

The contrast is with :4, where the true seed of Abraham are to declare "His wondrous works" and not forget them. Our attitudes to teaching God's ways to our children and others remains the litmus test of being within the covenant (see on :5).

Psalm 78:12

He did marvellous things in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan-

LXX "In the plain of Tanes", which was the capital of Egypt, where Pharaoh's palace was, where Moses and Aaron did the miracles. The "fathers" have been defined in :8 as disbelieving. Yet despite this, they experienced miracles and deliverance (:13). Again the idea is that the rebellious were delivered by grace, and the mystery of history is that God has repeatedly saved the undeserving.

Psalm 78:13

He split the sea, and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand as a heap-

LXX "he made the waters to stand as in a bottle". This great deliverance looks forward to Christian baptism (1 Cor. 10:1). This great salvation was to the "fathers" (:12), who have been defined in :8 as disbelieving. So this then refers to a salvation by grace. It was of God's 'causing' that they passed through; for they were fearful and seemed to prefer death or return to Egypt, than passing through the waters. Our salvation likewise is of God's causing (see on :8).

Psalm 78:14

In the daytime He also led them with a cloud, and all night with a light of fire-

I suggest that again we have a pairing of the Psalms, here of Psalms 77 and 78. The salvation history outlined in Ps. 78 is a development of this theme of Ps. 77. Hence Ps. 77:20 ends with Israel being "led" as a flock, and Ps. 78 continues this theme (Ps. 78:14,53 s.w.).

Psalm 78:15

He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths-

The generosity of God to those disbelieving 'fathers' is emphasized. They were fed to the full, and given abundant water, which tasted like cool water springing up from the depths of the earth. The splitting of the Red Sea (:13 s.w.)continued in essence, with the daily splitting of the rock, as it were, from which their water source flowed. God's redemptive action was not only seen in bringing us from the world (Egypt) to the waters of baptism and onto the Kingdom path; but that same activity is in fact a daily occurrence.

Psalm 78:16

He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers-

The verbs in this section speak of the incessant activity of God; splitting, causing, bringing forth, leading, feeding, giving to drink. And this same level of hyperactivity is going in our lives as we are led towards the Kingdom after accepting baptism.

Psalm 78:17

Yet they still went on sinning against Him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert-

The "they" in the context is Ephraim (:9). But these were the sins of the majority of Israel. So it would appear that David is painting Ephraim as bad as possible, blaming them for Israel's sins in the desert, in an attempt to justify his own kingdom of Judah. And yet as noted on :7, it could be argued that we have here in this Psalm a salvation history of Israel, into which has been inserted rhetoric against Ephraim. That rhetoric inserted in :9 then throws the rest of the Psalm out of kilter; because fairly obviously, we are reading here in this section of the general sins of Israel in the desert, rather than of Ephraim alone.

Psalm 78:18

They put God to the test in their heart by asking food according to their lust-

The Psalms, along with the entire Biblical record, emphasize the importance of the heart. Their request for food was a testing of God in their hearts. Spiritual mindedness is of the essence; the theme of the spirit is therefore very major in the New Testament. But it reflects the emphasis of the Old Testament upon the huge significance of the human heart and thinking. This was in radical contrast to the way in which religions of the time focused purely upon the external.

Psalm 78:19

Yes, they spoke against God. They said, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?-

This happened to David when fleeing from Absalom, when a kind supporter gave David a feast in the wilderness, as he celebrates in Ps. 23. Perhaps a later hand [Solomon?] has included this in order to present David as the believer, compared to Ephraim.

Psalm 78:20

Behold, He struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Will He provide flesh for His people?-

LXX "or prepare a table for his people". See on :19. The idea seems to be that they tested God (:18) by challenging Him to not merely produce food but a feast for them in the desert. Their argument was that producing gushing water from the rock was but a minor miracle; but could He produce flesh and bread? This was asked without faith (:23), not as a request, but as a reflection of their cynical lack of trust and faith.

Psalm 78:21

Therefore Yahweh heard, and was angry. A fire was kindled against Jacob, anger also went up against Israel-

The reference is to the burning of God's wrath at Taberah. If the "they" in the previous verses is intended to refer to Ephraim (as the flow of the grammar from :9 suggests it does), then David is trying to wrongly blame Israel's misfortunes upon Ephraim. This was an exaggeration and reflects David by all means marshalling all possible excuses for making his Judah the lead tribe rather than Ephraim.

Psalm 78:22 because they didn’t believe in God, and didn’t trust in His salvation-

Although God opened the doors of Heaven to rain manna upon Israel, they “trusted not in his salvation”. The manna, as in John 6, became a symbol of their salvation; and yet the repetitious ordinariness of it all meant they missed the point. Every time we read God’s word, take again the bread of Heaven each week, the more familiar we are with it, the more likelihood there is that this can happen to us.

Psalm 78:23

Yet He commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven-

The "yet" continues the theme of God's grace. Although they didn't believe nor trust (:22), yet God poured His gifts upon them. The "command" was to the Angels, who produced the food (:25).

Psalm 78:24

He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them food from the sky-

LXX "The bread of heaven", a phrase clearly alluded to by the Lord Jesus concerning Himself, and used by Him to represent God's salvation. This was rained upon them; just as the water was abundant and the food fully satisfied them. This amazing outpouring of grace was given although they didn't believe nor trust (:22), and this was the background to God's gift of His Son, "the bread of heaven".

Psalm 78:25

Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food to the full-

See on :29. The bread was created by the Angels, who had been commanded to bring it for Israel (see on :23). But the word translated "angels" here is not malak. It rather means 'the mighty ones'. It parallels "food to the full"; they were given a feast, fit for the great and mighty. Such was God's grace to those who didn't believe in Him (:22) and mocked whether He could provide any more than free water (:21).

Psalm 78:26

He caused the east wind to blow in the sky, by His power He guided the south wind-

The idea may be that the quails were blown in by a south easterly wind. He had likewise caused the east wind to operate in bringing locusts upon Egypt and in causing the miracle at the Red Sea. The Hebrew idea of "spirit" and "wind" is connected, and God makes His Angels winds (Ps. 104:4). Clearly He was using Angels to bring about these miracles with winds; see on :23.

Psalm 78:27

He rained also flesh on them as the dust-

The raining down of quails was again typically generous, just as the water was abundant, the food fully satisfied them "to the full" (:25).

Winged birds as the sand of the seas-

Appropriate, seeing that the seed of Abraham were to be as the sand of the sea and dust of the land. Clearly there was here a reference to the primary fulfilment of the promises to Abraham. It was always a case of 'now but not yet'; all God's plans for salvation have some primary fulfilment in this life.

Psalm 78:28

He let them fall in the midst of their camp, around their dwelling places-

Yet again God's grace is emphasized, because the quail dropped right next to their tents. They just had to pick them up and cook them, rather than having to wander around the desert picking them up. And this was all for those who refused to trust and believe in Him (:22) and mocked whether He could provide any more than free water (:21).

Psalm 78:29

So they ate, and were well filled; He gave them their own desire-

The complete satisfaction and filling of the Israelites was quite a theme (:25 also), looking forward to how the Lord's later feeding miracles left the people completely satisfied. It is a theme of the Bible that in essence, God gives men their own desires, just as the prodigal son was given what he wrongfully demanded. Here, Israel lusted (s.w. Num. 11:4) and God gave them what they lusted after. This is to point up the huge importance of our innermost desires, our heart, our dominant passions- being upon the things of God and His Kingdom. David could say that all his desire was for the things of God (s.w. Ps. 38:9; Is. 26:8). More than anything else we should desire to please Him and be in His Kingdom. And all who thus love the Lord's appearing will be eternally with Him (2 Tim. 4:8).

Psalm 78:30

They didn’t turn from their cravings. Their food was yet in their mouths-

Those who lusted for meat were given it; yet “they were not estranged from their lust” (AV).  Sin never satisfies. Giving in to temptation will not lead to the craving being permanently resolved.

Psalm 78:31

when the anger of God went up against them, killed some of their fattest, and struck down the young men of Israel-

Significantly, it was the "fattest" who complained about lack of food. God had not let them really suffer from lack of food. And it is those fat ones who are particularly recorded as being struck down. "Struck down" is often used in the sense of making to bow down in homage (s.w. Ps. 72:9; 95:6). Perhaps there is the hint that the younger ones repented.

Psalm 78:32

For all this they still sinned, and didn’t believe in His wondrous works-

Those "wondrous works" typically refer to God's saving miracles especially at the Red Sea. Despite being taught that God is for real, they refused to learn the lessons of their wonderful history. The problem was in their hearts, their attitude of mind deep within them. For Israel refused to be obedient, were stiff-necked, because they were "not mindful of Your wonders" (Neh. 9:17).

Psalm 78:33

Therefore He consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror-

LXX "anxiety". That vanity and anxiety which fills the lives of those who don't want God is in fact given by Him. Again we see evidence of God's ability to work directly upon human hearts, positively [by the Holy Spirit] and [in this case] negatively.

Psalm 78:34

When He slew them, then they inquired after Him; they relented and sought God earnestly-

This could refer to the time of the judges, but in :40 we are still as it were in the wilderness with Israel, so I suggest this refers to their occasional responses to God during the various judgments in the desert. But this earnest seeking of God was just for a moment as they faced judgment. For generally they did not seek Him (Rom. 3:11).

Psalm 78:35

They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer-

As noted on :34, this was but a passing awareness; for the wilderness generation, and Israel generally, did not remember God as their redeemer. "The most high God" could suggest that they believed in many gods, but in their desperate moments, recognized Yahweh as the "most high" of them all. And this was why they did not permanently have Yahweh as their only rock. Let us remember that Israel carried the tabernacle of their god Remphan through the desert as well as that of Yahweh.

Psalm 78:36

But they flattered Him with their mouth, and lied to Him with their tongue-

The language of flattery and deceit could suggest that God was so in love with them that He as it were restrained His omniscience, just as at times He restrains His omnipotence; in order to enter fully into relationship with His people, in real time (in human terms).

Psalm 78:37

For their heart was not right with Him, neither were they faithful in His covenant-

Faithfulness to the covenant is here presented as a matter of the heart, rather than ritualistic obedience and assent to bullet points of theology. This was the stuff of the idol cults; Yahweh sought an intimate relationship with the hearts of His worshippers.

Psalm 78:38

But He, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them-

There is no suggestion that He forgave them because they repented and remained penitent; to show mercy forgive iniquity is what God is good at, it is part of His fundamental character intrinsic to His Name (Ex. 34:4-6). It was all of grace and love and desperate desire to save them.

Yes, many times He turned His anger away, and didn’t stir up all His wrath-

This seems to suggest He Himself controlled His anger, Himself turning that anger away, rather than being like a pagan deity whose anger was appeased by blood sacrifice. God turned from His anger due to Moses' intercession (Ex. 32:12 s.w.), but this is not to say that He cannot in any case turn away His anger. Just as we may control our anger from within ourselves, or at other times we may do this because of the appeal of another to us, or because there is repentance from the one who provoked us. And there were times when this was the case with God (s.w. Num. 25:4; Josh. 7:26; 2 Chron. 12:12; 29:10; 30:8).

Psalm 78:39

He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again-

The impression is that God forgave them not because they repented- but because of His compassion, His remembering of His covenant with them [‘remember’ is often used of God in a covenant context], and simply because He recognized the frailty of their humanity. In other words, He forgave them because of His grace. We dare not allow this wonderful fact to work in us any sense of ease with sin, nor any shrugging off of the importance of repentance. But all the same, the grace of God is wonderful, and this grace is what we must show to others. And this means, forgiving without demanding specific repentance. Family life is full of the lesson that this is how we have to live if we are to live in peace with both God and men.

Psalm 78:40

How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert!-

God was and is so sensitive, hence He can be "grieved", broken hearted (s.w. Gen. 6:6), because of the behaviour of otherwise insignificant little people on the face of this planet. This extreme sensitivity is a function of His intense love. In the desert, Israel grieved God in that they grieved His Holy Spirit (s.w. Is. 63:10). This is quoted about us in the New Testament (Eph. 4:30). God wishes us to be saved, and the work of His Spirit is propelling us towards salvation. But we can resist it, and thereby we grieve the very saving heart of God.

Psalm 78:41

They turned around and put God to the test, and provoked the Holy One of Israel- God can do anything, He is omnipotent. But He chooses to limit His omnipotence in order to allow man total freewill. Therefore effectively, how far God will fulfil His purpose depends upon how far we are obedient to Him. Thus Israel limited the Holy One of Israel (Ps. 78:41 AV). Only at the return of the Lord Jesus will God 'take to Himself His great power' (Rev. 11:17)- which language of itself suggests that God has chosen to limit His omnipotence for the moment.

Asaph lived at the time of the restoration (Ezra 2:41). All his Psalms draw on the past dealings of God with His people and encourage them on this basis to make the wilderness journey back  to the land, just as they had done at the Exodus. It is this, an Asaph Psalm, that warns Israel about the danger of limiting what God is potentially prepared to do for His people. The refusal of the exiles to participate in the restoration was the parade example of this.

Psalm 78:42

They didn’t remember His hand, nor the day when He redeemed them from the adversary-

This is in contrast to how the true seed of Abraham were to remember the Red Sea deliverance and teach it to their children (:4,5). Israel kept their Passovers throughout the wilderness years, one would assume- but they never remembered the day that God brought them out of Egypt (Ps. 78:42)- although notice how although Israel didn't remember God, yet He remembered them in His grace (Ps. 106:7, 45). We can read of the cross, of the utter certainty of our salvation, sing and speak of it; and yet totally fail to personally realize the powerful imperatives which abound in this wonderful news.

We can so easily be like Israel, who (presumably, under Moses) kept the Passover throughout their forty years in the wilderness; but never in all that time remembered the day that the Lord brought them forth from Egypt (Ps. 78:42). Yet this was what the Passover was intended for, to remind them of that day of their redemption! They kept the Passover, but never really grasped what it was all about; they never really remembered that day of salvation, they forgot the wonder of their redemption and the future direction which it should have imparted to their lives. And so we can so easily break bread without due attention to the real import of the cross.

Psalm 78:43

how He set His signs in Egypt, His wonders in the field of Zoan-

LXX "In the plain of Tanes", which was the capital of Egypt, where Pharaoh's palace was, where Moses and Aaron did the miracles. The "wonders" were not simply the miracles of the plagues, but the fact that this was done to deliver "the fathers" (:12) who have been defined in :8 as disbelieving. Yet despite this, they experienced miracles and deliverance (:13). Again the idea is that the rebellious were delivered by grace, and the mystery of history is that God has repeatedly saved the undeserving.

Psalm 78:44

He turned their rivers and streams into blood so that they could not drink-

The plagues upon Egypt are cited here in the context of a history of Israel which emphasizes His grace to His people. This is the lens through which we must view the plagues upon Egypt. They were intended to be part of God's saving plan, both for His people and also for those Egyptians who were provoked by them to accept His great salvation.

Psalm 78:45

He sent among them swarms of beetles, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them-

As noted on Exodus, the plagues were all aimed at different gods of Egypt. Those of the frogs and beetles were typical of this. The intention of the plagues was to deconstruct the entire religion of Egypt, and bring her people to accept Yahweh's great salvation; to quit Egypt along with His people, and travel towards His Kingdom.

Psalm 78:46

He gave also their increase to the caterpillar, and their labour to the locust-

The loss of the results of human labour are often used to bring people to accept God's saving work, which is by grace and not human works. See on :44. This principle works to this day. The man who spends his life building his house and finds it burnt down overnight... may thereby be provoked to turn to God and His works and salvation.

Psalm 78:47

He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost-

See on :45,46. The Hebrew for "frost" could also refer to some insect plague. If literally "frost", then we have the picture of extremely low temperatures hitting the Egyptians but not the Israelites, just as there was light for the Israelites but darkness for the Egyptians, and hail in some areas but not in others where the Israelites were. The message was that Yahweh was in complete control of the elements, and can single out individuals to spare from His judgments.

Psalm 78:48

He gave over their livestock also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts-

See on :45,46. God "gave over" or 'shut up unto' the Egyptians to judgment (:48,50), but the same word is used of how He did the same to His people Israel (:62). They were judged for acting as the Egyptians in their hearts. Likewise the unspiritual and worldly amongst the new Israel will be "judged / destroyed [along] with the world" (1 Cor. 11:32).

Psalm 78:49

He threw on them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, indignation, trouble, and a band of angels of evil-

LXX "a message of evil angels". All the Angels in the sense of supernatural beings are obedient to God. There is no Biblical division of Angels into sinful ones and good ones. Angels are immortal (Lk. 20:35,36), and seeing as the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), this means that they cannot sin. However, "evil" in the sense of disaster is from God (Is. 45:5-7; Am. 3:6). And it seems this work of bringing disaster or "evil" is specifically in the hands of Angels.

The Angels never affect our freewill, but nevertheless provide the necessary arrangement of circumstances to encourage us to do God's will, and affecting the lives of unbelievers to this end too. In order for unbelievers to present the necessary trials to us in order to bring this about, the Angels harden the hearts of these people. The plagues were due to Pharaoh's heart being hardened by God (Ex. 4:21)- i.e. by the Angels of evil. Ex. 9:14 speaks of the plagues being sent upon Pharaoh's heart, and here we have Angels of evil being sent. Angels affect human hearts- for good and bad, operationalizing the upward or downward spirals into which human beings must inevitably enter.

1 Cor. 10:10 speaks of an Angel called “the destroyer” who brought about Israel’s punishments in the wilderness. And yet Ps. 78:49 speaks of these as being executed by “A band of Angels of evil”. Likewise Rev. 9:14 has one Angel controlling others, perhaps as our guardian Angel has control over many others to effect his plans for us. The one Angel had control over others, Angels specifically used to bring evil upon those whom God rejects. It may be they will be used again in the judgment of the last day. Or it could be that ‘Angels’ in Ps. 78:49 is an intensive plural, and the AV reading is correct: “by sending evil angels…”. The one great Angel of evil is “the destroyer” of 1 Cor. 10:10. This could imply that some of the references to a “Satan” who brings disaster, as in Job, refer to one specific Angel who does these things, or co-ordinates them.

Psalm 78:50

He made a path for His anger, He didn’t spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence-

God would have spared them had they identified with Israel and followed the Passover ritual, trusting in the blood of the lamb. See on :48. The idea may be that unlike supposed angry deities and the wrath of man, God's wrath was channeled and directed in a specific way. The death of the firstborn was the specific path or channel for His wrath. And it was intended to be creative, leading towards repentance.

Psalm 78:51

and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham-

The death of the firstborn was because either the individuals or their parents refused to be obedient to God's offer of salvation. It was therefore a result of human sin; and part of "sin" is that it hurts others. "The chief of their strength" is another way of saying 'the firstborn' (s.w. Gen. 49:3). The idea is that human strength was to be taken away, because Egypt was not trusting in God's strength. But God did the same to His own "strength", His people (:61).

Mizraim or Egypt was the descendant of Ham (Gen. 10:6; Ps. 105:23,27; 106:22). There may be an allusion to Khem, one of the main Egyptian gods. For the purpose of all the plagues was to demonstrate that Yahweh was the only God, and the Egyptian gods had no real existence.

Psalm 78:52

But He led forth His own people like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock-

Ps. 78:52 and Is. 63:9,11 describe God as leading Israel out of Egypt as an obedient flock of sheep, suggesting that they were all accounted righteous then, by grace; even though Ezekiel says they left Egypt still carrying the gods of Egypt, and carried the tabernacle of Remphan as well as that of Yahweh. Similarly, Balaam said that at the Exodus God did "not behold iniquity in Jacob" (Num. 23:21,22).

Psalm 78:53

He led them safely so that they weren’t afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies-

LXX "He guided them with hope", in that through the law of Moses He continually reminded them of how things would be in Canaan. They were afraid at the Red Sea; but they were counted righteous (see on :52), and so are described as being unafraid. We too are counted righteous at baptism. The intended lack of fear was a psychological miracle, the result of the gift of God's Spirit in the human spirit. But they did fear (Ex. 14:10-12). Surely we must read in some conditions here- God’s care for them was such that they need not have feared, but they failed to discern His care and power and therefore they did fear.

Psalm 78:54

He brought them to the border of His sanctuary, to this mountain, which His right hand had purchased- "The mountain" usually refers to mount Zion, where the sanctuary was. But the idea is that the entire eretz promised to Abraham was to be as equally holy. "This mountain" suggests that this Psalm was to be recited in the sanctuary services on mount Zion. Ex. 15:17 envisaged all the redeemed Israel as dwelling in the mountain of the sanctuary. The "purchase" is elsewhere stated as being of the people, not the land or sanctuary itself (s.w. Dt. 32:6; Ps. 74:2; Is 1:3). But David is unduly focusing upon the issue of the sanctuary. It could be argued from 1 Chron. 21:24 that David had "purchased" mount Zion (s.w.), and he likes to think that in fact God has done this. But his obsession with building a temple there was initially rebuked by God.

Psalm 78:55

He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents-

The Hebrew implies He made them take their inheritance. But here we have a case of potential enablement; for the tribes didn't inherit much of the land allotted despite God willing it upon them. Just as many whom God wishes to inherit the Kingdom will not take their inheritance because they refused to believe Him and were distracted by the immediate and secular rather than focusing upon the spiritual.

Psalm 78:56

Yet they put to the test and rebelled against the Most High God, and didn’t keep His testimonies-

This appears to refer to their departure from Yahweh at the time of the Judges. The same words are used of their testing and rebellion in the desert. This was the overall character of Israel.

Psalm 78:57

but turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers-

LXX "Broke covenant". The reference seems to be to their unfaithfulness at the time of the Judges.

They were turned aside like a deceitful bow-

In the very context in which we read that Israel "limited the Holy One of Israel" (Ps. 78:41), we find Israel described as "a deceitful bow" (Ps. 78:57). In whose hands was that bow? Surely in God's. In the same way as the quality of the bow limits the power of the archer, and causes hurt to him if it backfires on him, so were Israel to God; and so we are to Him.

Psalm 78:58

For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their engraved images-

The language of provocation and God noticing and becoming angry (:59) is on one hand inappropriate to the God who sees and knows all things. Yet it seems to me that just as He at times limits His omnipotence, so He limits His omniscience. This is in order to enter into legitimate, real time [from our human viewpoint] relationship with man.

Psalm 78:59

When God heard this, He was angry, and greatly abhorred Israel-

See on :58. Israel abhorred God's laws (s.w. Lev. 26:15,43) and therefore His abhorrence of them was appropriate. And yet by grace God did not "utterly abhor" Israel when He judged them (s.w. Lev. 26:44) but restored them. So He did not treat them as they treated Him; and in this again we see His abiding grace. But the psalmist chooses to ignore this grace, and claim that as a sign of that abhorrence He removed His "tent" from Shiloh to Jerusalem (:60,67,68). But I am inclined to see this as David's wilful interpretation of what happened. For it is too much to say that God's abhorrence of Israel was just because Ephraim had sinned. They all sinned. And in any case, His abhorrence of them was not total and there was grace in the way that He did not abhor them as they did to Him. So it seems to me that the history is being twisted to blame Ephraim alone for all Israel's 'falling out' with God. Grace is overlooked. Judah's sin is likewise overlooked. And the ark went from Shiloh into captivity because all Israel had sinned, not just Ephraim. And its return to Kirjath Jearim and thence its coming to Zion was of David's doing rather than God's. God's abhorrence of "Israel" is defined as His abhorrence or 'rejection' (s.w.) of "Joseph" (:67). The history is being presented as if God's anger with "Israel" was in fact His anger with Joseph / Ephraim.

Psalm 78:60

so that He forsook the tent of Shiloh, the tent which He placed among men- Shiloh was in Ephraim (Josh. 18:1). It was David who moved the sanctuary from there to Jerusalem; but he is arguing that God did this, implying His shekinah glory / presence was withdrawn from Shiloh but reappeared once the sanctuary was established in Jerusalem. It is hard to know the degree to which David is being an accurate historian, or over interpreting to suit his own narrative and justification of his own tribe, Judah.

David's mistaken interpretation seems to be corrected in Jer. 7:12-14; 26:6. There we learn that there was indeed some kind of physical structure built for the sanctuary at Shiloh, which was destroyed; although the historical records don't record this. But it was destroyed because "Israel" had sinned, and no blame is placed particularly upon Ephraim. And there is the repeated warning that the Jerusalem temple was no better than that in Shiloh and would likewise be destroyed. Yet David's vision here is that the Jerusalem sanctuary was going to last eternally (see on :69). Jeremiah is saying that in fact Judah were no better than Ephraim in the end.

There could be here the implication that the Angel was physically present in the tabernacle, and that God's displeasure was shown by this Angel literally being withdrawn. The shekinah glory associated with the Angel's presence was no longer seen. A number of other references support this idea of an Angel physically being present in the tabernacle / temple, and therefore being the source of the glory which sometimes shone forth; 1 Chron. 15 and Ps. 68 describe the entrance of the ark into Jerusalem in terms of the Angelic march through the wilderness at the Exodus, thus connecting the Ark with the Angels. See on 1 Chron. 13:6; Ex. 25:8; 33:3; Lev. 4:17; Num. 14:42; Ecc. 5:1-7; 2 Chron. 31:2; Is. 8:18; Mic. 1:3; Dan. 8:11; Ez. 8:4; Mt. 23:21.

Psalm 78:61

and delivered His strength into captivity, His glory into the adversary’s hand-

"His strength... glory" is paralleled with "His people" (:62), although David also has in view His glory manifest over the ark going into captivity with the Philistines. See on :51. Frederick Buechner remarked upon the "folly of preaching”: “to choose for His holy work in the world... lamebrains and misfits and nitpickers and holier-than-thous and stuffed shirts and odd ducks and egomaniacs...”. Yet weak Israel are described as God’s “strength”, the channel through which His strength would be shown to the nations; and they failed Him.

Psalm 78:62

He also gave His people over to the sword-

God "gave over" or 'shut up unto' the Egyptians to judgment (:48,50), but the same word is used of how He did the same to His people Israel (:62). They were judged for acting as the Egyptians in their hearts. Likewise the unspiritual and worldly amongst the new Israel will be "judged / destroyed [along] with the world" (1 Cor. 11:32).

And was angry with His inheritance-

There is a mutuality between God and man. God and His Kingdom are our inheritance (:55); but we are His inheritance. A man's inheritance was the essence of Himself, all He had in the world. And this is how we are to Him.

Psalm 78:63

Fire devoured their young men, their young women had no wedding song-

This Psalm seems to conclude with the time of David, but perhaps this has been edited to make it relevant to the exiles (as :64). For this is the language of Lamentations about what happened at the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. The allusion is to the young men who were Job's sons being devoured by fire, representing Divine judgment.

Psalm 78:64

Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows couldn’t weep-

This is again the language of Lamentations about the Babylonian desolation; see on :63. This doubtless happened at the time of the Judges, but there is no particular record of the priests being destroyed. Although the book of Judges records the deep apostacy of the priesthood at that time.

Psalm 78:65

Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine-

We have here language which we may think inappropriate being used to describe and express the sudden, violent awakening of God to judgment. And we wonder whether David is really correct to suggest God was as it were asleep and inactive whilst the ark was not with Israel; for the next verse seems to speak about God's rescue of the ark from the Philistines. David often expresses in the Psalms how he was just as close to God far from the sanctuary as when present in it. He often speaks of how he actually lived in the wilderness in the shadow of the cherubic wings, with God's glory above him and the blood of atonement as it were beneath him on the mercy seat. But all that is rather forgotten in his obsession with the sanctuary being literally in Jerusalem, in Judah, and the rejection of Ephraim.

Psalm 78:66

He struck His adversaries backward, He put them to a perpetual reproach-

The Hebrew is as in the AV- He smote them in the private parts. This refers to how the ark was taken from Shiloh in Ephraim into the land of the Philistines, who were smitten in their private parts with tumours (1 Sam. 5:6); but then the ark was returned, not to Shiloh in Ephraim, but to Kirjath Jearim in Judah, and thence to Jerusalem in Judah. But the question for us is the degree to which God ordered this transferal of the ark from Shiloh to Jerusalem; or whether David manipulated it that way, and God went along with it.

Psalm 78:67

Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph-

God's abhorrence of "Israel" is defined as His abhorrence or 'rejection' (s.w.) of "Joseph" (:59). The history is being presented as if God's anger with "Israel" was in fact His anger with Joseph / Ephraim. See on Ps. 80:1; 81:5.

And didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim- This claims that God did not choose Ephraim- whereas Jacob did (Gen. 48:14). The implication could well be that even at the end of his life, Jacob's choice of Ephraim over Manasseh reflected some sort of weakness, a being out of step with God. This attitude that he could bring about the fulfillment of God's promises through his own efforts was the outcome of Jacob's self-righteousness. The blessing of the firstborn came upon Joseph, and Jacob had chosen Ephraim, Joseph's son, as the one who should effectively carry this blessing of the firstborn (1 Chron. 5:1,2; Gen. 48:1). Ephraim marched closest to the ark (Num. 2:18-24). Yet there seems no specific statement that God rejected Ephraim in favour of Judah.

The implication of the argument is that this rejection of Ephraim and choosing of Judah happened when God 'awoke' and destroyed His enemies (:65,66). But it is hard to locate this historically. It would seem that David is again guilty of over interpretation of some unrecorded victory, in order to justify his own tribe. See on :59.

Psalm 78:68

but chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved-

David clearly loved mount Zion and the sanctuary there, pining for it in so many of his psalms of exile. But he seems to transfer his love for Zion onto God. This is a very common failure of men, to create God after their own image and likeness rather than accepting Him solely for who He reveals Himself to be. See on :59.

Psalm 78:69

He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which He has established forever-

But the sanctuary was later destroyed, it was not in fact "established forever". See on :60. Again we see David dogmatically imagining that the future building of a sanctuary would be sanctioned by God to the point that God would be the builder. And therefore it would be eternal. He uses the prophetic perfect to describe what was yet future as having already happened. But God's response to David's desire to build a temple was that this was not at all what He wished.

Psalm 78:70

He also chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds-

This was indeed the case; but the Divine choice of David didn't have to mean that He had thereby rejected Ephraim and Shiloh, and considered Judah to be His righteous, premier tribe. It seems that David and Solomon, or whoever authored the Psalm, was slanting history to defend and justify Judah and the Davidic line, and at times over interpreting.

Psalm 78:71

from following the ewes that have their young, He brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance-

See on :72. This is the language used of the Messianic seed who could have arisen at the restoration, and which was ultimately realized in the Lord Jesus (Is. 40:11). The allusion is clearly to Gen. 49:24, which says that Joseph (and therefore his son Ephraim) was to be shepherded by the God of Jacob. Whilst all David says here is true as far as it goes, he is always subtly arguing that he has been chosen to lead Ephraim and "Joseph". See on Ps. 80:1. Solomon's Proverbs tend to do the same thing; inspired truth in themselves, and yet also clearly written by Solomon with a view to justifying himself and the Davidic line against his potential competitors for the throne.

Psalm 78:72

So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands-

There is an intentional ambiguity as to whether the "shepherd" in view is God or David (:70). The idea seems to be that David was Israel's shepherd on God's behalf. As noted on :71, we sense that this is praising David for his skilful leading of Israel, as if he was to be accepted as the unquestioned ruler, and all competition was to be discounted. David's heart was not consistently of integrity, as we see in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah; it was only by grace that David was counted like this (s.w. 1 Kings 9:4). God did indeed give his son Solomon "understanding" (s.w. "skillfulness", 1 Kings 4:29).

Psalm 79

Psalm 79:1

A Psalm by Asaph-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that most of the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions. However, Ps. 79 is clearly relevant to the Babylonian desolation of Jerusalem and may well have been written especially concerning that. If it was written originally by David, it would have been very heavily rewritten. Parts of it are very similar to Jeremiah's words (see on :7) and there are allusions to his Lamentations, so it could be that Jeremiah either wrote it or appropriated it, although it was performed by the clan of Asaph.

God, the nations have come into Your inheritance, they have defiled Your holy temple, they have laid Jerusalem in heaps-

The "inheritance" may refer specifically to the land of Judah. But the argument of the psalmist seems to disregard the fact that the prophets had clearly stated that God had sent the nations into the land; and the temple was defiled by them in response to the way that Judah had themselves defiled the temple. Micah had used the very same word in saying that Jerusalem would become heaps (Mic. 3:12; Jer. 26:18). Yet there seems shocked outrage when it actually happened. See on :13.

Psalm 79:2

They have given the dead bodies of Your servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the land-

"The beast" in the Bible refers to the neighbouring nations of Judah (:12) who come to judge her. The "saints" refers not so much to the righteous, but to God's people Israel who are His set apart people. The symbology of this verse is used in this sense in Revelation; these things are to be fulfilled on a far worse scale in the latter day desolation of Jerusalem.

Psalm 79:3

Their blood they have shed like water around Jerusalem, there was no one to bury them-

Again the lament seems to forget that this was what the prophets had predicted would happen because of all the blood shed in Jerusalem and around it by the apostate people of Judah, especially in their offerings of their own children to their gods.

Psalm 79:4

We have become a reproach to our neighbours, a scoffing and derision to those who are around us-

This again was exactly as God so repeatedly warned would happen. But instead of acceptance of this fulfilment of prophecy and repentance, there is simply a sustained appeal for God to remove the promised consequence of their sin. And this is how we can all tend to be; wanting the problems and consequences removed, whilst in denial of the fact that they have come about as a result of sin, and have a far wider context than we care to see.

Psalm 79:5

How long, Yahweh? Will You be angry forever?-

Instead of accepting that His anger had a reason and purpose, the psalmist simply wants the consequence of sin removed; as noted on :4, there is no hint at repentance. The prophetic answer to the question "How long?" was clearly 'When you repent'.

Will Your jealousy burn like fire?-

The Hebrew word translated "zeal" in the context of God's zeal for us (Is. 9:7) really means the jealousy which flares up in a man for a woman (the same word is in Num. 5:14,15; Prov. 6:34; Song 8:6 etc.). That jealousy burning like fire (Ps. 79:5) is His passion for us His people; even if as here, it is reflected in His anger with His cruelly unfaithful people. He is a jealous God in His zeal for us; and therefore any other relationships with the things of this world cannot be contemplated by us. That zeal of God will be poured out upon us at the second coming, resulting in a consummation with Him as the wife of His covenant (Is. 42:13,14; 64:1).

Psalm 79:6

Pour out Your wrath on the nations that don’t know You, on the kingdoms that don’t call on Your name-

The continual desire for "vengeance" (:10,12) is out of step with the God who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ez. 33:11), but wishes all to come to repentance. But repentance is not given any great stress in these psalms. Vengeance and immediate removal of the consequences of sin are in central place.

Psalm 79:7

for they have devoured Jacob, and destroyed his homeland-

The same words as in Jer. 10:25, supporting the suggestion made on :1 that Jeremiah may have written this Psalm. That their homeland would be "destroyed" was the clear agreement they had  made in accepting covenant with Yahweh; for the same word is used there of the consequence of breaking the covenant (Lev. 26:22,31,32 etc.). Judah had made their own land desolate / destroyed (s.w. Jer. 12:11). It was Yahweh who had desolated the land (s.w. Lam. 1:13; Ez. 20:26). Rather like David in his psalms of the Absalom period, there is a deep desire for the promised consequence of sin to be removed, without referencing repentance and guilt.

Psalm 79:8

Don’t hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us; let Your tender mercies speedily meet us, for we are in desperate need-

Ezekiel repeatedly labours the point that the exiles are not suffering for the sins of their fathers, but for their own sins. And yet the psalmist apparently ignores this, and seems to use this idea as a preface for the general plea for "forgiveness" which follows in :9. But that plea is hardly repentance when "our sins" have just been defined as those of their fathers, which God apparently wrongly counts to them; according to the psalmist.

Psalm 79:9

Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name. Deliver us and forgive our sins-

As noted on :8, this is not much of a plea of repentance, because "our sins" have been defined in :8 as not their sins, but those of their fathers- which the psalmist accuses God of wrongly holding against them. The LXX uses the word translated “propitiation” in the NT with reference to how God forgave / propitiated for Israel’s sins for His Name’s sake (Ex. 32:14; Ps. 79:9). God did not forgive only once the red blood of His Son was offered; He forgave anyway, as part of His Name, His essential personality, which is so deeply forgiving. He is no pagan deity who requires to see red blood of human sacrifice before forgiving. The Lord's death was therefore largely to persuade us of how serious God is in His project for our personal salvation. He commended His love toward us, in that whilst we were yet sinners, His Son died for the ungodly, the just for the unjust.

For Your name’s sake-

The Yahweh Name was linked with the Messiah: King of the Jews. The Name was declared in the Lord’s death, as He had foretold (Jn. 17:26). Forgiveness of sins is through baptism into the Name (Acts 2:38), as even in OT times forgiveness was for the sake of the Name (Ps. 79:9). And yet through the cross and blood of Christ is forgiveness made possible. His blood and death therefore was the supreme declaration of God’s Name; through His cross the grace and forgiveness, love, salvation and judgment implicit in the Name was all enabled and revealed in practice.

Psalm 79:10

Why should the nations say, Where is their God? Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for Your servants’ blood is being poured out-

The prophetic intention was that the restoration of Jerusalem and judgment of her abusers would lead the nations to know God, i.e. to come into relationship with Him. The Psalmist is arguing that the desolate state of Jerusalem is in fact an invitation to denial of Yahweh's existence, an encouragement to atheism. But whilst there is a mention of repentance in :9, the deep concern of the psalmist is for vengeance upon the Babylonians, even asking for them to be punished seven times more than what they had done to Judah (:12). This fails to factor in the fact that they were God's 'servants', sent by Him to do what they did. The pouring out of blood was in fact what they had done, in pouring out the blood of their children to Baals. The desire for "vengeance" is out of step with the God who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but wishes all to come to repentance. But repentance is not given any great stress in these psalms. Vengeance and immediate removal of the consequences of sin are in central place.

Psalm 79:11

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before You. According to the greatness of Your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death-

The restoration prophecies of Isaiah offer freedom for the prisoners, the exiles, and the lifting of their death sentence. But the reality was that the majority of the exiles chose to remain within their "prison" in exile. The book of Esther concludes with the Jews wealthy and prosperous there, not at all perceiving that Babylon / Persia was a prison cell, in spiritual terms.

Psalm 79:12

Pay back to our neighbours seven times into their lap their reproach with which they have reproached You, Lord-

This perspective rather fails to appreciate the repeated prophetic teaching that Israel were to be judged and Jerusalem destroyed because of their sins; and all that was done to Jerusalem by the invaders had been done to it in spiritual terms by Judah themselves. God had judged His people less than their iniquities deserved (Ezra 9:13); if that had been perceived, then surely it would have militated against this request for the punishers to be punished seven times more than they punished Judah.

Psalm 79:13

So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever. We will praise You forever, to all generations-

Israel's praise should surely have been of God's grace towards them in restoration, rather than for repaying their neighbours seven times more than what they had done to Israel (:12). This is not to say that the record of these Psalms is not inspired; but there is a difference between inspiration and revelation  [a "Thus says the Lord"] . All the Bible is inspired, but not all is direct revelation of truth; thus the mocking of Yahweh by Rabshakeh is recorded and that record is inspired, but that is hardly revelation of Divine truth.

Psalm 80

Psalm 80:1

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of The Lilies of the Covenant. A Psalm by Asaph-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

Asaph lived at the time of the restoration (Ezra 2:41). All his Psalms draw on the past dealings of God with His people and encourage them on this basis to make the wilderness journey back  to the land, just as they had done at the Exodus. Psalm 80 is a psalm of Asaph, written [or re-edited] in Babylon. He speaks much of the cherubim- of how God dwelt between the cherubs, and still lead His people in that way (Ps. 80:1). Asaph grasped Ezekiel's fundamental point- that God hadn't forgotten His people, but the cherubim was just as actively leading and protecting God's people in Babylon as they had been in the land of Judah. Asaph asks God in this context to "restore us" to the land (Ps. 80:3,14,19 RVmg.), lamenting how the walls of Zion are broken down (Ps. 80:12). He speaks of how the faithful people weep tears "in great measure" (Ps. 80:5), a reference to their weeping by the rivers of Babylon, and the theme of tears and weeping amongst the exiles which we meet so often in Lamentations. But in this context, Asaph speaks of how a "branch" or "son" (Ps. 80:15) would be made strong by God, and this Messiah figure would be the man of God's right hand as well as "the son of man whom you make strong for yourself" (Ps. 80:17). Clearly Asaph prayed for and expected a Messiah figure to arise at the same time as the restoration from Babylon. But none did; those who could've played that role, such as Zerubbabel "the branch", ultimately failed. And the cherubim Angels are hovering above us, too, enabling so, so much.

Psalm 80 appears to be paired with Psalm 79. Ps. 79 has urged God to immediately relieve Judah from their sufferings and take vengeance on the Babylonians, but with little emphasis upon repentance and the fact they were suffering for their sins. Ps. 80 continues to ask for this relief from suffering, but with more spiritual insight and reflection upon their situation.

Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock-

This appears to put right some of the reasoning in Ps. 78, which presents David more than God as the shepherd of Israel (see on Ps. 78:71), and presents "Joseph", especially the tribe of Ephraim his son, as rejected by God in favour of Judah (see on Ps. 78:67).

You who sit above the cherubim, shine forth- This is a significant profession of faith in the context of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the exile. The glory of God had shone forth from between the cherubim over the ark; but the ark had disappeared, and the glory of God was not seen in the sanctuary. But Ezekiel had published his vision of the cherubim of glory; they were still in existence, although departed from Jerusalem. So here we find faith that although there were no visible symbols of religion, still God was known to be "there", in all His glory.

David often expresses in the Psalms how he was just as close to God far from the sanctuary as when present in it. He often speaks of how he actually lived in the wilderness in the shadow of the cherubic wings, with God's glory above him and the blood of atonement as it were beneath him on the mercy seat.

All this prepared the way for Israel to understand God's glory in His now invisible Son. "In him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9) would have been easily perceived as an allusion to the way that Yahweh Himself as it were dwelt between the cherubim on the mercy seat (2 Kings 19:15; Ps. 80:1). And yet the Lord Jesus in His death was the “[place of] propitiation” (Heb. 2:17), the blood-sprinkled  mercy seat. “There I will meet with you, and I will commune with you from above the mercy-seat... of all things which I will  command you” (Ex. 25:20-22). In the cross, God met with man and communed with us, commanding us the life we ought to lead through all the unspoken, unarticulated imperatives which there are within the blood of His Son. There in the person of Jesus nailed to the tree do we find the focus of God’s glory and self-revelation, and to this place we may come to seek redemption.

Psalm 80:2

Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your might! Come to save us!-

As noted on :1, the mistaken assumption that Judah and Benjamin were better than Ephraim and Manasseh is now corrected. For they are mentioned together, in the hope that not only Judah but also the scattered ten tribes will be restored together. The language of stirring up and coming to save is used in later Isaiah of God's eagerness to do just that in the form of a Messianic deliverer for the exiles. But the reality was that all the various options tried, e.g. Zerubbabel and Joshua, all failed; and the exiles preferred to remain in exile for the most part. And so these things were reapplied and rescheduled to the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 80:3

Turn us again, God. Cause Your face to shine, and we will be saved-

"Turn us again" is the word used for the 'return' of the exiles, both to their land to their God. But the psalmist has the insight to realize that most didn't want to repent, and so he asks God to elicit that repentance, to work by His Spirit to actually give them repentance and a turning again to Him, so that there might be a turning again of Judah's fortunes. Repentance itself is therefore a gift (Acts 11:18). This is indeed the grace shown by the work of the Holy Spirit upon human hearts.

Psalm 80:4

Yahweh God of Armies, How long will You be angry against the prayer of Your people?-

The "God of armies" typically refers to the Angels. The psalmist perceived that the Angels had been used to bring about the scattering, and could likewise be used to answer these prayers for restoration.

Psalm 80:5

You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in large measure-

Despite the apparent complaint, the psalmist recognizes that God was still active with the exiles; He was giving them food and drink, even if it was unpleasant. It was David who had been fed with the bread of tears in consequence of his sin with Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 42:3); if Judah followed his pattern of repentance, then they too would be restored to Zion as he was after having to go into exile from Absalom. "In large measure" is literally "three times over". And yet God had punished the exiles less than their iniquities deserved (Ezra 9:13). These prayers for restoration so often seem to present pictures which are not to true to reality, and which fail to take account of the fact Judah had sinned and were being given the consequences of their sin.

Psalm 80:6

You make us a source of derision to our neighbours, our enemies laugh among themselves-

This was indeed the case, but the prophets had so often said that this was what would happen if Judah continued in their rejection of God; and indeed this was the fulfilment of the curses for breaking the covenant. But the psalmists seem to always put the blame on God and try to as it were guilt trip Him for the situation- instead of accepting that the people were the ones who had caused this to happen.

Psalm 80:7

Turn us again, God of Armies. Cause Your face to shine, and we will be saved-

This repeats :3, and as noted there, this is a request for God to give repentance [and not just forgiveness] to the exiles. But here "God" is defined as "God of Armies". Perhaps the idea is that the Angels would operationalize this request for God to act upon human hearts and make them repentant. The shining forth of God's face perhaps alludes to the situation on the day of atonement, when forgiveness was pronounced and the shekinah glory supposedly shone forth. The exiles at this point were without the temple and the ark, so we see them coming to realize what David did when in exile from those things- that the presence of God can be found anywhere, including outside of visible religious symbols and structures.

Psalm 80:8

You brought a vine out of Egypt, You drove out the nations and planted it-

As God had brought Israel out of Egypt and cleared out the Canaanite nations, so the psalmist is asking that God does this for the exiles, clearing away the Samaritan opposition as He did the Canaanites. But Israel at that point were still worshipping idols, taking the idols of Egypt with them through the Red Sea (so Ezekiel says), and carrying the tabernacle of Remphan along with that of Yahweh. Their bringing out and placing back in their land was then an act of grace, and the psalmist asks God to do the same with the exiles.

Psalm 80:9

You cleared the land for it. It took deep root, and filled the land-

The vine and vineyard was a symbol of the people of Israel (Ps. 80:15; Is. 1:8; 5:7; 27:2; Jer. 12:10; Mt. 21:41). The land was "cleared" for them to live there, but again, they didn't make full use of the potential; they didn't drive out all the tribes living there, even though potentially the land had been cleared for them. See on Ps. 81:14. And the same was true at the restoration. The way back to Zion was "prepared" (Mal. 3:1; s.w. "cleared"); but most of the exiles chose to remain in exile. And so the land was not filled by the exiles, the vine of Israel didn't fill the face of the promised land with literal and spiritual fruit (Ez. 34:27; Is. 27:6). These things were therefore reapplied and rescheduled to the acceptance of the gospel of restoration by Gentiles in Christ.

Psalm 80:10

the mountains were covered with its shadow. Its boughs were like God’s cedars-

Cedars are associated with the Jerusalem temple; the idea was that the nations ["mountains"] within the eretz promised to Abraham would come under the shadow of the restored kingdom of God in Judah, so that the entire land became as the sanctuary in Zion. But this didn't happen, just as the picture is exaggerated here of what actually happened when Israel established their kingdom on entering the land. For they were constantly under pressure from their neighbours within that land and hardly brought the surrounding nations under the shadow of Israel's God. Instead they accepted their gods.

Psalm 80:11

It sent out its branches to the sea, its shoots to the River-

An allusion to the extent of the promised land, from the sea to the River Euphrates. But apart from briefly in Solomon's time, this great potential was not experienced by Israel, and the returning exiles likewise didn't achieve anything like the potential Divinely set up for them. And so these things are rescheduled to the things of God's Kingdom under the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 80:12

Why have You broken down its walls, so that all those who pass by the way pluck it?-

The answer to that question is given clearly in the prophets. The walls were broken down by God's people themselves, and the walls of the vineyard were in turn removed by God because they refused to bring forth spiritual fruit (Is. 5). But the psalmists seem too focused upon the removal of the consequences for sin, rather than facing up to the sin and appealing for repentance.

Psalm 80:13

The boar out of the wood ravages it, the wild beasts of the field feed on it-

Again we might reflect that the psalmist ought to have given more weight to the prophetic pictures of the surrounding nations (the Biblical "beast") coming into the land because Israel had failed to keep them out; they had welcomed them in, and placed their gods within the Jerusalem temple. But the focus seems all upon lamenting the consequence of sin, rather than repentance and humility.

Psalm 80:14

Turn again, we beg You, God of Armies. Look down from heaven and see, and visit this vine-

What Judah prayed for by the rivers of Babylon was indeed heard. There they had asked that God would “visit” them and “return” them (Ps. 80:14). The same two Hebrew words are to be found in Jer. 27:22, where we read that God would exile His people to Babylon and then “visit” them and make them “return”. We meet the same two words in Zeph. 2:7, where God would ‘visit and return’ the captivity of the remnant of Judah. But when God did “visit” His people, just as when He ‘visited’ His people in the gift of His Son, they didn’t want to ‘return’ or respond. Those who had desired ‘the day of the Lord’ at that time had been praying for it, when it was ‘to no end’ for them. And we have to ask ourselves whether we really mean our prayers for the Lord’s return.

Jer. 27:22 predicted that God would “visit” His people and “bring them up”. Those very two words are found in the declaration of Cyrus as recorded in 2 Chron. 36:23: “God hath charged [s.w. “visited”] me to build him a house in Jerusalem… who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up [s.w. “bring them up”]”. The most powerful monarch in the Middle East made the humanly bizarre and inexplicable command to “go up” to the land. ‘Going up’ and ‘visiting’ are language associated with Angels. The people were being encouraged to follow the cherubim-Angel. But most of the people said ‘No that’s fine, we’ll give some money, but we’ll stay here thanks. We won’t be ‘going up’’. And in essence, we are so similar as a community.

The design of the temple which Ezekiel communicated to the captives featured the motif of cherubim all over it, especially in the holy place. This wasn't mere decoration. The idea was clearly that if the captives returned and built the temple as specified, then the cherubim would again dwell there. It was up to them. But there's no indication that they were very obedient to the pattern given them; hence perhaps it was the more spiritually perceptive who wept when the foundation of the second temple was dedicated, knowing how far it was from Ezekiel's commands (Ezra 3:12). Ezekiel saw the temple as if it were already there, located at Jerusalem; he wasn't transported to Heaven to view it (Ez. 40:2). And it was there, potentially, that whole glorious temple. But the captives had to return and build it. turning the prophetic word into flesh, the logos into reality. But they didn't.

Psalm 80:15

the stock which Your right hand planted, the branch that You made strong for Yourself-

This paves the way for :17. The palmist perceives that the restoration will come through a specific "branch". The potential fulfilment in Zerubbabel, the 'branch from Babylon', didn't come about; and so the fulfilment was rescheduled to the Lord Jesus Christ as the branch (Is. 11:1; Jer. 23:5).

Asaph lived at the time of the restoration (Ezra 2:41). All his Psalms draw on the past dealings of God with His people and encourage them on this basis to make the wilderness journey back  to the land, just as they had done at the Exodus.  Ps. 80:16,17 asks God to strengthen a Son of Man to be Messiah, seeing that the temple is in ruins; the raising up of a Messiah was perceived as potentially possible at the time.

Psalm 80:16 It’s burned with fire. It’s cut down. They perish at Your rebuke-

Although in :15 and :17 the psalmist has a specific individual in view, he perceives that this individual will be a personification and embodiment of God's people. The branch was also Israel and Zion, who were at that time cut down and burnt. Salvation in our age is likewise predicated upon being "in Christ". The suffering servant was both Israel and finally the Lord Jesus, who suffered as their representative.

Psalm 80:17

Let Your hand be on the man of Your right hand, on the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself-

The psalmist perceives that the restoration will come through an individual Messianic figure. There were various possible potential fulfillments of this, such as Zerubabbel and Joshua, but they all let the baton drop. The final fulfilment is therefore in the Lord Jesus, who allowed Himself to be made strong by God's hand (s.w. Ps. 89:21). Whilst His utter moral perfection was in a sense His own achievement, and that must never be taken away from the Lord, the path there involved allowing God to make Him strong for Himself. And this is our pattern too, in allowing the work of the Holy Spirit to do likewise with us, paralleled here with God's hand being upon us, making us strong. The prophecy could have had an earlier fulfilment in Hezekiah, 'made strong by Yah', but he too disallowed it and went off to this present world. The lead characteristic of Jacob was that he and his descendants would be 'made strong' (s.w. Gen. 25:23), even though they were so spiritually weak. So many times Israel are encouraged to be "of good courage", s.w. "made strong" (Dt. 31:6,7 etc.), so that they might inherit the promised kingdom. But they generally didn't make use of this potential strengthening. The exiles likewise were potentially "made strong" but they refused to make use of that, remaining in Babylon for the most part (s.w. Is. 35:3; 41:10).

Psalm 80:18

So we will not turn away from You; accept us, and we will call on Your name-

The appeal is for God to turn His people to Himself, giving them repentance (see on :3,7,19) and psychological strengthening, so that they would never again turn away from Him. And only then would they call upon His Name. We would frankly expect the order to be the other way around; calling upon God's Name, vowing not to turn away again, and then being accepted. But the psalmist perceives God's grace is such that He is willing to turn men to Himself, accept them- and then in awe at such grace, they call upon His Name.

Psalm 80:19

Turn us again, Yahweh God of Armies. Cause Your face to shine, and we will be saved-

This repeats :3,7, and as noted there, this is a request for God to give repentance [and not just forgiveness] to the exiles. This runs as a refrain throughout this Psalm and is clearly the lead request of the psalmist. Whilst God does indeed give repentance as well as forgiveness, we would perhaps wish that the exilic psalmists showed more awareness of the depth of their sins and appealed more for repentance.

Psalm 81

Psalm 81:1

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!-

The Psalm begins in :1-5 with a call to joyfully celebrate a feast, probably Passover or Tabernacles. We note the Levites are called to make music (:2), and the priests to blow the trumpets (:3). But the Psalm then abruptly changes. God answers this call for joyful celebration with a rebuke of His people for their sinfulness. This Psalm is therefore a commentary and exemplification of the frequent prophetic complaint that God found Israel's keeping of the feasts to be a smoke in His nostrils. It was mere external religion; and from :5 onwards we have His commentary upon their desire to keep the feast.

Psalm 81:2

Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant lyre with the harp-

See on :1. The tambourine may have been to recall the rejoicing of Miriam and the women of Israel after the Passover deliverance of Israel through the Red Sea. This may therefore be a call to keep Passover, although it would be just as appropriate for Tabernacles.

Psalm 81:3

Blow the trumpet at the New Moon, at the full moon, on our feast day-

As noted on :1, this was an invitation for the priests to blow the trumpet to begin the feast. The mention of "New Moon" may simply mean the start of the month, so perhaps :1-4 is a generic text for use at any feast or religious celebration.

Psalm 81:4

For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob- As noted on :1, we have here a call to keep one of the feasts, and there is pride in their obedience to God's commands about this. But His response from :5 onwards dashes this exuberant spirit, in condemning Israel for being apostate and impenitent. We must take the lesson that apparent external obedience and religious joy and praise- are no guarantee of our real standing with God, nor are they necessarily the same as true spirituality.

Psalm 81:5

He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony-

The mention of Joseph appears to put right some of the reasoning in Ps. 78, which presents "Joseph", especially the tribe of Ephraim his son, as rejected by God in favour of Judah (see on Ps. 78:67). God's response to Judah's desire to keep a feast to Him is that actually He had chosen Joseph / Ephraim as much as them.

When he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know-

This reference to the Passover Angel going forth over Egypt suggests that :1-4 was a liturgy to be used in summoning the people to keep the Passover feast (cp. Is. 37:36). But now begins God's response to their feast keeping. He begins by stressing His identification with His people and His grace towards them, for what will follow after this is a deep criticism of them. God so identified Himself with Israel that in Egypt, He Himself heard a language which He understood not (AV). He could have understood it, and in a sense He did; but so identified is Yahweh with His people that He allows Himself to be limited by their perceptions.

Psalm 81:6

I removed his shoulder from the burden, his hands were freed from the basket-

This reflects the degree to which God was intensely aware of His peoples' sufferings; and that is just as true today. He saw their shoulders and hands at work. But the RV speaks of the people as being delivered from the basket, alluding to the personal deliverance of Moses. The people were for the most part spiritually weak, taking the idols of Egypt with them through the Red Sea (Ezekiel), and carrying through the desert the tabernacle of Remphan as well as that of Yahweh. The idea is that God saved Israel by grace on account of their identification with Moses, just as we are baptized into Christ and counted righteous in Him, as Israel were baptized into Moses (1 Cor. 10:1,2).

Thus there is a parallel drawn in Ps. 103:7: "He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel". "After the tenor of these words have I made a covenant with thee [Moses] and with Israel" (Ex. 34:27). Is. 63:11 (Heb.) is even more explicit: "He remembered... Moses his people" . Moses seems to have appreciated fully his representative role on that last glorious day of life when he addressed Israel: " The Lord said unto me... I will deliver [Og] into thy hand... so the Lord our God delivered into our hands Og" (Dt. 3:2,3). David recognized this unity between Moses and Israel; David describes both Israel and Moses as God's chosen (Ps. 16:5,23). Moses is described as encamping in the wilderness, when the reference clearly is to all Israel (Ex. 18:5). Moses recalled how “the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have delivered up Sihon and his land before thee [you singular- i.e. Moses]; begin to possess it, that thou [you singular again!] mayest inherit his land”. Yet Moses then comments that therefore God “delivered” Sihon “before us” (Dt. 31,33 RV). The land and victory that Moses personally could have had- for it was God’s wish to destroy Israel and make of him a new nation- he shared with Israel. Ex. 7:16 brings out the unity between them by a play on words: “The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me [lit. ‘let me go’] unto thee, saying, Let my people go”. “Let go” translates the same Hebrew word as “sent me”. Just as Moses had been let go by Yahweh, so Israel were to be.

Psalm 81:7

You called in trouble, and I delivered you. I answered you in the secret place of thunder-

LXX "I heard thee in the secret place of the storm". Despite their sinfulness and worship of the idols of Egypt in the desert, God still answered their calls for help in distress. The reference may be to how Israel at the Red Sea called to God in their trouble, and He answered them out of the pillar of cloud (Ex. 14:10,24); apparently that cloud appeared at times as a storm cloud.

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah-

The weakness of Israel at Meribah is juxtaposed with God's enduring grace to them in the first half of the verse.

Psalm 81:8

Hear My people and I will testify to you, Israel, if you would have listened to Me!-

The theme of God's appeal is that so much potential had been wasted by them ["if you would have..."], because for all their external obedience in keeping feasts (see on :1), they were not truly listening to Him. And so He repeats His appeals made so often in Deuteronomy, to "hear, O Israel", 'testifying' to them as He also did in Deuteronomy (s.w. Dt. 4:26; 8:19 etc.).

Psalm 81:9

There shall be no strange god with you, neither shall you worship any foreign god-

The people were for the most part spiritually weak, taking the idols of Egypt with them through the Red Sea (Ezekiel), and carrying through the desert the tabernacle of Remphan as well as that of Yahweh. And they were no better at the point of this Psalm. God urges them not to abuse His grace and to quit idolatry.

Psalm 81:10

I am Yahweh your God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it-

God speaks of Israel as if they were His beloved baby child; for these are the words of a man seeking to feed his child. But the child refused to respond (:11). The feeding was with His voice and word (:11). And they turned away from it This passage alone makes me want to plead with Israel to return to their so loving Father.

Psalm 81:11

But My people didn’t listen to My voice, Israel desired none of Me-

See on :10. They were as the young child who is estranged from the loving father even from early childhood. Is. 28:12; 30:9,15 seem to allude here. It was exactly because Israel "would not" (s.w. "desired none of Me") that they were not allowed to continue in the land.

Psalm 81:12

So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, that they might walk in their own counsels-

On their journey to Canaan, the Israelites worshipped idols. Because of this, "God turned, and gave them up (over) to worship the host of heaven... I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts" (Acts 7:42; Ps. 81:12 AVmg.). God reached a stage where He actually encouraged Israel to worship idols; He confirmed them in their rejection of Him. And throughout their history, He encouraged them in their idolatry (Ez. 20:39; Am. 4:4). But there was a point where His Spirit was working on their hearts to stop them from idolatry; but they reached a point where they so grieved His Holy Spirit that He gave up doing this, and instead psychologically confirmed them in the mental path of the heart which they wished to go.

Psalm 81:13

Oh that My people would have listened to me, that Israel would have walked in my ways!-

God's pain is because they had not used the potential He had set up for them, described on :14. Grief is so often a function of considering what might have been; thus we grieve harder at the death of a child than for the passing of a peaceful 90 year old. And God passes through this same intense grief because of all the failed possibilities.

Psalm 81:14

I would quickly have subdued their enemies, and turned My hand against their adversaries-

God had potentially cleared the land of all the Canaanites, victory could have been very quick. And indeed thus it began at Joshua's time; but they failed to drive out the majority of the Canaanites, they failed to make use of God's hand which was turned against their enemies. See on Ps. 80:8,9.

Psalm 81:15

The haters of Yahweh would have cringed before Him, and their punishment would have lasted forever-

The victories won by Joshua were not permanent; the same areas he conquered and tribes he defeated rose up to dominate Israel later. Because they failed to make use of the Divine potential. Just as the Lord Jesus has won the battle and assured us of a place in the Kingdom; but we have to capitalize upon that. Asaph lived at the time of the restoration (Ezra 2:41). All his Psalms draw on the past dealings of God with His people and encourage them on this basis to make the wilderness journey back  to the land, just as they had done at the Exodus. Ps. 81:15,16 says that if Israel had been obedient, their neighbouring enemies would soon have submitted to them, and they would have experienced the blessings potentially in store for them. Just as God would have fed Israel with honey from the rock rather than just water (:16).

Psalm 81:16

But He would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat, I would have satisfied you with honey out of the rock-

If Israel were obedient, they would have been fed with honey as well as Manna- whilst Dt. 32:13 says they did have honey on their journey. What they could have had and what they were given in prospect is spoken of as if it was reality due to the nature of how God's potentials work. Or it could be that God in His grace did give them some honey, even though they didn’t fulfill the requirement- for God is so gracious. The promised blessings of honey were conditional upon Israel's obedience (Dt. 32:13 cp. Ps. 81:16), although granted in prospect (Dt. 32:13).

Psalm 82

Psalm 82:1

A Psalm by Asaph-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods-

"Elohim has taken His place in the divine council

In the midst of the elohim He holds judgment". This is a reference to the court of Heaven, into which we have a peek in 1 Kings 22. Elohim can refer to both Angels and men, such as the judges of Israel. They were intended to be a reflection of the court of heaven. And their assemblies were in turn judged by Yahweh, who was among them in judgment.

Psalm 82:2

How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Selah-

God judges the judges of His people. Showing partiality in judgment was condemned under the Mosaic law (Dt. 1:17; 16:19). God's "How long...?" may be an echo of the "How long...?" common in the Asaph psalms at the time of the exile. The answer was "When you repent and start behaving rightly", and here God is making that same point.

Psalm 82:3

Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless, maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed-

This psalm may have originated in David's lament at the unjust judgment of Saul or the men around Absalom, who fancied himself as judge of Israel (2 Sam. 15:3-6). David had seen himself as "poor and needy", needing grace after his sin with Bathsheba and its consequences (Ps. 40:17; 70:5; 86:1; 109:16,22). He wished Solomon to likewise have pity on the "poor and needy" amongst the Gentiles, those who had likewise repented (Ps. 72:13). And David was especially desirous to himself see the "poor and needy" blessed and accepted as he had been (Ps. 82:3,4; 113:7). It is our personal experience of needing grace which leads us to have a heart for those like us, the poor and needy. Any other motivation will ultimately not abide. Solomon appears to glorify his mother Bathsheba for likewise pitying the poor and needy (Prov. 31:9,20).

Psalm 82:4

Rescue the weak and needy, deliver them out of the hand of the wicked-

This may have originated in his thoughts about Saul, then reapplied to David's need for salvation from Absalom and Ahithophel, but, it becomes the intended appeal of the exiles for deliverance from Babylon, then Haman, and indeed from all their captors. "The hand of the wicked / unrighteous" is the term used for the Babylonians in Ez. 7:21. Yet these are God's words to His people. They were not being delivered because they themselves were not delivering the weak from the wicked. It seems the Jews had some autonomy in Persia, and perhaps this is a criticism of how they operated their local courts in the exile.

Psalm 82:5

They don’t know, neither do they understand; they wander back and forth in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken-

The judges of Israel were living out their condemnation even in this life; for wandering in darkness is the language of condemnation at the last day.

Psalm 82:6

I said, You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High-

As explained on :1, the elohim who were the judges of Israel were to reflect the elohim of the divine court room above them in heaven. But lest this Psalm be seen as merely a judgment of the judges, the point is made that all Israel were intended to be elohim. All Israel were intended to be priests, who are also called elohim; for they were to be a "nation of priests". Ps. 135:19,20 parallels all Israel with the priestly family: “Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron: bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, bless the Lord... praise ye the Lord”. All Israel were to aspire to the spirit of priesthood. Indeed, the Psalms often parallel the house of Aaron (i.e. the priesthood) with the whole nation (Ps. 115:9,10,12; 118:2,3).

As it was God’s intention that Israel were to be a nation of priests to the rest of the world, so the new Israel likewise are to all discharge the priestly functions of teaching their brethren (Ex. 19:6 cp. 1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:6; 5:9,10). Under the new covenant, we should all teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16). Further, Ps. 96:9 makes the paradigm breaking statement that even the Gentiles could come before Yahweh of Israel in holy, priestly array- they too could aspire to the spirit of priesthood (Ps. 96:9 RVmg.). Moses spoke of how all Israel should pray that God would establish the work of their hands (Ps. 90:17)- but this was in fact his special request for the blessing of Levi, the priestly tribe (Dt. 33:11).

The Lord Jesus quotes these words in Jn. 10:34: "Is it not written in your law: I said, you are gods?". The Lord Jesus is really saying ‘In the Old Testament men are called ‘gods’; I am saying I am the Son of God; so why are you getting so upset and claiming it is blasphemous if I use God's Name of Myself?’. The Lord Jesus is quoting from here in Ps. 82, where the judges of Israel were called ‘gods’. And yet the context is critical of those judges; to bear the name of 'God' didn't mean one was acceptable to God. And it is no accident that the Lord chose to quote an example of where Israel's leaders bear God's Name but are apostate. He was turning the tables on the Jewish leadership who were accusing Him of claiming to be God. It was in fact they who bore the name of God- and yet were to be condemned for not responding to the word / logos of God which had come to them.

The Lord continued in Jn. 10:35: "If he called those men gods, to whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken)..." The apostate leaders of Israel were the ones who bore the Name of God. The word / logos of God had come to them in that as pictured in the prologue to John's gospel, the logos of God in Jesus of Nazareth had 'come' to Israel and they had rejected it. The word of God came to the Old Testament judges of Israel [the context of Psalm 82] in that they were to judge according to His word. The Lord may also have in mind the LXX of 2 Chron. 19:6 where the judges of Israel are warned to judge rightly, because the logos of God is with them, had been given them, to judge rightly. The same idea is found in Dt. 1:17 where again the judges of Israel are warned in the LXX to judge according to the logos of God and not reject it in favour of human sympathies. In this sense perhaps Heb. 4:13 speaks of being judged by the logos of God. In the person of the Lord Jesus, the logos of God had come to the judges of Israel- and they were refusing to judge rightly because of their own agendas and personal investments.

Psalm 82:7

Nevertheless you shall die like men, and fall like one of the rulers-

"Thrown down" or "fall" was to be the fate of the unjust princes of Israel (s.w. Ps. 73:18) just as it had been the fate of Korah and the princes / rulers with him (Num. 16:2).

Psalm 82:8

Arise, God, judge the earth, for You shall inherit all of the nations. A song-

This Psalm is of rebuke and is a moral appeal. Yet it was to be sung as a song. In days of mass illiteracy, this would have been appropriate way to get the message out. In the context of God's people judging unjustly, God Himself is invited to arise and judge. And at that time, people from "all nations" would become His people, because of the injustice of Israel.

Psalm 83

Psalm 83:1

A Psalm by Asaph-

This "Asaph" could be the Asaph of Hezekiah's time (Is. 36:3) who used the Psalms in the context of the events of the Assyrian invasion. The Asaph Psalms all have parts in them relevant to that context (Ps. 50, 73-83). Or the "Asaph" may have been the singers who were relatives of Asaph, prominent at the restoration (Neh. 7:44; 11:17,22). It could mean that the psalms were a part of a collection from the Asaphites, and the name "Asaph" was therefore simply used to identify the temple singers. And again, parts of the Asaph psalms also have relevance to the restoration. The fact the Asaph Psalms speak of elohim rather than Yahweh would support the idea that they were used in the exilic / restoration period. But Asaph was the "chief" of the Levites to whom David assigned the ministry of praise before the ark (1 Chron. 16:4,5). It seems he did compose his own Psalms, which were used by Hezekiah at his time (2 Chron. 29:30). So I would again suggest that all the Asaph Psalms were composed originally by David "for" [not necessarily "by"] Asaph, but were rewritten and edited for later occasions.

God, don’t keep silent. Don’t keep silent and don’t be still, God-

The statement that God will not "rest" for Zion's sake (Is. 62:1) must be understood in the context of the faithful at that time urging God not to "be still" [same Hebrew word translated "rest"] for His people (Ps. 83:1; Is. 64:12). This is an allusion to Boaz not being at rest until he had redeemed Ruth and Naomi. God is not at rest, He is not distant from us; and yet His people in Babylon felt that He was. It's no wonder that we are tempted to feel the same. Yet we must give Is. 62:1 it's full weight- God is answering the complaint of His people by stating that no, He will never rest for them. In this same context we read that He that keeps Israel will "neither slumber nor sleep" (Ps. 121:4). The fact that God will never 'hold His peace' for His people's sake (Is. 62:1) means that we should likewise not 'hold our peace' for them (the same Hebrew is used in Is. 62:6). In our prayers for them, we are to give God no rest (Is. 62:7).

Psalm 83:2

For, behold, Your enemies are stirred up, those who hate You have lifted up their heads-

I suggest that Psalm 83 originated at the time of David's war with Ammon (2 Sam. 10:1-19). It was at this time that the children of Lot (Ammon) were helped by Assyria (2 Sam. 10:16; 1 Chron. 19:6,16), as required by :8. Although nations like Amalek and Assyria passed away, their political and geographical descendants continued. The Psalm could therefore also apply to the confederacy of Moab, Ammon and Edom in the reign of Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20:1-37). It could also apply to the attempt to destroy the revived Judah by Sanballat, Geshem and Tobiah. And relevance can also be seen to the confederacy of attacked described in 1 Macc. 5, which was put down by Judas Maccabaeus.

The Psalm has much language appropriate to a latter day fulfilment; the fact it had multiple primary fulfillments leads us to expect this. The revival of Arab nationalism and its organization in the P.L.O. seems especially appropriate. They are to lift up / exalt the rosh, the head- they set up an individual leader over them. This could be “Gog… the chief prince” of Ezek. 38, “the king of the north” of Daniel, “the man of sin” of 2 Thess. 2, and all the other references to a latter day Nebuchadnezzar / antiChrist figure.

Psalm 83:3

They conspire with cunning against Your people, they plot against Your cherished ones-

There could be an application of this to Isaiah's time. Rezin's invasions were a result of 'taking evil counsel against' Israel (Is. 7:5), just as Assyria and her supporters were to do:  "They have taken crafty counsel against thy people" (Ps. 83:3). Rezin's plan was to "set a king in the midst of (Judah), even the son of Tabeal" (Is. 7:6), meaning 'pleasing to God'. This supports the suggestion that the "fierce anger" of the invaders, both then and in the future, will be fuelled by quasi-religious reasoning- in this case 'You Jews are so displeasing to God, we're going to put a truly God-pleasing Muslim ruler in the holy city of Jerusalem.' The double emphasis on "Damascus" as being the nerve centre of Rezin's operations (Is. 7:8), may also be significant in that this very city is now a centre for terrorism against Israel.

Psalm 83 provides a list of ten areas around Israel who will form a covenant against her in the last days. It’s tempting to associate them with the ten toes of the Daniel 2 image and the ten horns of the beasts we meet in Daniel 7 and Revelation. What’s significant about the specific areas listed in Psalm 83 is that the list roughly corresponds to the places where exiled Palestinians have settled. The ‘covenant’ which is mentioned in Psalm 83 would therefore be the Palestinian Covenant, which calls for the destruction of Israel. The way the Islamists will seek to bind together their divided state is made clear in Psalm 83, where we have ten neighbouring nations, mostly in Al-Sham, Greater Syria, who unite themselves with a common aim of capturing the holy places in Jerusalem and blotting out the name of Israel:

“They conspire with cunning against Your people, they plot against Your cherished ones. Come, they say, and let’s destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.  For they have conspired together with one mind, they form an alliance against You. The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites; Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also is joined with them” (Ps. 83:3-8). Note that ‘Philistine’ and ‘Palestinian’ are the same word…

This ‘conspiring together with one mind’ and ‘forming an alliance’ is exactly what we see coming out of the uniting of the disparate Islamist factions in Syria and elsewhere. “Form an alliance” translates a Hebrew phrase more commonly translated ‘to cut a covenant’ (Ps. 83:5). The Palestinian Covenant unites these groups, and that covenant emphasizes the aim of overrunning Israel. Psalm 83 mentions ten nations- perhaps corresponding with the ten toes of Daniel’s image, and the ten horns on the beast which will dominate God’s people in the last days (Daniel 7, Revelation 13). Joel 3:9 is another prophecy of the invasion which happens just before Christ’s return, and it speaks of how the invaders will make a ‘proclamation’ to “sanctify war”- a jihad, a holy war. And that is exactly the rhetoric of the groups now calling for Islamist unity based around a jihad against Israel in order to establish Al-Sham. Syria, then known as Aram, frequently invaded Israel in Bible times. The invasions under the Syrian king Rezin were a result of 'taking evil counsel against' Israel (Is. 7:5), just as Assyria and her supporters are to do in Ps. 83:3: "They have taken crafty counsel against Your people”. The double emphasis on "Damascus" as being the nerve centre of Rezin's operations (Is. 7:8), may also be significant in that this very city is now a centre for terrorism against Israel.

The intentions of the P.L.O. are “crafty” in that there is the impression given that they seek co-existence with Israel; they are plotting the destruction of Israel and the Jews under the guise of humanism and peaceful intentions. But the Confederacy  seeks to destroy Israel, as is evident:

“The Palestinian Covenant declares as its central themes a total repudiation of the existence of Israel… the claim that Israel should not exist is implied in almost half of its 33 articles… the demand for the demise of Israel becomes a matter of inevitable necessity... Israelis are barely human creatures who may be tolerated in the Palestinian state as individuals, with their numbers reduced... The question of how to reduce the number of Jews in a Palestinian state… is highlighted by the use of murderous terms against the Israelis” (Y. Harkabi, The Palestinian Covenant And It’s Meaning (Totowa, N.J: Valentine, Mitchell & Co., 1979) pp.11,13,48). Article 8 of the Palestinian Covenant: “The conflicts among the Palestinian national forces are secondary, and should be ended for the sake of the basic conflict that exists between Zionism… and the Arab people”. Article 9:  “Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine. It is the overall strategy”. Yet a willfully naïve world overlooks these statements because they prefer to believe the “crafty counsel” of the Arabs- that they seek for peaceful co-existence with the Jews in Israel.

Psalm 83:4

Come, they say, and let’s destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more-

The Muslims argue that Israel / the Jews are not a people: “Israeli Jews… can only be nationals of (other) states, where nationality is not Jewish. The demand for the liquidation of Israel thus also stems directly as a necessary conclusion from the definition that the Jews are (already) not a nation… since the state of Israel is not based on true nationalism, it is often described in Arabic as an ‘artificial entity’…the theory that the Jews do not constitute a nation is also recited for the claim of exclusive Arab nationality of the Palestinian state” (Naji Alush, The Road To Palestine p.141).

“Victory for the Arabs is possible only in the liquidation of Israel; anything else is capitulation... The Jews are not a nation and thus on principle do not deserve to have a state of their own…there is no atrocity that cannot be justified in order to bring about the liquidation of Israel” (Y. Harkabi, The Palestinian Covenant And It’s Meaning (Totowa, N.J: Valentine, Mitchell & Co., 1979) p.12). The desire to “cut them off from being a nation” runs counter to God’s clear statement in Gen. 25:23: “Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people…”. Note that they were not to be of a different ethnicity, as both Jews and Arabs often claim [for they were from the same parents], but different types of people.

Psalm 83:5

For they have conspired together with one mind, they form an alliance against You-

The nations are listed here according to their geographical position, starting in the East and then passing around clockwise to the south and up to the north east. The idea is that all the nations surrounding Israel are involved in this confederacy- which is exactly the situation Israel is currently in.

The surrounding Muslims will unite themselves against Israel. The ‘Palestinian National Covenant’ uses the Arab word Qawmi for ‘National’ – i.e. pan-Arab. Note the RV of Ps. 83:5: “Against thee do they make a covenant”. “The Palestinian National Authority will strive to achieve a union of the confrontation countries [i.e. “all nations around about” Israel]… or a step along the road to comprehensive Arab unity” – Political Programs of the P.L.O., Article 8. “The Palestinian National Council calls upon the Arab nation [singular!] to shoulder its pan-Arab responsibilities and to pool all its energies to confront… Zionism” – Political Resolution of the 13th Palestinian National Council, Article 4. The Palestinian Liberation Army is under an “inter-Arab High Command” (Y. Harkabi, The Palestinian Covenant And It’s Meaning (Totowa, N.J: Valentine, Mitchell & Co., 1979) p.1) p. 62. “The Palestinians will have three mottoes:  national unity, pan-Arab mobilization, and liberation” (Are these the three unclean spirits of Rev. 16 that gather the nations around Israel to battle?) – Political Resolution of the 13th Palestinian National Council, Article 11.

“Nasser used to argue that Arab unity is a pre-requisite for …enabling the initiation of an all-out war against Israel”... “The Arab ‘nation’ is made up of ‘peoples’ and the (one) Arab homeland comprises the national homeland of these peoples…the relationship of the people and the individual to the overall Arab homeland and nation is called in modern Arabic Qamwiyya (nationalism)…like the trunk of a tree that branches off into offshoots of local patriotism…the splitting up of the Arab region into separate states carved out by the colonial powers.  However, once Arab unity is achieved and the frontiers wiped out…” (Harkabi, pp. 70,31). “As for the Egyptians, the Iraqis… they are nothing but the peoples and branches of one nation, the Arab nation” (Sati Al-Husri, Arabism First, (Beirut Lebanon: P.L.O. Research Centre) p. 13). “Colonialism shattered the unity of our Arab nation and the unity of our Arab homeland…but this has not prevented the masses… from feeling they are one people” -Resolution of Palestinian National Council, 1971 (As recorded in Anne Zahlan, International Documents on Palestine (Beirut, Lebanon:  Institute for Palestine Studies, 1974) p. 398).

The intention is to create a single nation which is home for all the Arab peoples. This may include not only Palestine but all of the land promised to Abraham. “Palestine is inseparable from the Arab homeland”... “King Hussein’s plan for the establishment of a so-called United Arab Kingdom”... “This crisis has captivated the whole Arab nation throughout the greater Arab homeland” (Harkabi, pp. 99,135,136) – i.e. the earth/land promised to Abraham.

It could well be that the entire area promised to Abraham is briefly confederated into one Arab super state once Israel is over-run. In this sense all the prophecies about the eretz (the land / earth) being dominated by Israel’s enemies would then come true. Not only will the Arabs unite amongst themselves but they will unite many other world forces in their anti-Judaism. This must be, for if there is to be a time of trouble for Jacob such as never was, the millions of Jews living in North America are going to have to be persecuted even worse than they were by Nazi Germany. Things are going to have to change- dramatically, and in a very short time. The god of this world is humanism, and it seems that all the world will be united by the Arabs against Israel under this guise. “The enemy of humanity’ is a phrase  found in Arab writing to designate Israel... Such a description is designed to mobilize support from all peoples, because Zionism is portrayed as an imperialist base that threatens them too” (Harkabi, p. 90). Article 16 of the P.L.O. National Covenant:  “The liberation of Palestine, from a spiritual point of view, will provide the Holy Land with an atmosphere of safety and tranquility, which in turn will safeguard the country’s religious sanctuaries…. accordingly, the people of Palestine look to all spiritual forces in the world for support.”

Psalm 83:6

The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab, and the Hagrites-

The way the Islamists will seek to bind together their divided state is made clear in Psalm 83, where we have ten local nations (cp. the ten invading nations of Ez. 38, the ten horns of the beast and ten toes of the Dan. 2 image), mostly in Al-Sham, Greater Syria, who unite themselves with a common aim of capturing the holy places in Jerusalem and blotting out the name of Israel.

Psalm 83:7

Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre-

Note that ‘Philistine’ and ‘Palestinian’ are the same word… Tyre and Gebal speak of present day Lebanon. All the strong differences and rivalries will for a moment be forgotten in the common hatred of Israel.

Psalm 83:8

Assyria also is joined with them. They have helped the children of Lot. Selah-

See on :1 for the primary fulfilment of this in Assyria helping Ammon at the time of David. The prophecies of Assyria clearly have a latter day fulfilment. It seems "Assyria" refers to an umbrella state or coalition which gives power and identity to these various disparate factions.

Psalm 83:9

Do to them as You did to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon-

In these incidents, the surrounding invaders destroyed themselves. As Sisera was the leader of the confederacy at this time, so there will be a rosh or head over the latter day confederacy (see on :2). There is plenty of evidence that the Islamist solidarity against Israel is very shallow; they are deeply fractured, and a victory against the Jews could well bring out those differences immediately, in a very bitter and self-destructive way. This final destruction is likely that spoken of in Revelation, where after a brief period of unity against God’s people, “The horns hate the whore”- the final form of the coalition against Israel. The final phase of domination of the land of Israel foretold in Daniel 2 was by a confederacy of “iron and clay”, nations that don’t mix together well; although in the context of dominating Israel, they are united. Particularly the Palestinians and other Arabs are mutually suspicious of each other; and there is ample tension between Iraq [latter day Babylon] and its Arab neighbours. “Expressions of suspicion toward the Arab states abound in Palestinian writings. They contain sharp criticism of discrimination against the Palestinians in the form of restrictive decrees in employment and travel. Expressions of hatred can even be found against the Arab states”... “The P.L.O. will retaliate against the Arab states… if they take a line of policy which the P.L.O. regards as inimical to it’s cause”... “Arab governments (are) suspicious of the plan to organize the Palestinians into the Palestinian entity” (Harkabi, pp. 72,96,10).

Psalm 83:10 who perished at Endor, who became as dung for the earth-

Even "dung for the earth" is a condemnation still pregnant with hope. For the intention is that through the judgment of this confederacy, the "earth" / land promised to Abraham will again become fertile. For dung is spread upon the earth to make it fertile.

Psalm 83:11

Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb; yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna-

They were defeated as a result of God making their troops turn on each other (Jud. 7:22-25). As noted on :10, self-condemnation and self judgment is God's preferred way of dealing with His enemies. "Zeeb" is the word for "wolf"; let's not forget that the final picture of the Kingdom is of the wolf living at peace with the lamb on mount Zion, referring to the wild animals of the surrounding nations being reconciled to God and His people (Is. 11:6; 65:25). See on :16.

Psalm 83:12

who said, Let us take possession of God’s pasturelands-

Ps. 83:11,12 records how the leaders of the Midianite invasion said, " Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession" (AV). The raw lust of the surrounding peoples for Israel's riches is currently camouflaged in the same way. And we see a similar focus upon the holy places of Jerusalem, which is attaining an ever higher status in Islamist theology, beginning to replace Mecca in their thinking as the most holy city of Islam. Before the final onslaught in Gideon's time, those nations had "encamped against" Israel. The Hebrew literally meaning 'to incline a pole' has an uncanny relevance to the pointing of missiles towards them. There can be little doubt that the vast arsenals of missiles will come into use soon.

"The Chaldeans... shall... possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs" (Hab. 1:6) sounds like Ps. 83:12, concerning the latter-day confederacy saying, "Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession" (AV). The implication is that Babylon, too, wished to possess the holy places of Jerusalem for religious reasons.

Clearly enough, the specific focus of the P.L.O. has been on taking control of Jerusalem’s holy places. This was evident in all of Arafat’s speeches. The P.L.O. refuses to cease hostilities against God’s people until they are in possession of Jerusalem. It seems that the ideal of the P.L.O. is to establish a fake Kingdom of God in the land promised to Abraham, with Jerusalem as the capital, a new ‘temple’ built there, and some antiChrist figure ruling there. Their dream is of a land of plenty and true tolerance and equality, glorifying all the principles of humanism- and yet excluding God’s people. All Arabs and Muslims world-wide would be encouraged to return and live in this Arab superstate, mimicking how the true seed of Abraham will be gathered home in the last days. The P.L.O. plan to send the Jews out of the land into captivity- Saddam Hussein once said just the same.

The Babylonian captivity will be re-enacted, and then in a ‘second exodus’ the Jews will return and perhaps build the temple which they were instructed to build in Ez. 40-48. This expulsion of the Jews from the land is foretold in Dt. 28- where disobedient Israel are to be taken into Egypt again by ships, something which has never yet occurred; and also in Zech. 14, where in the last days Jerusalem is to be captured by her enemies and half the city go off into captivity. And then, the Lord returns to the Mount of Olives from which He left. “Only Jews who undertake to be loyal to the Palestinian state shall be recognized… the recurring motif in Palestinian literature which insists that the Jews who would be allowed (to remain) should relinquish Zionism” (Harkabi, p. 46). “Peace in the land of Palestine and the neighboring countries is our heart’s desire.  Above all, a precondition for this is the liberation of Palestine” (Fayez Sayegh, A Handful of Mist (Beirut, Lebanon: P.L.O. Research Centre) p.19). “The right to return includes the right to get back all former Arab property, the return of which will cause the mass eviction of Israelis from Jaffa, Nazareth, etc. ... The establishment of the Palestinian state is bound up with a mass evacuation of Jews from their homes, and they will be thus forced to emigrate” (Harkabi, pp. 157,56).

Shuqairy, founder of the P.L.O., often made the proposal to send the Jews back to their countries of origin.  Naji Alush repeats the proposal and asks, “Why not ask the U.N. to finance this plan?” (p. 219) . If accepted, this would unite “all nations” against Israel and her Messiah. Article 11 of the Constitution of Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath Party read:  “Whoever emigrated to the Arab homeland (Palestine) with a colonialist aim shall be expelled”. Naji Alush defines “the stand of the Arab national movement on Palestine concerning the Jews” as being that the same number of Jews that were in Palestine before 1914 (i.e. 20,000) should be allowed to remain, and own the 1% of the land they then owned – and the rest be extradited (Naji Alush, The Palestinian National Movement (Beirut, Lebanon, 1969) p. 170).  “Permission to stay in Palestine should be granted to the Jews who shall declare that they are giving up the idea of the Jewish state” (Niqula Al-Dor (one time member of the P.L.O. Executive), Thus Lost and Thus to be Returned (Beirut, Lebanon: Al-Hawadith Press)).

It is significant that the Arabs demand that the minority of Jews who they would let remain become ‘Arabs’. “Such a state… should be explicitly & emphatically an Arab state with a minority of Jews, who from a national viewpoint, would become Arabs” (Harkabi, p.52). It could be that this meant they accepted Islam. In this case we would have an analogous situation to that in countless historical types of the last days: Israel accept the idols of the surrounding Arab world and are judged because of it.

Psalm 83:13

My God, make them like tumbleweed; like chaff before the wind-

The idea of a whirlwind sweeping away Israel's enemies is the picture of Daniel 2, where the image is broken and swept away at the return of Christ. The image therefore seems to speak of a latter day domination of Israel by her surrounding enemies who for a brief time dominate eretz Israel.

Asaph lived at the time of the restoration (Ezra 2:41). All his Psalms draw on the past dealings of God with His people and encourage them on this basis to make the wilderness journey back  to the land, just as they had done at the Exodus. In this context, Psalms 83 concerns the neighbouring nations who were wanting to cut off the people of Judah who had returned at the restoration. Verse 13 asks for the prophecy of Dan. 2:44 to be fulfilled against them in the form of Messiah’s coming. But this prophecy has been deferred to our last days, when a returned Israel seek the same deliverance.

Psalm 83:14

As the fire that burns the forest, as the flame that sets the mountains on fire-

It would only be supernaturally intense heat which could melt and destroy a mountain. This is the language of the last days, used in Rev. 8:8 about the burning mountain of the latter day invader of Israel being cast into the sea in permanent destruction. This intense heat, approaching like a forest fire, is intended to elicit repentance from Israel's latter day abusers; see on :16,17.

Psalm 83:15

so pursue them with Your tempest, and terrify them with Your storm-

The purpose of this pursuit and terror is intended to elicit repentance from Israel's latter day abusers; see on :16,17. Those who do not want this will be swept away like chaff by the wind of God's judgments; which is exactly the scene of the destruction of the image in Dan. 2. See on :13.

Psalm 83:16

Fill their faces with confusion, that they may seek Your name, Yahweh-

The intention of these judgments is always so that God's enemies may repent. See on :11. Confusion or "dishonour" (AV) is required, being shamed for sin, before people guilty of this level of abuse will really repent.

Psalm 83:17

Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever. Yes, let them be confounded and perish-

The emphasis upon "let them..." may suggest they are to be faced with condemnation right before their face, but in order that they seek Yahweh (:16). Their being confounded is the "confusion" of :16 which is intended to elicit their repentance. As ever, there is positive intention in God's judgments, and not at all the explosion in wrath of an offended deity. Only those who face condemnation in the face and say "yes" to it will be condemned. See on :18.

Psalm 83:18 that they may know that You alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth-

There is no conscious survival of death taught in the Bible. The judgments of :17 are therefore intended not to be carried out; for after 'perishing' (:18) they can hardly know or recognize Yahweh. The description of judgment in :17 is therefore so that they might repent and accept Yahweh as king, and willingly submit to His Kingdom throughout the entire eretz promised to Abraham.

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by the sons of Korah-

"By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers. They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19. Or if we insist on reading "by", it could have been a Davidic Psalm edited and as it were released by a group called "the sons of Korah" during the captivity in Babylon.

Psalm 84

Psalm 84:1

How lovely are Your dwellings, Yahweh of Armies!-

This appears to be a psalm of David whilst in exile either from Saul or Absalom, longing to be back in the sanctuary. But it has likely been reused and reapplied under inspiration to the exiles.

Psalm 84:2

My soul longs and even faints for the courts of Yahweh. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God-

David's desire for the sanctuary has been rewritten with reference to the "courts" of the temple, which didn't exist in his time. "The living God" can be 'the God of the living ones', perhaps a reference to the glory of the cherubim seen over the ark. Yet in the wilderness Psalms, David often says that he lives under the shadow of those cherubic wings, as if even without seeing the ark and whilst far from the sanctuary, he felt as if he lived beneath God's glory, under the shadow of the cherubic wings, over the blood of atonement on the cover of the ark. But despite that awareness, he still longs for the physical, external symbols of faith, and so longs to be at the sanctuary again. It was this failure to learn his lesson that led to his obsession with building a physical temple, which God responded to negatively, initially. And it became a stumbling block for later generations because of the emphasis upon the physical symbols of religion, rather than the essence.

Psalm 84:3

Yes, the sparrow has found a home and the swallow a nest for herself where she may have her young, near Your altars, Yahweh of Armies, my King, and my God-

David recalls how wild birds flew into the sanctuary and even nested there. And he in his exile is jealous of them. He often likens himself to a bird, which is being hunted. Often David likens his enemies' plans to catch him as snares, gins etc. set for birds (e.g. Ps. 84:3; 102:6; 124;7; 140:5)- all the language of hunting birds. He had probably done plenty of this as a youngster caring for the sheep, and the influence of those formative years remained. But extending the likeness of himself to a bird, he now wishes he could just fly into the sanctuary and nest there.

Psalm 84:4

Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are always praising You. Selah-

David seems to assume that those who lived in the temple precincts were blessed because they were always praising God. But he is overlooking the principle so often expressed in his wilderness Psalms- that he could continually praise God wherever he was. It seems that like us, he learned the lesson at the time and in theory, but failed to apply it in later life, such was his human hankering after the external symbols of religion.

Psalm 84:5

Blessed are those whose strength is in You; who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage-

"In whose hearts are the highways (to Zion)". The LXX has "goings up", an idea always associated with 'going up' to Zion and 'coming down' from it after attending a feast. This idea would have been appropriate for the exiles; all whose heart was set on the way back to Zion would be blessed. But most preferred to remain in Babylon.

Psalm 84:6

Passing through the valley of Weeping, they make it a place of springs. Yes, the autumn rain covers it with blessings-

This valley of Baca (AV) was some "waterless and barren valley through which pilgrims passed on their way to Jerusalem". But it was transformed by the autumn rains, bursting forth into life. The same language is used for what could have happened to the exiles if they followed David's path of restoration. For Is. 35:6; 41:18 use the same ideas concerning the restoration, whereby dry valleys would come alive with water and new growth. LXX "The lawgiver shall give blessings". In Ps. 23 David likens his exile to passing through the valley of the shadow of death, and yet confidently hopes for restoration.

Psalm 84:7

They go from strength to strength-

This again is language appropriate to the returning exiles, who would "renew their strength" (Is. 40:31).

Each one of them appears before God in Zion-

Appearing before God is the language of attending a feast, and it was also David's desire in Ps. 42:2. And yet the wilderness Psalms claim that he felt just as close to God as ever before, even though he could not keep the feasts whilst on the run. But he seems to be jealous of those who could. The power of religion and the desire to perform religious ritual is seen very strongly in David, and as with us, the pole of religiosity struggles against that of personal spirituality.

Psalm 84:8

Yahweh, God of Armies, hear my prayer; listen, God of Jacob. Selah-

The reference to "Armies" may suggest an understanding that God's Angels would guide David back to the sanctuary; "God of Jacob" is likewise an Angelic phrase (Gen. 48:16).

Psalm 84:9

Behold, God our shield, look at the face of Your anointed-

It was David who was the anointed of God, and so this Psalm likely originated whilst he was anointed but not crowned, on the run from Saul, in exile therefore from the sanctuary. The reference to God as shield is another reminder to himself that he was of the true seed of Abraham (Gen. 15:1).

Psalm 84:10

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the tent of my God-

This reflects the feelings of the righteous remnant in Babylon- e.g. the thought that just one day in God's temple is better than a thousand days in Babylon's "tents of wickedness" (Ps. 84:10). Doorkeepers in the house of their God was exactly what the sons of Korah were (1 Chron. 9:19; 26:1,12-19); perhaps this Psalm was appropriated by them whilst in Babylon. Dwelling in the tents of wickedness would be therefore a disassociation from their ancestor Korah (Num. 16:26).

Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness-

Perhaps the reference is the same as in Ps. 120:5, where David laments that he must dwell among the tents of Kedar, when he would far rather be in the sanctuary. Kedar was the second son of Ishmael (Gen. 25:13), one of the wild roaming tribes whose hand was against every man (Gen. 16:13). Perhaps there was a time when fleeing from Saul when David had to live amongst them, and he longs to be back in Zion. Or perhaps he simply means that he has to live among hostile and barbarous people, who are characterized as the wild Kedar and Meshech.

Whatever the primary reference of this Psalm, it is a reworking of David's feelings when persecuted by Saul and likewise on the run from him. For circumstances repeat in our lives, and it would be natural for David to reconsider Psalms written at the time of one exile and apply them to another, just as these Psalms were also used for others in their times of exile. "Wickedness" is the word used about Saul's persecution in 1 Sam. 24:13. Perhaps he felt that whilst working as a musician in Saul's palace he was living in tents of wickedness.

Psalm 84:11

For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield-

Another reminder to himself that he was of the true seed of Abraham (Gen. 15:1).

Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly-

We wonder at David's possible arrogance in assuming that he or any man can walk blamelessly. Only the Lord Jesus fits this. And yet this is the phrase used in God's command to Abraham and his seed (Gen. 17:1). It was only possible for Abraham to do so by his faith in imputed righteousness, by grace through faith. But it's questionable as to whether David at this point realized that; he had to learn it through reflection upon the wonder of how God had counted him righteous after the sin with Bathsheba.

Psalm 84:12

Yahweh of Armies, blessed is the man who trusts in You-

Ps. 2:12 has David saying the same. Despite all the longing for being physically present in the temple, David concludes that the greatest blessing is not that, but rather having a heart which trusts in Yahweh and His armies of Angels for restoration in the end. And this was the lesson for the exiles, and for us too.

Psalm 85

Psalm 85:1

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah-

"By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers. They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19. Or if we insist on reading "by", it could have been a Davidic Psalm edited and as it were released by a group called "the sons of Korah" during the captivity in Babylon.

Yahweh, You have been favourable to Your land. You have restored the fortunes of Jacob-

This may be an example of the 'prophetic perfect', speaking of that yet future, that being asked for, as if it had already happened. Or we could call this language 'fantasy', of the kind we may enjoy when looking forward to the kingdom age. The rest of the Psalm makes it clear that they were not at that time restored, and were still under God's wrath.

But the phrase for 'favourable to Your land' is that used of how during the exile, the land would "enjoy" her Sabbaths (Lev. 26:34,41)- until the people repented. But there is no emphasis upon repentance, just a passionate belief that God ought to remove the consequences of their sin. Likewise 'restoring the fortunes' is the phrase for 'return the captivity', which would happen only when Israel returned to Yahweh (Dt. 30:2,3). But there is no mention of the need for this returning to Yahweh.

Psalm 85:2

You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. Selah-

Asaph lived at the time of the restoration (Ezra 2:41). Ps. 85 reflects how that faithful remnant believed that God had forgiven them (Ps. 85:2), and therefore they asked for His anger to cease and for Him to lead their feet in the way which would lead back to Zion (Ps. 85:4,13 RV). But we note that there is a plea for forgiveness and faith this would be granted; but little emphasis upon repentance. The prophets required that Judah 'return' to their God in repentance [s.w.] so that they might return to the land.

We also note that forgiveness is seen as 'covering' of sin. This was absolutely possible in Old Testament times, even without the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. That sacrifice was to as it were flag human attention and elicit faith in the fact that God really does forgive sin and save people. For God is not a pagan deity requiring the blood of a human before He can forgive. David spoke of the blessedness of the man like him whose sin was covered, because he had not himself covered or hid it (Ps. 32:1,5). But the exiles needed to follow the pattern of David in repentance and restoration.

Psalm 85:3

You have taken away all Your wrath, You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger-

This and Ps. 78:38 seems to suggest God Himself controlled His anger, Himself turning that anger away, rather than being like a pagan deity whose anger was appeased by blood sacrifice. God turned from His anger due to Moses' intercession (Ex. 32:12 s.w.), but this is not to say that He cannot in any case turn away His anger, simply by His grace. Just as we may control our anger from within ourselves, or at other times we may do this because of the appeal of another to us, or because there is repentance from the one who provoked us. And there were times when this was the case with God (s.w. Num. 25:4; Josh. 7:26; 2 Chron. 12:12; 29:10; 30:8).

Psalm 85:4

Turn us, God of our salvation, and cause Your indignation toward us to cease-

The psalmist believed that God could turn the hearts of men to repentance; for repentance is itself a gift of God (Acts 11:18). God is able to work directly upon human hearts to bring about repentance. But we wonder whether the psalmist would not have been better in confessing their sin as Daniel does in Dan. 9, and Ezra likewise; rather than as it were asking God to do the work of repentance for them.

Psalm 85:5

Will You be angry with us forever? Will You draw out Your anger to all generations?-

The same words are used in Jer. 17:4 about how God's anger would indeed burn for ever because of what Judah had done. Again we enquire why there is not an acceptance of this and a confession of sin, rather than repeatedly asking simply for the consequence of sin to be taken away. It was because of this lack of repentance that the envisaged restoration didn't take place as was potentially possible.

Psalm 85:6

Won’t You revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?-

The implication seems to be that they would not rejoice in their God unless He revived them, by removing the consequence of their sins irrespective of their repentance. Israel would live or be revived if they repented (Ez. 33:19 s.w.). And yet by grace, God did speak of how His Spirit would revive the dead bones of Israel (s.w. Ez. 37:5,6,9). Seeing they had not repented, this was amazing grace to even offer that. The work of the Spirit does the same today; for repentance is itself a gift of God (Acts 11:18). But like the exiles, we can refuse even that, and remain in exile from God because the old and familiar seems somehow better than revival with Him. See on :7.

Psalm 85:7

Show us Your grace, Yahweh. Grant us Your salvation-

This was the grace spoken of in :6; to revive them through the Spirit even whilst impenitent (Ez. 37:5), even though such revival was predicated upon repentance (Ez. 33:19). Such grace is the giving of salvation, but even that we have to accept and actually want it.

Psalm 85:8

I will hear what God, Yahweh, will speak, for He will speak peace to His people, His saints; but let them not turn again to folly-

The psalmist may here be finally hinting that at least he personally will hear or be obedient to God's word. But only in faith that God would grant the peace of forgiveness to His people. Such grace ought to mean that they never against turned to "folly", probably a reference to idolatry.

Psalm 85:9

Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him, so that glory may dwell in our land-

The glory of God had been seen by Ezekiel leaving Jerusalem and going into captivity; but the prophetic hope was that it would return. But Israel had to "fear Him" to receive that great salvation, and Ezekiel records how the exiles continued in idolatry.

Psalm 85:10

Mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other-

The idea may be that God's mercy would be given to those who were faithful ["truth"] to the covenant. "Mercy and truth" often refer to the promises to Abraham, which were the basis of the new covenant offered to the exiles in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, seeing they had broken the old covenant. Peace with God would come if the people devoted themselves to righteousness. This was the prophetic vision of the psalmist, but the reality was that the exiles didn't abide in the covenant, they tried to keep the broken old covenant and rejected the new covenant. And they were hardly characterized by a love of righteousness, as the history in Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Malachi and Esther reveals.

Psalm 85:11

Truth springs out of the earth, righteousness has looked down from heaven-

The idea is that Israel would abide in truth, in faithfulness to the new covenant; and God's righteousness would come from heaven in faithful response to that. See on :10.

Psalm 85:12

Yes, Yahweh will give that which is good. Our land will yield its increase-

The revived spiritual state of the people would be reflected in the prophesied kingdom conditions coming in the land. But there were famines when the exiles returned; this great prophetic potential was reapplied and rescheduled to Judah's final repentance in the last days.

Psalm 85:13

Righteousness goes before Him, and prepares the way for His steps-

This is the language of later Isaiah about the way back to Zion being prepared. But those wonderful prophecies of restoration were precluded by the impenitence of the exiles, and their preference (for the most part) to remain in exile

Psalm 86

Psalm 86:1

A Prayer by David.

Hear, Yahweh, and answer me, for I am poor and needy-

David had seen himself as "poor and needy", needing grace after his sin with Bathsheba and its consequences (Ps. 40:17; 70:5; 86:1; 109:16,22). He wished Solomon to likewise have pity on the "poor and needy" amongst the Gentiles, those who had likewise repented (Ps. 72:13). And David was especially desirous to himself see the "poor and needy" blessed and accepted as he had been (Ps. 82:3,4; 113:7). It is our personal experience of needing grace which leads us to have a heart for those like us, the poor and needy. Any other motivation will ultimately not abide. Solomon appears to glorify his mother Bathsheba for likewise pitying the poor and needy (Prov. 31:9,20).

Psalm 86:2

Preserve my soul, for I am Godly. You, my God, save Your servant who trusts in You-

Psalm 86 is a Psalm where David constantly speaks of his need for God’s forgiveness (Ps. 86:3,5,15,16). And yet David in the same Psalm can say: “Preserve my soul; for I am holy” (Ps. 86:2). He again has this sense of his own integrity and imputed righteousness, in the midst of realizing his need for God’s grace and forgiveness.   David's repentance is a pattern for ours, day by day. See on Ps. 41:12.

Psalm 86:3

Be merciful to me Lord, for I call to You all day long-

Prayer is part of the atmosphere of spiritual life, not something hived off and separate- it is an expression of our spirit. Thus there are verses which speak of many daily prayers as being just one prayer (Ps. 86:3,6; 88:1,2); prayer is a way / spirit of life, not something specific which occurs for a matter of minutes each day. The commands to "pray without ceasing" simply can't be literally obeyed (1 Thess. 5:17). "Watch and pray always" in the last days likewise connects prayer with watchfulness, which is an attitude of mind rather than something done on specific occasions. This is not to say that prayer in no sense refers to formal, specific prayer. Evidently it does, but it is only a verbal crystallization of our general spirit of life.

Psalm 86:4

Bring joy to the soul of Your servant, for to You, Lord, do I lift up my soul-

There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. David lifts himself up to God (Ps. 25:1; 28:2; 86:4), and asks God to lift up Himself in response (Ps. 7:6; 10:12; 94:2).

Psalm 86:5

For You, Lord, are good and ready to forgive; abundant in grace to all those who call on You-

As noted on :1, David feels he can say he is "holy" ["Godly"], and yet feels in need of forgiveness and grace. His sense of holiness was therefore because he believed righteousness could be imputed. Or we could conclude that one can still feel basically "Godly" even when having sinned and needing forgiveness.

Psalm 86:6

Hear, Yahweh, my prayer; listen to the voice of my petitions-

David's prayer for help in time of trouble (:7) was therefore associated with a feeling the need for forgiveness (:5). Presumably this Psalm dates from a time when he faced distress and danger as a consequence of his sin with Bathsheba. He believed his sin had been forgiven, and at the time rejoiced in the grace shown him. And yet he still feels the need to ask for forgiveness. This is not necessarily a collapse of faith (although it could be). Rather is it a quite normal abiding realization that he has sinned and needs forgiveness. Just as we may sin against a person and be forgiven, and yet still feel the need later to again ask their forgiveness for that sin. This is not necessarily a lack of faith in the forgiveness granted, but a quite natural abiding awareness of our status before that person.

Psalm 86:7

In the day of my trouble I will call on You, for You will answer me-

See on :6. He asks God to save him in the language of Israel’s Red Sea deliverance, speaking of it as “the day of my trouble” (Ps. 86:7,8 = Ex. 15:11). He saw how their circumstances and his were in principle the same; he personalized the Scripture he had read. Likewise David invites us to come and see the works God did at the Red Sea, commenting: “there did we rejoice in him” (Ps. 66:5,6).

The intention of David's Psalms was to share his experience of God's grace and salvation with others. This Psalm is very clear- David is saying 'May this be true for you as it was for me'. And this is really the basis of all our witness. It was David who had been answered in his 'days of trouble', and set on high (Ps. 20:1). His desire was fulfilled- for this verse of the Psalm clearly was reapplied to the "day of trouble" of the Assyrian invasion (s.w. Is. 37:3) and also to the Babylonian traumas of the exiles (s.w. Jer. 16:19; 30:7; Nah. 1:7; Hab. 3:16). See on Ex. 25:8.

"Troubles" is the word used of Jacob's time of trouble (Gen. 35:3; Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1). David's experience of trouble was representative of how the exiles and all God's people could ultimately follow the path of Jacob to deliverance out of exile and from his strong enemies. But in Ps. 71:20 David sees his deliverance from the day of trouble as ultimately being in the resurrection of the body, being 'brought up again from the depths of the earth'.

Psalm 86:8

There is no one like You among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like Your deeds-

This is a tacit recognition that there was a tendency to idolatry at David's time; and through this song he teaches against this. His argument is that Yahweh is so great that if there are any other gods around, they are insignificant. Likewise the Lord Jesus didn't state in so many words that demons don't exist; but the scale of His miracles indicated that even if they did they were effectively powerless. See on :10.

Psalm 86:9

All nations You have made will come and worship before You, Lord. They shall glorify Your name-

David was perhaps the greatest example of all the Old Testament figures of wanting to see the conversion of the Gentiles, implicit as it was within the promises to Abraham. And he used his music ministry to try to spread this message. He makes this request in the context of asking for forgiveness (see on :6), and so many of the Bathsheba Psalms feature this desire to use his sin and forgiveness as an opportunity to reach out to the entire world with the message of God's grace for them.

Psalm 86:10

For You are great, and do wondrous things-

As discussed on Ps. 71:19, the "great / wondrous things" performed by God were His forgiveness and salvation of a condemned sinner like David (see on :6,9). This is described in Ps. 71:19 as God doing "great things", the phrase used of the great things worked in visible miracles in Egypt (Ps. 106:21) and at creation (Ps. 136:7). But the forgiveness of people like David is no less a great miracle. Such great things are done because of His mercy / grace (Ps. 136:4).

You alone are God-

As noted on :8, this is a tacit recognition that there was a tendency to idolatry at David's time; and through this song he teaches against this.

Psalm 86:11

Teach me Your way, Yahweh; I will walk in Your truth-

A passing sense of wonder at the night sky as a man glances at it for a few moments longer than usual one evening from his balcony... needs to lead to the questions in response to God's questions: Who or what is He? What is His Name, His hope for me, His ability... how should I respond? And the answers to those questions aren't in nature itself, but in God's word. "You are great and do wonders... teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in your way" (Ps. 86:10,11). The moments of wonder which God affords His creatures aren't intended to lead them into wild speculation; but rather to incite them to seek His revealed truth in His word.

Make my heart undivided to fear Your name-

See on :12. Again we see a clear faith in God's ability to work directly upon the human heart, giving us a new psychology. This is what we most urgently need, and is what the gift of the Holy Spirit is all about. "Undivided" is literally "one". Perhaps James is alluding here when he warns against having a double heart or mind (James 1:8).

Psalm 86:12

I will praise You, Lord my God, with my whole heart; I will glorify Your name forever-

David has just asked for an undivided heart (:11), and so this promise to praise God with his "whole heart" is not because he considers he has a "whole heart". But he asks for it, and believes he will receive; and vows to give this heart to God.

Psalm 86:13

For Your grace is great toward me, You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol-

The undivided heart David has asked for in :11 is because God's grace has been so great to him, in saving him from death. He wanted his heart to be totally full of awareness of God's grace, for ever (:12), far beyond just a passing gasp of gratitude for salvation from death. David believed death was unconsciousness, as we have often noted in the Psalms. Yet he appears to use a common term, "the lowest sheol", meaning the worst kind of death. As with the language of demons, or our usage of English words like "Monday" [moon day], language of the day can be used without actually believing in it.

Psalm 86:14

God, the proud have risen up against me; a company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they don’t hold regard for You before them-

The reference may be to Saul and his men, or to the Absalom conspiracy. See on :6. The implication is that these men were not true believers in God; I noted on :8,10 David's concern that there was idolatry within Israel, and maybe this included Absalom.

Psalm 86:15

But You, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in grace and truth-

"Mercy and truth" often refer to the promises made to Abraham. David appeals to basics in his desperate straits; the promises to Abraham, and the character of God as revealed to Moses in Ex. 34:4-6.

Psalm 86:16

Show me a sign of Your goodness, that those who hate me may see it and be shamed, because You, Yahweh, have helped me and comforted me-

Again David is using the prophetic perfect, speaking of future things as if they are already received; for he asks in :17 for urgent attention and mercy from God. His request for some visible sign was in order that his enemies might be "shamed", and perhaps from that shame led to repentance.

Psalm 86:17

Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, save the son of Your handmaid-

These words are true for David, and yet they have a strange appropriacy to the Lord Jesus in His time of desperate need. The Lord’s mind was upon His mother in His time of dying. The spirit of Christ speaks of "thy [male] servant... the son of thine handmaid" [female servant]- He saw the solidarity between Himself and His mother when on the cross, He felt they were both the servants of God. Ps. 86:8-17 has many references back to Mary's song. He had that song on His mind on the cross. Her example and her song which she had taught him as a little boy sustained His faith in the final crisis. This surely shows the value and power of the upbringing of children when young. In the Lord’s case, His mother’s influence sustained Him through the cruelest cross and deepest crisis any human being has ever had to go through. It was as if He was humming the song in His mind, which His dear mum had sung around the house as she cared for Him, cooked, sewed…

Psalm 87

Psalm 87:1

A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song-

"By" can as well be "for", so the Psalm may still be Davidic, but is dedicated to the memory of the sons of Korah. Korah had died in rebellion against God, but his children had been preserved (Num. 26:9-11); they therefore became representative of all who had overcome bad background to worship Yahweh independently, regardless of the sins of their fathers. They were therefore inspirational to the righteous remnant amongst the exiles in Babylon. Or these "sons of Korah" may refer to a group of musicians who were to perform the Psalm, the Levitical singers mentioned in 1 Chron. 26:1,2; 2 Chron. 20:19. Or if we insist on reading "by", it could have been a Davidic Psalm edited and as it were released by a group called "the sons of Korah" during the captivity in Babylon.

His foundation is in the holy mountains-

Perhaps an intensive plural for the one great mountain, Zion, which he now speaks of in :2. He believes that God has founded Zion, and ultimately she will not be moved. Given the tragic history of the Jerusalem temple and the city itself, this takes some faith to believe.

Psalm 87:2

Yahweh loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob-

As discussed on Ps. 78, we wonder whether Yahweh had indeed loved Zion as much as David did. He appears to transfer his own excessive fondness for Zion onto God. For God made it clear to David that He doesn't live in specific geographical locations and sacred spaces, but in the hearts of men. And in ps. 78 David argued, perhaps too far, that God had rejected Ephraim and Shiloh, and chosen Judah, David and Zion. See on Ps. 78:51,68,69,72.

Psalm 87:3

Glorious things are spoken about you, city of God. Selah-

What exactly had God spoken specifically about Zion, given His statements that He doesn't live in specific geographical locations and sacred spaces, but in the hearts of men? See on :2. It could be that this verse is simply a preface for the revelations about Zion which David now makes. But we wonder whether this is actual revelation from God, or just the inspired record of what David wished to be true of Zion. The word for "glorious things", things of "honour", is used of how God honours persons and behaviour rather than geographical locations and spaces.

Psalm 87:4

I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Behold, Philistia, Tyre and also Ethiopia: This one was born there-

The vision is of the Gentiles from all points of the compass [that appears to be the reason behind the choice of the nations here listed] accepting Zion and being born within her. The Gentiles were to come and dwell in Zion, and this would be a cause of joy to the spiritually minded Israelite (see on :7). This "birth" in Zion may be another way of saying that they were equally Israelite as the ethnic Jews who were born there. God's Israel would be predicated upon spiritual and not ethnic lines.

Psalm 87:5

Yes, of Zion it will be said, This one and that one was born in her; the Most High Himself will establish her-

As explained on :4, the birth of Gentiles in Zion is to be understood as their conversion to the God of Israel there in Zion, presumably through visiting the temple which David envisaged being built there and being taught there. The promise to David was that his kingdom and his throne, reigned upon by his great Messianic seed, would be "established" by God eternally (1 Chron. 17:11,12,14 s.w.). But he appears to have become over literal and religious in interpreting this as meaning that Zion itself would be eternally established.

Psalm 87:6

Yahweh will count, when He writes up the peoples, This one was born there. Selah-

The idea may be that at the final count at judgment day, God would accept as His true people those Gentiles who had been "born" in Zion, who had there made a commitment to His covenant (see on :4,5).

But this had specific potential reference to the restoration. Ezra 2:62 records Judah being ‘reckoned by genealogies’, using the same Hebrew word which is the hallmark of 1 Chron. (4:33; 5:1,7,17; 7:5,7,9,40; 9:1,22). And in this context, Is. 40:26 compares God’s ‘bringing out’ of Judah from Babylon with His ‘bringing out’ the stars by their individual names, all wonderfully known to Him. Ps. 87:6 had prophesied something similar about the restoration of Zion’s fortunes: “The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there”. The Kingdom of God was to be the restoration of Israel’s Kingdom- but they had to actually get on and restore it rather than wait for it to come. This is another reason for understanding Ezekiel’s temple as being broadly of the same dimensions as that of Solomon.

Psalm 87:7

Those who sing as well as those who dance say, All my springs are in You-

LXX "The dwelling of all within thee is as the dwelling of those that rejoice". Those dwelling within Zion are the Gentiles who have accepted Zion and the God of Israel who is manifest there (:4); and far from being nationalistic and elitist,  the Jews were to rejoice in this conversion of the Gentiles.

Psalm 88

Psalm 88:1

A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of The Suffering of Affliction. A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite-

The Psalm is clearly by David, probably referring to his illness when suffering for his sin with Bathsheba; there are various parallels with Ps. 22 which is from this background. It is "by" or "for" Heman and the sons of Korah to perform, or perhaps musically arranged by Heman, who appears to have lived in Solomon's time (1 Kings 4:31).

Yahweh, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before You-

Prayer is part of the atmosphere of spiritual life, not something hived off and separate- it is an expression of our spirit. Thus there are verses which speak of many daily prayers as being just one prayer (Ps. 86:3,6; 88:1,2); prayer is a way / spirit of life, not something specific which occurs for a matter of minutes each day. The commands to "pray without ceasing" simply can't be literally obeyed (1 Thess. 5:17). "Watch and pray always" in the last days likewise connects prayer with watchfulness, which is an attitude of mind rather than something done on specific occasions. This is not to say that prayer in no sense refers to formal, specific prayer. Evidently it does, but it is only a verbal crystallization of our general spirit of life.

David's first waking moments were naturally of prayer to God. And this is our pattern. He often mentions his habit of regular prayer morning and evening (Ps. 5:3; 55:17; 59:16; 88:3; 119:147). This  should not have to be enforced upon us, but rather the natural outcome of a life lived in constant connection with God. David perceived that the Mosaic ritual of morning and evening sacrifice taught the sacrifice of prayer should be made in daily life, even though at the time of many of the Psalms, David was exiled from the sanctuary. This exile from organized religion led him to make this connection, as it can for us too.

Psalm 88:2

Let my prayer enter into Your presence, turn Your ear to my cry-

David imagined the words of prayer as entering into the very presence of God in heaven. This is an awesome conception; that the words of a man at a bus stop in south London can enter to the very presence of God's throne room.

Psalm 88:3

for my soul is full of troubles, my life draws near to Sheol-

See on :4. The Lord’s soul was likewise sorrowful unto death in Gethsemane, as if the stress alone nearly killed Him (Mk. 14:34). "My soul is full of troubles, and my life (therefore) draweth nigh unto the grave" (Ps. 88:3). Is. 53:10-12 speaks of the fact that the Lord's soul suffered as being the basis of our redemption; the mind contained within that spat upon head, as it hung on that tortured body; this was where our salvation was won. Death is the ultimately intense experience, and living a life dedicated to death would have had an intensifying effect upon the Lord's character and personality.

Psalm 88:4

I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help-

David sees sheol (:3) as "the pit", the grave, not as a place of conscious existence. Like Job, he feels he is facing imminent death with no helper or comforter.

Psalm 88:5

set apart among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more- they are cut off from Your hand-

Clearly, David sees death as unconsciousness, with no torment nor reward from God at that point. "Set apart" or "cast out" suggests David imagined his corpse amongst others, waiting to be thrown into a hastily dug pit (:5).

Psalm 88:6

You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths-

David believed death was unconsciousness, as we have often noted in the Psalms. Yet here and in Ps. 86:13 he appears to use a common term, "the lowest sheol", meaning the worst kind of death. As with the language of demons, or our usage of English words like "Monday" [moon day], language of the day can be used without actually believing in it. These "depths" are those of Ps. 69:2, another Bathsheba psalm.

Psalm 88:7

Your wrath lies heavily upon me; You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah-

This again is the language of the Bathsheba Psalm 69:2. He feels he is going to die because of God's wrath. And yet he had earlier rejoiced at the certainty of God's forgiveness and grace. But his faith in forgiveness seems to have wavered, as our does so easily. This was partly because he was so reluctant to accept the consequences of his sin; to endure consequence is not to say that God's wrath is upon us. But David had repeatedly badgered God to remove all consequences, but He was not willing to do so.

Psalm 88:8

You have taken my friends from me, You have made me an abomination to them; I am shut in and I can’t escape-

Heb. 'far from me', as in :18. The plea for God not to "be far from me" is common (Ps. 22:11,19; 35:22; 38:21; 71:12). The emphasis perhaps is to be placed upon David not wanting God to be far from him, seeing that he felt others were 'far' from him (s.w. Ps. 88:8,18). He accepted his social and psychological isolation from others, but he didn't want God to be likewise far off from him. In the context of the exiles, God was willing to not be 'far off' from the exiles if they repented (Is. 46:13).

The "friends" may be a reference to his great friend, maybe Bathsheba, or Ahithophel. Perhaps it is a reference to a falling out with Bathsheba soon after their sin, and the way that on account of what he had done, David's own relatives ["friends"] turned against him, as did Ahithophel, who was Bathsheba's grandfather. David loved his parents, especially caring for their safe keeping in his wilderness years; only to be forsaken by them (the Hebrew means just that), and to be rejected by his brothers and sisters ("friend"; Ps. 27:10; 38:11; 69:8; 88:18). And yet despite these breakdowns of relationship being totally David's fault, he appears to blame God for it, and doesn't conclude the Psalm with any ascription of praise or contrition.

Psalm 88:9

My eyes are dim from grief; I have called on You daily, Yahweh. I have spread out my hands to You-

The dimness of eyesight may refer to a result of a stroke or illness he suffered after the sin with Bathsheba. But it appears to have been brought on by his desperation at not having his prayers answered. Yet those prayers were for the removal of the consequences of his sin, and much of his distress was because he simply could not accept Nathan's prophetic word about the consequences of his sin. And therefore he was not praying according to God's will and word.

Psalm 88:10

Do You show wonders to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise You? Selah-

Did David's faith in the resurrection collapse in Ps. 88:10? Job's did likewise at some points. David asks to be preserved from death so that he can continue praising God. He saw this as the purpose of life and existence. He clearly did not imagine death as meaning going to heaven and singing praises. God does indeed show wonders to the dead believers in resurrection, yet it seems David's faith and understanding in this collapsed temporarily.

Psalm 88:11

Is Your grace declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in Destruction?-

The praise David wanted to live in order to offer (:10) was praise of God's grace, righteousness and faithfulness to him (:12). God's forgiveness of his sins of adultery and murder was by grace, seeing he was condemned for these things under the law; but yet God's righteousness was not impugned by that. Paul labours this point throughout Rom. 1-8.

Psalm 88:12

Are Your wonders made known in the dark? Or Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?-

See on :11. Death was the place of forgetfulness in that God has no conscious intercourse with the dead, He does not in that sense remember them (:5). But as noted on :10, it appears that David is overlooking completely the resurrection of the body, in a form which reflects that God has not at all forgotten our essential spirit and personality.

Psalm 88:13

But to You, Yahweh, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before You-

As noted on :1, David still prays to God even in depression and collapse of faith in resurrection (:10,12). He still has a strong faith that his words actually enter the very presence of God in heaven.

Psalm 88:14

Yahweh, why do You reject my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me?-

The prototype of Christ feeling forsaken was in David feeling forsaken by God when he fled from Absalom (Ps. 42:9; 43:2; 88:14); but clearly he was not actually forsaken. In David's case, as discussed on :7, the apparent silence of God was because David was praying for the wrong things- David had repeatedly badgered God to remove all consequences of his sin, but He was not willing to do so. Nathan had spoken to him from God about this, and David just would not accept it.

Psalm 88:15

I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up; while I suffer Your terrors, I am distracted-

David seems to consider that his life had been one of continual risk of death; from wild animals as a shepherd, from Goliath and the Philistines, from Saul, from Gentile armies, and now from Absalom. He appears to consider God is unfair to him. His complaint about God terrifying him is taken from Job (Job 6:4; 9:34; 13:21). But although clearly knowing the book of Job well (for David so often alludes to it), he fails to factor in that Job finally realizes that he has not spoken rightly about God. David failed to see the end of the Lord with Job, that He is very pitiful and of tender mercy (James 5:11).

Psalm 88:16

Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off-

As explained on :16, David was wrong to consider that God was using terrors against him. The words of Job came to mind and he hastily quotes them (see on :16), but without reflection upon the context and final conclusion of Job.

Psalm 88:17

They came around me like water all day long, they completely engulfed me-

This is another connection with Ps. 22, this time to Ps. 22:16 where the same word for "engulfed" is used (see on :1). But the idea of being engulfed by God's terrors is again alluding to the book of Job (s.w. Job 19:6). But again he fails to factor in that Job finally realizes that he has not spoken rightly about God. David failed to see the end of the Lord with Job, that He is very pitiful and of tender mercy (James 5:11).

Psalm 88:18

You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness- Perhaps a reference to a falling out with Bathsheba soon after their sin, and the way that on account of what he had done, David's own relatives ["friends"] turned against him, as did Ahithophel, who was Bathsheba's grandfather. David loved his parents, especially caring for their safe keeping in his wilderness years; only to be forsaken by them (the Hebrew means just that), and to be rejected by his brothers and sisters ("friend"; Ps. 27:10; 38:11; 69:8; 88:18). And yet despite these breakdowns of relationship being totally David's fault, he appears to blame God for it, and doesn't conclude the Psalm with any ascription of praise or contrition.

Psalm 89

Psalm 89:1

A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite-

"By" can as well be "for"; the author seems clearly to be David, so it may be that Ethan was the one responsible for publishing it or setting it to music.

I will sing of the grace of Yahweh forever. With my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations-

This Psalm is originally David's reflection upon the promises to him in 2 Sam. 7, and his struggles with believing and understanding parts of them. But it has been reworked by later inspired hands in the context of the exiles, struggling to believe that the Davidic covenant still has meaning. Yet the Psalm is introduced as being about grace. For that is what those promises reveal; and it begins and ends with praise, despite David's struggle with how God was apparently fulfilling them. We can therefore note that David’s greatest insight into the promises was at the time he doubted them the most. Those who have these crises know the love of God in the way that the prodigal son knew it far more than the son who stayed at home, living in obedience each day. And for all his doubts and struggles, David wishes to declare God's faithfulness to all and for all time. And he chose this song to do so.

Psalm 89:2

I indeed declare, Love stands firm forever because You established the skies; Your faithfulness is in them-

The solid existence of all creation is seen as evidence enough that the love of God, as expressed through the Davidic covenant, would remain firm likewise. We need only look at the natural creation for evidence that God is going to keep the promises found in the Bible. The same idea is found in :37.

Psalm 89:3

I have made a covenant with My chosen one, I have sworn to David My servant-

It's hard to know whether this is a direct revelation from God, or whether these words are as it were put in God's mouth by the poetry of the psalmist. David was clearly the "chosen one... My servant" (Ps. 89:3), but these very terms are applied to Israel as a whole (Ps. 105:6,43; 106:5) and to the "servant" of later Isaiah, who refers to both Israel and their Messiah as their embodiment (Is. 42:1; 45:4). David's path of sin, repentance and restoration was intended to be that of all God's people, as he himself recognizes in Ps. 32. But the exiles refused to repent and therefore their restoration was precluded. They were not therefore treated as His "chosen one".

Psalm 89:4 ‘

I will establish Your seed forever, and build up Your throne to all generations’. Selah-

This was true, but only if his seed had the characteristics of David. As noted on :3, David's path of sin, repentance and restoration was intended to be that of all God's people, as he himself recognizes in Ps. 32. But the exiles refused to repent and therefore their restoration was precluded. And so the eternal establishment of his throne didn't come true as it could have done at the time of the exiles.

Psalm 89:5

The skies will praise Your wonders, Yahweh; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones-

This is a reference to the court of Heaven. Although the exiles on earth couldn't see the progression of God's purpose according to His covenant with David, the Angels in heaven perceived it and rejoiced. And our perspective is to be theirs.

Psalm 89:6

For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh? Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh-

Here again we seem to have a criticism of idolatry. The idols are often not baldly stated to be non-existent, but rather Yahweh is so highly exalted and powerful that effectively they have no real existence. Likewise the Lord Jesus didn't specifically state that demons don't exist; rather the supreme power of His miracles showed that effectively they don't, as they have no real power even if they do exist. Idolatry was an abiding problem in Israel at David's time, and also at the start of the exile, as Ezekiel makes clear.

Psalm 89:7

a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones, to be feared above all those who are around Him?-

The awesome nature of the court of heaven is stressed, into which we have a glimpse in 1 Kings 22. God has a "council", discussing His plans with the Angels. This is because although the exiles on earth couldn't see the progression of God's purpose according to His covenant with David, the Angels in heaven perceived it and rejoiced. And our perspective is to be theirs.

Psalm 89:8

Yahweh, God of Armies, who is a mighty one like You? Yah, Your faithfulness is around You-

The Angels around the throne in :7 are here equated with God's faithfulness. They would surely bring about the fulfilment of the Davidic covenant, in their time and way. The apparent lack of fulfilment of the covenant was not therefore because of any inability on God's part; which leaves the implication that it was due to failure on Israel's part on earth.

Psalm 89:9

You rule the pride of the sea; when its waves rise up, You calm them-

As so often in the Psalms, in times of doubt and depression concerning why God doesn't come through as we think or hope He should, thoughts turn to how God has acted mightily in the past, and the Red Sea deliverance is the favourite of the psalmists; and of how His constant activity is seen in the natural creation. If He rules the sea, thought by the ancients to be the home of mysterious powers and Satan-like monsters, then how much more can He control the movements of the nations, represented by the seas.

Psalm 89:10

You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm-

As noted on :9, the appeal is to the fact that God had destroyed the might of Egypt ("Rahab") and scattered the tribes of Canaan. Faith continues that He can do the same again with Babylon.

Psalm 89:11

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; the world and its fullness; You have founded them-

The fact that "the earth is the Lord's" is used to highlight the wonder of the fact that therefore how much moreso do His people belong to Him, and are cared for by Him with such sensitivity (Ex. 19:5; Dt. 10:14; Ps. 50:12; 89:11). Just as the eretz / earth / land promised to Abraham is Yahweh's, so is in fact the entire planet (Ps. 24:1), and His purpose was perceived by David as incorporating the entire planet and not just Israel. The 'founding' of the physical planet is compared to how God has 'founded' Zion Is. 14:32). Zion had apparently been removed; but that meant that it must be founded again eternally. But the response of the exiles was to think that if Zion had been removed, then God's purpose was over. They failed to appreciate that just as Abraham was promised eternal inheritance of the land but didn't receive that in his lifetime, so likewise the fulfilment of God's promises requires a future time of restoration and resurrection.

Psalm 89:12

The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name-

LXX "North and the west", which would better fit Tabor and Hermon as the great mountains of the west and north. AV "shall rejoice..." reflects faith that finally the land and kingdom would be restored, and rejoice instead of mourning.

Psalm 89:13

You have a mighty arm, Your hand is strong and Your right hand is exalted-

God's apparent inaction was never to be interpreted as meaning that He was too weak to fulfil His purpose. God's power remains permanent and ultimate, even in the face of our defeats and before death itself. Again, the logic of this demands that the apparent lack of progress with God's purpose isn't due to any deficiency on His part; and therefore it means that we are the reason for that lack of progress.

Psalm 89:14

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; grace and truth go before Your face-

Never should Israel think that because the throne of David was apparently cast down, so therefore was God's throne. His throne is eternal, and before His face, always in His awareness, is "grace and truth", a phrase often used of His promises to Abraham and David.

Psalm 89:15

Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim You; they shall walk in the light of Your face, Yahweh-

David often asks for forgiveness and restored fellowship with God in terms of walking again in the light of God's face. As noted above, his path of repentance and restoration was to be that of the exiles; if they acclaimed God in repentance, which the exiles generally didn't.

Psalm 89:16

In Your name they rejoice all day. In Your righteousness, they are exalted-

This again alludes to how David was forgiven for his sins through the imputation of God's righteousness. The exiles were to follow his path to restoration; and like David, rejoice in this imputation of righteousness. But they refused.

Psalm 89:17

For You are the glory of their strength. In Your favour, our horn will be exalted-

The idea of the horn of the righteous being exalted is used about what David envisaged happening for God's people in this life (s.w. Ps. 148:14), although the final fulfilment was to be at the last day, when the horn of the wicked is cut off (Ps. 75:10). But there are potential foretastes of the last day in this life. Jeremiah appears to struggle with the Psalms which taught that the horn of the righteous would be lifted up, lamenting that instead the horn of their enemies had been lifted up (s.w. Lam. 2:17). The truth was that the horn of God's people would only be lifted up if they were identified with the lifting up of the horn which was Messiah (Ps. 89:17,24). And because this didn't happen, their horn was not exalted.

Psalm 89:18

For our shield belongs to Yahweh; our king to the Holy One of Israel-

This may be commentary upon the fact that the Davidic line had been temporarily overthrown. God was the ultimate king of Israel, and so there was no need to think that Israel were left without a king. "Shield" is a metaphor for "king" (as in Ps. 47:9). Even in exile, Israel were not without a king who would protect them.

Psalm 89:19

Then You spoke in vision to Your saints and said, I have bestowed strength on the warrior. I have exalted a young man from the people-

The bestowal of strength refers to David (Ps. 20:2; 21:5). The "chosen man" (AV) is clearly David (Ps. 78:70; 89:3; 1 Kings 8:16). The "saints" or "holy one[s]" who were told of the choosing of David were the Angels in the court of heaven (see on :5-7), and was reflected upon earth by Samuel the prophet being told to choose and anoint David whilst still a young man. We appear to have here the record of a vision given to Samuel, on the basis of which he went seeking for David to anoint him.

Samuel appeared to have assumed that Eliab must be Yahweh's anointed, seeing he was tall and handsome (1 Sam. 16:7). But he had not learnt the lesson he should've learnt from his experience with Saul, who was exceptionally tall, and yet was no true leader of God's people. God tries to remind Samuel of this by saying of Eliab: "I have rejected him"; God had used the very term about Saul very recently (1 Sam. 16:1,7 RV). Ps. 89:19,20 imply that God had specifically told Samuel to anoint David- so his desire to anoint tall, handsome Eliab appears to have been a failure on Samuel's part, rooted in simply not joining the dots. And even when David was brought in, Samuel seems to have somewhat failed in his judgment- for he was impressed by David's fair appearance (1 Sam. 16:12), when God had just laboured the point to Samuel that the choice of a ruler was not to be based upon his appearance (1 Sam. 16:7).

However, the account of this "vision" about David then goes on later to repeat and expand parts of the promises to David given to him by Nathan the prophet in 2 Sam. 7. So it could be that here we are being given an account of a vision given to Nathan which included parts of what Samuel had been told. Or it could be that we are reading here the inspired commentary of the psalmist upon those visions, which are largely unrecorded in the historical records.

Psalm 89:20

I have found David My servant, I have anointed him with My holy oil-

The Bible reveals that God is in search of man. "Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel" (Hos. 9:10); "He found him in a desert land...he encircled him, he cared for him" (Dt. 32:10); "I have found David my servant" (Ps. 89:20). Jeremiah's search for believers was a reflection of God's: "Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, look and take note! Search her squares to see if you can find a man, one who does justice and seeks truth" (Jer.  5:1). God hunts for us like a lion, Job came to realize; and in this "You show yourself wonderful to me" (Job 10:16). And we are searching for God. God is not indifferent to our searching for Him. Those awestruck moments of wonder, of radical amazement, are where God finds us at the time we are searching for Him. Both sides are seeking each other; and in those moments, they meet. As a Jewish poet put it: "And going out to meet thee / I found thee coming toward me". In those moments, heaven and earth kiss each other. There is a click, a flash, between Almighty God and us- as we stand at a bus stop, turn left into Acacia Avenue, lay there on our bed meditating.

Psalm 89:21

with whom My hand shall be established; My arm will also strengthen him-

This hand of God made a specific branch "strong". This branch was the Lord Jesus (Is. 11:1; Jer. 23:5; Zech. 3:8;6:12). The psalmist perceives that the restoration will come through an individual Messianic figure, who would as it were be a spiritual reincarnation of the historical David. There were various possible potential fulfillments of this, such as Zerubabbel and Joshua, but they all let the baton drop. The final fulfilment is therefore in the Lord Jesus, who allowed Himself to be made strong by God's hand (s.w. Ps. 80:17). Whilst His utter moral perfection was in a sense His own achievement, and that must never be taken away from the Lord, the path there involved allowing God to make Him strong for Himself. And this is our pattern too, in allowing the work of the Holy Spirit to do likewise with us, paralleled here with God's hand being upon us, making us strong. The prophecy could have had an earlier fulfilment in Hezekiah, 'made strong by Yah', but he too disallowed it and went off to this present world. The lead characteristic of Jacob was that he and his descendants would be 'made strong' (s.w. Gen. 25:23), even though they were so spiritually weak. So many times Israel are encouraged to be "of good courage", s.w. "made strong" (Dt. 31:6,7 etc.), so that they might inherit the promised kingdom. But they generally didn't make use of this potential strengthening. The exiles likewise were potentially "made strong" but they refused to make use of that, remaining in Babylon for the most part (s.w. Is. 35:3; 41:10).

Psalm 89:22

No enemy will tax him, no wicked man will oppress him-

The initial reference was to the terrible taxation of Saul, which David avoided through killing Goliath (1 Sam. 17:25). The reminder is that despite this interpretation or implication of the promises to David, the "wicked man" Saul did indeed "oppress" him; for these phrases are used throughout the wilderness Psalms about Saul. But the point was, the Davidic covenant did come finally true for David, despite periods when apparently it failed for him. And the exiles were bidden likewise look to the end of things, rather than demand immediate and constant experience of God's promises coming true in this life. This is a lesson for all those tempted to believe the "prosperity Gospel".

Psalm 89:23

I will beat down his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him-

This again only came true for David in the longer term and not immediately. Absalom and Saul both died from being 'struck down' but this was only after they had appeared to be in the ascendancy over David. And so it was to be true for all in covenant relationship with God.

Psalm 89:24

But My faithfulness and My grace will be with him; in My name, his horn will be exalted-

It was in this exaltation of the Messianic horn that the horn of the people would be exalted (s.w. :17). There existed even in these earlier days the idea of being "in Christ", the Messiah, and those in Him being blessed with the experience of His exaltation and glory. But the various possibilities of a Messiah figure in the period of the restoration all came to nothing. Knowing this openness of God, women like Hannah clearly hoped and prayed that their sons would be Messiah (1 Sam. 2:10 = Ps. 89:24); for they perceived that God’s purpose was open to such a thing. But finally the fulfilment was to come in the person of the Lord Jesus, after all the other potential fulfillments had let the baton drop.

Psalm 89:25

I will set his hand also on the sea and his right hand on the rivers-

"The rivers" can be understood as an intensive plural, referring to the great river, Euphrates. From the sea to the Euphrates was the territory promised to Abraham. The fulfilment of the Davidic covenant was to be understood as involving the complete fulfilment of the promises made to Abraham. This didn't happen in David's time, but this was the promise. We appear to have here an extension of the promises to David, perhaps given to the psalmist by direct revelation from God, although the promises recorded in 2 Sam. 7 are alluded to and expanded.

Psalm 89:26

He will call to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation!’-

The Lord Jesus appears to allude to this in calling God his Father and his God (Jn. 20:17); hard proof against the "Jesus = God" theology of Trinitarians. We note too the need for salvation of David's Messianic seed; hardly appropriate if that seed were to be God Himself.

Psalm 89:27

I will also appoint him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth-

The fulfilment of the Davidic covenant was to be primarily in a person, who would rule over all kings and would be God's firstborn; the first child He ever had. 2 Sam. 7:12-14 implies this would have to be through a woman in David's line becoming pregnant not from man but from God Himself, through His Spirit. And this was to have ultimate fulfilment in the virgin birth (Lk. 1:31-35). But the exiles focused instead upon a visible restoration of the Davidic throne and kingdom before their eyes at that time. We too must be Jesus centered more than Kingdom centered. Otherwise we too will start to complain that God appears not to be coming through for us personally in this life.

Psalm 89:28

I will keep My grace for him forever. My covenant will stand firm through him-

The exiles were complaining that the Davidic covenant wasn't being fulfilled in their experience. But they failed to perceive that it required the appearance of a Messianic seed for this covenant to be realized in practice. And those who might have partially fulfilled it in their time (especially Zerubbabel) had all failed. The fulfilment was to be "through him" and not simply through the exile being ended.

Psalm 89:29

I will also make his seed endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven-

Again the point is made as on :28, that the Davidic covenant didn't promise immediate blessing for the kingdom of David. It was primarily focused upon an individual seed of David who would have an eternal throne; and personal blessing and salvation was only to be found through association with this seed, becoming "in Him". See on :24.

Psalm 89:30

If his children forsake My law and don’t walk in My ordinances-

I have noted on :24,28,29 that the blessings of the covenant were to come particularly and specifically upon the singular seed of David; blessings for the rest of Israel would depend upon their association with this seed. This is why the promises about the seed in the singular (the Lord Jesus) are now applied to God's people in the plural (2 Sam. 7:14 cp. Ps. 89:30-35). This is now realized through baptism into the Lord Jesus. Baptism is not an initiation into a church. It isn't something which just seems the right thing to do. And even if because of our environment and conscience, it was easier to get baptized than not- now this mustn't be the case. We really are in Christ, we are born again; now we exist, spiritually! And moreover, we have risen with Him, His resurrection life, His life and living that will eternally be, is now manifest in us, and will be articulated physically at the resurrection.

But this plan of salvation through identification with the seed was conditional. Both he personally and those "in him" had the possibility of sinning and thereby nullifying the covenant. And the exiles had done just this. We note that the Lord Jesus had the possibility of sinning [otherwise His temptations were fake]. This again disproves any idea that He was God Himself in person.

Psalm 89:31

if they break My statutes and don’t keep My commandments-

The covenant was broken (:34 s.w.) because they had broken the laws which were part of that covenant. The law repeatedly stated that if Israel didn't keep God's commandments, they would be exiled from their land (Lev. 20:22 s.w.). After centuries of patience with them, this finally happened. Any complaint at the consequence for sin was therefore unreasonable. It would be as unreasonable as Adam complaining that he had been exiled east of Eden.

This is the development of the clause about David's individual seed in 2 Sam. 7: "If he [Jesus] commit iniquity...". Here in Ps. 89, the individual seed is spoken of as the community. There are many connections with Is. 53, in this case to the way that "the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all". The Lord Jesus was so identified with the sinful seed of Abraham and David that He bore the curse for their sins, despite being personally innocent.

Psalm 89:32

then I will punish their sin with the rod-

This is the equivalent of "I will chasten him with the rod of men" in 2 Sam. 7. Ultimately this connection between the singular seed and the community of God's people led to the Lord's death on the cross: "For the transgression of my people was he stricken" (Is. 53).

And their iniquity with stripes-

This is the equivalent of "And with the stripes of the children of men" in 2 Sam. 7, resulting in the final truth of what was achieved on the cross: "With his stripes we are healed" (Is. 53).

The point of all this is to show how our sins were somehow born by Jesus, to the extent that He suffered for them. But how was this actually achieved? It is one thing to say it, but we must put meaning into the words. I suggest it was in that the Lord  so identified with us, His heart so bled for us, that He felt a sinner even though He of course never sinned. The final cry “My God, why have You forsaken me?” clearly refers back to all the many passages which speak of God forsaking the wicked, but never forsaking the righteous. The Lord, it seems to me, felt a sinner, although He was not one, and thus entered into this sense of crisis and fear He had sinned. He so identified with us. In the bearing of His cross, we likewise must identify with others, with their needs and with the desperation of their human condition… and this is what will convert them, as the Lord’s identification with us saved us.

Psalm 89:33

But I will not completely take My grace away from him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail-

I have noted on :31,32 that the promises of 2 Sam. 7 about the singular seed of David are interpreted as applying to the entire community of God's people, and therefore the singular in 2 Sam. 7 is changed to the plural here in Ps. 89. But now there is a reversion to talking about "him", the singular seed. He personally would always receive God's faithful covenant grace; and the implication is that God's sinful people must therefore identify with Him. We now do this by baptism into the Lord Jesus, but until He came, it was impossible for God's people to make this connection with the seed.

Psalm 89:34

I will not break My covenant, nor alter what My lips have uttered-

LXX "profane my covenant". The covenant was broken (:31 s.w.) because they had broken or profaned the laws which were part of that covenant. But there had been no change on God's side, as they perhaps imagined. God on His side had not broken covenant. Their complaint that He had broken covenant (:39 s.w.) was completely overlooking that it was they and not Him who had broken the covenant. The exiles are specifically described as breaking the covenant in Mal. 2:10,11 s.w. We note the intimacy of God in saying that the covenant was uttered by His "lips". The words of the covenant were from His very mouth and lips.

Psalm 89:35

Once have I sworn by My holiness that I will not lie to David-

To claim that God has broken His side of the covenant is tantamount to calling God a liar. This is what we are doing if we doubt our ultimate salvation. Paul seems to have this in mind in his reasoning in Rom. 3:3-7. The fact some like the exiles didn't want to believe Him doesn't make Him a liar, because His promises to them weren't experienced by them. That was their choice, and they as it were put God in the dock and accused Him of being a liar. And in the revelation of God's final judgment, all who have done so will be revealed as liars.

Psalm 89:36

His seed will endure forever, his throne like the sun before Me-

The emphasis is upon "will". The promises to David will come true. His Messianic seed would indeed have an eternal throne and kingdom. The fact that was not being immediately fulfilled in the experience of the exiles at their time didn't mean that God was a liar (:35) or incapable of doing what He has said. Rather the problem was with the exiles, in that they didn't want to believe that at some point, fulfilment would come. A demand that God's promises must come fully true for us in this life is really a lack of faith in His future Kingdom. Faith in the things of the Kingdom and the name of the Lord Jesus is faith in a future reality as well as a present one. If all the focus is upon our immediate blessing, then like the exiles we will have a crisis of faith.

Psalm 89:37

It will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky. Selah-

The solid existence of all creation is seen as evidence enough that the love of God, as expressed through the Davidic covenant, would remain firm likewise. We need only look at the natural creation for evidence that God is going to keep the promises found in the Bible. The same idea is found in :2.

Psalm 89:38

But you have rejected and spurned, You have been angry with Your anointed-

This may originally have begun with David in depression feeling that although he had been anointed king, his persecution by Saul and later by Absalom indicated that God had changed His plans. These thoughts of David are now developed by the exiles and exaggerated and expanded to refer to the breaking up of Zion.

Psalm 89:39

You have renounced the covenant of Your servant; You have defiled his crown in the dust-

The covenant was broken (:31 s.w.) because they had broken or profaned the laws which were part of that covenant. But there had been no change on God's side, as they perhaps imagined. God on His side had not broken covenant. Their complaint that He had broken covenant (:39 s.w.) was completely overlooking that it was they and not Him who had broken the covenant. The exiles are specifically described as breaking the covenant in Mal. 2:10,11 s.w.

Psalm 89:40

You have broken down all his hedges, You have brought his strongholds to ruin-

The vineyard of Israel was indeed broken down by God and its protective wall removed by Him (Is. 5). But this was because they had refused to bring forth fruit to Him, and had themselves introduced the Gentiles into that vineyard, worshipping their idols in His temple. The complaint against God focuses upon the consequences of sin, rather than recognition of sin and repentance.

Psalm 89:41

All who pass by the way rob him-

The same word for "rob" is used to the exiles in warning them that even the restored Jerusalem is to fall and the houses robbed (Zech. 14:2). God's purpose with David's seed was no guarantee that in this life, that seed would not suffer. The exiles were refusing to understand that what they were complaining about was merely the consequence of their sins, and not due to God's unfaithfulness. These same exiles had been reminded that they had committed fornication with all those who "pass by the way" (s.w. Ez. 16:15,25). It was as if they had hardened their hearts against all these prophetic messages.

He has become a reproach to his neighbours-

This Psalm may have originated in David's complaint that he had become a reproach to his neighbours and family after his sin with Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 22:6; 31:11). But such complaints were a wilful disregard for Nathan's prophetic word to David about the consequence of his sins. And it seems that the exiles were making the same mistake in refusing to accept that their situation was a result of consequence of sins.

Psalm 89:42

You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries, You have made all of his enemies rejoice-

This seems an intentional repost to the statement in :13 that God's own right hand is exalted (s.w.). The exiles refused to see that God's hand can be exalted even in His apparent silence; and went further to imply God was being somehow vindictive and unreasonable. This is the classic mistake made by all who stumble at the problem of evil.

Psalm 89:43

Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword and haven’t supported him in battle-

This however was exactly what was promised as a consequence of breaking the covenant. Israel had signed up to that, and God had been patient in bringing those consequences for centuries. And when it came, finally, they accuse Him of hating them. Again, all stumbling over the problem of evil results is rooted in a denial of the consequences of human sin [whether it be our own or the sin of others]. And as a result, God ends up being falsely accused.

Psalm 89:44

You have ended his splendour, and cast his throne down to the ground-

This again fails to factor in the reality that God can fulfil His promises at a later date, even through resurrection from the dead. Abraham died in full faith that the promises to him would be fulfilled at the resurrection, although he didn't receive them in this life (Heb. 11:13,39,40). But the exiles didn't have this faith; they considered God was only any good if they had it all now. And they went further to almost mock God when they didn't get what they expected, with no account of their own sins and the consequence of sin. They also failed to consider that David's throne was the throne of Yahweh; and He remained enthroned as king in heaven, with the earth [s.w. "ground"] as His footstool (Is. 66:1).

Psalm 89:45

You have shortened the days of his youth, You have covered him with shame. Selah-

LXX "the days of his throne". This reflected a total lack of faith and wilful lack of understanding of the fact that the promises of an eternal throne depended upon the revelation of the individual Messianic seed of David. He had not come at that point, but the exiles still demanded the blessings promised to Him.

Psalm 89:46

How long, Yahweh? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire?-

The answer was that God had hidden His face from His people because they had hidden their faces from Him. They were as Cain, exiled from Eden [the promised land] to the east, hidden from God's face (Gen. 4:14). This was the specific curse for breaking the covenant (Dt. 31:17). Is. 40:27; 45:15 specifically rebuke the exiles for saying that "My way is hid from Yahweh", because they should rather have faith that ultimately God's face would in due time shine forth. It was their sins which had hidden God's face from them (Is. 59:2; Jer. 33:5; Ez. 39:23; Mic. 3:4). Again there is a focus simply upon removing the consequence of sin, rather than repenting of sin.

Psalm 89:47

Remember how short my time is! For what vanity have You created all the children of men!-

This may well have been based upon an original prayer of David, lamenting the brevity of his life as in Ps. 39:5 (s.w.). But the exiles are reasoning as if this life is all we have; and therefore to not see the restoration in their lifetime was tragic. And they considered God somehow cruel to not bring about the restored kingdom in their lifetimes. Because life is short, they therefore expected Him to act very quickly; or else, they accused Him of creating people for "vanity". This is the kind of unreasonable talk which comes from all who stumble over the problem of evil. David's perspective was that it is "men of the world" who have "their portion [s.w. "short"] in this life" (Ps. 17:14). The exiles were totally devoid of the hope of resurrection and final fulfilment then. This lack of faith in the things of the future Kingdom of God, sometimes encouraged by theological misunderstandings, is often at the root of stumblings over the problem of evil. If the perception is that man only has this life, then the problems of evil within that life will indeed weigh heavy, as life then appears a mere lottery, with some people getting a better deal than others.

Psalm 89:48

What man is he who shall live and not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah-

This continues the false argument of :47; that because life is short and there is only hope for this life and no further, therefore God should hurry up and restore their kingdom. David's temporary crisis of faith in God's power to resurrect is repeated by the exiles, in stronger terms. They seem to have no sense of any future fulfilment of the covenant; they wanted to see it all now, just as many do today.

It is in the context of God promising David eternity that he questions: "Shall He (God) deliver his soul from the grave? What man is he that liveth and shall not see death?" (AV). He goes so far as to feel that God's "former graces (a word often used about the promises), which You swore to David" had been at best suspended (Ps. 89:49 AV).

Psalm 89:49

Lord, where are Your former graces which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?-

Surely David is close to the edge here; there almost seems to be a sense of mocking in his comments on the promise that his throne would endure for ever as the sun: "His throne (shall endure) as the sun... but... Thou hast cast his throne down to the ground", rather than it being like the sun (Ps. 89:36,44 AV). Yet truly in the spirit of Job, he was able to praise God in this very same context: "Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and amen" (Ps. 89:52). Presumably this Psalm was written (or thought out) whilst fleeing from Absalom, or possibly during one of the later rebellions, when it seemed that all hope of holding on to the throne was lost. Here is David in depression, making hasty comments about the faithfulness of God, reacting to the position of the moment. This is surely an indication of his mental make up. One cannot be persuaded that the Lord Jesus did not experience the temptations which go along with this kind of personality. "My God, why have You forsaken me?" (Mt. 27:46) and the following thoughts in Ps. 22 seem to be Christ's equivalent of David's crisis in Ps. 89.

Psalm 89:50

Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples-

This is the language of earlier Psalms concerning how David so took to heart the words of his enemies at the time of Saul and Absalom's rebellion. But his feelings are now reapplied by the exiles to the taunts of the "peoples", the Gentiles, such as those recorded in Ps. 137:1-3.

Psalm 89:51

with which Your enemies have mocked, Yahweh, with which they have mocked the footsteps of Your anointed one-

LXX "wherewith they have reviled the recompense of thine anointed" could imply that David's enemies mocked the promises to David as now having no chance of fulfilment. And the exiles felt that the mocking of their captors in Ps. 137 was a mocking of David, seeing they considered themselves to be his seed. Their "steps" may refer to their steps from Judah to Babylon, mocked at every step.

These things had application to the Lord Jesus, the "Christ", the "anointed one", who bore Israel's judgment. Every step of the way along the Via Dolorosa, Yahweh's enemies reproached every stumbling footstep of His anointed, just as they did every step of Judah as they were marched into captivity.

Psalm 89:52

Blessed be Yahweh forever. Amen, and Amen-

As noted on :1, despite all the doubts and struggles of the psalmist, the Psalm concludes with praise to God. This is a great challenge to us, no matter what struggles we have with God. We are to all the same love and praise Him. This is where the problem of evil, the difficulty of understanding the apparently harder side of God, is designed to elicit humility and tenacity of love for Him.

Psalm 90

Psalm 90:1

Book IV

A Prayer by Moses, the man of God-

I suggest this is inserted at this point in the Psalter because it is being used in the context of the exiles. Although Psalm 89 is in book 3 of the Psalms and Psalm 90 begins book 4, there are connections between the two Psalms; not least Ps. 89:47,48 = Ps. 90:3-10. This prayer of Moses is an appeal for God to rethink His condemnation of Israel to not entering the promised land, and to the 40 year period of exile from it before they could enter it. This of course meant that the generation which had left Egypt would die without entering the land. And Moses seeks to change God's mind about this, just as he had changed God's mind about His intention to destroy Israel completely; and just as Moses sought to have his own rejection from entering the land abrogated. This was exactly relevant to the exiles, who wanted the 70 years exile to be shortened, and for their generation to reenter the land and see the restoration of the Kingdom of God there. As noted on Ps. 89:47,48, they did not want to die before seeing this happen. But as Moses' intercession for these things was not answered as he wished, so the exiles were to largely die in exile. Psalm 91 however is connected to Psalm 90, and speaks of how the salvation of Israel was to be through Joshua - Jesus. This was the answer to Moses' struggle and for that of the exiles.

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations-

The allusion may be to Moses' words that God was the safe dwelling place of Israel (Dt. 33:27). Joshua is commended for making Yahweh his dwelling place (Ps. 91:9). But He was not the point of refuge for Israel in all their generations, in that they had chosen other gods.

There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. For example, we dwell in God (Ps. 90:1), and He dwells in us (1 Cor. 3:16). Thus "he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him" (1 Jn. 4:15,16). We respond to God's call of us by calling upon Him (1 Cor. 1:2).

Psalm 90:2

Before the mountains were brought forth, before You had formed the land and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God-

We are reading here the "prayer" of Moses (:1). But these opening verses make it clear that prayer is meditation before God, and not simply requests. "Brought forth... formed [Heb. 'give birth to']" suggests that the world was formed out of God. The idea of literal creatio ex nihilo isn't Biblical. This world is made out of God and is therefore not separate from Him. Man is not alone; we aren't cut adrift from our creator. God is so closely with us. He isn't far from every one of us. The fact God is in Heaven and we on earth doesn't mean He is far from us. In human terms, spatiality means apartness; but not for God, who fills Heaven and earth. His being in space and time breaks in to our experience of space and time. Note too that God is perfect / complete in and of Himself; He didn't "need" us. But He created us and then speaks as if He does in some sense "need" us. The point is, creation was an act of grace. All complaints at the seeming injustice and suffering of creation miss this point. Note too that "brought forth" implies God as a mother / female. His nature is such that He is able to identify with both male and female.

Psalm 90:3

You turn man to destruction saying, Return, you children of men-

Ps. 90:3 implies that each person dies as a result of a conscious, specific command from God; not just because of natural processes. The specific reference is to God's command that Israel were to die in the wilderness. Moses is begging God to change this judgment; hence LXX "Turn not man back to his low place, whereas thou saidst, Return, ye sons of men".

And yet the allusion is also to the curse in Eden; it is as if God speaks Gen. 3:19 to each person who dies. In this sense the Bible is a living word; the Red Sea and other salvations of God are as it were performed in an ongoing sense to us each one today. Likewise Abel "is yet spoken of" (Heb. 11:4 AVmg.).The passage in the scrolls that said "I am the God of Abraham" was "spoken unto you by God", Jesus told first century Israel (Mt. 22:31). And so Moses really provides his own answer. He is desperate for the 40 year condemnation period to be changed so that he and his generation could enter Canaan. But in fact they were all going to return to the dust anyway, in accordance with Gen. 3:19. And the conclusion really is that our focus ought to be upon a resurrection from the dead, rather than seeking some kind of kingdom now.

Psalm 90:4

For a thousand years in Your sight are just like yesterday when it is past, like a watch in the night-

Was Moses right to imply that God forgets about His creatures, just as we sleep through the night watch unaware of its passing? Ps. 90 is Moses' prayer asking for God's judgment against Israel and himself in the wilderness to be changed. He had reasoned with God and changed His earlier decision to destroy Israel and make of Moses a great nation. But this prayer of Moses went unanswered- "speak no more unto Me of this matter" (Dt. 3:26).

However, this Psalm is an example of how intimate a man can become with God. Moses pleads that man only lives 70 years, maybe 80- so, cut us some slack, God, and reverse our judgment (Ps. 90:10). He waxes very poetic and eloquent about our humanity. But fails to persuade God. And he also rather oddly seems to ignore the fact that he was blessed with 120 years of life with his youthful vigour unabated. He describes our return to dust as being a result of God's wrath and anger (Ps. 90:3,7)- suggesting some resentment at God's judgment of man in Gen. 3, just as Moses resented how God had judged him and Israel. He argues that they had already suffered quite enough evil in Egypt (Ps. 90:15) and asks if God can't give that generation just a little joy in life.

Ps. 90:4 could be seen as Moses arguing 'You've got eternity; we only have a delicate, fragile, grief-filled 70 years. So please, relent on your idea of filling all our human lives with grief by not letting us into the promised land'. Ps. 90:8 sounds like Moses objected to God scrutinizing our "secret sins", and Ps. 90:11 speaks as if God's anger and wrath were just too much. He clearly had a problem accepting the justice of God's punishment against sin, as did the exiles; hence this prayer wasn't answered. But it's the intimacy with God, that a man feels he can speak like this to God, which is the exhortation.

Psalm 90:5

You sweep them away as they sleep; in the morning they sprout like new grass-

LXX "Years shall be vanity to them: let the morning pass away as grass". Moses is complaining that the 40 years of wandering would just be wasted years of vanity. But that is indeed what condemnation will be like, and Moses and the exiles (in different contexts) all come over as railing against consequence of sin, rather than focusing upon repentance and the final fulfilment of God's purpose. The language here is that used of the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea (Ps. 77:17 is the only other occurrence of "You sweep them away"), where "in the morning" the Egyptians were dead (Ex. 14:24,27) and had to be replaced by a new generation ["new grass"]. Moses is complaining that the condemned generation were being treated like the Egyptians slain at the Red Sea. But that was indeed appropriate; for in their hearts they had returned to Egypt, and Ezekiel records that they had taken the idols of Egypt with them through the Red Sea. But again, the consequence of sin is focused upon, rather than admission of sin.

Psalm 90:6

In the morning it sprouts and springs up; by evening, it is withered and dry-

Indeed this is the case. Moses seems to be arguing that the condemned generation would have a tragically vain life experience, as if they were grass which grew up in the morning and then was dead by evening. But this therefore leads the condemned sinner [which is all of us] to a desire for forgiveness and resurrection to eternity. But that connection isn't made here as the prophets intended it to be made.

But all this is interpreted in James 1:11 so positively. If we are indeed so fleeting and weak, then don't worry about getting rich. Don't trust in man nor in wealth. Because man is so weak. Likewise in Ps. 90:12- numbering our days, realizing their brevity, will help us get a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:7

For we are consumed in Your anger, we are troubled in Your wrath-

God had earlier wanted to "consume" Israel, but the intercession of Moses had stopped this (Num. 16:21,45 s.w.), as did that of Phinehas (Num. 25:11 s.w.). The threat of being "consumed" by God's anger was part of the covenant Israel had made with Him (s.w. Dt. 28:21). They were suffering the agreed consequence of sin, and yet Moses presents this as being unreasonably harsh (:6). And so Moses' request was not answered, at least not as he then desired. For God did indeed "consume" Israel with vanity, a vanity they themselves had chosen (s.w. Ps. 78:33). But this was only after vowing to "consume" them both in Egypt and in the wilderness, and then He had relented out of pure pity and grace for them (Ez. 20:13,14,21,22). He had relented multiple times before; but Moses was not allowed this time to cash in on that. And this was true of the exiles, whom God also "consumed" for their sins (s.w. Jer. 5:3; 9:16; 14:12 and very often). o

Psalm 90:8

You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your face-

Moses perceived that Israel [and his?] rejection from the land wasn't just due to one incident, but because of their secret sins being viewed by God. Moses himself had been often in the light of God's countenance. David in his penitential Psalms concerning Bathsheba and Uriah likewise at times perceives that there were many other sins involved than "just" adultery and murder.

This is not Moses reproaching God; rather is it him soberly recognizing why they were barred from the land. Notice "our iniquities... our sins". Moses was completely at one with condemned Israel, he knew exactly how they felt- just as the Lord Jesus with us. It is a fundamental, if neglected, doctrine that the Lord Jesus was our representative. This really ought to be a source of comfort to us, as we sense the involvement of the Son of God in our lives, one who can truly empathize (rather than just sympathize) with our spiritual struggle. This is so clearly taught by the typology of Moses as a type of Christ. Although he spoke to God as a friend, with an open-faced relationship, he still took upon himself the sin of Israel, he felt as condemned as they felt (Ex. 34:9 cp. Ex. 33:11); when he pleaded for God's sentence on him to be lifted, he pleaded for the same sentence on Israel to be lifted too (Ps. 90:8).

So here in Psalm 90 Moses pleads for his rejection and that of his people to be reversed. He says that the reason for their rejection was God setting their "secret sins" in the light of His countenance. He felt his rejection was due to his secret sins- not the one painfully public failure. The Hebrew for "secret" means 'that behind the veil'; it is from the same root as the Hebrew for 'young girl', i.e. a veiled one. He felt the sins he had committed behind the veil he wore before Israel had been exposed in the light of the Angel's face. Remember that Moses always appeared to Israel with a veil (Ex. 34:33-35; 2 Cor. 3:16-18 RV), only removing it when he spoke face to face with the Angel, radiating the light of God's glory to him. It seems Moses is alluding to this in Ps. 90:8; he felt that he had many secret sins of the heart, hidden to Israel, but completely open to the Angel when he met with him. Likewise Israel were rejected because of the sins of their heart rather than their grosser failures (Acts 7:39; and see the reason for their condemnation given in many other passages).

Psalm 90:9

For all our days have passed away in Your wrath, we bring our years to an end as a sigh-

"Bring... to an end" is s.w. "consumed" in :7; see note there. It seems Moses is making this prayer towards the start of the forty years wandering and exile from the land. Otherwise there would be little point in begging for the judgment to be reversed. So he may be speaking imagining how things would be at the end of the period; their days would have been wasted in vanity, coming to an end with a sigh of regret. But he fails to see the possibility of being resurrected to eternity in a future, restored Kingdom situation.

"As a sigh" is AV "As a tale that is told", perhaps a reference to the tradition of giving a summary of the deceased's life at their funeral? Is. 53:8 laments that this wasn't done at the death of Messiah. The idea perhaps is that as it takes a mere 20 minutes to summarize a person's life, so in the context of infinity, that is indeed how brief it is.

Psalm 90:10

The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years-

Lifespans were still relatively long at Moses' time; his father Amram apparently lived to over 130 years, and Moses to 120. The mention of 70 years may have been the result of an edit by the exiles, lamenting that the 70 years of exile from the land would be pointless living; just as Moses had complained about the 40 years of exile from the land at his time.

LXX "As for the days of our years, in them are seventy years; and if men should be in strength, eighty years: and the greater part of them would be labour and trouble; for weakness overtakes us, and we shall be chastened". The idea is that there is just no point in life if they could not enter the land. Normally, we would prefer to die at 80 rather than 70. But in the context of the argument here, if they weren't going to enter the land, then living another ten years in exile was vanity and worthless.

Yet their pride is but labour and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we pass away-

"Labour and sorrow" is the phrase translated "iniquity and perverseness" (Num. 23:21), which initially God saw in the wilderness generation, but did not count against them. But they chose to live in it, and so they were made to live like that for 40 years. The same phrase is used of how the exiles chose to live in "mischief and iniquity" (Is. 59:4), and so their glory flew away (s.w. "pass away") as a bird (s.w. Hos. 9:11).

Psalm 90:11

Who knows the power of Your anger, Your wrath according to the fear that is due to You?-

David could be saying that God's anger was incomprehensible, out of proportion to the sin committed, too much wrath for Israel not showing Him enough fear. And of course he would have been wrong in this. Or it could be that he is musing that according to our perceptions of God we will be judged. God's mercy is upon us according as we trust in Him. And His wrath according as we fear it, Moses appears to be saying. The way the servant was judged out of his own mouth, with the Lord being the kind of "hard man" he thought He was (Mt. 25:24), is surely the principle of Ps. 90:11 AV: "Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath" (in practice).

Psalm 90:12

So teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom-

The condemned generation knew that within 40 years they would be dead. And so they could number their days. But the time to be wise had passed; they had chosen not to be, hence the lament: "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" (Dt. 32:29).

LXX presents this as a another plea for God to become active in the salvation of His people immediately, rather than after the 40 years wandering: "And who knows how to number his days because of the fear of thy wrath? So manifest thy right hand". This would suggest that numbering days was pointless because they were under God's wrath. They were indeed, but instead of pestering God to change their condemnation, the focus instead might have been upon confession of sin and hope in the resurrection of the body to the restored Kingdom at the last day.

Psalm 90:13

Relent, Yahweh! How long? Have compassion on Your servants!-

This is the "How long?" asked by the exiles so often in the Psalms. They wanted immediate restoration, just as Moses wanted the 40 year period to be cut short. This 'prayer of Moses' (title) is lamenting how Israel were being destroyed by the Angel as they wandered in the forty year period of punishment. It may even be that the Angel left Israel in a sense (hence "Return O Lord") although still leading them. Thus there are different degrees of the Angelic presence- as at the restoration the Angel did in a limited sense return to the temple, having left them when the cherubim departed from Zion (as Ezekiel records).

Yet Moses clearly believed that this period of decreed punishment could be shortened ("satisfy us early with Thy mercy") by the Angel repenting. Previously his prayers had succeeded in making the Angel repent of the evil that He had planned to do to Israel, and Moses evidently hoped the Angel would again repent.

"Relent" is s.w. Ex. 32:12 "Turn from Your fierce wrath". Ps. 90:11 has just spoken of God's fierce wrath. Moses' hope was always that God would "repent" if He perceived the depth of Israel's suffering (Dt. 32:36 "The Lord will repent Himself for His servants when He sees that their power is gone"]. "Return" may also be a request for God's presence to return again to the tabernacle rather than being outside it. All this was exactly what the exiles were asking; and yet they failed to focus upon the fact they had sinned, failed to give much emphasis to repentance, and seem more concerned about the immediate removal of the consequence of sins, rather than looking ahead to the last day.

Psalm 90:14

Satisfy us in the morning with Your grace, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days-

AV has "satisfy us early", i.e. 'reduce the time period of judgment upon us, and let us enter the land'. Or [Heb.], Moses may be asking for an answer "in the morning", immediately, right after his night of prayer.

Psalm 90:15

Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil-

The thoughts of Moses here were reflected in the exiles; but they all failed to perceive that they had been judged less than their sins deserved (Ezra 9:13). Whereas the reasoning here seems to be that God needs to as it were put right what He did in judging His people. The "afflicted" years would refer to the entire sojourn in Egypt (s.w. Gen. 15:13; Ex. 1:12). But this "affliction" was intended to bring them to repentance (1 Kings 8:35; Ps. 119:67,71). The affliction could therefore be ended by repentance; but instead of that, there is simply a demand that God simply overturn the consequence of sin.

Psalm 90:16

Let Your work appear to Your servants-

But God's work had appeared to them all, but they had chosen to disbelieve it (s.w. Ps. 95:9); and the phrase is used of how the exiles had done likewise and were therefore in exile (Is. 5:12).

Your glory to their children-

Moses desired that God’s glory would “appear… upon / unto” the children of God’s servants. He wanted all God’s children to have the same experience of glory appearing to them as he had had. And according to 2 Cor. 3:18, this desire is fulfilled every time a man turns to the Lord Jesus, and like Moses, with unveiled face, beholds that same glory. In the immediate context, he wanted the visible glory of God to appear not just to him in his separate tabernacle, but to all God's people. For as explained on :17, the Angel of glory no longer was going in their midst (Ex. 33:3).

Psalm 90:17

Let the grace of the Lord our God be upon us-

LXX "And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us". This would be a request for the Angel of glory to return amongst the Israelites. God had clearly stated "I will not go up in the midst of you" (Ex. 33:3); but Moses asked all the same for God [in the form of the Angel of glory?] to go among them" (Ex. 34:9). And he is doing the same here. For the exiles, it would have meant a desire for the shekinah glory, perhaps literally associated with the same Angel, to return to Zion. Ezekiel had in vision seen it departing.

Establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands-

In Dt. 16:15 is used of Israel in the land, obedient and blessed. Moses wishes that the condemned generation could enter the land and experience the blessings promised.

Moses spoke of how all Israel should pray that God would establish the work of their hands (Ps. 90:17)- but this was in fact his special request for the blessing of Levi, the priestly tribe (Dt. 33:11). Ps. 135:19,20 parallels all Israel with the priestly family: “Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron: bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, bless the Lord... praise ye the Lord”. All Israel were to aspire to the spirit of priesthood. Indeed, the Psalms often parallel the house of Aaron (i.e. the priesthood) with the whole nation (Ps. 115:9,10,12; 118:2,3).  As it was God’s intention that Israel were to be a nation of priests to the rest of the world, so the new Israel likewise are to all discharge the priestly functions of teaching their brethren (Ex. 19:6 cp. 1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:6; 5:9,10). Under the new covenant, we should all teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16). Indeed, God told Israel [unrecorded in the historical records]: “Ye are gods [elohim] and all of you are sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82:6 RV). Further, Ps. 96:9 makes the paradigm breaking statement that even the Gentiles could come before Yahweh of Israel in holy, priestly array- they too could aspire to the spirit of priesthood (Ps. 96:9 RVmg.).

Psalm 91

Psalm 91:1

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty-

This follows on from Ps. 90, where Moses had begged for God's condemnation of the wilderness generation to be abrogated, and for that generation to enter the land. It was the same plea of the exiles; they didn't want to wait the required 70 years in exile, as the wilderness generation didn't want to wait 40 years. The answer from God is here in Ps. 91. He speaks about Joshua as one of the very few who would not perish in the wilderness, and bids all Israel follow his example. It all has relevance to the Lord Jesus; for "Jesus" is the Greek form of "Joshua". In the context of the exiles, the Joshua the High Priest of Zechariah's prophecies could have been a Messiah figure who would have led the exiles back to Judah. But he failed, as did Zerubbabel, and so the prophecy was rescheduled and reapplied to the Lord Jesus.

Joshua dwelt in the tabernacle where Moses met with God, "without the camp" of Israel. This was "the secret place", where the word was spoken (see the connections between the "secret" place and God's word: Job 15:8; 29:4; Ps. 25:14; Prov. 3:32; Is. 45:19; Dan. 2:18; Am. 3:7). It was because of this love of the word that Joshua was preserved in those wilderness years, as the bodies of his peer group were abandoned in mass graves in the Sinai scrub: "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee". Joshua calmly looked at those sights, knowing whom he had believed: "Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see (i.e. meditate upon) the reward of the wicked" (Ps. 91:7,8).

Joshua had been charged to be strong, of good courage, not fearful nor be dismayed. Yet he had a tendency to forget those charges, the implications of his having been called by God for a purpose; and needed to be reminded of them as he forgot or lost faith in them. Perhaps this is why he is an otherwise surprising omission from the list of faithful men and women in Hebrews 11. And here of course is the challenge to us. We too have been given commissions and callings. Whether it be to raise a Godly family, to establish an ecclesia in a certain place, to overcome a specific vice… the obstacles will flee before us, every place where the soles of our feet rest, will be blessed…if we truly believe in God’s purpose with us. Yet like Joshua, we usually fail to have a full faith in this. We get distracted by the views of others, peer pressure, worried by lack of resources, discouraged by setbacks; when it is belief in God’s most basic initial promises to us that will overcome them. Joshua’s fear is all the more reprehensible when we consider the testimony of Ps. 91. Here Moses speaks about Joshua, the one who dwelt in the secret place or tabernacle of God (Ps. 91:1 = Ex. 33:11), and who therefore was miraculously preserved throughout the wilderness wanderings. Thousands of Joshua’s generation died at his side from the various plagues which wasted out his generation during those wanderings; but they never came near him (Ps. 91:5-8). As a result of this, he was commanded by Moses to “not be afraid” (Ps. 91:5); perhaps Moses was thinking specifically about peer pressure, with the assurance that truly God would hear Joshua’s prayers (Ps. 91:14,15). His amazing preservation during the wilderness years ought to have instilled a faith and lack of fearfulness within him; and yet the implication is that he did very often fall prey to fearfulness in later life. Just as with us, the circumstances of earlier life are controlled by the Father to give us faith with which to cope with later crises; but we don’t always learn the lessons we are intended to.

Psalm 91:2

I will say of Yahweh, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust-

This was the attitude which God wished to see from Joshua in his own self talk; and if others in Israel had displayed this, they too would not have perished in the desert but would have lived to enter the land. And yet only twice does Joshua use the phrase "my God" or "my Lord". It seems that he didn't fully live up to these things.

It has been observed that this Psalm has an "antiphonal arrangement- the first speaker delivering Ps. 91:1,2; the second, Ps. 91:3,4; then the first responding with Ps. 91:5-8; and again the second with Ps. 91:9-13. In conclusion, a third speaker, making himself the mouthpiece of Jehovah, crowns all by declaring the blessings which God himself will bestow upon his faithful ones (Ps. 91:14-16)". The Psalm was to be recited, because every man was intended to follow Joshua's intended pattern.

Psalm 91:3

For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague-

The exiles were intended to follow Joshua's example. For the Babylonian captivity was "the snare of the fowler" (Ps. 124:7). The plague is that of :6, which destroyed many of the wilderness generation but didn't touch Joshua.

Psalm 91:4

He will cover you with His feathers, beneath His wings you will take refuge; His faithfulness is your shield and rampart-

It would be as if Joshua was located beneath the wings of the cherubim, over the blood of atonement, and beneath the shekinah glory of God seen between the cherubim. This was the intimacy with God which was possible for him. He would be shielded by God from all the plagues which slowly wiped out the wilderness generation. But this promise of being covered with God's wings and feathers was equally to all God's people who chose to go the way of faith of Joshua and Caleb (Ex. 19:4; Dt. 32:11).

Psalm 91:5

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day-

The terror at night may refer to marauding tribes of Bedouin who attacked the Israelites and also contributed to the destruction of the wilderness generation. The arrow of the day time would be the arrows of God, even if they were shot by the Bedouin, as in Job 6:4.

Psalm 91:6

nor of the plagues that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday-

This is the destruction threatened for those who break covenant (s.w. Dt. 32:24). The plagues were personified as stalking in the dark. But equally at noonday they were to be destroyed by the plagues. LXX "from ruin and the demon of the midday" perhaps refers to sunstroke. Whatever belief in demons the people held, the simple truth was that God destroyed the wilderness generation; all was under His absolute control. There is no radical evil in the cosmos. The exiles were comforted likewise in Ps. 121:6, "The sun shall not smite you by day". They were to follow the path intended for Joshua, and earnestly believe they could participate in the restored kingdom of God.

Psalm 91:7

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you-

A clear reference to how the wilderness generation fell dead, those whom Joshua knew well, those at his side. Sometimes a thousand fell, other times ten thousand. But his life was to be preserved.

Psalm 91:8

You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked-

The idea is that Joshua would look at the corpses of the slain amongst his fellows, and reflect that this was the recompense for their wickedness. And that wickedness was essentially their unbelief that they would enter the Kingdom.

Psalm 91:9

Because you have made Yahweh your refuge and the Most High your dwelling place-

The stress is upon "you"; Joshua would not fall and be slain because of his unbelief, because he had in faith focused upon the things of Yahweh. Not simply in having faith that Israel could easily enter the promised land, but in his subsequent choice to live in the tabernacle, to dwell in God's presence.

Psalm 91:10

no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling-

This seems to look back to Job 5:19: "He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee". Ps. 91 is Moses' encouragement to Joshua that the destroying Angel in the wilderness would not harm him, but he would be protected by the Angels who would "keep you in all your ways" (:11). Thus Moses may have seen Job 5:19 to be talking about evil brought by Angels of evil (Ps. 78:49)- i.e. Job's satan Angel who brought the trials, as discussed at length on Job 1. "Your dwelling" would refer to the tabernacle "without the camp" where Joshua lived.

Psalm 91:11

For He will put His angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways-

Instead of the Angels bringing plagues of death upon Joshua, as did upon the wilderness generation after the pattern of what they did in Egypt, instead the Angels would guard him. The Psalm describes how Joshua was miraculously preserved from the punishments which befell his generation in the wilderness; thousands fell at his side from the various plagues sent to waste away his peer group. But he was preserved. It is in this context we read that the Angels would be given charge over him, lest he dash his foot against a stone during that wilderness journey (Ps. 91:11,12).

Yet these words were understood by the Lord Jesus as relevant to Him personally, when He was in the wilderness (Mt. 4:6). The Lord Jesus clearly saw Joshua as a type of Himself. The double application of Psalm 91 to both Joshua and Jesus makes Joshua a potential Messiah. He and the High Priest Joshua at the time of the restoration could have been Messiah figures; but they failed to rise up completely to this. So Joshua is not simply a type of the Lord Jesus. Rather were the potentials possible for him, which he didn't totally fulfil, reapplied and rescheduled to the Lord Jesus.

"Guard" is the same word used in Gen. 3:24, and thus alludes to the Angels keeping  men in the way to the tree of life- not only physically but spiritually preserving them. The figure of dashing the foot against a stone suggests the idea of spiritual stumbling against a "rock of offence" or stumblingstone (s.w. Jer. 13:16, of how the exiles refused this potential help and did stumble). The Angels bore up the Lord Jesus to help Him avoid these. But only because He Himself wished for that strength, and avoided the temptation He faced to abuse it and wrongly use it.

Psalm 91:12

they will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone-

See on :11. God was willing to "bear up" Israel and bring them into the land / kingdom (s.w. Dt. 32:11). But only Joshua and Caleb made use of that. Nothing need have caused them to stumble. And the same is true for us. But we need to want that, whereas Israel in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

Psalm 91:13

You will tread on the lion and cobra, you will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot-

The treading underfoot of the adder must have a connection with Genesis 3; the seed of the woman trampling sin underfoot. This conquest of sin by Jesus was therefore partly due to Angelic strengthening of Him (see on :11,12). Through them "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself", making Christ a sin-offering for us. There are also connections with the restoration prophecies of Isaiah, which speak of these wild animals being subdued. But again, the exiles didn't want this; just as it seems the full potential of these things was not realized by Joshua.

The prophecy about Christ personally that He would tread upon snakes and wild animals (Ps. 91:13) is quoted as being fulfilled in the disciples, who ‘were’ Christ on their preaching mission (Lk. 10:19; Mk. 16:18). In Old Testament times, God described His whole people as His anointed one, His Christ: “The Lord is a strength unto his people, and he is the saving strength of his anointed” (Ps. 28:8 RVmg.). The whole people were His anointed King, His Messiah, the anointed one. And so it is for all those today who are “in Christ”.

The ‘devil’ of the Lord’s own nature tempted Him to apply Ps. 91:11 in a wrong context, and jump off the pinnacle of the temple. But if the Lord had gone on, as surely He did, He would have found the words: “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet” (Ps. 91:13 AV). This promise would have been of wonderful comfort, as throughout the wilderness temptations the Lord “was with the wild beasts” (Mk. 1:13).

Psalm 91:14

Because he has set His love on Me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known My name-

This implies that our love of God is expressed in seeking to appreciate His name. To know Him is to love Him, and to want to be like Him; there is something compulsive and magnetic about who He is. The knowledge of God elicits quite naturally a merciful spirit (Hos. 6:6).

But it seems that :13-16 speak of potentials which Joshua personally didn't fully realize. But they did come true of the Lord Jesus. It is therefore not the full picture to just say that "Joshua was a type of Christ". He was, but the connection is also in the fact that what Joshua didn't realize, the Lord Jesus did. And the fulfilment therefore came about in even more wonderful terms; for the Lord Jesus was "set on high" through exaltation to Heaven and being made prince of the kings of the earth, and being delivered from death through resurrection.

Psalm 91:15

He will call on Me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him-

Again, this only partially came true for Joshua, and was fulfilled above all in the deliverance and honour of the Lord Jesus. The exiles failed to make use of these potentials, as it seems Joshua didn't fully either. "Troubles" is the word used of Jacob's time of trouble (Gen. 35:3; Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1). David's experience of trouble was representative of how the exiles and all God's people could ultimately follow the path of Jacob to deliverance out of exile and from his strong enemies. But in Ps. 71:20 David sees his deliverance from the day of trouble as ultimately being in the resurrection of the body, being 'brought up again from the depths of the earth'.

Psalm 91:16

I will satisfy him with long life, and show him My salvation-

This came ultimately true for the Lord Jesus when he was given eternal life. The fulfilment in Joshua was pale in comparison to this, and he lived slightly shorter than Moses. There are a number of occasions where the Lord’s need for salvation by God is emphasized. Ps. 91:11,12 is quoted about Jesus in Mt. 4:6. Now Ps. 91:16 goes on to prophesy how God would give the Lord Jesus salvation: “With long life (i.e. eternal life) will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” Ps. 69:21 refers to Christ’s crucifixion (Mt. 27:34); the whole Psalm describes Christ’s thoughts on the cross: “Save me, O God... Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it...Let your salvation, O God, set me up on high” (Ps. 69:1,18,29). This need of the Lord for salvation is impossible for the Trinitarian paradigm to cope with.

Psalm 92

Psalm 92:1

A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath day-

This Psalm was intended for usage on the Sabbaths. "Jewish tradition says that it was sung in the morning at the time of the drink offering of the first lamb". But much of the language is used in Psalms of David, and so it seems it originated with him.

It is a good thing to give thanks to Yahweh, to sing praises to Your name, Most High- This is in contrast to the complaint that it was profitless to keep the Sabbath (Mal. 2:15). The Sabbath was understood here as intended for praise.

Psalm 92:2

to proclaim Your grace in the morning and Your faithfulness every night-

"Proclaiming" or showing forth praise of God's ways is what David did in this life (Ps. 71:17,18; 92:2,15 and often). But he imagines himself doing so "forever" (Ps. 75:9). This is an example of how we can live the eternal life now, acting now as we shall eternally do in the Kingdom. It is in this sense that the Lord Jesus in John's gospel offers eternal life right now; even though we shall die and only enter eternity at the resurrection of the body. This Psalm was specifically for the Sabbath (:1), and perhaps David saw the Sabbath as a foretaste of the future Kingdom of God. Those in Israel who despised it and broke it were therefore not interested in living the Kingdom life now. "Grace and... faithfulness", or "mercy and truth", is a phrase often used about the promises to Abraham. These were the basis of the new covenant, and it was these which should be praised on the Sabbath. But we note that David speaks of doing so "every night", as if implying that the spirit of Sabbath praise should be lived out every day.

Psalm 92:3

with the ten-stringed lute, with the harp, and with the melody of the lyre-

Very clearly the style and language of David (see on :1,4).

Psalm 92:4

For You, Yahweh, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands!-

The "me" is clearly David (see on :1), but he wishes all men to share his relationship with God. The idea of the Sabbath (:1) was to rest from human works in order to accept the saving power of God's work (Heb. 4:3,4,10). Hence on the Sabbath especially, it was appropriate to triumph in God's work and not our own.

Psalm 92:5

How great are Your works, Yahweh! Your thoughts are very deep-

Again the emphasis is upon praising God's works on the Sabbath rather than our own; see on :4. God's works and His thoughts are paralleled here (as in Ps. 40:5; Prov. 16:3). Thoughts are therefore our "way" of life in practice (Is. 55:7). This is because thought and action are understood as essentially the same; hence the sermon on the mount condemns thoughts of sin as if they are the sin itself.

Psalm 92:6

A senseless man doesn’t know, neither does a fool understand this-

Yet David admits that temporarily, he had been like this himself (s.w. Ps. 73:21). The fact is, even those as spiritual as David can at times be totally unspiritual in their perspective, and like him need to take a grip and return to reality. We surely have all known this.

Psalm 92:7

though the wicked spring up as the grass and all the evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever-

The apparent prosperity of the wicked is a major issue, so much so that this weekly Sabbath liturgy (:1) mentioned it. The same concern is found in Job (Job 21:7-21) and Asaph (Ps. 73:2-15). But their flourishing is presented here as being a prelude to their being cut down; they grow up quickly, but so as to be cut down at the last day.

Psalm 92:8

But You, Yahweh, are on high forever-

The problem of the apparent prosperity and high exaltation of the wicked (:7) is resolved by reflecting that it is Yahweh who is ultimately exalted, and He will be so eternally. The "height" of God is a common reflection of David in the Psalms.

Psalm 92:9

For, behold, Your enemies, Yahweh, for, behold, Your enemies shall perish; all the evildoers will be scattered-

David often talks about the perishing [s.w.] of his enemies (Ps. 9:3,6, 41:5; 143:12). But here in Ps. 92:9 he speaks of them as God's enemies. He considers his enemies to be God's enemies. That may well have been true, seeing that God did indeed become the enemy of Saul, who was clearly the great enemy of David in his earlier life (1 Sam. 28:16). But we must sound a caveat; because it can be that those within the body of believers whom we consider our enemies are in fact loved by God. We cannot automatically assume in times of inter-personal strife that our enemies are also God's enemies. Likewise our enemies' friend is not always our enemy, and our enemies' enemy is not always to be our friend.

Psalm 92:10

But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; I am anointed with fresh oil-

The talk of being anointed is clearly relevant to David as the anointed king under persecution; but this is a generic psalm for the Sabbath, to be used in the liturgy every week (see on :1). We are bidden see David as our representative; and indeed we too are anointed in that we are in Christ, the anointed one (2 Cor. 1:21). Just as all Israel were to see themselves as somehow "in" David. David is here quoting from Hannah's prayer (1 Sam. 2:10). He appropriates her words to himself personally, and now bids all Israel apply them to themselves every Sabbath. Hence "our horn shall be exalted... his horn shall be exalted" (Ps. 89:17,24).

Psalm 92:11

My eye has also seen my enemies, my ears have heard of the wicked enemies who rise up against me-

The idea is, "see my desire on my enemies", as AV. Remember that this is part of a Sabbath liturgy, to be used every week (:1). David assumes that every man will have "enemies" just as he does, and that we also hear of others are rising up against us. Perhaps the Psalm was written at the time of his persecution by Saul or Absalom, who 'rose up against' David. He speaks in the past tense, so certain is he that his desire will be fulfilled. And yet we wonder why every Sabbath, men were to gloat over the fact their enemies amongst God's people would be destroyed, and to reflect upon their "desire" for that. We would rather imagine that the Sabbath was a time to rest from all such thoughts. Often, “desire” is seen by God as prayer (Ps. 10:17; 21:2; 27:4; 59:10; 92:11; 140:8; 145:19; Mt. 18:32; Rom. 10:1; 1 Jn. 5:15). God interprets that inner desire as prayer, even if it is not articulated in specific requests.

Psalm 92:12

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, he will grow like a cedar in Lebanon-

This is in contrast to the temporary flourishing of the wicked (see on :7). The implication therefore is that the righteous will eternally flourish, whereas the wicked only do so for a moment. The righteous are to be upright as the cedar and palm trees, because Yahweh is upright (Ps. 92:12,15). This is why bearing the name of Christ is in itself an imperative to witness it. The same words are used here as in David's vision of how Solomon's kingdom would be in Ps. 72:7: "In his days, the righteous shall flourish". In Ps. 92:11,12, David thinks that he himself will see the righteous flourishing (s.w. Ps. 72:7). So he may be imagining that he would somehow be resurrected and see this happening in Solomon's reign. His hope will come ultimately true, but through the kingdom of the Lord Jesus and not Solomon.

Psalm 92:13

They are planted in Yahweh’s house, they will flourish in our God’s courts-

Again the present tense is used for the future, so certain is David that his prayer will be heard. This liturgy was for the weekly Sabbath celebrations in the temple (:1); but the hope of the righteous is that they will not just come into the courts of the sanctuary once every week, but live and flourish there eternally. Ideally, such regular meetings of God's people should be foretastes of the eternal experience of the Kingdom.

Psalm 92:14

They will still bring forth fruit in old age. They will be full of sap and green-

"Old age" in secular life is a grim acceptance that our fruitfulness and vitality are passed. But in spiritual terms, we live in "newness of life" through the work of the Spirit. We are to be spiritually fruitful till the day we die.

Psalm 92:15

to show that Yahweh is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him-

This is a quotation from Dt. 32:4. The context there is of Moses at the end of his life, like David in "old age" (:14), lamenting the general apostasy of Israel; and yet rejoicing that Yahweh for him is his "rock" and His ways are ever more evidently "right" in his life. This may seem a strange way to conclude a liturgy which was to be read or sung weekly at the Sabbath meetings of God's people (:1). But in that context it is appropriate; for the majority of God's visible community have nearly always been astray, and it is appropriate that a genuine worshipper would at times feel this, and would want to take comfort from the words of Moses which David here appropriates.

Psalm 93

Psalm 93:1

Yahweh reigns!-

Literally, 'has become king'. Perhaps this Psalm is David's reflections at the time when he became king, realizing that Yahweh is the true king of Israel.

He is clothed with majesty! Yahweh is armed with strength. The world also is established to stand firm, so that it can’t be moved-

The solid kingship of Yahweh is contrasted later in the Psalm with the swelling of the waters against Him. David felt this to be appropriate to himself, for when he became king he was surrounded by surges of opposition.

Psalm 93:2

Your throne is established from long ago; You are from everlasting-

David is humbly reflecting that his throne is in fact God's. And that throne has always been, and is certain. Any opposition to him was therefore ultimately going to fail, so long as he retained his perspective- that he was reigning on God's throne and not his own, as God's agent, and not as king himself purely in his own right and name.

The idea of a "throne" is of judgment. God is now enthroned as judge (Ps. 93:2; Mt. 5:34 “the heaven is God’s throne”). We are now inescapably in God’s presence (Ps. 139:2); and ‘God’s presence’ is a phrase used about the final judgment in 2 Thess. 1:9; Jude 24; Rev. 14:10. Hence “God is [now] the judge: he putteth down one and setteth up another” (Ps. 75:7) – all of which He will also due at the last day (Lk. 14:10). The essence of judgment is ongoing now; “we make the answer now”. God’s present judgment is often paralleled with His future judgment. Thus “The Lord shall judge the people... God judges [now] the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day... he will whet his sword; he has [right now] bent his bow, and made it ready” (Ps. 7:8,11-13). We are come now “to God the judge of all” (Heb. 12:23).

Psalm 93:3

The floods have lifted up, Yahweh, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves-

As noted on :1, the floods and waves represent the opposition of peoples to God's rulership. David, as king on Yahweh's throne, faced huge opposition from the house of Saul to his kingship, as well as many later challenges to it. But he took comfort that all this swelling of peoples was as nothing against the eternal Kingship of God which he represented.

Psalm 93:4

Above the voices of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea, Yahweh on high is mighty-

As explained on :1,3, this refers to the "voice" of the opposition to David's kingship. He was particularly sensitive to words, as so many of his Psalms indicate. The allusion is to how the waters of the Red Sea were totally under God's control (Ex. 15:10).

Psalm 93:5

Your words stand firm. Holiness adorns Your house, Yahweh, forever-

The words in view may be God's statements that David indeed was to be king. But David realized that if God's throne was David's throne, then David's house was to as Yahweh's house, adorned with holiness. Solomon interpreted this in physical terms, adorning the temple with symbols of holiness (the cherubim) and gold; but the real adornment was of personal holiness, which Solomon failed in ultimately because of his obsession with the external and material.

Psalm 94

Psalm 94:1

Yahweh, You God to whom alone vengeance belongs, You God to whom vengeance belongs-

I suggest this began as a Psalm of David pleading for vengeance against Saul and / or Absalom's group, which under inspiration was then reused by the exiles in their pleas for vengeance against Babylon. The stress that vengeance belongs to God was of course a major theme with David, in that he refused twice to take Saul's life when he easily could have done- because vengeance belongs to God and not man. And likewise it was stressed to the exiles that vengeance upon the Gentiles who had abused them belonged to God, and they were to pray for the time of His vengeance to come.

Shine forth-

A request for the shining forth again of God's glory from between the cherubim (s.w. Ps. 80:1); even though the ark seems to have been lost during the captivity.

Psalm 94:2

Rise up-

There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. David lifts himself up to God (Ps. 25:1; 28:2; 86:4), and asks God to lift up Himself in response (Ps. 7:6; 10:12; 94:2).

You judge of the earth, repay the proud what they deserve-

This again is in line with the note on :1, that God and not man is the judge who will repay the proud. And yet Israel had been punished far less than their sins deserved (Ezra 9:13), and this desire for their abusers to receive precisely what they did, to be punished as their sins deserved, seems to reflect a lack of appreciation of that grace.

Psalm 94:3

Yahweh, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?-

This really had the answer "How long will it be before you exiles repent and desire to return to your God as well as to your land?". The truth was that they had gone into exile because they had 'triumphed' in their wickedness (s.w. Jer. 11:15). But it had its basis in David's wondering whilst persecuted by Saul "how long" before he would become king.

Psalm 94:4

They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers boast-

The psalmists adopt God's perspective, that the essence of sin is pride, and the greatest sin of Israel's abusers was their pride and boasting. Whilst this complaint is obviously relevant to the Babylonians, the words are used by David about the proud and arrogant words of those within Israel (Ps. 31:18).

Psalm 94:5

They break Your people in pieces, Yahweh, and afflict Your heritage-

This is clearly relevant to the actions of the Babylonians (s.w. Lam. 3:34).But it was true also of David's enemies within Israel, especially Saul (Ps. 143:3). The truth is that the exiles were broken because they had broken each other in pieces (Is. 3:15 s.w.). Yet that brokenness was intended to bring forth the humility which would enable them to repent and be restored (s.w. Is. 57:15 "contrite"). And it was the suffering servant as representative of Israel who was broken, as their representative (s.w. Is. 53:5,10).

Psalm 94:6

They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless-

This went on at the time of the Babylonian invasion, as Jeremiah's Lamentations testify to. But we wonder whether the psalm had its origin with David lamenting similar behaviour from Saul and his men. The reference to "the alien" would be hard to understand in a Babylonian context. But if done by Saul, it would show a conscious disobedience to the spirit of the Law of Moses, which required that aliens be treated with the utmost respect.

Psalm 94:7

They say, Yah will not see, neither will Jacob’s God consider-

This was the subconscious attitude of Saul and David's persecutors within Israel. Whilst they may not have said these words, it was a fair summary of the implications of their positions and actions. But it's quite likely that the Babylonians actually said this in so many words. But David's frequent plea for Yahweh to awake from sleep and hear, as if He were deaf, is not far off the same attitude of those who acted as if God were blind or willfully closing His eyes.

Psalm 94:8

Consider, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you be wise?-

"Among the people" may mean that the people being criticized were amongst God's people; they were warned that He who even disciplines the Gentiles (:10) will even moreso judge His own people. The question "When will you be wise?" suggests a strong desire in David [at this point] that his persecutors repent; although often he simply wishes them dire condemnation.

Psalm 94:9

He who implanted the ear, won’t He hear? He who formed the eye, won’t He see?-

The exiles needed to be reminded of this, as they had the impression God was seeing or hearing their situation (s.w. Is. 59:21; Ez. 12:2). It was because of this attitude that they had gone into exile in the first place (s.w. Jer. 5:21; 7:24). There are huge implications of believing in God as the creator of men in His image. He can hardly be perceived as insensitive to what we see and hear, seeing that He created ears and eyes. The same logic demands that we believe that He can strengthen human faculties just as He wishes (Ex. 4:11). see on :10.

Psalm 94:10

He who disciplines the nations, won’t He punish? He who teaches man knows-

The people being criticized were amongst God's people; they were warned that He who even disciplines the Gentiles (:10) will even moreso judge His own people; see on :8. It makes no sense to assume that the God who teaches man is ignorant of that knowledge which He teaches; this is an extension of the logic discussed on :9.

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Psalm 94:11

Yahweh knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile-

The Bible persistently emphasizes the colossal significance of the thoughts, the spirit. And this prepares the way for the huge theme of the Spirit in the New Testament, and the opportunity to receive a holy spirit, the very spirit or mind of the Lord Jesus. It was because of the "thoughts of man" that the earth was destroyed by the flood (s.w. Gen. 6:5). "Futile" is the word for "vanity", which is commonly used of idolatry. And this indeed is where modern day idolatry is committed- through having an empty mind, filled with vanity, rather than the things of God's Spirit.

Psalm 94:12

Blessed is the man whom You discipline, Yah, and teach out of Your law-

The chastening or "discipline" is the word used for David's experiences after the sin with Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 6:1; 38:1; 39:11). His eyes were opened to God's law through that. It was the Gentile nations who were disciplined in :10; so David has in view here how from among them, there would come some who responded to God's judgments by wanting to learn His law.

Psalm 94:13

that You may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked-

The idea is that if the exiles repented and accepted God's discipline (:12), then their days of adversity in Babylon would come to an end, and their abusers would be buried eternally in the pit. The days of adversity or evil could equally refer to the evil which Judah had themselves wrought (s.w. Dt. 31:18), the days [of punishment] for their own evil. And these could be ended if they repented of it.

Psalm 94:14

For Yahweh won’t reject His people, neither will He forsake His inheritance-

The implication could be, in the context of :13,15, that this would be the case if they returned to righteousness and followed it. For God had indeed rejected and forsaken His people because of their sins; the same terms are used about this in Is. 32:14; Jer. 12:7. The psalmist's understanding that ultimately God would not be left without a people therefore implied to him that His people would ultimately repent.

Psalm 94:15

For justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart shall follow it-

As noted on :14, the idea could be that there would be a "return" to justice, and again the righteous would follow righteousness. It was this repentance by the exiles which would lead to God no longer rejecting and forsaking His people (:14).

David so often parallels righteousness and justice / truth (Ps. 9:8; 33:5; 37:6; 72:2; 94:15; 99:7; 103:6; 106:3). Indeed, this parallel is so common in God's word. What it means is that the righteousness of God is a just righteousness. It's not fake, 'I'll turn a blind eye'. It is true, real, valid, and has integrity underpinned in the very essential justice of God Himself. Justice and righteousness may appear abstract ideas, mere theology. But the result is that the person who believes God's righteousness is imputed to him or her... will feel this, they will know it to be true, they can by grace, in faith, quietly hold their head up before God. And David after Bathsheba is our example. He believed and felt this imputed righteousness. It's not so much a case of 'forgiving ourselves' after God has forgiven us, but rather of being swamped by this very real and legitimate sense that truly, we have been counted righteous. And Paul in Romans holds up David after Bathsheba as the personal example to "every one who is Godly" in their time of spiritual need. See on Ps. 41:12.

Psalm 94:16

Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?

David had been careful to stress that justice belongs to Yahweh; hence he didn't take Saul's life when he had the chance. So the answer to this question is "God". And this was likewise to be the answer arrived at by the exiles.

Psalm 94:17

Unless Yahweh had been my help, my soul would have soon been silenced-

This is very much the spirit of the exiles in Ps. 124:1,2. But they were to follow the path of David, in devotion to God's word, repentance and thence restoration.

Psalm 94:18

When I said, My foot is slipping! Your grace, Yahweh, held me up-

David recognized that his steps had slid (Ps. 38:16; 94:18). But at the end of his life, he reflects that the steps of the righteous don't slip (Ps. 37:25,31). Perhaps David came to minimize his earlier slipping, especially in the matter of Bathsheba, in his old age. Or perhaps he was able to look back and see that despite temporary sliding of steps, ultimately the steps of the righteous don't slide in the overall path of their life.

Psalm 94:19

In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Your comforts delight my soul-

The idea may be that David was confused, struggling with the idea of ultimate salvation and blessing being so different from current realities. But despite all that confusion, the simple love of God was his comfort. His confusion was shared by the exiles, and also ultimately by the Lord Jesus. The spirit of Christ in the prophets testified Messiah’s sufferings “unto Christ" (1 Pet. 1:11 RVmg.), but He still had to figure it all out. And this enabled an element of doubt and confusion, even though in the end He knew “all the things that were coming upon him" (Jn. 18:4). To doubt or feel confused is not to sin. This Messianic Psalm had foretold: “In the multitude of my doubts within me, thy comforts delight my soul" (Ps. 94:19 RVmg.). This aspect heightens the agony of His final crisis, when He unexpectedly felt forsaken.

Psalm 94:20

Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with You, which brings about mischief by statute?-

The initial reference would have been to the throne of Saul and perhaps later of Absalom, but was easily reapplied to the throne of Baylon. David had a marked hatred of sin, and often stated his desire to purge Israel of sinners, and his refusal to fellowship with evil (Ps. 94:20; 97:10; 101:3-8; 119:63,78,79; 139:19). And yet he had to revise these attitudes somewhat when he as the king committed murder and adultery.

Psalm 94:21

They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood-

This is how David perceived his persecution by Saul and Absalom. But he was himself not innocent of blood nor was he completely righteous. David's prayer of repentance and request to be saved from "blood guiltiness" (Ps. 51:14) is literally 'from blood'. He was a man of blood and was guilty of Uriah's innocent blood. David had asked for 'men of blood' to be slain (Ps. 55:23 s.w.), those who had taken the blood of the innocent (Ps. 94:21), and for 'men of blood' to be expelled from his presence (Ps. 139:19). And it is not at all clear whether all those Psalms were written before his sin with Bathsheba. God was trying to teach David that he was the type of person whom he condemned. And yet it is unclear if he learned that lesson. Solomon liberally condemns the man who sheds innocent blood (Prov. 6:17; 28:17), refusing to recognize that his much lauded father had done just this, and was only saved by grace and not by any obedience to wisdom. There is so little grace in the book of Solomon's Proverbs because Solomon had failed to perceive the grace shown to his father.

Psalm 94:22

But Yahweh has been my high tower, my God, the rock of my refuge-

David sees that Yahweh will be a "high tower" or place of refuge at the day of future judgment (Ps. 9:8,9, quoted about this in Acts 17:31). But David feels God has been like this to him in this life (2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 18:2; 46:7; 48:3; 59:9,16,17; 62:2; 94:22; 144:2). He therefore sees a seamless experience in his relationship with God in this life, and at the future day of judgment. God saves us right now and is a refuge for us in countless life situations; and this is the guarantee that He will be likewise at the last day.

Psalm 94:23

He has brought on them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness. Yahweh, our God, will cut them off-

The intentional juxtaposition of past and future tenses reflects how David believed that what he now wished in the present was utterly certain of fulfilment. God likewise sees things in this way, and faith is all about seeing things from His perspective.

Psalm 95

Psalm 95:1

Oh come, let’s sing to Yahweh, let’s shout aloud to the rock of our salvation!-

The LXX ascribes this to David, and that is confirmed by the quotation of it as from David in Heb. 4:7. I suggest the psalm began as a response to his receipt of grace and forgiveness after the sin with Bathsheba. It is David's invitation to all on earth, especially God's people, to come to Yahweh. But it moves on to lament that God's people hadn't responded, and as Israel didn't enter the promised rest because of unbelief, so the exiles were being prevented from reentering the same land. This was because they had declined to follow in the path of David's repentance and restoration, effectively refusing the invitation to come to Yahweh found in the first half of the Psalm.

David knew his sinfulness, he knew his reliance upon the grace of God, more and more as he got older. One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps. 4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). Indeed, Ps. 71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men.

Psalm 95:2

Let’s come before His presence with thanksgiving, let’s extol Him with songs!-

The "presence" of God likely refers to the shekinah glory seen over the ark. The "songs" in view were the Psalms of David. For this Psalm is written by David (see on :1), inviting all people to share his experience of Yahweh's grace and to join in his ecstasy of praise for His grace. The Psalm was likely used in the liturgy of the sanctuary, and many synagogues still use it to call to the Sabbath on Friday evenings. See on :6.

Psalm 95:3

For Yahweh is a great God, a great King above all gods-

So often, the idols aren't in so many words criticized as not existing, but rather, Yahweh is so exalted above them that even if they do exist, they are so relatively powerless that they are show to have no effective existence. It's the same with how the language of demons is used in the New Testament; the Lord's miracles demonstrated that God's power was so infinitely greater, that effectively demons don't exist.

Psalm 95:4

In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the mountains are also His-

This is taken as meaning that Judah could take comfort from the fact that a God of this power would therefore not totally reject His people for all power, despite their sins (Jer. 31:37).

Psalm 95:5

The sea is His, and He made it; His hands formed the dry land-

David realized that as God fashioned / formed the earth (Ps. 95:5), so He can fashion human hearts (Ps. 33:15). His word and Spirit work in doing both things, with the same boundless possibility and power.

Psalm 95:6

Oh come, let’s worship and bow down-

See on :2; clearly the Psalm was used in the liturgy of the tabernacle services. The invitation to "bow down" was asking the people to repent. This was so relevant to the exiles, for their refusal to do so placed them in the same situation as the people exiled from Canaan.

Let’s kneel before Yahweh, our Maker-

There are huge implications in believing that God is our creator We will therefore humbly bow before Him in worship, in a way that those who deny theistic creation are not motivated to.

Psalm 95:7

for He is our God. We are the people of His pasture, and the sheep in His care-

This is the same message to the exiles as they were given in Ez. 34. The God whom they considered didn't care did in fact care passionately; He was their shepherd, wishing to lead and restore them to the land. But they were disobedient sheep.

Today, oh that you would hear His voice!-

The Hebrew word for ‘hear’ is also translated ‘obey’ (Gen. 22:18; Ex. 19:5; Dt. 30:8,20; Ps. 95:7). The context is of sheep hearing the shepherd's voice. The exiles were being called to obedience to the prophetic word, so that they might be restored to their land. We can hear God’s word and not obey it. But if we really hear it as we are intended to, we will obey it. If we truly believe God’s word to be His voice personally speaking to us, then we will by the very fact of hearing, obey. The message itself, if heard properly and not just on a surface level, will compel action. We can delight to know God’s laws and pray daily to Him, when at the same time we are forsaking Him and His laws; if we are truly obedient, then we will delight in God’s law (Is. 58:2 cp. 14).

All Scripture is recorded for our learning and comfort (Rom. 15:4). The exhortation of Prov. 3:11 “speaks unto you as unto children...” (Heb. 12:5). Hebrews 3 quotes  Psalm 95 as relevant to all readers. The warnings there for that "today" were also be a warning for the first century "today", and yet likewise we can still take hold of the past word of God and relate it to the needs of our "today". We can fail to personalize God’s word, in the sense of realizing that it speaks to us personally.

The quotation of this in Heb. 3:7 emphasis upon "today" is in the context of appealing for confidence right now in the certain hope of future salvation (Heb. 3:6). We should be able to say with confidence that "today" if the Lord comes or if we die, we shall be saved. This is the meaning of the emphasis upon "today"; Peter has the same idea when writing of our rejoicing in "the present truth" (2 Pet. 1:12), the ultimate truth that today at this moment we shall be saved if the Lord returns or we die. In this sense "now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). At this moment we can seek and find the Lord, "while He may be found" (Is. 55:6).

Psalm 95:8

Don’t harden your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness-

The events of the rebellion of Ex. 17 are the basis for this part of Ps. 95. This is largely a Psalm of praise for what God did for Israel in the wilderness, whilst also commenting on the way they tragically put God to the test, and complained about His care for them. Now the words of Ps. 95:7- 11 are directly quoted in Heb. 3:7- 11 concerning the experience of the new Israel. The simple conclusion from this is that we are really intended to see the events of Ex. 17 as directly relevant for us.

The exiles had gone into captivity for hardening their hearts as Pharaoh had done (s.w. Jer. 7:26; 17:23). And they would stay there until they stopped hardening their hearts, and accepted the work of the Spirit upon their hearts as promised to the exiles in Jeremiah and Ezekiel- if they were repent.

The quotation in Heb. 3:8 is in the context of how the Jews had hardened their hearts when Paul preached to them (Acts 19:9).

Psalm 95:9

when your fathers tempted Me, tested Me and saw My work-

The testing was the worse because they "saw My work". But despite that, didn't want to believe that God could bring them into the land. The same was the case with the exiles. They had gone into captivity for refusing to 'see My work' (s.w. Is. 5:12). But even when they did perceive it, they doubted whether God's work was strong enough to save them. And this can be an abiding temptation for the new Israel; not becoming atheists, recognizing God "is" and has power; but refusing to believe He can save us personally.

The entire period of wilderness wanderings was characterized by Israel putting God to the test; they were not confident of their final salvation, and were ever looking for evidence from Him. He had brought them out of Egypt through the blood of the Passover lamb; and there were daily miracles of provision in the bread and water which pointed forward to the Lord Jesus. This desire for yet further proof is seen in various guises today; from the phlegmatic, wavering believer who wants more 'scientific proof' of God to those in the Pentecostal movement ever seeking visible evidence that the Lord is amongst them. The word of promise regarding salvation is to be believed and that faith and joy held on to (Heb. 3:6).

They continually tested God even though they saw His works daily; the manna, water from the rock, shekinah glory over the tabernacle, the cloud by day and the fire by night. But still they tested Him. This is our warning against ever seeking 'hard proof'. Even if we were to be daily given it, this would not take away the desire to test God. It is total faith in the word of promise which is required (Heb. 3:6), and the confirmation is not in petty experimentation day by day which 'proves' God, but rather has it already been provided in the Lord's death and resurrection.

Psalm 95:10

Forty long years I was grieved with that generation and said-

The parallel was with the 70 year exile of Judah. Those years were "long" to God, because He so wanted to restore His people. He was "grieved" at His heart for them. He takes no pleasure in punishing the wicked. And yet despite their impenitence, at the end of the forty years, God did bring His people into the land. By grace, God saw no iniquity in Israel (Num. 23:21). He fulfilled His promise at Sinai that if they were obedient, He would make them His people; and He did, counting them as obedient. Yet the events of the intervening forty years hardly sound like Israel being obedient; He "suffered their manners" forty years (Ps. 95:10; Acts 13:18). And yet at the end of that period, they were counted as having been sufficiently obedient to be made God’s people (Ex. 19:5 cp. Dt. 27:9). This 'displeasure' or 'grief' lasted 40 years (Heb. 3:17 s.w.); it was a daily grief that they did not trust Him. To believe in God is to trust Him. In Hebrew, belief is trust. And no amount of petty testing of God will give us that trust.

It is a people that errs in their heart. They have not known My ways-

Just as the state of human hearts was the reason for the flood (Gen. 6:5), so in essence it was a state of heart which meant Israel couldn't enter the Kingdom. The importance of the spirit / heart, of spiritual mindedness, could not be more strongly emphasized. They saw God's work, but refused to know His ways. To recognize God's existence and work is one thing; but to know God in the Hebraic sense of relationship is quite another.

Psalm 95 gives us a unique insight into God's internal thought processes. He "said" within Himself that they problem was in Israel's hearts. They had seen "His way in the [Red] Sea" (Ps. 77:19), He had "made known His ways to Israel" (Ps. 103:17), but their heart was far from Him. But "My ways" refers so often to God's commandments; Israel were repeatedly asked to "walk in His ways" as they walked through the wilderness (Dt. 10:12; 11:22; 26:17 etc.). He sought not so much total legalistic obedience to His ways / commandments as to "know" them, to appreciate them, to perceive them in their hearts. The Hebrew word translated "err" is that used for Israel's "wandering" in the wilderness for 40 years (Ps. 107:4). They wandered in their minds, just as humanity does today- from this passing passion to that, toying with that principle or fantasy and then with this... and that mental lack of stability was reflected in how they literally wandered. This aimless wandering through life is the parade characteristic of the unbelieving world. Only a firm hope in Christ and our future salvation can give us this mental and emotional stability which is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 95:11

Therefore I swore in My wrath, They will not enter into My rest-

This appears a strange end for the Psalm which began with inviting God's people to come into His presence. But the abrupt and negative closure is left as a stark reminder of the realities we face. Those who do not believe shall not enter into God's rest. Heb. 3 interprets this as meaning that those who trust in their own works cannot enter God's "rest"; whereas those who trust in His work through the Lord Jesus and not in their own works can in one sense enter the rest right now, although there remains an entry into rest at the Lord's return.

God has emotion. The generation that were promised the rest, permanence and stability of the promised land were not given it, because in their hearts they wandered. And this was reflected in their wandering in the wilderness. This implies that God changed His mind about letting Israel enter the land; for He had promised that generation "rest" in that He promised them the land (Josh. 1:15). Or as Num. 14:34 (A.V. mg.) says: "Ye shall bear your iniquity, even forty years, and ye shall know the altering of My purpose". These were the words of the Angel to Moses. The apparent change of plans could be seen as more appropriate if it concerned the Angel which led them; and yet the Angel all the same was manifesting God. This oath they would not "enter into My rest" was solely because they did not believe (Heb. 3:18). The immorality, idolatry etc. were relatively incidental to the essential issue- that they did not believe He would give them rest in the promised land. And therefore He did not give it to them. The context of all this is Paul's appeal for confident hope in our future salvation (Heb. 3:6). It is unbelief and a constant demand for 'proof' which was their problem which cost them salvation.

Psalm 96

:1

Sing to Yahweh a new song! Sing to Yahweh, all the earth-

Even in the Old Testament, the idea of living in a spirit of newness of life is to be found. David six times invites us to sing with him “a new song” (Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1 cp. Is. 42:10). Invariably these songs are associated with the experience of God’s redemption (cp. Rev. 5:9). Obviously those ‘new songs’ were intended to be repeatedly sung. Our regular experience of forgiveness and redemption should urge us onwards in the spirit of ‘newness of life’. Like Paul we die daily with the Lord, and the power of His resurrection life likewise daily breaks out in us.

Psalm 96:2

Sing to Yahweh! Bless His name! Proclaim His salvation from day to day!-

The LXX uses the word evangelion concerning how daily we should “show forth his salvation” (Ps. 96:2). Witness is therefore a daily feature in the life of those who have known salvation; it is not something done solely by attending an ecclesial gathering once per week. This explains why frequently Paul uses the word "Gospel" as meaning 'the preaching of the Gospel'; the Gospel is in itself something which must be preached if we really have it (Rom. 1:1,9; 16:25; Phil. 1:5 (NIV),12; 2:22; 4:15; 1 Thess. 1:5; 3:2; 2 Thess. 2:14; 2 Tim. 1:8; 2:8). The fact we have been given the Gospel is in itself an imperative to preach it.

Many of the Psalms reflect David’s realization that confession of sin is the basis for powerful preaching. The LXX often uses the verb euangelizesthai to describe his preaching after the Bathsheba incident (Ps. 96:2). Because God has mercifully forgive His people and His face shines upon them in renewed fellowship, His way is thereby made known upon earth to all nations (Ps. 67:1,2). He utters forth the mighty acts of God with the preface: “Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord, who can shew forth all his praise?” (Ps. 106:2)- and then proceeds to do just that. He did so with a clear recognition of his own inadequacy. The Psalms of praise are full of this theme. David exhorts all those who have been redeemed to show forth God’s praise (Ps. 107:2,22,32). He wanted all Israel to be a joyful, witnessing people. And even though it seems God’s people didn’t respond, David went on undeterred. Time and again he fearlessly sets himself up as Israel’s example. He speaks of how he trusts in the Lord’s grace, and then appeals to Israel to do just the same (Ps. 62:7,8). The strength of his appeal was in the fact that his sin and experience of grace was the bridge between him and his audience.

It was God’s prophesied will that the Gospel would go world-wide; but it required the freewill strivings of Paul to enable it, and the strivings with God in prayer by the brethren. With these thoughts in mind, bear in mind the parallels between Psalms 96 and 98.  Sing unto the Lord a new song (96:1) = O sing unto the Lord a new song (98:1); His wonders among all people. For He hath done marvellous [s.w. ‘wonders’] things in the sight of the nations (96:2 RV) = declare His glory among the nations (98:3); righteousness and truth (96:13) = righteousness and truth (98:3); Let the sea roar and the fullness thereof (96:11) = Let the sea roar and the fullness thereof (98:7); for He cometh to judge the earth (96:9) = for He cometh to judge the earth (98:13); The Lord reigns (96:10) = The Lord the king (98:6).

But there are some subtle differences. Ps. 96:2,3 exhorts us: “Show forth His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the heathen”. But Ps. 98:2 puts it another way: “The Lord has made known His salvation. His righteousness has He openly shewed in the sight of the nations”. These latter words are only true in that we make known that salvation, and we declare His glory among the nations. Thus a statement in Ps. 98 that Yahweh has shewed His glory to the nations becomes an imperative for us to go and do that in Ps. 96.

Psalm 96:3

Declare His glory among the nations, His marvellous works among all the peoples-

See on :7. Perhaps the triple command to 'Sing to the Lord' in the opening verses of Ps. 96 alludes to Israel's three feasts, as does the triple, repetitive verses of Ps. 99:1-3, 4,5, 6-9; which likewise bid the Gentile world to come to Israel's worship.

Psalm 96:4

For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised! He is to be feared above all gods-

David's focus of all his praises upon Yahweh as alone "worthy" of praise was what he now wanted his people to follow (Ps. 18:3; 22:3). The implication of "worthy" could imply a contrast with other gods, as here in Ps. 96:4 "He is to be feared / praised above all gods". This would confirm the hints we have that Saul was an idolater (see on :31; Ps. 12:8; 16:4), and that idolatry was prevalent in Israel at the time.

Psalm 96:5

For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but Yahweh made the heavens-

The gods / idols aren't in so many words criticized as not existing, but rather, Yahweh is so exalted above them as creator of all that even if they do exist, they are so relatively powerless that they are show to have no effective existence. It's the same with how the language of demons is used in the New Testament; the Lord's miracles demonstrated that God's power was so infinitely greater, that effectively demons don't exist.

Psalm 96:6

Honour and majesty are before Him, strength and beauty are in His sanctuary-

See on :7. This is a reference to the Most Holy Place; the reference to His "strength and beauty" going into captivity may refer to the ark (Ps. 78:61 s.w.).

Psalm 96:7

Ascribe to Yahweh, you families of nations, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength- The very same Hebrew words used about how David felt he wanted to give glory and strength [honour] to the Lord (Ps. 62:7). "Families of nations" recalls the promises made to Abraham of his seed. He wished for the whole world to share his relationship with God. The radical nature of what is being suggested in Ps. 96 (especially :7,8) and many similar Psalms can easily be overlooked. The Psalmist is urging Gentiles to come and worship with Israel, proceeding into the tabernacle courts and thence into "the beauty of holiness" (:6), i.e. the Most Holy Place ['holiness' being read here as a noun rather than an adjective- it is the same Hebrew word elsewhere translated "sanctuary" and related to the Hebrew word used for "sanctuary" in :6].  The Psalmist is inviting Gentiles to come in to the worship of Israel and proceed where only the High Priest could venture once / year. It was the equivalent of proclaiming an open table policy in the most exclusive of churches.

The common assumption of expositors is that the Psalmist has in view the Kingdom age, but this seems precluded by his appeal to the Gentiles to come and worship exactly because of the good news that the Lord is coming to judge the earth in righteousness (:13)- which is quoted about the return of Christ to earth in Acts 17:31. The holiness boundaries taught by the Law were only teaching mechanisms, which is why they were removed by the open Christ. David for one got to this point well before most other Israelites did, acting as the High Priest (1 Chron. 16:3), entering the sanctuary when not a Levite (Ps. 63:2) and experiencing forgiveness and salvation quite outside the Law rather than the Law's penalty of death.

Most of Ps. 96 is to be found in David's Psalm at the bringing of the ark to Zion in 1 Chron. 16, so we can safely assume David to have been the author. His outreach to the Gentiles is typical of the spirit of the Bathsheba Psalms, where he vows to tell the whole world of God's grace. It's not that the experience of sin and forgiveness makes a person somehow weak and wishy washy acceptant of anyone and anything. The experience of God's grace at close quarters leads us to realize how radical was His acceptance of us and thereby we should proactively seek to be acceptant of all those who are afar off. And so David perceived that God's Name (His characteristics, of which grace is uttermost) deserved glory to be given to it- simply for what it was (:8). And that glory is "due" from all, including the Gentiles- and so they should be invited across all holiness boundaries to come with their offerings to God. Thus Yahweh's greatness above all other gods was what led David to appeal to "all you gods" [perhaps put by metonymy for the idol worshipping peoples] to come and worship before Yahweh (Ps. 97:7).

The appeal was to be global and not just to Israel because David perceived that actually the truth of God is proclaimed by "the whole earth" and "heavens" (Ps. 97:5,6). Of course, the call is for the Gentile idolaters to "come" to Yahweh's sanctuary, and not for God's people to leave Yahweh and go to them. And they were to "bring an offering", to make a commitment to the God they were being invited to come close to (Ps. 96:8). Ps. 98:3-5 continues this radical appeal to the Gentile world, but it urges them to come and worship (which involved coming to the sanctuary in Israel) exactly because God has been so gracious to sinful Israel. Israel's extreme sin and God's radical grace and patience with them for not being good witnesses to the Gentiles... was to serve as encouragement for the Gentiles to come to Israel's God and praise Him, confident that their sins too could be forgiven.

The same idea is found in Ps. 99:1-5- because of God's grace to Jacob / Israel, an undefined group are bidden come to Zion, to the very cherubim (in the Most Holy Place) to exalt and praise God at His footstool. This group, in line with the preceding Psalms, are surely the Gentile world. "Let them praise Your great Name" (Ps. 99:3) would surely make most sense if it referred to the Gentiles, seeing that David or the Psalmist was Israelite. We see the same idea in Ps. 97:1; it begins with an appeal to the islands of the Gentiles to 'rejoice' and 'be glad', but the same two Hebrew words are used in Ps. 97:8 about how Zion- those in the very temple mount- likewise rejoice and are glad. The very "ends of the earth" who saw God's salvation of His people are invited to praise Him for it (Ps. 98:3,4)- the invitation to join in praise was effectively an invitation to join in worship, and thereby to become part of God's covenant people.

Psalm 96:8

Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to His name, bring an offering and come into His courts-

According to the LXX titles, there were certain Psalms which were written for the dedication of the rebuilt temple, and others written by Haggai and Zechariah. They include: Psalms 96,138,147,148. These all seem to speak as if the time of a glorious temple was to be the time of God’s Kingdom; this was the possibility, and it was the prevailing hope in the minds of the faithful minority. But the Psalms had to remain prophecies of the future day of Zion’s glory, for the temple was not rebuilt by the returned exiles according to the specifications of Ez. 40-48. Psalm 96 is very clear: “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name [i.e.] bring an offering, and come into his courts” (:8). But Judah did not bring the right offerings, although the glory of Yahweh’s Name ought to have elicited them (Mal. 1:11-16). Psalm 96:13 confidently anticipate the coming of Messiah there and then: “then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord: for he cometh, he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness”. These words are quoted about the second coming of Jesus in Acts 17:31.

Psalm 96:9

Worship Yahweh in holy array, tremble before Him, all the earth-

As it was God’s intention that Israel were to be a nation of priests to the rest of the world, so the new Israel likewise are to all discharge the priestly functions of teaching their brethren (Ex. 19:6 cp. 1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:6; 5:9,10). Under the new covenant, we should all teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16). Indeed, God told Israel [unrecorded in the historical records]: “Ye are gods [elohim] and all of you are sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82:6 RV). Further, Ps. 96:9 makes the paradigm breaking statement that even the Gentiles could come before Yahweh of Israel in holy, priestly array- they too could aspire to the spirit of priesthood (Ps. 96:9 RVmg.). Moses spoke of how all Israel should pray that God would establish the work of their hands (Ps. 90:17)- but this was in fact his special request for the blessing of Levi, the priestly tribe (Dt. 33:11). Ps. 135:19,20 parallels all Israel with the priestly family: “Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron: bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, bless the Lord... praise ye the Lord”. All Israel were to aspire to the spirit of priesthood. Indeed, the Psalms often parallel the house of Aaron (i.e. the priesthood) with the whole nation (Ps. 115:9,10,12; 118:2,3).

Psalm 96:10

Say among the nations, Yahweh reigns! The world is also established, so that it can’t be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity-

David knew his sinfulness, he knew his reliance upon the grace of God, more and more as he got older. One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps. 4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). Indeed, Ps.71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men.

Psalm 96:11

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, let the sea roar, and its fullness!-

The idea is that all of the planet, the sea representing the peoples, would rejoice at the prospect of the coming of Israel's Lord in judgment (:13). This is not therefore speaking of the Kingdom; but rather of David's desire that before the Lord's coming, the Gentile peoples would come to such relationship with Him that they rejoiced at the prospect of His coming in judgment, knowing by faith that they would not be condemned.

Psalm 96:12

Let the field and all that is in it exult! Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy-

David seems to have foreseen the joy of the natural and spiritual creation of the last days as they sense the approach of the Lord (see on :13).

Psalm 96:13

before Yahweh; for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, the peoples with His truth-

This is quoted in Acts 17:31 concerning the final day of judgment at the Lord's return. David feels God's judgment is ongoing now (Ps. 9:4), but that is preparation for the future day of judgment. Appreciating this means that we live our lives before the judgment presence of God. See on :8. Note that the prospect of judgment to come elicits joy for David. He was not scared at the thought of meeting God in judgment.

Psalm 97

Psalm 97:1

Yahweh reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad!-

This begins with an appeal to the islands of the Gentiles to 'rejoice' and 'be glad', but the same two Hebrew words are used in Ps. 97:8 about how Zion- those in the very temple mount- likewise rejoice and are glad. The very "ends of the earth" who saw God's salvation of His people are invited to praise Him for it (Ps. 98:3,4)- the invitation to join in praise was effectively an invitation to join in worship, and thereby to become part of God's covenant people. The earth / eretz promised to Abraham was to rejoice along with the islands- the Gentiles. The Psalm appears to be an appeal to the exiles to rejoice at the prospect of restoration, which would include blessing upon the Gentile world.

Psalm 97:2

Clouds and darkness are around Him, righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne-

The language of theophany, as seen at the Red Sea and Sinai. The restored throne of David would be based upon justice and righteousness, whereas the throne of David had become characterized by injustice and unrighteousness before it was overthrown. There was envisaged a dramatic theophany which would be associated with the fall of Babylon and the restoration of God's exiled people. The cherubim which Ezekiel had seen departing from Zion would return. But this isn't what happened; Judah in exile didn't really repent, and those relatively few who did return were clearly motivated by the hope of personal benefit rather than the glory of God. Babylon didn't dramatically fall as envisaged in the prophets, there was no theophany; so much potential was wasted. But these things are rescheduled and reapplied to the final restoration of God's people at the last day.

Psalm 97:3

A fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries on every side-

As noted on :3, this was part of the potential scenario envisaged; but it was precluded by the exiles refusing to repent, and not actually wanting a restoration of the type prophesied. Most of them remained in Babylon when they had the chance to return. The fire going before the exiles is the same phrase used of how the pillar of fire went before Israel in leading them out of Egypt and to the promised land (Ex. 13:21; Num. 14:14). But the exiles preferred to remain in exile.

Psalm 97:4

His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees, and trembles-

Lightning, fire (:3), clouds and darkness (:2) are all the language of theophany, of the type seen by Ezekiel when the cherubim departed from Zion. This kind of theophany could have been seen again had the exiles truly wanted to participate in God's potential program. This also continues the allusion to what happened at the Red Sea, although the historical record doesn't much mention the thunder, lightning and theophany which was experienced, according to this and other later descriptions of what happened (e.g. Ps. 77:17,18; 97:4). The clouds pouring out water also recalls the flood; as if the judgment upon Egypt would likewise be seen upon Babylon. But Babylon fell only very slowly, and not in the dramatic, miraculous way envisaged in the prophecies of the fall of Babylon. This was again because the Divine potential wasn't realized because the exiles didn't repent and most actually chose to remain in Babylon.

Psalm 97:5

The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth-

This again continues the allusion to the exodus, which could have been repeated in essence at the restoration from Babylon. The mountains of opposing nations, not least Babylon, could have been burnt up; just as the Canaanite opposition to the redeemed Israel was potentially melted (Josh. 2:11). This is why the restoration prophecies of later Isaiah are full of allusion to the exodus and Red Sea deliverance. "The Lord of the whole earth" / land promised to Abraham is a phrase associated with the exodus and possession of Canaan (Josh. 3:11,13).

Psalm 97:6

The heavens declare His righteousness; all the peoples have seen His glory-

The vision was of all the peoples in the eretz or land promised to Abraham seeing the restored shekinah glory in Zion, associated with the theophany envisaged in :2-4. The appeal was to be global and not just to Israel because David perceived that actually the truth of God is proclaimed by "the whole earth" and "heavens" (Ps. 97:5,6). Of course, the call is for the Gentile idolaters to "come" to Yahweh's sanctuary, and not for God's people to leave Yahweh and go to them. And they were to "bring an offering", to make a commitment to the God they were being invited to come close to (Ps. 96:8). See on Ps. 96:7.

Psalm 97:7

Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images, who boast in their idols-

Yahweh's greatness above all other gods was what led David to appeal to "all you gods" [perhaps put by metonymy for the idol worshipping peoples] to come and worship before Yahweh (Ps. 97:7). See on Ps. 96:7. But Ezekiel demonstrates that idolatry was rife amongst the exiles. They would be shamed in condemnation.

Worship Him, all you gods!-

The gentile idols are not specifically stated to be non-existent. But the huge power of Yahweh was such that they were revealed as having no effective power compared to Him, and were therefore declared non-existent in any functional sense. And this is why the language of demons is used in the New Testament; but the Lord's miracles were of such magnitude that they were declared to thereby have no effective existence in practice.

Psalm 97:8

Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced, because of Your judgments, Yahweh-

The daughter of Zion / Judah is a phrase used of the exiles. They were to rejoice in the prospect of what was possible for them. But instead most of them preferred to remain in Babylon, and persecuted the prophets like Ezekiel who told them this good news. This is the same reference for Zech. 9:9, which exhorts the exiled daughter of Zion to "rejoice" (s.w. "be glad") because her Messianic king was coming to restore her. This was sadly precluded at the time by the exiles' impenitence, and the failure of the potential Messianic figures such as Zerubbabel.

Psalm 97:9

For You, Yahweh, are most high above all the earth. You are exalted far above all gods-

The gentile idols are not specifically stated to be non-existent. But the huge power of Yahweh was such that they were revealed as having no effective power compared to Him, and were therefore declared non-existent in any functional sense- see on :7. The exiles were intended to rejoice at the fall of Babylon because her idols would be brought down before Yahweh; but instead the exiles continued to worship those idols.

Psalm 97:10

You who love Yahweh, hate evil. He preserves the souls of His saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked-

This may have originated in David's thoughts about Saul, then reapplied to David's need for salvation from Absalom and Ahithophel, but, it becomes the intended appeal of the exiles for deliverance from Babylon, then Haman, and indeed from all their captors. "The hand of the wicked / unrighteous" is the term used for the Babylonians in Ez. 7:21.

Psalm 97:11

Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart-

David is seeing himself and the righteous as Job, and he here continues that connection, seeing that Job is described likewise as "upright in heart" (Job 1:8; 2:3). David sees this as characteristic of all God's people (s.w. Ps. 11:2; 19:8; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11). He sees the wicked as those who are not upright (Ps. 14:3; 51:1,3). But these words which David writes about the wicked are then reinterpreted as applying to all men, God's people included (Rom. 3:12). Like Job, David had to be taught that actually he was failing to see the seriousness of sin; righteousness and acceptability with God is imputed to men by grace through faith, because actually there are none who are upright in heart, apart from God's representative son.

In the context of the exiles, the idea is that if the exiles were indeed righteous and upright [which required their repentance], then they had the hope of light and gladness sown for them in this prophetic word of restoration.

Psalm 97:12

Be glad in Yahweh, you righteous people! Give thanks to His holy Name-

The rejoicing of the daughter of Zion, the exiles, required that they be righteous through repentance; in order that the envisaged restoration could happen in their days. They would then be counted righteous, and be able to praise God for that grace.

Psalm 98

Psalm 98:1

A Psalm

Sing to Yahweh a new song, for He has done marvellous things! His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him-

Even in the Old Testament, the idea of living in a spirit of newness of life is to be found. David six times invites us to sing with him “a new song” (Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1 cp. Is. 42:10). Invariably these songs are associated with the experience of God’s redemption (cp. Rev. 5:9). Obviously those ‘new songs’ were intended to be repeatedly sung. Our regular experience of forgiveness and redemption should urge us onwards in the spirit of ‘newness of life’. Like Paul we die daily with the Lord, and the power of His resurrection life likewise daily breaks out in us.

Psalm 98:2

Yahweh has made known His salvation, He has openly shown His righteousness in the sight of the nations-

It was God’s prophesied will that the Gospel would go world-wide; but it required the freewill strivings of Paul to enable it, and the strivings with God in prayer by the brethren. With these thoughts in mind, bear in mind the parallels between Psalms 96 and 98.  Sing unto the Lord a new song (96:1) = O sing unto the Lord a new song (98:1); His wonders among all people. For He hath done marvellous [s.w. ‘wonders’] things in the sight of the nations (96:2 RV) = declare His glory among the nations (98:3); righteousness and truth (96:13) = righteousness and truth (98:3); Let the sea roar and the fullness thereof (96:11) = Let the sea roar and the fullness thereof (98:7); for He cometh to judge the earth (96:9) = for He cometh to judge the earth (98:13); The Lord reigns (96:10) = The Lord the king (98:6).

But there are some subtle differences. Ps. 96:2,3 exhorts us: “Show forth His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the heathen”. But Ps. 98:2 puts it another way: “The Lord has made known His salvation. His righteousness has He openly shewed in the sight of the nations”. These latter words are only true in that we make known that salvation, and we declare His glory among the nations. Thus a statement in Ps. 98 that Yahweh has shewed His glory to the nations becomes an imperative for us to go and do that in Ps. 96.

Psalm 98:3

He has remembered His grace and His faithfulness toward the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God-

"Salvation" is Yeshua. Clearly the day when all the earth shall perceive the Lord Jesus is in view. In the immediate context of David and later the exiles, the hope was that the extremities of the eretz promised to Abraham, places like Babylon and Assyria where the exiles were, would perceive that God had saved His people.

Psalm 98:4

Make a joyful noise to Yahweh, all the earth! Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!-

The very "ends of the earth" who saw God's salvation of His people are invited to praise Him for it (Ps. 98:3,4)- the invitation to join in praise was effectively an invitation to join in worship, and thereby to become part of God's covenant people. These ends of the eretz were places like Babylon and Assyria, who had previously abused God's people.

Ps. 98:3-5 continues the radical appeal of Ps. 96:7 to the Gentile world, but it urges them to come and worship (which involved coming to the sanctuary in Israel) exactly because God has been so gracious to sinful Israel. Israel's extreme sin and God's radical grace and patience with them for not being good witnesses to the Gentiles... was to serve as encouragement for the Gentiles to come to Israel's God and praise Him, confident that their sins too could be forgiven.

Psalm 98:5

Sing praises to Yahweh with the harp, with the harp and the voice of melody-

David's invitation of others to praise God with the harp was effectively asking them to share his personal praise of God- for he was known for his personal praising of the Lord with the harp.

Psalm 98:6

With trumpets and sound of the ram’s horn make a joyful noise before the King, Yahweh-

These were the trumpets which summoned Israel to keep the feasts in Zion. The idea is that the Gentiles would joyfully respond to the call to enter covenant relationship with Yahweh, and therefore keep His feasts. But the exiles didn't repent, and Ezekiel records their involvement with idol worship. As happened at Hezekiah's time, instead of Jerusalem becoming the international centre of Yahweh worship, the people instead returned to the idols of the surrounding nations.

Psalm 98:7

Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who live therein-

The idea is that all of the planet, the sea representing the peoples, would rejoice at the prospect of the coming of Israel's Lord in judgment (:9). This is not therefore speaking of the Kingdom; but rather of David's desire that before the Lord's coming, the Gentile peoples would come to such relationship with Him that they rejoiced at the prospect of His coming in judgment, knowing by faith that they would not be condemned.

Psalm 98:8

Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing for joy together-

The rivers and mountains are personified people because they are intended to be understood as representative of peoples and nations. The "rivers" have been used as representative of the Gentile armies which overran God's people; but they were envisaged as repenting and clapping with joy at the prospect of Yahweh's appearance in judgment; for they would repent.

Psalm 98:9

Let them sing before Yahweh, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity- This is quoted in Acts 17:31 concerning the final day of judgment at the Lord's return. David feels God's judgment is ongoing now (Ps. 9:4), but that is preparation for the future day of judgment. Appreciating this means that we live our lives before the judgment presence of God. The reason for joy was that judgment day is coming- judgment was a joyful prospect, not a dread uncertainty, because God's judgments are ahead of time revealed in His word.

Psalm 99

Psalm 99:1

Yahweh reigns! Let the nations tremble-

This appears to be a Psalm rejoicing at the prospect of the restoration of the exiles; the Gentiles were to tremble in repentance, so that they too could join in this program. The ideas are very similar to those in Ps. 97.

He sits enthroned between the cherubim: let the earth be moved-

There was envisaged a dramatic theophany which would be associated with the fall of Babylon and the restoration of God's exiled people. The cherubim which Ezekiel had seen departing from Zion would return. But this isn't what happened; Judah in exile didn't really repent, and those relatively few who did return were clearly motivated by the hope of personal benefit rather than the glory of God. Babylon didn't dramatically fall as envisaged in the prophets, there was no theophany; so much potential was wasted. But these things are rescheduled and reapplied to the final restoration of God's people at the last day.

The commands concerning the tabernacle were given to Moses by the Angel- do phrases like "Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Ex. 25:8) have primary reference to the Angel speaking the words? In the same way, does Psalm 99:1 refer also to the physical presence of an Angel between the cherubim? Similarly "Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel (the Angel- so Isaiah 63 describes the wilderness Angel), thou that leadest Joseph like a flock (the Angel lead them through the wilderness); thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth" (Ps. 80:1 AV). And again in Ps. 20:1,2 "The God of Jacob (i.e. the Angel who Jacob recognized had been so much in his life) defend thee; send thee help from the sanctuary... ", as if it was in the sanctuary (Holy Place) that the Angel was located.

The four cherubim covered the ark, over which dwelt an Angel; Ps. 99:1,7 therefore describes the Angel as dwelling between the cherubim: "The Lord reigneth... He sitteth between the cherubims... He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept His testimonies, and the ordinance that He gave them". These latter things were all done by the Angel. Also relevant is Ps. 68:17,18: "The chariots of God are... thousands of Angels; the Lord is among them, as in... the Holy place". One Angel, which dwelt in the Holy Place, was therefore central to those thousands of others. See too Is. 37:16,17 on this. Similarly, Isaiah saw "the King, the Lord of Hosts (Angels) sitting between the cherubim" (Is. 6:5). The phrase 'living God' may mean 'the God of the living ones', and would therefore describe this mighty Angel- it is linked with "the Lord of Hosts" (Angels) in Jer. 23:36 and the Angel that dwelt in the temple (Ps. 42:2).

Psalm 99:2

Yahweh is great in Zion, He is high above all the peoples- Because of God's grace to Jacob / Israel (:4), an undefined group are bidden come to Zion, to the very cherubim (:1; in the Most Holy Place) to exalt and praise God at His footstool. This group, in line with the preceding Psalms, are surely the Gentile world. "Let them praise Your great Name" (Ps. 99:3) would surely make most sense if it referred to the Gentiles, seeing that David or the Psalmist was Israelite. See on Ps. 96:7.

Psalm 99:3

Let them praise Your great and awesome name: He is Holy!-

The "them" are the Gentile "peoples" of :2. Perhaps the triple command to 'Sing to the Lord' in the opening verses of Ps. 96 alludes to Israel's three feasts, as does the triple, repetitive verses of Ps. 99:1-3, 4,5, 6-9; which likewise bid the Gentile world to come to Israel's worship. See on Ps. 96:7.

Psalm 99:4

The King’s strength also loves justice; You establish equity, You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob-

This looks ahead to how things will be at the final judgment: "He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity". This is quoted in Acts 17:31 concerning the final day of judgment at the Lord's return. But right now, justice and righteousness were to be executed and to be the basis of the restored Kingdom. For the essence of the Kingdom is now.

Psalm 99:5

Exalt Yahweh our God, worship at His footstool. He is Holy!-

The ark is called both the throne of God and also His footstool (Ps. 99:5; 132:7,8; 1 Chron. 28:2). Above or sitting upon the cherubim, the pagan mind expected to see Israel's God. But there was (to their eyes) an empty throne. Yahweh had to be believed in by faith. And His supreme manifestation was through the blood of sacrifice. Cassuto gives evidence that the Egyptians and Hittites placed their covenant contracts in a box beneath the throne of their gods; and the tables of the covenant were likewise placed beneath the throne of Yahweh. This similarity begged the comparison yet stronger- Israel's God was not seated there. He had to be believed in by faith. Such a concept of faith in an invisible god was quite foreign to the pagan mind; and yet the whole tabernacle plan was designed to have enough points of contact with the pagan tabernacles in order to elicit this point in very powerful form: the one true God is invisible and must be believed in.

Psalm 99:6

Moses and Aaron were among His priests, Samuel among those who call on His name; they called on Yahweh, and He answered them-

The Psalm invites the Gentiles to make Israel's God and history their own. For :5 was an invitation to the Gentiles to accept Israel's God. The Gentiles who chose to call upon Yahweh's Name (:3) would therefore be identified with Samuel and the great heroes of Israel's history. This of course was not what a proud and nationalistic Israel wanted to hear.

Psalm 99:7

He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud-

As God miraculously led Israel out of Egypt and to the promised land, so He was willing to use miracle and power to lead His people out of Babylonian exile and back to the promised land. But they were unwilling.

They kept His testimonies, the statute that He gave them-

This was likewise required of the exiles. The "they" could refer to Moses, Aaron and Samuel- but the "them" in the context is the "them" to whom God spoke in the pillar of cloud, who were given God's law ("the statute that He gave them"). That group didn't include Samuel, who lived centuries later.  The "them" is the group whose sinful works are to be judged by God, albeit in mercy (:8). The "them" is surely Israel- and this is in line with God's imputation of righteousness to His people, not beholding iniquity in Jacob, because He so loved them (Num. 23:21). This is as big a problem for us to get our heads around as are the NT references to our appearing [Gk. 'being presented as'] faultless before the presence of His glory... without spot in His sight.

Psalm 99:8

You answered them, Yahweh our God; You are a God who forgave them, although You took vengeance for their doings-

This was to be true likewise of the exiles. Forgiveness would be possible, but they had to accept that they were being punished for their sins. Ezekiel records how they insisted they had been punished wrongly and unfairly.

Psalm 99:9

Exalt Yahweh our God. Worship at His holy hill, for Yahweh, our God, is holy!-

This is an appeal of the repentant Jews to the Gentiles, to come to Zion and worship our God. The Kingdom prophecies of the nations flowing to Zion could have had some fulfilment at the restoration. But the Jews weren't that devoted to Zion, and initially continued worshipping Gentile idols; and became proud and xenophobic rather than acceptant and welcoming to Gentiles.

Psalm 100

Psalm 100:1

A Psalm of thanksgiving.

Shout for joy to Yahweh, all you lands!-

David knew his sinfulness, he knew his reliance upon the grace of God, more and more as he got older. One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps. 4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). Indeed, Ps. 71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men.

This Psalm may also have been used by or for the exiles, envisaging the day when the Gentiles would be invited to repent and join the exiles in forming a multiethnic people of God worshipping at the restored Zion.

Psalm 100:2

Serve Yahweh with gladness, come before His presence with singing-

Coming before Yahweh's presence would be an invitation to Gentiles (:1) to come and keep the feasts in the tabernacle. That Gentiles should be urged to come before His presence was a radical paradigm break with Israel's conception of themselves as God's unique people. And inviting them to "serve" Him there with singing would imply Gentiles were being asked to be priests, singing like the Levites.

Psalm 100:3

Know that Yahweh, He is God-

This again is an invitation to the Gentiles, perhaps initially in David's time and then later at the restoration. Yahweh and not their idols was "God". The tragedy was that Israel were serving idols at the time of the restoration as Ezekiel makes clear.

It is He who has made us and not we ourselves, and we are His. We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture-

This is a fair argument against a belief in evolution ex nihilo. We did not make ourselves, we were specifically created; and it is belief in this which leads us to trust in Him, that we are therefore His, His sheep, just as a creator intimately owns that which their own hands have created. But the essential argument is that these are the words of a repentant Israel, urging the Gentiles to join them in covenant relationship with God as equal sheep, "His", in "His pasture", a restored Israel. And it was this which they found so hard to do- to invite the Gentiles to become the sheep of Yahweh's pasture along with them. And the Jews became elitist and xenophobic in exile and at their return to "His pasture". It was the Lord Jesus who arose as the one shepherd over the flocks of both Jews and Gentiles, seeing the exiles refused to realize the potentials at their time.

Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, and bless His name-

This again is a hearty invitation to enter into the rebuilt courts of the temple with praise; and to praise a God in the God's temple meant you had accepted that God. The peoples of the time usually only changed gods because they had been militarily dominated by the people of those other gods. This is why Judah were so abhorrent for changing their gods from Yahweh to the idols of the nations around them; and they stood out amongst the nations for doing so (Jer. 2:11). But here we have a repentant Israel urging the Gentiles to change their gods and accept Yahweh; on the basis of His utter grace and salvation. And they are envisaged as succeeding. But the reality at the time of the restoration was far different; and the temple finally rebuilt had a court for the Gentiles and a sign erected threatening Gentiles with death if they passed into "His gates... into His courts".

Psalm 100:5

For Yahweh is good, His grace endures forever, His faithfulness to all generations-

As noted on :4, to appeal to other nations to change their gods was unheard of, unless that other nation had been dominated by force. But this appeal to the Gentiles was not at all on the basis of forceful domination. Rather was the root of the appeal the experience of His grace, which was eternal- it had promise of life eternal. Such grace and such a gift were of course unheard of in any other belief system or god.

Psalm 101

Psalm 101:1

A Psalm by David-

This Psalm appears to be David's expression of faith that he would one day be king. And he promises to reign in a Godly manner. It could also have been his Psalm for his ascendancy to the throne; or perhaps it was first written after Samuel anointed him.

I will sing of grace and justice. To You, Yahweh, I will sing praises-

"Mercy and truth" ("grace and justice") were to be the basis of David's throne because that is what upheld God's throne. And David was to reign on God's behalf, his throne was to be as God's throne (Is. 16:5; Ps. 89:14; 101:1). Solomon liked to imagine that his throne was likewise upheld by God as His throne, also on the basis of "mercy and truth" ("grace and justice"). But he assumed that would happen automatically, whereas David's response to this is given in Ps. 101- he vows that he will personally reign in "grace and justice", whereas Solomon assumes that God will provide the "grace and justice" ("mercy and truth") as it were automatically (Prov. 20:28).

Psalm 101:2

I will be careful to live a blameless life. When will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart-

David's heart was not consistently of integrity, as we see in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah; it was only by grace that David was counted like this (s.w. 1 Kings 9:4). It was indeed whilst walking within his own house that he revealed the lustful state of his heart. We query whether David was right to promise to "live a blameless life", especially since he recognizes that "a blameless life" reflects "a blameless heart". How we think in our hearts is how we live. He is clearly over confident of his own self control and righteousness. The question "When will You come to me?" is likely his request that the promise of his kingship be fulfilled soon.

Psalm 101:3

I will set no vile thing before my eyes; I hate the deeds of faithless men. They will not cling to me-

The "vile thing" in view was likely idolatry; "faithless men", AV "them that turn aside", were those who left Yahweh for idolatry. He probably has in view Saul and his men. But David walked within his house later and looked lustfully with his eyes at Bathsheba (:2). This was his idolatry. "Not cling to me" is a quote from the law's prohibition of idolatry (Dt. 13:17).

Psalm 101:4

A perverse heart will be far from me. I will have nothing to do with evil-

We could understand this as AV, referring to men of perverse heart and evil doers, who David says he will put far away from his court and kingdom. He correctly understands that evil action reflects wrong thinking in the heart. But again we pause to consider that David appears over confident in his ability to judge the hearts of men, just as he was over confident in pledging that he would have a "blameless heart" himself (:2). He was to learn that he, a man after God's own heart, could still commit lust and adultery in his heart and be led thereby into the actual sin. Things were far from as black and white as he imagined in his youth.

Psalm 101:5

I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbour. I won’t tolerate one who is haughty and conceited-

David took a strong view against slander- having suffered so much of it himself. He vowed to put to death, i.e. to set up the death sentence, for anyone caught privately slandering or backbiting against a neighbour (Ps. 101:5 Heb.). That’s how bad are backbiting and slander, however quietly (“privily”, the AV quaintly says) they’re done. And of course the Lord shared this understanding, by teaching that hatred of our brother is in fact the kind of murder which carried the death penalty in Old Testament times.

The Chaldee and some LXX versions have "He who speaks with the triple tongue against his neighbour". The triple reference would be to the slanderer himself, the man slandered, and the person to whom the slander is told. All three are damaged by the "triple tongue"; and we see this has timeless relevance and truth.

Psalm 101:6

My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in a perfect way, he will serve me-

We wonder at David's possible arrogance in assuming that he (:2) or any man can walk blamelessly; and that he could judge men that well, that he would only allow the "perfect" into his court and cabinet. Only the Lord Jesus fits this. And yet this is the phrase used in God's command to Abraham and his seed (Gen. 17:1), and it is maybe to this which David alludes. It was only possible for Abraham to do so by his faith in imputed righteousness, by grace through faith. But it's questionable as to whether David at this point realized that; he had to learn it through reflection upon the wonder of how God had counted him righteous after the sin with Bathsheba.

Psalm 101:7

He who practices deceit won’t dwell within my house. He who speaks falsehood won’t be established before my eyes-

"Speaks falsehood" reflects again David's deep sense of injustice (see on Ps. 35:7). He uses the word for "false witness", as if they were breaking one of the ten commandments; and he uses it often, heaping condemnation upon any who dare lie / bear false witness about him (Ps. 38:19; 52:3; 63:11; 101:7; 119:29,69,86,118; 120:2; 144:8,11).

And yet David lied and deceived in order to get Uriah killed so that he could take his wife for himself. Surely reflection upon that sin made him realize that his zeal to condemn dishonesty was at best misplaced; to lament it is one thing, but David was to be taught that he had himself done the very thing he so condemned. David plotted the destruction of Uriah by his false words; and when he repented of this in Ps. 32:2, he says that lack of deceit / guile (s.w.) is only possible through imputed righteousness. David's intolerance of "deceitful" persons (Ps. 52:2; 101:7; 120:3) must be compared with the fact that he himself was only counted as not deceitful by grace; for he was very deceitful regarding Uriah.

Psalm 101:8

Morning by morning, I will destroy all the wicked of the land; to cut off all the workers of iniquity from Yahweh’s city-

This sounds like David promising a total purge of "the wicked" from the and royal city. There is no evidence David actually did this; he surely realized it was too hard in practice to judge who was "wicked", perceiving that bad men do what good men dream of, and all human motivation is so mixed.

Psalm 102

Psalm 102:1

A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before Yahweh-

This appears to have begun as a prayer by David, lamenting that his promised restoration hasn't come, and that he continues to be in suffering. But it was appropriated by the exiles, who had the same feeling and complaint.

Hear my prayer, Yahweh! Let my cry come in to You-

A number of Psalms appear to have some verses relevant to the exile, and others relevant to earlier historical situations. It would seem that an inspired writer inserted the verses which spoke specifically to the exilic situation. Psalm 102 is an example. Ps. 102:2-12 and 24-25a appear to be the original lament; and the other verses are relevant to the exile. This was all done under the process of Divine inspiration.

Psalm 102:2

Don’t hide Your face from me in the day of my distress, turn Your ear to me. Answer me quickly in the day when I call-

David asked God not to hide his face from him, David personally, (Ps. 27:9; 69:17; 102:2; 143:7), but to hide His face from David’s sins (Ps. 51:9). And one wonders whether the way the records of the Lord’s temptations are written implies some similar recognition by the Spirit of the two ‘men’ within the Lord. Recognizing the existence of the new and old men within him, Paul can speak in Rom. 7 as if he is two different people; “I myself serve the law of God”, but “my flesh” serves sin.

Psalm 102:3

For my days consume away like smoke, my bones are burned as a torch-

David feels he is about to die, seeing similarities between himself and Job. And these feelings were identified with by the exiles, who perhaps felt that the national life of Israel was at an end.

Psalm 102:4

My heart is blighted like grass and withered, for I forget to eat my bread-

Despite his undoubted physique stamina, David was a broken man, even quite early in his life, prone to fits of introspection; dramatic mood-swings (cp. 1 Sam. 24:14 with 1 Sam. 25:6,22,34;), sometimes appearing a real 'softie' but hard as nails at others (consider Ps. 75:10 and the whole of Ps. 101); easily getting carried away: be it with excessive emotional enthusiasm for bringing the ark back, in his harsh response to Hanun humbling his servants, his over-hasty and emotional decision to let Amnon go to Absalom's feast when it was obvious what might well transpire, his anger "flaring up" because of incompetency (2 Sam. 11:20 NIV),  or in his ridiculous softness for Absalom. He had a heart cruelly torn so many ways. All these traits are amply reflected in the Psalms: Ps. 6:7; 31:10; 42:3,6; 38:8; 55:4; 56:8; 69:3,29; 88:3,9; 94:19 (what introspection!); 102:4; 116:3; 143:4.

Psalm 102:5

By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bones stick to my skin-

This has connections with David's Psalms of suffering at the time of Absalom's rebellion, which are often applied to the sufferings of the Lord Jesus on the cross. He there also knew the feelings of the exiles.

Psalm 102:6

I am like a pelican of the wilderness, I have become as an owl of the waste places-

These were ritually unclean birds. The exiles felt unclean, without access to the cleansing rituals of the law because they required a temple and priesthood which had been destroyed. They were thereby driven to seek their cleansing not by law but by grace. LXX heightens the application to the ruined Zion: "like an owl in a ruined house". Often David likens his enemies' plans to catch him as snares, gins etc. set for birds (e.g. Ps. 84:3; 102:6; 124;7; 140:5)- all the language of hunting birds. He had probably done plenty of this as a youngster caring for the sheep, and the influence of those formative years remained.

Psalm 102:7

I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop-

The connection between watching and feeling like a sparrow is in the way that David, Hezekiah, the exiles etc. all 'watched' or waited for God to respond and intervene, and His apparent silence made them feel alone. The Psalm originated in David's feelings of dejection whilst enduring the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba- which all began with his lustful looking from his housetop. And he now feels alone on that housetop; for one result of sin is psychological isolation. Yet through that loneliness there is enabled even more powerful and intimate connection with God.

Psalm 102:8

My enemies reproach me all day, those who are mad at me use my name as a curse-

LXX "they that praised me have sworn against me". The initial application was probably to the rebellion of David's former friends, when they joined forces with Absalom. The language is again based upon Job, whose book was probably one of the few scriptures available to David. The application to the exiles is very clear.

Psalm 102:9

For I have eaten ashes like bread and mixed my drink with tears-

This may be another allusion to Job (see on :8), attempting to describe in words his grief. But it could also be a reference to his fasting which had apparently not brought about any response from God.

Psalm 102:10

because of Your indignation and Your wrath; for You have taken me up, and thrown me away-

The idea is, lifted me up and thrown me down. This could refer to David's sense of having been exalted to the throne, and then apparently cast down at Absalom's rebellion. But the idea also alludes to a lion, lifting up and then throwing down the prey it has caught. The Babylonians were likened to lions, and this indeed is how they treated Judah.

Psalm 102:11

My days are like a long shadow, I have withered like grass-

After the initial application to David, there is clearly some reference to Hezekiah, whose days were lengthened by the shadow on the sundial being changed. LXX "have declined like a shadow". The same ideas are in Ps. 109:23. David's feelings at this time are also appropriate to Hezekiah, whose feelings were responded to by God by making the shadow of the sundial reverse. The same words are used in 2 Kings 20:10. But the withering like grass is the language of the restoration prophecy of Is. 40:7,8. Even though the grass of that generation might wither, the prophetic word of restoration would ultimately come true.

Psalm 102:12

But You, Yahweh, will remain forever; Your renown endures to all generations-

Despite the pain and struggle arising from feeling that God isn't coming through for the psalmist as he expects, there is this significant statement beginning "But...". Faith remains strong in God and His eternal purpose and the continual, eventual articulation of His name. This kind of juxtaposition of doubt and ultimate faith is common in Job and the Psalms and should be our pattern to.

Psalm 102:13

You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for it is time to have pity on her, yes, the set time has come-

When “the time to favour Zion” came, at the end of the 70 years, God’s servants Israel were to “take pleasure in her stones, and favour [even] the dust thereof”; and then, “when the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory” (Ps. 102:13-16). But the few Jews who returned chose not to live in Jerusalem, preferring to carve out for themselves farmsteads in the countryside (Neh. 11:1), and the strength of those that shifted the rubble in Jerusalem decayed…they saw her dust and scattered stones as a nuisance, and didn’t take pleasure in them (Neh. 4:10). And so the Lord could not then appear in glory.

The "set time" of 70 years was however elastic; as Daniel and Ezekiel were taught. The period was extended due to Judah's impenitence, and Daniel 9 explains how it was turned into seventy sevens... and the final restoration of a redefined Zion was to be through the work of the Lord Jesus.

"The set time" is a phrase used about the feasts, and there is reason to believe that God delivered Jerusalem from the Assyrians at Passover time (see on Ps. 75:2) and would do so again. All these things look forward to the final "time" coming for Zion's final deliverance at the last day.

Psalm 102:14

For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust-

This was only true of a minority, for the majority preferred the opulence of Babylon to the rubble of Jerusalem. And as noted on :13, the few who did return initially preferred not to live in Jerusalem. But the argument of the psalmist is that as the exiles had "pity" on the dust of Jerusalem, so God should "pity" Zion (:13). But the reality was that most of the exiles didn't "pity" Zion as God did, and thus precluded His potential program for her restoration into the Kingdom of God on earth at that time.

Psalm 102:15

So the nations will fear the name of Yahweh; all the kings of the earth Your glory-

Ps. 102 has many connections with the events during the time of Hezekiah, when after the salvation of Zion, the surrounding nations in the land promised to Abraham came up to worship there. Here, “the nations” refers specifically to “the kings of the earth / land”. And one wonders how many other times the phrase “the nations… of the earth” refers specifically to the powers in the land from the Nile to the Euphrates. But the great prophetic potential at this time was precluded by Hezekiah welcoming those kings to see his glory rather than God's; and then going after their gods, rather than leading those nations to the God of Israel. Likewise the restoration was intended to lead the nations within the eretz promised to Abraham to see Yahweh's glory, which was intended to shine forth literally and morally from Zion. But this didn't happen, and the restoration was characterized by apostacy, whilst the Jews who remained in Babylon continued in their idolatry, as Ezekiel records.

Psalm 102:16

For Yahweh has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory-

He had not then done so (:13)- the earlier part of the Psalm laments this. But the Psalmist believed in God’s prophecies of doing so, and considered them as good as already fulfilled. Faith is all about adopting God’s perspective, seeing future promises as if they have already been fulfilled, thereby enabling us to live the Kingdom life now in its essence. But LXX reads this in the future tense: "For the Lord shall build up Sion, and shall appear in his glory". This glory of Yahweh appearing in Zion is a theme of the restoration prophecies of later Isaiah. This could have happened, had the exiles rebuilt the temple as commanded in Ez. 40-48. But they didn't, and so the shekinah glory didn't return to the temple as envisaged in the prophecies.

Psalm 102:17

He has responded to the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer-

As noted on :16, the prayer had not yet been answered. But faith is about feeling and acting as if our prayers have been answered even when they haven't been (Mk. 11:24). The captives were despised (s.w. Neh. 2:19) as David was for his sin (s.w. Ps. 22:6,24), and as was the Lord Jesus on the cross (s.w. Is. 53:3), but God did not despise them and would destroy that opposition. Yet perhaps it had a historical basis in David appreciating that although he had despised God in his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah (s.w. 2 Sam. 12:10), God by grace had not despised him. Because God did not despise David's contrite and broken heart (s.w. Ps. 51:17, a passage also alluded to in :31). The exiles had likewise despised God (s.w. Ez. 16:59) but would not be despised by God.

Psalm 102:18

This will be written for the generation to come. A people which will be created will praise Yah-

This connects with Isaiah's restoration prophecies of a new creation, of a multiethnic people of God comprised of repentant Jews as well as those of the nations amongst whom they had been in exile. But this didn't happen. The people didn't repent as required. And so the prophetic potential of a new creation of a new people of God was reapplied and rescheduled to the new creation of that people which occurs "in Christ" (2 Cor. 5:17).

Psalm 102:19

For He has looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven, Yahweh saw the earth-

This is an awesome conception; that God in Heaven 'sees the earth'. That the huge distance between God and man is collapsed. God's sanctuary was in ruins on earth, but still existed in Heaven.

Psalm 102:20

to hear the groans of the prisoner-

The same phrase used of God hearing the groans of Israel in Egypt. The idea was that God would miraculously empower an exodus from Babylon just as He had delivered His people from Egypt. Tragically, most of them preferred to remain in Babylon.

To free those who are condemned to death-

LXX "to loosen the sons of the slain". This would mean that the Psalm refers to the second generation of exiles, whose parents had been slain. For the exiles in Babylon / Persia were prosperous, as witnessed by the situation in the book of Esther. They were not "condemned to death"; although perhaps Haman's persecution is here in view.

Psalm 102:21

that men may declare the name of Yahweh in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem-

The idea is that the "men" who would return in the new exodus from Babylon (see on :20) would be Gentiles as well as Jews; and this is confirmed in :22. Praise is here defined as declaring the Yahweh Name. Praise is about appreciating the characteristics of Yahweh, which is what His "Name" is all about; and declaring them in praise. It was God who declared His Name to Moses, but here we have Gentiles declaring that same Name, having come in homage to Jerusalem to do so. This was the potential at the restoration, but the prophetic program was rescheduled and reinterpreted.

Psalm 102:22

when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh-

The Gentiles were to gather together to Jerusalem "to serve Yahweh", language appropriate to priestly service. They who had gathered together against Jerusalem in battle were to repent and again gather together there, but as the priesthood in the new people of God who were to be created (see on :18).

Psalm 102:23

He weakened my strength along the course, He shortened my days-

LXX "He answered him in the way of his strength". God's strength is contrasted with the Psalmist who feels his days have been "shortened". This may initially refer to David at the time of his disease after the sin with Bathsheba, feeling he was going to die young. But it has clearly been reapplied to Hezekiah's feelings when his days were shortened and then lengthened by God's grace.

Psalm 102:24

I said, My God, don’t take me away in the midst of my days. Your years are throughout all generations-

As noted on :23, both David and Hezekiah felt their lives were being ended in the middle. The appeal for healing and more life is based upon God's eternity. The psalmist is asking for God to share something of His eternity with him. And this will be ultimately true when we partake of His immortality at the last day.

Psalm 102:25

Of old, You laid the foundation of the earth, the heavens are the work of Your hands-

The language of laying foundations is nearly always used about the laying of the foundations of the new, rebuilt temple at the time of return from exile (Ezra 3:10-12; 5:16; Is. 44:28; Hag. 2:18; Zech. 4:9; 8:9); and this is the context of this Psalm (see on :13 and :16). The ‘heavens and earth’ refer to Israel (Is. 1:2) and the temple. Although they had ‘perished’ in the Babylonian invasion and destruction of the first temple, God remained and would, the Psalmist believed, install a new temple system (as outlined in Ez. 40-48). However, this never quite happened as God intended due to Judah’s weakness, and so these prophecies were reapplied to how the entire Jewish system based around the temple and Law of Moses would ‘perish’ and God’s new temple system based around the exalted Lord Jesus would come into existence (Heb. 1:10 and context).

Psalm 102:26

They perish, but You will endure. Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment-

In the same way as the Angels are so closely associated with their charges that they are identified with them, so the Angels are described as the things in the natural world which they have created. The quotation of Ps. 102:26 in Heb. 1:10 can appear to pose major problems for belief in the humanity of Christ and that the world will never be destroyed. "And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundations  of the earth; and the heavens are the work of thy hands: they shall perish, but Thou remainest, and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail". The context in Hebrews is again Christ's superiority over the Angels; however, the context in Ps. 102 is of Christ on the cross thinking of the eternity of God, how that "of old", "in the beginning" (clearly alluding  back to the beginning of the natural creation in Gen. 1), God created the Heavens and earth by His Angel-hands. But "they shall perish. . wax old like a garment. . as a vesture shalt thou change them" (Ps. 102:26). This language is similar to that used elsewhere about the ending of the Angel-oriented Mosaic Law (e. g. Heb. 8:13). Thus the literal Heavens and earth will not perish, but the Angelic system that created them will do. Thus both the natural creation and the Mosaic system are identified exactly with the Angels that created them.

The purpose of the quotation in Hebrews 1 is to demonstrate the Lord's superiority over Angels. One approach is to understand the Hebraic way of stating that 'even X shall happen to prove the greatness of Y'; e.g. heaven could pass away [X] but the Lord's words would not [Y] (Mt. 24:35). This is not to say that X shall literally happen; it is stated as a hyperbole, to demonstrate the greatness of Y. And that may be the case here too. God's eternity is contrasted with the [relative] passing of the Heavens, which were made by Angels. "They shall perish" may not therefore mean they shall literally perish. See on Ps. 103:20.

The context of Ps. 102 is however pertinent. The "set time [had] come" suggests that the Psalmist is writing maybe in captivity in Babylon as the predicted 70 years of Judah’s captivity there came to a close, and he looks forward to the promised restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem. He enthuses in :16 that "Yahweh has built up Zion"- although He had not then done so (:13). The earlier part of the Psalm laments this. But the Psalmist believed in God’s prophecies of doing so, and considered them as good as already fulfilled. Faith is all about adopting God’s perspective, seeing future promises as if they have already been fulfilled, thereby enabling us to live the Kingdom life now in its essence. See on :25.

You will change them like a cloak, and they will be changed-

The Jewish system would be rolled up, as a scroll that is not going to be read any more; the Law would end. But Messiah would remain eternally. It was the Lord Jesus by His sacrifice which changed the Jewish system. The same Greek word (used in the LXX and the quotation in Heb. 1:12) is used of the Lord's 'changing' the customs delivered by Moses (Acts 6:14).

Psalm 102:27

But You are the same, Your years will have no end-

Heb. 1:10 appears to quote words about God (from Ps. 102:25) and apply them to Jesus. To take a Psalm or Bible passage and apply it to someone on earth, even a normal human, was quite common in first century literature (Oscar Cullmann, The Christology Of The New Testament (London: SCM, 1971) p. 234). It's rather like we may quote a well known phrase from Shakespeare or a currently popular movie, and apply it to someone. It doesn't mean that that person is to be equated with Romeo, Juliet, Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth etc. By quoting the words about them, we're saying there are similarities between the two people or situations; we're not claiming they're identical. And seeing that the Son of God was functioning for His Father, it's not surprising that words about God will be quoted about the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 102:28

The children of Your servants will continue, their seed will be established before You-

The context of the Psalm is that the historical David, along with Hezekiah and the exiles, feared they were not going to continue. But the Psalm ends with a bold statement that the true seed (even it was to be redefined) would be "established", the restoration and eternal reestablishment of Zion was to come, finally. Even if it didn't happen when and how it was originally intended, and as hoped for by that generation. And this is an abiding comfort and challenge for us all.

Psalm 103

Psalm 103:1

By David-

I have often suggested that the Psalms are often paired together. Ps. 103 appears to continue the faith expressed in Ps. 102; that whatever present appearances, God's purpose to ultimately restore David and his throne / kingdom was going to come true, finally. The exiles doubted it, but the faithful remnant were to rejoice that finally, it would come true- even if not in their lifetimes. Such confident joy presupposes a firm faith and understanding of the resurrection of the body at the final eternal restoration of Zion.

Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, praise His holy name!-

There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father is essentially mutual. He has blessed us with all things (Eph. 1:3), and we all bless Him with all that is in us (Ps. 103:1,22; Eph. 1:3).

Psalm 103:2

Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don’t forget all His benefits-

David often takes strength from God's previous deliverances to cope with whatever he was now facing (Ps. 61:3). This may sound natural, but in fact it isn't; because we are inclined to forget the great things He has done for us, as Israel did in the desert. We all have a tendency to see the glass half empty rather than half full. Hence the need to continually remind ourselves to not forget all His benefits; and they are particularly expressed in the form of His forgiveness and avowed intention to finally save us (:3,4). Hezekiah, to whom Ps. 102 (which seems paired with Ps. 103) partly applies, did forget Yahweh's benefits to him (s.w. 2 Chron. 32:25). But "benefits" is also the word used for "rewards", which rewards of judgment are promised to Babylon and all who abused the exiles (Ps. 137:8; Is. 35:4; 59:18; Jer. 51:6; Lam. 3:64). The downtrodden were to take comfort in judgment to come.

Psalm 103:3

who forgives all your sins; who heals all your diseases-

The blessing which should never be forgotten (:2) is supremely our forgiveness. Hezekiah had been healed, but he forgot that great "benefit" (:2; s.w. 2 Chron. 32:25). In those times when we consider our cup half empty rather than half full, we will be helped to appreciate "all His benefits" if we recall our own forgiveness received. It is those who refuse to accept their own sinfulness who tend to question where God's promised blessings are.

Psalm 103:4

who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with grace and tender mercies-

As noted on :2,3, the great blessing is of forgiveness and grace. God's "mercy and truth" (s.w. "grace... mercies") is seen in the fulfilment of His promises to David and Abraham. This day of crowning is not now; it is at the time when our life is redeemed from death / destruction. This hope of the future resurrection of the body is the great "benefit" of :2 which we must never forget, and which gives perspective to all current sufferings.

Psalm 103:5

who satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s-

The "desire" of all the truly spiritual is for redemption from death (:4) through resurrection to eternal life, and the receipt of forgiveness (:3). It is these desires of our soul which will definitely be met, if indeed they are our dominant desires. As God doesn’t faint or weary, so somehow those who identify their lives with His will also keep on keeping on- even now (Is. 40:31 cp. 29). This was clearly the promise to the exiles, if they realized the prophetic potential for them explained in Is. 40. David felt that his youth was renewed like the eagle's in his repeated experience of God's grace (Ps. 103:5), that his soul was restored (Ps. 23:5), and that a right spirit could be renewed by God within him (Ps. 51:10). This is the equivalent of the "newness of life" which is promised to us through acceptance of God's Spirit.

Psalm 103:6

Yahweh executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed-

The exiles and David at times felt they were suffering injustice. But the comfort is that God has historically been just to the oppressed and executed judgment, especially at the Red Sea. This is where faith comes in. If we feel we are suffering intolerable injustice, this is no reason to doubt God; for He has operated extreme justice in the past, and shall do so ultimately.

David so often parallels righteousness and justice / truth (Ps. 9:8; 33:5; 37:6; 72:2; 94:15; 99:7; 103:6; 106:3). Indeed, this parallel is so common in God's word. What it means is that the righteousness of God is a just righteousness. It's not fake, 'I'll turn a blind eye'. It is true, real, valid, and has integrity underpinned in the very essential justice of God Himself. Justice and righteousness may appear abstract ideas, mere theology. But the result is that the person who believes God's righteousness is imputed to him or her... will feel this, they will know it to be true, they can by grace, in faith, quietly hold their head up before God. And David after Bathsheba is our example. He believed and felt this imputed righteousness. It's not so much a case of 'forgiving ourselves' after God has forgiven us, but rather of being swamped by this very real and legitimate sense that truly, we have been counted righteous. And Paul in Romans holds up David after Bathsheba as the personal example to "every one who is Godly" in their time of spiritual need. See on Ps. 41:12.

Psalm 103:7

He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the children of Israel-

This could refer to the revelation of God's law to Israel. The commands which constituted the covenant were given to Moses personally (Neh. 1:7,8), insofar as he represented Israel. Thus there is a parallel drawn in Ps. 103:7: "He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel". "After the tenor of these words have I made a covenant with you [Moses] and with Israel" (Ex. 34:27). The revelation of God's law was therefore cited as an example of His love and grace; it is not to be seen as an onerous burden laid upon Israel.

But the reference could also be to God's revelation of Himself through His saving deeds towards Israel at the Red Sea, or to the declaration of His Name in Ex. 34 (see on :8). Just as is true today, and as is often mentioned in Ps. 119, God is willing to operate directly on the hearts of men in a way over and above His written word. David realized this, and asked to be taught and shown God's ways (Ps. 25:4; 143:8). Knowledge in its ultimate, spiritual sense is not attained simply by reading or hearing the text of the Bible; not that I am at all decrying that. But there is a higher, Divine hand at work in making us know Divine knowledge. Moses had prayed the same words in Ex. 33:13: "Show me [make me to know] Your way, that I may know [s.w. "show"] You [and] find grace in Your sight". The gift of knowledge, in the Hebraic sense of relationship, is related to God's grace. That knowledge which is in view is not the same as technical, theological knowledge. Moses' prayer was answered; the same words are used here in saying that God "made known His ways to Moses".

Psalm 103:8

Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in grace-

This is an appeal to the essential characteristics of Yahweh as declared to Moses in Ex. 34, and it is perhaps to this that :7 refers. On one hand, God does not become quickly angry (Ps. 103:8), and yet on the other hand He does get angry quickly in the sense that He immediately feels and responds to sin (Ps. 2:12); His anger ‘flares up in His face’. The implication is that we should respond ‘quickly’ to the Gospel; we should not have any element of indifference in our response to the call of God, and yet the foundations of a true spiritual life cannot be laid hastily.

Psalm 103:9

He will not always accuse; neither will He stay angry forever-

This may be answer to the complaint of the exiles that God through the prophets was always 'accusing' them through the prophetic words. But "accuse" is the word for 'striving', and it was Israel who had chosen to strive with God (s.w. Is. 45:9 and often). From God's side, His 'accusing' was more of a pleading with His people (s.w. Jer. 2:9,29), pleading for their loyalty and repentance (s.w. Hos. 2:2).

Psalm 103:10

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities-

This was exactly the case with the exiles, who were punished far less than their sins deserved (Ezra 9:13). All complaint at unreasonable behaviour from God was therefore utterly inappropriate, and was rooted in a sense that Israel had done absolutely nothing wrong and that any consequence for sin was therefore unreasonable.

Psalm 103:11

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His grace toward those who fear Him-

The same word used for how David's sins "overwhelmed me" (Ps. 65:3) is used of how overwhelming or "great" is God's grace (Ps. 103:11; 117:2). David felt overwhelmed firstly by his sin and then by God's grace. This explains his fragile emotional and nervous state, as often reflected in the Psalms. But his path is to be that of all God's true Israel, and his repentance and restoration was intended to be the path for the exiles.

Psalm 103:12

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us-

This was appropriate to Hezekiah (Is. 38:17), but he like the exiles failed to have an abiding awareness of the magnitude of the wonder of forgiveness. The idea is that God deals with us separate to our sins; He removes those sins "from us", they are totally removed from us personally. This is another window onto what it means to be accounted righteous, to have righteousness imputed by grace through faith. God had removed His people far from Him (s.w. Is. 6:12; 26:15; Jer. 27:10) because they had removed their hearts far from Him (s.w. Is. 29:13; Jer. 2:5; Ez. 44:10). So now the psalmist is asking God to remove their sins far away, but to come near to them personally.

Psalm 103:13

Like a father has compassion on His children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear Him-

That "compassion" is not simply in that a father forgives a repentant child. Fatherly compassion is more than that; it is compassion upon the position of the child regardless of repentance. Simply because he is the father of the child. This statement may be a tacit request by the psalmist for God to all the same restore His people from their exile simply on the basis of His grace and compassion, for most of them had not repented. The word for "compassion" is used of how God would have compassion on His people if they repented whilst in exile (Dt. 30:3). But the psalmist seems to plead for that compassion to be shown simply because they were His children.

Psalm 103:14

For He knows how we are made, He remembers that we are dust-

This is effectively a plea with God to remember that "we are dust" and to show compassion on the basis of the weakness of our humanity (see on :13). But the basis for that compassion was to be Israel's repentance (Dt. 30:13 etc.). But here the psalmist seems to plead some kind of idea that our nature makes us inevitable sinners, and so God should show compassion on that basis. We aren't inevitable sinners, and whatever we posit about human nature, we say about the Lord Jesus who was perfect and spotless despite fully having that same nature as we do. So the plea appears rather lacking in integrity. And yet it is true; God does remember that we are dust, and He does have compassion for reasons other than that His people have repented (s.w. 2 Kings 13:23). His compassion is therefore on the basis of His mercy and grace, rather than a proportionate response to steel willed human repentance and self reformation (s.w. Ps. 116:5). His compassion is actually always there for His children, even when they are in exiled punishment from Him (s.w. Jer. 31:20; 33:26). Solomon failed to perceive this grace, instead focusing solely upon the aspect of God showing compassion to those who are repentant (s.w. Prov. 28:13).

Psalm 103:15

As for man, His days are like grass, as a flower of the field, so he flourishes-

This is the language used of the exiles in Is. 40:6-8. The idea is that the exiles were indeed like this, as are all men. But Isaiah explains that the prophetic word of restoration was to come true, even if the men of that generation faded into death. This is taught here in different words, assuring them that God's promised grace would not fail and His throne was indeed eternal and therefore would be reestablished on earth (:17,19).

Psalm 103:16

For the wind passes over it, and it is gone. Its place remembers it no more-

This again is David alluding to the feelings of Job (Job 7:10; 20:9), one of the few books of scripture he had access to. But despite this understanding of the mortality of man, David is confident that God's grace will be manifest eternally to His people (:17). This can only have any sense if he understood there to be a resurrection of the body, to eternal experience of God's grace.

Psalm 103:17

But Yahweh’s grace is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear Him, His righteousness to children’s children-

See on :16. We note the parallel of grace and righteousness. Paul in Romans 1-8 explores this; the gift of grace is not of cheap grace, a turning of a blind eye to sin. The gift is of righteousness, counting right the sinner, by God the judge of all. This is by grace, but it has to be believed. This gift of imputed righteousness "is of faith that it might be by grace" (Rom. 4:16).

Psalm 103:18

to those who keep His covenant, to those who remember to obey His precepts-

The keeping of the covenant, in the context of what was explained on :17, effectively means to keep on believing in God's amazing, saving grace towards sinners. "Remember" doesn't here suggest that they are commended for not being forgetful. The Hebrew carries the idea of having the mind full. Our fully conscious desire to obey His ways is going to be an outcome of continuing to believe His covenant, which promises salvation by pure grace (:17) rather than obedience. So the obedience here in view is in response to the covenant of grace, which offers salvation by grace and not works. These works of obedience are therefore done in gratitude for a salvation already received by grace, rather than in order to achieve a worthiness for that salvation.

Psalm 103:19

Yahweh has established His throne in the heavens, His kingdom rules over all-

The exiles were looking for the Kingdom to be reestablished, just as David was looking for his throne to be reestablished in Absalom's time, and as he looked to have his own throne at Saul's time. But the comfort was that that throne was already established in Heaven, even if it wasn't visible on earth. And this is our comfort too.

We are to pray for His Kingdom to come, so that His will may be done on earth (Mt. 6:10). The Kingdom and the doing of His will are therefore paralleled. His Kingdom reigns over all in Heaven, for there, all the Angels are obedient to Him (Ps. 103:19-21). By praying for the Kingdom to come on earth we are not only praying for the Lord’s second coming, but for the progress of the Gospel world-wide right now. Not only that more men and women will hear it and respond, but that those who have accepted it might work God’s will rather than their own to an ever greater extent. Whether or not we can physically spread the Gospel is in this sense irrelevant; our prayer should be, first and foremost if the pattern of the Lord’s prayer is to be taken exactly, for the triumph of the Gospel world-wide.

Psalm 103:20

Praise Yahweh, you angels of His, who are mighty in strength, who fulfil His word, obeying the voice of His word-

I suggested on :1 that this Psalm is paired with Ps. 102; and indirectly, that too concludes at this point in the structure of the Psalm with reference to Angels. See on Ps. 102:26. The relevance of mentioning the power of the Angels is caught in the LXX: "mighty in strength, who perform his bidding, ready to hearken to the voice of his words". The word they were ready and eager to fulfil was the word of restoring Zion. They could bring this about; but Israel on earth had to be willing to return, both to their land and their God. And such vast potential was thereby wasted at the time.

Psalm 103:21

Praise Yahweh, all you armies of His, you servants of His, who do His will-

Angels are given specific directives by God which they go and execute to the best of their ability and then report back to God- His "Angels... that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word" (Ps. 103:21). They were eager to do this in the context of performing God's will of saving and restoring Zion. We must note that the Angels as in supernatural beings are never divided into good ones and wicked ones. "All" the Angels are obedient to God's word. They are immortal (Lk. 20:35,36) and therefore don't sin (Rom. 6:23). However the Greek and Hebrew word translated "Angel" is also used of human beings, who of course can sin.

Psalm 103:22

Praise Yahweh, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion. Praise Yahweh, my soul!-

The psalmist wishes to see a unity between the heavenly armies, eager and willing to achieve the restoration (see on :20,21), and all God's works, and the individual repeating this prayer.

Psalm 104

Psalm 104:1

Bless Yahweh, my soul. Yahweh, my God, You are very great. You are clothed with honour and majesty-

This translation misses the fact that the Hebrew here is full of verbs and not adjectives; the reference is to a series of actions, rather than a state. Yahweh is seen as having done something which makes Him very great, creating majesty and honour for Himself through an action. It could be that the psalmist has in view the envisaged restoration of God's Kingdom on earth at the time of the restoration; which would explain the references in some verses to a time of present oppression at the hands of the Gentiles. The psalmist looks ahead to this day as if it has happened. This didn't happen then as planned, but has been rescheduled and reapplied to the last day.

Psalm 104:2

He covers Himself with light as with a garment, He stretches out the heavens like a curtain-

"The heavens" at times refer to the temple or sanctuary, which perhaps is why the idea of a curtain is used, recalling the various curtains of the tabernacle. The reference may be to the hope that God would reestablish the sanctuary, and appear clothed as it were in the light of the shekinah glory over the ark. This idea of God as a figure shrouded in light is used by Ezekiel in describing the visions of cherubic glory. That cherubic system, with the form of a Divine "man" above them, was envisaged as returning to Zion.

Psalm 104:3

He lays the beams of His rooms in the waters, He makes the clouds His chariot, He walks on the wings of the wind-

This continues the allusion to the cherubim (see on :2). The idea may be that the reestablishment and rebuilding of the Kingdom would begin "in the waters" in that the beams, the people, were to be prepared whilst in exile amongst the waters of the Gentiles. "Room" or "chambers" is the word used of the rebuilding of Zion in Neh. 3:31,32, and of the envisaged rebuilding of the temple in Ez. 40:49; 41:7. But the Jews didn't build as required in Ez. 40-48; they precluded the help of the Angel cherubim, upon whom God was eager to ride forth for them.

Psalm 104:4 He makes His Angels winds; His servants flames of fire-

As noted on Ps. 102 and Ps. 103, the reference to the Angels is to encourage Judah that the vast Angel cherubim system alluded to in :2,3 was ready and eager to go forth for God's people.  The allusion is to the statement of God's greatness at the end of Job, a book of encouragement to the exiles (see on Job 1:1): "Canst thou send lightnings (Angels) that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are (Septuagint: 'We do Thy pleasure?')" (Job 38:35). In the Hezekiah context, the reference could be to how the Angel which destroyed the Assyrians did so using fire (see on Ps. 46:9). We note that the Angels are God's servants; there is never any hint in the Bible that the "Angels" [as in supernatural beings] are divided into groups of wicked and righteous. Ps. 83:14; 97:3 speak of God as "flames of fire" burning up Israel's enemies. He was ready and able, through the Angel cherubim, to overcome all opposition to a restored Kingdom of God in Israel. But despite this, most of the exiles preferred to remain in Babylon. Just as many today likewise turn down the opportunity to be part of God's Kingdom.

Psalm 104:5

He laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever-

I suggested on :1 that this is a reference to the envisaged restoration. God was not going to allow the eretz promised to Abraham to be moved, ultimately; even though its people had temporarily been moved into exile. LXX gives the sense: "Who establishes the earth on her sure foundation". The reference is not to God's creation of the planet, but to His reestablishment of the Kingdom of God in the earth / land of Israel.

Psalm 104:6

You covered it with the deep sea as with a cloak. The waters stood above the mountains-

Ps. 104:5-9 describes “the earth” as being covered with the deep, and “the waters stood above the mountains”- clearly alluding to the flood. Yet these mountains are those which are “a refuge for the wild goats… conies” (Ps. 104:18 RV). These sound like the mountains of Israel / the Middle East rather than any other part of the world. The idea is that during the exile, the land was as it were covered with the flood; but would reemerge into a wonderful new age. Isaiah likewise speaks of how God would consider the years in exile as "the waters of Noah" (Is. 54:9), and would never be repeated once the Kingdom was reestablished.

Psalm 104:7

At Your rebuke they fled, at the voice of Your thunder they hurried away-

The same phrase used of the fleeing away of the waters of the Red Sea at the theophany which occurred then; see on Ps. 77:17. The waters are spoken of as living entities because they represented the heathen nations opposing Israel at the time; and this miracle was just as possible for God's people at the time of Hezekiah and later, the exiles.

Psalm 104:8

The mountains rose, the valleys sank down, to the place which You had assigned to them-

The reference seems to be to the changed topography after the flood, and this is the imagery used about the restoration in Is. 40:4. The valleys would be lifted up and the mountains brought down [they very opposite of what is described as happening here after the flood], in order to pave the way for the coming of Messiah and God's glory to Zion. "Assigned" is the word used for the "foundation" of the rebuilt temple (Ezra 3:6,10). This potential wasn't realized at the restoration, and was reapplied to the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 104:9

You have set a boundary that they may not pass over; that they don’t turn again to cover the earth-

Just as the flood waters (see on :6,7) would never return to destroy the earth, so the Babylonian destruction was potentially the final such judgment upon God's people. But their impenitence and continued sin precluded this from being the case, and so this idea of the waters [representing the nations around Israel] never covering the earth again was rescheduled to the last day. "Boundary" is the usual word used for the border of the promised land. But the rivers and floodwaters of the invading armies were frequently sent by God over this border even after the Babylonian invasion. The truth was that Judah's princes had removed the border in throwing themselves open to the gods and influences of the nations around them (s.w. Hos. 5:10).

Psalm 104:10

He sends forth springs into the valleys, they run among the mountains-

The waters of the Gentile nations would be assuaged, but God would send forth His own waters, not to destroy but to create.

Psalm 104:11

They give drink to every animal of the field, the wild donkeys quench their thirst-

"Every" may imply 'both clean and unclean', with the unclean wild donkeys being cited as an example. God's care and saving purpose is thereby declared as being for all.

Psalm 104:12

The birds of the sky nest by them, they sing among the branches-

Mt. 13:32 uses this imagery in describing the Kingdom of God. The picture here is of how God's waters would create a restored Kingdom of God on earth. This potential wasn't realized by the exiles; and so these things were reinterpreted and are reapplied to the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus. And therefore the imagery of this verse is used by Him about His Kingdom.

Psalm 104:13

He waters the mountains from His rooms, the earth is filled with the fruit of Your works-

The allusion may be to the temple on earth reflecting that in heaven. The living water is envisaged as flowing out of the rebuilt temple (Zech. 14:8; Joel 3:18; Ez. 47:5). Sadly the possibility of this was precluded by the exiles refusing to build and operate the temple in accordance with the specifications of Ez. 40-48.

Psalm 104:14

He causes the grass to grow for the livestock, and plants for man to cultivate, that He may bring forth food out of the earth-

God "makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Mt. 5:45). God consciously makes the sun rise each day- it isn't part of a kind of perpetual motion machine. Hence the force of His promises in the prophets that in the same way as He consciously maintains the solar system, so He will maintain His Israel. Ps. 104 is full of such examples: "He waters the hills... causes the grass to grow... makes darkness (consciously, each night)... the young lions... seek their meat from God... send forth Your Spirit (Angel), they are created" (not just by the reproductive system). There are important implications following from these ideas with regard to our faith in prayer. It seems to me that our belief that the world is going on inevitably by clockwork is one of the things which militates against a sense of God's active presence through His Spirit. See on Mt. 6:26.

Psalm 104:15

wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man’s heart-

This doesn’t mean we are to drink alcohol until we feel “merry”. This phrase and those surrounding it are not talking about the effect of crops on the bodies of people, but rather the effect of a good harvest on the emotions of those gathering them. Wine, oil and bread are all associated with the sanctuary services (s.w. Hag. 2:12).

Psalm 104:16

Yahweh’s trees are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon, which He has planted-

The living water of the Messianically restored Zion mentioned on :13 was intended to water trees of life (Ez. 47:12; Rev. 22:2). This didn't happen at the restoration as intended, as the Jews didn't build the temple system of Ez. 40-48. But in essence it will come true in Messiah's Kingdom (Rev. 22:2), and does come true in it even now. The promise that the restored exiles could have become the trees of Yahweh's planting (Is. 60:21; 61:3) can become true spiritually for all who now accept the message of the Kingdom.

Psalm 104:17

where the birds make their nests. The stork makes its home in the fir trees-

As noted on :12, Mt. 13:32 uses this imagery in describing the Kingdom of God. The picture here is of how God's waters would create a restored Kingdom of God on earth. This potential wasn't realized by the exiles; and so these things were reinterpreted and are reapplied to the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus. And therefore the imagery of this verse is used by Him about His Kingdom. The stork was an unclean animal, but the unclean were to be welcomed into the restored Kingdom, for all such divisions between clean and unclean were to be removed.

Psalm 104:18

The high mountains are for the wild goats, the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers-

"High mountains" may be an intensive plural for the ultimately high mountain, of Zion. The term is used of Zion in Is. 40:9; 57:7; Ez. 17:22; and of the restored Zion in Ez. 40:2. This mount Zion was to become a refuge for unclean animals; and we can note the emphasis in this chapter upon the beauty and acceptance of the unclean animals.

Psalm 104:19

He appointed the moon for seasons, the sun knows when to set-

The moon being for seasons recalls the language of the Genesis creation. And the seasons were specifically the feasts. These were intended to feature in the reestablished Kingdom.

Psalm 104:20

You make darkness, and it is night, in which all the animals of the forest prowl-

Darkness was always feared in contemporary societies, and the animals which prowled at night were seen as in league with demons. But this common understanding is being deconstructed. God is the maker of darkness, the animals of the night are beckoned forth by Him; for the Old Testament deconstructs any idea of a cosmic 'Satan' being and associated demons.

Psalm 104:21

The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God-

Even the instinct of the lion to hunt is given by God; they seek their food from Him. This is significant in the context of the exiles because the likes of Assyria and Babylon are likened to lions and wild, mysterious beasts (:20). But they too were ultimately under God's control, and had sought their prey from God's people under His direct instigation. There was and is no radical evil in the conception of God's true people. See on 27.

Psalm 104:22

The sun rises, and they steal away and lay down in their dens-

As explained on :21, the mysterious wild animals of the night, including the lions, were all under God's control, and would go their way from God's people when He causes the sunrise. This clearly looks ahead to the coming of Messiah as the dawn (Mal. 4:2), heralding the end of all Judah's abusers.

Psalm 104:23

Man goes forth to his work, to his labour until the evening-

See on :24. The allusion may be to the curse of Gen. 3:19, that man was to work until he can do so no more, and then returns to dust (:29). This contrasts with the eternity of God (:24) and His people.

Psalm 104:24

Yahweh, how many are Your works! In wisdom have You made them all. The earth is full of Your riches-

LXX "The earth is full of Thy creation". The contrast is with the weary labour of man upon earth (:23), which he eagerly brings to an end every evening; and the ceaseless, creative labour of Yahweh.

Psalm 104:25

There is the sea, great and wide, in which are innumerable living things, both small and large animals-

The sea was seen by contemporary peoples as mysterious and out of human control, inhabited by monsters which equate to the cosmic 'Satan' being wrongly believed in by many today. But all within the seas are God's servants, waiting upon Him (:27) and looking to Him for food. The seas are used in the prophets to represent the Gentile nations who had abused Israel. These too were not forms of radical, uncontrolled evil; they were all totally under God's control.

Psalm 104:26

There the ships go, and leviathan, whom You formed to play there-

"Ships" here may refer to whales or other great sea beasts. See on :25. Leviathan appears to be the Canaanite version of the orthodox ‘Satan’ figure, perhaps a reference to the ‘Lotan’ of the Ugaritic myths. In great detail in Job 41, this creature and belief is deconstructed. It is shown to be a created being (:30) – created by the one almighty God of the Old Testament, to be completely under His control to the point that He can even tease them, playing with them as in Job 41, so enormously greater is His power than theirs. These Canaanite ‘Satan’ figures are thereby shown to have no significant existence; and they certainly don’t exist as opposed to God. They are totally under His control. And yet these monster figures clearly have characteristics shared by known animals, such as the hippopotamus, crocodile etc. Those similarities are intended. It’s been well observed: “To say that Leviathan has characteristics of the crocodile and the whale is not to say that it is such a creature, but rather to suggest that evil is rooted in the natural world” (Robert S. Fyall, Now My Eyes Have Seen You: Images of Creation and Evil in the Book of Job (Leicester: I.V.P. / Apollos, 2002) p. 27) – and the point is so laboured in Job that the natural world is of God’s complete creation. ‘Evil’ in a form independent of Him, in radical opposition to Him, simply isn’t there.

It’s significant that dragons in the form of serpents were common in Babylonian theology. Figures on vases show serpent griffins, there was one on Marduk’s temple in Nippur, and also on the Ishtar Gate in Babylon. These would have been familiar to Judah in Babylonian captivity. They may well have seen a similarity between the Babylonian monsters and the Leviathan beast. That God is greater than Leviathan and can do what He wills with him would therefore have had a special meaning to the faithful Jew in exile. In a restoration context, Isaiah comforted Judah that God would destroy “Leviathan the gliding serpent; He will slay the monster of the sea” (Is. 27:1). The real ‘monster’ faced by Judah in exile wasn’t a supernatural being; it was a concrete kingdom of men on earth, namely Babylon. God taught Job, and through him showcased to the watching world, that all such imaginations of Leviathan, monsters in the raging sea, crooked serpents etc. were vain – in any case, God had created them and used them to do His will with His people, symbolized as they were by Job. His sitting in dust and ashes is very much the picture of Judah sitting by the rivers of Babylon, bemoaning their losses.

Psalm 104:27

These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season-

As noted on :25,26, the creatures of the sea are actually God's servants, for that is the meaning of the idiom of 'waiting for'. And He feeds them; they do not randomly choose their prey purely in their own strength and of their own volition. See on :21.

Psalm 104:28

You give to them; they gather. You open Your hand; they are satisfied with good-

As explained on :27, the apparently mysterious and radically evil beasts of the sea are all under God's controlled. Whatever they eat, is given to them by God's open hand. The beasts which had consumed Judah were actually given their food by God; for the prophets continually stress that these invasions came from God's direction.

Psalm 104:29

You hide Your face: they are troubled; You take away their breath: they die, and return to the dust-

The hiding of God's face always speaks of His moral displeasure. This statement is specifically in the context of the death of the mighty sea beasts, although as we have seen, they represent the nations dominating Israel. Their time for judgment would come, even if it were simply in the form of their death. We could not wish for any clearer statement that death of any living creature is an undoing of creation, whereby the breath or spirit is given by God, and then when it is withdrawn, they return to dust. This language is elsewhere used specifically of human beings. For in the matter of death, man truly has no preeminence above a beast (Ecc. 3:19).

Psalm 104:30

You send forth Your Spirit: they are created, You renew the face of the ground-

As explained on :26, the great sea beasts are shown to be  created beings- created by the one almighty God of the Old Testament, to be completely under His control to the point that He can even tease them, playing with them as in Job 41, so enormously greater is His power than theirs. And likewise the nations they represented were created by God. The dust into which they returned was the "ground" from which God could use His Spirit to form a new creation, when all these beasts have passed away for good.

Psalm 104:31

Let the glory of Yahweh endure forever, let Yahweh rejoice in His works-

This forms an inclusio to the opening allusions to the cherubim and the shekinah glory in :2-4. The psalmist wishes for the day to come when again the glory would return to Zion visibly, and "endure forever", never to be taken away again. And this would involve Yahweh eternally rejoicing in the works of the new creation intimated in :30.

Psalm 104:32

He looks at the earth, and it trembles. He touches the mountains, and they smoke-

This continues the inclusio to the opening allusions to the cherubim and the shekinah glory in :2-4, this time further alluding to the theophany on Sinai when Israel were first declared Yahweh's Kingdom. The psalmist was looking for the dramatic reestablishment of the Kingdom, accompanied by a similar theophany.

Psalm 104:33

I will sing to Yahweh as long as I live, I will sing praise to my God while I have any being-

We note again David's belief in the mortality of man, with no conscious existence after death [until the resurrection of the body]. For his time of "being" was "as long as I live".

Psalm 104:34

Let your meditation be sweet to Him. I will rejoice in Yahweh-

His rejoicing in what was going to do was to be a reflection of God's rejoicing in His new creation (:31).

Psalm 104:35

Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. Let the wicked be no more. Bless Yahweh, my soul. Praise Yah!-

A quotation from Is. 16:4 about the consuming out of the land of the sinful nations dominating Judah. The psalmist is praying for this time to be hastened, and until it comes, he will still praise Yahweh as if it has already happened (see on :34). For this is the nature of faith, to adopt God's timeless perspective, and look to the end as if it is even now.

Psalm 105

Psalm 105:1

Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on His name! Make His doings known among the peoples-

This is an appeal to the Gentile "peoples" to hear about God's work and praise Him; and to praise a deity in those days meant to accept that deity. Not because they were forced to by military conquest, but because they had considered God's work which had now been told to them. 1 Chron. 16:8-22 is the Psalm written by David when the ark was brought to Zion, but it reappears within Ps. 105:1-15, which is clearly an appeal for the exiles to repent so that God's salvation history might continue with them. So we see how David's original Psalms were reworked and reapplied in later contexts, under Divine inspiration. By the time of the exiles in Babylon, it seems the ark had been lost. But such external religious symbolism was unimportant; the essence was that the people of God were to come to Zion, just as the ark had done.

David knew his sinfulness, he knew his reliance upon the grace of God, more and more as he got older. One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps. 4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). Indeed, Ps.71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men.

Psalm 105:2

Sing to Him, sing praises to Him! Tell of all His marvellous works-

David was very much involved in Israel his people. He saw himself as their representative. When he sung Psalms, he invited them to come and sing along with him (Ps. 105:2; 107:22; 111:1). And yet this can also be read as an appeal to the Gentile peoples of :1 to hear of Yahweh's works, believe them, accept Him as their God, and then in turn tell others of "His marvellous works". See on :45.

Psalm 105:3

Glory in His holy name, let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice-

The Bible continually stresses the critical importance of the heart, the mind. Our minds should glory in God's Name which is His characteristics, as articulated in His "works" (:2) in history. And this leads us to "seek" Him and His face, which I suggest on :4 refers to repentance.

Psalm 105:4

Seek Yahweh and His strength, seek His face forever more-

To seek Yahweh's face is an idiom for repentance (Hos. 5:15), and is specifically used by Daniel in the context of the exiles (2 Chron. 7:14; Dan. 9:3). This is therefore an appeal for the exiles to repent, so that God may continue to lavish His saving grace upon them, as He had upon their forefathers.

Psalm 105:5

Remember His marvellous works that He has done; His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth-

The Hebrew idea of 'remembering' is not necessarily related to 'remembering' as opposed to 'forgetting'; rather does it have the flavour of celebrating, and thus being aware of in gratitude and praise.

Psalm 105:6

you seed of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones-

David was clearly the "chosen one... My servant" (Ps. 89:3), but these very terms are applied to Israel as a whole (Ps. 105:6,43; 106:5) and to the "servant" of later Isaiah, who refers to both Israel and their Messiah as their embodiment (Is. 42:1; 45:4). David's path of sin, repentance and restoration was intended to be that of all God's people, as he himself recognizes in Ps. 32. But the exiles refused to repent and therefore their restoration was precluded. They were not therefore treated as His "chosen one".

Psalm 105:7

He is Yahweh, our God; His judgments are in all the earth-

The exiles were to believe the prophetic word, that all the nations in the eretz promised to Abraham were to experience God's judgments; the judgments of "our God", Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Psalm 105:8

He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations-

Jeremiah, Zechariah, Hosea and Ezekiel point out to Judah that they had broken the old covenant; their only basis of connection with God was therefore on the basis of the new covenant He was offering, which was based upon the promises to Abraham. That word of promise was unconditional, to all who wanted to believe it. It was therefore eternal, "to a thousand generations". It would therefore be abrogated, unlike the old covenant based on the law of Moses.

Psalm 105:9

the covenant which He made with Abraham, His oath to Isaac-

The "oath to Isaac" must refer to the repetition of the promises to Abraham to Isaac in Gen. 26:3, where the same word for "oath" is used. But the context of that repetition of the covenant oath to Isaac was in commanding him not to seek material prosperity in Egypt, but rather to remain in the famished land of Israel, then experiencing famine. This was relevant to the exiles, many of whom preferred to remain in Babylon, seeing that Malachi, Ezra and others record serious famine in the land of Judah at that time.

Psalm 105:10

and confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute; to Israel for an everlasting covenant-

The "statute" doesn't refer to the law of Moses, but to the covenant with Abraham of :9. The covenant with Abraham was an unconditional offer of eternal inheritance of the land; all that was and is required is that this great salvation be believed. But it became and becomes a "statute" or "law" in the same way as grace reigns or is a ruler over us (Rom. 5:21). If we believe in God's unconditional covenant of salvation, then this becomes a law of our lives, the guiding principle in all our thinking, worldviews and perceptions. It is in this sense that "the grace of God... teaches us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and Godly lives" (Tit. 2:11,12). Grace is grace, but the wonder of it, when believed, is such that it naturally elicits changed behaviour, and in this sense is a "statute" or law.

Psalm 105:11

saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance-

As discussed on :10, the promise of eternal inheritance of Canaan was unconditional, by grace. It just had to be believed.

Psalm 105:12

when they were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it-

God rejoices to work with the small and feeble. The "few men" must refer to how Jacob's family only numbered about 70 people when they went into Egypt. The same phrase "few men in number" is exactly that used by Jacob in lamenting how very small his tribe was compared to the aggressive tribes amongst whom they lived in Canaan (Gen. 34:30). And it is the phrase used of how when Israel were to be judged for their sins in exile, they would be left "few men in number" (Dt. 4:27). The exiles are being encouraged to see the similarities between them and Jacob's family in Egypt, the original 'Israel' at its first beginnings.

Psalm 105:13

They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people-

This seems to refer, in the context, to the journeyings of the patriarchs amongst the peoples of Canaan, Philistia and Egypt. Although they suffered at the hands of those peoples, they were miraculously preserved; and so would God's people be despite their current exile in Babylon / Persia.

Psalm 105:14

He allowed no one to do them wrong. Yes, He reproved kings for their sakes-

In this we see God's absolute grace. For both Abraham and Isaac were rightly reproved by the Abimelech kings for lying about their wives, and yet God reproved those kings. He was openly showing His passionate love and preference for His people; they were rightly reproved by the kings (Gen. 20:16), but those kings were reproved by God for their sins of ignorance. And it was this same grace which was available to the exiles. "Wrong" was indeed done to the exiles (s.w. Jer. 50:33; Hos. 5:11), as it was done to the historical Jacob; but the point is being made that it was not ultimately allowed because there was the final restoration of Jacob's fortunes, as there would be ultimately for God's people- but in God's own way and time.

Psalm 105:15

Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!-

This refers to how Abraham and Isaac were not harmed despite lying to Abimelech (see on :14). It definitely doesn't mean that God's visible public servants are beyond criticism; for Abraham and Isaac most definitely are reproved for their actions in the Biblical record. The point is that they, weak as they were and deserving of "harm", were preserved from ultimate harm by God's grace. And they are cited as an example to the exiles, who were all "anointed ones" (Lam. 4:21), they had a special purpose before God; just as all in Christ, the anointed one, are likewise "anointed ones"  (2 Cor. 1:21). So this doesn't give pastors or church leaders special privilege of being beyond criticism, as this verse is misused to teach.

Psalm 105:16

He called for a famine on the land, He destroyed the piles of food-

This verse must be understood in its context within this chronological account of God's grace towards His people at the time of the patriarchs. The Joseph story begins in the next verse, and so we are to understand that God gave a prophetic word about the famine before Joseph was sold into Egypt (:17). This theme is continued in :19; God made a prophetic word about Joseph, but it took time to come to fulfilment. And during that time, he suffered. But although God foresaw the time of famine, He had made plans right from the start of it to also save His people from it- even it involved factoring in their sinfulness within those plans. This was exactly the situation with the exiles; God's word had sent them into captivity, but that word had also arranged a salvation from it, even though they were suffering whilst that was brought about.

Psalm 105:17

He sent a man before them- Joseph, who was sold for a slave-

See on :16. In the context of the Psalm, God is comforting Israel that all their sufferings had been experienced by Joseph. The exiles are often spoken of as being in prison in a Gentile world (Ps. 79:11; 102:20; Is. 42:7,22; 49:9); just as Joseph was. Prison and death are often associated because a spell in prison was effectively a death sentence, so bad were the conditions. Israel being in prison is therefore a symbol of a living death. The Lord Jesus as the suffering servant experienced all the sufferings of the exiled people of God, as their representative. On the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ was the great, supreme prisoner (Ps. 69:33- this is an intensive plural, referring to a singular great prisoner). Like Joseph, He went through all the emotions of the prisoner; the shame, depression, introspection. As Israel were comforted in their living death by the fact that there was an individual in the past who had gone through all they were going through as a group; so the new Israel ought to take comfort together in contemplating the experiences of the Lord Jesus. He bore our communal sorrows, griefs and sins. In this sense He was "sent before" both the exiles and ourselves.

Psalm 105:18

They bruised his feet with shackles; his soul was locked in iron-

This highlights the mental aspects of Joseph's suffering. The verse is badly translated in the AV: "Whose feet (the same word is translated ability, endurance, journey) they hurt (Heb. 'to browbeat or depress') with fetters: (i.e.) his soul (AVmg.) came into iron". His very soul was in iron, trapped, oppressively boxed in as he lay in the darkness. As the Lord Jesus Christ hung in the darkness He too was depressed by the weight of His mental burden, a burden so great it must have pushed His brain to maximum neurological capacity. The spirit of the crucified Christ is also in Ps. 142:7: "Bring my soul out of prison... the righteous shall compass me about" (cp. Ps. 22:22). The Lord Jesus poured out His soul unto death; "He was taken away by distress" (Is. 53:12,8 AVmg.) suggests that it was the mental crisis in the Lord's heart on the cross which resulted in His death. This is why Pilate marvelled that He died so quickly. It is evident from this that the physical process of crucifixion did not kill the Lord, but rather the heart burst (both figurative and literal) which it brought upon Him. Do we not sense that striving in our minds as we fellowship His sufferings? Here is the challenge of the Joseph record and seeing Joseph as a type of Christ; to just begin to capture the mental anguish of the Son of God as He hung there.

Psalm 105:19

until the time that His word came true, and Yahweh’s word proved Him true-

Just as the prophetic word for Joseph came true when it appeared at times to have no chance of fulfilment, so the word of restoration would come true for the exiles. See on :16. God has arranged our lives according to a pattern; we have specific times in our lives for various situations. Looking back at the Biblical record of Joseph and Moses, whose life was divided clearly into three periods of 40 years, we see this clearly; but it’s of course harder to discern in our own lives as we are still living through it. But God is in control and has a plan for us, desiring only our eternal good in our latter end. Joseph was in this situation until the determined time came for God to suddenly deliver him thanks to the unexpected word from a king; and so Judah, depressed in Babylon, were being comforted that when the predicted 70 years captivity were ended, they too would be likewise delivered- which came true in the decree of king Cyrus for them to return to their land with his every blessing.

Psalm 105:20

The king sent and freed him; even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free-

The deliverance of Joseph by the edict of a powerful king looked forward to the deliverance of the captives by the decree of Cyrus. Pharaoh's behaviour is recorded in terms appropriate to Cyrus, e.g. describing him as "ruler of peoples". "Freed" is AV "loosed" (s.w. Ps. 146:7). The exiles were prisoners who could have been loosed from Babylon- had they wished. The book of Esther makes clear that the Jews were far from impoverished prisoners. The imagery of being in prison and slavery is therefore in spiritual terms; and most of the exiles refused that great deliverance because they didn't perceive their condition. And that's exactly why folks today turn down the great offer of freedom made to them in Christ.

Psalm 105:21

He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all of his possessions-

As explained on :22, this could imply that such a situation was potentially possible at the time of the restoration under Cyrus. The allusion to Joseph continues; he was in a prison "house" under a "lord" (Gen. 39:2; 40:7), but there was a sudden, radical inversion of everything. He was exalted from that position to be lord of Pharaoh's "house" (Gen. 45:8). This sudden inversion could potentially have happened with the decree of Cyrus.

Psalm 105:22

to discipline his princes at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom-

"Discipline" is AV "bind" and maybe continues the theme of :21, of sudden inversion. Instead of being bound by princes, Joseph bound princes. This isn't recorded of Pharaoh and Joseph; but I have suggested in commentary on the Joseph story that there are hints that the worship of Yahweh and the acceptance of His principles was established by Joseph at a high level in Egypt. Perhaps the idea is that potentially, Cyrus could have allowed a Joseph figure at the time of the restoration to teach the entire Persian leadership of Yahweh's wisdom. And thus the Kingdom of God would have spread throughout the entire eretz promised to Abraham. But these things were precluded by Judah's impenitence, no such Joseph figure arising, and Cyrus also failing to live up to his potential. All these things come to their reapplied fulfilment in the Lord Jesus and the things of His Kingdom.

Psalm 105:23

Israel also came into Egypt, Jacob lived in the land of Ham-

The force of "also" is that as the exiles had gone into Babylon, so also had Israel gone into Egypt, and been blessed there and delivered from it.

Psalm 105:24

He increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their adversaries-

The hope was that a small minority nation like Judah could have become stronger than "Babylon" and arisen from their exile in supernatural strength given by God. But the majority of them preferred to remain there, and initially, as Ezekiel laments, they worshipped the gods of Babylon. This is also hinted at in the book of Esther.

Psalm 105:25

He turned their heart to hate His people, to conspire against His servants-

This is further evidence that God can work directly upon the hearts of people, including those like the Egyptians who are not His people. The heart of Saul was likewise turned (s.w. 1 Sam. 10:9). This is effected today by the work of the Holy Spirit directly upon human spirits / hearts.

Psalm 105:26

He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron whom He had chosen-

The phrase "chosen... servant" is used of David (Ps. 78:70). But it is particularly used of the people of God whilst exiled (Is. 41:8,9; 43:10; 44:1 etc.), and of Zerubbabel, the potential Messiah at the time of the restoration (Hag. 2:23). Zerubbabel could have been David redivivus, a Messiah figure who was the Davidic ruler, representative of God's people, who were also the chosen servant. Just as Moses and Aaron had delivered the people from Egypt, so this individual could have delivered the exiles from Babylon and led them to a restored Kingdom of God in the land. But he failed, as did the people; and so these things were reapplied to the ultimate "chosen servant", the Lord Jesus (Mt. 12:18).

Psalm 105:27

They performed miracles among them, and wonders in the land of Ham-

Mizraim or Egypt was the descendant of Ham (Gen. 10:6; Ps. 105:23,27; 106:22). There may be an allusion to Khem, one of the main Egyptian gods. For the purpose of all the plagues was to demonstrate that Yahweh was the only God, and the Egyptian gods had no real existence. The "signs" performed by Moses and Aaron (:26) could have been matched by the "signs" performed by the two "men of sign" at the restoration (Zech. 3:8).

Psalm 105:28

He sent darkness, and made it dark. They didn’t rebel against His words-

It is possible to see in the ten plagues brought about by God's word to Moses an echo of the ten times it is recorded that "God said" in Gen. 1. Ps. 105:28-36 describes the plagues on Egypt as a reversal of creation - starting with darkness (cp. "let there be light") and ending with the slaying of the firstborn to match the creation of man last of all. The words which were not rebelled against would then refer to the words of creation. But the point may simply be that Moses and Aaron (:26) weren't rebellious but performed the miracles and thereby delivered the people from Egypt; whereas as noted on :26, Zerubbabel and other potential Messiahs failed in this.

Psalm 105:29

He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish-

The miracles upon the waters were in a sense repeated upon Babylon when the waters were dried up from around the city so that the Medes could take the city. This admittedly was not by miraculous means; but perhaps the idea is that potentially, there could have been similar miraculous acts to cause Babylon to fall and enable the exodus of the exiles.

Psalm 105:30

Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the rooms of their kings-

Potentially, there could have been similar miraculous acts to cause Babylon to fall and enable the exodus of the exiles. The descriptions of the fall of Babylon never came about as was potentially possible. Babylon decayed rather than being struck with the supernatural plagues envisioned in the "fall of Babylon" prophecies; they will come true in the last days, however, for they are alluded to in Rev. 18.

Psalm 105:31

He spoke, and swarms of beetles came, and lice in all their borders-

As noted on :28, the plagues came about by the word of Yahweh, alluding to His creative words which brought about creation in the first place. The same prophetic word had been spoken about the restoration and recreation of God's Kingdom in the land.

Psalm 105:32

He gave them hail for rain, with lightning in their land-

Hail and lightning (AV "flaming fire") are the words used for the destruction of Assyria / Babylon (Is. 30:30). They are also associated with theophany (Ps. 18:12,13). Hail and lightning could have been used to destroy Babylon and thereby fulfil God's prophetic word of restoration for the exiles (Ps. 148:8). But these great potentials were not realized because the Jews didn't repent and didn't for the most part actually want the restoration of the Kingdom. They preferred the good life in Persia.

Psalm 105:33

He struck their vines and also their fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country-

Not recorded in the Exodus record. The language of vines and figs is more relevant to Babylon (Is. 36:17) rather than Egypt; but the plagues upon Egypt are being described as being potentially possible upon Babylon, if Judah repented and really wanted restoration. We therefore read of Babylon's latter day plagues (Jer. 50:13; Rev. 18:4,8). These things have been reapplied to Babylon of the last days seeing they didn't happen as potentially possible at the restoration.

Psalm 105:34

He spoke, and the locusts came, and the grasshoppers without number-

As noted on :28,31, the plagues came about by the word of Yahweh, alluding to His creative words which brought about creation in the first place. The same prophetic word had been spoken about the restoration and recreation of God's Kingdom in the land. The language of creation is used about the destruction of Babylon; because the idea was that the fall of Babylon would presage the new creation of God's people and land. But this was conditional upon their repentance. Because they didn't repent and preferred Babylon, Babylon didn't therefore fall at the time in the dramatic way which the prophecies show was potentially possible.

Psalm 105:35

ate up every plant in their land and devoured the fruit of their ground-

The prophets envisage the fall of Babylon meaning that her land would be damaged by supernatural visitation. But Babylon fell slowly, the prophetic picture didn't come about at the time of the restoration, but is reinterpreted to the latter day Babylon; see on :34.

Psalm 105:36

He struck also all the firstborn in their land, the first fruits of all their manhood-

The death of the firstborn was because either the individuals or their parents refused to be obedient to God's offer of salvation. It was therefore a result of human sin; and part of "sin" is that it hurts others. "The chief of all their strength" (AV) is another way of saying 'the firstborn' (s.w. Gen. 49:3). The idea is that human strength was to be taken away, because Egypt was not trusting in God's strength. But God did the same to His own "strength", His people (Ps. 78:61).

Psalm 105:37

He brought them forth with silver and gold, there was not one feeble person among His tribes-

Amazingly, there was nobody sick amongst the three million or so who left Egypt that night. At our exodus from this world through our Red Sea baptism into Christ, we are made spiritually strong- and must abide in that strength. "There was not one feeble person among His tribes" (Ps. 105:37), but prior to this the Israelites had indeed been "feeble" before their Egyptian captors (s.w. Ps. 107:12). This means that the feeble were made strong; and this was exactly the promise to the exiles, that they who were "feeble" in Babylonian exile would be strengthened so that they could  leave Babylon and be restored to the land (s.w. Is. 35:3). The word for "feeble" is often translated "cast down" and is used of how Judah had been at the time of their exile into Babylon (Jer. 6:21; 8:12; 18:15; Lam. 1:14; Hos. 5:5 and often). But they would be led out of Babylon in a straight way and without stumbling / being feeble (s.w. Jer. 31:9); the "feeble" would be strengthened (Zech. 12:8 s.w.). Yet when they returned to the land, they were "feeble" (s.w. Neh. 4:10 "decayed"; Mal. 2:8 "stumbled"). The potential strengthening wasn't used by them.

Psalm 105:38

Egypt was glad when they departed, for the fear of them had fallen on them-

"Glad" is a word nearly always used of rejoicing "before the Lord", of a spiritual nature; it has been used in :3 of God's people rejoicing in His Name. The word is used of rejoicing along with God's people in Ps. 106:5. The fear which fell upon Egypt may simply be a reference to that of Ex. 15:16. But fear falling upon people is the phrase used of what happened in Persia when the Jews were exalted (Esther 8:17; 9:2,3), with the result that many became Jews. So the idea may be that many in Egypt accepted the God of Israel after the Hebrews departed; and this was the envisaged outcome in Babylon too. But the potential was marred by the fact that Judah didn't give glory to God, remained for the most part in Persia / Babylon, and therefore the intended repentance of Babylon didn't happen.

Psalm 105:39

He spread a cloud for a covering, fire to give light in the night-

The sensitivity of God is revealed here. The cloud kept the heat of the sun off them in the day time, and the fire kept them warm at night when the temperatures plunged in the desert. This same care was potentially available to the exiles (Ps. 121:6); but most didn't even want to make the journey, and remained in Babylon. These promises are therefore reapplied to the new Israel (Rev. 7:16), As Yahweh provided a pillar of fire to give light in the night to His people in the wilderness, so Israel were to arrange for a fire to be burning throughout the night in the tabernacle. They were to give light in response to God’s giving light to them.

Psalm 105:40

They asked, and He brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of the sky-

We note here how God works. They weren't given the quails until they asked for meat. There is no mention here of how the fattest of them were struck down at this time (Ps. 78:31). The point is made that God made concessions to their weakness and went along with their requests because by all means He wanted His rescue operation to succeed; and so it could have been with the restoration of the exiles from Babylon. But most didn't even want to start the wonderful journey.

Psalm 105:41

He opened the rock-

As the rock was "opened", so Babylon, the apparently invincible prison house, would be opened for the exiles (s.w. Is. 14:17; 45:1); the graves would be opened and the dry bones of the exiles would come forth to restore the Kingdom (s.w. Ez. 37:13).

And waters gushed out; they ran as a river in the dry places-

The language of Is. 41:18; 45:8 about what God would do for the returning exiles. In the restored Zion, a fountain would be "opened" (s.w. Zech. 13:1). But all this was precluded  by the exiles refusing to rebuild Zion according to the specifications in Ez. 40-48.

Psalm 105:42

For He remembered His holy word, and Abraham His servant-

The deliverance from Egypt was in fulfilment of the prophetic word to Abraham. And the prophetic word was likewise given to the exiles, that they too would be delivered and restored. The phrase "His holy word" is specifically used of the prophetic word to the exiles in Jer. 23:9.

Psalm 105:43

He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen with singing-

See on :6. The allusion is to the songs of Moses and Miriam after the Red Sea deliverance. The song of Moses could have been sung again at the deliverance of the exiles. But it wasn't; and so the prophecy and the promise is recalculated and reapplied to the deliverance of the last days (Rev. 15:3).

Psalm 105:44

He gave them the lands of the nations. They took the labour of the peoples in possession-

The scale of the potential for the exiles was huge. The tiny Jewish minority, one of many minorities within the Babylonian / Persian empires, could have not only had their own capital city restored, but also have received all the lands within the eretz promised to Abraham. Likewise the potentials offered in the Gospel of the Kingdom are enormous; but most prefer to be satisfied with the things of this life, as the exiles were with life in Babylon.

Psalm 105:45

that they might keep His statutes, and observe His laws. Praise Yah!-

This forms an inclusio with the opening invitation to the Gentile peoples to praise Yah in :1,2. This was what Israel were intended to do, and the Gentiles were being asked to join repentant Israel in a new multiethnic people of God.

Psalm 106

Psalm 106:1

Praise Yahweh! Give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good, for His grace endures forever-

The previous Psalm 105 has asked God to restore the exiles, to come through for them, because this is what He has done for His people in the past. But there has been no acceptance of grace, of their sinfulness, or of the consequence for sin. This Psalm presents a different picture of Israel's history; it is of their sinfulness, and God's radical grace. And the Psalm asks God to continue that grace. There is still not the total confession of sin which we see in Daniel's prayer (Dan. 9) nor in Ezra's (Ezra 9). But there is an acceptance of their sinfulness and God's grace, and the final appeal for an "Amen" is asking the audience to accept this and to ask for it to continue. "His grace endures forever" is a way of effectively asking for that grace towards sinners to continue to the exiles.

Psalm 106:2

Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh, or fully declare all His praise?-

The psalmist utters forth the mighty acts of God in this Psalm with the preface enquiring as to who can adequately do this. And then proceeds to do just that. He did so with a clear recognition of his own inadequacy. The Psalms of praise are full of this theme. The mighty acts which will be listed are those of radical forgiveness.

Psalm 106:3

Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is the one who does what is right-

David so often parallels righteousness and justice / truth (Ps. 9:8; 33:5; 37:6; 72:2; 94:15; 99:7; 103:6; 106:3). Indeed, this parallel is so common in God's word. What it means is that the righteousness of God is a just righteousness. It's not fake, 'I'll turn a blind eye'. It is true, real, valid, and has integrity underpinned in the very essential justice of God Himself. Justice and righteousness may appear abstract ideas, mere theology. But the result is that the person who believes God's righteousness is imputed to him or her... will feel this, they will know it to be true, they can by grace, in faith, quietly hold their head up before God. And David after Bathsheba is our example. He believed and felt this imputed righteousness. It's not so much a case of 'forgiving ourselves' after God has forgiven us, but rather of being swamped by this very real and legitimate sense that truly, we have been counted righteous. And Paul in Romans holds up David after Bathsheba as the personal example to " every one who is Godly" in their time of spiritual need. See on Ps. 41:12.

At all times-

Consistency is most important in spiritual life rather than occasional flashes of devotion and obedience.

Psalm 106:4

Remember me, Yahweh, with the grace that You show to Your people; visit me with Your salvation-

The psalmist, originally David but rewritten by someone else at the time of the exile (perhaps Jeremiah, Ezra or Daniel), confesses that he too on a personal level needs the grace which he is going to celebrate. And he looks personally for salvation from a Divine 'visitation'. Perhaps he perceived that salvation from Babylon in the restored Kingdom could have been eternal; potentially. But the preconditions weren't met. But that may well have been his legitimate hope.

Psalm 106:5

that I may see the prosperity of Your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance-

David was clearly the "chosen one... My servant" (Ps. 89:3), but these very terms are applied to Israel as a whole (Ps. 105:6,43; 106:5) and to the "servant" of later Isaiah, who refers to both Israel and their Messiah as their embodiment (Is. 42:1; 45:4). David's path of sin, repentance and restoration was intended to be that of all God's people, as he himself recognizes in Ps. 32. But the exiles refused to repent and therefore their restoration was precluded. They were not therefore treated as His "chosen one". The Psalmist’s desire for salvation wasn’t merely because he or she wanted to live eternally. There was a desire to see all God’s people glorying in salvation. Salvation is made possible in that God’s people as a whole have been redeemed; there is such a thing as spiritual selfishness, desiring the Kingdom merely for what it means to us. But if we have the perspective of God’s glory, we will desire the coming of salvation because all of us will be glorified. Hence Paul could say that the joy he would have in the Kingdom would be related to his joy that his brethren were also there (1 Thess. 2:19).

Why do I want to be in the Kingdom? What makes this the dominant desire which we will surely receive? David asked to be given “thy salvation… that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation” (AV). Paul likewise says that to see the Thessalonians in the Kingdom would be his glory and joy in that day. Both those men had a perspective far bigger than merely themselves. If our sole desire to ‘be there’ is so that I will live for ever, I will have a nice level of existence… this, it seems to me, is not only essentially selfish, but our basic dysfunction and tendency to devaluing of ourselves just will not allow us to have the receipt of personal eternity as our dominant desire. We’ll be interested in it, but it won’t consistently be the thing we desire above all else. But if we see the wider picture, then we will pray for the Kingdom to come so that the things of God’s Name may be glorified; because we want to see our dear brethren there in the Kingdom; because we will want to share our Lord’s joy and their joy. These things are more than the primitive desire for self-preservation which we all have, and which we can articulate in terms of wanting to personally be in the Kingdom. Thus if our motives are right for wanting to be in the Kingdom, then this will become our dominant desire; and we will be granted the desires of our heart. Really we will be. God’s word promises this.

David saw his sufferings as being bound up with those of Israel; those who hated him hated Zion, those who blessed him blessed Zion, and God's salvation of Israel was being expressed through God's deliverance of him in the daily vicissitudes of life; as God had chosen Zion, so He had David His servant; David's joy was Zion's joy, and her exaltation would be David's  (Ps. 51:18; 69:35; 87:2; 106:5; 121:3,4; 125:1; 128:5; 146:10; 149:2). This is how we are to make sense of suffering- by understanding that it plays a role in the salvation of others, and is part of a wider nexus of Divine operation. We suffer so that we may be able to minister the comfort we receive to others (2 Cor. 1:4). Job likewise came to realize that his sufferings were not so much for his personal maturing, but for the teaching and salvation of the friends.

Psalm 106:6

We have sinned with our fathers-

Continuing the thought of :5, the Psalmist felt that he personally was somehow involved in the sin of God’s people (“we have sinned”); Ezra and Daniel prayed and felt likewise at the time of the exile. We aren’t called to smug self righteousness, avoiding guilt by association; but rather the opposite. We are to feel a personal involvement in the failures and successes of God’s people as a whole.

For Paul, his joy and crown would be to see his brethren accepted into God's Kingdom at judgment day. David had the same spirit when he wrote of how he longed to "see the prosperity of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance" (Ps. 106:5). His personal vision of God's Kingdom involved seeing others there; there's no hint of spiritual selfishness in David. And he goes straight on to comment: "We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity... our fathers understood not..." (Ps. 106:6). David felt himself very much at one with the community of God's children, both in their failures and in their ultimate hope. Life with God simply can't be lived in isolation from the rest of His people. Our salvation in that sense has a collective aspect to it, and if we want 'out' with the community of believers in this life, then we're really voting ourselves out of their future glory.

We have committed iniquity- The word used by David about his sin (Ps. 38:6). David's repentance and restoration was to be their pattern.

We have done wickedly- This is s.w. Ps. 18:21, where earlier David had  boasted that "I have not wickedly departed from my God". "Wickedly departed" is the word usually translated "condemn" (e.g. Ps. 37:33). Those who depart from God condemn themselves. This is a major Biblical theme; that the condemned are more self-condemned rather than condemned by God. "We make the answer now". But now later David was to realize that he too had wickedly departed from God, and confession of that was vital for salvation.

Psalm 106:7

Our fathers didn’t understand Your wonders in Egypt. They didn’t remember the multitude of Your graces, but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea-

Even at the very moment of their salvation they were rebellious. God didn’t save them because they had reached a certain level of righteousness, let alone "understanding", but because of His grace; see on :12. The Red Sea crossing represents our baptism (1 Cor. 10:1,2); God has saved us by His grace, not because of our righteousness.

Because of the high degree of God manifestation in Moses, he was so severely punished for not sanctifying Yahweh in the eyes of Israel in his sin of smiting the rock. Israel provoking his spirit to sin at this time is spoken of in the context of the way in which they provoked God’s spirit (Ps. 106:7,29,33,43) - such was God’s manifestation in Moses even while he was sinning. And so God is manifest in sinful men like us too. Moses knew this, he knew his closeness to God through manifestation, and yet he yearned to see God physically, he struggled with his distance from God (Ex. 33:18,20). The spirit of Christ in the Psalms is similar. And for us too.

Psalm 106:8

Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make His mighty power known-

Salvation for His Name's sake is the same as saying that He saved them by grace (:1). Grace is the quintessence of the Yahweh Name. The "mighty power" that was made known was not so much His physical, material ability to divide waters- but His grace and salvation of the unworthy (:7).

Psalm 106:9

He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so He led them through the depths, as through a desert-

As noted on :1, this is being cited in the context of exemplifying God's saving grace to the unworthy. He saved those who didn't "understand", who doubted right at the shores of the Red Sea (:7). But all the same He led them through the Red Sea, which was made as dry as the desert they would now be led through further. And God likewise can save even without full faith and "understanding" at the time of our baptism (1 Cor. 10:1,2); if subsequently we believe in and cling to His saving program for us.

Psalm 106:10

He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy-

Saving and redeeming are the words brought together elsewhere only in the context of God's desire to be the "saviour and redeemer" of the exiles through His offer of restoration (Is. 49:26; 60:16; 63:9). The redemption of a misunderstanding and disbelieving people of God from Egypt could have been the pattern for the salvation and redemption of the exiles from Babylon. Deliverance from the hand of haters is an idea commonly used by David about his salvation from Saul (Ps. 18:17,40 and often). This early Psalm of David has been reworked, under Divine inspiration, to be relevant to the exiles.

Psalm 106:11

The waters covered their adversaries, there was not one of them left-

The destruction of the Egyptians is cited here as an example of God's grace to Israel (see on Ps. 106:1), and it is likewise used in Ps. 136:15. One take on the situation is that God foreknew that if He had not killed those Egyptians, they would have killed the Israelites.

Psalm 106:12

Then they believed His words, they sang His praise-

All these examples from Israel's history are to exemplify God's absolute saving grace. They only "believed His words" after they had been saved through their Red Sea baptism (1 Cor. 10:1,2). And so it can be in the Christian experience. This also explains why the New Testament speaks of us being baptized, by God through the Spirit. Grammatically, baptism is something done to us (1 Cor. 12:13). This has its basis in how Israel were baptized into Moses by God (1 Cor. 10:1,2). This is not to say that we should not first believe and then be baptized. But nearly every honest Christian would surely accept that our understanding and faith was weak at that point, and we were led by God's Spirit (or "providence", if you prefer) to the waters of baptism. We were saved as were Israel, but it is for us to believe it afterwards. See on :7,22.

Psalm 106:13

They soon forgot His works, they didn’t wait for His word-

This seems to describe Israel's rebellions in language relevant to Saul, as if he represented them (1 Sam. 13:8). This Psalm likely started as one of David's, but was rewritten under Divine inspiration as relevant to the exiles. The impression is of haste: "They made haste, they forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel" (LXX). God's word is not revealed to us all in one go; His will is revealed in response to our patient response to what we currently understand of His will. And Israel ought to have perceived that God by grace had saved them. But they forgot that grace, and panicked when things didn't appear to work out, and turned away from Him rather than remembering His grace. And that was the lesson for the exiles.

Psalm 106:14

but gave in to their craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland-

God had provided them with manna; but they craved flesh, meat; the same term is used in Num. 11:4. This is the phrase only elsewhere used for Israel's coveting of meat in the wilderness (Num. 11:4), but it is used once more, in Prov. 21:26. This explains that the reason for their lust was because they were lazy (Prov. 21:25). They ought to have instead thought of what they could give, rather than lusting for what they could additionally get. This generous attitude is the antidote to lust.

Psalm 106:15

He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul-

If we fulfil our fleshly craving, we will become internally and spiritually hungry. Giving in to our cravings isn’t the way to happiness. But the way God gave them their request is cited here as an example of God's grace to Israel; for that is the theme of this Psalm. The idea is repeated with the same words in Is. 10:16: "Therefore shall the Lord... send among His fat ones leanness". Again we see the intended parallels between Israel in dispersion and Israel in the wilderness.

Psalm 106:16

They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron, Yahweh’s saint-

Aaron was a "saint" in that he was a chosen one, separated unto God's purpose. But the rebels were unprepared to accept God's choice of saviours; and yet His saving purpose still continued with them, despite punishing the rebels (:17). And this was the simple lesson for the exiles, and for us all as we despair of our own weakness.

Psalm 106:17

The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram-

We note that "Korah" isn't mentioned here, although the rebellion was by Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Perhaps this was because the "sons of Korah" survived and were zealous in the temple service. Num. 16:32; 26:10 stress that the "earth opened" (s.w.) and swallowed up Korah and his followers. The pointed omission of "Korah" here is perhaps to point out God's grace in working through Korah's descendants. And again, this was the message the exiles needed to grasp; their fathers had sinned, they were in captivity, but they needed to follow the pattern of the sons of Korah.

Psalm 106:18

A fire was kindled in their company, the flame burned up the wicked-

The intention of this Psalm, as explained on :1, is to chronicle God's grace to a very sinful Israel. The "fire kindled" is the term used of the burning bush which was not consumed (Ex. 3:2), just as mount Sinai was kindled with fire but not consumed (especially stressed in Deuteronomy; Dt. 4:11; 5:23; 9;15). The idea is that although all Israel had sinned, only some of them were consumed, but the people as a whole were not consumed. The exiles would walk through kindled fire and not be consumed (s.w. Is. 43:2). God's purposes with His people would stand, even though the "fire was kindled" in the Babylon invasion (Jer. 4:4; Lam. 2:3 s.w.), but they would be saved out of condemnation and not be consumed as a nation.

Psalm 106:19

They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped a molten image-

We have just read of the fire kindled in God's wrath against His people. But they kindled that fire themselves (Is. 9:18; Hos 7:6), and used it to produce a molten image. Israel were to make no images in worship, because the God they worshipped was real, existing in an actual material form in heaven. They were to make no image of Him because they were to believe He was for real, before their very eyes if they had perceptive eyes of faith. And they were to realize that their own bodies were in His image.

Psalm 106:20

Thus they exchanged their glory for an image of a bull that eats grass-

"Their glory" refers to God. It was unthinkable that a nation changed their gods; they only did so when conquered by other nations who forced them to do so. This was the awful sin of Israel, in exchanging Yahweh for idols (Jer. 2:11). They of course didn't see it as "exchange", but rather worshipping Yahweh through worshipping other idols; or worshipping Him as well as idols. This is the kind of temptation we face all the time; but here it is condemned as "exchanging" Yahweh for idols.

There is good reason to believe that Romans 1 is a description of Israel in the wilderness; notice the past tenses there. Rom. 1:23 charges them with changing "the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like... to four-footed beasts, and creeping things", clearly alluding to Ps. 106:20 concerning how Israel in the wilderness "Changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass" by making the golden calf. The effective atheism of Rom. 1 is matched by Ps. 106:21 "They forgat God their saviour". The long catalogue of Israel's wilderness sins in Ps. 106 is similar to that in Rom.1. "Full of envy" (Rom. 1:29) corresponds to them envying Moses (Ps. 106:16), "whisperers" (Rom. 1:29) to "murmurers" (Ps. 106:25), and "inventors of evil things" (Rom. 1:30) to God being angered with "their inventions" of false gods (Ps. 106:29). Because of this "God gave them up" to continue in their sexual perversion and bitterness with each other even to the extent of murder (Rom. 1:27,29). A rabble of about 2 million people living in moral anarchy with little law and order, driven on in their lust by the knowledge that God had rejected them is surely a frightening thing to imagine. The emphasis on sexual sin in Rom.1 is paralleled by 1 Cor. 10 stressing the frequent failure of Israel in the wilderness in this regard. Against such an evil and God forsaking background that young generation rebelled, to become one of the most faithful groups of Israelites in their history. As such they set a glorious example to the youth of today in rebelling against a world that mocks any form of true spirituality.

“Likeness” in Rom. 1:23 is used in the LXX in the frequent warnings not to make an image or likeness of any god, let alone Yahweh (Ex. 20:4; Dt. 4:16-25; Ps. 106:20; Is. 40:18,19). The reason for this prohibition becomes clearer in the New Testament; the ultimate likeness of God is in His Son, and we are to create the likeness of His Son not as a mere physical icon, but within the very structure of our human personality and character.

Psalm 106:21

They forgot God their Saviour who had done great things in Egypt-

As discussed on Ps. 71:19, the "great / wondrous things" performed by God were His forgiveness and salvation of a condemned sinner like David. This is described in Ps. 71:19 as God doing "great things", the phrase used of the great things worked in visible miracles in Egypt (Ps. 106:21) and at creation (Ps. 136:7). But the forgiveness of people like David is no less a great miracle. Such great things are done because of His mercy / grace (Ps. 136:4).

Psalm 106:22

wondrous works in the land of Ham-

Mizraim or Egypt was the descendant of Ham (Gen. 10:6; Ps. 105:23,27; 106:22). There may be an allusion to Khem, one of the main Egyptian gods. For the purpose of all the plagues was to demonstrate that Yahweh was the only God, and the Egyptian gods had no real existence.

And awesome things by the Red Sea-

The awesome thing done "by" and not "in" the Red Sea was that there on the shores of the Sea, Israel's faith collapsed. They did not understand nor "believe His words" (:7,12). And yet God saved them by grace. That was the wonderful work and awesome thing done by God which should be praised and remembered by us.

Psalm 106:23

Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, so that He wouldn’t destroy them-

Here again is God's extreme grace. His intention to destroy Israel and make a new nation from Moses was changed; indeed His intended destruction of Aaron and Israel was turned away by Moses more than once (Dt. 9:8,14,19,20,25). Such is His radical sensitivity, reflecting a love for His people which is beyond words to describe. The very "chosen" Moses whom the people had argued was not chosen (:16,17) was allowed to save those people who had rejected him. This clearly looks forward to the saving work of the Lord Jesus. Jeremiah likewise had stood before Yahweh "to turn away His wrath" (s.w. Jer. 18:20); but the sin of the exiles was apparently even worse than that of Israel. For the wrath came upon the people and they were sent to Babylon. But in another sense, Jeremiah's intercession was heard; for they were not 'destroyed' completely. They could be restored. Daniel likewise prayed for the turning away of God's wrath (s.w. Dan. 9:16); and the answer was in the seventy sevens prophecy. Ultimately, God would not destroy His people but restore them, although in His own way and in His own time. Which was not exactly as the exiles had hoped. The exiles had broken the covenant and were therefore to be destroyed (s.w. Dt. 28:20,24). But God was again open to changing His stated purpose and saving them. It was all grace upon grace.

Psalm 106:24

Yes, they despised the pleasant land. They didn’t believe His word-

The word they disbelieved was the word of grace to Moses, that He would not destroy them as He had earlier stated (see on :23). But God had promised that although Israel despised the offer of the land, a "pleasant land" in that it could have been God's Kingdom on earth, yet even in their exile in the Gentile lands they preferred to His land, He would not "despise" them (s.w. Lev. 26:44).

In the end, God gives us our dominant desire. Israel in the wilderness didn’t really desire the land, so they didn’t receive it. It was no "pleasant" to them, the 'land of desire' (AVmg.). Israel both despised the land, and they despised their God (Num. 14:11,23,31 RV). Our attitude as to whether or not we want to be in the Kingdom is essentially our attitude to God. This has far reaching implications. Ps. 107:30 likewise speaks of how the faithful are brought to the haven of their desire (RVmg.). All those who truly love the Lord’s appearing- with all that implies in practical life and belief- will be accepted (2 Tim. 4:8). And yet Israel didn’t have the dominant desire to be in the Kingdom, as Joshua and Caleb had. Why didn’t they? It is vital that we understand the reasons for their failure – such an understanding will be a safeguard to help prevent us from making the same mistake (Rom.15:4).

Psalm 106:25

but murmured in their tents, and didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice-

In the face of God's amazing grace to them in not destroying them (see on :23), Israel muttered and murmured about the immediate problems of their lives. This obscured the wonderful voice of Yahweh assuring them of His saving grace. And so it is to this day.

Psalm 106:26

Therefore He swore to them that He would overthrow them in the wilderness-

But He didn't, because Moses interceded. An almighty God who swears but doesn't carry it out... is a God of amazing grace.

Psalm 106:27

that He would overthrow their seed among the nations, and scatter them in the gentile lands-

This suggests that Israel's scattering in Gentile lands had been threatened at the time of the murmuring of :25; for the Psalm is chronologically going through Israel's history. This isn't recorded in the records; because by grace God changed from that purpose at the time, because of Moses' intercession. But Israel are now reminded that in fact their scattering amongst the Gentiles, which was then currently ongoing, had been a judgment pronounced right back in the wilderness; and had not been carried out because of the amazing patience of God.

Psalm 106:28

They joined themselves also to Baal Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead-

To join oneself is the language of marriage. To eat sacrifice was a sign of fellowship with the god at whose table you were eating. And by doing these things they were effectively breaking their covenant relationship with Yahweh. But despite that, He still worked to save them and to preserve them nationally as His people. His grace is the more amazing, because He disregarded even their breaking of covenant with Him- because He was and is so passionate to save.

Psalm 106:29

Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds. The plague broke in on them-

It could be argued that this too reflects God's grace. The threatened judgment was complete destruction of the entire nation (:26), but in reality the judgment was a plague which destroyed a relatively small number of them.

Psalm 106:30

Then Phinehas stood up, and executed judgment, so the plague was stopped-

The grace of this was in that the plague was stopped, as it was at the time of the earlier rebellion (Num. 16:48,50 cp. Num. 25:8); when it had been in God's intention to totally destroy the entire people (:26). But as Paul brings out in Rom. 1-8, that grace was all the same articulated through justice / judgment being done.

Psalm 106:31

That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come-

The grace of this was in that righteousness was counted to Phinehas. For none are righteous in their own strength; as Paul explains in Romans, it is credited to us by grace through faith. But how was it eternally credited to him? For descendants aren't counted righteous just because of their ancestors. The implication would therefore be that this imputed righteousness meant that he would therefore not die eternally; but he resurrected to life eternal. And this again is nothing but pure grace.

Psalm 106:32

They angered Him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled for their sakes-

In Dt. 9:18 Moses says that his prayer of Ex. 32:32 was heard- in that he was not going to enter the land, but they would. Hence his urging of them to go ahead and enter the land- to experience what his self-sacrifice had enabled. In this we see the economy of God, and how He works even through sin. On account of Moses’ temporary rashness of speech, he was excluded- and yet by this, his prayer was heard. He was temporarily blotted out of the book, so that they might enter. Moses’ fleeting requests to enter the land must be read as a flagging from the height of devotion he reached, rather like the Lord’s request to escape the cross in Gethsemane. But ultimately he did what he intended- he gave his place in the Kingdom / land so that they might enter [although of course he will be in the future Kingdom]. This is why Moses stresses on the last day of his life that he wouldn’t enter the land for Israel’s sake (Dt. 1:37; 3:26; 4:21). He saw that his sin had been worked through, and the essential reason for him not entering was because of the offer he had made. It “went ill with him for their sakes” (AV). So here again, even in sin and failure, was to be found grace in the way God used it. See on Ex. 32:32.

Psalm 106:33

because they were rebellious against His spirit, he spoke rashly with his lips-

Moses was willing to give his physical and eternal life for Israel's salvation (Ex. 32:32). In a sense, his desire was heard. Because of the sin of a moment, caused by the provocation of the people he loved, God decreed that he could not enter the land of promise. For their sakes he was barred from the land; this is the  emphasis of the Spirit (Dt. 1:37; 3:26; 4:21); and Ps. 106:32,33 says that Moses was provoked to sin because Israel angered God, and that therefore "it went ill with Moses for their sakes". Truly, God by grace works through sinful man to achieve His glory. Thus Moses says that he must die “Because ye [plural] trespassed against me” (Dt. 32:51). This all helps explain why the Lord Jesus Christ had to die, apart from the fact that He was mortal. He died the death of a sinner for our salvation, He felt all the emotions of the rejected, the full weight of God's curse; for "cursed is every one that hangs on a tree" in crucifixion (Gal. 3:13). Moses is a superb and accurate type of the Lord Jesus. Therefore Moses in his time of dying must grant us insight into the death of our Lord, the prophet like him (Dt. 18:18).

Psalm 106:34

They didn’t destroy the peoples as Yahweh commanded them-

Moses ‘prophesied’ that Ephraim would “push the people [Gentile inhabitants of the land] together to the ends of the earth / land” (Dt. 33:17). And yet Hos. 7:8 cp. Ps. 106:34-36 criticize Ephraim for failing to push the people out of the land. Moses’ prophecies about the tribes sound like predictions; but they were actually commands which those tribes had the freewill to obey or not. Despite the promise of the Kingdom, Israel didn't use that potential. And now at this point they were in exile amongst the Gentiles, because they had actually liked those peoples and chose their idols.

Psalm 106:35

but mixed themselves with the nations, and learned their works-

And the exiles had done just the same, and even at the restoration they likewise "mingled" with the nations through intermarriage (s.w. Ezra 9:2). Israel simply refused to learn from their history. "Learned their works" refers to their eager learning the ways of idolatry (:36); these are the "works" of :39.

Psalm 106:36

They served their idols, which became a snare to them-

In fulfilment of the warning of Ex. 23:33. Idolatry itself leads to further failure- as part of a downward spiral. The figure of a snare suggests they were led to the point of being caught and slain by the snare. The idea of riches being a snare (1 Tim. 6:9) connects with copious OT references to idols as Israel's perpetual snare (Ex. 23:33; Dt. 7:16; Jud. 2:3; 8:27; Ps. 106:36; Hos. 5:1). Paul's point is surely that the desire of wealth is the equivalent of OT idolatry.

Psalm 106:37

Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons-

I noted on :36 that the figure of a snare suggests the idols killed them; and here we have this developed, in that they literally killed their children in the name of idols. Demons refer to idols (:36). Demons or idols have no real existence (1 Cor. 8:4; 10:20). Therefore when we read of demons being cast out in the Gospel records, this is the language of the day used for healing various illnesses rather than any evidence that demons actually exist.

Psalm 106:38

They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood-

But they continued doing so, and it was for shedding innocent blood like this that they went into captivity (s.w. Jer. 2:34; 19:4). And the impenitent exiles did the same in their persecution and murder of the restoration prophets (Is. 59:7). Again the point is being made that despite hardening themselves against the voice of history, God still had a willingness to try to work with them towards repentance.

Psalm 106:39

Thus were they defiled with their works, and prostituted themselves in their deeds-

The "works" are the idolatry of :35; the "works" of the Gentiles (:35) had become "their own works" (:39 AV). They had fully adopted the Gentile ways as their very own. They were thus unfaithful to Yahweh who was their husband; they were morally and sexually defiled and therefore liable to be stoned to death, burnt or at least divorced. These were the Mosaic law options for a husband whose wife was unfaithful or a prostitute. But the grace of it all is that like Hosea with Gomer (representing God and Israel), they were not destroyed as a people. God as it were broke His own law by seeking to have them back even after the great divorce.

Psalm 106:40

Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against His people-

This is the burning anger which arises from the abuse of love; it was their prostitution which made God so furious (:39). But truly "the wrath of God is the love of God", as Emil Brunner observed. The extent of His anger was a reflection of the extent of His love for them which had been so abused. The kindling of Yahweh's anger begins a series of allusions to the book of Judges, here to Jud. 2:14,20 etc.

He abhorred His inheritance-

There is a mutuality between God and man. God and His Kingdom are our inheritance (Ps. 78:55); but we are His inheritance. A man's inheritance was the essence of Himself, all He had in the world. And this is how we are to Him.

Psalm 106:41

He gave them into the hand of the nations. Those who hated them ruled over them-

"Into the hand of..." is the term repeatedly used in the Judges record (Jud. 3:10,12,31; 4:2; 6:1; 10:7-18; 13:1). Even the restored exiles were still "ruled over" by the "nations" (s.w. Neh. 9:37). The restoration wasn't the degree of restoration of the Kingdom of God and His people which the restoration prophecies had presented as potentially possible.

Psalm 106:42

Their enemies also oppressed them-

"Oppressed" is a common word in the record of the Judges (s.w. Jud. 1:34; 2:18; 4:3; 6:9; 10:12).

They were brought into subjection under their hand-

This again continues the allusion to the situation in the book of Judges (Jud. 4:3,6-11; 10:8). The grace of it all is that time and again they were saved by Yahweh's "saviours", the judges, who looked ahead to Yehoshua, 'Yah's salvation', in the Lord Jesus. But the raising up of these saviours was by grace alone.

Psalm 106:43

Many times He delivered them-

The grace of it all was that each time, God said 'this is the last time', and Israel responded later 'Yes, but please, just this once, have mercy on us just once more'. And this went on many times. Each time God showed them special grace.

But they were rebellious in their ways, and were brought low in their iniquity-

Flesh must be humbled- either we do it now, we humble ourselves that we may be exalted in due time; or it will have to be done to us through the terror of rejection. Time and again ‘bringing low’ or ‘humiliation’ is the result of condemnation (Dt. 28:43; 2 Chron. 28:19; Job 40:12; Ps. 106:43).

Psalm 106:44

Nevertheless He regarded their distress, when He heard their cry-

See on :43. Their lack of penitence was overlooked because God was simply so sensitive to the distress of His wayward people. This was the grace of it all.

Psalm 106:45

He remembered for them His covenant, and relented according to the multitude of His graces-

Israel kept their Passovers throughout the wilderness years, one would assume- but they never remembered the day that God brought them out of Egypt (Ps. 78:42)- although notice how although Israel didn't remember God, yet He remembered them in His grace (Ps. 106:7, 45). We can read of the cross, speak of it, memorialize it as Israel did the exodus through the Passover ritual; and yet totally fail to realize the powerful imperatives which abound in its’ message. God's covenant is here demonstrated to be unilateral, from Him to man, by grace. The covenant in view is that with Abraham made in Gen. 15, which featured God making unilateral promises whilst Abraham was incapacitated and unable to do anything in response. Neither was there any clause added making it conditional upon his obedience. This is in sharp contrast with the law of Moses, the old covenant. Jeremiah, Zechariah and Ezekiel all make the point to the exiles that they had broken the old covenant, and therefore they could only be saved by reaffirming their part in the new covenant. For it was this covenant which is rightly paralleled here with the multitude of God's great grace, "graces" being an intensive plural for His great grace.

Psalm 106:46

He made them also to be pitied by all those who carried them captive-

The book of Esther reveals the relative popularity and success of the Jews in Babylon / Persia. The descriptions of the exiles as captives groaning in a prison house must therefore be understood in spiritual terms. For the exiles were not under physical abuse. But they failed to realize their awful spiritual environment, and therefore spurned the opportunity for deliverance from it; and that is the reason so many reject the message of God's Kingdom today. The exiles particularly were shown "pity" by the powers of their day, allowing them to return to Zion and rebuild it (s.w. Neh. 1:11 "mercy"). This "pity" or "mercy before them that lead you captive" was specifically predicated upon their repentance (s.w. 2 Chron. 30:9). But they didn't repent; and yet they were shown this mercy / pity. That was the grace of it all. This "pity" was the pity of God who would according to that pity / mercy regather them (s.w. Is. 54:7; Zech. 1:16). He showed them that pity despite their impenitence; and yet most of them preferred to spurn it by remaining in exile.

Psalm 106:47

Save us, Yahweh, our God, gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise!-

These last two verses are quoting from David's Psalm of thanksgiving when the ark was brought to Zion (1 Chron. 16:35,36). But the inspired Psalmist in Ps. 106:47 makes a slight change because he was using this Psalm in the context of the exiles wanting to be restored: "Gather us together and deliver us from the nations" is changed to "Gather us from among the nations". The ark was lost; it was the Jews themselves who were to come to Zion. The exile brought them to realize that the box called "the ark" was mere religion; the essence of it was that the dwelling place of God was no longer a box of acacia wood, but God's own repentant people.

Psalm 106:48

Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting! Let all the people say, Amen. Praise Yah!-

This psalm has been a prayer of confession of sin. The people are asked to say "Amen!" to it all, recognizing their sinfulness as a people and as individuals; and yet with the confession, to also praise God for His abiding grace to His people. As noted on :47, this is a slightly adapted quotation from David's Psalm of praise when the ark was brought to Zion. The people were asked to understand that their return to Zion was to be like the return of the ark after a period in Gentile captivity. The dwelling place of God was no longer to be over a box of acacia wood, but over God's own repentant people.

Psalm 107

Psalm 107:1

Book V-

Although this begins a new book, this Psalm appears to follow on from Ps. 106, which concludes with the exiled psalmist thanking God in the past tense for having delivered His people from exile. But we must understand that this doesn't mean that this is a Psalm of praise once the exiles had returned; for Ps. 106 is an appeal for God's grace to be shown in restoring the exiles. What is yet future is spoken of as having happened; it is a statement of faith in the deliverance which the faithful believe will happen. Ps. 107 is similar; it praises God in the past tense for the deliverance and reestablishment of His Kingdom in Judah which the [few] faithful exiles were praying and hoping for, in accordance with the restoration prophecies. And those prophecies are often alluded to in this Psalm.

Give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good, for His grace endures forever-

His eternal grace is the theme of Ps. 106:45. Psalm 107 continues the praise of this grace, and on that basis, expresses confidence that the restored Kingdom would indeed come about. People are invited to thank God for it as if it has happened- as an expression of faith in the final fulfilment of the restoration prophecies.

Psalm 107:2

Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so-

This is appealing to the restoration prophecies about the exiles being redeemed from captivity and returning to Zion (Is. 62:12; 35:9,10; 51:10,11; 63:4).

Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary-

Just as God had historically redeemed His people from "trouble", so He would from the "adversary" of Babylon / Persia (s.w. :6). But the problem was that the exiles were comfortable in their exile, as the book of Esther demonstrates; and didn't perceive their environment as their "adversary".

Psalm 107:3

and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south-

This was what had been prayed for in Ps. 106:47, and was according to the restoration prophecies (Jer. 32:37; Ez. 20:34 etc.). The tragedy was that the exiles didn't want to return. The ten tribes assimilated into the lands of their exile, and the peoples of Judah preferred to stay where they were, for the most part. Only a small percentage of the Jewish exiles returned. The regathering from all points of the compass also didn't really happen; these things have been reinterpreted and reapplied, so that they will come true in essence but not in literal detail. The clear fulfilment is in the gathering of willing Gentile converts from all points of the compass to the spiritual Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem.

Psalm 107:4

They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way, they found no city to live in-

The idea is that as God's people were preserved through the wilderness journey, so would the exiles be. But most didn't even start the journey. And so these things have been reapplied and reinterpreted. Therefore the LXX of this phrase is quoted about the Christian believers in Heb. 13:14. We too are on a wilderness journey after our Red Sea baptism, and find no place we can call home in that journey. Our place of rest and settling down isn’t in this life, but in the Kingdom which is to come at Christ’s return. The implication could be that Israel wanted to settle in the wilderness. They didn’t want to return to Egypt (although they did at times), they didn’t really desire the unknown promised land… so, they wanted to just settle down there in the wilderness. And so it can be with us. We can be happy with the way to the Kingdom, it can be that the social aspect of the Christian life suites us… we are content with it, and yet it can be that for all that, we lack a real sense of direction towards the Kingdom. We are going some place. The Christian life is but a path leading towards an end, and the end destination is the Kingdom. If we believe surely that we will be there, we will live lives which reflect this sense of concrete direction and aim.

Perhaps we can infer from this that Israel in the wilderness initially wanted to return to Egypt, and yet it is also true that they sought for a city to live in whilst in the wilderness. They wanted to just stay there in the wilderness. They didn’t want to return to Egypt, they didn’t really desire the unknown promised land…so, they wanted to just settle there in the wilderness. And so it can be with us. We can be happy with the way to the Kingdom, it can be that the social aspect of the Christian life suites us… we are content with it, and yet it can be that for all that, we lack a real sense of direction towards the Kingdom. We are going some place. The Christian life is but a path leading towards an end, and the end destination is the Kingdom. If we believe surely that we will be there, we will live lives which reflect this sense of concrete direction and aim.

Psalm 107:5

Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them-

Israel in the wilderness were made to suffer hunger so that they would come to realize that man doesn't live by bread alone, but by the words of God which went forth to create manna for them (Dt. 8:3). Their soul "fainted" in that they refused to perceive this. And so it was with the complaints of the exiles. Their experiences were intended to bring them to God.

Psalm 107:6

Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble and He delivered them out of their distresses-

Just as God had historically redeemed His people from "trouble", so He would from the "adversary" of Babylon / Persia (s.w. :2). But the problem was that the exiles were comfortable in their exile, as the book of Esther demonstrates; and didn't perceive their environment as their "adversary".

Psalm 107:7

He led them also by a straight way, that they might go to a city to live in-

The same word as in :4; the "way" the Israelites were led through the desert after the exodus could have corresponded to how the exiles were led from Babylon back to Zion. But although God gave Israel a straight way, it took them 38 years of wandering. For they didn't use the potential He gave them. And so it was with the exiles, and with many attempted journeys towards God's Kingdom. Likewise Ezra prayed for a "straight way" from exile to Zion (s.w. Ezra 8:21). But although it was provided, few of the exiles wanted to even begin the way. Their journey from Babylon to Zion was "that they might go to a city to live in", as if Babylon was not in fact a city they could live in. But sadly, many of the exiles preferred it to Zion. "A straight way" is a phrase used more frequently of walking before God in a "right way" (1 Sam. 12:23 and very often). The "way" back to Zion was not just a physical journey, but a walking in God's ways. And the Biblical historians of the 'restoration' indicate that this was not the path which the returning exiles walked in. The intention was that the exiles would enter the new covenant and "be caused to walk in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble" (Jer. 31:9). But the exiles who returned did stumble (Mal. 2:8). The potential spiritual strength to keep them in the way was not used. Potentially, the cherubim which departed from Zion in Ezekiel's vision would have returned with "straight feet" (Ez. 1:7). The way back was plain and clear, with every blessing along it. But the exiles preferred Babylon. And so these things are reapplied to the new Israel, who are to walk in a straight way towards God's restored Kingdom (Heb. 12:13). See on :40.

Psalm 107:8

Let them praise Yahweh for His grace, for His wonderful works to the children of men!-

This was the intended picture of the joy of the returned, restored exiles. But they didn't perceive their sinfulness nor His grace, and so their praise was not at all so ecstatic as envisaged here. "His grace", His unending forgiveness and patient desire to save, was to be perceived as His greatest "work". This ultimately came to full articulation in the death of His Son.

Psalm 107:9

For He satisfies the longing soul, He fills the hungry soul with good-

"Satisfying... with good" quotes the restoration prophecy of Jer. 31:14 (s.w.). This Psalm is an expression of faith in the fulfilment of the restoration prophecies; but it was not yet fulfilled. Those "longing" for grace and true spiritual restoration (:8) would be given it. But finally this 'filling' was to be through the Lord Jesus. And therefore Mary quoted this verse about how she had been filled with good things (Lk. 1:53); but Zacharias quoted the next verse, :10, shortly afterwards (Lk. 1:79). Surely Mary had gotten him thinking in the same paths as she did. Our spirituality can influence others positively, consciously and unconsciously. This is why it’s important to mix in spiritual company.

Psalm 107:10

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron-

This alludes to how Joseph in Egypt was bound in iron (Ps. 105:18 s.w.), and Israel in Egypt are similarly described. The situation of the exiles in Babylon was not so physically awful. But they were expected to perceive that the opulence of Babylon was in fact "darkness and the shadow of death" (s.w. Is. 9:2; Jer. 13:16). Because they didn't perceive that, the good news of exodus and deliverance from that wasn't so attractive to them. And so it is with people today. See on :14.

Psalm 107:11

because they rebelled against the words of God, and condemned the counsel of the Most High-

This is one of a number of Biblical verses which suggest that we as it were stand in judgment upon God when we encounter His word. He overcomes every claim that His word is untrue and therefore He is condemned (Rom. 3:4). That we mere humans should judge God the judge of all is an arresting concept; but this is what we are in effect doing when we consider His claims, His promises of saving us which are throughout His word.

The "most high God" could suggest that they believed in many gods, but in their desperate moments, recognized Yahweh as the "most high" of them all. And this was why they ultimately rebelled against Yahweh's words, probably a reference specifically to the words of the covenant. Let us remember that Israel carried the tabernacle of their god Remphan through the desert as well as that of Yahweh.

Psalm 107:12

Therefore He brought down their heart with labour, they fell down-

"Fell down" is the word translated "feeble": "There was not one feeble person among His tribes" (Ps. 105:37), but prior to this the Israelites had indeed been "feeble" before their Egyptian captors (s.w. Ps. 107:12). This means that the feeble were made strong; and this was exactly the promise to the exiles, that they who were "feeble" in Babylonian exile would be strengthened so that they could  leave Babylon and be restored to the land (s.w. Is. 35:3). The word for "feeble" is often translated "cast down" and is used of how Judah had been at the time of their exile into Babylon (Jer. 6:21; 8:12; 18:15; Lam. 1:14; Hos. 5:5 and often). But they would be led out of Babylon in a straight way and without stumbling / being feeble (s.w. Jer. 31:9); the "feeble" would be strengthened (Zech. 12:8 s.w.). Yet when they returned to the land, they were "feeble" (s.w. Neh. 4:10 "decayed"; Mal. 2:8 "stumbled"). The potential strengthening wasn't used by them.

And there was none to help-

"None to help" is the phrase used in prophecy of the Lord's crucifixion in Ps. 22:11 "Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none else to help". The same words are used for how Israel and the exiles were under persecution with none to help apart from God (Lam. 1:7). The paradox was that God saved His people through the Lord Jesus exactly because they had "none to help" (Is. 63:5 s.w.). But He Himself had to go through that experience of having none to help (Ps. 22:11). Their salvation was achieved through His being their total representative.

Psalm 107:13

Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses-

Although the allusion may be to the Red Sea deliverance, the plural "distresses" suggests that this 'crying to Yahweh' occurred many times. And the identical phrase is a key phrase in the Judges record (Jud. 3:9,15; 6:6,7; 10:10). The Judges record has been alluded to in Ps. 106:40-42 as a parade example of God's saving grace to Israel. The grace of it all was that each time, God said 'this is the last time', and Israel responded later 'Yes, but please, just this once, have mercy on us just once more'. And this went on many times. Each time God showed them special grace. Time and again they were saved by Yahweh's "saviours", the judges, who looked ahead to Yehoshua, 'Yah's salvation', in the Lord Jesus. But the raising up of these saviours was by grace alone.

Psalm 107:14

He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke their bonds in sunder-

The deliverance from Egypt could have been replicated in deliverance from Babylon. But the difference was that the Jews were not being abused in Babylon; rather were they being ensnared by the soft life. And they didn't want to perceive that they were in a spiritual prison, despite its opulence in secular terms. Most of the exiles spurned this great salvation. And yet it will be fulfilled for God's new Israel in their redemption from death and the grave. "The land of darkness and the shadow of death" refers so often to the grave (Job 10:21). Egypt and Babylon were figuratively the land of death; but the prophecies of the deliverance of God's people from them will come ultimately true in our redemption from death through the resurrection of the body to eternal life in the restored Kingdom of God on earth.

Psalm 107:15

Let them praise Yahweh for His grace, for His wonderful works to the children of men!-

The salvation of Israel historically was by grace alone; for when they cried to Him in desperation, their faith and repentance was hardly very deep because they immediately returned to their own ways once they were rescued. And yet given this pattern of grace, the psalmist can confidently exhort Judah and the exiles to again pray and throw themselves upon this grace; but they must perceive it as grace, and make it real and permanent. His "wonderful works" were not so much in His material saving of them, but in the amazing grace He showed to them.

Psalm 107:16

For He has broken the gates of brass and cut through bars of iron-

This seems to allude to the famed gates and bars of Babylon, and is imagining the fulfilment of Is. 45:2. But Babylon didn't fall as potentially envisaged in the prophets; for Judah didn't repent, and Cyrus who was to break the gates didn't live up to his potential. Therefore the gates weren't broken or cut; a different scenario played out when the Medes took Babylon.

Psalm 107:17

Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience and because of their iniquities-

This is as close as we get to an admission of sin; a confession of iniquity, disobedience and foolishness, and an acceptance of the consequences ['affliction']. The "afflictions" of David are presented as a pattern for those of the exiles (Ps. 132:1). They too denied their sin initially and struggled to accept its consequences; but David's path of repentance and restoration was to be theirs. But for the most part they refused to follow this. LXX "He helped them out of the way of their iniquity" hints at the psychological help from the Holy Spirit which was available potentially, just as it is for the new Israel who wish to leave Babylon for Zion.

Psalm 107:18

Their soul abhors every kind of food, they draw near to the gates of death-

This seems to be one of a number of allusions to Job (here to Job 33:20), whose book would have been one of the early scriptures available to David and the psalmist who has used David's earlier psalm here. Drawing near to the gates of death was how David felt (Ps. 9:13; 88:3).

Psalm 107:19

Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, He saves them out of their distresses-

The cry to Yahweh is made at the point of death (:18). The exiles failed to perceive that they were facing spiritual death in Babylon. For they were popular and prosperous there, and were not at all at knife point as they had been in Egypt. And therefore they failed to cry to Yahweh for deliverance as they should have done.

Psalm 107:20

He sends His word and heals them, and delivers them from their graves-

This repeats the promise of the revived dry bones in Ez. 37; the exiles were to be as it were resurrected from their graves. This was the potential degree of revival possible for the exiles. It was prefigured in the "word" sent to Hezekiah to heal him of his sickness (2 Kings 20:4; Is. 38:4).

Psalm 107:21

Let them praise Yahweh for His grace, for His wonderful works to the children of men!-

The exiles are bidden praise God ahead of time for His grace, as if it had already been experienced. This is the essence of faith, to see things from God's perspective, believing and feeling at the point of asking that we receive what we have requested (Mk. 11:24).

Psalm 107:22

Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with singing-

This Psalm may well have been used in the temple services, and at this point there was an invitation to the community to join in the singing. The exiles had no temple, priesthood or altar; they are being invited to understand that the essence of sacrifice is not the blood of animals, but the words and thoughts of God's people.

Psalm 107:23

Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters-

The Psalm envisages God's prophetic word of restoration as coming gloriously true, and the thanksgiving offered was to be as sailors might thank their God after a deliverance from certain death in a storm. The allusion is to the restoration prophecy of Is. 42:10, which the psalmist praises as if it has been fulfilled. The "great" or "many waters" (AV) refer to the many nations, who for all their apparent power were to be stilled by God in a moment to prepare the way for His restored Kingdom.

Psalm 107:24

these see Yahweh’s works, and His wonders in the deep-

Just as God did wonders in "the deep" of the Red Sea, so He in fact had done upon "many waters" (:23 AV). See on :23. "The deep" refers to the literal bottom of the sea. The waves of the surface water were imagined to be caused by monsters of evil who were in the "depths" of the sea. The sea was seen as mysterious and the abode of the forces of evil. These ideas are deconstructed here. God is all powerful; there is no 'Satan' being which is a source of radical evil, outside of God's control. Even if such things were believed in, Yahweh was able to do His wonders in the very lair of these supposed beings.

Psalm 107:25

For He commands, and raises the stormy wind which lifts up its waves-

The storm waves arise not because of any monster of evil, but at God's command. The Hebrew words for "wind" and "spirit" are the same; and God makes His Angels winds / spirits (Ps. 104:4). The seas represent the nations, from whom the exiles had been saved. Their storm against God's people had been raised up at God's command, operationalized through the Angels.

Psalm 107:26

They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts away because of trouble-

The salvation of Jonah in a similar storm represented that of the exiles, if they were willing to perceive it. But the exiles didn't want to accept that the opulence of Babylon was in fact a storm amongst the seas of nations which was driving them to cry to Yahweh for deliverance (:27). The deliverance of the disciples from storms was clearly a fulfilment of this kind of language about danger at sea, desperate cries to God, and then sudden calm. But the significance of the connection is that the exiles had precluded the possibility of salvation from the "seas" of the Gentile world at their time; and so these things were reapplied to the Lord Jesus and His people.

Psalm 107:27

They reel back and forth and stagger like a drunken man, all their wisdom disappears-

Salvation from the storm of the Gentile seas was not by human wisdom. There was no way out from death in the storm. They were driven to a point where they had to cry to Yahweh (:28). But the exiles were not materially driven to such a point. God in His kindness and mercy to them in exile didn't allow them to be maltreated. And yet the result was that the desperate cry for deliverance wasn't elicited from the majority.

Psalm 107:28

Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble and He brings them out of their distress-

See on :27. This phrase is a refrain throughout the Psalm (:6,13,19,28).  God would have brought the exiles out of the spiritual distress of the captivity; but the majority preferred to remain, and the few who did return did so, it seems, motivated by what land and homes they could carve out for themselves. So this redemption from distress was spurned by the exiles, and is reapplied to the great salvation offered now in the Lord Jesus. The day of "distress" was that of their judgment for their sins by the Babylonian invasion (s.w. Zeph. 1:15). But God would bring them out of that consequence for sin. That was the psalmist's hope and confidence. But the tragedy was that the exiles didn't want to know.

Psalm 107:29

He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still-

This may mean that the ideal intention was that the nations where God's people were exiled would repent and also accept Yahweh. They would then be still and at peace with Him. But this didn't happen at the time as envisaged. Therefore the image of still seas after storm is used of how things shall finally be at the last day (Rev. 15:2).

Psalm 107:30

Then they are glad because it is calm, and so He brings them to their desired haven-

See on Ps. 106:24. The idea of God stilling a storm and getting terrified sailors immediately to their port clearly had fulfilment in how Christ stilled the storm on the lake of Galilee (Jn. 6:18-21). This doesn’t mean that He is God Himself, but rather that Old Testament statements about God were fulfilled in His Son, who manifested the Father to perfection. But the significance of the connection is that the exiles had precluded the possibility of salvation from the "seas" of the Gentile world at their time; and so these things were reapplied to the Lord Jesus and His people.

Psalm 107:31

Let them praise Yahweh for His grace, for His wonderful works for the children of men!-

This phrase is a refrain throughout the Psalm. See notes on :8,15,21,31.

Psalm 107:32

Let them exalt Him also in the gathering of the people, and praise Him in the seat of the elders-

Note the parallel between elders and the assembly / gathering of the general congregation. All alike were to be awed by God's grace. Likewise Acts 15:22 parallels the elders and the whole congregation: “The apostles and elders with the whole church” agreed a solution. It wasn’t a top down decision imposed upon the congregation. They all participated.

Psalm 107:33

He turns rivers into a desert, water springs into a thirsty ground-

This continues the allusions to the restoration prophecies. The restored Kingdom of God could have come at the restoration, complete with a Messiah figure. But it was precluded by the failures of the various potential Messiahs like Zerubbabel, and by the impenitence of the exiles.

Psalm 107:34

and a fruitful land into a salt waste because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it-

The envisaged restitution was to be a radical inversion of all things. It was Babylon which was to be turned into a salt waste. The prophecies of her fall speak of supernatural Divine judgment ruining the land surrounding Babylon, akin to the scale and nature of Sodom's destruction. But this didn't happen. Babylon didn't fall suddenly, as envisaged; the prophetic scenario was reapplied and recalculated to the fall of the latter day Babylon in Rev. 18, which alludes to all those prophecies of Babylon's fall which didn't come about as potentially possible at the time.

Ez. 47:11 likewise envisaged some places in the restored Zion as being still "a salt waste". But the exiles didn't rebuild Zion according to the commandments in Ez. 40-48 and so this didn't come about as it then could have done.

Psalm 107:35

He turns a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into water springs-

This kind of radical inversion of all things, socially and also in the natural creation, was to be the hallmark of the restored Kingdom of God. But the deserts weren't transformed when the exiles returned, and the restoration prophets record how they suffered terribly with drought, disease, pests, famine and poor harvests. What could have been just didn't come about- at that time. It has all been reinterpreted with reference to the restoration of the Kingdom of God at the return of the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 107:36

There He makes the hungry live, that they may prepare a city to live in-

The picture of the returned exiles arriving hungry but preparing Zion their city, with the waste areas made miraculously fertile (:35), enjoying great harvests and mushrooming livestock (:37,38) just didn't happen. They returned in weak faith, seeking only their own personal advantage, and therefore they suffered terribly with drought, disease, pests, famine and poor harvests. And most didn't want to "prepare a city", to rebuild Zion; they were prepared to leave it broken down whilst they built their own houses and farmsteads, as Haggai laments.

Psalm 107:37

sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase-

The psalmist was rejoicing in faith the restoration prophecies which spoke of these things (Is. 65:21; Jer. 31:5) would surely come true. But they didn't come true at the pathetically small 'restoration' which occurred. See on :36. The famine was so severe that the returned exiles had to mortgage their vineyards and fields just to get food to eat (Neh. 5:3-5).

Psalm 107:38

He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease-

The language of blessing and 'multiplying greatly' is all that of the promises to Abraham (Gen. 17:2,8). Those promises are the basis of the new covenant, which was offered to the exiles because they had broken the old covenant. But they refused the offer, and instead kept trying to keep parts of the old covenant. And so the exiles who returned didn't experience this great multiplication of blessing which was potentially possible. 'Multiplication' is repeatedly a theme of the restoration prophecies (Jer. 30:19; Ez. 36:11,29 etc.).

Psalm 107:39

Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow- "Bowed down" is the word used of how in repentance over Bathsheba, David was "bowed down greatly" (Ps. 38:6). The word can mean 'to humble'; and this is the required response to sin. David was representative of Israel in their sinfulness; they were intended to follow his path of penitence. If the exiles had done so, then they would have been restored as he was; but they didn't.

Psalm 107:40

He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste-

This is what could have happened to the leaders of Babylon. As it happened, the princes of Babylon were largely onside with the Medes when they took the city, and only Belshazzar was slain. They could have suffered the condemnation of Israel, wandering in the desert- in contrast to the way that the exiles potentially had been given a "straight" path back to Zion, and could have had a straight path through the wilderness to Canaan when they first left Egypt. See on :7. Condemnation is here pictured as wandering without a "way"; the condemnation of the wicked at the last day will likewise be a reflection of their aimless lives, for all their talk of career paths and milestones of achievement.

Psalm 107:41

Yet He lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock-

AV "maketh him families". The Israelites were likewise set in families when they left Egypt (Ps. 68:6). The allusion is to how Israel in Egypt were saved through uniting in family units around the Passover lamb. Those without families were set together with families, and were delivered as families. And God was willing to repeat the Exodus deliverance for the captives in Babylon / Persia. But just as people effectively spurn family life today, and dislike the discipline of life in a church family, so they will find the condemnation process to be so unbearably lonely.

Psalm 107:42

The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths-

The idiom of shutting the mouth could imply that they accept the rightness of God's ways and their wrongness. For the intention of the judgment upon Babylon was always ultimately that they should repent, and join with repentant Judah in forming a new multiethnic people of God in the land.

Psalm 107:43

Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things; they will reflect upon the graces of Yahweh-

This may be an intensive plural, for the great singular grace of Yahweh. Although the psalmist speaks in the past tense for what he believes will be the fulfilment of the restoration prophecies, he accepts that the fulfilment will be conditional upon perceiving God's grace and accepting it in faith. For the most part, the exiles didn't do this, and so the invitation was given to a new people of God.

Psalm 108

Psalm 108:1 A Song. A Psalm by David- Psalm 108 is very similar to Psalm 60, which is a prayer at the time of the war with Edom. There were some reverses in that campaign, lamented in Ps. 44,60. But here we have the song of final praise for the victory, although remembering the reverses suffered.

My heart is steadfast, God. I will sing and I will make music with my soul- Literally, 'made steadfast'. David had earlier understood that for the humble and righteous, God can "prepare their heart" (Ps. 10:17). This is evidence enough that God works directly upon the human heart and psychology, which He does today through the work of His Spirit upon the human spirit. For it is men who must prepare their heart in prayer and relationship toward God (s.w. 2 Chron.  12:14; Job 11:13; Ps. 7:9). But God can also do this for the humble. Hence David later asks God to create in him a 'prepared' heart (s.w. Ps. 51:10). And God heard; for the same phrase is used of how God 'prepared' or (AV) "fixed" / NEV 'made steadfast' his heart (Ps. 57:7; 108:1; 112:7). In allusion to this, Solomon was to later reflect that God can direct or 'prepare' (s.w.) the heart of man, even if he is thinking to direct his steps elsewhere (Prov.  16:9).

Psalm 108:2 Wake up, harp and lyre! I will wake up the dawn- Or as AV "I myself will awake early". The Psalms continually stress the importance of starting each day with the Lord; David gives the impression his heart was bursting with praise as he awoke, and he instinctively wanted to grab his harp and play and sing praise.

Psalm 108:3 I will give thanks to You, Yahweh, among the nations, I will sing praises to You among the peoples- How did David achieve his aim of praising Yahweh to the surrounding nations, as a means of witness to them of the God of Israel? Surely through his Psalms being distributed as popular music to them.

Psalm 108:4 For Your grace is great above the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies- The Psalm is praising God for the victorious campaign against Edom. But as noted on :1 and on the related Ps. 60:9, there had at times been reverses in the campaign, because Israel hadn't been obedient to the covenant. And so David recognizes that the overall victory had been by Divine grace. Grace / mercy and truth / faithfulness often refer to the Abrahamic covenant. He recognizes that victory over enemies was because of God's covenant faithfulness; even though at times they had broken that covenant.

Psalm 108:5 Be exalted, God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth- The earth / eretz promised to Abraham was still largely in the hand of non-Israelites who were not in covenant with Yahweh. David's desire was that through his music ministry (see on :3), all the eretz would lift up Israel's God as exalted. There is surely nobody else recorded in the Old Testament who had such passion to witness to the Gentiles and convert them.

Psalm 108:6 That Your beloved may be delivered, save with Your right hand, and answer us- The parallel is in Ps. 60:5, which has the same words, but concludes "and answer us".  "The beloved of Yahweh" was Israel nationally (s.w. Dt. 33:12; Jer. 11:15; 12:7). But it was also David personally; a Psalm about David's personal deliverance is extended to all Israel. David saw himself as representative of God's people. It could be that Solomon is in view also; for his original name was Jedidiah (2 Sam. 12:25), 'the beloved of Yahweh', referred to in that way by David in Ps. 45:1. Perhaps Solomon was involved in the battle against the Edomites and David is asking for his son to be preserved.

Psalm 108:7 God has spoken from His sanctuary: In triumph I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth- Presumably there was a direct Divine communication from the sanctuary, perhaps through the mouth of Nathan, encouraging Israel to continue in the Edom campaign despite the reverses experienced (see on Ps. 44, 60). The idea of 'division' and 'measuring' is 'possession' and inheritance (as Josh. 18:10). The idea therefore is that Israel is God's, and He had given it to Israel for inheritance; therefore those seeking to take it from them would be defeated. Perhaps Succoth and Shechem are mentioned because of their connections with Jacob, mentioned together in Gen. 33:17,18. As He had been with Jacob, despite allowing him to experience many setbacks and near defeats, so He would be with the later seed of Israel.

Psalm 108:8 Gilead is mine. Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is my helmet. Judah is my sceptre- The emphasis is that the land belongs to God, it "is Mine"; therefore those seeking to take it from God's people. would be defeated. Gilead and Manasseh represent the territory east of the Jordan; and Ephraim and Judah refer to the tribes west of the Jordan. The territories east of the Jordan just as much were God's as those to the west of it; for the Edomites were seeking to take firstly the Israelite territory east of the Jordan.

Psalm 108:9 Moab is my wash pot, I will toss my sandal on Edom, I will shout over Philistia- They were to become subservient to Yahweh. And that could imply that the hope was that they would accept Him as their God. For that was what conquered peoples usually did. David had earlier shouted in triumph over the Philistines when he slew Goliath; and that was to prepare him for this later victory. Circumstances repeat in our lives because they are under God's control.

Psalm 108:10 Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who has led me to Edom?- "Strong city" can mean the fortified, strengthened city under siege (2 Kings 25:2 s.w.). The reference may be to Sela or Petra, Edom's capital, which claimed to be fortified against any invader (Obadiah 3).

Psalm 108:11 Haven’t You rejected us, God? You don’t go forth, God, with our armies- The Psalm is clearly related to Ps. 44, which appears to be a comment upon a temporary set back and defeat during this campaign against Edom. But despite this, the Psalm glorifies how God had come through for His people, despite the temporary reverses. So this comment that God has rejected them would be looking back to how they once felt; for this Psalm is a victory song over Edom after defeating them as it is so similar to Ps. 60 (see on Ps. 60:1).

Psalm 108:12 Give us help against the enemy, for the help of man is vain- Perhaps a reference to some attempt to hire mercenaries to help them in the campaign against Edom.

Psalm 108:13 Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who will tread down our enemies- David sees in the victory against Edom a guarantee that God will give them victory against future adversaries. This could be argued to be over interpretation; because as noted on Ps. 60:9, Divine blessing was related to whether Israel kept the covenant or not. And David seems to fail to emphasize this conditional element in God's help, just as he downplayed it in his enthusiasm to see Solomon as the fulfilment of the promised Messianic seed. And this led to Solomon's arrogance and spiritual collapse.

Psalm 109

Psalm 109:1

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David-

The Psalm was apparently initially written about his persecution by Saul, but then expanded and reapplied to his experiences with Shimei and Ahithophel at the time of Absalom's rebellion.

God of my praise, don’t remain silent-

The apparent silence of God is the abiding struggle of every true believer. But David juxtaposes this struggle with the statement that he will always praise God. Regardless of our difficulties with the problem of evil and the apparent silence of God, He is still to be the object of our praise. The problem of evil and God's silence is in fact built in to our human experience to test and develop our love and trust in God.

Psalm 109:2

for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me. They have spoken to me with a lying tongue-

So many of the Psalms contain references to Saul's smear campaign against David (Ps. 27:12; 31:13 cp. 1 Sam. 26:19). This frequency of reference in itself indicates the weight with which this tragedy rested upon David's mind. It makes good homework to list all the lies Saul told David. But these words also apply to the lies told to David at the time of Absalom's rebellion, who for years prior to it had bad mouthed David to the men of Israel. Solomon repeatedly condemns "the mouth of the wicked" (Prov. 10:6,11,32; 11:11; 12:6; 15:28; 19:28). All he says is true enough, but he clearly enough has in view how his father David had condemned the supporters of Saul and Absalom as having "the mouth of the wicked" (Ps. 109:2). And these were the groups who were threatening his power and throne. Solomon presents himself by implication as having the mouth of the just / righteous. And yet we must note that David too had spoken multiple words of deceit in relation to the murder of Uriah. Indeed the phrase is used in Is. 53:9 as if the Lord Jesus was the only man who didn't have a "mouth of deceit". Solomon like David was in denial of the fact that we all sin with our mouths, as James makes clear in James 3:1-3.

Psalm 109:3

They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause-

The continued emphasis in David's psalms upon "without cause" surely reflects a self righteousness (Ps. 35:19; 69:4; 109:3; 119:161). For David's righteousness was only impressive relative to the wickedness of his enemies; before God, it was filthy rags. It was true that Saul persecuted David "without cause" (s.w. 1 Sam. 19:5), but the experience of "without cause" persecution can lead us to an inappropriate self-righteousness. This is what happened to Job, who also suffered "without cause" (s.w. Job 2:3), and had to be convicted of self-righteousness at the end of the story. And it seems this happened to David. David himself intended to shed blood "without cause" and was only saved from it by grace (s.w. 1 Sam. 25:31).

Reading through the book of Psalms in one or two sittings reveals that frequent and intense self-examination was a leading characteristic of David:, especially while on the run from Saul and Absalom; as if he began to pick up false guilt from how he was being treated, wondering if it was all in fact justified (Ps. 4:4; 7:3; 17:3; 18:20-24; 19:12; 26:1; 39:1; 59:3; 66:18; 77:6; 86:2; 101:2; 109:3; 139:23,24).

Psalm 109:4

In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer-

This clearly applies to David's love for Saul, refusing to kill him when he could have done, and lamenting over him as man mourns for his mother (Ps. 35:14). And likewise of his senseless love for Absalom. And yet again we could note that David speaks so much hatred for Saul in the Psalms; he is choosing to focus upon his own more positive side, rather than seeing that he too in the wider picture of human character and history had not always been so perfect. We recall his murder of his loyal friend Uriah.

Psalm 109:5

They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love-

See on :4. Whilst David's lament is understandable, he shows himself out of step with the spirit of the Lord Jesus, who taught that we should love and do good to others without expecting "good" in return from them, and indeed accepting they may continue to do evil to us (Lk. 6:33,34). But David has the natural expectation that those we do good to ought to be loyal to us in return, and certainly not hate us.

Psalm 109:6

Set a wicked man over him, let an adversary stand at his right hand-

The plural slanderers and adversaries now become focused upon a singular person. Possibly David is personifying them all as one person. Or if a specific individual is in view, it perhaps was in the first context Shimei as he cursed David as he fled from Absalom. But verse 8 is quoted in the New Testament about Judas. This is not to say that everything about Shimei in this Psalm is true of Judas, indeed the bitter feelings of David as expressed here do not seem appropriate to the saving sorrow which the Lord felt for Judas.

The contrast is with how Yahweh stands at the right hand of the righteous (:31), i.e. as his guide. A satan at the right hand is a similar situation to the description of the court of Heaven which we meet in Zechariah 3. I suggest that all human situations on earth are reflected in the court of Heaven, and vice versa. David wished that an Angel adversarial to Shimei would be actively involved in his life, and that Angel [a righteous one] would be represented by the actions of a "wicked man" on earth leading Shimei [or Judas] to destruction. So perhaps it was a Satan-Angel that stood at Judas' right hand (i. e. to influence him), confirming him in the way he had chosen to go, as God hardened Pharaoh's already hard heart. The question is, who was this individual on earth in the life of Shimei, and perhaps also of Judas? Perhaps it was the High Priest in the case of Judas.

The book of Job is frequently alluded to by David (see on :24); it was likely about the only scripture he had access to apart from the Pentateuch. So it is unsurprising that he should apparently hold the same idea of a Satan-Angel, under God's control, which we find in Job. That Angel represented and was manifest through adversaries on earth, who may themselves have been evil. Perhaps David thought in terms of a wicked man on earth, controlled by the Satan-Angel in Heaven.

Psalm 109:7

When he is judged, let him come forth guilty, let his prayer be turned into sin-

This is clearly wishing for the person in view to be condemned at the last day, and for God to consider this person's prayers as sin. David seems totally lacking in any desire for repentance and salvation for his enemies, but rather wishes their absolute condemnation from God.

Psalm 109:8

Let his days be few, let another take his office-

Although quoted about Judas, the initial application would have been to the likes of Saul, Ahithophel and Shimei. And on :19 I will suggest Joab may also be in view. Their "office" would have respectively been as king, chief adviser and head of Saul's herdsmen, and in Joab's case, head of the army. In the application to Saul, David's desire to see "another take his office" would have been a request for himself to be made king after Saul, as he had been promised.

Psalm 109:9

Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow-

A quotation from Ex. 22:24, of God's especial condemnation of those who abuse the stranger, the poor and weak. David feels he is in that situation whilst persecuted by Saul, often describing himself as a stranger and "poor and needy" (:16).

Psalm 109:10

may his children be wandering beggars, let them be sought from their ruins-

In the application to Saul, this would have included David's best friend Jonathan. He seems to have been far too quick in his wishing of the worst condemnation on his enemies. Perhaps he is using standard phrases of condemnation, without thinking of their implication. We can take a warning here; we can all use standard forms of cursing another, the implications of which we need to think through.

Psalm 109:11

Let the creditor seize all that he has, let strangers plunder the fruit of his labour-

The Mosaic law forbad the exercise of such usury (s.w. Ex. 22:25). But what is envisaged is a man in debt to Gentiles ("strangers", paralleled with "the creditor"). As noted on :10, this is perhaps a standard curse which David is appropriating perhaps without undue thought as to the implications (see on :10).

Psalm 109:12

Let there be nobody to extend kindness to him, neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children-

It is God who 'extends kindness', for the phrase is alone used of Him (Ps. 36:10; Jer. 31:3). David wishes this person to be outside the realm of God's grace; and we reflect why ever David felt the need to say this about anybody. Perhaps his grief over the deaths of Saul and Absalom was partly because he realized he had cursed them too deeply in prayers like this.

Psalm 109:13

Let his posterity be cut off, in the next generation may their name be blotted out-

As noted on :10, David is not thinking of the implications of this with regards to Saul. David does all he can to ensure that the name of Saul and Jonathan was not blotted out, showing extraordinary grace to their descendants. Perhaps he did this aware that such prayers as this had been going far too far.

Psalm 109:14

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by Yahweh, don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out-

"Blotted out" is the word David used when begging for his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah to be blotted out: "And blot out all of my iniquities" (Ps. 51:9). We note with concern that in this Psalm written apparently after this time concerning the time of Absalom's rebellion, David asks that the sins of his enemies not be blotted out. Again we wonder as to whether David maintained an awareness of the enormity of God's grace to him.

Psalm 109:15

Let them be before Yahweh continually, that He may cut off their memory from the earth-

Again we note that there is not a word of desire for the repentance and salvation of the person, but rather verse after verse expressing a desire for their eternal condemnation.

Psalm 109:16

because he didn’t remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them-

David had seen himself as "poor and needy" and broken hearted, needing grace after his sin with Bathsheba and its consequences (Ps. 40:17; 70:5; 86:1; 109:16,22), and also during his persecution by Saul. We noted on :9 that David felt himself to be the "poor and needy" who had been abused by Saul. He wished Solomon to likewise have pity on the "poor and needy" amongst the Gentiles, those who had likewise repented (Ps. 72:13). And David was especially desirous to himself see the "poor and needy" blessed and accepted as he had been (Ps. 82:3,4; 113:7). It is our personal experience of needing grace which leads us to have a heart for those like us, the poor and needy. Any other motivation will ultimately not abide. Solomon appears to glorify his mother Bathsheba for likewise pitying the poor and needy (Prov. 31:9,20). But we have to note that David had received grace when he was broken and needy, as a result of his sin with Bathsheba. But he doesn't want to reflect that to this adversary, who had likely been raised up by God (at least in the application to Ahithophel, Shimei and Absalom) as a consequence for his sin. We note too that Nathan had likened Uriah to a "poor man" abused by David (2 Sam. 12:1). But David here asks God to eternally condemn those who persecuted the "poor" (see on Ps. 109:9,16). And it seems Ps. 109 was used by David not only about his persecution at the time of Saul, but also of his sufferings at the time of Absalom's rebellion, after the time of his sin. So it seems David didn't maintain his sense of humility before Nathan.

Psalm 109:17

Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He didn’t delight in blessing, and so it was far from him-

This points towards Shimei, whose cursing of David at the time of Absalom's rebellion clearly hurt David very deeply. At the time, David forgave him. But he didn't maintain that intensity of forgiveness, because on his deathbed he asks Solomon to ensure Shimei even as an old man is slain because of it. His statement here that the cursing "came to him" may be a 'future perfect', stating the future as if it has already happened, as a way of stating intention. And David expressed this intention to Solomon to ensure Shimei was cursed with death for his cursing. We too struggle to maintain levels of forgiveness we grant to people, and we perceive how God's "frank" and permanent forgiveness (Lk. 7:42) is of an altogether higher quality and nature than our forgiveness.

Psalm 109:18

He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment; it came into his inward parts like water, like oil into his bones-

As noted on :17, David graciously overlooked Shimei's cursing, promising him that he would not die because of it (2 Sam. 16:10,11; 19:23). But he didn't keep up that level of grace to the end: he later asked Solomon to ensure that Shimei  was killed for that incident (1 Kings 2:8,9). And one wonders whether it was Shimei’s words which so broke David’s heart that he later wrote these words.

Psalm 109:19

Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself, like the belt that is always around him-

Whoever the individual is in view, he was known for always wearing the same belt. The only person in David's life whose belt is noted is Joab (2 Sam. 20:8; 1 Kings 2:5). See on :8. Perhaps this Psalm began with reference to Saul, but was reapplied to Ahithophel, Absalom, Shimei and then finally to Joab when Joab rose up against David. In the previous verses, David has himself wished cursing upon this person, but now he appears to try to justify it by saying that the person who has cursed him will simply receive his own curses.

Psalm 109:20

This is the reward of my adversaries from Yahweh, of those who speak evil against my soul-

David had himself spoken evil against innocent people (s.w. 1 Sam. 25:17). But David was so sensitive to words spoken against him that he breathes out the deepest condemnation upon those who had spoken them. Again we get the impression that David is not adequately aware of the huge grace he himself had received. Otherwise there would have been at least some desire for the repentance and salvation of his enemies. This is so markedly lacking in the Psalms of David. See on :21.

Psalm 109:21

But deal with me, Yahweh the Lord, for Your name’s sake; because Your grace is good, deliver me-

As noted on :20, David appears totally lacking in any grace toward his enemies; but he here and in :26 begs for grace to be shown to him, aware at least subconsciously of his own desperate need for deliverance / salvation by grace. He rightly perceives God's Name to be essentially "grace". The Name of Yahweh is essentially His characteristics (Ex. 34:5-7), and they are epitomized in "grace".

Psalm 109:22

for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me- See on :16, where David appeals to God's anger with those who abuse the "poor and needy" to condemn any who had not had pity upon him. He is acting just like Saul whom he condemns here, for he too breathed curses upon any who didn't feel sorry for him (1 Sam. 22:8).

Psalm 109:23

I fade away like an evening shadow, I am shaken off like a locust-

David's feelings at this time are also appropriate to Hezekiah, whose feelings were responded to by God by making the shadow of the sundial reverse. The same words are used in 2 Kings 20:10. The locust was an unclean animal, and this is how David felt.

Psalm 109:24

My knees are weak through fasting, my body is thin and lacks fat-

Here again is another indication that David has the book of Job in mind, for this is how Job describes himself. See on :6,25.

Psalm 109:25

I have also become a reproach to them; when they see me, they shake their head-

Again the allusions to Job continue (see on :6,24); this time to Job 16:4; 19:5; 20:3. The situation here seems more appropriate at this point to the plans of Absalom, Ahithophel, Shimei and Joab. For Saul rarely "saw" David at the time of his persecution of him.

Psalm 109:26

Help me, Yahweh, my God. Save me according to Your grace-

As noted on :20, David appears totally lacking in any grace toward his enemies; but he here and in :21 begs for grace to be shown to him, aware at least subconsciously of his own desperate need for deliverance / salvation by grace.

Psalm 109:27

that they may know that this is Your hand; that You, Yahweh, have done it-

Although David seeks for personal salvation by grace (:26), his motivation for that salvation was still not totally pure. For here he states that he wants that salvation in order to demonstrate that his sufferings were the result of God's hand rather than his own sins. Even though his sufferings at the hands of the likes of Joab, Ahithophel and Shimei were all the consequence of his own sins. But he so struggled with a sense of wrongful shame, when he ought to have finally accepted that his shame was a consequence of his sins regarding Uriah and Bathsheba.

Psalm 109:28

They may curse, but You bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but Your servant shall rejoice-

Frequently the rejected are threatened with both shame and anger / gnashing of teeth; shame and anger are going to be connected in that awful experience. They will "curse [in anger]... and be ashamed". The final shame of the rejected is going to be so great that "they shall be greatly ashamed... their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten" (Jer. 20:11). Seeing they will be long dead and gone, it is us, the accepted, who by God's grace will recall the terrible shame of the rejected throughout our eternity. "When they arise" would be a reference to resurrection. David clearly expected a future day of resurrection and judgment, when shame, cursing and blessing would all be ultimately and eternally articulated.

Psalm 109:29

Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonour, may they cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe-

Although David has wished condemnation upon his enemies, he likes to imagine that actually their condemnation and shame is a direct result of their own actions in this life. And this is true enough. They had clothed themselves with cursing in this life (:18), as Shimei had; and David sees this as related to their clothing themselves with shame at the last day (:28). And yet David seems remarkably uncritical of himself; for he himself is clothing himself with cursing against his enemies in this Psalm. And what if he were wrong? What if the likes of Joab are to be finally saved...?

Psalm 109:30

I will give great thanks to Yahweh with my mouth, truly I will praise Him among the multitude-

This is the same idea as often in the Psalms; David imagines himself surrounded by the "multitude" of the righteous, praising God at the last day (:28 "when they arise"), when the wicked are destroyed and he is finally justified (Ps. 22:22,25; 35:18; 40:10). We too can look forward to eternal salvation not simply on a personal level; but seeing our eternal place amongst the true people of God.

Psalm 109:31

For He will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul-

See on :6. David rightly perceives that there is a higher hand in human life, someone or something standing at our right hand. And he wishes this to be God's influence toward condemnation for his enemies, and God's influence toward salvation in his own case. This is the difference between the evil spirit from the Lord, and the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 110

Psalm 110:1

A Psalm by David-

There is a tendency amongst some personality types to turn every disagreement over interpretation of Scripture into a right : wrong, truth : error scenario. Matters relating to basic doctrine are capable of being dealt with like this. But to turn the interpretation of every Bible verse into a conflict area is a recipe for ecclesial disaster. So often the debate becomes personal, with a brother sure that he is right and the other wrong, and the other must be shown to be wrong. This leads inevitably to pride, and there is the possibility that the other party is degraded and feels abused by the other. We simply have to accept that much of Scripture is open to various levels of interpretation, which if placed side by side would appear to be contradictory. Consider, for example, how many different applications the NT gives to Psalms 2 and 110. Ps. 110 is quoted or alluded to multiple times; to prove the Lord Jesus is greater than David (Lk. 20:41-44), in heaven at God's right hand (Mk 12:36; 14:62), waiting until all enemies are put under His feet at His return (1 Cor. 15:25), yet also applied to His ascension and exaltation (Acts 2:34-36); it is used to prove the priesthood of the Lord Jesus, like that of the Levites, involved a call by God (Heb. 5:1-6); to prove the eternity of His priesthood (Heb. 6:20); and throughout Heb. 7 to prove that the priesthood of the Lord Jesus was greater than that of the Levites.

Yahweh says to my Lord, Sit at My right hand-

Biblically and historically, David’s immediate ‘Lord’ was Saul, but it could also have reference to Solomon and even to himself. Psalm 72 is a similar Psalm, imagining Solomon as the promised Messiah with a Messianic Kingdom. So Ps. 110 was originally a revelation to David of the potential possible for Solomon or Saul, who was an anointed ‘Messiah’ figure, expressed as a coronation ode. But Solomon and Saul failed, and so the fulfillment of the prophecy was rescheduled and reapplied to the Lord Jesus. And so the Lord Jesus uses this passages about Himself in Lk. 20:40-44: "David therefore calls him Lord, so, how is he his son?". Judaism’s concept of Messiah has always been vague and not commonly agreed, but there was and is the idea that the likes of Abraham, Moses and David are greater than Messiah. The Lord Jesus is pointing out that David considered Messiah to be his “Lord”, just as Messiah was greater than Abraham (Jn. 8:58). The “how” doesn’t imply that David’s Lord is not his son, but rather is a rhetorical question. How is the Messianic son of David, David’s “Lord”, to be his son or descendant? Mk. 12:37 says the Lord reinforced the question by asking “From whence is He his son?”. The answer had to be: ‘Through a woman in David’s direct line giving birth to Him’. And the questioners were fully aware that Jesus was in the direct line of David through Mary.

It seems that David became obsessed with the idea of Solomon being the Messiah, building a physical house for God, and being king over the eternal Messianic Kingdom. The words of Ps. 110:1 are applied by the NT to Jesus, but there is no reason to think that they were not primarily spoke by David with his eye on Solomon, whom he addresses as his Lord, such was his obsession: “The Lord saith unto my Lord…” (RV), and the rest of the Psalm goes on in the language of Ps. 72 to describe David’s hopes for Solomon’s Kingdom. ‘Solomon’ was actually called ‘Jedidiah’ by God through Nathan (2 Sam. 12:25). The ‘beloved of God’ was surely prophetic of God’s beloved Son. When God said “This is my beloved Son”, He was surely saying ‘Now this is the Jedidiah, whom I wanted Solomon to typify’. But David calls him Solomon, the man who would bring peace. I suggest that David was so eager to see in Solomon the actual Messiah, that he chose not to use the name which God wanted- which made Solomon a type of a future Son of God / Messiah. And this led to Solomon himself being obsessed with being a Messiah figure and losing sight of the future Messiah.

When he writes in Ps. 110 of how Yahweh said unto my Lord…he is quoting the very phrase used by Abigail years before, when they weren’t even married (1 Sam. 25:30). He was unconsciously alluding to the words of his wife before they were married, even years later. It is of course true that context plays a vital part in Biblical interpretation. But this can lead us to overlook the fact that many New Testament quotations of the Old Testament- many of those in the early chapters of Matthew, for example- are picking up words and phrases from one context and applying them to another.

Until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet-

The Lord’s enemies stood around Him as He applied this Psalm to Himself. And yet being at the footstool of the Lord doesn't have to mean being dominated by Him in judgment. It can refer to the great paradox whereby the Lord's enemies become His loyalest and most humble citizens, at His feet in submission, and thereby also at the Father's right hand of acceptance.

This is quoted in 1 Cor. 15:25 "For he must reign until He has put all his enemies under his feet". Having things and persons 'under the feet' doesn't necessarily mean they were to be killed or destroyed. It can mean simply submission before the one enthroned. "All things", a phrase often used for all God's people, are to be placed under the feet of the Lord Jesus (Ps. 8:6; Eph. 1:22; Heb. 2:8, which teach that it is the church who shall be under the Lord's feet. Rev. 12:8 may teach the same). I noted on Mt. 22:44 and Acts 2:35 that the making of the Lord's enemies His footstool means that they shall repentantly accept Him, rather than being destroyed by Him. "We were enemies" of God, but are now reconciled in grateful, humble submission (Rom. 5:10). This is the whole message of the preceding :24- that all things shall progressively be subjected under Christ's authority and Kingship, thereby becoming part of His Kingdom. To achieve this on a universal level, He shall have to come to earth and destroy those who refuse to submit. But the end in view is that the earth and all upon it shall be His Kingdom, under the dominion of His Kingship. And that process is to begin in the hearts of believers right now.

This is also quoted in Acts 2:35. The context is Peter's appeal for those who crucified the Lord to repent. They were His "enemies"; but once they became a footstool for His feet, then He would return. Therefore Peter appealed for their repentance, apparently understanding being 'a footstool for His feet' as meaning they would put themselves at His feet in obeisance. The Lord's footstool is the place where His worshippers come (Ps. 99:5; 132:7; Is. 66:1-3). The Father was willing to "make" His Son's enemies, those responsible for His death, into His worshippers. But they had to do their part, in repentance and acceptance of the activity of His Holy Spirit. Heb. 10:13 adds the detail that the Lord Jesus is eagerly looking for [AV "expecting"] His former enemies to become His footstool- and then He will return. This is why witness to Jewish people is so deeply significant in God's program.

Psalm 110:2

Yahweh will send forth the rod of your strength out of Zion-

This perhaps alludes to Hannah's words of 1 Sam. 2:10, where she expected that Samuel would be both a ruler and a priest, although he was not strictly a Levite: "He will give strength to His king and exalt the horn of His anointed". This all sets the scene for this new leader being presented as a king and non-Levitical priest (:4).

Rule in the midst of your enemies!-

This is the scenario of Ps. 2:6,9. Zion, the temple mount, was also to be the place of rulership. This sets up the expectation for a merger between king and priest, which comes to term in the declaration in :4 that this ruler would be after the order of Melchizedek, a king-priest. The language of ruling in the midst of enemies is that used of Solomon (s.w. 1 Kings 4:24; Ps. 72:8), which was the characteristic of Messiah (Num. 24:19). The "rod" suggests judgment (Is. 10:24,26).

Psalm 110:3

Your people offer themselves willingly in the day of your power, in holy attire-

People offering themselves willingly is the language of soldiers eager for battle in Jud. 5:2,9. But these willing soldiers are "in holy attire", they are priests. This again sets up the expectation that the leader as well as his followers are soldier-priests, priests who also have another function- as soldiers, in this case. See on :2,4.

Out of the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth-

David imagines Solomon as being reborn as he is enthroned as the Messianic king. The dew of youth would refer to the waters of birth which come from the womb, also seen in a figurative sense at the dawn of this new Messianic morning.

Psalm 110:4

Yahweh has sworn, and will not change His mind: You are a priest forever-

There was no 'change of the Divine mind' in the fact that Solomon didn't live up to his Messianic potential, as discussed throughout Ps. 72. The oath that would not be changed was made ultimately to the Lord Jesus. Here in Ps. 110, the coronation ode declares the king to be not only king, but also an eternal priest.

This is quoted in Heb. 5:6 "As also He said elsewhere: You are a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek". This spoken word of inauguration and appointment was likewise uttered in the "day" when the Lord was "begotten" in resurrection (Heb. 5:5). There is no evidence here for any personally pre-existent Christ. The Hebrew writer alludes to and subverts the defiant language of the Maccabees in repeatedly describing Christ as "priest for ever" (Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:3,17,21)- when this was the term applied to Simon Maccabaeus in 1 Macc. 14:41. See on Lk. 20:25. The nature of the priesthood was to be eternal; so although there were similarities with the Aaronic priests, the priesthood of Messiah was not identical with it. It was after the order of Melchizedek.

Sin brings death, so the eternal priest appointed by the word of God's oath in Ps. 110:4 had to be not only eternal but also sinless. There could therefore be no other candidate for this priest than the Lord Jesus.

In the order of Melchizedek-

The Lord Jesus is a King-priest after the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 6:13-18; Ps. 110:4); and through being in Him, we share this position. Through what He achieved for us on the cross, we have been made now king-priests, with the future hope of reigning on earth (Rev. 1:6; 5:10).

Hebrews 7 interprets this statement at great length; I have discussed it in more detail on Heb. 7, but here is a reduced version:

Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Jerusalem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him- There is no hint that Abraham and Melchizedek were personally acquainted before this meeting, although they both were servants of the true God. We might wonder why God didn't connect them earlier. In His wisdom He doesn't always force believers to regularly fellowship with each other, indeed He made Abraham travel all around Canaan rather than telling him to settle near Melchizedek and form some kind of ecclesia or community of believers. And clearly the implication is that Abraham maintained a legitimate relationship with God without needing to use a human priest, even one as good and exalted as Melchizedek. For more on Melchizedek, see on 5:10.

Hebrews 7:2 To whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all. He was first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also, King of Jerusalem, which is, King of peace- "King of righteousness" connects with Paul's appeal for the Hebrews to accept the word or Gospel of imputed righteousness in Christ; see on Heb. 5:13, remembering that here in chapter 7 Paul is picking up from Heb. 5:13 after the parenthesis of chapter 6. The connection between righteousness and peace is a feature of Messiah- in Him, they kiss each other (Ps. 85:10), and are the mainstay of the Messianic Kingdom on earth (Ps. 72:3; Is. 32:17; Rom. 14:17). Righteousness is emphasized before peace- "then also... king of peace". "The work of righteousness shall be peace" (Is. 32:17). But in Paul's theology, it is the righteousness of King Jesus which is imputed to us and thereby creates peace with God. This is the much laboured message of Romans 1-8. So we can understand his enthusiastic perception that Melchizedek, a type of Messiah, was king of righteousness "and then also... king of peace".

Hebrews 7:3 He was without recorded father or mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life but presented as being like the Son of God, abiding a priest continually- Without doubt God frames the Biblical record in order to highlight certain facts. Thus there is a marked lack of information concerning the father and mother of Melchizedek in Genesis. God is providing us with an interpretation of how He worded the account in Genesis, making the point that Melchizedek typified Christ. But although we are not to read Hebrews 7:3 at face value, there is no explicit indication to this effect. The objection that the New Testament does not warn us against reading the ‘casting out of demons’ language literally is therefore not valid. Hebrews 7:3 is one of many examples of where it is imperative to understand the way in which God is using language if we are to correctly understand His word, but there is no explicit warning about this in Hebrews 7:3!

Jesus has a Father (God) and a mother (Mary) and a genealogy (see Mt. 1, Lk. 3 and cp. Jn. 7:27). ‘Melchizedek’ therefore cannot refer to Him personally. Besides, Melchizedek was “made like unto the Son of God” (Heb. 7:3); he was not Jesus himself, but had certain similarities with Him which are being used by the writer for teaching purposes. “After the similitude of Melchizedek there arises another priest”, Jesus (Heb. 7:15), who was ordained a priest “after the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 5:5,6). The language of Hebrews about Melchizedek just cannot be taken literally. If Melchizedek literally had no father or mother, then the only person he could have been was God Himself; He is the only person with no beginning (1 Tim. 6:16; Ps. 90:2). But this is vetoed by Heb. 7:4: “Consider how great this man was”, and also by the fact that he was seen by men (which God cannot be) and offered sacrifices to God. If he is called a man, then he must have had literal parents. His being “without father, without mother, without descent” must therefore refer to the fact that his pedigree and parents are not recorded. Queen Esther’s parents are not recorded, and so her background is described in a similar way. Mordecai “brought up... Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother... whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter” (Esther 2:7). The author of Hebrews was clearly writing as a Jew to Jews, and as such he uses the Rabbinic way of reasoning and writing at times. There was a Rabbinic principle that "what is not in the text, is not" (See James Dunn, Christology In The Making (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1980) p. 276 note 59)- and it seems that this is the principle of exposition being used to arrive at the statement that Melchizedek was "without father". Seeing no father is mentioned in the Genesis text, therefore he was "without father"- but this doesn't mean he actually didn't have a father. It's not recorded, and therefore, according to that Rabbinic principle, he effectively didn't have one.

The book of Genesis usually goes to great lengths to introduce the family backgrounds of all the characters which it presents to us. But Melchizedek appears on the scene unannounced, with no record of his parents, and vanishes from the account with equal abruptness. Yet there can be no doubt that he was worthy of very great respect; even great Abraham paid tithes to him, and was blessed by him, clearly showing Melchizedek’s superiority over Abraham (Heb. 7:2,7). The writer is not just doing mental gymnastics with Scripture. There was a very real problem in the first century which the Melchizedek argument could solve. The Jews were reasoning: ‘You Christians tell us that this Jesus can now be our high priest, offering our prayers and works to God. But a priest has to have a known genealogy, proving he is from the tribe of Levi. And anyway, you yourselves admit Jesus was from the tribe of Judah (Heb. 7:14). Sorry, to us Abraham is our supreme leader and example (Jn. 8:33,39), and we won’t respect this Jesus’. To which the reply is: ‘But remember Melchizedek. The Genesis record is framed to show that such a great priest did not have any genealogy; and Messiah is to be both a king and a priest, whose priesthood is after the pattern of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6 cp. Ps. 110:4). Abraham was inferior to Melchizedek, so you should switch your emphasis from Abraham to Jesus, and stop trying to make the question of genealogies so important (see 1 Tim. 1:4). If you meditate on how much Melchizedek is a type of Jesus (i.e. the details of his life pointed forward to him), then you would have a greater understanding of the work of Christ’.

Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the spoils- Melchizedek was a man, not a pre-existent God. The argument is that tithes are given to someone greater. Hence Jacob offers to give tithes to his father's God if He will preserve him (Gen. 28:22).

Hebrews 7:5 And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest's office- Paul doesn't call them Aaronites because he wants to make the point that the tribal head, Levi, was not the ancestor of Melchizedek; and as one of the patriarchs, he as it were paid tithes in Abraham to Melchizedek.

Have the commandment according to the law to take tithes from the people, that is, of their brothers; even though they are also descendants of Abraham- Levi's sons could take tithes of their brothers, but this did not make them 'greater' than their brothers. They were 'brothers' on the same level as those who tithed to them. But payment of tithes to an unrelated person was a more impressive evidence of the greatness of that person over the tithe payers.

Hebrews 7:6 Melchizedek was not descended from Levi by genealogy- There is no evidence that he was even from within the Abraham family; he was effectively a Gentile, the king-priest of Jerusalem. But the fact he was not a Levite is emphasized because this was a reason some were giving for not accepting the priesthood of the Lord Jesus.

But he took tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had received the promises- The blessing was given from Melchizedek to Abraham in response to tithes. Yet Abraham is the one who was to be a blessing in the land, according to "the promises" received. But actually, the blesser had himself first to be blessed. This definitely places Melchizedek on the level of manifesting God to Abraham.

Hebrews 7:7 But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better- To suggest anyone was "better" than Abraham was radical for Hebrews, who considered Abraham the father of their race. And to rub the point in by saying that he was "less" was to suggest that the entire metanarrative of descent from Abraham being so important was being overwritten- and had in fact been overwritten by any sensitive to the brief details given about Melchizedek. That the ministry of the Lord Jesus was "better" than that of the Mosaic law is stressed in Hebrews (1:4; 7:19,22; 8:6; 9:23; 12:24).

Hebrews 7:8 And here mortal men receive tithes; but there one received them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives- The argument here might appear somewhat forced, but it was all legitimate within the style of Rabbinic midrash. Melchizedek "lives" in that there is no record of his death; we noted on :3 the Rabbinic principle that "what is not in the text, is not". And Paul goes on to reason that the priesthood of Melchizedek continues still, in that Messiah was to have this priesthood eternally. "That he lives" can also be understood as meaning that Melchizedek had a lifelong priesthood, that was not replaced by others because he had reached a certain age. McKnight observes that the Greek verb zē here is not in the present, but the imperfect of the indicative, and he translates "that he lives" as " lived, a priest all his life, in contradistinction from those who ceased to be priests at a certain age".

Hebrews 7:9 And, so to say, when Abraham paid the tithe, Levi, whose descendants receive the tithe, also paid a tithe- Abraham is seen as representing his descendant Levi. The Levitical priests did indeed pay a tithe of their tithes- to God. But Paul argues here that Levi, in Abraham, paid a tithe to Melchizedek, thus making him a manifestation of God.

Hebrews 7:10 For Levi was yet in the loins of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met Abraham- This kind of argument may appear forced, but it was quite legitimate within the milieu of Jewish midrash.

Hebrews 7:11 Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron?- The argument is that the whole mention of Messiah having a priesthood after the order of Melchizedek would have been unnecessary if the Levitical priesthood and legal system could bring "perfection". Paul forces through the logic of his position by reasoning that the "need" for the Melchizedek priesthood meant that this new priest must actually not be "after the order of Aaron" and therefore must not be a descendant of Aaron. I have previously noted that this kind of apparently forced argumentation would have been acceptable to those used to this kind of reasoning in the rabbinical interpretations of the Old Testament. But it is all the same logically forced, although from our Christian perspective it all makes good sense. I suggested on expounding Paul's obsession with the Jerusalem Poor Fund in 2 Corinthians that he had an obsessive streak within him, whereby he marshaled all possible evidence to support his positions and at points his logic and reasoning bears the hallmark of the obsessive. It could well be that we have a case of that here.

Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed requires also a change of the law- This verse is a stubborn problem for those who consider that the Mosaic law has not been changed nor abrogated. The reasoning here is logically sound, but it depends upon the assumption that the Melchizedek priest has in fact come; and only in that case could it be reasoned that the priesthood had been changed from the Aaronic to that of Melchizedek, this requiring a change of the law. The argument only had [and has] force for those who accept Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. It is therefore highly relevant to the Hebrew Christian audience but would lack logical power with Hebrew non-Christians.

The whole Law of Moses is described as an everlasting covenant (Is. 24:5; Dt. 29:29), but it has now been done away (Heb. 8:13). The feasts of Passover and Atonement were to be “an everlasting statute unto you” (Lev. 16:34; Ex. 12:14); but now the Mosaic feasts have been done away in Christ (Col. 2:14-17; 1 Cor. 5:7). The Levitical priesthood was “the covenant of an everlasting priesthood” (Ex. 40:15; Num. 25:13), but “the priesthood being changed (by Christ’s work), there is made of necessity a change also of the law” (Heb. 7:12). There was an “everlasting covenant” between God and Israel to display the shewbread in the Holy Place (Lev. 24:8). This “everlasting covenant” evidently ended when the Mosaic Law was dismantled. But the same phrase “everlasting covenant” is used in 2 Samuel 23:5 concerning how Christ will reign on David’s throne for literal eternity in the Kingdom. In what sense, then, is God using the word olahm, which is translated “eternal”, “perpetual”, “everlasting” in the Old Testament? James Strong defines olahm as literally meaning “the finishing point, time out of mind, i.e. practically eternity”. It was God’s purpose that the Law of Moses and the associated Sabbath law were to continue for many centuries. To the early Israelite, this meant a finishing point so far ahead that he couldn’t grapple with it; therefore he was told that the Law would last for ever in the sense of “practically eternity”. For all of us, the specter of ultimate infinity is impossible to intellectually grapple with. We may glibly talk about God’s eternity and timelessness, about the wonder of eternal life. But when we pause to really come to terms with these things, we lack the intellectual tools and linguistic paradigms to cope with it. Therefore there is no Hebrew or Greek word used in the Bible text to speak of absolute infinity. We know that death has been conquered for those in Christ, therefore we have the hope of immortal life in his Kingdom. But God speaks about eternity very much from a human viewpoint.

Hebrews 7:13 For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar- The "He" refers to the Melchizedek priest who was to be Messiah. "Has ever" makes the point that a new priesthood is now in view. The Lord Jesus serves at the altar; this is the altar at which the Levitical priests have no right to eat / fellowship, but we Christians do (Heb. 13:10), suggesting that we in Christ are likewise there, serving at and eating at the heavenly altar which features so strongly in Revelation, as part of the Heavenly sanctuary which the tabernacle was a dim reflection of. The Lord Jesus is actively 'serving' there; He is not passive in Heaven, just waiting to return to earth.

Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord originated from the tribe of Judah. Regarding this tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood- The Lord being descended from Judah was "evident" or obvious- presumably from the genealogies which connected Mary to the tribe of Judah. But again as noted on Hebrews 7:11, Paul's enthusiasm seems to be carrying him away, for it was far from obvious that Jesus of Nazareth was from Judah. However he may have meant instead that Messiah had to come from Judah; this much was indeed "evident" from the Old Testament and undisputed.

Hebrews 7:15 And what we say is even more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest- The abundantly obvious argument was that the Melchizedek priest had to be eternal (see Hebrews 7:16,17); and the only candidate was Jesus, whom Christians believed had been resurrected and given eternal life. He was the only person who had then been immortalized. But this argument again was logically powerful only to a Hebrew Christian, and not to a Hebrew non-Christian. The 'arising' of this 'other priest' may be a hint at His resurrection to immortality.

Hebrews 7:16 Who has been appointed, not on the basis of a law about physical descent, but according to the power of an endless life- The Levitical priests became priests by reason of their age and descent, whereas the Melchizedek Messiah priest had to be "appointed". The basis of the Lord's appointment was His immortality- because the priest had to have an eternal ministry, so it was necessary that he was immortal. And the only immortalized human was Jesus of Nazareth.

Hebrews 7:17 For it is witnessed: You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek- "For ever" is being interpreted as meaning that the priest would be immortal, making the resurrected, immortalized Jesus the only possible candidate. The 'witnessing' by God in Ps. 110:4 is understood as the priest being "appointed" (Hebrews 7:16).

Hebrews 7:18 On the other hand, there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness- This new priesthood required a new law; a changed priesthood meant a changed law (Hebrews 7:12). And this required an "annulling" of that law, and that was because it was weak and unprofitable. Such language appears to deprecate the law, although Paul elsewhere says that the law was "holy, just and good" (Rom. 7:12); it was weak and not profitable because it was unable to bring salvation or perfection to those under it. The strong language used here about the law of Moses must be given its full weight by those who argue that it should still be kept today.

Hebrews 7:19 (For the law made nothing perfect)- Likewise Hebrews 7:11 has argued that the Levitical priesthood had to be changed because it could not bring "perfection". The law convicted men of sin and offered some mechanism of patching up the broken relationship caused by it. But it did not enable moral perfection. By being in Christ, we can be counted as Him, the only perfect human. Faith in Christ could therefore make perfect in that the Lord Jesus was 'made perfect' by His sufferings, particularly on the cross (Hebrews 5:7-9).

And a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw near to God- By being counted as in Christ, having His perfection as ours due to our status in Him, we have the sure hope of future salvation. The elpis or hope in view is a solid expectation regarding the future, not a mere hoping for the best. And it is by having this hope that we find strength against materialism and "draw near to God". The Hebrew readership would have understood this as meaning 'drawing near in priestly service' (cp. Ex. 19:22). The Hope we have compels us to God's service.

Hebrews 7:20 And the Melchizedek priesthood was not without the taking of an oath- The oath taken was by God (Ps. 110:4), vowing by Himself to honour the eternally powerful priesthood of Messiah. Such Divine underwriting was not given to the Levitical priesthood.

Hebrews 7:21 The Levitical priests were made priests without an oath, but he with an oath: The Lord swore and will not change His mind; you are a priest for ever- The eternal nature of the Lord's Melchizedek priesthood is at the basis of the certainty of our hope for future salvation (Hebrews 7:19). God Almighty guarantees that the Lord Jesus will be our eternal priest. Our standing before Him is therefore eternal; we have such a priest who is not simply a mediator between God and men, a conduit allowing us to offer to Him and approach Him, but a priest who on His own agenda eternally secures our salvation.

Hebrews 7:22 By this also has Jesus become the surety of a better covenant- The sure hope of Hebrews 7:19 is underpinned by the way the Lord is the surety or guarantor of the better covenant. The Greek for "surety" occurs only here in the NT and LXX. The idea is of a guarantor who promises his self sacrifice in the case that the party to the covenant is unfaithful. It literally means 'the pledge of a limb'. The "surety" could offer his own limbs, or himself into bondage as a slave, if the person being guaranteed somehow failed. The Lord's death confirmed God's promises as being for real. But did God's side of the covenant need such a surety? Perhaps we are better to think of the Lord's being a surety as being a guarantee for our faithfulness to the covenant. But we have not been faithful to it; and so He died, gave His all, His limbs, and became the preeminent servant of Yahweh on the cross. This was to the end that the new covenant between God and us might still stand, despite our infraction of it.

Hebrews 7:23 And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing- The eternal priesthood required for the Messianic Melchizedek priest could not be attained by mortal priests.

Hebrews 7:24 But he, because he abides for ever, has his priesthood unchangeable- The eternal priesthood of the Melchizedek priest meant that His priesthood can never be changed. He has obtained eternal redemption for us, and that can never be liable to any renegotiation. Our hope for eternity is therefore sure (Hebrews 7:19) because the One who obtained it is immortal, and His work for us is in this sense eternal.

Psalm 110:5

The Lord is at your right hand-

The Lord now sits at the Father’s right hand. But Ps. 110 describes God as being at Christ’s right hand. The confusion of the idioms surely demonstrates the mutuality between them. And the relationship between Father and Son is openly offered to us in John 17.

He will crush kings-

This is the word used of the crushing of the kings in the eretz promised to Abraham which will happen at the hands of Messiah in the last day (Num. 24:8,17; Dt. 33:11). I noted on :3 the allusions to the destruction of the nations within the eretz at the tie of Deborah and Barak. And in line with that, we find the same word for "crush" used in Jud. 5:26 of how Jael crushed or pierced the head of Sisera. Hence :6 uses the same word of how the heads of all Yahweh's enemies would likewise be pierced or crushed. This was what Yahweh did to those in Canaan at the time when Israel first entered the land as a nation (Hab. 3:13). See on :7. These things will come to full term in the final "day of His wrath" at the return of the Lord Jesus.

In the day of His wrath-

The day of Yahweh's wrath is the last day, against the apostate in Israel (Dt. 31:17; Is. 13:9,13; Ez. 38:18 s.w.) as well as against the "kings" in the eretz promised to Abraham who were to be subsumed beneath the one Messianic king in Zion.

Psalm 110:6

He will judge among the nations, He will heap up dead bodies-

This is the judgment of the latter day of His wrath (:5). "The nations" in view are specifically those within the eretz promised to Abraham. The heaping up of dead bodies is the latter day scenario of Ez. 39, and we have noted allusions to Ez. 38 in this Psalm.

He will crush the ruler of the whole earth-

"Crush" is the word just used in :5 of how Jael pierced or crushed the head of Sisera, an image used for how all the kings in the land promised to Abraham were to be crushed by the Messianic ruler in the final "day of His wrath" (:5; see notes there). The implication is that there will be a singular "ruler of the whole earth", the eretz promised to Abraham; this is the antichrist figure which occurs in so many prophecies. He is the "man of sin" of 2 Thess. 2, the individual known as Gog who will be the head or rosh of the confederacy which overruns Israel (Ez. 38:2). I noted on :5 that the phrase "day of His wrath" is also used in Ez. 38:18. Here, "ruler" likewise translates rosh.

Psalm 110:7

He will drink of the brook in the way; therefore He will lift up His head-

The simple idea may be that the victorious but exhausted victor drinks from the brook, and lifts up his head in triumph. But we have seen on :3,5 the allusions to the victory of Jael, so Jael smiting off Sisera's head may be the basis of these words about lifting up or off the head. "Brook" translates the same word used of the "river" Kishon in the context of Deborah and Jael's victory (Jud. 4:7,13; 5:21). It also connects with David cutting off Goliath's head in an encounter full of echoes of the latter-day conflict between Christ and the surrounding nations. And again the word for "brook" is used in the context of that conflict (1 Sam. 17:40).

Psalm 111

Psalm 111:1

Praise Yah!-

Here we have another example of Psalms being paired, this time with Ps. 112. Both are alphabetic Psalms; both begin with "Hallelujah" and have twenty lines, divided into ten verses. It is part of the "Hallel Psalms" (Ps. 111-118), chants sung at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, which consist of Psalms 113-118.

I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart, in the council of the upright, and in the congregation-

David was very much involved in Israel his people. He saw himself as their representative. When he sung Psalms, he invited them to come and sing along with him (Ps. 105:2; 107:22; 111:1).

Psalm 111:2

Yahweh’s works are great, pondered by all those who delight in them-

As noted on :1, this is a Psalm used at the time of Passover, which was all about reflection upon Yahweh's saving works to His people in the past. But the "works" to be reflected upon are not so much the miraculous, physical nature of His work; but His righteousness (:3), grace (:4), faithfulness to His covenant (:5), justice (:7) and salvation of His wayward people (:9). These are all the characteristics of the Yahweh Name declared to Moses in Ex. 34:5-7. His Name is His "works" in history, which are to be repeated in the experience of all His people and supremely at the last day. See on :9; Ps. 112:4.

Psalm 111:3

His work is honour and majesty, His righteousness endures forever-

As noted on :2, the "work" in view is God's saving characteristics. His redemption (:9) of His wayward people was achieved by grace and mercy (:4) which were achieved all the same in justice and righteousness; and not by turning a blind eye to the sins of His people. Paul exults in this throughout Rom. 1-8; God's salvation of sinners by grace is achieved by the imputation of His eternal righteousness, and His righteousness and justice is not thereby minimized or bypassed, but rather exalted. "His righteousness endures forever" is alluded to in 2 Cor. 9:9- in the context of arguing that God's "righteousness" is shown in His generosity to others, which we should follow. This is His majestic work; see on :5.

Psalm 111:4

He has caused His wonderful works to be remembered; Yahweh is gracious and merciful-

As noted on :2, such grace and mercy are an integral part of the Yahweh Name. His works are memorialized, just as His Name is likewise for a memorial or remembrance. See on Ps. 112:6, where the righteous are eternally remembered- because they are identified with the Name of Yahweh, showing His characteristics.

Psalm 111:5

He has given food to those who fear Him-

As noted on :3, this passage is alluded to in 2 Cor. 9:9,10. God's gift of food is a reflection of His covenant relationship with His people to whom He gives food. This forms part of His eternal righteousness (:3); and Paul is telling the Corinthians that they ought to likewise be generous to those in the covenant who were lacking food. The immediate reference is to God's provision of food to the people in the wilderness, who were to then receive the promised land (:6); appropriate for a Passover Psalm (see on :1). And this is likewise used by Paul in the same section in appealing for generosity to those who lack the ability to go out and gather the manna (2 Cor. 8:15).

He is ever mindful of His covenant-

The covenant in view is that to Abraham, which promised eternal inheritance of the land. God is constantly thinking of that covenant and its implications; and so should we be.

Psalm 111:6

He has shown His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations-

This Passover Psalm (:1) was going to reflect appropriately on the way that after the Passover deliverance, God gave the people the lands of the nations, in Canaan. But this gift of God's Kingdom was by "His works" and not their own. Ps. 44:3 makes the same point, that the land was given to them not by their sword but by God's grace .

Psalm 111:7

The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure-

The Divine "works" in view are the gift of the Kingdom to His wayward people (:6). But this was done in absolute truth and justice. As noted on :3, Paul exults in this throughout Rom. 1-8; God's salvation of sinners by grace is achieved by the imputation of His eternal righteousness, and His righteousness and justice is not thereby minimized or bypassed, but rather exalted.

Psalm 111:8

they are established forever and ever. They are done in truth and uprightness-

The "precepts" in view which are eternal are those of the covenant with Abraham (see on :5), not the Mosaic law. As explained on :3,7, the gift of the Kingdom to the wayward Israelites  was achieved with absolute justice, and without God acting immorally or lacking in integrity.

Psalm 111:9

He has sent redemption to His people, He has ordained His covenant forever. His name is holy and awesome!-

As explained on :8, the eternal covenant in view is that with Abraham (Gen. 17:13), which promised eternal inheritance of the land. That redemption from Egypt (Ex. 6:6) and gift of the Kingdom to Israel was all an articulation of God's characteristics as memorialized in his Name; see on :2. The redemption promised and implied in the covenant with Abraham is ongoing to God's people of all generations (s.w. Ps. 130:7).

Psalm 111:10

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom-

Solomon repeats his father David's conclusion that wisdom begins with the fear of Yahweh (Ps. 111:10 = Prov. 1:7; 9:10). This statement is in sharp contrast with the accepted view of the times, that wisdom was held by the sages, and was accessible only by sitting at their feet. But this idea (and it is common enough today too) is subverted by this idea that wisdom begins in each individual heart being in fear of Yahweh- so that wisdom from Him can be personally experienced, taught directly through relationship with Him rather than sitting at the feet of a human sage. "Wisdom" is parallel with getting "a good understanding" by 'doing His work' or obeying His commandments (Ps. 111:10b). The work we are to do for God in obeying His ways is not simply a test of our obedience; it is designed to give us wisdom. Wisdom therefore comes from experience of obedience and relationship with God, rather than from picking up nuggets of 'truth' from human sages. The fear of God is therefore not so much referring to a fear of the consequence of our sins; but the fear or reverance expressed through keeping His commandments (see on Ps. 112:1).

All those who do His work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!-

This Psalm has stressed that salvation and the gift of the Kingdom to God's people is the result of God's work and not our own (see on :2,3,4,6,7). But the Psalm concludes with an invitation for us to participate in that work, to not to our own works towards salvation, but rather to "do His work".

Psalm 112

Psalm 112:1

Praise Yah!-

Here we have another example of Psalms being paired, this time with Ps. 111. Both are alphabetic Psalms; both begin with "Hallelujah" and have twenty lines, divided into ten verses. It is part of the "Hallel Psalms" (Ps. 111-118), chants sung at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, which consist of Psalms 113-118.

Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, who delights greatly in His commandments-

This appears to follow on from the conclusion of Ps. 111:10, speaking of the person obedient to Yahweh's commands. That Psalm has stressed God's faithfulness to His covenant, and I suggested the reference was to that with Abraham, the new covenant. Those promises speak of blessing, but that blessing was to come upon the person who fears Yahweh by delighting in His commandments. For they are the true seed of Abraham. The fear of God is therefore not so much referring to a fear of the consequence of our sins; but the fear or reverence expressed through keeping His commandments (see on Ps. 112:1).

Psalm 112:2

His seed will be mighty in the land, the generation of the upright will be blessed-

This continues the allusion to the promises to Abraham; his seed would eternally inherit the land, which was the blessing promised to Abraham. The "mighty in the land" or eretz promised to Abraham had been the likes of the "giants" of Gen. 6:4; Nimrod / Assyria (Gen. 10:8); Babylon (Gen. 46:12) and indeed all the Gentile nations of the eretz (Ez. 32:27); but the hope of the promises to Abraham was and is that "his seed will be mighty in the land" (Ps. 112:2). There is to be a radical inversion of all things upon the earth.

Psalm 112:3

Wealth and riches are in His house; His righteousness endures forever-

There is a purposeful ambiguity here, as to whether "his house... his righteousness" refers to God or to the seed of Abraham which is the immediate context in :2. This is because God's righteousness and generous distribution of His wealth is to be reflected in that of His children, the seed of Abraham. See on :9.

Psalm 112:4

Light dawns in the darkness for the upright, gracious, merciful, and righteous-

The rest of the Psalm appears to refer to the final judgment of the generous and gracious as opposed to the wicked. The light that dawns in darkness would therefore refer to the final day of resurrection, when the promises to Abraham's seed are finally and eternally fulfilled (:2). "Upright, gracious and merciful" are the characteristics of the Yahweh Name as proclaimed to Moses in Ex. 34:5-7. The righteous are therefore those who have manifested that Name in their own characters. The parallel Ps. 111:2-5,7,9 speak of these characteristics as being those of the Yahweh Name; but here they are applied to God's true people. In this lies the significance of our baptism into the Name; that righteousness is counted to us, and we are to live according to the status we have been given by grace through faith. Light arising in the darkness is the language of creation (Gen. 1:4 etc.); the resurrection will be the new creation without sin or the possibility of falling. Death is a departure from light to darkness (Job 18:18). Here we have the opposite, from darkness to light, implying resurrection at the last day (cp. Mic. 7:8).

Psalm 112:5

It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends; he will maintain his cause in judgment-

The need to be generous as God is generous and gracious is brought to a climax in :9. See on :2. As noted on :4, what is in view is the last judgment. Those who have been gracious will have their case upheld; what solely matters is that God's people have believed in His grace. But faith in that grace will naturally elicit a life of graciousness to others. This is not the same as teaching salvation by works. The Lord's parables likewise make it apparent that the judgment will consider how we have treated others. It is never presented as a theological examination. It is how we have articulated grace to others which is and shall ever be the all important issue.

Psalm 112:6

For he will never be shaken-

"He will never be shaken" is spoken in Ps. 112:6 in the context of the outcome of the final judgment. Being unmoved or never shaken is a major theme of the Psalms of David. Human beings naturally seek for stability, but look for it in the wrong places, imagining that their idols shall never be shaken (s.w. Is. 40:20; 41:7). It is only the receipt of eternal salvation at the last day which means we shall never be moved; that is the only ultimate stability (Ps. 62:2,6 s.w.). Their stability will be associated with that of God's eternal Kingdom to be centered upon Zion (s.w. Ps. 125:1). For in secular life under the sun, the righteous do suffer and their lives are "shaken". Solomon's statements that the righteous shall never be shaken / moved (Prov. 10:30; 12:3) are only ultimately true in this sense; but whether he spoke them with that understanding is debatable.

The righteous will be remembered forever-

Again, we clearly have the last judgment in view, when the righteous will be immortalized and remembered forever. The idea of remembrance or memorialization is appropriate to the Yahweh Name. In the parallel Ps. 111:4, it is the Name of Yahweh which is eternally remembered; here the righteous are eternally remembered- because they are identified with the Name of Yahweh, showing His characteristics. Which supremely are summarized in "grace"; see on :5.

Psalm 112:7

He will not be afraid of evil news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in Yahweh-

The stability of knowing that we shall be saved eternally means that we likewise can respond to "evil news" with a steadfast heart. The phrase "evil news" is only used elsewhere in Jer. 49:23 about the news of Divine condemnation and judgment. The fact some will be condemned at the last day will not shake our heart, because we trust in Yahweh's grace.

David had earlier understood that for the humble and righteous, God can "prepare their heart" (Ps. 10:17). This is evidence enough that God works directly upon the human heart and psychology, which He does today through the work of His Spirit upon the human spirit. For it is men who must prepare their heart in prayer and relationship toward God (s.w. 2 Chron. 12:14; Job 11:13; Ps. 7:9). But God can also do this for the humble. Hence David later asks God to create in him a 'prepared' heart (s.w. Ps. 51:10). And God heard; for the same phrase is used of how God 'prepared' or (AV) "fixed" / NEV 'made steadfast' his heart (Ps. 57:7; 108:1; 112:7). In allusion to this, Solomon was to later reflect that God can direct or 'prepare' (s.w.) the heart of man, even if he is thinking to direct his steps elsewhere (Prov. 16:9).

Psalm 112:8

His heart is established; he will not be afraid in the end when he sees his adversaries-

"The end" in view is the day of resurrection and judgment. In that day, the righteous such as David will not need to fear their adversaries like Saul when they meet them again. The idea of the heart of the righteous being established or stable at the day of judgment is alluded to in several New Testament passages (2 Thess. 2:17; 3:3; Heb. 13:9; 1 Pet. 5:10).

Psalm 112:9

He has dispersed, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever-

God's generosity is a pattern to us. Thus the words "He has dispersed abroad; he has given to the poor" are used in 2 Cor. 9:9,10 about God; and in Ps. 112:9 about the generosity of the believer. There is a purposeful ambiguity here, as to whether "he has dispersed... his righteousness" refers to God or to the righteous, which is the immediate context in :8. This is because God's righteousness and generous distribution of His wealth is to be reflected in that of His children, the seed of Abraham. See on :3.

This passage is the equivalent of Ps. 111:3,5, which is a parallel Psalm. Ps. 111:5 defines God's 'dispersal to the poor' as being in terms of food and basic sustenance. God's gift of food is a reflection of His covenant relationship with His people to whom He gives food. This forms part of His eternal righteousness (Ps. 111:3); and Paul is telling the Corinthians that they ought to likewise be generous to those in the covenant who were lacking food. The immediate reference is to God's provision of food to the people in the wilderness, who were to then receive the promised land (Ps. 111:6); appropriate for a Passover Psalm (see on :1). And this is likewise used by Paul in the same section in appealing for generosity to those who lack the ability to go out and gather the manna (2 Cor. 8:15).

"His righteousness endures forever" is alluded to in 2 Cor. 9:9- in the context of arguing that God's "righteousness" is shown in His generosity to others, which we should follow. This is His majestic work; see on Ps. 111:5.

His horn will be exalted with honour-

The glorification  / honour of the gracious / generous is not seen in this life. But it will occur at the time of :10- when the wicked will be resurrected to see it, and will gnash their teeth, which is the language of the last judgment.

Psalm 112:10

The wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish- Gnashing of teeth is the language of condemnation at the last day (Mt. 8:12 etc.). But those thus condemned will have gnashed their teeth at their brethren in this life (Ps. 35:16; 37:12). By doing so, they are living out their own condemnation. The rejected 'melting away' from the throne of the Lord Jesus is a repeated Biblical picture. 1 Jn. 2:28 speaks of them as being "ashamed from before him at his coming", the Greek suggesting the idea of slinking away in shame. Another foretaste of this was in the way the condemned world of Noah’s time [the flood was a clear type of the final judgment] were to ‘pine away / languish’ (Gen. 6:17; 7:21- AV “die”). The wicked will melt away from the Lord's presence (Ps. 68:2). Rejected Israel are described as being "ashamed away" (Joel 1:12)- the same idea. This is the idea behind Heb. 12:15 RVmg: "…man that falleth back from the grace of God". Note that Jesus Himself will be likewise ashamed of His unworthy followers (Lk. 9:26); there will be a mutuality in the natural distancing between the two parties. This is the scene of Rev. 16:15- the rejected being made naked in shame. This slinking back in shame will fulfil the prophecies of Is. 1:24,29 and Jer. 2:35,36, which speak of the rejected being made ashamed, becoming ashamed, of their idols They will be made ashamed by the judgment process. Thus we have the picture of them initially arguing with Jesus, growing less and less forcible, giving way to a pleading with tears for a change of mind, finally followed by a silent slinking away in shame. There seems a certain similarity between this and how the combined Gospel records imply that men initially mocked Jesus on the cross, and then eventually slipped away in silence (Heb. 6:6). Adam attempted to hide from God's presence, the Hebrew implying 'to drawn oneself back'. Judas went away (Gk. he retired away) to try to hang himself, once he knew his condemnation (Mt. 27:3-5). Speechlessness is a characteristic of the rejected (Mt. 22:12); the brothers slunk away from Joseph's physical presence (Gen. 45:4), as the rejected will.

Psalm 113

Psalm 113:1

Praise Yah! Praise, you servants of Yahweh, praise the name of Yahweh-

This is part of the "Hallel Psalms" (Ps. 111-118), chants sung at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, which consist of Psalm 113-118. This opening verse is an invitation to the Levites or priests as Yahweh's servants to begin the praise at a feast, used also in Ps. 135:1.

Psalm 113:2

Blessed be the name of Yahweh, from this time forth and forever-

The idea may be that we will eternally be praising the name of Yahweh; in the sense of appreciating and praising His characteristics. For the declaration of His Name to Moses involved the listing of His characteristics which combine to make up His personality. We can begin living the eternal life now, in that we can now act as we shall eternally. We shall be eternally appreciating, trusting, loving and praising God's Name- and we can begin that now. This is an Old Testament form (also in Ps. 113:2; 115:18; 121:8; 125:2; 131:3) of the Lord's teaching as recorded in John's Gospel, that we can have and live the eternal life right now. We have that life not in the sense that we shall never die, but in that we can begin living and being now as we shall eternally live and be.

Psalm 113:3

From the rising of the sun to the going down of it, Yahweh’s name is to be praised-

This could mean from the east to the west, but equally from the dawn to dusk, every day. The vision here is of Gentiles coming to Yahweh and praising His Name. Usually, nations changed their gods only because they had been subjugated by other nations by force, and made to worship the gods of their conquerors. But Yahweh isn't like that. The appeals of the Psalms are constantly for people to decide themselves to come to Him, attracted by His grace to His people, who are to be the parade, showcase examples of what covenant relationship with Yahweh means.

Psalm 113:4

Yahweh is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens-

This could be part of the vision of :3, of "all nations" lifting Yahweh up as high above them. As His glory was over the ark and the blood covered mercy seat in particular, so now the Gentiles are envisaged as being there on the ark, just as Israel were intended to be. But the idea may also be that Yahweh is above all nations, His glory is there above them all- but they are to seek after Him and find Him.

Psalm 113:5

Who is like Yahweh our God, who has His seat on high-

As explained on :3, this is an invitation from Israel to the nations to accept Yahweh our God. This Psalm has clear connections with the restoration prophecies (here to Is. 40:18,25). The idea was that the exiles would repent, and along with repentant Gentiles, return to form a multiethnic people of God in the restored Kingdom of God in Israel.

Psalm 113:6

who stoops down to view both heaven and earth?-

Ps. 113:6,7 speaks of how the God who humbles Himself to behold the things in Heaven and earth, is the same God who "raises up the poor out of the dust". His grace at a cosmic level is reflected in the way that on earth He choses to work with the poor rather than the mighty. As we reflect on the ‘Wow!’ factor in God’s calling of us, we need to learn this deeply- that we are the nobodies whom God has called and chosen. That Yahweh has the feature of humility was something totally and radically different to all conceptions of deities amongst the nations; their gods claimed to be proud and invincible, with none of the sensitivity to the lowly which is a part of humility.

The more we begin to even faintly grasp the height of Yahweh's holiness and spirituality, the more we will be awed by His humility in dealing with us. It requires humility from Him to even behold the Angels (perhaps referred to by "heaven"). And yet He lets them discuss His will and come up with their own schemes for executing it, many of which he rejects as somehow inappropriate (2 Chron. 18:17-20).

Psalm 113:7

He raises up the poor out of the dust and lifts up the needy from the ash heap-

David had seen himself as "poor and needy", needing grace after his sin with Bathsheba and its consequences (Ps. 40:17; 70:5; 86:1; 109:16,22). He wished Solomon to likewise have pity on the "poor and needy" amongst the Gentiles, those who had likewise repented (Ps. 72:13). And David was especially desirous to himself see the "poor and needy" blessed and accepted as he had been (Ps. 82:3,4; 113:7). It is our personal experience of needing grace which leads us to have a heart for those like us, the poor and needy. Any other motivation will ultimately not abide. Solomon appears to glorify his mother Bathsheba for likewise pitying the poor and needy (Prov. 31:9,20).

These are the words of Hannah in 1 Sam. 2:8, and Hannah's song is alluded to throughout Ps. 113:7-9. She is presented here as representative of Israel, particularly the exiles in Babylon. Her hope was that Samuel would be not only a priest [although he was not strictly a Levite] but also a prince / king. This is all similar to the idea of Ps. 110:4, where the Messiah was to be a king-priest, not a Levite, but a priest "after the order of Melchizedek".

Psalm 113:8

that He may set him with princes, even with the princes of His people-

The implication could be that the lowly person lifted up is a Gentile, or at least not from the ruling tribe of Judah, who is lifted up to be a prince amongst the princes of Israel God's people. As noted on :7, this is what Hannah had in mind for her son Samuel (1 Sam. 2:8). The language of the man exalted from the dunghill (:7 AV) is also that of Job, who was himself a Gentile. The exaltation of the lowly to be with princes recalls Joseph with Pharaoh, Daniel with Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus, Mordecai with Ahasuerus. The latter two were relevant to the exiles, for whom this Psalm appears to have been rewritten.

He settles the barren woman in her home, as a joyful mother of children. Praise Yah!-

The allusion to Hannah continues; but she was representative to the "barren woman" of Israel in exile (Is. 54:1), who was to be blessed with many children (Is. 49:12,18,20; 54:2,3; 60:5; Gal. 4:27).

Psalm 114

Psalm 114:1

When Israel went forth out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language-

It is part of the "Hallel Psalms" (Ps. 111-118), chants sung at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, which consist of Psalm 113-118. Fittingly, therefore, "it divides into four stanzas of four lines each, very evenly balanced, and perfect in its metrical arrangement".

This Psalm appears to be encouraging the exiles to perceive that just as Israel had been delivered from Egypt and brought to Canaan, so they could be from Babylon, and led to the restored Kingdom of God in Israel.

Psalm 114:2

Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His kingdom-

The exiles had no physical sanctuary, as the temple was in ruins. But this reminds them that Israelites who left Egypt likewise had no temple; they as people were the essence of God's sanctuary. They as a people were "His Kingdom" (Ex. 19:5), the dominion of the King. Their lack of a human king and national territory didn't at all mean that they were not "His Kingdom", or that God was without "His sanctuary".

Psalm 114:3

The sea saw it, and fled. The Jordan was driven back-

The seas and waters symbolically refer to nations; just as the Red Sea and Jordan had literally fled, so would the nations before tiny Judah. The sea is personified as people fleeing because of this intended connection between the seas and nations; the same word is used of the Egyptians fleeing from the returning Red Sea (Ex. 14:25,27). We are here invited to play "Bible television", to use a phrase of Harry Whittaker; standing on the banks and watching the waters fleeing back. This is exactly the encouragement to the exiles given in Is. 51:10; the seas would be dried up to make "a way for the ransomed to pass over".

Psalm 114:4

The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs-

The reference is to the earthquakes which were associated with the division of the Red Sea. But the mountains are personified as people skipping with joy; just as the waters represent peoples in :3. Mountains and hills represent nation and kingdoms. The hope was that the exiles would repent, and along with joyful, repentant Gentiles, return to form a multiethnic people of God in the restored Kingdom of God in Israel.

Psalm 114:5

What was it, you sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you turned back?-

The idea may be 'What do these things mean?'. And the answer is in :7- that the peoples of the earth / eretz promised to Abraham to tremble at Yahweh's presence- in repentance and acceptance of Him. Perhaps we can read "turned back" as referring to repentance.

Psalm 114:6

You mountains, that you skipped like rams; you little hills, like lambs?-

See on :4,5. There is a similar idea in Ps. 29:6 "He also makes them to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox", GNB "He makes the mountains of Lebanon jump like calves and makes Mount Hermon leap like a young bull". There is the idea that Lebanon and Hermon, from where the cedars came from, would join in response to God's word. For David ever had the hope of Gentile response to Israel's God.

Psalm 114:7

Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob-

The idea is that as the earth had trembled at the exodus, so it could do again at the restoration from Babylon. But the imperative to "tremble" is a suggestion that we are to read this as an appeal to the peoples of the earth / eretz promised to Abraham to tremble at Yahweh's presence- in repentance and acceptance of Him.

Psalm 114:8

who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of waters-

Just as God had provided for His people on their journey to Canaan after delivering them from Egypt, so He would for the exiles from Babylon. Tragically, most preferred to remain in Babylonian exile.

Psalm 115

Psalm 115:1

Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for Your the sake of Your grace and truth-

It is part of the "Hallel Psalms" (Ps. 111-118), chants sung at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, which consist of Psalm 113-118. As with Ps. 114, the context appears to be an encouragement to the exiles to not lose heart, even though they couldn't keep the feasts as strictly required. This opening request is for God to glorify the Yahweh Name in order to fulfil His "grace and truth", a phrase often used of the promises to Abraham. The Psalm is asking God to fulfil those promises, which would glorify His Name, in the restoration of the exiles to Zion. Perhaps the request not to glorify the exiles may have in view how popular the exiles became in exile, as witnessed by the end of the book of Esther.

Psalm 115:2

Why should the nations say, Where is their God now?-

The way Moses pleaded with God to change His mind and not destroy Israel for the sake of what the surrounding nations would say is indeed inspirational to us all. It surely inspired the psalmist here to pray likewise. The request would be appropriate to the Jewish exiles in Babylon / Persia, mocked for having been forsaken by their God, and the prophecies of restoration apparently not coming true (Ps. 137:3).

Psalm 115:3

But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever He pleases-

The implication may be that this was the answer of the faithful exiles to the mocking observation of the Gentiles that their God was apparently inactive because He was invisible. His visibility however is not related to His activity; and that is the huge difference between the true God and all idols. There may also be the admission that God is active according to His will / pleasure, and as He is omnipotent, that is often going to be above what we can explain to others. There is no shame in our making the same response to those who demand to 'see' our God in more visible action.

Psalm 115:4

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands-

This is grammatically not addressed to those who mocked the exiles in :2. Rather is this comfort to the exiles, that the idols of Babylon / Persia were indeed dumb. And yet according to Ezekiel and the implications of the book of Esther, idolatry was rife amongst the exiles. So this may have been also an appeal to the exiles to see the idols for what they were.

Psalm 115:5

they have mouths, but they don’t speak, they have eyes, but they don’t see-

The implication is that Yahweh has all these faculties. This implies that Yahweh is a personal God, and we are made in His image physically, although not morally.

Psalm 115:6

They have ears, but they don’t hear, they have noses, but they don’t smell-

See on :5. This mockery of idolatry is similar of that addressed to the exiles in Is. 44:9-20; and the context is the same. The exiles are being recalled from idolatry (see on :4).

Psalm 115:7

They have hands, but they don’t feel; they have feet, but they don’t walk, neither do they speak through their throat-

The implication is that the God of Israel doesn't just have a dead semblance of human form, but actually is real and living, in human form; for we are made in His image. His word is spoken through His throat, and elsewhere He is presented as speaking through lips (Job 23:12).

Psalm 115:8

Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them-

This is an abiding principle. We become like that which we worship and trust in. The process of trusting Yahweh will make us like Him. The requirement for faith and worship is therefore for our benefit. The idols have been portrayed as only appearing human; effectively they are dead, with eyes etc. which don't function. And those who worship them become likewise- not really alive as intended, not sensing reality as they are intended. Those who worship vanities become vain (Jer. 2:5). This was exactly the message to the exiles (Is. 44:9).

Psalm 115:9

Israel, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield-

As discussed above, this was an appeal for Israel to quit idolatry and trust in Yahweh alone. Thereby they would show themselves to be the true seed of Abraham, for whom Yahweh was His shield (Gen. 15:1), and of David likewise (Ps. 28:7).

Psalm 115:10

House of Aaron, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield-

This can be read as an appeal to the house of Aaron separately to Israel (:9). But often "Israel" are paralleled with the house of Aaron / Levi. And this seems an example of that. Ps. 135:19,20 parallels all Israel with the priestly family: “Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron: bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, bless the Lord... praise ye the Lord”. All Israel were to aspire to the spirit of priesthood. Indeed, the Psalms often parallel the house of Aaron (i.e. the priesthood) with the whole nation (Ps. 115:9,10,12; 118:2,3).

As it was God’s intention that Israel were to be a nation of priests to the rest of the world, so the new Israel likewise are to all discharge the priestly functions of teaching their brethren (Ex. 19:6 cp. 1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:6; 5:9,10). Under the new covenant, we should all teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16). Indeed, God told Israel [unrecorded in the historical records]: “Ye are gods [elohim] and all of you are sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82:6 RV). Further, Ps. 96:9 makes the paradigm breaking statement that even the Gentiles could come before Yahweh of Israel in holy, priestly array- they too could aspire to the spirit of priesthood (Ps. 96:9 RVmg.). Moses spoke of how all Israel should pray that God would establish the work of their hands (Ps. 90:17)- but this was in fact his special request for the blessing of Levi, the priestly tribe (Dt. 33:11).

Psalm 115:11

You who fear Yahweh, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield-

Israel professed to "fear Yahweh", to respect Him as their God; but that's not necessarily the same as trusting in Him as help and shield. They are appealed to here, as we are, to go far beyond mere religion, in name only making a religious profession. As discussed on :4 and above, the exiles were veering towards idolatry, whilst claiming to still have Yahweh as their God.

Psalm 115:12

Yahweh remembers us; He will bless us, He will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron-

The exiles had not in fact been forgotten, as they feared; they could experience the blessing of restoration when they received the blessing of forgiveness from Yahweh. But that required repentance. The allusion is perhaps to the blessing A of Num. 6:24; but this Psalm was used at the feasts (:1), which were to remember / commemorate God's blessing of His people (Dt. 16:15). Yahweh would "remember" His people after punishing them in exile (Lev. 26:45 s.w.), and the psalmist asks for that moment to now come.

Psalm 115:13

He will bless those who fear Yahweh, both small and great-

The "small" perhaps especially thought that they were too insignificant to experience Yahweh's blessings. But the nature of Yahweh's covenant is that He doesn't respect the persons of all who are within it. The blessing of those who fear Yahweh would specifically be at the time when Zion was restored (Ps. 128:4,5), and that is what is here in view, in the context of the exiles.

Psalm 115:14

May Yahweh increase you more and more, you and your children-

This alludes to the blessings promised to Abraham, to multiply his seed or children; and Yahweh would "increase more" His people after their exile (s.w. Is. 26:15). The exiles had broke the old covenant, and the prophets had invited them to accept a "new covenant", based upon the promises to Abraham rather than the law of Moses.

Psalm 115:15

Blessed are you by Yahweh, who made heaven and earth-

The God powerful enough to create all things can easily focus that power to the blessing of His people.

Psalm 115:16

The heavens are the heavens of Yahweh; but the earth has He given to the children of men-

The reference may be specifically to the eretz promised to Abraham; it had been promised to Israel, "the children of men".

Psalm 115:17

The dead don’t praise Yah, neither any who go down into silence-

This may be a request to restore the Kingdom in the lifetime of the exiles, or the psalmist in exile; so that they could praise Yahweh for it now, rather than die without seeing it. But all the same the point is established that death is not a conscious state; for even the righteous cannot praise Yahweh in death, which is a place of "silence".

Psalm 115:18

but we will bless Yah, from this time forth and forevermore. Praise Yah!-

The idea may be that we will eternally be praising the name of Yahweh; in the sense of appreciating and praising His characteristics. For the declaration of His Name to Moses involved the listing of His characteristics which combine to make up His personality. We can begin living the eternal life now, in that we can now act as we shall eternally. We shall be eternally appreciating, trusting, loving and praising God's Name- and we can begin that now. This is an Old Testament form (also in Ps. 113:2; 115:18; 121:8; 125:2; 131:3) of the Lord's teaching as recorded in John's Gospel, that we can have and live the eternal life right now. We have that life not in the sense that we shall never die, but in that we can begin living and being now as we shall eternally live and be.

Psalm 116

Psalm 116:1

I love Yahweh, because He listens to my voice and my cries for mercy-

It is part of the "Hallel Psalms" (Ps. 111-118), chants sung at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, which consist of Psalm 113-118. It sounds very much like a Psalm of David, thanking God for delivering him; but it is here appropriated in hope to the restoration of the exiles. But the reality was that as we see implied in Ezekiel's words to the exiles, and in the book of Esther, the exiles for the most part weren't begging God for restoration and mercy in the spirit of David.

The Hebrew grammar here is peculiar; the verb "to love" has no expressed object. 1 Jn. 4:19 may allude here: “We love, because He first loved us".

Psalm 116:2

Because He has turned His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live-

"As long as I live" is the term used by Hezekiah after his healing (Is. 39:8), but he doesn't offer to continue calling upon Yahweh in gratitude. We too can so easily forget the wonder of answered prayer, failing to realize that the experience commits us to a lifetime of calling upon Him.

Psalm 116:3

The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold on me, I found trouble and sorrow-

David felt as if he had been a sacrifice bound to an altar, and therefore about to be pulled into the grave (Ps. 18:5,6; 116:3; 140:5). The allusion is to Isaac and his miraculous deliverance from such cords, thanks to the ram in the thicket whom David is later to understand as representative of the future Messianic saviour; for the Lord quotes David's "My God, why have You forsaken me?" (Ps. 22:1) as the Aramaic sabachthani, "entangled", the word used of the ram entangled in the thicket.

Psalm 116:4

Then I called on the name of Yahweh: Yahweh, I beg You, deliver my soul-

To call on Yahweh meant to sacrifice and worship, and yet David rightly understood that prayer is the essence of such sacrifice and worship, rather than the offering of literal animals. Commonly enough, the New Testament speaks of baptism as a calling upon the Name of the Lord. This must be understood against its Hebrew background- qara' beshem Yahweh, which originally referred to approaching God in sacrifice (Gen. 12:7,8; Ps. 116:4,17). God placed His Name upon places in order to make them suitable places for sacrifice to be offered to Him (Dt. 12:4-7,21; Jer. 7:12). Baptism was thus seen as a sacrificial commitment to Yahweh in solemn covenant.

Psalm 116:5

Yahweh is gracious and righteous; yes, our God is merciful-

Mercy and grace indicate that David is recognizing that the answer to his prayer (perhaps at some point after the sin with Bathsheba) was an expression of moral grace and forgiveness to him. And the exiles were to realize this too. But as we see implied in Ezekiel's words to them, their problem was that they considered themselves as good people, and their ancestors as the sinners. "Merciful" is the word for "compassion". But the basis for that compassion was to be Israel's repentance (s.w. Dt. 30:13 etc.). But God remembers that we are dust, and He does have compassion for reasons other than that His people have repented (s.w. 2 Kings 13:23). His compassion is therefore on the basis of His mercy and grace, rather than a proportionate response to steel willed human repentance and self reformation. His compassion is actually always there for His children, even when they are in exiled punishment from Him (s.w. Jer. 31:20; 33:26). Solomon failed to perceive this grace, instead focusing solely upon the aspect of God showing compassion to those who are repentant (s.w. Prov. 28:13).

Psalm 116:6

Yahweh preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me-

David likens himself to the simple who was made wise by God's word (Ps. 19:7; 119:130), and was therefore preserved (Ps. 116:6). To be taught by God's word we have to become "simple", unlearning and placing to one side all our perceived knowledge and understandings. Solomon repeats David's theme by saying that wisdom makes wise the simple (Prov. 1:4; 8:5; 9:4). But he is equating "wisdom" with the words of God, although for Solomon, "wisdom" seems to be what he is saying and teaching. Solomon doesn't direct his listeners back to God's word, as David did, but rather towards loyalty to his teaching. Inspired as it was, his lack of extended reference to God's law places his own teaching of "wisdom" above that law. This is in sharp contrast to David's attitude in Ps. 119.

Psalm 116:7

Return to your rest, my soul, for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you-

Again we have an insight into David's self talk, which should be a pattern for ours. He was not at peace, but he talks to himself, reminding himself of how God had saved his life earlier, and he was thereby obligated to a lifetime of trust in Him, with the associated peace which comes from that. See on :8.

Psalm 116:8

For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling-

See on :7. God's past deliverance of his soul from death meant that now, he should dry his eyes from tears regarding his latest crisis.

Psalm 116:9

I will walk before Yahweh in the land of the living-

LXX "I shall be well-pleasing before the Lord in the land of the living", an undertaking in response to salvation. This is the language of Hezekiah (Is. 38:11), although unlike David he failed to remember his salvation from death (see on :3,4) and live the rest of his life in trust and praise. The relevance to the exiles is that they hoped they would in their lifetimes come to return to a restored Kingdom of God in Israel, where they would walk in God's presence, truly "in the land of the living".

Psalm 116:10

I believed, therefore I said, I was greatly afflicted-

"I believed, and therefore  have I spoken" (Ps. 116:10 LXX) is quoted in 2 Cor. 4:13 concerning the attitude of the preacher; because we have believed, therefore we preach, after Paul’s pattern. We naturally have a debt to preach to all men, as we  have a debt to love all our brethren- because of what has been done for us (Rom. 1:14). But the quotation appears to be taking a phrase out of context. David is recalling how he had felt he "was greatly afflicted" and surrounded by liars (:11), and yet had been saved out of that part of his life (:12). But the New Testament doesn't always quote the Old Testament in context; it uses the style of Jewish midrash, in justifying a thought by taking a Biblical phrase out of context. "Context" can be overworked within the task of Biblical interpretation. The GNB in 2 Cor. 4:13 gets the point: "The scripture says, "I spoke because I believed." In the same spirit of faith we also speak because we believe". But it could be that Paul perceived that David here was speaking in the spirit of Christ, whom he typified. And so Paul quotes the Messianic Ps. 116:10 about our witness, which is to be a living out of the spirit which Jesus had in His death and present life and being in Heaven.

Psalm 116:11

I said in my haste, All men are liars-

There is such a thing as feeling lonely when we needn’t. Elijah is an example of this; he felt that he was “left alone” faithful in Israel- even though there were another 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal (Rom. 11:3). The Hebrew in 1 Kings is hard to translate. It could mean that God reserved 7,000 of Elijah’s brothers and sisters who potentially would not bow the knee to Baal. Yet Elijah didn’t want to see the potential of his brethren. He set himself in a league above them, like the Psalmist, saying in his haste that all men are liars.

Psalm 116:12

What will I give to Yahweh for all His benefits toward me?-

This is a rhetorical question; what can be given back to God for all His giving toward us? The answer is, nothing; but we can praise God and take the cup of salvation at the appointed feast (:13). Our motivation for taking the cup of remembrance (:13) should be the same.

Psalm 116:13

I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of Yahweh-

"Salvation" is Yeshua, 'Jesus'. As noted on :1, this Psalm was specifically used at the feasts, and may refer to the associated drink offering (Num. 28:7), similar to the "cup of blessing" at Passover (Mt. 26:27). The salvation commemorated was the "help" (s.w.) of :6. Initially, the reference is to a drink offering offered along with a voluntary thanksgiving offering (see on :17). But in the context of the feasts, it was attached to the Passover, which was the great feast of thanksgiving for deliverance from death. The Jews traditionally sing Psalm 116 after the Passover meal, and the third of the four cups drunk then is called "the cup of salvation". But to take a cup doesn't have to mean to drink it, but rather to accept what had been given from God (Ps. 16:5; 23:5). So the idea may be that by being open to receiving yet more grace, we thereby render thanks for the grace so far received.

Psalm 116:14

I will pay my vows to Yahweh, yes, in the presence of all His people-

This is appropriate to the celebration of a feast, which is when the Psalm was used (see on :1). David had vowed to serve God in response to his salvation from death (:3,4) and he wanted to do this in the presence of God's people, at a feast. David's faith was absolutely public, he was no secret believer. These things have application to the Lord Jesus (:16). His keeping of the last supper was in fact a celebration of the deliverance which He believed was so certain to come that it was as if He had already received it. For that is the essence of faith.

Psalm 116:15

Precious in the sight of Yahweh is the death of His saints-

The idea may be that David had faced death (:3,4), but his life had been precious in Yahweh's sight. The exiles likewise were precious in the sight of Yahweh (s.w. Is.  43:4), and He would preserve the national life of Israel.  The death and life of Saul had been precious in David's eyes (s.w. 1 Sam. 26:21), and so David's life was precious in Yahweh's eyes. Again we are taught that God's attitude to our salvation and our life is directly related to our attitude to the life and salvation of others; and this is why we are to perceive the value, the preciousness, of human life and salvation. It is why making others stumble from the path to eternal life is so serious to God. The supremely precious death of all was that of the Lord Jesus (1 Pet. 1:19; 2:4,6,7), and this Psalm clearly looks forward to Him (see on :13,14,16).

Psalm 116:16

Yahweh, truly I am Your servant, I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid. You have freed me from my chains-

This Psalm refers to David and later to the exiles, who were potentially freed from the chains of captivity and are declared as Yahweh's servant throughout later Isaiah. But as noted on :15, it clearly comes to ultimate term in the Lord Jesus. For Mary was the supreme handmaid of Yahweh, and she appears to appropriate this verse to herself (Lk. 1:38).

Psalm 116:17

I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call on the name of Yahweh-

As discussed earlier in this Psalm, thanksgiving for deliverance from death committed the psalmist and the audience to calling on Yahweh's Name for the rest of their lives. The next verse (:18) repeats :14, and therefore this verse (:17) reflects :13 "I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of Yahweh". The cup of salvation therefore refers to a thanksgiving offering. Although the Mosaic law didn't require a drink offering for a thanksgiving offering, David was eager to serve God to the maximum, and so offered one too.

Psalm 116:18

I will pay my vows to Yahweh, yes, in the presence of all His people-

See on :14.

Psalm 116:19

in the courts of Yahweh’s house, in the midst of you, Jerusalem. Praise Yah!-

If the Psalm originated with David, then he is looking forward to the time when a temple would be built in Zion, and he would be there. He would have said this in faith in a resurrection of the body and literal restoration of Zion. The Psalm also has relevance to the exiles. Their temple was then in ruins, but they looked forward to its restoration. The tragedy was that they didn't rebuild it according to the commands of Ez. 40-48, and so these things became reapplied and rescheduled to the things of God's Kingdom to be established at the return of the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 117

Psalm 117:1

Praise Yahweh, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples!- The invitation is to the Gentile nations to praise God because of His grace toward "us", Israel (:2). This is after the pattern of how David proclaimed to the Gentile world his experience of grace, and thereby urged them to also accept Yahweh as the God of all grace. His pattern was to be that of all Israel. It is part of the "Hallel Psalms" (Ps. 111-118), chants sung at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, which consist of Psalm 113-118.

Psalm 117:2

For His grace is great toward us, Yahweh’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise Yah!-

The same word used for how David's sins "overwhelmed me" (Ps. 65:3) is used of how overwhelming or "great" is God's grace (Ps. 103:11; 117:2). David felt overwhelmed firstly by his sin and then by God's grace. This explains his fragile emotional and nervous state, as often reflected in the Psalms. But his path is to be that of all God's true Israel.

Psalm 118

Psalm 118:1

Give thanks to Yahweh for He is good, for His grace endures forever-

It is part of the "Hallel Psalms" (Ps. 111-118), chants sung at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, which consist of Psalms 113-118. The Psalm began with David thanking God for delivering him from the various crises of his life, but has been developed into a Psalm of hope for the exiles, thanking God in advance for the restoration of the temple which they looked forward to. The restoration didn't happen as was potentially possible, but these things are reapplied to the things of the Lord Jesus. Therefore some of the phrases in the Psalm are specifically applied to Him in the New Testament.

Psalm 118:2

Let Israel now say that His grace endures forever-

This appeal to Israel to recognize God's eternal grace was pertinent to the exiles; for Ezekiel presents them as having lost faith in His grace, assuming it had somehow ended at the destruction of the temple. We too need to remember that the wonder of Divine grace isn't just historical, but abides for us too.

Psalm 118:3

Let the house of Aaron now say that His grace endures forever-

This can be read as an appeal to the house of Aaron separately to Israel (:2). But often "Israel" are paralleled with the house of Aaron / Levi. And this seems an example of that. Ps. 135:19,20 parallels all Israel with the priestly family: “Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron: bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, bless the Lord... praise ye the Lord”. All Israel were to aspire to the spirit of priesthood. Indeed, the Psalms often parallel the house of Aaron (i.e. the priesthood) with the whole nation (Ps. 115:9,10,12; 118:2,3).

As it was God’s intention that Israel were to be a nation of priests to the rest of the world, so the new Israel likewise are to all discharge the priestly functions of teaching their brethren (Ex. 19:6 cp. 1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:6; 5:9,10). Under the new covenant, we should all teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16). Indeed, God told Israel [unrecorded in the historical records]: “Ye are gods [elohim] and all of you are sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82:6 RV). Further, Ps. 96:9 makes the paradigm breaking statement that even the Gentiles could come before Yahweh of Israel in holy, priestly array- they too could aspire to the spirit of priesthood (Ps. 96:9 RVmg.). Moses spoke of how all Israel should pray that God would establish the work of their hands (Ps. 90:17)- but this was in fact his special request for the blessing of Levi, the priestly tribe (Dt. 33:11).

Psalm 118:4

Now let those who fear Yahweh say that His grace endures forever-

These "who fear Yahweh" could just be parallel with "Israel" (:2) and the "house of Aaron" (:3). Or it could refer to the Gentile proselytes, who became known in Judaism as the God fearers. David is ever eager for the conversion of the Gentiles.

Psalm 118:5

Out of my distress, I called on Yah; Yah answered me with freedom-

David appeals in :1-4 for Israel and the Gentiles to praise God for His grace. But this was on the basis of how God had shown him grace in answering David's cry at the time of his distress. The intention was that the exiles would likewise cry to Yahweh and be restored, and the Gentiles (:3) would convert to Yahweh because of His grace to them. And ultimately these things come to apply to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus to eternal life, overcoming the "distress" of death itself. And the whole world is bidden believe in this and praise God for it.

Psalm 118:6

Yahweh is on my side, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?-

Whilst this is true as it stands, we note David's tendency to divide people along the lines of whoever is on his side [who will be saved and blessed by God], and those who aren't [who will be cursed eternally by God]. This is a very human tendency. But we must beware of it. The people in David's life were largely amongst God's people; and we are not to judge in the sense of condemning. It's not always so that those not on our side aren't on the Lord's side. Paul lamented that all in Asia turned against him (2 Tim. 1:15), and yet it is clear from the Lord's letters of Rev. 2,3 that there were at least some in Asia who were on His side. And even at the times of persecution by Saul and Absalom, there were some like Jonathan who were on David's side whilst apparently on the side of his persecutors.

Psalm 118:7

Yahweh is on my side among those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me-

See on :6. The day when David would look at his haters in triumph was perhaps not in this life; but rather at the last day. In this case, David clearly understood the doctrine of the resurrection of the body and the last judgment. And yet he seems to see that final judgment as his vindication against his enemies in this life, rejoicing at the thought of their presence at that time. Surely in spiritual terms there are far greater things to look forward to in eternity than seeing our enemies of this life condemned at the day of judgment at the start of that eternity. See on :13.

Psalm 118:8

It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to put confidence in man-

This is a picture of Hezekiah in his better years (s.w. 2 Kings 18:5,18,19,20,21,22,30; 19:10), trusting in God when surrounded by his enemies in Jerusalem (:10).

Psalm 118:9

It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to put confidence in princes-

This repeats :8, but with "princes" replacing the more generic "man". The parallel between princes and men is found in Ps. 146:3. Princes are but men, no more than men, and nothing compared to Yahweh. I noted on :8 the application to Hezekiah. Yet he failed in putting confidence in princes, turning to Egypt for help. Yet he repented and was rewarded for his sole faith in Yahweh alone. And yet afterwards, he put his confidence in the princes of Babylon. His intensity of faith was not maintained.

Psalm 118:10

All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of Yahweh, I cut them off-

This continues the Hezekiah connections (see on :8). The theme of being surrounded continues over the next verses, and this was exactly what happened when Jerusalem was surrounded and miraculously delivered at the time of the Assyrian invasion. But being surrounded by far superior odds is a theme in the lives of God's servants. We think of Samson in a foreign city "compassed in" by his enemies, Paul (Acts 9:24), David (1 Sam. 23:26), the spies in Jericho, the returned exiles (Neh. 6:16) etc.

Psalm 118:11

They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In the name of Yahweh I indeed cut them off-

This could initially refer to David's experience in 1 Sam. 23:26. It is the language of Ps. 2 of the surrounding of Messiah, which is applied in the New Testament both to His death and also to the time of His return to earth.

Psalm 118:12

They surrounded me like bees but they are quenched like the burning thorns. In the name of Yahweh I cut them off-

Faithless Israel had been surrounded by their enemies like bees (Dt. 1:44), and thus driven out from inheriting the land. The faithful exiles were intended to have faith that this would not be the case again- if they believed, and stopped acting like historical Israel.

Psalm 118:13

You pushed me back hard to make me fall, but Yahweh helped me-

The "you" may refer to David's enemies. It is hard to think it also applies to the "Yahweh" of whom David speaks in the same sentence. This reflects how David seems obsessed with his enemies and opponents, imagining them ever before him, thinking that he was talking to them, and longing to see them again at judgment day and be vindicated by God before them. See on :7.

Psalm 118:14

Yah is my strength and song, He has become my salvation-

This is the language of Israel's exaltation after the Red Sea deliverance, which became programmatic for the future deliverances of all God's people.

Psalm 118:15

The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous: The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly-

As noted on :6,7, David sees the righteous as those who took his side against his enemies. He expects them to all rise up in ecstatic praise when he is vindicated. But David was not always right, and his enemies were raised up and used by God. Not all of them were evil, and some of them were it seems just used as tools in God's hand. He seems to over personalize everything, because of his oversensitivity to words and opposition.

Psalm 118:16

The right hand of Yahweh is exalted! The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!-

This continues the allusion to the triumphant rejoicing at the deliverance from the Egyptians at the Red Sea (Ex. 15:6). The Psalm speaks in faith of the future possibilities as if they had happened, hence the past tenses.

Psalm 118:17

I will not die, but live, and declare Yah’s works-

As noted on :16, the psalmist is not stating that he has been delivered; he speaks in the past tense of that yet future and hoped for. He has the absolute confidence of faith (:21). The intention of deliverance was that Yahweh's saving works and grace would be declared; and that is what David is doing through this Psalm. And that is the intention for each of us in our experience of answered prayer.

Psalm 118:18

Yah has punished me severely, but He has not given me over to death- "Punished" is better "chastened me" (as AV). The allusion is clearly to Job, who was chastened but his life was not taken from him. This is how we should all respond to trial- by seeking Biblical precedent for our experiences.

Psalm 118:19

Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will enter into them. I will give thanks to Yah-

It is hard to exactly reconstruct how the Psalms were used in musical arrangement, but I suggest that this is a solo sung by one singer, who has as it were come to the end of the journey to Zion; and then another soloist answers in the words of :20. "The gates of righteousness" are the temple gates; the gates  to be entered by the righteous. Or the allusion could be to Dt. 16:18 (s.w.), that there was to be righteous judgment in all the gates of the restored Kingdom of God on earth. There is great emphasis upon the gates of the restored Zion (Is. 54:12; 60:11,18), being entered by the restored exiles (Is. 62:10). But this would be if Judah accepted the new covenant (Jer. 31:38,40), and built the restored temple as commanded in Ez. 40-48. They didn't do these things, and so they are reapplied to the restored Zion of the last days; for the gates of the new Jerusalem are stressed in the final chapters of Revelation. See on :22.

Psalm 118:20

This is the gate of Yahweh; the righteous will enter into it-

As suggested on :19, this is another soloist, replying or perhaps chanting as it were from the temple gate, in response to the solo of :19. The restored exiles were to be counted righteous, by grace through faith in imputed righteousness, as the latter part of Isaiah emphasizes. But they did not repent nor grasp the offer, as noted on :19.

Psalm 118:21

I will give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation-

As noted on :16, the psalmist is not stating that he has been delivered, for he has not yet experienced it (:17); he speaks in the past tense of that yet future and hoped for. He has the absolute confidence of faith.

Psalm 118:22

The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner-

This is clearly quoted in the New Testament with reference to Christ's exaltation (Mt. 21:42). But in the context, these words are part of a personal prayer of praise from David for God's healing of him and rescuing him from persecution. The temple could have been rebuilt by the exiles with Zerubbabel as the head stone (s.w. Zech. 4:7). But he failed to be the Messianic figure he could have been, and so the prophecy was reapplied and reinterpreted in relation to the Lord Jesus, the stone (Gen. 49:24; Is. 8:14; 28:16; Rom. 9:23; 1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:8). There may be the hint that the intended rebuilders of Zion would not build as required by the commandments of Ez. 40-48 (see on :19). But God's restoration plan would not ultimately fail; for the rejected stone would as it were arise [in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus] and become the cornerstone of a new kind of temple; that spoken of in the New Testament, comprised of living stones of believers.

Psalm 118:23

This is Yahweh’s doing, it is marvellous in our eyes-

The faithful would perceive the wonder of the ultimate restoration of the temple through the reapplication of the prophecies to the Lord Jesus; see on :19,22. It's tempting to assume that it's the natural creation which alone provokes wonder. But Biblically, it's more often God's actions in history, His saving of His Israel, His grace, His undeserved helping of us in practical situations (e.g. Jer. 21:2) which are what should provoke wonder. Otherwise the blind would have no sense of wonder at God. God's whole plan in Christ "is wonderful in our eyes" (Ps. 118:23). It is a "marvellous work and a wonder" (Is. 29:14; Acts 13:41). Wonder doesn't mean we cease to analyze God's word; it's a sense of touching reality, not a fuzzy feeling of vague speculation.

Psalm 118:24

This is the day that Yahweh has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it!-

The day created by Yahweh is that of the restoration of the Kingdom of God in Israel; see on :27. The day of Yahweh's making is the term used for the creation (Gen. 2:4), but the arising of the rejected stone, the Lord Jesus (:22), would lead to a new creation; the day Yahweh makes is finally to be in the last day of the return of the Lord Jesus to reestablish God's Kingdom on earth (s.w. Joel 2:22). And the faithful would perceive this and rejoice in it.

Psalm 118:25

Save us now, we beg You, Yahweh! Yahweh, we beg You, send prosperity now-

This is the cry of the faithful for the promised restoration of the Kingdom to come immediately, in their lifetimes. This was the passion of the faithful exiles, and also of David. "Save now" is the equivalent of "Hosanna", and was the desire of the people of Jerusalem at the Lord's triumphal entry. But He deconstructed those desires for an immediate restoration of the Kingdom. He came to die, and to usher in the kind of Kingdom He taught about in His message about the Kingship and Kingly dominion of God in Christian life. Only in the longer term was there to be the literal establishment of such a Kingdom on earth, at the last day, when those principles will finally be physically and eternally articulated in this earth. The exiles wanted the "prosperity" of the Kingdom immediately; but this prosperity was conditional upon their obedience to the covenant (s.w. Josh. 1:8); they would never "prosper" whilst disobeying it (s.w. Dt. 28:29), nor could they "prosper" to enter the land as intended whilst faithless (Num. 14:41 s.w.). The faithful minority amongst the exiles believed God would prosper them (Neh. 2:20), and He was indeed eager to do so (Is. 55:11); but this was not to be, because the majority were faithless. This prosperity was to finally only be through the work of the Lord Jesus (Is. 53:10), seeing the potential 'servant' figures of the restoration all failed (Is. 48:15). David liked to imagine that Solomon would "prosper" because he built the temple (1 Chron. 22:11); but such prosperity was conditional.

Psalm 118:26

Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh! We have blessed you out of the house of Yahweh-

This individual is the rejected stone who revives and becomes the cornerstone. The musical arrangement here may be as suggested on :19,20. This is another soloist, replying or perhaps chanting as it were from the temple gate, in response to the arrival of the King at the temple gates. The 'coming one' was Messiah (Mt. 11:3). These words were sung to the approaching Lord Jesus (Lk. 19:38), but they were totally misunderstood. They will be finally be sung by those of the last day who see the Lord Jesus return to Zion. Thus He interpreted them in Mt. 23:39, where He understands that when Jerusalem sees Jesus again, they will be saying: “Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord”. This would suggest they are waiting for Him. And these words being taken from the Passover Hallel here in Ps. 118, it could be that the Lord returns to them at Passover time, when they traditionally expect Him. Indeed, Jerusalem will not see the Lord until they say “Blessed is he…”- as if the time of His return depends upon their ‘seeing’ / perceiving Him beforehand.

But the Lord quoted these words to those who were to crucify Him. He was saying that He now was going to stop them 'seeing' / perceiving Him for who He was, so that they would crucify Him. And they would only again perceive Him as God's Son all too late, when at the day of judgment they uttered the words of Messianic welcome "Blessed is He that comes...". And yet even in this terrible judgment there was interwoven a possibility of hope. They would only perceive Him again as God's Son when, or, until the time that, they recognized Him as Messiah in the Messianic words "Blessed is He that comes...". Once they made that repentance, they would again perceive / see Him. However, it could be argued that that is axiomatic. The thrust of the Lord's words is surely that in the day of judgment, all too late, they would perceive Him again as He is in truth. But all too late. When they are appointed their portion with the hypocrites and there is wailing and gnashing of teeth, then shall the Kingdom be likened unto the five wise and five foolish virgins. Then the rejected will understand the principles of that parable, crystal clearly. Members of the ecclesia of Israel will say "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord"- but be rejected. Likewise the Egyptians, fleeing in the mud from Yahweh as they vainly hoped against hope that the returning waters wouldn't somehow reach them... they came to know Yahweh (Ex. 14:18). It could well be that this knowing of Yahweh involves a desperate recounting of their sins, seeing that one of the purposes of condemnation is to make men aware of their sinfulness and the depth of God's grace.

Psalm 118:27

Yahweh is God, and He has given us light-

This is the phrase used for how God "gave light" at creation (Gen. 1:15,17). The idea is that a new creation was to come about with the coming of Messiah to Zion (:26). See on :24.

Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar-

This is obviously appropriate to usage in the feasts (see on :1). The exiles had no temple; these words are being said in faithful expectation of the day when the temple would be restored, and a thank offering offered (:28).

Psalm 118:28

You are my God, and I will give thanks to You; You are my God, I will exalt You-

This continues the allusion to the song of Moses in thanksgiving for the Red Sea deliverance (Ex. 15:2). The "us" of :27 now becomes "me". The personal wonder of salvation is to be ever appreciated. This is no mere nationalistic fervour of praise for Israel's deliverance, but a deep sense that little me... has indeed been eternally saved.

Psalm 118:29

Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good, for His grace endures forever-

This forms the conclusion, in the same words as the opening verses. This great salvation is indeed all of grace, and the God who has seemed distant to the exiles, shrouded behind the problem of evil, will be finally and eternally revealed as ultimately "good".

Psalm 119

Psalm 119:1

ALEPH

Ps. 119 was apparently initially written at the time of Saul's persecution of David, although there are some verses which reflect David reusing it in later parts of his life. It mentions David as a young man devoting himself to the word rather than riches (:72)- the riches which might have seemed could have been his if he mentally surrendered to Saul, or if he killed Saul and took the kingdom. He often laments how he is in exile from Yahweh's word (:43,46,54), which would have been on account of his being away from the sanctuary at Gibeah.  He pleads the promise of the word that he would be preserved from Saul's persecution (:41,58), and several times mentions Saul's attempts on his life (:87,95,109,110). The following verses are evidently relevant to this period: 61,63,67,79,84 (= 1 Sam. 27:1),95,98 (= 1 Sam. 18:14,15),110 (cp. the 'snaring' with Michal), 119 (the emphasis is on 'You will destroy the wicked like Saul- one day), 125 (David is often called Saul's servant), 150,154 (= 1 Sam. 24:15), 157,161,165,176. Therefore in the face of such hatred and pain, feeling he must be careful of every step he took, emotionally and physically, David could rejoice: "I will walk at liberty (AVmg. 'at large'): for I seek Your precepts" .

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to Yahweh’s law- We wonder at David's possible arrogance in assuming that he or any man can walk blamelessly. Only the Lord Jesus fits this. And yet this is the phrase used in God's command to Abraham and his seed (Gen. 17:1). It was only possible for Abraham to do so by his faith in imputed righteousness, by grace through faith. But it's questionable as to whether David at this point realized that; he had to learn it through reflection upon the wonder of how God had counted him righteous after the sin with Bathsheba.

Psalm 119:2

Blessed are those who keep His statutes, who seek Him with their whole heart-

This is not to be read as David pronouncing himself amongst those who totally kept God's statutes, for he often laments that he doesn't (:5). But he appears to have in view some he knew whom he felt were like this; perhaps Samuel was among them. So many times does David parallel those who seek God with those who keep His word. We will never achieve perfect obedience; but seeking it is paralleled with it. We are progressively coming to know the love of Christ which passes our natural knowledge (Eph. 3:19), to experience the peace of God that passes our natural understanding (Phil. 4:7).

Psalm 119:3

Yes, they do nothing wrong; they walk in His ways-

In spiritual youth and immaturity, it is easy to consider older, faithful believers as perfect. This Psalm was likely edited over a period of time, and we in see :99 some progression from this youthful imagination that David's teachers were perfect.

Psalm 119:4

You have commanded Your precepts, that we should fully obey them-

This clearly indicates that at this point, David didn't believe that sin is inevitable. And neither should we, we are not forced to sin by our natures. For the Lord Jesus had our nature but never sinned. We must hang our heads over every sin. And yet we wonder whether the Bathsheba incident made David reassess his position on this; for after that he reflected: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me" (Ps. 51:5).

Psalm 119:5

Oh that my ways were steadfast to obey Your statutes!-

If a man prepares his way after God’s principles (2 Chron. 27:6; Prov. 4:26), then God will ‘prepare’ that man’s way too (Ps. 37:23; 119:5), confirming him in the way of escape. When Solomon teaches that God must be allowed to establish or direct our way (Prov. 4:26; 16:29), he is using the same Hebrew words as in Ps. 37:23 and Ps. 119:5, when David says the same. It’s as if he was given God’s truth and yet he never quite made it his very own- he still articulated it in terms of the faith of his fathers. And thus he lost it in the end.

Psalm 119:6

Then I wouldn’t be ashamed when I obey all of Your commandments-

The sense may be that when David felt he had been fully obedient, he thereby saw the rest of his life in stark contrast, and was ashamed that he hadn't obeyed all the commandments at other times. But he still seems to fail to realize that even keeping all the commandments for a period of time was still not the path to salvation. He needed to learn the telling detail in Lk. 17:10 which reflects the grace of Jesus: "When you shall have done (not 'when you do') all these things which are commanded you, (you will) say, We are unprofitable servants". It may be that this is taking us forward to the Kingdom; it is at the judgment that we 'do all' (Eph. 6:13), it is in the Kingdom that we will obey all the commandments (Ps. 119:6). This parable is a glimpse into the appreciation of grace we will have as we enter the Kingdom; once we are fully righteous, we will realize how unprofitable we are of ourselves (notice we may still feel in a sense " unprofitable" then).

Psalm 119:7

I will give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments-

David throughout this Psalm sees a difference between knowing / being aware of God's judgments; and learning them / being taught them. He believes that if God teaches him the real meaning of the laws and requirements which David already knew, then this would lead him to "uprightness of heart" and integrity in worship. This desire for integrity in worship ought to be known to every spiritually sensitive soul; for the words of our songs and hymns are often of an altogether higher level than our average spiritual level.

Psalm 119:8

I will observe Your statutes; don’t utterly forsake me-

God counted David as having observed His statutes (s.w. 1 Kings 3:14), even though he laments that he doesn't observe them as he wished (:5). His desire to observe them was counted finally as if he had done so. But we wonder whether David is correct in thinking that observing the statutes as it were bought God's 'not forsaking' him.

BET

Psalm 119:9

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word-

"Keep... pure" is the word for "cleanse" in Ps. 73:13, where David later momentarily considers he may have wasted his effort in doing this in his youth. David was to later realize (after the sin with Bathsheba) that cleansing was a matter of God washing the heart by His Spirit, rather than steel willed obedience to "live according to Your word".

Psalm 119:10

With my whole heart I have sought You; don’t let me wander from Your commandments-

David doesn't claim total obedience to God's laws, as he so often laments in this Psalm. But he can say that he has sought God wholeheartedly, his desire was for total obedience; and this should be our pattern. He frequently recognizes that there is a power from God available to keep us obedient to His ways; there would be no point in asking "Don't let me wander..." if steel willed obedience was all God is looking for, and waits to see who has that iron in their soul. He is more proactive than that. And this power to keep us from wandering is what the New Testament calls the Holy Spirit, given freely to all who ask and desire to walk in God's ways. David here uses the same word for how Saul 'wandered' out of the way (s.w. 1 Sam. 26:21), and David seems to have initially written Ps. 119 in his wilderness years; he is asking to be stopped from going the path of Saul (Ps. 119:10,21,118). We see this same request for God to make him obedient to God's word, to act directly upon his heart and psychology, in :10,18.

Psalm 119:11

I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You-

The Lord Jesus was the parade example of this, responding to His wilderness temptations as David did to his, by quoting God's word to himself, "in my heart". David often feels that God has hidden him (Ps. 27:5; 31:19,20); and this was God's mutual response to David having His word in his hidden part. Solomon seems to allude to David hiding God's word in his heart (Ps. 119:11) by asking his son to hide his word in his heart (s.w. Prov. 2:1; 7:1). Again Solomon is putting his own words in the place of God's words. Whilst his wisdom was inspired by God, I detect something wrong here. He is effectively playing God, and not directing people to God's word but rather to his own words, true and inspired as they might be. This came to full term in Solomon's attitude that personal loyalty to himself was loyalty to God- even when Solomon was far from God in his ways. And the same trap is fallen into by those who hold parts of 'God's truth'; they can come to thereby play God and demand personal loyalty to themselves rather than to God.

Psalm 119:12

Blessed are You, Yahweh; teach me Your statutes-

From his youth, David had asked to be taught God's way (Ps. 119:7,12,26,64,66,68,73,108,124,135), and at the end of his life David recognized that indeed God had "taught me from my youth" (s.w. Ps. 71:17). In secular life, teaching is something experienced in youth, and then life is spent practicing what was learned. But in spiritual life, David perceived that the God who had taught him from his youth was continuing to teach him (Ps. 71:17). This is part of the "newness of life" experienced in Christ, the ever fresh spring water that we drink.

Psalm 119:13

With my lips I have declared all the ordinances of Your mouth-

One danger of Bible study, especially in the age of screens being looked at in private, is that we are left with a mass of wonderful truths and ideas; but they remain within us. As God's mouth had declared His word, so David's lips and mouth would publically declare them.

Psalm 119:14

I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches-

David doesn't claim total obedience to God's laws, as he so often laments in this Psalm. But he can say that he loves God's word and His ways. His desire was for total obedience; and this should be our pattern. Often in Ps. 119 he contrasts his love of God's word with the love of wealth. The desire for wealth is a typical issue faced by young men. And David sets a commendable example in this.

Psalm 119:15

I will meditate on Your precepts, and consider Your ways-

Mere possession of Divine truth will not of itself save anyone; there must be meditation upon those truths, which in turn leads to meditation upon His overall ways, which leads to reflection upon our ways. "Meditate" and "consider" are here in parallel. God's precepts are a "way" of being and not to be considered as isolated, ritualistic demands upon man. For the individual commandments are not mere tests of obedience, but aids towards a way of life.

Psalm 119:16

I will delight myself in Your statutes, I will not forget Your word-

The command to "not forget [the] word" was given in Dt. 4:9 (s.w.). Israel were to never forget that they were in covenant relationship with Yahweh, and the gift of His word to them was so wonderful they were never to forget it. Our awareness of the wonder of having God's word will elicit our delight in it. A John Carter rightly pointed out, our attitude to God's word determines our obedience to it. This is where attitudes to inspiration are so important in practical living.

GIMEL

Psalm 119:17

Do good to Your servant; I will live to obey Your word-

The 'doing good' is parallel with 'living'. We can interpret this as meaning that David asks God to preserve his life, because he promises to use that preserved life to obey God's word. Perhaps the word in view was specifically the word of promise that David was to become king and govern according to God's will.

Psalm 119:18

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of Your law-

The allusion may be to the Angel opening Hagar's eyes to see a well of water (cp. the word) in the desert (Gen. 21:19). See on 119:135. We see this same request for God to make him understand and be obedient to God's word, to act directly upon his heart and psychology, in :10,18,27,29,34-37. LXX "Unveil thou mine eyes" suggests David felt as Moses, who spoke to Israel from behind a veil, but unveiled himself in the presence of God in the tabernacle "outside the camp". David felt his seeing wonderful things in the law were those moments of personal, unveiled encounter with God which Moses experienced. We see this same request for God to make him understand His word, to act directly upon his heart and psychology, in :10. Recall how the Lord Jesus opens hearts to His word (Lk. 24:31,32,45; Acts 16:14). Therefore pray briefly before you read the Bible, as you would for daily food, thanking God for the power and grace of His word, and asking for your eyes to be opened to the real meaning, and that you will have God's gracious help to apply it in everyday life.

We should also consider that 'opening eyes' is used as an idiom for being granted a revelation of God's word in a prophetic sense (Num. 24:4,16). David was indeed a prophet (Acts 2:30). The "wondrous things" (s.w. "hidden things", Dt. 30:11) of the torah were ultimately the things of the Lord Jesus, which David indeed perceived (Acts 2:30). But they may also refer to God's miraculous acts which David vowed to share with others now his eyes were opened to them (Ps. 9:1; 26:7; 78:4; 119:27). This verse is parallel with Ps. 119:27, where the same term for "wondrous things" is used. David there asks to be made to understand them; this is the opening of his eyes here spoken of.

Psalm 119:19

I am a stranger on the earth, don’t hide Your commandments from me-

On the run from Saul, David felt like a Gentile in the land. But thereby he became a true seed of Abraham, who was likewise a stranger in the earth / land of promise. David had the commandments; he wanted them to be opened to him, and not hidden. We see here the way that God can both open and close minds to His word.

Psalm 119:20

My soul is consumed with longing for Your ordinances at all times-

Devotion to God's word can so easily be something we only temporarily manifest. But David longed for God's words "at all times". This 'longing for the ordinances' requires us to read in an ellipsis- David longed [to be obedient to and understand] the ordinances. Perhaps he refers to his desire whilst in the wilderness to be able to come before the sanctuary (from which he was exiled by Saul's persecution); this is a common theme of his wilderness Psalms (e.g. Ps. 42:2 cp. Dt. 31:11; Is. 1:12).

Psalm 119:21

You have rebuked the proud who are cursed, who wander from Your commandments-

David here uses the same word for how Saul 'wandered' out of the way (s.w. 1 Sam. 26:21), and David seems to have initially written Ps. 119 in his wilderness years. The proud therefore refers to Saul; Saul's curse was that he would not be king any more, but would be replaced by David. The "rebuke" was that Saul would be replaced as king by David.

Psalm 119:22

Take reproach and contempt away from me-

David was always deeply hurt by words; the reproach and contempt from Saul hurt him so deeply, especially as it implied that he was disobedient to God's statutes.

For I have kept Your statutes-

Ps. 119 reflects David's awareness that he didn't keep God's law as he should. The first four verses speak of the blessedness of the man who is obedient. But he laments: "O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then will I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments" (Ps. 119:5,6). He seems to be saying that when he feels he is obedient, it makes him feel ashamed because he realizes how far short he has come of obedience at other times and in other ways. He concludes this matchless psalm of praise for God's word with a seeming paradox: "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget they commandments" :176). Yet often throughout the Psalm he remarks how he has kept God's law, and will thereby be justified (e.g. :22). He expresses no doubt about salvation. The resolution of all this seems to be that we can know that we are obedient to the basic way of life inculcated by covenant relationship with God, and be comforted by this fact; whilst at the same time realizing how very far we come short of total obedience, and therefore how far we fall short of the spiritual blessedness which is attainable for us even now. Yet despite an agony as to his failures, David still had a remarkably open and enthusiastic relationship with God.

Psalm 119:23

Though princes sit and slander me, Your servant will meditate on Your statutes-

LXX "For princes sat and spoke against me: but thy servant was meditating on thine ordinances". This implies that Saul and his sons, the princes (apart from Jonathan), sat and slandered David in his presence. But in the face of slander he meditated upon God's words. This is a great example to all who are slandered.

Psalm 119:24

Indeed Your statutes are my delight and my counsellors-

David was in a very difficult situation whilst living at Saul's court. Everybody likely advised him differently, all doubtless dogmatic that their advice must be followed. And he as a young man, a shepherd boy, could easily have been caught in an endless complex of indecision. Instead he delighted in God's words and found that word to come alive; those verses of print on paper became as it were his counsellors.

DALED

Psalm 119:25

My soul is laid low in the dust; revive me according to Your word!-

David felt at times that he would surely perish ["in the dust"] at Saul's hand (1 Sam. 27:1). But he was revived from that depression by his faith in God's prophetic word that he would indeed one day be king and Saul's persecution would pass.

Psalm 119:26

I declared my ways, and You answered me. Teach me Your statutes-

This declaration of his ways was perhaps an opening up of his life to God. Although God knows all things, we are to tell Him of our life experiences and feelings. And God responded; He opened up His statutes to David, full of personal meaning and relevance to David.

Psalm 119:27

Let me understand the teaching of Your precepts! Then I will talk of Your wondrous works-

This verse is parallel with Ps. 119:18, where the same term for "wondrous things" is used. David there asks to have his eyes opened to these things; here, to be made to understand them. Again we see his belief that God can act directly upon human hearts to make us understand.

David in the Psalms often makes the link between appreciation of God’s ways and the inevitable witness this will result in. This contrasts with our tendency to amassing of pure, intellectual truth- but without very much telling of it forth to others. “He that is wise [i.e., has true wisdom] winneth souls” (Prov. 11:30 RV).

Psalm 119:28

My soul is weary with sorrow: strengthen me according to Your word-

The particular "word" in view was not simply 'the Bible' as David then had it, but the specific word of promise that Saul's persecution would one day end, and he would become king. His weariness is perhaps at the time of 1 Sam. 27:1, where he felt he would perish at Saul's hand.

Psalm 119:29

Keep me from the way of deceit. Grant me Your law graciously!-

AV "Remove from me", again suggesting as noted on :18 that God can keep us from temptation, acting directly on the human mind. This is the whole purpose of praying "Lead us not into temptation". The answer to this request to be kept from a deceitful way of life was to be through being given God's law. Yet David had God's law in the sense that he knew the various commandments. We may have to therefore read in an ellipsis: "Grant me [to keep / have in my heart] Your law". See on :30.

Psalm 119:30

I have chosen the way of truth, I have set Your ordinances before me-

In :29 David has asked to have the way of deceit removed from him; but he himself had chosen the way of truth. His request in :29 is therefore that he should be spiritually and psychologically confirmed by God in his choice; and he had set God's laws before him so that God could work through that; see on Ps. 25:12.

Psalm 119:31

I cling to Your statutes, Yahweh-

Referring to the plea to cling or cleave to God so that Israel might enter and inherit the Kingdom (Dt. 30:20). To cling to God is to cling to His words; for God is His word, "the word was God", and our attitudes to His word are our attitudes to Him.

Don’t let me be disappointed-

Typical of men of his time, David seems to fear shame [s.w. "disappointed"] more than death itself. Defeat meant shame, and he desperately begged not to be shamed. Perhaps it was the function of his failure with Bathsheba to help him redefine the motives for his trust in God.

Psalm 119:32

I run in the path of Your commandments, for You have set my heart free-

This is a great theme of this Psalm; that obedience to God is not a life of being shut up in a boring and constricted path of being, but rather is the way of ultimate psychological freedom. And it is this which many seek for, and yet look for it in all the wrong places.

HEY

Psalm 119:33

Teach me, Yahweh, the way of Your statutes; I will keep them to the end-

David often suggests that understanding God's laws is what empowers keeping them. He didn't see them as a set of ritual commands to be obeyed for the sake of it, to as it were prove ourselves to God. Rather does he perceive them as a way of life, and he asks God to teach them to him. He knew the various regulations of the Mosaic law; but to keep them as a way of life he needed to have them explained to him. And he asks God to directly visit his heart and open his eyes to their true meaning. Mere possession of those laws was not enough without further guidance.

Psalm 119:34

Give me understanding, and I will keep Your law; yes, I will obey it with my whole heart-

As noted on :18, David repeatedly asks for psychological strength in order to be obedient to God's law. This is the Old Testament equivalent of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. See on :33.

Moses persevered because he understood. “Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law” (Ps. 119:34) is one of many links in David’s thought between understanding and obedience. " For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter" (Mk. 7:29) shows the value which the Lord placed on correct understanding. The Gentile woman had seen the feeding of the 5,000 and understood the implications of the lesson which the Lord was teaching. We get the feeling that the Lord was overjoyed at her perception and therefore made an exception to His rule of not being sent at that time to the Gentiles, but to the house of Israel.

It is  significant  that  Solomon's  spiritual  life  has  more appearance  of  spirituality  the  closer we get back to David's death.  David had asked for wisdom (Ps. 119:34), and even Solomon’s request for wisdom can be seen as rooted in a desire to live out parental expectation more than purely from his own volition. For David had told him: “Thou art a wise man” (1 Kings 2:9), and Solomon wanted to live up to that expectation. In  other words, David's influence was extremely strong, but  it  decreased over the years.

Psalm 119:35

Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in them-

David inclined his own heart to be obedient to the word (:112), but God inclined his heart that way in response (:36). David’s meditation on the law gave him understanding (:99), but he was given understanding by God (:34). He kept his feet in the way of God’s word (:101), but God made him walk in that path (:35). As noted on Ps. 25:4,5 the desire for guidance or being 'directed' suggests that there is a higher power available, beyond a man engaging alone with God's word and seeking to obey it in his own strength. The idea is beyond that of guidance; the same word is translated "make me to go in the path of Your commandments" (Ps. 119:35 AV). It is the word used for a bow being bent; the idea is of God's hand directly and forcefully acting upon a willing human mind. See on :18.

Psalm 119:36

Turn my heart toward Your statutes, not toward selfish gain-

"Turn my heart" continues the strong theme in this Psalm of God acting directly upon the human heart to make us inclined towards obedience to Him; see on :18. This feature of the Divine-human interaction would partly explain how the Lord Jesus had complete human nature, and yet achieved moral perfection. God's hand was in that, but that same powerfully helping hand can be in the lives and hearts of all believers. "Turn my heart" is the word for "incline", used by David of how he himself inclined his heart to God's word (Ps. 119:51,112,157). But David prayed that God would incline his heart towards His word (Ps. 119:36) and away from sin (Ps. 141:4). This is how the Holy Spirit works to this day- we are confirmed in the psychological attitudes we ourselves choose to have. The word is used of God's mighty "stretched out" arm and "strong hand" in human affairs (Ps. 136:12 and often in Isaiah). This powerful hand of God is at work in human hearts, confirming us in the psychological way in which we ourselves wish to go. In this sense God turns or inclines the heart where He wishes (Prov. 21:1). Solomon in the Proverbs places all the emphasis upon a person themselves in their own strength inclining their heart toward his teaching (Prov. 2:2; 4:5,20; 5:1). He fails to appreciate what David his father did; that God's word is His word and not that of the human channel through which it comes. And he totally puts the emphasis upon human strength of will, self inclination towards God's word, rather than perceiving as David did that without God's psychological help in this, we shall ultimately fail. As Solomon himself did.

Psalm 119:37

Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things-

"Worthless things" is the term for idols, and it seems idolatry was a major problem to Saul and the Israel of David's time. In the wilderness context, it was because David's heart was 'turned away' from sin, that God 'turned away' the kingdom from Saul to David (s.w. 2 Sam. 3:10).

Revive me in Your ways-

This idea of living in God's ways was a promised blessing for remaining in the covenant (Dt. 5:33; 30:16). Solomon uses the phrase for living in the way of understanding (Prov. 9:6), but the difference with his father David was that David asks to be "revived" or made to live in those ways; whereas Solomon exhorts people to attempt to do this in their own strength and steel willpower. And this ultimately fails, as it did with Solomon.

Psalm 119:38

Fulfill Your promise to Your servant, that You may be feared-

The specific promise in view was that he would become king and Saul's persecution would come to an end.

Psalm 119:39

Take away my disgrace that I dread, for Your ordinances are good-

GNB is better: "Save me from the insults I fear; how wonderful are your judgments!". The fear of shame was strong in David, coming from a shame based society, but it is in all of us. The concern for what others think of us is balanced here against a simple awe and wonder at God's expressed word. This is the antidote.

Psalm 119:40

Behold, I long for Your precepts!-

We may need to read in an ellipsis- David longed [to be able to keep] God's precepts. This may have been a reference to his pining to be at the sanctuary, from which he was exiled whilst on the run from Saul, and keep the feasts.

Revive me in Your righteousness-

Living new life in righteousness is the language used of the revival of repentance (Ez. 18:21,22,27; 33:16). Perhaps David is aware at this point of his sins, and asks for spiritual revival. This gift of spiritual life is the gift of the Holy Spirit offered in the New Testament, the difference being that the life breathed in is the life of the Lord Jesus, now glorified and able to do this to all in Him.

WAW

Psalm 119:41

Let Your grace also come to me, Yahweh-

He wanted to have the spiritual experience of God's grace which he had seen experienced by others, e.g. Samuel.

Your salvation, according to Your word-

The prophetic word that he would be king and therefore be saved from death at Saul's hand.

Psalm 119:42

so I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word-

The specific individual was surely Saul. David trusted in the prophetic word that he would be king. The Psalms repeatedly use the word "reproach" about Saul's campaign against David (Ps. 44:16; 57:3; 74:10; 102:8)- it must've included much slander which is unrecorded in the historical record, but which clearly was extremely hurtful to David. The reproach was as "a sword in the bones" to David (Ps. 42:10). The word of promise to us likewise includes the word of the Kingdom- and this is the answer to slander and "reproach" which alone can comfort us.

Psalm 119:43

Don’t take the word of truth out of my mouth, for I put my hope in Your ordinances-

To have a word or covenant in the mouth can mean being within the covenant pronounced in that word. David here is fearful that the "word of truth", the promises to him of kingship and salvation, could be removed. The phrase is specifically used of the promises made to David in 2 Sam. 7:28. By :160, David is confident that the word of truth is indeed "of truth".

Psalm 119:44

so I will obey Your law continually, forever and ever-

This could be David's vision of the Kingdom- eternally being obedient to God's law. It's possible to interpret the strange Mosaic phrase "he who keeps the law shall even live in it" in the same way- that the life eternal will be all about obedience to God's law.

Psalm 119:45

I will walk in liberty, for I have sought Your precepts-

This is a great theme of this Psalm (:32,96); that obedience to God is not a life of being shut up in a boring and constricted path of being, but rather is the way of ultimate psychological freedom. And it is this which many seek for, and yet look for it in all the wrong places.

Psalm 119:46

I will also speak of Your statutes before kings, and will not be disappointed-

Saul and Achish "king of Gath", both of whom David was "before" (1 Sam. 21:13). He was unashamed [not "disappointed"] of God's ways, even when it would have been politically expedient to keep his mouth shut.

Psalm 119:47

I will delight myself in Your commandments, because I love them-

David's love of and "delight" in God's word is a theme of his (Ps. 119:48,16,70). Our attitude to God's word determines our obedience to it; if we love God's ways, then obedience comes naturally and from the heart. If we view His ways as a set of onerous, legalistic commandments- then obedience will be so much harder. And this is seen in the poor moral life of legalists.

Psalm 119:48

I reach out my hands for Your commandments which I love; I will meditate on Your statutes-

As noted on :47, David didn't see God's commandments as onerous sets of legal points to be obeyed. Rather was he eager to know what God wanted, stretching out his hands for them, because he quite simply loved God and His words.

ZAYIN

Psalm 119:49

Remember Your word to Your servant, because You give me hope-

The idea is 'Fulfill the prophetic word that David would become King'. This was all David had to hope for and cling on to during the years of persecution by Saul.

Psalm 119:50

This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has revived me-

As noted on :49, the word in view is the Divine word through Samuel that David was to be king and Saul's persecution would one day end. It seems David fainted at times, but then revived as he remembered that word.

Psalm 119:51

The arrogant mock me excessively, but I don’t swerve from Your law-

"The arrogant" referred to Saul, primarily (see :69,78). And yet Saul began humble. Power so often changes men into proud people. The link between power and pride, and God's desire that we should be humble, explains why we are often not given the power which we wish for in various ways. Saul was once "little in [his] own eyes".

Psalm 119:52

I remember Your ordinances of old, Yahweh, and have comforted myself-

David took comfort from the actions and justice of God as displayed in Bible history, even though it seemed God had not yet acted in that way to him. "Of old" may mean that the ordinances had been given long ago; or that David from his youth, "of old" in his personal life, had always been devoted to the same words which now gave him comforted him.

In :82, the future fulfilment of the word of promise was his "comfort"; and yet here he comforts himself at the same time, at the thought of God's previous fulfillments of His promised word, even though the word had not come true for him personally yet. It's like Joseph's confidence expressed to the other prisoners that Divine dreams come true; when his own dream of glory over his brothers seemed so far from fulfilment.

Psalm 119:53

Indignation has taken hold on me because of the wicked who forsake Your law-

The reference is again to Saul, who had once kept God's law but then forsook it. Solomon condemns those who "forsake the law" (Prov. 4:2; 28:4), and he likely has Saul also in view. But he speaks in Prov. 4:2 of those who forsook his law; as if he was playing God, considering any inattention to himself as inattention to God. David by contrast continually emphasizes the need not to forsake God's law.

Psalm 119:54

Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage-

Presumably a reference to David's habit of setting God's statutes to music in the time of his exile. There is an intended juxtaposition of ideas between the words "house" and "pilgrimage". Although he was constantly on the move, his loyalty to God's ways gave him a sense of permanence and stability even in that period.

Psalm 119:55

I have remembered Your name, Yahweh, in the night, and I obey Your law-

We get the impression that David obeyed God's law "in the night" because he was aware of God's Name. I can only think of one specific commandment which required immediate obedience "in the night". It's in Dt. 23:10 "If there is among you any man who is not clean by reason of that which happens to him by night, he must go outside the camp". The idea could appear to be that if a man needed to defecate, then he was to do so outside of the camp of soldiers. Having latrines outside the camp would have ensured hygiene within the "camp". But it seems that defecating is what is in view in Dt. 23:12. Therefore this specifically night time reason for uncleanness must refer to an involuntary emission of semen. Hence the reference to what "happens to him at night". Nobody apart from the soldier knew what had happened. Many of the Mosaic commands invited obedience from men on a very personal and intimate level; for nobody else apart from the soldier would have known whether or not this had happened. This was all designed to inculcate very personal obedience to and relationship with God. See on Ps. 119:56. To have soldiers needing to remain ritually unclean outside the main camp of soldiers was not perhaps seen as the most effective use of soldiers in a conflict situation, where every man was required. But they were taught thereby that victory was not going to come in their own strength, but through obedience to God's ways. We likewise are tempted to think that careful obedience to God's commands will hinder our material progress in life. But the opposite is in fact true, and this commandment taught that.

Psalm 119:56

This is my life’s way, keeping Your precepts-

As explained in :55, many of the Mosaic commands invited obedience from men on a very personal and intimate level; for nobody else apart from the soldier would have known whether or not this had happened. This was all designed to inculcate very personal obedience to and relationship with God.

CHET

Psalm 119:57

Yahweh is my portion; I promised to obey Your words-

The "portion" which David looked forward to in his time in the wilderness was the inheritance of the kingship from Saul; and he promised to have God's words obeyed under his rulership.

Psalm 119:58

I sought Your favour with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word-

David spoke of seeking and praising God's grace with his "whole heart" (Ps. 9:1; 119:58; 138:1). Solomon uses the phrase, but speaks of being obedient with the "whole heart" (1 Kings 8:23; 2 Chron. 6:14) and applying the "whole heart" to the intellectual search for God (Ecc. 1:13; 8:9). There is a difference. The idea of whole hearted devotion to God was picked up by Solomon, but instead of giving the whole heart to the praise of God's grace, he instead advocated giving the whole heart to ritualistic obedience and intellectual search for God. This has been the trap fallen into by many Protestant groups whose obsession with "truth" has obscured the wonder of God's grace.

Psalm 119:59

I considered my ways and turned my steps to Your statutes-

Implying David fell into some sin during the wilderness years? There are many hints throughout Ps. 119 that he had ample experience of sin and repentance at this time- e.g. :67, and the conclusion to the whole Psalm. David considered his ways and turned his steps / ways towards obedience (Ps. 119:59); Solomon takes this further, using the same phrase, but saying that God directs the ways / steps of the man who considers his ways (s.w. Prov. 16:9). We have here an example of how the Spirit confirms a Godly person in the way they consciously wish to go.

Psalm 119:60

I will hurry, and not delay, to obey Your commandments-

It shouldn’t just be the nearness of the Lord’s return that makes us urgent. Our decisions to give over each part of our lives, radically, to Jesus should be made not just because life is short and the Lord is at the door; but also because it might otherwise be too late to undo the damage a self-engrossed life has already caused, to the self and to others. Rebekah responded immediately to the call to go marry Isaac, in a story which is clearly to be read as an acted parable of the search for a bride for Jesus. Her ‘quick’ response is one of her characteristics (Gen. 24:18,20,26,46,64). Abraham likewise “rose up early” after his night time vision, requiring him to offer his son to God (Gen. 22:1,3). Joshua “therefore” started to attack the confederacy of local kings, in the middle of the night, immediately after God had assured him of victory (Josh. 10:9). David could write: “I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments” (Ps. 119:60 AV). We cannot be passive on receiving the opportunity to serve God. We will urgently seek to do something with what we have been enabled to do for the Lord: “The servant who got five bags went quickly to invest the money and earned five more bags” (Mt. 25:16 NCV).

David repeatedly asks God to "hurry to help me" (Ps. 22:19; 38:22; 40:13; 70:1,5; 141:1). But David had hurried (s.w.) to be obedient to God, always wanting to 'say yes straight away' (Ps. 119:60). Our response to God's voice is therefore related to His response to our voice; if His words abide in us, then we experience positive experience in answered prayer (Jn. 15:7).

Psalm 119:61

The ropes of the wicked bind me, but I won’t forget Your law-

A reference to unrecorded robbery whilst in the wilderness? Or an allusion to his treatment at the hands of Nabal? We wonder if he has Samson in mind, who was bound by ropes, and arose at midnight to carry away the gates of his enemies (:62). Even in the heat of crisis, David was not unaware of God's word. It was no academic study for him, in evenings when all has gone well in the day.

Psalm 119:62

At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous ordinances-

See on :61. David at this time in the wilderness had not seen God's justice ['righteousness'] done in his case, but he thanked God that God had done justice in history. This is a parade example for those who lament the apparent injustice or inconsistency of God in observed life at their time.

Psalm 119:63

I am a friend of all those who fear You, of those who observe Your precepts-

This and other references in Ps. 119 (e.g. :74,79) to David's keen sense of fellowship with other sincere believers reflects his feelings towards Samuel, and perhaps some of the others who came and lived with him in the wilderness.

Psalm 119:64

The earth is full of Your grace, Yahweh; teach me Your commands-

David was likely illiterate at this time and his knowledge of God's law would've been taught by Samuel and faithful priests. Without them, he was driven to ask God to directly teach him. Whilst on the run from Saul, it would have seemed all was against him. But he looked around at the natural creation, and saw God's grace encoded into all creation, seeing the cup half full rather than half empty.

TET

Psalm 119:65

Do good to Your servant according to Your word, Yahweh-

This can be read as a request for God to fulfil His word of promise to David, that he would become king and Saul's persecution would end. But AV has David praising God for having "dealt well" with him. But this was only in a spiritual sense, for David in the wilderness was apparently not given immediate justice by God and had a very difficult life.

Psalm 119:66

Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments-

Believing God's word and being taught by God are two different, if related things. We can "believe the Bible is true", but to be open to being taught from it can be quite another thing.

Psalm 119:67

Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I observe Your word-

See on :59. David implies he had sinned before the wilderness years. He refers to his "sins of youth" elsewhere. He was not, therefore, just an innocent teenager looking after the sheep and composing Psalms in some ethereal teenage spiritual bliss. Yet being "afflicted" was what went on through David's life (s.w. 1 Kings 2:26; Ps. 132:1).

Psalm 119:68

You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes-

It was Moses who 'taught [God's] statutes' to Israel (s.w. Dt. 4:1,5,14; 5:31). David in the wilderness felt such a personal relationship with God that he felt God personally teaching him, without the intermediary of any teacher like Moses. And this kind of intimacy is still possible with God.

Psalm 119:69

The proud have smeared a lie upon me, but with my whole heart I will keep Your precepts-

"The proud" refer to Saul and his men; see on :51. David presents the antidote to experiencing slander as focusing our whole heart upon God's ways. So often slander elicits a desire to respond or endlessly mull over the experience in our hearts. But instead, whole hearted devotion to God's precepts is needed.

Psalm 119:70

Their heart is callous and fat, but I delight in Your law-

Slandering others means having a callous heart, "as fat as grease" (AV), very soon to destroy itself.

Psalm 119:71

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes-

David was driven to love God's word by the wilderness persecution- and Ps. 119 is his celebration of that.

Psalm 119:72

The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver-

David felt that the wonder of having God's word meant that the presence or absence of physical blessings  in his life was irrelevant (Ps. 119: 72,111). So often in Ps. 119, love of God's word is balanced against the love of wealth. Perhaps David thought that a more politically astute life in Saul's court might have made him wealthy, or perhaps he was offered wealth n return for unethical support of Saul. But he was faithful to the word of promise, that he and not Saul was to be king. And this apparently meant the sacrifice of apparent wealth.

YUD

Psalm 119:73

Your hands have made me and formed me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments-

That God has created us means we want to know Him more and form a relationship with Him. Our search for the invisible Father is what drives us to His word. Our attitudes to God's word are related to our attitudes to His creative power. For the Biblical record is of creation by God's word. If we accept that, then we will find an intuitive interest in living by that word as it forms us into a new creation.

Psalm 119:74

Those who fear You will see me and be glad, because I have put my hope in Your word-

See on :63. The "word" is the word of promise that David would be king. All those who feared Yahweh rejoiced in that hope. It seems Samuel's word about David's future kingship was well known in Israel.

Psalm 119:75

Yahweh, I know that Your judgments are righteous, that in faithfulness You have afflicted me-

David seems to have felt there were aspects of disobedience in his life before God, and he had been rightly afflicted because of them. His great expressions of love for God's word therefore don't imply that he was perfectly obedient to it. But this is how spiritual life is- loving God's ways, despite still failing.

Psalm 119:76

Please let Your grace be for my comfort, according to Your word to Your servant-

The "word" in view is the promise of becoming king after Saul. But David sees this as being by grace alone. God chose him because he was "after God's own heart"; but that didn't mean David was perfect. The choice was still by grace and not according to personal righteousness.

Psalm 119:77

Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; for Your law is my delight-

David's survival of Saul's persecution, not dying but living, was a result of God's prophetic word through Samuel. But that word was grace (:76), "tender mercies".

Psalm 119:78

Let the proud be disappointed, for they have overthrown me wrongfully; but I will meditate on Your precepts-

The proud could refer to Saul; see on :51. But being "overthrown" suggests this has been reapplied to the time of Absalom's rebellion. Despite the huge emotional pain of all the betrayal, David's heart was still on God's word and ways.

Psalm 119:79

Let those who fear You turn to me; they will know Your statutes-

See on :63. If the time of Absalom's rebellion is in view (see on :78), then this would refer to men turning away from the new government and back to David. But it would also apply to those who turned to support David at Saul's time. And David vows that when he comes to power [again, in the Absalom context], he will insist on teaching God's ways.

Psalm 119:80

Let my heart be blameless toward Your decrees, that I may not be ashamed-

Typical of men of his time, David seems to fear shame [s.w. "disappointed"] more than death itself. Defeat meant shame, and he desperately begged not to be shamed. Perhaps it was the function of his failure with Bathsheba to help him redefine the motives for his trust in God.

KAF

Psalm 119:81

My soul faints for Your salvation; I hope in Your word-

The "word" in view is the promise of becoming king after Saul. And this implied salvation from Saul's persecution, and David longed for that time to come.

Psalm 119:82

My eyes fail for Your word; I say, When will You comfort me?-

The fulfilment of the word of promise that he would become king seemed so far off. David as it were loses sight of it. He feels at times that his "comfort" would only be when that word was fulfilled; and yet he comforts himself at the same time, at the thought of God's previous fulfillments of His promised word (:52).

Psalm 119:83

For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, but I don’t forget Your statutes-

This may refer to a custom of mellowing wine by putting it in the smoke, implying the affliction was necessary to mature David spiritually. But more likely the idea is that David feels like a shrivelled old wineskin; but regardless of that and his feelings, David continued to be focused upon God's ways.

Psalm 119:84

How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute Your word on those who persecute me?-

Whilst on the run from Saul, David felt that he was surely going to die at his hands (1 Sam. 27:1). His faith in the prophetic word that he would be preserved and become king after Saul's demise was pushed to its uttermost. He felt death was but days away, and God must as it were hurry up and fulfil His word of promise or else David would die.

Psalm 119:85

The proud have dug pits for me, contrary to Your law-

We note how David correctly and continually analyzes the lead characteristic of his enemies, be they Saul or Absalom, as "pride". David felt pits were dug for him by Saul particularly (s.w. Ps. 57:1,6). We might have said "jealousy", but David saw to the essence- the problem was pride, as it is always to this day. Quite how did they seek to entrap him with pits? The word is used of the trap of women (s.w. Prov. 22:14; 23:27). Perhaps this was how Saul used his own daughters to entrap David. LXX "Transgressors told me idle tales".

Psalm 119:86

All of Your commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help me!-

"Help me" is s.w. in Ps. 30:10, a Bathsheba Psalm: "Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy on me. Yahweh, be my helper". Earlier David had sought Yahweh's help on the basis that he had been obedient to God's word (Ps. 119:173 s.w.), and was innocent (Ps. 119:86 s.w.). But the sin with Bathsheba led David to beg for God to be his helper purely on the basis of grace (Ps. 30:10 s.w.). He had asked for God's words to be his "helper" (Ps. 119:175), but now he quits his academic study and begs directly for God Himself to be his "helper". And yet we note his complaint that he was suffering "wrongfully". Despite Nathan's clear explanation to him about the consequences of his sin, David seems to have constantly complained about the consequences; even though he had been spared death. And I have often noted this about David throughout the Psalms dating from Absalom's rebellion, where David feels he is suffering wrongfully.

Psalm 119:87

They had almost wiped me from the earth, but I didn’t forsake Your precepts-

This sounds like David being convinced he was at the very point of being slain by Saul (1 Sam. 27;1), despite God's word to him about being saved from Saul and made king. He may also refer to the geographical extent of the earth / land, from which he felt he had been made to flee in fear of Saul. But even at the point of extinction of hope, David says he remained obedient to God's laws.

Psalm 119:88

Preserve my life according to Your grace, so I will obey the statutes of Your mouth-

The preservation of David's life from Saul had been promised in the prophetic word to him about him becoming king. But David recognized that his having been chosen as king was by grace, not because he was more righteous than others. And he vows that if his life is preserved from Saul and he became king, then he would rule in obedience to God's laws. Note how David perceived those laws as having come direct from God's very mouth. The law of Moses was to him a living dialogue with God.

LAMED

Psalm 119:89

Yahweh, Your word is settled in heaven forever-

David struggles throughout the Psalm to believe that the prophetic word about him becoming king and Saul's demise would ever come true. But he reassures himself that God's word of purpose is "settled", from the Divine side; even if it appeared so unstable in fulfilment on earth. But David believed that what was settled in heaven would ultimately come true on earth.

Psalm 119:90

Your faithfulness is to all generations. You have by a word established the earth, and it remains-

This leads David to reflect that the word to him promising to establish his kingdom would just as easily come true. Creation was by a word, God spoke and it was done. And David perceives God's word to him, whether in the form of Mosaic commandments or the word of promise that he was ultimately to survive Saul's persecution and become king of Israel.

Psalm 119:91

Your laws remain to this day, for all things serve You-

As noted on :90, the word through which God created the earth was the same word as the laws and principles applicable to David. And David took comfort that "all things" in creation were subservient to God's word, and likewise His prophetic word about David would likewise without doubt come true and go likewise into operation.

Psalm 119:92

Unless Your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction-

AV "I should then have perished". The "then" is in the Hebrew, and perhaps refers to the point of crisis in :87. Perhaps it was some act of ritual obedience to the law ["torah" is the word here used] which inadvertently saved David from death. Or perhaps he means that God rewarded his obedience by delivering him; but this is at variance with his expressions of faith in God's grace, and his belief that his deliverance from his afflictions was because of God's word of promise to him about becoming king, rather than because of his own righteousness. Or perhaps he here is simply slipping back away from grace, and self-righteously assuming that in fact his preservation had been because of his own obedience to the law.

Psalm 119:93

I will never forget Your precepts, for with them You have revived me-

Just as God's word had given life and birth to creation and continues to keep it in life (:90-92), so David felt God's word and ways gave him life. Three times David makes the connection between God's precepts and his inner "revival" (Ps. 119:40,93,159). God's word is a living word in that it is creative and gives life.

Psalm 119:94

I am Yours. Save me, for I have sought Your precepts-

David asks for salvation not because he has been totally obedient to God's precepts; but because he "sought" such obedience, he loved God's ways and so wished to be obedient, and identified himself as God's.

Psalm 119:95

The wicked have waited for me to destroy me; I will consider Your statutes-

Living in a situation where enemies set ambushes and traps of various kinds, it would seem to the secular person that absolutely all our attention must be given to avoiding them. But David's mental focus instead was upon God's words and ways. David himself promises to "consider Your statutes" (:95), but he then asks that God will give him "understanding" (s.w. "consider") of those statutes (:125). Our freely chosen attitude to God's word is confirmed and extended by the operation of the Spirit on the human heart.

Psalm 119:96

I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your commands are boundless-

This is a great theme of this Psalm (:32,45); that obedience to God is not a life of being shut up in a boring and constricted path of being, but rather is the way of ultimate psychological freedom. And it is this which many seek for, and yet look for it in all the wrong places.

MEM

Psalm 119:97

How I love Your law! It is my meditation all day-

We meditate upon what we love. The fact David found he was meditating upon God's law meant therefore, axiomatically, that he loved it. This means that the statement that "I love Your law!" is not at all self-righteous or self congratulatory. Although torah is used here for "law", there are multiple examples of torah referring not to the Mosaic law but any statement of God; the word is used many times well before the Mosaic law was given.

Psalm 119:98

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for Your commandments are always with me-

David's survival at the court of Saul seems miraculous. He was in such a difficult, compromised situation. We get the sense that David pitted his wisdom against Saul's anger and bitter persecution; David's wisdom is mentioned in tandem with Saul's anger against him (1 Sam. 18:5,11,15,30). "David behaved himself wisely (AVmg “prospered”) in all his ways; and the Lord was with him" runs like a refrain through 1 Sam. 18:5,14,15,30. These words are referring back to Dt. 29:9: "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do". David's charmed life and prospering despite all manner of plotting against him was due to his single-minded devotion to the Law; to those very chapters which tired Bible readers are wont to skip over as boring and not motivating. Yet David found something immensely inspiring and practical about the Law. The word made him wiser than his foes (Ps. 119:98).

Psalm 119:99

I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation-

This Psalm was likely edited over a period of time, and we see here some progression from the youthful imagination that David's teachers were perfect (:3). Whilst there may well have been a touch of youthful arrogance here in David, the words came to absolute fulfilment in the Lord Jesus amongst the teachers of the law in Jerusalem at 12 years old. We note that understanding is here predicated upon meditation. David's requests to be given such understanding therefore imply God's Spirit working upon the internal meditations of those who love God's law.

Psalm 119:100

I understand more than the aged, because I have kept Your precepts-

This may be an allusion to Job's comment and experience that age is not at all to be linked with understanding. The Pentateuch and book of Job were likely the only texts David had or was aware of. Understanding is here predicated upon keeping God's precepts. The advantage of obedience is that the life it elicits of itself gives us insight and understanding; all part of an intended upward spiral.

Psalm 119:101

I have kept my feet from every evil way, that I might observe Your word-

This could be read on a surface level as David saying he has kept himself from any sin. But the idea is maybe that David knew that if he was walking in a good way, he would find it easier to observe God's word. He knew that there is an upward spiral in spirituality. Or "your word" may refer to the word of promise that David would be king.

Psalm 119:102

I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You have taught me-

David gives God the credit for his obedience, for he recognizes that God has worked upon him to make him obedient. He sees God's "teaching" of His laws, not just the laws themselves, as what led him to obedience.

Psalm 119:103

How sweet are Your promises to my taste, more than honey to my mouth!-

The promises immediately in view were the promises of receiving the Kingdom and the destruction of Saul. Elsewhere David contrasts living by God's word with present wealth; and here we may have a similar contrast. The "honey" offered in prospect by the house of Saul was nothing compared to the promise of the Kingdom.

Psalm 119:104

Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way-

The experience of obedience to God's precepts of itself gives us added spiritual insight and understanding, a deeper dislike of "every false way", perhaps an allusion to idolatry.

NUN

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path-

The "word" in view may be the prophetic word that David would be king and Saul would be destroyed. Whilst under persecution from Saul, it seemed hard to believe that word would come true. But David lived as if God's word of promise was what guided his feet (his short term immediate decisions) and his overall path, and believed God would confirm him in his choices (see on :133). Solomon reapplied Ps. 119:105 in Prov. 6:23; but his legalism comes out, in that he changed "Your word" (of promise) to "the law" and the "commandments".

Psalm 119:106

I have sworn, and have confirmed it, that I will obey Your righteous ordinances-

This appears to be another promise from David that when God's word about his kingship came true (see on :105), he would ensure that he would govern according to God's ordinances.

Psalm 119:107

I am afflicted very much. Revive me, Yahweh, according to Your word-

David was aware that the word of promise was true- that Saul's days would end, and he would become king. But there were times when this seemed impossible of fulfilment, and David asks God to revive him, to help him see that the prophetic word which he theoretically knew was true- was in fact going to come true for him personally. And we need to pray likewise.

Psalm 119:108

Accept, I beg You, the willing offerings of my mouth. Yahweh, teach me Your ordinances-

In exile from the sanctuary, David was unable to offer sacrifice there. And so he matured to understand that the offerings God accepts are those of our mouths, our words. And perhaps David vowed with his mouth to perform sacrifice when he was able to get to the sanctuary. His understanding matured beyond this after his sin with Bathsheba, when he perceived that God wants a contrite heart rather than sacrifices. But already the Father was working to develop his young mind to perceive that literal sacrifices weren't absolutely required. And so He works so gently with us too.

Psalm 119:109

My soul is continually in my hand, yet I won’t forget Your law-

David felt he could be slain any moment by Saul and his supporters (1 Sam. 27:1). But he says that he will not forget obedience to God's law even in crisis situations. However torah, "law", had a wide range of application and need not refer strictly to the Mosaic ordinances. He may simply mean that he would not forget God's word of promise.

Psalm 119:110

The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I haven’t gone astray from Your precepts-

The implication is that the snares laid would have meant going astray from God's precepts. The initial reference may have been to Saul laying snares for David through getting him to marry his daughters and thereby seeking to kill him. But the Psalm finishes with David saying bluntly that he has "gone astray" (:176), as if to say that earlier [as at this point in the Psalm] he far overrated his own obedience to God's law.

Psalm 119:111

I have taken Your testimonies as a heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart-

David on the run appeared to have no inheritance. But his inheritance was God's "testimonies"- a possible reference not so much to the Mosaic law as to the prophetic testimonies from Samuel that he would inherit the Kingdom and Saul would be deposed.

Psalm 119:112

I have set my heart to perform Your statutes forever, even to the end-

"Set my heart" is the word for "incline", used by David of how he himself inclined his heart to God's word (Ps. 119:51,112,157). But David prayed that God would incline his heart towards His word (Ps. 119:36) and away from sin (Ps. 141:4). This is how the Holy Spirit works to this day- we are confirmed in the psychological attitudes we ourselves choose to have. The word is used of God's mighty "stretched out" arm and "strong hand" in human affairs (Ps. 136:12 and often in Isaiah). This powerful hand of God is at work in human hearts, confirming us in the psychological way in which we ourselves wish to go. In this sense God turns or inclines the heart where He wishes (Prov. 21:1). Solomon in the Proverbs places all the emphasis upon a person themselves in their own strength inclining their heart toward his teaching (Prov. 2:2; 4:5,20; 5:1). He fails to appreciate what David his father did; that God's word is His word and not that of the human channel through which it comes. And he totally puts the emphasis upon human strength of will, self inclination towards God's word, rather than perceiving as David did that without God's psychological help in this, we shall ultimately fail. As Solomon himself did.

SAMEKH

Psalm 119:113

I hate double-minded men, but I love Your law-

AV "vain thoughts" or "vanities", perhaps a reference to idolatry as well as to the hypocrisy of Saul. David so often talks about God's "law", using the word torah. But Solomon so often speaks of his own torah, and that of his wife, the mother of "my son" (s.w. Prov. 1:8; 3:1; 4:2; 6:20; 7:2; 13:14; 31:26). Yet elsewhere in the Bible, the well over 200 occurrences of torah are always about God's law. Solomon applies the word to his own teachings and that of his wife, and thereby plays God. whilst it could be argued that Solomon's teachings were Divinely inspired, all the same he ought surely to have spoken of them as God's torah rather than his own torah. This kind of playing God is seen so often in the teachers of God's people.

Psalm 119:114

You are my hiding place and my shield. I hope in Your word-

When hiding from Saul in the wilderness [s.w. of David's "hiding places" at this time in 1 Sam. 19:2; 25:20], David hoped in the prophetic word that one day Saul would be no more and David would be king.

Psalm 119:115

Depart from me, You evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God-

This is the word for how God had departed from Saul, and maybe this was initially behind David's desire that Saul leave him alone. But it is also the word used for how violence would never depart from David because of his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12:10). David prayed for this to "depart" but it never did. David was open to the possibility that through prayer, God can remove the consequences of sin in this life; but such prayer is not always answered.

Psalm 119:116

Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live. Let me not be ashamed of my hope-

LXX "expectation". The parallel between "Your word" and David's hope or expectation confirms the suggestion that the "word" in view in this Psalm is the specific promise to David of becoming king after Saul's judgment and destruction. But David felt that the fulfilment of that prophetic word required him to be unashamed of it.

Psalm 119:117

Hold me up and I will be safe, and will have respect for Your statutes continually-

As David respected God's words, so he asks God to spare or respect him (s.w. Ps. 39:13). This is not to be read as meaning that Bible study assures a man of salvation; but rather that there is a mutuality in relationship between God and man. Our respect of His words is reflected in His saving respect of us. But in the immediate context, David is asking for God to preserve him from Saul, and vowing to always enforce God's statutes when he becomes king.

Psalm 119:118

You reject all those who stray from Your statutes-

David here uses the same word for how Saul 'wandered' or strayed out of the way (s.w. 1 Sam. 26:21), and David seems to have initially written Ps. 119 in his wilderness years. Saul was rejected from being king because of this.

For their deceit is in vain- "Vain" is better "wrongfully" reflects again David's deep sense of injustice (see on Ps. 35:7). He uses the word for "false witness", as if they were breaking one of the ten commandments; and he uses it often, heaping condemnation upon any who dare lie / bear false witness about him (Ps. 38:19; 52:3; 63:11; 101:7; 119:29,69,86,118; 120:2; 144:8,11). And yet David lied and deceived in order to get Uriah killed so that he could take his wife for himself. Surely reflection upon that sin made him realize that his zeal to condemn dishonesty was at best misplaced; to lament it is one thing, but David was to be taught that he had himself done the very thing he so condemned.

Psalm 119:119

You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross. Therefore I love Your testimonies-

The "word" so often in view in this Psalm is the prophetic "testimony" that Saul would be deposed and David would become king. This is the same situation in view here, when the wicked of the earth would be put away. David speaks in the present tense of that which he believed was yet to happen- such was his faith in the prophetic word.

Psalm 119:120

My flesh trembles for fear of You; I am afraid of Your judgments-

LXX "Penetrate my flesh with thy fear; for I am afraid of thy judgments". The preceding verses have all alluded to how God's word of promise was that He would judge Saul and replace him with David. But David concludes this verse of the Psalm with a request to have God's direct action upon his mind so that he would personally tremble before God's moral requirements.

AYIN

Psalm 119:121

I have done what is just and righteous. Don’t leave me to my oppressors-

Oppression seems to have been a characteristic of the reigns of Saul and Absalom. This was the equivalent of how Saul oppressed David (Ps. 119:121,122,134). Samuel's insistence that he has not oppressed the people is in the context of his warning that Saul would do this (1 Sam. 12:3,4). When Solomon later condemns the 'oppressors' (s.w. Prov. 14:31; 22:16; 28:3,24), he has in view a wishing of judgment upon the house of Saul. "The poor" whom they had oppressed would easily refer to David (1 Sam. 18:23; Ps. 34:6).

Psalm 119:122

Ensure Your servant’s well-being. Don’t let the proud oppress me-

See on :121. This appears to be the one verse in Ps. 119 that doesn't mention God's word. But it does so effectively, once we understand that the Psalm is largely about David's request for the prophetic word to come true- of him becoming King and Saul's demise. Again we note that "the proud" is Saul; this was the lead characteristic which characterized his entire failure. His jealousy over David being more praised by the women than he was reveals the basic pride which grew into the obsessive feature of his personality.

Psalm 119:123

My eyes fail looking for Your salvation, for Your righteous word-

"Salvation" is Yeshua, 'Jesus', "the word made flesh" (Jn. 1:14). But in the immediate context, the fulfilment of God's prophetic word about Saul's demise meant David's salvation. The admission that his eyes were failing in looking for this... is as if to say 'My faith is failing in Your promised salvation, but I accept Your word is right and just; please give me faith in Your word again'. Constantly we see the implication that God gives faith, and it is not true that God simply faces off against man over an open Bible, and it is for us to summon the faith to believe it, in our own strength.

Psalm 119:124

Deal with Your servant according to Your grace, teach me Your statutes-

From his youth, David had asked to be taught God's way (Ps. 119:7,12,26,64,66,68,73,108,124,135), and at the end of his life David recognized that indeed God had "taught me from my youth" (s.w. Ps. 71:17). In secular life, teaching is something experienced in youth, and then life is spent practicing what was learned. But in spiritual life, David perceived that the God who had taught him from his youth was continuing to teach him (Ps. 71:17). This is part of the "newness of life" experienced in Christ, the ever fresh spring water that we drink.

Psalm 119:125

I am Your servant. Give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies-

David himself promises to "consider Your statutes" (:95), but he then asks that God will give him "understanding" (s.w. "consider") of those statutes (:125). Our freely chosen attitude to God's word is confirmed and extended by the operation of the Spirit on the human heart.

Psalm 119:126

It is time to act, Yahweh, for they break Your law-

David wants God to fulfil immediately His word of promise that Saul would be overthrown and David established king. It was the same frustration at the apparent slowness of fulfilment of a prophetic word which the exiles experienced, along with all the faithful.

Psalm 119:127

Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, more than pure gold-

Again David points the contrast between God's commands, and the love of wealth. So often love of wealth is presented as the most common form of spiritual downfall, and the antithesis of loving God and His word.

Psalm 119:128

Therefore I consider all of Your precepts to be right; I hate every false way-

"Every false way" may refer to idols, which were prevalent in Israel at David's time. The "therefore" connects with the previous verse, which condemns the love of wealth. There is an upward spiral in spirituality. Once wealth has been rejected (:127), "therefore" we appreciate the rightness of God's precepts, and all the more hate false ways. This love of what is just and hatred of what is false means that we will not vicariously enjoy the "false" through viewing movies about it; we will simply love what is right and thereby hate all that is false.

PEY

Psalm 119:129

Your testimonies are wonderful, therefore my soul keeps them-

The motivation for obedience is related to our attitude to God's word. This is why our understanding of the nature of Biblical inspiration has an effect upon our actual walk before God in practice.

Psalm 119:130

The entrance of Your words gives light, it gives understanding to the simple-

David likens himself to the simple who was made wise by God's word (Ps. 19:7; 119:130), and was therefore preserved (Ps. 116:6). To be taught by God's word we have to become "simple", unlearning and placing to one side all our perceived knowledge and understandings. Solomon repeats David's theme by saying that wisdom makes wise the simple (Prov. 1:4; 8:5; 9:4). But he is equating "wisdom" with the words of God, although for Solomon, "wisdom" seems to be what he is saying and teaching. Solomon doesn't direct his listeners back to God's word, as David did, but rather towards loyalty to his teaching. Inspired as it was, his lack of extended reference to God's law places his own teaching of "wisdom" above that law. This is in sharp contrast to David's attitude in Ps. 119. David sees God's words as entering him and giving him understanding; as if God takes the initiative in entering the mind of man.

But the Hebrew for "entrance" is literally 'opening', and may be an idiom for explaining or teaching (as in Ps. 49:4; 78:2). Hence GNB "The explanation of your teachings gives light".  "Gives light" is the word for daybreak; the idea may be that a new day dawns in the lives of the person who has God's word explained to them and they accept it. We note that the light is not simply the word of God, but its explanation.

Psalm 119:131

I opened my mouth wide and panted, for I longed for Your commandments-

The opening of the mouth suggests a desire to have something put into the mouth. David knew the commandments, so we surely have to understand an ellipsis here, "longing for [obedience to] Your commandments". Constantly we are given the impression that mere possession of God's word is not enough; there must be some further action of God, in teaching and strengthening- what the New Testament calls the work of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 119:132

Turn to me and have mercy on me, as You always do to those who love Your name-

As often, David appeals to God's actions in history for other believers in the past ["always"]- at a time when he felt God hadn't turned to him, hadn't paid attention to him in his immediate crises.

Psalm 119:133

Establish my footsteps in Your word; don’t let any iniquity have dominion over me-

David recognized that God's word of promise that he would be king and Saul would be deposed, was what should guide the choice of steps he himself took (see on :105). But he asks that his choices, the steps he chose in response to that hope and understanding, should be "established" or confirmed by God. And his request to not be dominated by sin suggests he realized that God's prophetic intentions for him were all the same conditional upon his continued correct walk. And he believed God has the power to keep us from falling into sin (Jude 24). Constantly we see the work of the Spirit over and above a man looking at God's word and trying to find the steel will to make himself obedient to it.

Psalm 119:134

Redeem me from the oppression of man, so that I will observe Your precepts-

See on :121. The "oppression" in view was the persecution by Saul, and David vowed that if and when God's word came true and he became king, he would govern according to God's precepts.

Psalm 119:135

Make Your face shine on Your servant. Teach me Your statutes-

The passages which talk about God's face shining upon men refer primarily to the Angel in the Most Holy shining forth in blessing upon men. Far from the sanctuary in the desert, David felt this closeness to God. It was Moses who 'taught [God's] statutes' to Israel (s.w. Dt. 4:1,5,14; 5:31). David in the wilderness felt such a personal relationship with God that he felt God personally teaching him, without the intermediary of any teacher like Moses. And this kind of intimacy is still possible with God.

Psalm 119:136

Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don’t observe Your law-

The "they" could refer to David's eyes, or this could be another lament for the disobedience of his persecutors. Likewise the faithful in Ezekiel’s time sighed and groaned over all the abominations committed in Jerusalem (Ez. 9:4); Paul spoke “even with tears” about those in the ecclesia who lived as enemies of the cross of Christ (Phil. 3:18), exhorting the Corinthians to mourn for those they had to disfellowship (1 Cor. 5:2; 2 Cor. 12:21); Ezra wept for the sins of his people (Ezra 10:1). The bleeding hearts of Jeremiah and Moses were actually for the ecclesia. Is this attitude seen amongst us? We lament in a gossipy way the weaknesses of the brotherhood; but is there this bleeding heart for the cases we mention? We should never think of disfellowshipping anybody unless the decision has been come to through a process of such prayerful mourning for them first.

TZADI

Psalm 119:137

You are righteous, Yahweh; Your judgments are upright-

GNB "just". Here and in :138 David seems to be reasoning against some implication or position that God's laws are somehow unjust or unreasonable. This was perhaps the position of Saul, who impatiently disobeyed God's law (1 Sam. 15:22).

Psalm 119:138

You have commanded Your statutes in righteousness; they are fully trustworthy-

"Righteousness" and "truth" [s.w. "trustworthy"] are words found together in 1 Sam. 26:23, where Saul recognizes David had acted in "righteousness and truth" in not killing him when he could have done. Perhaps David is reflecting upon how God's "statutes" had led him not to kill Saul.

Psalm 119:139

My zeal wears me out, because my enemies ignore Your words-

The command to "not forget [the] word" was given in Dt. 4:9 (s.w.). Israel were to never forget that they were in covenant relationship with Yahweh, and the gift of His word to them was so wonderful they were never to forget it. Our awareness of the wonder of having God's word will elicit our delight in it. A John Carter rightly pointed out, our attitude to God's word determines our obedience to it. This is where attitudes to inspiration are so important in practical living. Saul's enemies were Saul and his supporters, who impatiently disobeyed God's law (1 Sam. 15:22).

Psalm 119:140

Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and Your servant loves them-

God's promises to David that he would become king and Saul would be destroyed seemed so far away from fulfilment at the time. But David reflects that historically, God's promises to others had been fulfilled. We encounter this reasoning often in David's Psalms. It is in sharp contrast to the excuse for unbelief we often encounter- that God has not come through for me in my experience right now at this moment.

Psalm 119:141

I am small and despised but I don’t forget Your precepts-

A sensitive person like David was going to be deeply hurt by being despised as he was by his brothers and his wife (2 Sam. 6:16 s.w.), and as he was by Goliath (s.w. 1 Sam. 17:42) and later by all his people after the sin with Bathsheba (Ps. 22:6 s.w.). This would explain why David so often takes comfort in the way that God doesn't despise him (Ps. 22:24; 51:17; 69:33; 102:17). It is God's perspective which is so critical in overcoming the negative self-image which others seek to project onto us.

Psalm 119:142

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness; Your law is truth-

GNB "always true". Thus the eternity of God's truth is paralleled with the eternity of His righteousness (as in :160). David walked / lived "in truth and righteousness" (s.w. 1 Kings 3:6; Ps. 15:2), because this was how God is. The Messianic seed of David was to have this characteristic, ruling on David's throne in truth and righteousness (s.w. Is. 16:5).

Psalm 119:143

Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me, but Your commandments are my delight-

I suggest the parallel is with :139. David is troubled for those who do not delight in God's commandments. But he himself does delight in them. "Trouble and anguish" is the term used for condemnation (Job 15:24; Prov. 1:27; Rom. 2:9). David is so identified with the wicked that like the Lord Jesus, he as it were feels their condemnation, whilst being personally innocent.

Psalm 119:144

Your testimonies are righteous forever. Give me understanding, that I may live-

The internal connection of the verse is that the eternity of God's testimonies is connected with the eternal living of David. David sees eternity, or at least living instead of dying at the hand of Saul, as connected with his identity with God's testimonies which are eternal.

KUF

Psalm 119:145

I have called with my whole heart. Answer me, Yahweh! I will keep Your statutes-

This and the following verses appear to be David's intense cry for deliverance from a particular period of his persecution by Saul. It appeared he faced death, but he remembers God's word promising that he would become king and Saul would be disposed of. He promises obedience to God's laws if he is delivered; and I suggest this primarily means he was vowing to govern Israel according to the Mosaic law. Or it could be that he felt he was suffering because of personal disobedience, and asks for deliverance with the promise that in future he will keep God's laws. In this application, these verses may also have relevance to David's sufferings as a result of his sin with Bathsheba. But see on :146.

Psalm 119:146

I have called to You. Save me! I will obey Your statutes-

See on :145. David says that he has 'obeyed Your statutes' (s.w. :167,68). Perhaps he means that when God fulfills His promise to make him king, which required immediately saving him from some situation with Saul, he would continue to "obey Your statutes" in the way he governed Israel. But perhaps he feels he is suffering because of disobeying God's statutes. And yet later in :167,168 he says he has obeyed them. This difficulty in self examination [which we also can identify with] is reflected in how David also says in different Psalms that Israel both obeyed God's statutes, and also disobeyed them (Ps. 78:56 cp. 99:7).

Psalm 119:147

I rise before dawn and cry for help, I put my hope in Your words-

See on :145. David's first waking moments were naturally of prayer to God. And this is our pattern. He often mentions his habit of regular prayer morning and evening (Ps. 5:3; 55:17; 59:16; 88:3; 119:147). This  should not have to be enforced upon us, but rather the natural outcome of a life lived in constant connection with God. David perceived that the Mosaic ritual of morning and evening sacrifice taught the sacrifice of prayer should be made in daily life, even though at the time of many of the Psalms, David was exiled from the sanctuary. This exile from organized religion led him to make this connection, as it can for us too.

The Psalms give further insight into the disciplined nature of David's prayer-life: "Evening and morning and at noon will I pray" (Ps. 55:17); "I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning" (Ps. 59:16); "in the morning shall my prayer come before you" (Ps. 88:13); "to praise your mercy in the morning, and your faithfulness every night" (Ps. 92:2); "before the dawning of the morning, I hope in your word" (Ps. 119:147). This kind of self-discipline is the utter essence of practical Christianity. It is through this that we will realize every morning that God is our "arm", our strength, for the coming day (Is. 33:2); and God's mercies are only renewed every morning in that the righteous man thinks afresh about them every morning (Lam. 3:23)- for God's mercy itself is around the clock! Likewise the comment in Zeph. 3:5 that God's judgments are revealed every morning only becomes true in that the believer meditates upon God's word each morning.

Psalm 119:148

My eyes stay open through the night watches, that I might meditate on Your word-

The "word" in view may refer specifically to the promise that he would be preserved from Saul's persecution to become king. And when that promise seemed so unlikely of fulfilment, he stayed awake at night imagining how it might come to fulfilment.

Or we can take "Your word" to refer to God's word generally, such as was revealed to David at that time. The whole of Ps. 119 describes how he rejoiced at God's law, staying up late at night, straining his eyes into the candlelight to read it, getting up first thing in the morning to read some more (Ps. 119:147,148). He obviously saw something in it that perhaps we don't. Perhaps he appreciated more keenly the prophecies of Messiah than we do. Peter makes the point that David knew so much about Jesus, although he wasn't even born then, that David could say: "I foresaw the Lord (Jesus) always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved" (Acts 2:25). David "foresaw" the coming of Jesus at all times; the only source of knowledge he had was the Law of Moses (remember David lived before the time of the Old Testament prophets like Isaiah). Jesus was ever present in David's thinking; thanks to his meditation upon the Law of Moses and the book of Job, which was likely all the scripture then available to him.

Psalm 119:149

Hear my voice according to Your grace. Revive me, Yahweh, according to Your ordinances-

If the ordinances in view are the prophetic words that he would become king, even when it seemed impossible whilst under persecution from Saul, then we note that David realized that this was all to be according to God's grace, rather than his worthiness. Even though God saw him as a man after His own heart. And David asks God to revive his faith in those promises. Otherwise it is hard to see how revival of faith was specifically promised in the "ordinances" of the Mosaic law.

Psalm 119:150

They draw near who follow after wickedness, they are far from Your law-

"Draw near" is a common idiom for offering sacrifice and worshipping God. But that sacrifice must be from men who are near to God's law, and not offering just as mere tokenistic ritualism. He may be alluding to Saul's insincere sacrifices and religious rituals which led to his rejection and David's choice as the next king (1 Sam. 14:36,38; 15:22).

Psalm 119:151

You are near, Yahweh-

This continues the idea of :150. Insincere men claim to draw near to God in worship and sacrifice, but God is near to those like David who are far from any sanctuary of religious rituals. "Near" is literally, 'next to', 'neighbour / relative to'. This is how close God feels to the broken hearted and crushed; and conversely, how far He is from the self satisfied and self congratulatory, 'the strong' in secular terms. It is this feature of Yahweh which makes Him unique; no other God has this characteristic of 'nearness' (s.w. Dt. 4:7).

All Your commandments are truth-

"Truth" is a word often associated with the covenant. The "truth" of covenant relationship binds Him to those truly within the covenant. "Truth" is often used in a covenantal context.

Psalm 119:152

Of old I have known from Your testimonies, that You have founded them forever-

David may refer to how he had learnt from "of old", in his youth, that God keeps his word. The adventures and answered prayers of boyhood and youth remained real to him, and he didn't just pass them off as the stuff of youth. But we note that he learnt that God keeps His word "from Your testimonies". He saw internal evidence from his own experience of God's word. And this is the basis of faith; not so much empirical, apologetic evidence, as something within God's own revelation which elicits further faith. What he had in view was that God's prophetic testimony through Samuel that he would one day would become king- was founded forever, and would not change.

RESH

Psalm 119:153

Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I don’t forget Your law-

This could be read as one of several points in this Psalm, written in relative youth, where David overestimates his obedience. He legalistically assumes that he ought to be delivered from whatever affliction he faced because of his stellar loyalty to God's word. This would explain the otherwise strange ending of Ps. 119, where David confesses he is a lost sheep and has not at all been obedient to God's way as he ought to have been.

Psalm 119:154

Plead my cause, and redeem me! Revive me according to Your promise-

The "promise" was the promise that he would become king and Saul would be disposed of- which often must have seemed so unlikely of fulfilment. Just as unlikely as the promise that "little me" shall one day be a king-priest of God's kingdom, in the power of an endless life; when we are so weak and faultering in our understanding and devotion. David sees his situation with Saul as being played out before the court of heaven; and he asks God to act not only as judge [who could "redeem"] but also as his advocate for the defence, who could "plead my cause". Paul uses this same idea in Rom. 1-8, triumphing that if God "be for us", as both judge and advocate, then nothing can go against us (Rom. 8:31). Sinners that we are.

Psalm 119:155

Salvation is far from the wicked, for they don’t seek Your statutes-

We note that David often [although not always, see on :153] speaks in terms of 'seeking' God's laws, rather than being totally obedient to them. Ezra 7:10 uses the same term, and differentiates between "seeking" and "doing" the statutes. We see in Ps. 119 a man "after God's own heart"; not in that he was morally perfect nor totally obedient, but in that he wished and sought after such obedience, and loved God's laws rather than despised them.

Psalm 119:156

Great are Your tender mercies, Yahweh. Revive me according to Your ordinances-

The parallel is with :154 "Revive me according to Your promise". The "promise" was the promise that he would become king and Saul would be disposed of- which often must have seemed so unlikely of fulfilment. And this is the set of "ordinances" in view here. But becoming king was to be by God's tender mercy, "the sure mercies of [i.e. given to] David" (Is. 55:3). Repeatedly David says this; that the fulfilment of God's word to him about becoming king would be the outworking of His grace (:41,76,88,124,149,159).

Psalm 119:157

Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I haven’t swerved from Your testimonies-

"Swerved" is the word for "incline", used by David of how he himself inclined his heart to God's word (Ps. 119:51,112,157). But David prayed that God would incline his heart towards His word (Ps. 119:36) and away from sin (Ps. 141:4). This is how the Holy Spirit works to this day- we are confirmed in the psychological attitudes we ourselves choose to have. The word is used of God's mighty "stretched out" arm and "strong hand" in human affairs (Ps. 136:12 and often in Isaiah). This powerful hand of God is at work in human hearts, confirming us in the psychological way in which we ourselves wish to go. In this sense God turns or inclines the heart where He wishes (Prov. 21:1). Solomon in the Proverbs places all the emphasis upon a person themselves in their own strength inclining their heart toward his teaching (Prov. 2:2; 4:5,20; 5:1). He fails to appreciate what David his father did; that God's word is His word and not that of the human channel through which it comes. And he totally puts the emphasis upon human strength of will, self inclination towards God's word, rather than perceiving as David did that without God's psychological help in this, we shall ultimately fail. As Solomon himself did.

Psalm 119:158

I look at the faithless with loathing, because they don’t observe Your word-

David’s eyes wept "because they keep not Your law", and yet he grieved for those who do not keep Gods word (Ps. 119:136,158). In other words, he grieved for where their way of life would lead them, even though he saw that at times he behaved like them. "The faithless" primarily refer to Saul and his followers. David loathed Saul at this time, and yet when Saul dies, he weeps for him deeply (see on 2 Sam. 1). We can conclude that part of that weeping was because David had felt so harshly about him, he wept for him as a man for his mother, lamenting he had not appreciated her as he ought to have done (Ps. 35:14). We note too the parallel between being faithless and not observing the word. Faith comes by hearing [obeying] the word of God in that the experience of the obedient life elicits more faith (Rom. 10:17).

Psalm 119:159

Consider how I love Your precepts. Revive me, Yahweh, according to Your grace-

Just as God's word had given life and birth to creation and continues to keep it in life (:90-92), so David felt God's word and ways gave him life. Three times David makes the connection between God's precepts and his inner "revival" (Ps. 119:40,93,159). God's word is a living word in that it is creative and gives life. Repeatedly David says that the fulfilment of God's word to him about becoming king would be the outworking of His grace (:41,76,88,124,149,159). Here he says that God's grace would revive him, but elsewhere that the word [of promised kingship] would revive him (:25,50,93,107,149).

Psalm 119:160

All of Your words are truth, every one of Your righteous ordinances endures forever-

The phrase "word of truth" is specifically used of the promises made to David in 2 Sam. 7:28, which began with the promise that David would become king and Saul would be deposed. David had feared in :43 that they could somehow be abrogated, but now he expresses his confidence that the promise of the Kingdom was eternal. Thus the eternity of God's truth is paralleled with the eternity of His righteousness (as in :142). David walked / lived "in truth and righteousness" (s.w. 1 Kings 3:6; Ps. 15:2), because this was how God is. The Messianic seed of David was to have this characteristic, ruling on David's throne in truth and righteousness (s.w. Is. 16:5).

SIN AND SHIN

Psalm 119:161

Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your words-

Saul's sons, David's brothers-in-law, the brothers of his deep best friend, joined their father in persecuting him in the wilderness years . These are the "princes" in view, although later the words applied to princes like Absalom. The continued emphasis in David's psalms upon "without cause" surely reflects a self righteousness (Ps. 35:19; 69:4; 109:3; 119:161). For David's righteousness was only impressive relative to the wickedness of his enemies; before God, it was filthy rags. It was true that Saul persecuted David "without cause" (s.w. 1 Sam. 19:5), but the experience of "without cause" persecution can lead us to an inappropriate self-righteousness. This is what happened to Job, who also suffered "without cause" (s.w. Job 2:3), and had to be convicted of self-righteousness at the end of the story. And it seems this happened to David. David himself intended to shed blood "without cause" and was only saved from it by grace (s.w. 1 Sam. 25:31).

Psalm 119:162

I rejoice at Your word, as one who finds great spoil-

The Lord based His parables of the lost sheep and the man finding the treasure of the Gospel in a field on the statements of David (Ps. 119:162,176), as if He saw David as representative of all those who would truly come to Him. The word in view was initially the promise that David would become king. This was David's joy during his afflictions at the hands of Saul. This is also another example of where David compares wealth against the things of God's word of promise. The desire to accumulate wealth is particularly strong for young men in David's position.

Psalm 119:163

I hate and abhor falsehood but I love Your law-

The "falsehood" in view was likely the idolatry practiced by Saul.

Psalm 119:164

Seven times a day I praise You because of Your righteous ordinances-

This could refer to how David regularly reminded himself throughout every day of his persecution by Saul that the word / ordinances of promise were that he would become king and Saul would be disposed of.

Psalm 119:165

Those who love Your law have great peace; nothing causes them to stumble-

Whilst this is true in a general sense, the word in view was the promise that he would become king and Saul would be disposed of. But the "those" in view would have been those like Samuel whose lives of loving God's law were known to David.

Psalm 119:166

I have hoped for Your salvation, Yahweh-

These almost seem the words of Simeon in the temple. "Salvation" is Yeshua, 'Jesus', "the word made flesh" (Jn. 1:14). But in the shorter term, the salvation David hoped for was that from Saul, promised in God's prophetic word to him.

I have done Your commandments-

This could be read as one of several points in this Psalm, written in relative youth, where David overestimates his obedience. He legalistically assumes that he ought to be delivered from whatever affliction he faced because of his stellar loyalty to God's word. This would explain the otherwise strange ending of Ps. 119, where David confesses he is a lost sheep and has not at all been obedient to God's way as he ought to have been.

Psalm 119:167

My soul has observed Your testimonies because I love them exceedingly-

See on :166. Obedience is related to how much we love the commandment being obeyed; and that requires a basic love of God, and everything about Him, perceiving His character which we love revealed in all His commandments. David in the wilderness was unable to be legally obedient to all the commandments; hence he says that his "soul" observed them. Actual total obedience is effectively impossible for us all, but we can still love God's ways and testimonies.

Psalm 119:168

I have obeyed Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You-

In :146 David promises that "I will obey Your statutes / precepts" (s.w.). But here David says that he has 'obeyed Your statutes' (s.w. :167,68). Perhaps he meant in :146 that when God fulfills His promise to make him king, which required immediately saving him from some situation with Saul, he would continue to "obey Your statutes" in the way he governed Israel. But perhaps he feels he is suffering because of disobeying God's statutes. And yet here in :167,168 he says he has obeyed them. This difficulty in self examination [which we also can identify with] is reflected in how David also says in different Psalms that Israel both obeyed God's statutes, and also disobeyed them (Ps. 78:56 cp. 99:7).

TAV

Psalm 119:169

Let my cry come near before You, Yahweh-

Truly can we pray David’s prayers. So often, prayer is described as coming near to God (Ps. 119:169 etc.)- and yet God “is” near already. Prayer, therefore, is a way of making us realize the presence of the God who is always present. You are not alone, I am not alone; “For I am with you”. God is with us for us in His Son. Of course, we must draw near to Him (Ps. 73:28); and yet He is already near, not far from every one of us (Acts 17:27). David often speaks of drawing near to God, and yet he invites God to draw near to him (Ps. 69:18). Yet David also recognizes that God “is” near already (Ps. 75:1). I take all this to mean that like us, David recognized that God “is” near, and yet wished God to make His presence real to him.

Give me understanding according to Your word-

Again, David is asking for something beyond God's word itself. God can give us "understanding" of it. Or if the "word" in view is specifically the promise that David would be king, he could be asking for wisdom ["understanding"] in how to rule Israel. And this was likewise the prayer of Solomon when he became king (1 Kings 3:9); but his motives were less than pure because he was consciously seeking to imitate his father in this request.

Psalm 119:170

Let my supplication come before You and deliver me according to Your word-

The reference is to the word of promise that David would become king, and Saul's abuse of him end. He imagines his prayer for that "word" to come true as coming "before" God. He visualized a court of heaven, before which his prayers came for consideration.

Psalm 119:171

Let my lips utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes-

It was Moses who 'taught [God's] statutes' to Israel (s.w. Dt. 4:1,5,14; 5:31). David in the wilderness felt such a personal relationship with God that he felt God personally teaching him, without the intermediary of any teacher like Moses. And this kind of intimacy is still possible with God. David knew the "statutes", but he wanted God to teach them to him in practice. There is a huge difference between mere Bible reading, and God teaching us to the meaning of His word.

Psalm 119:172

Let my tongue sing of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness-

We may enquire why David speaks of his singing about God's word as yet future; why doesn't he do so at the time? It makes sense if we understand "Your word" as referring to the word of promise that David would become king, and Saul's abuse of him end.

Psalm 119:173

Let Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts-

"Help me" is s.w. in Ps. 30:10, a Bathsheba Psalm: "Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy on me. Yahweh, be my helper". Earlier David had sought Yahweh's help on the basis that he had been obedient to God's word (Ps. 119:173 s.w.), and was innocent (Ps. 119:86 s.w.). But the sin with Bathsheba led David to beg for God to be his helper purely on the basis of grace (Ps. 30:10 s.w.). See on :175. But the immediate "help" in view was help against Saul. Again we note that David doesn't claim total obedience; but that he had "chosen Your precepts".

Psalm 119:174

I have longed for Your salvation, Yahweh. Your law is my delight-

These almost seem the words of Simeon in the temple. "Salvation" is Yeshua, 'Jesus', "the word made flesh" (Jn. 1:14). But in the shorter term, the salvation David hoped for was that from Saul, promised in God's prophetic word to him. And his response was going to be to govern Israel according to God's law which he delighted in.

Psalm 119:175

Let my soul live, that I may praise You. Let Your ordinances help me-

In :173 David asks for God to "help him" to escape Saul's persecution when it seemed his soul would not live (1 Sam. 27:1) and to become king, according to God's word of promise. And so here he asks that those promises or ordinances would help him. "Help me" is s.w. in Ps. 30:10, a Bathsheba Psalm: "Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy on me. Yahweh, be my helper". He had earlier asked for God's words to be his "helper" (Ps. 119:175), but later after sinning with Bathsheba he quits his academic study and begs directly for God Himself to be his "helper". See on :173.

Psalm 119:176

I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I don’t forget Your commandments-

This may appear a strange ending, and structurally it appears to have been added on. I suggest it was likely written by David with his mind on his follies relating to Bathsheba, so far from the spirit of his youthful devotion to God's law and ways. And yet it is the taken by the Lord and used as the basis for the parable of the lost sheep, whereby all who have sinned go through the David experience.

The lost sheep who leaves the fold and goes off (Mt. 18:12) is based on this verse. The lost sheep that is found therefore has the attitude of recognizing it is lost, that it is still the servant of the shepherd although isolated from him, and still has not forgotten the things of God's word. The picture in Ps. 119:176 is strange indeed: a lost sheep asking the shepherd to come and find him. It's as if the sheep talks to himself, feeling the shepherd can't and won't hear, feeling that he's just too far away. And this is exactly the position of all those who leave the faith and return: they don't forget the doctrines of the Faith, in their hearts they feel too far away, but they wish somehow something could happen to get them back. This explains the type of sheep one is dealing with in the parable, and why the parable isn't true of all who go astray.

Psalm 120

Psalm 120:1

A Song of Ascents-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

In my distress, I cried to Yahweh. He answered me-

This is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah's cry for healing, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

Psalm 120:2

Deliver my soul, Yahweh, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue-

David would have been referring to Saul and later to Doeg and Ahithophel (the same words are used about the deceitful tongue of Doeg in Ps. 52:2); Hezekiah would have had in mind the lies pouring from the lips of Rabshakeh outside the walls of Jerusalem. The returning exiles singing this may have had in view the false accusations of Haman. David's intolerance of "deceitful" persons (Ps. 52:2; 101:7; 120:3) must be compared with the fact that he himself was only counted as not deceitful by grace; for he was very deceitful regarding Uriah.

Psalm 120:3

What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue?-

David was to later plot the destruction of Uriah by his words; and when he repented of this in Ps. 32:2, he says that lack of deceit / guile (s.w.) is only possible through imputed righteousness. David's intolerance of "deceitful" persons (Ps. 52:2; 101:7; 120:3) must be compared with the fact that he himself was only counted as not deceitful by grace; for he was very deceitful regarding Uriah. But the Psalm has application to Hezekiah's desire for the tongue of Rabshakeh to be destroyed, and the exiles likewise had a whole array of possible people to sing this about, the likes of Sanballat and Haman. We note that the tongue is personified as a person; for we are our words, and by them we reflect who we really are and shall therefore be judged by them, as the Lord Jesus taught.

Psalm 120:4

Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper-

In the Hezekiah context, this was fulfilled by the destruction of the Assyrians outside the walls of Jerusalem. It was done by a single Angel, perhaps "the mighty [one]" in view. "Coals of juniper" were used to make charcoal; the idea is 'the hottest fire'. However the grammar and flow of the argument may mean that this verse describes the "deceitful tongue" of :3; and indeed James says that the tongue is as a fire (James 3:6). It was God's tongue which was as a devouring fire upon the Assyrians of Hezekiah's time (Is. 30:27); so we have the picture of the fiery tongue being its own condemnation, in fire from Yahweh. In the context of David, he had lamented that the outlaws with whom he lived and the house of Saul had tongues as sharp arrows (Ps. 57:4; 64:3).

Psalm 120:5

Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar-

Kedar was the second son of Ishmael (Gen. 25:13), one of the wild roaming tribes whose hand was against every man (Gen. 16:13). Perhaps there was a time when fleeing from Saul when David had to live amongst them, and he longs to be back in Zion. Or perhaps he simply means that he has to live among hostile and barbarous people, who are characterized as the wild Kedar and Meshech. The tribe of Meshech was known to David, as a neighbouring people who hated peace (:6). It can therefore scarcely refer to Moscow, as some insist.

Psalm 120:6

My soul has had her dwelling too long with him who hates peace-

The individual who hated peace was likened to the war like (:7) and aggressive wild tribes of Kedar and Meshech. The "him" becomes "they" in :7, so perhaps the peace hater is a personification of the various groups opposed to those using the Psalm in whatever context.

Psalm 120:7

I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war-

This could apply to how Hezekiah sought to make peace with the Assyrians. But he gave them the gold of the temple for that peace treaty which they broke; but here he appears to whitewash that lack of faith as his love for peace. We can understand the initial reference to David, who truly sought to live at peace with Saul. And perhaps it has application to the returned exiles and their conflicts with the local Samaritans.

Psalm 121

Psalm 121:1

A Song of Ascents-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?-

"The hills" may be an intensive plural referring to the great hill of mount Zion. But the hills were associated with idolatry and the high places. David and subsequent users of the Psalm may have meant that they looked not to the hills but to Yahweh, the creator of heaven and earth (:2).

Psalm 121:2

My help comes from Yahweh, who made heaven and earth-

So often, the fact Yahweh is creator is presented as a reason to trust Him for help. To minimize His creative power through faithless scientific theory simply takes away our grounds for personal faith.

Psalm 121:3

He will not allow your foot to be moved-

The idea is that the restoration was to be permanent, and never again would Israel go into captivity and have to leave Zion.

He who keeps you will not slumber-

Note the progression from "me" (:1,2) to Israel (:3-5). David saw his sufferings as being bound up with those of Israel; those who hated him hated Zion, those who blessed him blessed Zion, and God's salvation of Israel was being expressed through God's deliverance of him in the daily vicissitudes of life; as God had chosen Zion, so He had David His servant; David's joy was Zion's joy, and her exaltation would be David's  (Ps. 51:18; 69:35; 87:2; 106:5; 121:3,4; 125:1; 128:5; 146:10; 149:2). This is how we are to make sense of suffering- by understanding that it plays a role in the salvation of others, and is part of a wider nexus of Divine operation. We suffer so that we may be able to minister the comfort we receive to others (2 Cor. 1:4). Job likewise came to realize that his sufferings were not so much for his personal maturing, but for the teaching and salvation of the friends.

God had allowed the feet of His people to be moved out of their land, but the intention was that this was to be temporary, and their return would be a witness to the Gentiles amongst whom they lived- leading them to join in and also come to Zion in penitence and faith. And then He would not again allow their feet to be moved from their land (s.w. Ps. 66:9).

Psalm 121:4

Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep-

The statement that God will not "rest" for Zion's sake (Is. 62:1) must be understood in the context of the faithful at that time urging God not to "be still" [same Hebrew word translated "rest"] for His people (Ps. 83:1; Is. 64:12). This is an allusion to Boaz not being at rest until he had redeemed Ruth and Naomi. God is not at rest, He is not distant from us; and yet His people in Babylon felt that He was. It's no wonder that we are tempted to feel the same. Yet we must give Is. 62:1 it's full weight- God is answering the complaint of His people by stating that no, He will never rest for them. In this same context we read that He that keeps Israel will "neither slumber nor sleep" (Ps. 121:4). The fact that God will never 'hold His peace' for His people's sake (Is. 62:1) means that we should likewise not 'hold our peace' for them (the same Hebrew is used in Is. 62:6). In our prayers for them, we are to give God no rest (Is. 62:7).

We note that the confident statement that Yahweh doesn't slumber nor sleep for His people was disavowed by the exiles, and perhaps by David too in his low moments in Ps. 44:23: "Wake up! Why do You sleep, Lord? Arise! Don’t reject us forever". To accuse God of sleeping seems as inappropriate as the disciples' demand for the Lord Jesus to awake from sleep because His apparent sleeping showed that He didn't care that they perished (Mk. 4:38). He did of course care for their perishing. He gave His life for that.

Psalm 121:5

Yahweh is your keeper, Yahweh is your shade on your right hand-

The songs of ascents, part of the restoration Psalms, are relevant to any ‘ascent’ or ‘going up’ to the Lord’s house. They are full of reference to God’s eternal purpose with Jerusalem and the temple. It seems to me that they may have been re-written under inspiration with reference to God’s people returning from Babylon to Jerusalem. “The Lord is thy keeper…the sun shall not smite thee by day…” (Ps. 121:5,6)- reference to Israel’s exodus from Egypt, but also to God’s miraculous keeping them on the desert journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, without a guard from the Babylonian authorities.

Psalm 121:6

The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night-

The exiles were comforted that as the pillar of cloud and fire protected Israel on their journey to the promised land, so God would be with them in returning from exile. Not being smitten by day nor night is the language of Ps. 91:6 [see note there]. They were to follow the path intended for Joshua, and earnestly believe they could participate in the restored kingdom of God. There is allusion to the belief that there was some demonic power in the moon; hence Ps. 91:6 LXX "from ruin and the demon of the midday". Whatever belief in demons the people held, the simple truth was that God destroyed the wilderness generation; all was under His absolute control. There is no radical evil in the cosmos.

The reference is as in Ps. 105:39 to how God "spread a cloud for a covering, fire to give light in the night" to Israel leaving Egypt. And He would have done the same to the exiles leaving Babylon. The sensitivity of God is revealed here. The cloud kept the heat of the sun off them in the day time, and the fire kept them warm at night when the temperatures plunged in the desert. This same care was potentially available to the exiles; but most didn't even want to make the journey, and remained in Babylon. These promises are therefore reapplied to the new Israel (Rev. 7:16), As Yahweh provided a pillar of fire to give light in the night to His people in the wilderness, so Israel were to arrange for a fire to be burning throughout the night in the tabernacle. They were to give light in response to God’s giving light to them

Psalm 121:7

Yahweh will keep you from all evil; He will keep your soul-

As discussd on :6, the "evil" may refer to their wrong understandings of cosmic evil. The Lord Jesus never actually stated that demons don't exist; rather did His miracles demonstrate that God was so far superior to their power, that effectively they didn't. And the same logic is being used here.

Psalm 121:8

Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in-

The idea may be that the regular pilgrimages to Zion to the keep the feasts (cp. Ps. 122:1), going out and coming in, were envisaged as now being eternally established. We note "going out and coming in", and not the other way around. The implication is that Zion was to be the actual abode of the worshipper, even if he only came in and out for a brief period three times / year.

From this time forth and forever-

This could imply that "forever", eternity, was seen as beginning with the coming in to Zion. The restoration of the exiles could potentially have been the time of the reestablishment of God's Kingdom on earth; but that possiblity was precluded by Israel's lack of faith and repentance. We can begin living the eternal life now, in that we can now act as we shall eternally. We shall be eternally appreciating, trusting, loving and praising God's Name, just as He keeps us noth now and eternally- and we can begin those experiences with Him right now. This is an Old Testament form (also in Ps. 113:2; 115:18; 121:8; 125:2; 131:3) of the Lord's teaching as recorded in John's Gospel, that we can have and live the eternal life right now. We have that life not in the sense that we shall never die, but in that we can begin living and being now as we shall eternally live and be.

Psalm 122

Psalm 122:1

A Song of Ascents. By David-

The songs of ascents, part of the restoration Psalms, are relevant to any ‘ascent’ or ‘going up’ to the Lord’s house. They are full of reference to God’s eternal purpose with Jerusalem and the temple. It seems to me that they may have been re-written under inspiration with reference to God’s people returning from Babylon to Jerusalem. “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go unto the house of the Lord” (Psalms 122:1)- the feelings of a faithful Jew in Babylon responding to Cyrus’ decree. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalms 122:6)- the faithful in Babylon praying for Zion.

I was glad when they said to me, Let’s go up to Yahweh’s house!-

This may have begun as David's prophetic anticipation of the day when the temple would be built, and he would be invited to go up there in worship- implying his faith in bodily resurrection, seeing he had been told that such a temple would not be built in his lifetime. But the Psalm is obviously used in hope that the temple would be restored and the exiles with joy would receive the invitation to "go up" there. But the reality was so different; the majority of them refused to "go up" when invited to by Cyrus, preferring exile in opulent Persia. And so these things are reapplied to a new Israel and a new temple.

Psalm 122:2

Our feet shall stand within your gates, Jerusalem-

This is the more pertinent to the exiles when we recall that the gates of Jerusalem were totally broken down.

Psalm 122:3

Jerusalem, that is built as a city that is compact together-

Again we recall that at the time of the exiles, Jerusalem was not at all "built" but was in ruins. The exiles were invited to return and build it into a compact city, rather than a broken down set of ruins. "Compact together" could be translated to the effect that it was built in fellowship together, perhaps referring to the unity of the builders and the unity to be found within it. But the majority turned down the invitation and remained in Persia / Babylon; and the exiles were anything but united, as the records in Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai-Malachi make clear. These things therefore come ultimately true in the things of the new Jerusalem which the New Testament speaks of.

Psalm 122:4

where the tribes go up, even Yah’s tribes, according to an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to the name of Yahweh-

The implication is that the true Israel go up to keep the feasts at the sanctuary. The fact most of the exiles didn't want to "go up" therefore precluded them from being the true Israel. The Psalm had its historical origin in David's longing to be able to get to the sanctuary to keep the feasts (Ps. 42:2 etc.). This was to be the longing of the exiles to return to Zion; but generally, they preferred to remain in exile.

Psalm 122:5

For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of David’s house-

This was a Psalm by David, originally (:1). He looked for the day when his throne would be established in Jerusalem, replacing the throne of Saul. "Thrones" may be an intensive plural for the one great throne- that of David, which would also be the time of judgment on all those who had opposed him. This will finally be fulfilled in the reestablishment of David's throne, when the Lord Jesus returns to Jerusalem. And that throne will also be the throne of His judgment, which will also be in Jerusalem (rather than in Sinai, as some curiously believe).

Psalm 122:6

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; those who love you will prosper-

Peace was impossible for Jerusalem until Judah repented (Jer. 4:10; Ez. 13:16). "Peace" in the Bible is often 'peace with God'. The desire was therefore for the day to come when Judah would repent, and the restoration prophecies of Judah's peace would come true. Peace will only finally go forth from Jerusalem when the latter day invaders are destroyed and the Lord Jesus establishes His Kingdom there (Zech. 9:10 s.w.).

Psalm 122:7

Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces-

This was to be in contrast with how the enemies of Zion apparently prospered in her destruction (s.w. Lam. 1:5). This is a prayer that the current situation will be inverted. Zion's destruction had been because "prosperity" had led them to turn away from their God (s.w. Jer. 22:21; Ez. 16:49). The prayer was that prosperity would come without the tendency to unspirituality which it brings in a secular sense.

Psalm 122:8

For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes I will now say, Peace be within you-

The returning exiles were to be aware that their desire for the peace of Jerusalem, the fulfilment of the restoration prophecies and the end of the 70 year exile, were not to be simply for their own sake; but for the sake of their distant brothers and also their companions with them on the journey. We likewise must not wish our place in the Kingdom or the coming of that Kingdom purely for our own sakes; but for that of the wider community.

Psalm 122:9

For the sake of the house of Yahweh our God, I will seek your good-

'Seeking the good' of Jerusalem is exactly the phrase used in the context of the restoration in Neh. 2:10. And in response, God would 'seek the good' of all who sought the good of Jerusalem (s.w. Ezra 8:22). The idea may be that the returning exiles were to seek the good of their brethren (:8) for the sake of the restored Kingdom / house of God. "The good" of both their brethren and the Kingdom of God was one and the same- the restored Kingdom to the glory of Yahweh.

Psalm 123

Psalm 123:1

A Song of Ascents-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

To You I do lift up my eyes, You who sit in the heavens-Jehoshaphat's prayer for deliverance includes the words "our eyes are upon thee" (2 Chron. 20:12), which is quoted in Ps. 123:1,2 - one of the Songs of Degrees written against the background of the Assyrian invasion, pleading for deliverance by God. There is a repeated Biblical theme that the believer's relationship with the Father too is essentially mutual. Our eye is upon Him (Ps. 25:5; 69:3; 123:2), as His eye is upon us (Ps. 32:8; 33:18). The Lord stresses, with apparently needless repetition, that to the man who responds to His word, "I will sup with him and he with me" (Rev. 3:20). There may be the implication that the Psalmist looks to the God who is in the "heavens", a term sometimes used as a metaphor for the temple or sanctuary- and not to any idol. See on :2.

Psalm 123:2

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to Yahweh our God until He has mercy on us-

The idea may be that the Psalmist considers Yahweh as lord or master- the very meaning of the term 'baal'; because he looks to Yahweh and not to any of the Baals. See on :1.

The songs of ascents, part of the restoration Psalms, are relevant to any ‘ascent’ or ‘going up’ to the Lord’s house. They are full of reference to God’s eternal purpose with Jerusalem and the temple. It seems to me that they may have been re-written under inspiration with reference to God’s people returning from Babylon to Jerusalem. “As the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters… so our eyes look unto the Lord… until he have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us…for we are exceedingly filled with contempt…with the scorning of those that are at ease” (Psalms 123:2-4)- the faithful by the rivers of Babylon praying for the captivity to end.

Zech. 1:12 has the Angel representing the exiles asking God to "have mercy" on the exiles and bring about the restoration of the Kingdom. Here, we have the exiles themselves praying this. It's as if their representative Angel was representing them before Yahweh in the court of heaven. But the reality was that few of them really wanted this "mercy" and were quite happy with the life in Babylon / Persia.

Psalm 123:3

Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt-

For "have mercy", see on :2. As the book of Esther makes clear, the exiles lived comfortable lives in Babylon / Persia, with Jews in leading positions. It was only the spiritually minded who considered life there to be in "contempt"; just as the restoration prophecies of Isaiah present Babylon as a place of suffering and imprisonment after the pattern of Israel's sufferings in Egypt, all of which was only true on a spiritual level.

Psalm 123:4

Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud-

As noted on :3, this pain at the "scoffing" was only felt by the spiritually minded amongst the exiles. There is ample evidence in Ezekiel and also Hag. 1:2 that the exiles were at ease in exile and were the ones scoffing at the restoration prophecies as being unlikely now of any fulfilment. Those "who are at ease" is the term used of those amongst God's people who were at ease in sinful lives (Am. 6:1).

Psalm 124

Psalm 124:1

A Song of Ascents. By David-

Psalms originally written by David are reappropriated to the exiles, and used at the restoration. For the "ascent" in view is that to Zion. Worshippers are spoken of as 'going up' to Zion. Before then it was probably used by Hezekiah to glory in the victory over the Assyrians, which was associated with the ascent and descent of the sun on his sundial. For his sickness was at the same time as the Assyrian destruction.

If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, let Israel now say-

This is very much the spirit of David personally in Ps. 94:17: "Unless Yahweh had been my help, my soul would have soon been silenced". But the exiles were to follow the path of David, in devotion to God's word, repentance and thence restoration.

Psalm 124:2

if it had not been Yahweh who was on our side when men rose up against us-

The rising up of men is developed into the rising up of flood waters against God's people (:4,5). These flood waters represented the Assyrians at the time of Hezekiah, and then later all the Gentile enemies of Israel. But the first reference was to the way that Saul "rose up" against David (s.w. 1 Sam. 25:29).

Psalm 124:3

then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us-

The reference may be to Ahithophel's plan to swallow up David at the time of Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam. 17:12,16 s.w.). David's prayer of Ps. 35:25; 69:15; 124:3 not to be swallowed up / destroyed was answered, but he was devastated at the answer- for it meant the death of Saul [which he lamented] and then later of his son Absalom. Again David has Job in mind, who had his 'brethren' arguing that he should be swallowed up / destroyed without cause (Job 2:3 s.w.). But being swallowed alive was the fate of the apostate amongst Israel in the wilderness (s.w. Num. 16:30). So the idea may be that God's people were saved from rightful condemnation- by Divine grace.

Psalm 124:4

then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul-

The reference in the Hezekiah context is to the waters of the Assyrians flooding the whole of Judah and coming up to the neck of those in Jerusalem (Is. 8:8). The language of floods overwhelming a man is used by David about his various persecutions.

Psalm 124:5

then the proud waters would have gone over our soul-

We note that the Assyrians are characterized by pride. We might rather have stressed their aggression or idolatry. But God is so sensitive to pride, that this is the lead sin perceived in them.

Psalm 124:6

Blessed be Yahweh, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth-

The imagery changes from overflowing waters, to a beast of prey with teeth which were about to close upon God's people. This was clearly the case when the Assyrian beast encircled Jerusalem and appeared to be moments away from sinking teeth into the prey. This may look forward to the deliverance from the latter day Assyrian around Jerusalem, by the return of the Lord Jesus to earth to save His repentant people.

Psalm 124:7

Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare. The snare is broken, and we have escaped-

Often David likens his enemies' plans to catch him as snares, gins etc. set for birds (e.g. Ps. 84:3; 102:6; 124;7; 140:5)- all the language of hunting birds. He had probably done plenty of this as a youngster caring for the sheep, and the influence of those formative years remained. The Babylonian captivity was "the snare of the fowler" just as much as were the judgments for sin which came upon the wilderness generation, from which Joshua was delivered (Ps. 91:3). The exiles were intended to follow Joshua's example. The Hezekiah reference is clear- Jerusalem was surrounded by the snare of the Assyrian encirclement, but this was broken in a moment by the Angel destroying their army in a moment.

Psalm 124:8

Our help is in the name of Yahweh, who made heaven and earth-

Again, God's power as creator is used as an encouragement to believe that the God who created all can quite easily save His people from any predicament, no matter how humanly impossible. Any attempt to rationalize or dilute His creative power at the beginning will have negative implications for our faith in His abilities in our lives today.

Psalm 125

Psalm 125:1

A Song of Ascents-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion which can’t be moved but remains forever-

David in his earlier Psalms exalts and boasts to God that his feet have not slipped, indeed he was overly confident that his feet would never slip / "be moved" (Ps. 17:5; 21:7; 55:22; 62:2,6; 125:1). His more mature reflection is that he had wrongly said "I shall never slip [AV "be moved"]" (Ps. 30:6), and his feet had indeed slipped, not least over the Bathsheba incident (Ps. 38:16; 94:18). Solomon didn't learn this lesson, for he likewise assumed that the righteous would never be moved / slip (Prov. 10:30), although he appears to accept that even a righteous man like his father had indeed slipped (Prov. 25:26). And Solomon himself did so, not learning the lesson from his father's mistaken assumption that the righteous can never slip.

"He will never be shaken" is spoken in Ps. 112:6 in the context of the outcome of the final judgment. Being unmoved or never shaken is a major theme of the Psalms of David. Human beings naturally seek for stability, but look for it in the wrong places, imagining that their idols shall never be shaken (s.w. Is. 40:20; 41:7). It is only the receipt of eternal salvation at the last day which means we shall never be moved; that is the only ultimate stability (Ps. 62:2,6 s.w.). Their stability will be associated with that of God's eternal Kingdom to be centered upon Zion (s.w. Ps. 125:1). For in secular life under the sun, the righteous do suffer and their lives are "shaken". Solomon's statements that the righteous shall never be shaken / moved (Prov. 10:30; 12:3) are only ultimately true in this sense; but whether he spoke them with that understanding is debatable.

Just a very small amount of real faith during this life will enable us to move "this mountain", surely referring to Mount Zion in the immediate context (Mt. 17:20). The idea of Mount Zion being moved sends the mind to Zech. 14:4,5, describing how Mount Zion will be moved at the Lord's return; and also to Ps. 125:1, which speaks of how they who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be removed; and yet Christ said we will remove it by prayer. The point of these allusions is surely to show that real faith will bring about the coming of the Kingdom, which is a totally super-human achievement; the unshakeableness of Mount Zion is likened to the solidity of true faith. The Lord's point seems to be that if we truly believe, then the coming of the Kingdom will be brought about by our faith; the outcome of our faith in this life will be seen in the Kingdom. But what our faith will achieve in the Kingdom will be hugely out of proportion to what  it really is now.

Psalm 125:2

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh surrounds His people from this time forth and forever-

The hills around Jerusalem are not huge mountains. They are small hills, and this is the picture of God's protection; not hugely visible, but there. But the mountains around Jerusalem became the "high places" of idolatry (1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:13; 2 Chron. 21:11); what should have been the symbols of Yahweh's protection became perverted.

We can begin living the eternal life now, in that we can now act as we shall eternally. We shall be eternally appreciating, trusting, loving and praising God's Name- and we can begin that now. This is an Old Testament form (also in Ps. 113:2; 115:18; 121:8; 125:2; 131:3) of the Lord's teaching as recorded in John's Gospel, that we can have and live the eternal life right now. We have that life not in the sense that we shall never die, but in that we can begin living and being now as we shall eternally live and be.

Psalm 125:3

For the sceptre of wickedness won’t remain over the allotment of the righteous; so that the righteous won’t put forth their hands to do evil-

Whatever the primary reference of this Psalm, it is a reworking of David's feelings when persecuted by Saul and likewise on the run from him. For circumstances repeat in our lives, and it would be natural for David to reconsider Psalms written at the time of one exile and apply them to another, just as these Psalms were also used for others in their times of exile. "Wickedness" is the word used about Saul's persecution in 1 Sam. 24:13.

In the context of Hezekiah and then later the Babylonians, the "lot" (AV) of the righteous was Jerusalem or the land of promise, which was originally split into lots (Josh. 18). The rod of wickedness would not lead God's people into sin. This is the principle of 1 Cor. 10:13, that sin is not inevitable, and a way of escape will always be made. This is a very powerful motivation in the peak intensities of temptation; we are not forced to sin by situations.

Psalm 125:4

Do good, Yahweh, to those who are good, to those who are upright in their hearts-

Rom. 6:19 speaks of how the ever increasing downward spiral of obedience to sin is turned round at baptism, so that we begin an upward spiral of obedience to righteousness. God does good unto those that are good, but leads those who turn aside even further astray (Ps. 125:4,5). Those who are "[born] of God" are able to hear and understand God's words (Jn. 8:47)- and baptism is surely how we are born of God (Jn. 3:3-5). This seems to open up the possibility of yet higher growth once we are baptized- it's all an upward spiral, like any functional relationship.

Psalm 125:5

But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, Yahweh will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be on Israel-

As noted on :4, this is the downside of :4. God can "lead into temptation" [for we pray that He will not do so to us], further down the downward spiral; if we ourselves turn aside. The idea of being "lead away" is of captivity; this is an acceptance that the captivity had been an appropriate judgment, as Israel had indeed turned aside (s.w. Is. 30:15; Am. 5:12 and often). And Ezekiel records how the exiles struggled with this. The true "Israel" of God who would have "peace" were those who recognized this and yet returned, both to their God and to Zion. Sadly the exiles didn't wish to do this.

Psalm 126

Psalm 126:1

A Song of Ascents-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

When Yahweh brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream-

LXX "We became as comforted ones". The allusion is to the prophecies of later Isaiah, especially Is. 40, announcing "comfort" to "My people", the returning exiles. But they for the most part refused that comfort. So we are reading here of prophetic hope, which didn't come fully true at the time, although those prophecies were reapplied to the "comfort" announced by John the Baptist in the work of the Lord Jesus. We note it was Yahweh who "turned back" (Heb.) the exiles; the term refers to both repentance and literally returning to the land. But most of the exiles refused to make use of the potential repentance given them.

The songs of ascents, part of the restoration Psalms, are relevant to any ‘ascent’ or ‘going up’ to the Lord’s house. They are full of reference to God’s eternal purpose with Jerusalem and the temple. It seems to me that they may have been re-written under inspiration with reference to God’s people returning from Babylon to Jerusalem. “The Lord brought back those that returned to Zion” (Ps. 126:1 RVmg.) is obviously relevant to the exiles returning. They are described as going forth into captivity weeping but bearing previous seed, and now returning home with the sheaves (Ps. 126:6). This could be a reference to their children whom they had taken with them 70 years previously returning; or it could also imply that there had been a spiritual growth and fruition during the captivity. At least, this was what God had intended.

Psalm 126:2

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, Yahweh has done great things for them-

The past tenses here shouldn't be read as meaning that this Psalm was the reflection of the returned exiles. For the relatively few who did return did so in fear, unbelief and uncertainty, to be greeted by famine and troubles. Rather is this the Psalmist believing by faith that 'the future is now', seeing ahead with the eye of faith to how things would be at the restoration, and rejoicing in it. The intention of the restoration was so that the Gentile nations would recognize Yahweh's great work for His people, with the result that they too turned to Him. This didn't happen at the restoration. Yahweh did do great things for His people, but they refused to respond. The same phrase is found in Is. 1:2, where Yahweh "nourished" or 'did great things' for His people "and they rebelled against Me". So these things will finally come true in the last day, when Yahweh again will do "great things" for the land at the return of the Lord Jesus (s.w. Joel 2:21).

Psalm 126:3

Yahweh has done great things for us, and we are glad-

As noted on :2, this is the 'prophetic perfect' tense, speaking from God's perspective, of the future as if it has already happened. Such was the Psalmist's faith that he and his community were full of joy even at the prospect of this great but yet future salvation.

Psalm 126:4

Restore our fortunes again, Yahweh, like the streams in the Negev-

The idea is that the streams appeared suddenly in the dry riverbeds, or that they would run in one direction in the sand of the Negev and just as easily in the opposite direction a short time later. This was the speed with which the Psalmist is praying for the path of Judah into exile to be reversed, with them returning along the same tracks they took into exile. This sudden reversal of fortunes was given in the decree of Cyrus. But the majority of God's people didn't want to go in the paths opened up for them.

Psalm 126:5

Those who sow in tears will reap in joy-

This 'sowing' was the 'going out' from Judah and Jerusalem in captivity of :6. That tragic exile was in fact a sowing, potentially anyway, which would rise up in a harvest of joy at the restoration. This was the prophetic intention. But the reality was that the majority of the exiles didn't want to return, neither did the seed of the prophetic word achieve the intended harvest. For they were stony, bad ground and unresponsive to the word of prophetic hope. The potential application in Hezekiah's time was recorded in 1 Kings 19:29, where joyful reaping was to be a sign to the people. This would only happen if Judah sowed in righteousness; and then they would reap mercy (Hos. 10:12 s.w.). This didn't come true at the restoration.

Psalm 126:6

He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy carrying his sheaves-

“Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of” children (Ps. 127:5) is surely to be connected with Ps. 126:6, where the sower [the preacher] returns with joy, “bringing his sheaves [converts] with him”. In the first context, the sheaves refer to the reborn children of Zion.

It seems that God intended the 70 years in Babylon to be the time when the Jews would come to a fullness of repentance whereby they would be able to return, rebuild the temple, and usher in a Messianic Kingdom. Ps. 126:1,6 speak of how the Lord would bring back the returnees to Zion (RVmg.), and thereby he who went forth into captivity weeping, bearing the precious seed of the next generation as little children, would in that sense return to Zion with joy, bringing his sheaves with him. Jer. 24 speaks as if the “good figs” were to be those who went to Babylon and through that experience there became “good figs”. Micah speaks of the same process. Zion was to be plowed and Jerusalem become heaps, which happened in the Babylonian invasion. But then afterwards- 70 years afterwards- the temple was to be rebuilt, “the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains” (Mic. 3:12; 4:1). “In that day… will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather that has been driven out… and I will make her that was cast off a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth even for ever… the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem”. A Messianic Kingdom could then have come. This whole situation would be brought to pass because the daughter of Zion was to “go forth out of the city” of Jerusalem “and come even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered [RV rescued]: there shall the Lord redeem thee” (Mic. 4:10). How was the travailing daughter of Zion to be delivered / rescued in Babylon after having been taken captive there from Jerusalem by the Babylonians? Surely in that there, God intended a spiritual revival of the people, there they would hear Ezekiel’s appeal to repent, which if responded  to would enable them to build the temple which he had described (Ez. 43:10,11) and thus usher in a Messianic Kingdom.

But the reality was that the exiles didn't repent, and most remained in Babylon rather than returning to Zion. The idea of the restored Kingdom therefore became reapplied to the return of the Lord Jesus to earth (Acts 1:6).

Psalm 127

Psalm 127:1

A Song of Ascents. By Solomon-

Ecclesiastes is so packed with contradictions. Solomon knew and perceived God’s truth, and yet felt it meant nothing to him personally. Thus he teaches truth in Ecclesiastes, but intersperses it with his own personal depression and sense that none of it really has any meaning for him personally. The themes of labour, vanity, sleep and children which are found in Ecclesiastes all occur in Psalm 127, a Psalm of or for Solomon- where the message is clearly given that unless the Lord builds the temple, all this labour is in vain. And yet knowing this Solomon did labour for it so hard, and then came to the conclusion that it was indeed in vain. If only he had believed the words he earlier composed and sung in Ps. 127, he needn’t have had to come to that sad conclusion.

Unless Yahweh builds the house, they labour in vain who build it. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain-

The songs of ascents, part of the restoration Psalms, are relevant to any ‘ascent’ or ‘going up’ to the Lord’s house. They are full of reference to God’s eternal purpose with Jerusalem and the temple. It seems to me that they may have been re-written under inspiration with reference to God’s people returning from Babylon to Jerusalem. Psalm 127 has obvious relevance too: “Except the Lord build the house [the temple], they labour in vain that build it… the watchman [cp. Nehemiah placing watchmen on the rebuilt walls] waketh but in vain… it is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late [cp.  working so hard on the wall they had no time to even change their clothes]… they shall speak with their enemies in the gate” [cp. Nehemiah talking to the Arab traders and enemies in the rebuilt gate of Jerusalem, and setting watches over the city].

Perhaps the Psalm originated in Solomon's reflections as he began building the temple, and was then rewritten and reapplied to the exiles rebuilding it. More likely it is God's inspired advice to him as he began the building work. To build a house and not live in it was a curse for breaking the covenant (Dt. 28:30; Zeph. 1:13), and this was to be the curse if the house of the temple was built but not inhabited by the shekinah glory. And this is indeed how it worked out; the temple was rebuilt, but the glory didn't return to it as foreseen in Ezekiel's visions of Ez. 40-48, because the exiles weren't obedient to that vision.

But God didn't really want a physical house built for Him; rather had He promised to build up the house or seed of David (2 Sam. 7:27 s.w.). And this is why this Psalm goes on in :3-5 to say that God will build up the family / house of the faithful. Solomon correctly perceived all this, as noted on :1, and yet insisted on going ahead with the grandiose building program which was not really what God wanted.

Psalm 127:2

It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil; for He gives sleep to His beloved ones-

Ps. 132:4  "I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids" therefore appears to be a studied disregard for the revelation of Ps. 127:2, which urges David and his seed not to stay up late planning to build a physical temple, but to accept sleep from God and trust Him to build him a house in the sense of a Messianic seed and family / kingdom.

David seems to have recognized that the building of the temple was conditional on Solomon's spirituality, but he overlooked this in his enthusiasm for Solomon to be the Messiah. He tells Solomon to show himself a man (1 Kings 2:2), and goes on in v. 4 to speak of how “a man” would eternally reign on his Messianic throne. He was encouraging Solomon to be and act like Messiah. Ps. 127 is "For Solomon" (v.2 "beloved" = Heb. Jedidiah), and warns him that his labour for the temple will be in vain unless God  builds it. The Psalm basically says that God will build Solomon a house in the sense of a family centred in the beloved seed who would die [“sleep”] to enable it; and therefore Solomon should not be so sweating himself day and night to build God a house / temple. This is the very message which God had given David earlier. David and Solomon evidently shelved their knowledge of the fact that Heaven is God's dwelling place.

But more than this; the idea may be that instead of building the temple / house for Yahweh, Solomon is advised to let Yahweh build up his house / family as the seed of David (Ps. 127:3-5). God would give sleep to the beloved, "Jedidiah", Solomon, and he would awake and find his house / seed built for him by God- rather than Solomon frantically building a house for God. The same phrase is only used of Solomon not giving sleep to his eyes in his mad addiction to works (Prov. 6:4; Ecc 8:16). Ps. 127 was "for Solomon" rather than necessarily "by" him. And it seems he refused the offer of having his house / seed built up for him, but rather chose to try to build God a house. Hence LXX "It is vain for you to rise early: ye rise up after resting, ye that eat the bread of grief; while he gives sleep to his beloved".

It could be that initially, Psalm 127 was David’s Psalm for Solomon written at the very end of his life; he tells Solomon that unless God builds this house / temple, it will all be “in vain” and Solomon will but eat the bread of sorrows, labouring hard all his days for nothing. And this is very much the picture of Solomon in Ecclesiastes. David said that such labour in vain was made unnecessary by the fact that “So he giveth his beloved sleep” (Ps. 127:2). ‘David’ means ‘beloved’, and it could be that David was gently trying to focus Solomon’s attention on the future David who would be made to sleep / due by the Father, in order to build the real house.

Psalm 127:3

Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is His reward-

We are God's heritage, His reward / wages (Heb.), His recompense for all His labour for us (Ps. 127:3 Heb.). "Heritage" is literally "possession". Our children are His. This development of the theme of God given children is continuing the theme raised in :1. God didn't really want a physical house built for Him; rather had He promised to build up the house or seed of David (:1 = 2 Sam. 7:27 s.w.). See on :2. And this is why this Psalm goes on now in :3-5 to say that God will build up the family / house of the faithful. Solomon correctly perceived all this, as noted on :1, and yet insisted on going ahead with the grandiose building program which was not really what God wanted.

Psalm 127:4

As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth-

LXX "As arrows in the hand of a mighty man; so are the children of those who were outcasts". The reference is clearly to the restoration of the children of Zion after the restoration. Their children were to inherit the Kingdom- potentially. This scenario was precluded by the impenitence and disobedience of the exiles and their intermarriages. I suggested on :1-3 that Solomon was initially being told to allow God to build up his house / seed whilst he "slept", unable to do any works, rather than him building a house for God. But he refused this, not wanting to see the spiritual side of things, but rather only the external and material, centered around his own works.

Psalm 127:5

Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they won’t be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate-

“Happy is the man that has his quiver full of” children is surely to be connected with Ps. 126:6, where the sower [the preacher] returns with joy, “bringing his sheaves [converts] with him”.  In the restoration context, these were to be the children of Zion, the new generation of returned exiles who would rise to govern a Messianic kingdom which would dominate the peoples who were their former enemies. But instead they allowed their enemies in through the gates, Tobiah even having his own chamber in the temple, and they intermarried. The fulfilment of the Abrahamic promises of possessing the gate of their enemies would only come about by God building up the house / seed of David (see on :1-3). But Solomon thought he could bring it about in his own strength by building a temple. We see here the contrast between God's grace and work for men, and man's desire to trust in his own works and thereby spurn God's grace and potential activity.

Psalm 128

Psalm 128:1

A Song of Ascents-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

Blessed is each one who fears Yahweh, who walks in His ways-

"Each one" reminds the exiles, and all of us, that our response to His call is not just a group experience; each is required to personally believe the call to the restored Kingdom in Zion. God's "ways" were particularly the ways to Zion which the repentant exiles were intended to walk, inviting repentant Gentiles to join them on the journey (Is. 2:3; Jer. 50:5).

Psalm 128:2

For you will eat the labour of your hands; you will be happy, and it will be well with you-

Eating the labour of the hands, rather than having it taken away by invaders (Dt. 28:33) like the Babylonians (Jer. 3:24), was a blessing for obedience to the covenant. But this didn't happen as envisaged for those who returned; the work of their hands was consumed by drought (s.w. Hag. 1:11) because they were not repentant and not truly seeking the restoration of Zion.

Psalm 128:3

Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house; your children like olive plants around your table-

This focus upon children in these Psalms is because (as explained throughout Ps. 127), God wished to build the seed / house of His people, rather than having a literal house built for Him. See on :6. A explained on :2 and :4, the impenitence of the exiles meant that these things didn't come true as was potentially possible, and so they were given a different fulfilment in the fruitfulness of the Lord Jesus and His seed.

Psalm 128:4

Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears Yahweh-

As noted on :2, these things didn't come true for the returning exiles as was potentially possible. And so the prophecies were reapplied to the things of the Lord Jesus. The "man" is the Lord Jesus; we are the children He has been given (Is. 8:18). Israel, His wife like a vine, will be fruitful in the Kingdom (this is prophesied several times), and we are promised to sit round his table (Lk. 22:30). Israel in the Kingdom will be the vine that blossoms and buds, and fills the face of the world with spiritual fruit (Is. 27:6).

Psalm 128:5

May Yahweh bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life-

The blessing of Yahweh coming out of Zion was what was possible in the restored Kingdom of God; it would be associated with Yahweh Himself dwelling in Zion (Ps. 134:3; 135:21). This would be the time when the temple vision of Ez. 40-48 was obeyed by the exiles, and the city called Yahweh Shammah, "Yahweh is there". But at the time of the exiles' return, it was precluded by their impenitence and refusal to build the temple and city according to the commands of Ez. 40-48, and the fact the majority refused to participate in the program and remained in Persia / Babylon.

Psalm 128:6

Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel-

I discussed throughout Ps. 127 that God wished all interested in building Him a house to realize that this wasn't quite what he wanted. Rather He wanted to build up the seed of David. Peace and blessing would come in the form of generations of David's seed being eternally established in Zion; but this was to be by God's work, and not the result of literally building or rebuilding a temple.

Psalm 129

Psalm 129:1

A Song of Ascents-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up. Let Israel now say-

The returning exiles were to remember their national afflictions. And yet the generation of exiles who returned hadn't physically suffered much in exile; the majority preferred to remain there rather than return to Zion, and the book of Esther gives the impression of a prosperous, popular community. The afflictions which were to be the "push" factors in leading them back to Zion were therefore only spiritually perceived; Isaiah presents Babylon as a prison house of darkness, but that was only true in spiritual terms.

Psalm 129:2

many times they have afflicted me from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against me-

The idea of this Psalm is that those who had "afflicted" Israel would now be judged (:5-8). This was intended to come about at the time the exiles returned to Zion and the Kingdom of God was restored. Hezekiah failed to realize this potential, and the exiles who returned likewise. The punishment of those who "afflicted" God's people was only to come "If you shall indeed obey His voice" (Ex. 23:22 s.w.), but this didn't happen. And so the destruction of all Israel's afflicters didn't happen as was hoped for in this Psalm and as was potentially possible. The "affliction" of God's people was however because they had sinned and broken covenant, in terms of the covenant agreed in Dt. 28:52 (s.w.). This Psalm lacks the confession of sin and acceptance of the rightness of this punishment which was required to trigger the fulfilment of the restoration prophecies at that time. Instead the focus is all upon lamenting the results and pain of the punishments / afflictions, without accepting that they had been justified and without any clear statement of repentance. David often uses the word for his afflicters or enemies which arose as a result of his sin with Bathsheba (Ps. 23:5; 31:11; 42:10 and very often); but he likewise tends to bemoan his afflictions rather than recognize their appropriacy and express lasting contrition for his sin. In the context of the exiles, we note that the same word for "affliction" is used of what Haman did to the Jews (Esther 8:1; 9:10,24 and often).

Psalm 129:3

The ploughers ploughed on my back; they made their furrows long-

This presents the picture of scourging. The Lord Jesus was the "suffering servant" in that in His sufferings, He bore the punishment for Israel's sins as their representative whilst personally innocent. It was only through personal identification with Him (now through baptism into His death and sufferings) that God's people could be saved. In this sense "by His stripes [the marks of scourging] we are healed / saved" (Is. 53:5). "Made long" is a term usually used in the sense of prolonging a period of time; the complaint of the exiles was that the period of 70 years exile was being prolonged, as Ezekiel often had to encounter. But this was because of their impenitence, rather than God's inability or forgetting.

Psalm 129:4

Yahweh is righteous; He has cut apart the cords of the wicked-

This is the time of Ps. 46:9, when the enemies of Israel through the entire eretz promised to Abraham would be "cut apart" (s.w.). This is stated in the past tense in faith that it would soon happen. Hence "let them be..." in the future tense in :5,6. The fulfilment of this prayerful request was not granted at the time of the exiles in Babylon, but it will ultimately happen at the return of the Lord Jesus. The decree of Cyrus did cut apart the cords- but most of the exiles didn't make use of that potential and preferred to remain in exile.

Psalm 129:5

Let them be disappointed and turned backward, all those who hate Zion-

The "return" of the exiles to Zion was to coincide with the 'turning back' [s.w.] of her enemies. But this depended upon the people of Zion returning both to their God and to their land, and most of the exiles chose not to do so. The time of judgment for those who "hate" God's people is when the promises to Abraham are fulfilled (s.w. Gen. 24:60), and this is now reapplied to the time of the return of the Lord Jesus, Abraham's seed, to the earth.

Psalm 129:6

Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up-

This imagery is used in Is. 40:8 but with the message that "all flesh" is like this, God's people just as much as their enemies; and only attention to the prophetic word of Yahweh of restoration of the Kingdom would impart any hope of immortality. But the term "grass on the housetops" is only used in the context of the nations surrounding Judah at the time of the Assyrian invasion (Is. 37:27). These words had potential fulfilment in Hezekiah's time, but he instead chose to befriend the Babylonians and preclude any fulfilment of the prophecies of a restored Kingdom of God on earth at his time.

Psalm 129:7

with which the reaper doesn’t fill his hand, nor the binder of sheaves his belt-

The idea is that this withered grass is useless for anything. "The reaper" is presented as repentant Israel, the exiles who had once sowed in tears now reaping with joy at the restoration (Ps. 126:5 s.w.). Those Gentiles who would not accept the word of Yahweh, which changes us all from withered grass (Is. 40:8), would not be gathered in by the repentant exiles. The idea was that they would gather in repentant Gentiles, but not impenitent ones. These great possibilities didn't come about; they were precluded by the impenitence of the exiles as well as of the Gentiles.

Psalm 129:8

Neither do those who go by say, The blessing of Yahweh be on you. We bless you in the name of Yahweh-

"Those who go by" is literally 'those who cross over', related to the word "Hebrew". The returning exiles who were crossing over from Babylon to Zion would be unable to bless these Gentiles. Repentant Israel were intended to be a blessing to the Gentile world- but they couldn't be if the Gentiles didn't repent. The sadness however was that according to Ezekiel, the exiles went the way of the Gentiles rather than being their guides towards Zion and the God of Israel. But the essence of the prophetic picture of the restoration will come true in the last days, and also in spiritual terms in the things of the Lord Jesus and the new Israel formed in Him.

Psalm 130

Psalm 130:1

A Song of Ascents-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

Out of the depths I have cried to You, Yahweh-

The feeling of being submerged beneath deep waters is common in David's Psalms; it was how he felt as a result of his sins with Bathsheba (Ps. 69:1,12,14). The same word is used about the "depths" of moral distance from God due to sin (Is. 29:15; 31:6; Hos. 9:9). This leads to the talk about forgiveness and asking God not to keep a record of sins (:3,4). David's path of repentance, forgiveness and restoration was that to be followed by the exiles. They were to go up to Zion in this spirit. However, they didn't- just as David seems to have cried out for the consequences of his sin to be removed, rather than continuing to be forthcoming in contrition and recognition of his sin. The waters were clearly representative of Gentile nations in the Bible; the figure naturally applies to the exiles in the "sea" of the Babylonian / Persian empire, which could have been 'dried up' to allow them to return, just as Egypt and the Red Sea had been (Is. 51:10 s.w.). But most of them preferred to remain there.

Psalm 130:2

Lord, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions-

A voice crying from the depths (:1) recalls Jonah in his disobedience and arrogance. Whilst this Psalm is indeed concerned with forgiveness, there is a notable lack of any statement of repentance, guilt or contrition. There is a request for forgiveness to be granted and for God not to remember sin, to just wipe His records (:3). But there is no actual statement of repentance or guilt. Rather is the impression given that God should get on and fulfil His word of restoration (:6), and as it were not be so concerned about Israel's sins.

Psalm 130:3

If You, Yah, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?- See on :2. This could be read as the Psalmist asking God not to keep remembering Judah's sins against them [for He does "keep a record of sins", s.w. Job 10:14], and to just get on and restore them. Or it could be read as a general statement of truth- that God does not "mark" sin but forgives it, as our love for our brethren should keep no record of their past sins (1 Cor. 13:5-7 N.I.V.). If we refuse fellowship people because of the effect of past sins for which they have repented, then we are 'marking' iniquity. God does not deal with us in a manner which is proportional to the type or amount of sin we commit (Ps. 103:7-12). David likewise was made to 'stand firm' despite his sin (s.w. 2 Sam. 22:34; Ps. 30:7; 31:8).

Psalm 130:4

But there is forgiveness with You, therefore You are feared-

The fear of respect for God which He seeks therefore arises not from fear of condemnation, but rather from awe at the way He forgives.

Psalm 130:5

I wait for Yahweh. My soul waits. I hope in His word-

David speaks of waiting and watching for the Lord in the context of asking for forgiveness (Ps. 130:5,6). Heb. 9:28 speaks of the faithful as waiting for Christ to "appear without sin unto salvation". This alludes to a humbled, repentant Israel on the Day of Atonement, having confessed their sins and afflicted their souls through fasting, waiting for their High Priest to appear and pronounce upon them the blessing of forgiveness. The Spirit is using this as a type of us expecting the second coming of our Lord; the motivation for our enthusiasm should be our earnest need of ultimate forgiveness and reconciliation with God. But "the word" hoped for was specifically the fulfilment of the word of restoration. We note that "the word" is put for "the fulfilment of the word", so certain is God's word of ultimate fulfilment. But the psalmist wanted it to come true immediately, when the preconditions were still not right.

Psalm 130:6

My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning; more than watchmen for the morning-

Watching for the morning is the phrase used about the plot to slay David by morning (1 Sam. 19:2,11). Ps. 130:6 would therefore have originated with David's reflections that whatever the careful watchings of man to destroy him, his focus was upon longing for the Lord. This then became applied to Hezekiah, who prayed so intensely the night when he thought he would be dead by morning (Is. 38:13). And now it is the thought of the faithful exiles, desperately and intensely longing for dawn of Zion's glad morning in fulfilment of the restoration prophecies.

Psalm 130:7

Israel, hope in Yahweh, for with Yahweh there is grace, with Him is abundant redemption-

Israel were to be encouraged by David's experience that they could receive "abundant" redemption (s.w. "wash me thoroughly from my iniquity" in Ps. 51:2). The same "redemption" had been experienced at the Red Sea (s.w. Ps. 111:9). That redemption from Egypt and gift of the Kingdom to Israel was all an articulation of God's characteristics as memorialized in his Name; see on :2. The redemption promised and implied in the covenant with Abraham is ongoing to God's people of all generations. This verse could be read as an appeal to Israel to repent and believe in God's grace. But the specific appeal for repentance isn't there; rather it is an appeal to trust in God's grace, which was hoped to bring about the restoration prophecies with or without repentance.

Psalm 130:8

He will redeem Israel from all their sins-

The redemption of Israel from Babylon was essentially dependent upon their being redeemed from their sins. But most preferred to remain in Babylon, and repentance just wasn't on their agenda. It was a redemption refused, even when that redemption was achieved through the ultimate redeemer, the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 131

Psalm 131:1

A Song of Ascents. By David-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

Yahweh, my heart isn’t haughty-

This Psalm used by Hezekiah wasn't taken seriously by him. For him, it was just the words of a hymn. For his heart was lifted up / haughty, the very same phrase used of him in 2 Chron. 32:25.

Nor my eyes lofty-

The phrase used of the Assyrians (2 Kings 19:22). Hezekiah is saying that his eyes are not as theirs; and yet he was deceiving himself, as just noted. David was aware that God judges people for things like their facial expression and body language (s.w. Ps. 18:27).

Nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me-

These things too wonderful don't have to refer to things beyond the psalmist's understanding; rather is the sense of things too "hard" for him to achieve in his own strength (Gen. 18:14). Humility comes from truly recognizing that our salvation is of God and cannot be of ourselves. Yet Hezekiah did all he could within his power to effect his deliverance from the Assyrians, he did indeed "concern himself" with the things of salvation.

In the David context, 'to go' ["concern myself"] with 'great things' is the phrase used of David in 2 Sam. 5:10; he "went on [s.w. "concern myself"] and grew great" [s.w. "with great matters"]. So the idea of Ps. 131:1 may be that David didn't pay attention to these things so as not to become proud.

Psalm 131:2 Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me-

If David was the author of this Psalm, and of Ps. 132, then it provides an example of how David sees himself from outside of himself. Ps. 132  speaks of David in all his afflictions. Ps. 131:2 RV has him speaking of stilling and quieting his soul like a mother does a child- as if he saw himself as the mother to his own soul, talking to himself. He uses the same word for "quieted" in recording how he had quieted himself, telling himself to be calm (Ps. 37:7; 62:5). In the Hezekiah context, this would apply to his calming down after his illness had been healed and he was granted another 15 years.

Psalm 131:3

Israel, hope in Yahweh-

As God had come through for David and Hezekiah, so the exiles were to hope for "the hope of Israel", the restoration from exile to the restored Kingdom of God.

From this time forth and forever-

This is just as Israel were to praise the Name of Yahweh "from this time forth and forever". The idea may be that we will eternally be praising the name of Yahweh; in the sense of appreciating and praising His characteristics. For the declaration of His Name to Moses involved the listing of His characteristics which combine to make up His personality. We can begin living the eternal life now, in that we can now act as we shall eternally. We shall be eternally appreciating, trusting, loving and praising God's Name- and we can begin that now. This is an Old Testament form (also in Ps. 113:2; 115:18; 121:8; 125:2; 131:3) of the Lord's teaching as recorded in John's Gospel, that we can have and live the eternal life right now. We have that life not in the sense that we shall never die, but in that we can begin living and being now as we shall eternally live and be.

Psalm 132

Psalm 132:1

A Song of Ascents-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

This mutuality between God and man is brought out by the structure of several of the Psalms, in which God and David are shown to be involved in a dynamic, two way relationship. Consider Bullinger's analysis of Ps. 132:

A (vv 1,2) David swears to God

B (3-5) What David sware

C (6,7) Search for a dwelling place

D (8) Prayer to enter into rest

E (9) Prayer for priests

F (9) Prayer for saints

G (10) Prayer for Messiah

This was responded to by God:

A1 (v 11) God swears to David

B1 (11,12) What God sware

C1 (13) Designation of the dwelling place

D1 (14,15) Answer to prayer in D

E1 (16) Answer to prayer in E

F1 (16) Answer to prayer in F

G1 (17, 18) Answer to prayer in G.

Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction-

Ps. 132, which was written after David’s time (:8,10), includes a prayer to God to reward David for all his afflictions (:1). Even after a man’s death, faithful men prayed for his salvation; so it seems. This needs some reflecting upon as to its implications. 2 Tim. 1:16 records Paul praying that the Lord would give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus; yet the same phrase is used in v. 18 about receiving mercy at judgment day.

The "afflictions" of David are presented as a pattern for those of the exiles (s.w. Ps. 107:17). They too denied their sin initially and struggled to accept its consequences; but David's path of repentance and restoration was to be theirs. But for the most part they refused to follow this.

Psalm 132:2

how he swore to Yahweh, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob-

The idea is that despite his afflictions (:1), David was not so swamped by them that he had no thought for the work of God's house. And in this he was the pattern for the exiles. David was self aware that his afflictions had militated against his temple project, but he can conclude in 1 Chron. 22:14: "Behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the house of Yahweh".

"The mighty one of Jacob" is a phrase used to the exiles in Is. 49:26; 60:16.

Psalm 132:3

Surely I will not come under the roof of my house, nor go up into my bed-

A case can be made that the psalm is not simply David being remembered and quoted; but David himself speaking. In this case, he would be asking for God to accept Solomon as the Messianic seed (:10,17) for the sake of David's hard work for the temple. But such things cannot be predicated upon the works of another. We see here David labouring under misplaced ideals. He was fixated upon his son Solomon becoming the Messianic seed, and he thought that his own works could somehow bring this about. He [and the exiles] ought to have focused more upon the promises to Abraham than those to himself.

And yet we can discern here an allusion to the words of David's faithful friend Uriah whom he effectively murdered. He refused to go up to his bed nor come under the roof of his own house because he preferred identity with God's suffering people, His "house" (2 Sam. 11:11). David later remembered these words, and alludes to them when he thinks of arranging the building of the temple. The words of Uriah haunted him, and he commendably vows to follow his noble example. In this we see David's humility and repentance.

Psalm 132:4

I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids-

This appears to be a studied disregard for the revelation of Ps. 127:2, which urges David and his seed not to stay up late planning to build a physical temple, but to accept sleep from God and trust Him to build him a house in the sense of a Messianic seed and family / kingdom. The  words of Prov. 6 show that Solomon's motivation for teaching God's  ways  to  his  son (Rehoboam) was because this is how his father  had  taught  him. “Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids”, he exhorts his son (Prov. 6:4), in the very language used to describe his father’s zeal for the building of the temple (Ps. 132:4).

Psalm 132:5

until I find out a place for Yahweh, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob-

In the context of the exiles, the allusion may be to Jer. 29:14, which says that the repentant exiles would "find" the "place" (s.w.) of Yahweh in their return to their God and to Zion. Earlier whilst on the run from Saul, David longed to be in the "place... and dwelling" of Yahweh, at the sanctuary operated by Samuel (s.w. Ps. 26:8). There was no temple, but Yahweh still had a place and dwelling on earth. But now later in Ps. 132:5 David seems to feel that Yahweh needed a more grandiose "place... dwelling", otherwise He would have no dwelling place. Over the years, he had come to focus more upon the physical and external rather than upon the essential and the spiritual. This is a tendency for all of us. "Dwelling" is the usual word for "tabernacle". Yahweh had a dwelling place, in the tabernacle. But David seems to think that this wasn't quite enough, and there was the need for him to build some more physical structure for His presence. This is a far cry from the younger David in the wilderness, who felt that he was in the presence of Yahweh, right under His cherubic wings, although far from the physical sanctuary.

Psalm 132:6

Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah-

This clearly alludes to David's bringing of the ark to Zion. He protests that this shows his concern for the things of the sanctuary, and he sees this as coming to fuller term in his desire to build a temple and see his son enthroned as a king-priest in Zion. "Ephrathah" was another name for David's home  town of Bethlehem (Gen. 35:19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11). He may be saying that from his earliest boyhood days he had heard of the ark and had dreams for glorifying it, and he found it much later in Kirjath Jearim, "city of forests", or "Jaar".

We found it in the field of Jaar-

"Jaar" is "forests". It could be argued that "Ephrathah" referred not only to Bethlehem, but was also the name for the area around Kirjath-jearim, "city of forests". The firstborn son of Caleb’s wife Ephrath [a form of "Ephrathah"] was Hur (1 Chron. 2:19), who is called ‘the father’ of Bethlehem (1 Chron. 4:4). Hur’s son Shobal was ‘the father’ of Kirjath-jearim, and his son Salma the ‘father’ of Bethlehem (1 Chron. 2:50,51). It was from Kirjath-jearim that David brought up the ark to Zion (1 Sam. 7:1,2; 1 Chron. 13:5,6).

Psalm 132:7

We will go into His dwelling place. We will worship at His footstool-

This initially referred to David's invitation to the people to come up to Zion and worship once he had moved the ark there. But it becomes used as an invitation for the exiles to return to Zion.

The ark is called both the throne of God and also His footstool (Ps. 94:5; 132:7,8; 1 Chron. 28:2). Above or sitting upon the cherubim, the pagan mind expected to see Israel's God. But there was (to their eyes) an empty throne. Yahweh had to be believed in by faith. And His supreme manifestation was through the blood of sacrifice. Cassuto gives evidence that the Egyptians and Hittites placed their covenant contracts in a box beneath the throne of their gods; and the tables of the covenant were likewise placed beneath the throne of Yahweh. This similarity begged the comparison yet stronger- Israel's God was not seated there. He had to be believed in by faith. Such a concept of faith in an invisible god was quite foreign to the pagan mind; and yet the whole tabernacle plan was designed to have enough points of contact with the pagan tabernacles in order to elicit this point in very powerful form: the one true God is invisible and must be believed in.

However it could also be argued that Yahweh was enthroned upon the cherubim, and the ark was His footstool, as in 1 Chron. 28:2. It was to the ark that Israel came to worship, although it was invisible to them, only visible to the priesthood. Or the footstool could be the entire sanctuary, as in Ps. 99:5.

Psalm 132:8

Arise, Yahweh, into Your resting place; You, and the ark of Your strength-

In :14 God apparently confirms this; but we never know if this is David as it were putting words in God's mouth: "this is My rest for ever; here will I dwell" (:14). And there is indeed a connection between the ark and God's resting place:

- Num. 10:33  "The  ark  of  the  covenant of the Lord went before them... to search out a resting place"

- 1 Chron. 28:2 "An house of rest for the ark"

However, the real resting place of God's Name is not in the literal ark, but in the hearts of people humble to God's Word. The exiles were told: "Where is the house that you build unto Me? and where is the place of My rest?... to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My word" (Is. 66:1,2).

It seems David thought that by bringing the physical ark to Zion, he was somehow establishing the Messianic Kingdom. But God is far beyond such external symbols of spirituality. Mark Vincent discerns how David thought that the bringing of the ark to Zion could have been its’  final homecoming- although Solomon his son let everything down in reality: “[“Arise O Lord into thy rest” in Ps. 132:8 alludes to “Rise up, O Lord” in Num. 10:35]… The words which Moses had to utter each time the ark journeyed through the wilderness would no longer be needed, for the ark had at last reached its final destination. This is why the Psalm says “Arise O Lord into thy rest”. David and his people hoped that the ark had come here for ever, and that God would dwell among and reign over His people for eternity. Alas, because of the wickedness of Israel, this was not to be” (Exploring The Psalms , Birmingham: CMPA, 2001, p. 144).

Psalm 132:9

Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, let Your saints shout for joy!-

This is the language of God's Kingdom upon earth (Ps. 149:5). It was God who would make this happen (:16), rather than David's manipulation of the physical ark, and getting the people to shout for joy. But as discussed on Ps. 132:8, David mistakenly thought that merely bringing the ark to Zion meant this would come about.

Solomon prayed to God in the terms and language of his father (2 Chron. 6:41,42 cp. Ps. 132:1,8,9). He was familiar with his father’s Psalms- after all, all Israel sung them. It must have been like being the son of a world-famous singer. The words were even in Solomon’s subconscious it seems, for when he tells his son “Give not sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eyelids” (Prov. 6:4) he is alluding unconsciously, it seems (in that it is out of context) to David’s promise not to give sleep to his eyes until he had found a resting place for the ark (Ps. 132:4).

Psalm 132:10

For Your servant David’s sake, don’t turn away the face of Your anointed one-

Whoever prayed Ps. 132:10 asked to be heard “for Your servant David’s sake”- he or she believed that God would remember David and for his sake respond favourably [and how much more powerful is prayer uttered for the sake of the Son of God!]. This opens the question of how far will God accept others for the sake of the prayers of [or mere existence of] sympathetic third parties. But if these are the words of David himself, then we seem to have him here asking God to accept Solomon as the "anointed one", the Messianic seed. For Solomon is in view in :11. But this was not to be- for personal spirituality is always required, no matter what good folks are praying for us. And Solomon ultimately lacked that.

Psalm 132:11

Yahweh has sworn to David in truth, He will not turn from it: I will set the fruit of your body on your throne-

This and the following verses could be extra revelation from God confirming David's understanding of the promises made to him in 2 Sam. 7. But they could also be David's speculations about what God intended rather than actual replication of some extra Divine revelation. For example, unlike the covenant with Abraham, God didn't "swear" in the sense of confirming those promises with an oath. Although Ps. 89:3,39,45 could be taken as saying that He did in fact do so, although unrecorded in 2 Sam. 7. David clearly has the view that his immediate son Solomon was to be the fulfilment of the promises of a Messianic seed reigning eternally on his throne. He indulges this speculation in Ps. 72, but it was not to ultimately come about in Solomon.

Psalm 132:12

If your children will keep My covenant, My testimony that I will teach them, their children also will sit on your throne forever-

This repeats the conditional element in the promises to David, which Solomon failed to fulfil. But the covenant with David is here expanded into "My testimony that I will teach them", information not contained in the text of the promises to David. Those promises originally focused upon one individual, whom the New Testament interprets as the Lord Jesus. But David here in Ps. 89:30; 132:12 and Solomon in 1 Kings 8:25 chose to understand the "seed" as the Davidic dynasty down the generations. This loss of focus upon the future Lord Jesus was what led David and Solomon to focus instead upon their own dynasty, rather than upon the future individual son of David who would reign eternally upon David's throne. His personal  immortality came to be interpreted as the eternal continuance of the Davidic dynasty as kings of Israel throughout future generations.

Psalm 132:13

For Yahweh has chosen Zion, He has desired it for His habitation-

God's promise was that the Messianic seed would reign eternally upon David's throne in Jerusalem. But David appears to interpret this as meaning that God had some geographic preference for Zion and would desire to eternally live there. But the New Testament emphasizes that He has no such concept of sacred space. His dwelling is in the hearts of individuals. It seems to me that David's personal fondness for the hill of Zion was transferred by him onto God. See on Ps. 78:67. This is not to say that Zion has no significance for God; in the restored Kingdom, He will "choose Jerusalem again" (Zech. 2:12), although "Jerusalem" there is paralleled with "Judah". It is the people of Jerusalem and Judah in whom He shall dwell, rather than having some more intense metaphysical 'manifestation' on one geographical spot rather than on any other.

Psalm 132:14

This is my resting place forever. Here I will live, for I have desired it-

As discussed on :13, it is hard to know whether these words are Yahweh's direct revelation to David, or his interpretation of what he thought the promises to him implied. Zion was not God's eternal resting place at that time; for Ezekiel sees the shekinah glory removing from Zion and going into exile. It seems to me that David's personal fondness for the hill of Zion was transferred by him onto God. The word for "desire" is always used of human desire, never of God; it is the word used of David's desire to drink water from the well in Bethlehem (2 Sam. 23:15). Solomon was to be a "man of rest" (s.w. "resting place"; 1 Chron. 22:9). David imagined therefore that Solomon was to be the king at the time of this eternal "resting place". But he seems to be confusing his desires for his son's glory with God's intentions in His own Son the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 132:15

I will abundantly bless her provision-

"Bless her provision" is a phrase only used elsewhere about the blessing of Isaac given to his sons for their hunting  venison / provision (Gen. 27:7,19,25,30,31,33). The phrase is used six times in Gen. 27. But that blessing of Isaac was later revealed not to be that significant; it was not the Messianic blessing of the true seed of Abraham. And Jacob effectively gives it back to Esau as unnecessary for him (see on Gen. 33:11). So again we get the hint that David is talking in very material terms.

I will satisfy her poor with bread-

Solomon speaks often of how hard work will "satisfy with bread" (Prov. 12:11; 20:13; 28:19). David his father uses the phrase in the context of saying that being 'satisfied with bread' is part of God's gracious blessing (Ps. 132:15). We see here how Solomon became focused upon works, rather than faith in the blessings which come from Divine grace. And yet he uses the words his father had used; but he interprets them as justification of works rather than acceptance of grace.

The ending of poverty meant a time when Israel were obedient to the covenant (Dt. 15:4). But they weren't, and the returning exiles experienced famine (Hag. 1:6). The fulfilment is therefore reapplied to the things of the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 132:16

Her priests I will also clothe with salvation, her holy people will shout aloud for joy-

This is the language of God's Kingdom upon earth (Ps. 149:5). It was God who would make this happen, rather than David's manipulation of the physical ark (:8,9). But as discussed on :8, David mistakenly thought that merely bringing the ark to Zion meant this would come about. The exiles could have fulfilled this in a restored kingdom (Is. 61:10); but most preferred to remain in exile, and those who did return were impenitent and didn't build nor operate the temple system as commanded in Ez. 40-48.

Although there was a special priesthood, it was clearly God's intention that all Israel should be like priests; they were to be a "Kingdom of priests" (Ex. 19:6). Israel were all “saints”, and yet saints and priests are paralleled in passages like Ps. 132:16. Israel in the wilderness had clothes which didn’t wear out- just as the Priestly clothes didn’t, and were handed down from generation to generation (so Ex. 29:29 implies).

Psalm 132:17

There I will make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed-

David understood the Lord's anointed as his son Solomon, his horn who would bud in Messianic glory. Hence David is specific that this budding forth will be in Zion. He begins asking for this in :10, speaking of Solomon as Yahweh's anointed. But now he assumes his prayer has been heard, and this will indeed be the case. David is losing his focus upon the Lord Jesus, the seed who would be his great horn and eternal light in Zion. Lk. 1:69 defines the horn of David as the Lord Jesus; for Solomon failed to be as David hoped. He was the "branch of righteousness" which would "bud [AV "grow up"] unto David" (Jer. 33:15). In the context of the exiles, this individual who would "bud" could have been Zerubbabel, who could have rebuilt the temple as required for it to be filled with God's glory (s.w. Zech. 6:12). But he too failed. The fulfilment has to be in the Lord Jesus, the eternal lamp or light of the world. "Ordained a lamp" is the phrase only elsewhere used for the ordering of the lamps upon the candlestick (Ex. 40:4; Lev. 24:4). The idea is that this Messianic horn of David was to reign as a king-priest amongst the candlestick of the holy place; an image used in Rev. 1 of the Lord Jesus, as Solomon clearly didn't fulfil this.

But a burning lamp is a metaphor for the preservation of the dynasty (Ps. 18:28; 1 Kings 11:36; 15:4; 2 Sam. 21:17). David's idea was that his dynasty would not end; but this didn't come about, for the Davidic line of rulers ended at the captivity. It was only to come true in the person of the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 132:18

I will clothe his enemies with shame, but on himself, his crown will be splendid-

This again assumes that Solomon is to reign in glory and his enemies shamed. David reasons likewise in Ps. 72. These things were not fulfilled in Solomon, ultimately, for he turned away. But the words are not untrue; they come true in the Lord Jesus, although this was not the fulfilment which David had in mind at the time. "Splendid" is the word usually translated "blossom", continuing the figure of 'budding' in :17.

The word for "crown" is unusual in that it is also used of the high priest’s diadem (Ex. 29:6). The verb for "splendid" means also to sparkle or glitter, and is the word used of the glittering plate of gold bearing the inscription “Holiness to Yahweh” which the High Priest wore, called in Ex. 29:30, “the plate of the holy diadem”. The impression is that this king will be a priest-king, after the order of Melchizedek (cp. Jer. 30:21; Zech. 6:11-13).

Psalm 133

Psalm 133:1

A Song of Ascents. By David-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!-

The songs of degrees or ascents were sung by the people as they ascended in unity to keep the feasts in Zion. This unity will now be likened to the anointing oil upon Aaron (:2), and the dew (:3). Dew and oil were symbols of the blessing of the Spirit (2 Sam. 1:21). This alone is the basis for true unity.

Psalm 133:2

It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard; that came down on the edge of his robes-

We note the internal agreement of the Biblical text; the oil was "poured" upon Aaron, so much so that it ran down his beard; but only sprinkled on the priests (Ex. 29:7; Lev. 8:12; 21:10). Aaron the High Priest is here likened to the whole community of Israel. They were all anointed, they were united "in him" by the oil of the spirit, looking ahead to the idea of the body of believers being "in Christ", the anointed one, the High Priest.

Psalm 133:3

like the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the hills of Zion-

"Hills" may be an intensive plural for the one great hill of Zion, the temple mount. The Bible records things at times as they were perceived, even if they were scientifically wrong; the language of demons in the New Testament is an example. And here we have the myth that the dew of Hermon came down as rain in the Jerusalem area. But the idea is that as Hermon and Zion were part of the same water cycle, so the keeping of the feasts was to be a sign of unity between the north and the south. This received a small fulfilment in Hezekiah's time, whose feasts were attended by the faithful in the northern Kingdom, mingling in unity with the faithful in Judah. "Comes down" is the word used in :2 of the coming down of the oil on Aaron's beard.

For there Yahweh gives the blessing, even life forever-

This may have been the potential at the time of the restoration or even possibly in Hezekiah's time. But the preconditions weren't met, and the whole scenario has been rescheduled and reapplied to the gift of eternal life from the Lord Jesus when He sits in judgment upon David's throne in Zion. This idea of receiving the blessing of eternal life in Zion is sure evidence that the Old Testament teaches conditional rather than inherent immortality. "Life forever" is to be given in the future, at a specific location; and not at death, nor as part of any "immortal soul". The blessing of life was part of the old covenant (Dt. 30:19). But here, "life forever" is the promised blessing, implying that a new covenant [different from the Mosaic covenant] was to be entered which gave life eternal.

Psalm 134

Psalm 134:1 A Song of Ascents-

Or 'degrees'. Hezekiah’s response to being granted another 15 years of life was to edit and produce the Songs of Degrees, so named after the degrees of the sundial. Four of the 15 Psalms were by David, one by Solomon; and the other 10 it seems Hezekiah wrote himself but left anonymous. These ten Psalms would reflect the ten degrees by which the sun-dial went backwards. The point to note is that Hezekiah taught others in an anonymous way in response to the grace he had received. True preaching reflects a certain artless selflessness. These songs of ascents were presumably also intended to be sung by the exiles as they returned to Zion, and then every time they went up to Jerusalem to keep a feast. But there is no evidence this happened. For they didn't return in the kind of faith implied in these Psalms. The plural "ascents" would then be an intensive plural referring to the one great ascent, to Zion. Much of the language of these Psalms is typical of David's language when under persecution by Saul. But the Psalm was reapplied to Hezekiah, and then to the exiles on their return from Babylon, and then by extension to all God's people on their journey zionwards.

Look! Praise Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh, who stand by night in Yahweh’s house!-

The only feast kept at night was Passover. Perhaps that is the feast in view, and this Psalm was to be sung by those going up to Zion to keep it.

Psalm 134:2

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary. Praise Yahweh!-

This could be specifically about the priests, who were allowed into the sanctuary. Or it could be looking ahead to a day when all "servants of Yahweh" (:1), regardless of descent, could enter the sanctuary and praise Him there.

Psalm 134:3

May Yahweh bless you from Zion; even He who made heaven and earth-

The blessing of Yahweh coming out of Zion was what was possible in the restored Kingdom of God; it would be associated with Yahweh Himself dwelling in Zion (Ps. 134:3; 135:21). This would be the time when the temple vision of Ez. 40-48 was obeyed by the exiles, and the city called Yahweh Shammah, "Yahweh is there". But at the time of the exiles' return, it was precluded by their impenitence and refusal to build the temple and city according to the commands of Ez. 40-48, and the fact the majority refused to participate in the program and remained in Persia / Babylon.

Psalm 135

Psalm 135:1

Praise Yah! Praise the name of Yahweh! Praise Him, you servants of Yahweh-

This opening verse is an invitation to the Levites or priests as Yahweh's servants to begin the praise at a feast, used also in Ps. 113:1.

Psalm 135:2

you who stand in the house of Yahweh, in the courts of our God’s house-

This therefore could be a Davidic psalm reused later when the temple was built. But the sanctuary could still be called God's house, and it had courts. Perhaps :2 refers to the worshippers in the outer court, and :1 to the priests and Levites.

Psalm 135:3

Praise Yah, for Yahweh is good. Sing praises to His name, for that is pleasant-

The grammar could imply that God's Name is "pleasant". Praise is to be motivated by appreciating what we are praising. And the essence of Yahweh is summarized in His Name.

Psalm 135:4

For Yah has chosen Jacob for Himself; Israel for His own possession-

An inheritance / possession was the most personal, intimate possession a man could have. And for Yahweh, the God of infinite possession, His wayward, tiny people were His "own possession". Yet they would only be this if they were obedient and loyal to Him (Dt. 7:6 cp. Ex. 19:5). They weren't; but here we see the triumph of His absolute love and the grace of imputed righteousness. For He counted them as "His own possession" anyway. And it is that grace which is to be praised (:1,2).

Psalm 135:5

For I know that Yahweh is great, that our Lord is above all gods-

The invitation of :1 and :2 was for a mass of priests, Levites and ordinary worshippers to praise God together, en masse. But that praise was to be essentially personal; and so it should be or us today. The reference to Yahweh's supremacy above all other gods was because this Psalm was to be used when the exiles had been restored, and there was an appeal to the Gentiles to repent and accept Israel's God.

Psalm 135:6

Whatever Yahweh pleased, that He has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps-

The reference to the seas is emphasized because they are representative of the Gentile nations. This Psalm is an appeal to them to repent; and to accept and perceive how God had worked His pleasure or will amongst the nations in history. And that was according to the same word of purpose which had created all things, towards the final outworking of His saving purpose.

Psalm 135:7

who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the land; who makes lightnings with the rain; who brings forth the wind out of His treasuries-

God's causative power in the natural creation was just as much at work in the path of the nations. "The ends of the eretz", the land promised to Abraham, were specifically Assyria and Babylon, the classical abusers of God's people. And His word could work amongst those peoples just as much as it caused the clouds and winds from those areas to come upon Israel. The Hebrew word for "clouds" is that elsewhere translated "prince", "governor" or "ruler". God's activity in the natural creation was to be seen in His work amongst people.

Psalm 135:8

who struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal-

This otherwise awful act was to be the object of Israel's praise, just as the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea is to be praised as an example of God's grace enduring for ever (Ps. 136:15). One take on the situation is that God foreknew that if He had not killed those Egyptians, they would have killed the Israelites.

Psalm 135:9

who sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants-

We enquire why "Egypt" is addressed specifically, as if present. Perhaps the idea is that this Psalm was to be used when the exiles had been restored, and there was an appeal to the Gentiles to repent and accept Israel's God. They were being asked to perceive the wonder of God's hand in history and the rightness of His judgments upon them.

Psalm 135:10

who struck many nations, and killed mighty kings-

The nations in view are presumably those of Canaan (:11), alluding to Dt. 7:1. Josh. 12:24 lists 31 nations / kings destroyed by Joshua.

Psalm 135:11

Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan and all the kingdoms of Canaan-

If this Psalm was used in the context of the exiles, the encouragement was that no matter how strong the Samaritan opposition appeared to be it would crumble easily. For no local peoples of the land would stop God's purpose to give the land to His people.

Psalm 135:12

and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, His people-

Israel were God's heritage (:4), and the land was their heritage. The idea of giving a heritage suggests the inheritance first belonged to the One who gave it. This would suggest God considered the land of Canaan as personally His in a way the rest of the planet wasn't. And He in turn gave it to Israel His people. Psalms 135 and 136 are clearly paired, and the parallel here is in the invitation to praise God for His grace in giving Israel the land as an inheritance (Ps. 136:21). It was by grace because they weren't obedient to the covenant, they didn't act as God's children and rejected Him for their idols; but still He gave them what was really the inheritance for His loving children.

Psalm 135:13

Your name, Yahweh, endures forever; Your renown, Yahweh, throughout all generations-

God's Name is clearly not simply the lexical item "Yahweh". His Name is His "renown", His reputation and character expressed throughout history; and always characterized by His saving of His people by grace.

Psalm 135:14

For Yahweh will judge His people, and be sorry for His servants-

We note the parallel between God's judgment of His people, and His saving pity for them. There is no need to fear judgment day; David in the Psalms often looks forward to it rather than fears it. Judgment day will be the articulation of God's Name or character (:13); which is dominated by His saving pity for people.  This verse is read by some as meaning that God will firstly judge His people with punishment, and then be sorry for them. But that is to miss the parallelism in the Hebrew poetry here. His judging is His "being sorry for His people".

Psalm 135:15

The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands-

The idea is that the Canaanite nations were destroyed because of their idolatry. But Ezekiel records that Israel left Egypt with the idols of Egypt; and we know they carried the tabernacle of their god Remphan as well as that of Yahweh, all through the wilderness. This is why the parallel Ps. 136 invites praise of Yahweh's grace for all these things. In the context of the exiles, the idols of Babylon / Persia were indeed dumb. And yet according to Ezekiel and the implications of the book of Esther, idolatry was rife amongst the exiles. So this may have been also an appeal to the exiles to see the idols for what they were, and to consider how they had been historically defeated at the conquest of Canaan.

Psalm 135:16

They have mouths, but they can’t speak; they have eyes, but they can’t see-

The implication is that Yahweh has all these faculties. This implies that Yahweh is a personal God, and we are made in His image physically, although not morally.

Psalm 135:17

They have ears, but they can’t hear; neither is there any breath in their mouths-

See on :16. This mockery of idolatry is similar of that addressed to the exiles in Is. 44:9-20; and the context is the same. The exiles are being recalled from idolatry. The implication is that the God of Israel doesn't just have a dead semblance of human form, but actually is real and living, in human form; for we are made in His image. His word is spoken through His throat (Ps. 115:7), and elsewhere He is presented as speaking through lips (Job 23:12). His word has true breath / Spirit.

Psalm 135:18

Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them-

This is an abiding principle. We become like that which we worship and trust in. The process of trusting Yahweh will make us like Him. The requirement for faith and worship is therefore for our benefit. The idols have been portrayed as only appearing human; effectively they are dead, with eyes etc. which don't function. And those who worship them become likewise- not really alive as intended, not sensing reality as they are intended. Those who worship vanities become vain (Jer. 2:5). This was exactly the message to the exiles (Is. 44:9).

Psalm 135:19

House of Israel, praise Yahweh! House of Aaron, praise Yahweh!-

As explained on :20, the house of Aaron are paralleled with that of all Israel. It could be that this Psalm looks ahead to the day of the new covenant promised to the exiles, when there would be a new priesthood no longer simply predicated upon descent from Aaron.

Psalm 135:20

House of Levi, praise Yahweh! You who fear Yahweh, praise Yahweh!-

As it was God’s intention that Israel were to be a nation of priests to the rest of the world, so the new Israel likewise are to all discharge the priestly functions of teaching their brethren (Ex. 19:6 cp. 1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:6; 5:9,10). Under the new covenant, we should all teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16). Indeed, God told Israel [unrecorded in the historical records]: “Ye are gods [elohim] and all of you are sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82:6 RV). Further, Ps. 96:9 makes the paradigm breaking statement that even the Gentiles could come before Yahweh of Israel in holy, priestly array- they too could aspire to the spirit of priesthood (Ps. 96:9 RVmg.). Moses spoke of how all Israel should pray that God would establish the work of their hands (Ps. 90:17)- but this was in fact his special request for the blessing of Levi, the priestly tribe (Dt. 33:11). Ps. 135:19,20 parallels all Israel with the priestly family: “Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron: bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, bless the Lord... praise ye the Lord”. All Israel were to aspire to the spirit of priesthood. Indeed, the Psalms often parallel the house of Aaron (i.e. the priesthood) with the whole nation (Ps. 115:9,10,12; 118:2,3).

Psalm 135:21

Blessed be Yahweh from Zion, He who dwells at Jerusalem. Praise Yah!-

The blessing of Yahweh coming out of Zion was what was possible in the restored Kingdom of God; it would be associated with Yahweh Himself dwelling in Zion (Ps. 128:5; 134:3; 135:21). This would be the time when the temple vision of Ez. 40-48 was obeyed by the exiles, and the city called Yahweh Shammah, "Yahweh is there". But at the time of the exiles' return, it was precluded by their impenitence and refusal to build the temple and city according to the commands of Ez. 40-48, and the fact the majority refused to participate in the program and remained in Persia / Babylon.

Psalm 136

Psalm 136:1

Give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good; for His grace endures forever-

This Psalm is paired with Ps. 135. It could be that it is the song of praise called for at the conclusion of Ps. 135.

Psalm 136:2

Give thanks to the God of gods; for His grace endures forever-

The other idols are not baldly stated to be non-existent. But Yahweh is so far superior to them that they have no effective existence. Just as in the New Testament demons don't exist but they are spoken of as having some existence, so here the non-existent idols are assumed to exist, for a moment and for the purpose of the argument. But Yahweh is their God and Lord (:3). What makes Yahweh so far above any idols is the quality of His grace, His undeserved favour, a concept quite unknown to any idol, ancient or modern.

Psalm 136:3

Give thanks to the Lord of lords; for His grace endures forever-

See on :2. This title of Yahweh is applied to the Lord Jesus (Rev. 17:14; 19:16). This is no evidence that "Jesus is God"; the titles of Yahweh can be justly shared with His Son without making Yahweh and His Son one and the same person.

Psalm 136:4

to Him who alone does great wonders; for His grace endures forever-

As discussed on Ps. 71:19, the "great / wondrous things" performed by God were His forgiveness and salvation of a condemned sinner like David. This is described in Ps. 71:19 as God doing "great things", the phrase used of the great things worked in visible miracles in Egypt (Ps. 106:21) and at creation (Ps. 136:7). But the forgiveness of people like David is no less a great miracle. Such great things are done because of His mercy / grace (Ps. 136:4).

Psalm 136:5

to Him who by understanding made the heavens; for His grace endures forever-

The same "understanding" and grace coded into the natural creation is manifest to us His sinful people. His grace is extended to us because He "understands"; just as we are more generous and forgiving to others when we understand their background issues. But Yahweh, whose sensitivity, awareness and understanding is seen throughout His creation, therefore exercises grace all the more.

Psalm 136:6

to Him who spread out the earth above the waters; for His grace endures forever-

This was the same argument as used to the exiles in Is. 42:5; 44:24. But it was originally David's understanding of creation (Ps. 24:2). So again we see evidence that a Davidic Psalm was rewritten under inspiration and used by the exiles. Creation itself is the great example of God's grace, a connection often made by David (e.g. Ps. 119:64). To create us and our environment was and is the ultimate grace.

Psalm 136:7

to Him who made the great lights; for His grace endures forever-

The stress is as in LXX "To him who alone made great lights". There were multiple theories and myths about the origins of the sun and moon, as there are today. The emphasis is that Yahweh "alone" created them. He was not in league with other gods. And to create sun and moon, like all creation (see on :6), was itself a sign of grace.

Psalm 136:8

the sun to rule by day; for His grace endures forever-

Perhaps the idea is that the very existence of light and darkness, good and evil, is not only of God's creation but is itself a sign of grace. Perhaps that is something we will only perceive once in God's Kingdom and sharing His nature.

Psalm 136:9

the moon and stars to rule by night; for His grace endures forever-

All the surrounding beliefs and theories were to the effect that the night and darkness were controlled by radical evil. The grace of it all is that this isn't the case; the night / darkness is ruled, under God's control, by what He has created.

Psalm 136:10

to Him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn; for His grace endures forever-

The slaying of the firstborn is here presented as praiseworthy because it reflects God's grace. One take on the situation is that God foreknew that if He had not killed those Egyptians, they would have killed the Israelites. Another is that without that plague, the Egyptians wouldn't have allowed the Israelites to leave (:11).

Psalm 136:11

and brought out Israel from among them; for His grace endures forever-

The bringing out of Israel was of grace because they took with them the idols of Egypt, and carried the tabernacle of their gods as well as that of Yahweh. Yet Yahweh still brought them out, delivering and saving them by grace alone.

Psalm 136:12

with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm; for His grace endures forever-

"Outstretched" is the word for "incline", used by David of how he himself inclined his heart to God's word (Ps. 119:51,112,157). But David prayed that God would incline his heart towards His word (Ps. 119:36) and away from sin (Ps. 141:4). This is how the Holy Spirit works to this day- we are confirmed in the psychological attitudes we ourselves choose to have. The word is used of God's mighty "stretched out" arm and "strong hand" in human affairs (Ps. 136:12 and often in Isaiah). This powerful hand of God is at work in human hearts, confirming us in the psychological way in which we ourselves wish to go. In this sense God turns or inclines the heart where He wishes (Prov. 21:1). Solomon in the Proverbs places all the emphasis upon a person themselves in their own strength inclining their heart toward his teaching (Prov. 2:2; 4:5,20; 5:1). He fails to appreciate what David his father did; that God's word is His word and not that of the human channel through which it comes. And he totally puts the emphasis upon human strength of will, self inclination towards God's word, rather than perceiving as David did that without God's psychological help in this, we shall ultimately fail. As Solomon himself did.

Psalm 136:13

to Him who divided the Red Sea apart; for His grace endures forever-

"Into parts". Passing between parts was the metaphor of covenant relationship. The passing through the Red Sea looked ahead to baptism (1 Cor. 10:1,2), which likewise is the entry into covenant.

Psalm 136:14

and made Israel to pass through its midst; for His grace endures forever-

See on :13. Perhaps the grace in this was that they were "made to pass through", when they actually wished to return to Egypt. "To pass through / over" is the Hebrew word from whence the word "Hebrew" comes, 'passers over'. But God made them His people, He made them 'Hebrews', 'passers over'. Passing through the Red Sea is like baptism (1 Cor. 10:1,2). There is likewise a sense in which we are baptized by God, by the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13). He takes the initiative and 'makes us pass over'; by His grace.

Psalm 136:15

but overthrew Pharaoh and His army in the Red Sea; for His grace endures forever-

The destruction of the Egyptians is cited here as an example of God's grace to Israel, and it is likewise used in Ps. 106:11. One take on the situation is that God foreknew that if He had not killed those Egyptians, they would have killed the Israelites.

Psalm 136:16

to Him who led His people through the wilderness; for His grace endures forever-

The people were led by the pillar of cloud and fire, the Angel / Spirit (Num. 14:14). This looked ahead to how after baptism (cp. the Red Sea crossing) we are led of the Spirit (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:18; Mt. 4:1). But the leading of the Spirit is grace; and the Spirit and grace are often connected in the New Testament. We are not left to find our own way to God's Kingdom after crossing the Red Sea. We are led, and that is by grace.

Psalm 136:17

to Him who struck great kings; for His grace endures forever-

The Hezekiah reference would have been to the king of Assyria surrounding Jerusalem, who was called by the same phrase, a "great king" (Is. 36:4,13). Yahweh's historical victory over "great kings" by His grace towards His people was to inspire the later Jews with hope that His grace would likewise render powerless the "great king" of Assyria. Always Biblical history is harnessed to encourage present faith; for "His grace endures forever", this is the constant theme in all God's dealings with his people.

Psalm 136:18

and killed mighty kings; for His grace endures forever-

"Mighty" in the sense of many of them. Josh. 12:24 lists 31 nations / kings destroyed by Joshua.

Psalm 136:19

Sihon king of the Amorites; for His grace endures forever-

The record in Num. 21 says that Sihon chose to attack Israel when they ought to have just let the people pass through their land. Israel defeated them and took their territory, which happened to include Moab, which Sihon had recently conquered (Num. 21:21-30). So by one battle with Sihon, Israel ended up conquering a large area. All this was of God's grace rather than their prowess in battle, or faith.

Psalm 136:20

Og king of Bashan; for His grace endures forever-

As with Sihon (see on :20), Og attacked Israel and God gave them a victory over Og. But this was by grace; although no details of the battle are recorded in Num. 21, we can assume that the victory involved some special grace from God. Or perhaps the grace of it all was in the fact that the territory of Sihon and Og was on the east of Jordan, and it had not been God's intention to give this to Israel at that time. But by grace He gave them more than originally intended. Such was His love.

Psalm 136:21

and gave their land as an inheritance; for His grace endures forever-

It was by grace because they weren't obedient to the covenant, they didn't act as God's children and rejected Him for their idols; but still He gave them what was really the inheritance for His loving children.

Psalm 136:22

even a heritage to Israel His servant; for His grace endures forever-

A people were "servants" of their gods. Israel had multiple gods whilst in the wilderness, and even carried the tabernacle of their god Remphan along with that of Yahweh. Yet by grace, God counted Israel as His servants; even though they were serving other gods.

Psalm 136:23

who remembered us in our low estate; for His grace endures forever-

"Low estate" is the term often used for those humbled by God's condemnation, e.g. the proud who are brought low (2 Sam. 22:28; Job 40:11; Ps. 75:7; 147:6; Prov. 29:23 and very often in the prophets). And yet God by grace remembers and lifts up even those humbled by such condemnation. This is absolute grace; to save even those suffering condemnation for their sins.

Psalm 136:24

and has delivered us from our adversaries; for His grace endures forever-

God "delivered" Israel into the hand of their "adversaries" (s.w. Neh. 9:27). But it was God who also delivered them from those adversaries, even [in the case of the exiles returning from Babylon] without their repentance. This again is "grace upon grace".

Psalm 136:25

who gives food to every creature; for His grace endures forever-

This is an Old Testament anticipation of the Lord's teaching that if God feeds ravens, then how much more shall He provide for His beloved people. Indeed it would seem that the Lord may have drawn His teaching in Lk. 12:24 from this verse. Again we see how grace is encoded within the entire creation.

Psalm 136:26

Oh give thanks to the God of heaven; for His grace endures forever-

"God of heaven" is a phrase associated with the books dating from the exile. The contrast is with the idols; and Yahweh's abiding grace is what places Him in an altogether different category to them.

Psalm 137

Psalm 137:1

By the rivers of Babylon there we sat down, and yes, we wept when we remembered Zion-

Psalm 137 speaks of Judah in captivity, apparently initially as a result of Sennacherib’s invasion as recorded in 2 Kings 18:13. And yet it seems to have been re-written with reference to Judah’s captivity at the hands of the Babylonians some years later. This sort of thing would’ve happened with whole books. J.W.Thirtle claims that the original manuscripts of most Old Testament books were sealed with Hezekiah’s seal, as they had been re-written and edited during his time (J.W. Thirtle, Old Testament Problems (Printland Publishers reprint, 2004 facsimile of the 1914 edition) p. 301). Scripture itself testifies to him and his men re-organizing the writings of David. Isaiah, with its initial application to Hezekiah, and then its obvious reference to the captivity and restoration, is another example.

This weeping for Zion may have been intended to be in the spirit of Is. 30:19, where the weepers for Zion are to be restored to her. To "remember Zion" could mean that they were seeking to bring Zion to God's memory, in the spirit of Is. 62:6,7, so that He would fulfil the promises of her restoration.

Psalm 137:2

On the willows in its midst we hung up our harps-

Their weeping was therefore not at the prison camps by the Chebar river, where Ezekiel was, but at the rivers in the midst of Babylon (:1). Perhaps they chose the willows in allusion to Is. 44:4, which predicted that the revived exiles would spring up like willows next to water. For these willows were next to the rivers of Babylon (:1). However, willows didn't grow in Babylon, and the only trees by the waters of Babylon appear to have been palms. Perhaps they are described as willows especially in order to highlight the connection with Is. 44:4.

Psalm 137:3

For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded us songs of joy: Sing us one of the songs of Zion!-

The "songs of joy" were "Yahweh's song" (:4), the songs sung at the time of "the day of your gladness" (Num. 10:10; Ezra 6:22 s.w. "joy"). The exiles were unable to keep the feasts and so they didn't use these songs any more. But we may well enquire how their Babylonian captors knew about these songs. The prophets repeatedly point out that Israel prostituted Yahweh's religion with that of the gods of Babylon. This would explain why the Babylonians now mocked the Jews' religion.

Reasoning back from the addresses to the captives in later Isaiah, it appears they thought that Yahweh was a God who just operated in the land of Israel. The captives felt they couldn’t sing the songs of Yahweh in a Gentile land (Ps. 137). They thought that now they were outside His land and far from His temple, they were forgotten by Him (Is. 49:14,15), their cause ignored by Him (Is. 40:27) and they were “cast off” from relationship with Him (Is. 41:9). Hence Isaiah emphasizes that Yahweh is the creator and the God of the whole planet, and His presence is literally planet-wide.

"Tormented" is literally 'to make to howl'. But this kind of abuse was only on their initial reception in Babylon. By Esther's time, the Jews were a respected and prosperous community. "They that rule over them make them to howl" (Is. 52:5 s.w.). But the redemption was to be through the suffering servant which Is. 52 goes on to speak of. But this didn't happen. The soft life in Babylon meant that the exiles no longer wanted to be redeemed from it. Just prior to the captivity, the people had been asked to howl in repentance (s.w. Jer. 4:8; 25:34; Ez. 21:12; 30:2). They hadn't, and now they were made to howl in Babylon; but the intention was that they would do so in repentance, which would end the captivity.

Psalm 137:4

How could we sing Yahweh’s song in a foreign land?-

The Babylonians taunted the captive Jews with requests to sing them the temple songs, "Yahweh's song" (Ps. 137:3,4).   This conscious mocking of Yahweh-worship shows how the Babylonians conceived of the conflict with Israel in terms of their gods being opposed to Yahweh, whom they claimed to have vanquished. Today's latter day Babylonians see their struggle within the similar construct of Mohammed against Israel's God, Yahweh.

Psalm 137:5

If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill-

The attitude of the exiles was that God had forgotten Zion, although He protests that despite the 70 year exile, He has not done so (Is. 49:14,15; Lam. 5:20 s.w.). So this protestation that they had not forgotten Zion could be taken as implying they were more passionate than God for the restoration. The reality was that the exiles forgot their God (s.w. Is. 51:13; Jer. 2:32; 13:25; 18:15; 23:27; Ez. 23:35; Hos. 2:13), but not the external trappings of their religion, epitomized in Zion. This difference between religion and true spirituality remains an ever abiding issue for us all.

The skill of the right hand may be an allusion to the harp playing of :2. Hence GNB "May I never be able to play the harp again if I forget you, Jerusalem!".

Psalm 137:6

Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you; if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy-

To be struck with dumbness was a curse for disobedience, experienced on behalf of the exiles by Ezekiel. The implication would then be that the psalmist felt personally innocent and undeserving of any curse. And this was the problem with the exiles; we compare this attitude with that of Nehemiah and Daniel, who fully accepted their personal part in the guilt of God's people. But as noted on :5, the context may still be that of worship and singing in :2,3. Although the captives refused to perform their songs for their captors, the psalmist implies he will continue praising God with the songs of Zion privately. hence GNB "May I never be able to sing again if I do not remember you".

This Psalm may well have originated in something David wrote about Jerusalem, perhaps whilst in exile from her at the time of Absalom's rebellion. I noted on Ps. 15:1 that "Yahweh, who shall dwell in Your sanctuary? Who shall live on Your holy hill?" was written before David took the hill of Zion from the Jebusites. He felt they shouldn't be living there because of how they lived so immorally, and was eager to make it his own inheritance by conquest; and it seems from Ps. 16:5,6 that David considered Zion his personal inheritance where he was to live. He considered Zion his great joy (Ps. 137:6), the ultimately pleasant place (Ps. 48:2).

Psalm 137:7

Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!-

As a bitter man does, the psalmist's mind went from one hurt to another. He remembered how when Babylon had invaded, the Edomites hadn’t helped their Hebrew brethren (Obadiah 11,12). They had egged on the Babylonian soldiers in ripping down the temple, shouting [in a chorus?] “Raze it, raze it, even to its foundation”. The Edomite mercenaries were not a major part of the Babylonian confederacy which sacked Jerusalem, but they are singled out for particular condemnation because "Esau is Edom", they were Jacob's brother. God particularly judges unbrotherly behaviour; we have a special responsibility to our brethren in the body of God's people. Any nastiness against them is especially culpable.

Psalm 137:8

Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who rewards you as you have served us-

The exiles were reminded that the Babylon where they lived had wasted God's people, and thus she was to be wasted (Ps. 137:3,8 AVmg.). But human beings are so fickle. Because life was easy there, the captives came to prefer Babylon to the distant Zion, and by the time of Esther they were a prosperous, comfortable community. And the majority therefore didn't return to the land and rebuild it even when given every encouragement by Cyrus.

They wept, initially, when they remembered Zion- and yet according to Ez. 8, back there in Zion there were awful abominations and idolatry being committed in the temple of Zion. Their weeping was mere nostalgia; their refusal to sing the temple songs was mere stubbornness, there was no genuine commitment to Yahweh's way. And it was because of this that God confirmed them in their desire to stay in Babylon. He had elsewhere predicted that He would stop them returning "to the land whereunto their soul longeth to return" (Jer. 22:27 RV). And He did this by confirming them in their desire to remain in Babylon. These prophecies of the destruction of Babylon therefore didn't come true as was potentially possible. Because Judah didn't want to judge Babylon. And so the language of Babylon's judgment is reapplied in Revelation to the destruction of latter day Babylon.

Psalm 137:9

Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock-

When we feel our enemies are unjust, we can:

1. Seek revenge. But this isn’t a response we can make, Biblically.

2. Deny the feelings of hurt and anger. And yet, they surface somehow. And we join the ranks of the millions of hurt people in this world, who ‘take it out’ in some way on others.

3. Or we can do as David seems to have done. Take these feelings, absolutely as they are, with no rough edges smoothed off them…to God Himself. Pour them all out in prayer and leave Him to resolve the matter. In passing, this fits in with the conclusions of modern psychiatry- that we can’t eliminate our feelings, so we must express them in an appropriate way.

This latter option is how I understand the imprecatory Psalms. Those outpourings of human emotion were read by God as prayers. The writer of Psalm 137, sitting angry and frustrated by a Babylonian riverside, with his harp hanging on a willow branch, being jeered (“tormented” Ps. 137:3 RVmg.)  by the victorious Babylonian soldiers who had led him away captive… he felt so angry with them. Especially when they tried to make him sing one of the temple songs (“sing us one of the songs of Zion”). And, as a bitter man does, his mind went from one hurt to another. He remembered how when Babylon had invaded, the Edomites hadn’t helped their Hebrew brethren (Obadiah 11,12). They had egged on the Babylonian soldiers in ripping down the temple, shouting [in a chorus?] “Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation”. And so in anger and bitterness this Jew prays with tears, as he remembered Zion, “O daughter of Babylon… happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock” (:8,9 RV). God read those angry words as a prayer, and in some sense they will have their fulfilment.  For these words are picked up in Rev. 18:8,21 and applied to what will finally happen to Babylon. Her spiritual children will be dashed against the rock of Christ, the stone of Daniel 2:44, at His return. He will dash in pieces the Babylon-led people that oppose Him.

Psalm 138

Psalm 138:1

By David-

According to the LXX titles, there were certain Psalms which were written for the dedication of the rebuilt temple, and others written by Haggai and Zechariah. They include: Psalms 96,138,147,148. These all seem to speak as if the time of a glorious temple was to be the time of God’s Kingdom; this was the possibility, and it was the prevailing hope in the minds of the faithful minority. But the Psalms had to remain prophecies of the future day of Zion’s glory, for the temple was not rebuilt by the returned exiles according to the specifications of Ez. 40-48. This psalm originally by David was reused and reapplied to later contexts.

I will give You thanks with my whole heart. Before the mighty ones I will sing praises to You-

David spoke of seeking and praising God's grace with his "whole heart" (Ps. 9:1; 119:58; 138:1). Solomon uses the phrase, but speaks of being obedient with the "whole heart" (1 Kings 8:23; 2 Chron. 6:14) and applying the "whole heart" to the intellectual search for God (Ecc. 1:13; 8:9). There is a difference. The idea of whole hearted devotion to God was picked up by Solomon, but instead of giving the whole heart to the praise of God's grace, he instead advocated giving the whole heart to ritualistic obedience and intellectual search for God. This has been the trap fallen into by many Protestant groups whose obsession with "truth" has obscured the wonder of God's grace.

Psalm 138:2

I will bow down toward Your holy temple, and give thanks to Your Name for Your grace and for Your truth; for You have exalted above all things your name and your word-

The particular "word" David initially had in view was the word of God through Samuel that he would become king. That is what "the word" in Ps. 119 mainly refers to. Now that he was established king and could come before the sanctuary as he so longed to do whilst exiled, he thanks God. "Grace and truth" is a phrase which often refers to God's promises. David perceived that the fulfilment of Samuel's prophetic word about these things was the articulation of God's Name, exalted in the fulfilment of God's prophetic word. However we will note on :7,8 that David seems to have prayed this time whilst still under persecution from Saul, so we could read these past tenses at the start of the Psalm as his confident expectation that one day he would be in the sanctuary praising God for fulfilling His word about the Davidic Kingdom. And this was to be a pattern for the exiles.

Psalm 138:3

In the day that I called, You answered me; You encouraged me with strength in my soul-

David thinks back to his time in the wilderness, and how his desperate calls for help and for the fulfilment of the prophetic word about his becoming king has been answered. He recalls how God had answered his many requests recorded in Ps. 119, to encourage him with strength in believing that the prophetic word about his kingship would in fact come true. The application to the exiles was that their prayers for restoration would likewise be heard- if they followed David's path of humility, repentance and restoration. But for the most part they didn't.

Psalm 138:4

All the kings of the land will give You thanks, Yahweh, for they have heard the words of Your mouth-

David's vision was of all the rulers in the eretz promised to Abraham glorifying God for making him king. And likewise there was the potential at the time of the restoration for the whole area of the eretz to come to accept Yahweh as their God because of the evident fulfilment of His prophetic word for His people. But this again didn't happen as potentially possible, and will come to full term only in the last days.

Psalm 138:5

Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh; for great is Yahweh’s glory-

Nations only accepted new gods because the nations who worshipped those gods had overrun them and forced them to accept their gods and reject their own. But Yahweh's envisaged spiritual conquest of the nations of the eretz was to be because they had "heard the words of Your mouth", seeing them fulfilled in the restoration of David and later of the exiles; and they willingly therefore were to perceive Yahweh's glory and sing of His ways. And so it is in the expansion of His Kingdom in this life; individuals willingly submit themselves to Him rather than due to coercion or being swamped with His power unavoidably.

Psalm 138:6

For though Yahweh is high, yet He looks after the lowly; but the proud, He knows from afar-

What was intended to attract the nations to submission to Yahweh was the way that He works with the lowly, be they David or the exiles, and restores them and brings down the proud (cp. Saul, the Babylonian empire). This love of the humble was a radical inversion of all accepted values, for the proud are glorified and the humble abused in secular life. And it was this which was one of Yahweh's unique and so attractive characteristics.

Psalm 138:7

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies. Your right hand will save me-

The Psalm begins with David thanking God for having already restored him to Zion; but as noted on :2, it could be that he said this whilst still walking "in the midst of trouble" during Saul's persecution, as well as during his exile from Absalom. "The wrath of my enemies" is a phrase he uses about both those situations (Ps. 55:3). His confidence that he would be revived / restored is therefore a pattern for the exiles, who were in a similar situation. Ps. 119 is full of requests for God to "revive" or restore David according to His word of promise through Samuel that David would become king.

"Trouble" was the result of disobedience to the covenant, and God would not be in the "midst" of His people at this time (s.w. Dt. 31:17). This is very relevant to the exiles, but the Psalm reflects faith that even in the experience of judgment, God is still desirous to save His people.

Psalm 138:8

Yahweh will fulfil that which concerns me; Your grace, Yahweh, endures forever. Don’t forsake the works of Your own hands-

See on Ps. 139:15. GNB better captures the sense that this refers to God's word of promise to restore David (and the exiles) even when that seemed impossible: "You will do everything you have promised; LORD, your love is eternal. Complete the work that you have begun". The work had been "begun" with David as it had with the exiles; but David is ever aware, as he is throughout Ps. 119, that the fulfilment of that word of the kingdom would be by grace. He and the exiles were personally undeserving of it. If we read "Don’t forsake the works of Your own hands", we have another example of how David sees in creation, including that of his own body, an encouragement to faith that God will work intricately and powerfully with us to further fulfil His ultimate intention with us. Our attitudes to creation therefore affect our present faith.

Psalm 139

Psalm 139:1

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David-

"The psalm divides into four stanzas of six verses each—the first (:1-6) dealing with the omniscience of God; the second (:7-12), with his omnipresence; the third (:13-18), with his omnipotence; and the fourth (:19-24) containing the supplication".

Yahweh, You have searched me and You know me-

The language of Ps. 17:3, also written whilst in the wilderness and before the sin with Bathsheba, which revealed David to be somewhat overconfident as to the state of his heart. The phrase is used in Ps. 44:23 in the context of pleading innocence to any idolatry. However the thoughts are just as appropriate to David in his reflections after the sin with Bathsheba.

Psalm 139:2

You know my sitting down and my rising up, You perceive my thoughts from afar-

Sitting down and rising up was a metaphor for daily life (Dt. 6:7), and is paralleled with his thoughts. The Bible continually parallels thought and action.

Psalm 139:3

You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways-

The language of Ps. 119:168, also written whilst in the wilderness and before the sin with Bathsheba, which revealed David to be somewhat overconfident as to the state of his heart. However the thoughts are just as appropriate to David in his reflections after the sin with Bathsheba.

Psalm 139:4

For there is not a word on my tongue, but, behold, Yahweh, You know it altogether-

Knowledge of thoughts (:2) is paralleled with knowledge of our words; because David rightly understood that thoughts and words are all the same before God. This is developed in the Lord's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.

Psalm 139:5

You hem me in behind and before, You have laid Your hand on me-

"Hem in" is the usual word for besieging. But David in Ps. 119 often rejoices in the freedom of walking in God's ways. So he doesn't at all suggest that God is constricting him, but rather that God's knowledge of his every thought, movement and word means that he is himself hemmed in to an appropriate way of living. This is the practical meaning of God's omniscience. We cannot profess to believe in God's omniscience without appropriately feeling and living, every moment of our lives.

Psalm 139:6

This knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty and beyond me-

AV "too wonderful". Whilst the extent of God's omniscience is indeed beyond our full grasp, David doesn't mean that the things of God are too wonderful for him to understand, and he just quits in trying to handle them. Throughout the Psalms, David repeatedly speaks of the wonder of God, how he wishes to extol this, and how he mourns the tragedy of the fact that Israel generally had not grasped the wonder of their God. He asks for his eyes to be opened so that the wonder of God's ways might be made known to him (Ps. 119:18). The Hebrew word translated "wonder" or "wondrous" was evidently one of David's favourites. Yet he says that although he sees the wonder of the knowledge of God, he feels it is "too wonderful for me" - perhaps "for me" is where the emphasis should be. It may be that David spoke of the knowledge of God as being "too wonderful for me" with his eye on Job's experience. If Ps. 139 was written in the aftermath of his physical and spiritual crisis at the time of Bathsheba, David would have seen himself as coming out of it with the same sense of spiritual growth as Job after his months of crisis: "Now mine eye seeth thee... I am vile... things too wonderful for me" all have a certain ring with the sentiments David expresses after Bathsheba. It can be demonstrated that the repentance and restoration of David after the Bathsheba incident is used, through New Testament allusion, as a prototype for the spiritual growth of each of us. This means that the terrible, crushing humbling of Job, of David, of Moses, must in some way at some time be replicated in the experience of every true saint, who struggles up the same graph of spiritual growth. From each of us there must be wrung the deep, essential realization: "I am vile... I know (now) that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee... therefore have I uttered that I understood thee; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not".

Psalm 139:7

Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence?-

These may be the thoughts of David as he reflected upon his sin with Bathsheba. He had no place to flee from God. These words are likewise appropriate to Jonah. Jonah knew the Psalms, for his own psalm alludes to them constantly. His prayer from inside the fish is packed with allusion to them. And yet he thought he could flee from God’s presence (Jonah 1:3)- even though Ps. 139:7-9 almost prophesies of Jonah, that nobody can flee from God’s presence, and the sea itself, and geographical distance, won’t hide enable such flight from God. Jonah knew this. But he simply acted in a way diametrically opposed to that knowledge.  He didn't resist his own spiritual blindness. The relevance to the exiles is that they were not hidden from God in Gentile lands; the lesson Jonah had to learn (cp. Jer. 23:24).

The essence of judgment is ongoing now; “we make the answer now”. God’s present judgment is often paralleled with His future judgment. Thus “The Lord shall judge the people... God judges [now] the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day... He will whet his sword; He has [right now] bent His bow, and made it ready” (Ps. 7:8,11-13). We are come now “to God the judge of all” (Heb. 12:23); God is now enthroned as judge (Ps. 93:2; Mt. 5:34 “the heaven is God’s throne”). We are now inescapably in God’s presence (Ps. 139:7); and ‘God’s presence’ is a phrase used about the final judgment in 2 Thess. 1:9; Jude 24; Rev. 14:10. Hence “God is [now] the judge: He puts down one and sets up another” (Ps. 75:7) – all of which He will also do at the last day (Lk. 14:10).

Psalm 139:8

If I ascend up into heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there!-

The idea may be that neither height nor depth hides from God, and then :9 says that no length horizontally can remove us from Him either.

Psalm 139:9

If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea-

See on :8. Perhaps after the sin with Bathsheba, David in his desperation had thought of leaving Israel, as Jonah did, and living in the "sea" of the Gentile territories. But he knew that even there,  God was present just as much as in His land. And the exiles needed to appreciate this too.

Psalm 139:10

even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will hold me-

I suggested on :7 that these were the reflections of David after his sin with Bathsheba, realizing that there was no place to run from God. Even in judgment and the experience of condemnation, he felt that God would still be present and would hold on to him and lead him to restoration. This was exactly relevant to the exiles in Babylon. Just as they were led by the hand in the wilderness (s.w. Ps. 77:20), so they would be in exile; the apparent wasting of time living there was in fact all part of being actively led towards the promised land. And so it is with us. David uses the same word in :24 in asking to be led himself, in the way to eternity.

Psalm 139:11

If I say, Surely the darkness will overwhelm me then the light around me will be night-

I have suggested that originally, these words are the thoughts of David as he considered fleeing from both God and all Israel after his sin with Bathsheba. He concludes that even the darkness of sin cannot hide from God; there doesn't come a point where we sin so much that God is no longer involved with us. AV is better: "the night shall be light". Even that darkness can be brought to a glorious dawn by God. And the same imagery is used in later Isaiah, of the exiles' restoration being as a glorious dawn after the darkness of the exile. "Overwhelm" is the same word for "bruise" in Gen. 3:15; the victory of sin would only be a bruise, from which he would recover.

Psalm 139:12

even the darkness doesn’t hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness is like light to You-

As noted on :11, the darkness of sin doesn't totally hide a sinner from God, as Adam in his darkness of sin was still not hidden from God; He still seeks to lead through that darkness to the light of day; and can transform night into day. David experienced this, and the exiles were bidden follow the same path of restoration. The allusion may also be to death as darkness (Ecc. 12:2; Job 3:9; 18:6); the God of resurrection doesn't in this sense separate between life and death, in whose mind all His people live even after death (Lk. 20:38). And the darkness is a frequent symbol of the Babylonian exile (Jer. 13:16; Am. 5:8; 8:9).

Num. 9:21 says that the pillar of cloud was with the Israelites at night, and sometimes it was taken up in the night and they therefore had to move on. Does this mean that there were times when the meaning of time was collapsed during their journey, and the night was made as the day (perhaps Ps. 139:12 alludes to this experience)?

Psalm 139:13

For You formed my inmost being, You knit me together in my mother’s womb-

Again, as so often, David appeals to the wonder of creation as a reminder that God is active for him, and everything in life has a purpose, geared toward our final salvation. "Knit me together" is better translated to cover / defend. He reflects on earliest existence as an embryo in the womb. There he had been covered by God, and so he would be all his life in accordance with God's saving purpose.

Psalm 139:14

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful and my soul knows that very well-

The "works" of God at his earliest development in the womb continued seamlessly in his life. "Wonderfully" is the word for separate, set apart. We have here the idea of being known and set apart from the womb, as Jeremiah and Paul also felt.

Psalm 139:15

My frame wasn’t hidden from You when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth-

"Woven together" suggests the idea of the High Priestly garments woven of different colours. "The depths of the earth" may be a metaphor for the womb, but this Psalm comes to its ultimate fulfilment and perspective in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and all those in Him.

Our lives are not a chance. By rejecting chance-evolution and accepting the Biblical teaching of creation-with-a-purpose, we sign ourselves up to living a purpose driven life. It has been rightly observed that whilst there may be illegitimate parents, there are never illegitimate children; for our existence is not unplanned by God. Your race, the colour of your skin, your hair, the genetic and social background which you had, all this was planned and is usable by God. David marvelled that God had overseen his formation, bit by bit, right from the womb; and that this formation of character was ongoing. God “will fulfill his purpose for me” (Ps. 138:8). “You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Each day was recorded in your book” (Ps. 139:16). Now if this is the level of intention and planning which God put into us, we at least can draw the conclusion safely and certainly: life is not aimless. God has a purpose for us and we therefore ought to be living a purposeful life, not just drifting from experience to experience as in a half-conscious dream. God is focused upon us- “Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love” (Eph. 1:4). If we are the focus of His love, God ought to be the focus of our lives. This is a simple truth upon which to build and structure human life in practice. This means that we will be more likely to be instantly obedient to the Father’s principles; we will overcome the natural desire to delay doing God’s work today, rendering obedience right now, because we reason that we can do it later. The purpose driven life wants to respond now rather than later.

Psalm 139:16

Your eyes saw my body. In Your book my body parts were all written and the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them-

"Body parts", AV "substance", appears to be the ancient Hebrew way of referring to the embryo. The body of the Lord Jesus has been “day by day fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (Ps. 139:16 RV). For 6,000 years providence has been at work preparing the people who are now being called into the body. The world has been prepared. It’s waiting for the preacher to win it. "Ordained" is the usual word for "formed" or "fashioned" as a potter fashions clay. But as Jeremiah makes clear, we can resist the intended outcome of that fashioning, just as our names can be removed from the book of life in which they are written. The exiles needed to be reminded of this; the language of fashioning / ordaining is common in the addresses to them in later Isaiah and Jeremiah (e.g. Is. 45:9). not only were the exiles being fashioned and brought together as a new creation, a rebirth of the body parts of Israel seen by Ezekiel in the vision of the dry bones; but in fact God had been at work with them from the womb and had not at all forgotten them or ceased working with them whilst they were in exile. The same message is stated more bluntly in Is. 44:2,24; 46:3; 49:5.

Psalm 139:17

How precious to me are Your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum!-

Perceiving these things was indeed precious. Every occurrence of the word for "precious" is in the context of the value or preciousness of the human life and person (1 Sam. 26:21; 2 Kings 1:13,14; Ps. 49:8; 72:14; Is. 13:12; 43:4; Zech. 11:13). David's value of God's ways and desire to save people as being "precious" was reflected in how he considered the life of his enemy Saul to be likewise "precious" (1 Sam. 26:21). The extreme value attached by God to every human life must be our attitude, in likewise perceiving the value and meaning of persons.

The LXX in this and the following verses is very different, but continues this theme of the value of God's people: "But thy friends, O God, have been greatly honoured by me; their rule has been greatly strengthened". This makes sense of likening them to the numberless grains of sand (:18) which represent the seed of Abraham, who was the "friend of God" James 2:23).

Psalm 139:18

If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand-

LXX "I will number them, and they shall be multiplied beyond the sand, clearly alluding to the promises to Abraham. See on :17. God's thoughts are parallel with the seed of Abraham; He has thought for every one of us, the thought David marvelled at in :16.

When I wake up, I am still with You-

See on :17. The idea may be that when David awakes from counting the innumerable thoughts of God for the seed of Abraham, he himself is still with God.

Psalm 139:19

If only You, God, would kill the wicked-

David's common request for the destruction of Saul (Ps. 5:6,10; 7:9-13; 9:19; 10:15; 21:8-12). And yet when Saul did die, David was heartbroken (see on 2 Sam. 1). We learn therefore to be more careful what we pray for, because in essence it will be given to us. Perhaps part of his great grief was because he realized he had prayed for this destruction.

Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men!-

This is the word for how God had 'departed' from Saul, and maybe this was initially behind David's desire that Saul leave him alone. But it is also the word used for how violence would never depart from David because of his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12:10). David prayed for this to "depart" but it never did. David was open to the possibility that through prayer, God can remove the consequences of sin in this life; but such prayer is not always answered.

David's prayer of repentance and request to be saved from "blood guiltiness" (Ps. 51:14) is literally 'from blood'. He was a man of blood and was guilty of Uriah's innocent blood. David had asked for 'men of blood' to be slain (Ps. 55:23 s.w.), those who had taken the blood of the innocent (Ps. 94:21), and for 'men of blood' to be expelled from his presence (Ps. 139:19). And it is not at all clear whether all those Psalms were written before his sin with Bathsheba. God was trying to teach David that he was the type of person whom he condemned. And yet it is unclear if he learned that lesson. Solomon liberally condemns the man who sheds innocent blood (Prov. 6:17; 28:17), refusing to recognize that his much lauded father had done just this, and was only saved by grace and not by any obedience to wisdom. There is so little grace in the book of Solomon's Proverbs because Solomon had failed to perceive the grace shown to his father.

Psalm 139:20

For they speak against You wickedly, Your enemies take Your name in vain-

LXX "For thou wilt say concerning their thought, that they shall take thy cities in vain". Perhaps the Psalm was rewritten and reapplied to later crises such as the Assyrians taking all Judah's cities apart from Jerusalem in Hezekiah's time. "Your name" is not in the original, and the same phrase is used in Ps. 24:4 of lifting up / taking the name of vanities, idols. The wicked enemies in view appear to initially be Saul and his men (:19), but then they refer to the idolatrous Babylonians. The problem was that the exiles seem to have initially worshipped those very idols.

Psalm 139:21

Yahweh, don’t I hate those who hate You? Am I not grieved with those who rise up against You?-

The language of 'rising up' suggests David may have in view the rebellion of Absalom. But he sees whoever was currently arisen against him in the context of all who had previously arisen against him. It was Goliath who 'rose up against' Yahweh and His people (s.w. 1 Sam. 17:48) just as a lion had 'risen up' against David in his youth (s.w. 1 Sam. 17:35). Later, Saul 'rose up' against David (s.w. 1 Sam. 25:29; 26:2), and  then evil men 'rose up' against David out of his own family (2 Sam. 12:11 s.w.), especially Absalom who rose up against his father (2 Sam. 18:31,32 s.w.). But David has a tendency to assume that all who rose up against him were arising against God. It's not always so that our enemy is God's enemy. Relationships and the hand of God in human affairs and relationships is more complex than that. And David in Ps. 139:21,22 goes further, to assume that his hatred of people is justified, because they must, he assumes, hate God because they are against him. Solomon seems to make the same mistake when he alludes to such 'risings up' in Prov. 28:28. We must note that "all in Asia" turned away from Paul personally (2 Tim. 1:15), and yet according to the letters to the seven churches of Asia in Rev. 2,3, there were many faithful individuals amongst them.

Psalm 139:22

I hate them with complete hatred; they have become my enemies-

David reached a great depth of hateful feeling for Saul here in :20-22. David also grieved for them, and in this sense his "hatred" of false ways was complete or "perfect" (AV). The same mixture of anger and yet grief is found in the Lord Himself; He looked round about upon them in anger, being grieved for their hard hearts (Mk. 3:5). We must ask ourselves whether we don’t have merely an indignant reaction at others’ unspirituality; the looking round on them with anger, and yet without the unpretended grief for the whole situation.

Psalm 139:23

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me, and know my thoughts-

Reading through the book of Psalms in one or two sittings reveals that frequent and intense self-examination was a leading characteristic of David:, especially while on the run from Saul; as if he began to pick up false guilt from how he was being treated, wondering if it was all in fact justified (Ps. 4:4; 7:3; 17:3; 18:20-24; 19:12; 26:1; 39:1; 59:3; 66:18; 77:6; 86:2; 101:2; 109:3; 139:23,24).

Psalm 139:24

See if there is any wicked way in me-

We're either led out and put to death for the sake of eternal life, or for eternal death. The logic is glaring. The Hebrew of Ps. 139:24 reveals a telling play on words which makes the same point: "Wicked way" is rendered in the AVmg. as 'way of pain'; the way of wickedness is itself the way of pain.

And lead me in the everlasting way-

This could simply mean "the way that leads to everlasting life", or "the way which has always been of everlasting, God's way". This is the same leading commented upon on :10.

Psalm 140

Psalm 140:1

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

Deliver me, Yahweh, from the evil man. Preserve me from the violent man-

David may be personifying a group of opponents as one evil and violent man. Or he may specifically have Saul in view (David uses the term "violent man" about him in Ps. 18:48), although the Psalm may have been reapplied by him to other later adversaries.

Psalm 140:2

and those who devise mischief in their hearts-

We observe that David sees the evil of his enemies in terms of their hearts / thoughts, and their words. This is exactly God's perspective. Things which are insignificant in human judgment are of such paramount importance to Him.

They continually gather themselves together for war-

As in Ps. 120:7, this could apply to how Hezekiah sought to make peace with the Assyrians. But he gave them the gold of the temple for that peace treaty which they broke; but here he appears to whitewash that lack of faith as his love for peace. We can understand the initial reference to David, who truly sought to live at peace with Saul. And perhaps it has application to the returned exiles and their conflicts with the local Samaritans.

Psalm 140:3

they have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper’s poison is under their lips. Selah-

The idea is that hard words are as bad as weapons of violence, spear and arrow tips with poison upon them. As noted on :2, David adopts God's perspective of condemning words and thoughts as toughly as actions. He so often laments the hard words of his enemies (Ps. 52:2; 57:4; 59:7; 64:3). We see here his hyper sensitivity to words. But David was to later plot the destruction of Uriah by his words; and when he repented of this in Ps. 32:2, he says that lack of deceit / guile (s.w.) in our words is only possible through imputed righteousness. David's intolerance of persons with deceitful tongues (Ps. 52:2; 101:7; 120:3) must be compared with the fact that he himself was only counted as not deceitful by grace; for he was very deceitful regarding Uriah. Ps. 64:3,7 speak of how men "aim their arrows, even bitter words"; and God responds by shooting arrows from His Heavenly control room. The language of sharpening could suggest that David wrote this as he sensed the oncoming insurrection of Absalom

Psalm 140:4

Yahweh, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet-

This may have originated in his thoughts about Saul, then reapplied to David's need for salvation from Absalom and Ahithophel. Saul tried to trip David up through using his daughters. But this verse becomes the intended appeal of the exiles for deliverance from Babylon, then Haman, and indeed from all their captors. "The hand of the wicked / unrighteous" is the term used for the Babylonians in Ez. 7:21.

Psalm 140:5

The proud have hidden a snare for me, they have spread the cords of a net by the path, they have set traps for me. Selah- Often David likens his enemies' plans to catch him as snares, gins etc. set for birds (e.g. Ps. 84:3; 102:6; 124;7; 140:5)- all the language of hunting birds. He had probably done plenty of this as a youngster caring for the sheep, and the influence of those formative years remained.

David felt as if he had been a sacrifice bound to an altar, and therefore about to be pulled into the grave (Ps. 18:5,6; 116:3; 140:5). The allusion is to Isaac and his miraculous deliverance from such cords, thanks to the ram in the thicket whom David is later to understand as representative of the future Messianic saviour; for the Lord quotes David's "My God, why have You forsaken me?" (Ps. 22:1) as the Aramaic sabachthani, "entangled", the word used of the ram entangled in the thicket.

Psalm 140:6

I said to Yahweh, You are my God. Listen to the cry of my petitions, Yahweh-

David remembers the words he had used in prayer. he was so sensitive to words, including his own words.

Psalm 140:7

Yahweh, the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle-

David recalls how he had defeated Goliath without armour. That victory was intended to be programmatic for the rest of David's conflicts. Likewise, circumstances repeat in our lives, all according to God's plan of development tailored to each life. See on Ps. 144:5.

Psalm 140:8

Yahweh, don’t grant the desires of the wicked. Don’t let their evil plans succeed, or they will become proud. Selah-

Often, “desire” is seen by God as prayer (Ps. 10:17; 21:2; 27:4; 59:10; 92:11; 140:8; 145:19; Mt. 18:32; Rom. 10:1; 1 Jn. 5:15). God interprets that inner desire as prayer, even if it is not articulated in specific requests. David's prayer was that Saul would not succeed in his plans, but his final reason is so that Saul doesn't become proud. He shares God's perspective of hating pride above all things.

Psalm 140:9

As for the heads of those who surround me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them-

Their "heads" are contrasted with that of David (:7). Again David sees their worst sin as their proud words; this is the basis upon which they are to be judged; see on :2. David here confidently states that the "mischief" (s.w. "burdens") of men would return upon their own heads at death and judgment (Ps. 7:16; 140:9). But in Ps. 73:5 he momentarily doubts this (s.w.). Our understanding of basic truths can suddenly be eclipsed by moments of doubt, just as we see happening with the disciples on the lake during the storm.

Psalm 140:10

Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise-

Elsewhere, David clearly understands that eternal, unconscious death is punishment for the wicked. So he here is using "fire" as a symbol of Divine wrath, but he isn't suggesting that they will consciously suffer eternal fire. Pits of fire may allude to the judgment upon Sodom. He wishes them the same kind of judgment. Or we could argue that he uses two distinctly different symbols here- pits of mud, and fire. Neither the fire nor the mud are literal; they cannot both be literally intended. Therefore both are figurative.

There's a link between David and us is in Ps. 140:9,10, which speaks of burning coals falling on the head of David's enemies; yet those words are effectively quoted in Rom. 12:20 concerning all believers. David sets himself up in the Psalms as our pattern. He speaks of himself and then applies the point to all of his readers. In other words, we really are to see David as representative of ourselves; we need to change our minds and lives so this really is the case.

Psalm 140:11

An evil tongue won’t be established in the land; evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him-

David refers to how Saul would not be established as king, and he would replace him. But the lead reason for this, David felt, was Saul's words. We have a strong exhortation here to perceive the importance of words in how men are judged; see on :2. David believes that evil, from God, would overthrow Saul; and he would not therefore consider killing Saul himself.  AV: “Let not an evil speaker [s.w. tongue] be established”. Because a man’s words are counted as who he is. Words can be controlled. We are culpable for them.

It makes a good exercise to read through one of the crucifixion records, especially John 19, and make a list of the adjectives used. There are virtually none. Read a page of any human novelist or historian: the pages are cluttered with them. Hebrew is deficient in adjectives, and because of this it often uses 'Son of...' plus an abstract noun, instead of an adjective. Thus we read of a "son of peace" (Lk. 10:5,6), or "a man of tongue" (Ps. 140:11 RVmg; AV "an evil speaker"). The Hebrew language so often reflects the character of God. And His artless self-expression is no clearer seen in the way He inspired the records of the death of His Son.

Psalm 140:12

I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy-

Again David reflects his understanding of a court of heaven, considering the situations upon earth. And David is "the afflicted... the needy". He often uses these terms of himself in the Psalms. His "cause" or case was that he had been chosen as king to replace Saul. And however unlikely seemed the fulfilment of that word, David believed it would be maintained and come true.

Psalm 140:13

Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name. The upright will dwell in Your presence-

David understands eternity as being in God's presence. He also believed in the resurrection of the body and the establishment of his Davidic kingdom in an eternal form upon earth. He therefore understands that God personally must come to dwell on earth. This is envisaged in the vision of Yahweh dwelling in a restored Zion, named "Yahweh is there" (Ez. 48:35); and is the picture presented in the final chapters of Revelation.

Psalm 141

Psalm 141:1

A Psalm by David.

Yahweh, I have called on You. Come to me quickly! Listen to my voice when I call to You-

David repeatedly asks God to "hurry to help me" (Ps. 22:19; 38:22; 40:13; 70:1,5; 141:1). But David had hurried (s.w.) to be obedient to God, always wanting to 'say yes straight away' (Ps. 119:60). Our response to God's voice is therefore related to His response to our voice; if His words abide in us, then we experience positive experience in answered prayer (Jn. 15:7).

Psalm 141:2

Let my prayer be set before You like incense; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice-

"Set before" is also "established", and the idea my be "with the regularity of the incense". Regular prayer is part of the discipline of the spiritual life, and David is a great example in this. It seems David prayed with the literal lifting up of his hands, seeing this as the essence of sacrifice. He perhaps learnt this whilst in exile from the sanctuary under persecution by Saul. He perceived that the essence of sacrifice was the lifting up of our hearts and words to God.

Psalm 141:3

Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips-

As we see throughout Ps. 119, David believed that God could grant spirituality and self control; the Old Testament equivalent to the work and possibility of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. David recognized that he had anger and temper issues, and asks God to act as a guard [a "watch"] over his mouth, lest any bad words come out.

Psalm 141:4

Don’t incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity; don’t let me eat of their delicacies-

As noted on :3; Ps. 119:36, David believed that God could act deep within the psychology or heart of man, to incline us toward righteousness and away from evil. This is how the Holy Spirit works today. Solomon believed the same (s.w. 1 Kings 8:58), but only in theory; for his Gentile wives inclined or turned away his heart from God (s.w. 1 Kings 11:3,9). God will not turn our hearts anywhere we ourselves don't want to go. Solomon often appeals for us to incline our hearts to wisdom (s.w. Prov. 2:2; 4:20; 5:1; 22:17), but he himself was inclined to apostasy (s.w. 1 Kings 11:3,9). All his emphasis is upon the need to incline ourselves, whereas his father David trusted in the work of the Spirit to incline his heart to good and away from evil (Ps. 141:4; 119:36 etc.).

"Incline" is the word used by David of how he himself inclined his heart to God's word (Ps. 119:51,112,157). But David prayed that God would incline his heart towards His word (Ps. 119:36) and away from sin (Ps. 141:4). This is how the Holy Spirit works to this day- we are confirmed in the psychological attitudes we ourselves choose to have. The word is used of God's mighty "stretched out" arm and "strong hand" in human affairs (Ps. 136:12 and often in Isaiah). This powerful hand of God is at work in human hearts, confirming us in the psychological way in which we ourselves wish to go. In this sense God turns or inclines the heart where He wishes (Prov. 21:1). Solomon in the Proverbs places all the emphasis upon a person themselves in their own strength inclining their heart toward his teaching (Prov. 2:2; 4:5,20; 5:1). He fails to appreciate what David his father did; that God's word is His word and not that of the human channel through which it comes. And he totally puts the emphasis upon human strength of will, self inclination towards God's word, rather than perceiving as David did that without God's psychological help in this, we shall ultimately fail. As Solomon himself did.

Whatever the primary reference of this Psalm, it is a reworking of David's feelings when persecuted by Saul and likewise on the run from him. For circumstances repeat in our lives, and it would be natural for David to reconsider Psalms written at the time of one exile and apply them to another, just as these Psalms were also used for others in their times of exile. "Wickedness" is the word used about Saul's persecution in 1 Sam. 24:13.

Psalm 141:5

Let the righteous strike me, it is a kindness; let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head-

David was open to Nathan's "rebuke", which was not given in God's anger so much as in His appeal for David to accept His grace. The allusion is to "the oil of welcome, such as was poured upon the head of favored guests" (Lk. 7:36); the hospitality culture of the day meant that a guest should not be insulted with criticism. But David turns all that around and says that he would welcome rebuke as a welcome.

Don’t let my head refuse it; and my prayer will be for them in their calamities-

Again we see God being asked to directly grant spirituality and Godly attitudes. LXX: "The righteous shall chasten me with mercy, and reprove me: but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head: for yet shall my prayer also be in their pleasures". David's habit of praying for Saul in his calamities in stated specifically in Ps. 35:13.

Psalm 141:6

When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant-

Throwing off a cliff was a punishment for apostacy, as the Jews tried to do to the Lord Jesus. David was perhaps imagining how Saul and his government would come to an end; and then the prophetic words about David becoming king would be accepted as true. "Pleasant" is AV "sweet"; Ps. 119:103 records David praising the prophetic word about his kingship (see note there) as being sweet.

Psalm 141:7

As when one ploughs and breaks up the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol-

The idea is that stones were visible on the surface of newly ploughed soil, and so were the bones of God's true people. This has perhaps been added by the exiles when this Psalm of David was appropriated by them. But it was those same bones which would be revived at the restoration, according to the dry bones vision of Ez. 37.

Psalm 141:8

but my eyes are on You, Yahweh, the Lord. In You I take refuge; don’t leave my soul destitute-

Although God's people were to be slain in heaps (:7), the psalmist asks that he shall be saved. It is a characteristic of the faithful that they hold on even when all God's people have fallen away. It sometimes seems only a minority of a minority may finally be saved. Heb. "do not pour out my soul". The Lord's servant was to pour out his soul unto death (Is. 53:12). David wanted to be king as promised, and not a sacrifice.

Psalm 141:9

Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, from the traps of the workers of iniquity-

The implication is that the snares laid would have meant going astray from God's precepts. The initial reference may have been to Saul laying snares for David through getting him to marry his daughters and thereby seeking to kill him; and in Ps. 119:110 David is proud he has not fallen into those snares. But that Psalm finishes with David saying bluntly that he has "gone astray" (Ps. 119:176), as if to say that earlier  he had far overrated his own obedience to God's law.

Psalm 141:10

Let the wicked fall together into their own nets, while I pass on by-

This is part of a major Biblical theme that the wicked are self-condemned, more than being condemned by God as it were against their own will. In Ps. 140:10 David envisages his opponents as being "Cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise"; pictures of final condemnation at the last day. But effectively, they had fallen into that which they had themselves wished upon David. Those who condemn, or seek to condemn, will themselves be condemned (Mt. 7:1).

Psalm 142

Psalm 142:1

A contemplation by David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer-

David was sensitive to words, and here recalls and edits the words he remembers praying in the cave. We recall that there he had the opportunity to kill Saul, but didn't. See on Ps. 143:1.

I cry with my voice to Yahweh, with my voice I ask Yahweh for mercy-

We assume it was imperative for David in the cave to keep quiet. But in his heart he had cried loudly to God "for mercy". He felt Saul could have found him and murdered him at any time; he had no human escape, apart from to trust in Yahweh.

Psalm 142:2

I pour out my complaint before Him-

Literally, 'I gush out my babbling'. He was so frightened and emotionally broken down that his spirit or mind was overwhelmed (:3). And yet there in the cave he felt he was before Yahweh, in His very presence.

I tell Him my troubles-

Whilst God knows our exact position in life, it is part of childlike relationship with Him to tell Him our troubles. There in the cave with no human way of escape, David did just this.

Psalm 142:3

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me-

I noted on :2 how David felt that 'I gush out my babbling' to God. He was so frightened and emotionally broken down that his spirit or mind was overwhelmed.

You knew my path-

Although this Psalm is David's prayer in the cave, it has clearly been edited by David afterwards. He felt there was no path out of his problem, for the cave had no exit. But God knew a path for him, as he now can later reflect. And we have all been in such situations.

In the way in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me-

The implication is that the snares laid would have meant going astray from God's precepts. The initial reference may have been to Saul laying snares for David through getting him to marry his daughters and thereby seeking to kill him; and in Ps. 119:110 David is proud he has not fallen into those snares. But that Psalm finishes with David saying bluntly that he has "gone astray" (Ps. 119:176), as if to say that earlier  he had far overrated his own obedience to God's law.

Psalm 142:4

Look on my right hand and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me, no one cares for my soul-

In the cave, David did have some of his men with him. But he feels, as he looks to the men on his right hand [the place of supposed help] that they were with him from their own agenda, not because they were really concerned for him or could "deliver" him (s.w. "concerned"). The cave had been his refuge, but that refuge was now his trap; or so it seemed.

Psalm 142:5

I cried to You, Yahweh. I said, You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living-

He had made the cave his refuge, and it had become his trap. But he doesn't give up hope that God can still be his ultimate refuge.

Psalm 142:6

Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than me-

David knew that he and his men couldn't fight their way out of the cave, and likely suspected his men would hand him over to Saul in return for their own lives being spared. He was indeed in desperate need, snared in that cave, with the only way out blocked by Saul and his men. That he didn't give up hope but begged God to somehow deliver him is a fair indication of his great faith. It was surely motivated by his respect for God's prophetic word, that somehow, some day, this too would pass and he would be king and Saul would be removed.

Psalm 142:7

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to Your name. The righteous will surround me, for You will be good to me-

The cave had become a prison for David. He begs for deliverance by some miracle, so that he could praise God for it; and instead of being surrounded by men of very doubtful loyalty (see on :4), he believed the prophetic word that one day he would be king, surrounded in government by "the righteous". His faith that he would be rescued from such a dead end, no exit situation is remarkable.

Most of the Psalms have clear reference to the exiles, and being brought out of a hopeless position in prison is an image used by the restoration prophets. And David's feelings likewise have ultimate application to the Lord Jesus. As He hung in the darkness of the cross, He too was depressed by the weight of His mental burden, a burden so great it must have pushed His brain to maximum neurological capacity. The spirit of the crucified Christ is here; His hope that "the righteous shall compass me about" is used in the famous crucifixion Psalm of Ps. 22:22. The Lord Jesus poured out His soul unto death; "he was taken away by distress" (Is. 53:12,8 AVmg.) suggests that it was the mental crisis in the brain of the Lord on the cross which resulted in His death. This is why Pilate marvelled that He died so quickly. It is evident from this that the physical process of crucifixion did not kill the Lord, but rather the heart burst (both figurative and literal) which it brought upon Him. Do we not sense that striving in our minds as we fellowship His sufferings? Surely we do, but from a great distance.

Psalm 143

Psalm 143:1

A Psalm by David-

We have here another example of the pairing of Psalms, for Ps. 143 has many points of contact with David's prayer when hemmed in within the cave of Ps. 142.

Hear my prayer, Yahweh. Listen to my petitions. In Your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me-

David trapped within the cave apparently faced certain death. But he pleads with God to be faithful- to His prophetic word that David would be king and Saul would be deposed. In this sense, faith came by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17).

Psalm 143:2

Don’t enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no man living is righteous-

facing apparent death, and in great panic and psychological crisis (see on :7), David assumed that the prophetic word that he would live to become king wasn't going to be fulfilled because he had sinned. The Lord Jesus passed through a similar crisis on the cross when He felt forsaken by God. And so David asks for every grace to be shown to him. Closer, more rational analysis however reveals a weakness in his argument; he seems to be saying that because all men sin, and none are justified, therefore God shouldn't judge David for his sins. That doesn't follow, but we can put this down to his understandable panic in extremity.

Psalm 143:3

For the enemy pursues my soul; he has struck my life down to the ground-

"Struck" is s.w. "broken". This is clearly relevant to the actions of the Babylonians (s.w. Lam. 3:34). But it was true also of David's enemies within Israel, especially Saul, who is likely in view here, having chased him into the cave where he now expected to be struck down at any moment. The truth is that the exiles were broken because they had broken each other in pieces (Is. 3:15 s.w.). Yet that brokenness was intended to bring forth the humility which would enable them to repent and be restored (s.w. Is. 57:15 "contrite"). And it was the suffering servant as representative of Israel who was broken, as their representative (s.w. Is. 53:5,10).

He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead-

David in the dark cave, which he understood as a kind of tomb hewn in the rock, felt as if he were already dead, so apparently certain was it that Saul would find and slay him.

Psalm 143:4

Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate-

Here we have an exact repetition of David's prayer in the cave recorded in Ps. 142:3. I suggested on :1 that Ps. 143 is paired with Ps. 142 and refers to the same time. His spirit failed, he was mentally broken down, 'I gush out my babbling', he remembered (Ps. 142:2). He was so frightened and emotionally broken down that his spirit or mind was overwhelmed (Ps. 142:3). The relevance to the exiles is that the land was left "desolate" whilst they were in exile (s.w. Lev. 26:34; 2 Chron. 36:21 etc.), as was the temple (2 Chron. 7:21) and the heart of the exiles themselves, just like David at this time (Jer. 4:9 s.w.). But God could save them from such extremity, if they had David's faith, and restore them according to His prophetic word and intention with them. Jeremiah uses the same word translated "overwhelmed" to describe what happened to God's people under the hand of the Babylonians (Lam. 2:11,12,19).

Psalm 143:5

I remember the days of old, I meditate on all Your doings, I contemplate the work of Your hands-

David recalls in his own life "of old", in his youth and childhood, how God had saved him by grace; and asks for this to be continued. We should never therefore disregard God's hand at work in our childhood and youth. But as in Ps. 77:12, the Divine work and doings being considered are also His historical grace to His people. For all His work for Israel was by grace, seeing that for the most part they didn't strongly believe in Him and were unfaithful to His covenant; and yet He had still worked for them so mightily, towards their salvation.

Psalm 143:6

I spread forth my hands to You. My soul thirsts for You, like a parched land. Selah-

In the cave that night, David would have likely been unable to drink. He was thirsty, dry as the parched land outside the cave. And in the silence of the cave that night, he spread forth his hands to God.

And again these things look forward to the experience of the Lord Jesus. The thirsty land surrounding Him on the cross represented spiritually barren Israel (Is. 53:1; Ps. 42:1-3); but the Lord Jesus so took His people upon Him, into His very soul, that His soul became a thirsty land (Ps. 143:6); He felt as spiritually barren as they were, so close was His representation of us, so close was He to sinful man, so fully did He enter into the feelings of the sinner. In the same way as Christ really did feel forsaken as Israel were because of their sins, so He suffered thirst, both literally and spiritually, which was a punishment for Israel's sins.

Psalm 143:7

Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails-

David in the cave that night (see on :1) needed immediate answers and deliverance. His spirit failed, he was mentally broken down, 'I gush out my babbling', he remembered (Ps. 142:2). He was so frightened and emotionally broken down that his spirit or mind was overwhelmed (Ps. 142:3).

Don’t hide Your face from me-

Recognizing the existence of the new and old men within him, Paul can speak in Rom. 7 as if he is two different people; “I myself serve the law of God”, but “my flesh” serves sin. Likewise David asked God not to hide his face from him, David personally, (Ps. 27:9; 69:17; 102:2; 143:7), but to hide His face from David’s sins (Ps. 51:9). And one wonders whether the way the records of the Lord’s temptations are written implies some similar recognition by the Spirit of the two ‘men’ within the Lord.

So that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit-

There in the cave it would have seemed as if David was alive in the pit or tomb of the grave. He was earnestly begging for his life to be saved.

Psalm 143:8

Cause me to hear Your grace in the morning, for I trust in You. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You-

This has obvious reference to David lying silent and unable to move that night in the cave (see on :1). He begged for deliverance in the morning, by grace alone. For he had no human way out. And now, as he writes up his experience in this Psalm, he makes this his prayer every night, as it had been that desperate night in the cave.

David expected to be caused to hear God's lovingkindness every morning, and to be taught the way he should take- all because he would every morning 'lift up his soul unto God'. All this was the pattern of daily life for the Lord Himself, who was noted for rising up early and praying (Mk. 1:35). Is. 50:4 prophesies of the Lord Jesus that morning by morning, God awoke His ear "to learn as a disciple". That last phrase is surely to signal the intended similarities between the Lord's path of growth, and that of all disciples.

Just as is true today, and as is often mentioned in Ps. 119, God is willing to operate directly on the hearts of men in a way over and above His written word. David realized this, and asked to be taught and shown God's ways (Ps. 25:4; 143:8). "Cause" is the usual word for 'to know'. Knowledge in its ultimate, spiritual sense is not attained simply by reading or hearing the text of the Bible; not that I am at all decrying that. But there is a higher, Divine hand at work in making us know Divine knowledge. Moses had prayed the same words in Ex. 33:13: "Show me [make me to know] Your way, that I may know [s.w. "show"] You [and] find grace in Your sight". The gift of knowledge, in the Hebraic sense of relationship, is related to God's grace. That knowledge which is in view is not the same as technical, theological knowledge. Moses' prayer was answered; the same words are used in saying that God "made known His ways to Moses" (Ps. 103:7).

Psalm 143:9

Deliver me, Yahweh, from my enemies. I flee to You to hide me-

David had fled into the cave for deliverance and hiding, but it had turned out to be his snare and prison (see on :1). And so he desperately flees, in his mind, to Yahweh as his true hiding place, begging to be hidden from Saul, sleeping only a short distance away from him.

David responded to their seeking of him by seeking God more. He uses the language of the hunt and chase to describe how he was drawing closer to God: "My soul followeth hard after thee" (Ps. 63:8; Ps. 63 is a wilderness psalm, see title). “Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul... let all those that seek thee rejoice" (Ps. 40:14,16). In this sense, David felt he wasn't fleeing from  his enemies as much as fleeing to God: "Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies (from whom he was running): I flee unto thee to hide me" (Ps. 143:9 AV). Both David and Jesus had a real sense of direction, they could see that their mental, emotional and physical sufferings were leading them towards an altogether higher relationship with the Father. They took those sufferings as an almost welcome push towards the Father. They had a sure sense of spiritual direction in all their afflictions; this accounts for the human loneliness which they both felt.

Psalm 143:10

Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God-

David's begging for deliverance was because he vowed to use his subsequent life to do God's will, and he asks God to teach him this.

Your Spirit is good; lead me in the land of uprightness-

David asked: “Let thy good spirit / Angel lead me in the plain country” (Ps. 143:10 RVmg.)- as if he realized that there were Angels / spirits of evil, as well as of good. Thus we too pray not to be lead into temptation- but rather, lead in the way of life. Angels do lead us in life, but they can lead us in either the downward or the upward spiral. In the immediate context, David trapped in the cave (see on :1) longed to be outside of it, in the open country again.

Psalm 143:11

Revive me, Yahweh, for Your name’s sake. In Your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble-

David in the cave had no way of being 'brought out' (see on :1), apart from by God's direct intervention. He asks for this not because of his own righteousness, but throws himself upon God's grace.

Psalm 143:12

In Your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am Your servant-

We are bidden praise God for smiting David's enemies, and also for smiting the firstborn babies of Egypt, because this is a sign of His eternal mercy (Ps. 138:10 cp. 143:12). This is proof enough that His view of mercy and ours are quite different. If as suggested on :1 this Psalm is David's reflections within the cave, then his request for God to cut off his enemies is all the more appropriate. For he had the chance to cut off Saul's life and refused to, exactly because of his faith in this Divine promise- that God and not man would see to this.

David often talks about the perishing [s.w.] of his enemies (Ps. 9:3,6, 41:5; 143:12). But in Ps. 92:9 he speaks of them as God's enemies. He considers his enemies to be God's enemies. That may well have been true, seeing that God did indeed become the enemy of Saul, who was clearly the great enemy of David in his earlier life (1 Sam. 28:16). But we must sound a caveat; because it can be that those within the body of believers whom we consider our enemies are in fact loved by God. We cannot automatically assume in times of inter-personal strife that our enemies are also God's enemies.

Psalm 144

Psalm 144:1

By David-

The LXX title says that it concerns the fight with Goliath of 1 Sam. 17.

Blessed be Yahweh, my rock, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to battle-

David gives full credit to Yahweh for the victory. The mention of hands and fingers is appropriate to his use of a sling to kill Goliath, but he attributes his skill to Divine training. He had likely learned to sling stones with accuracy from a child. He attributes that training to Yahweh, showing that God is active in preparing human life from early childhood experiences.

Psalm 144:2

my source of grace-

David recognizes that the victory was through Divine grace, not his bravery or skill as a slinger.

My fortress, my high tower, my deliverer-

These are all defensive terms. And yet David is presented as the bold aggressor who proactively seeks out the duel with Goliath. He did so refusing all human armour; because he saw Yahweh as his defence. David sees that Yahweh will be a "high tower" or place of refuge at the day of future judgment (Ps. 9:8,9, quoted about this in Acts 17:31). But David feels God has been like this to him in this life (2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 18:2; 46:7; 48:3; 59:9,16,17; 62:2; 94:22; 144:2). He therefore sees a seamless experience in his relationship with God in this life, and at the future day of judgment. God saves us right now and is a refuge for us in countless life situations; and this is the guarantee that He will be likewise at the last day.

My shield and He in whom I take refuge-

Again a reference to his refusal to take Saul's shield and defensive armour with him into battle.

Who subdues my people under me-

David's victory over Goliath was what brought the people under him. But instead of basking in any personal glory about that, David thanks God for having given that to him.

Psalm 144:3

Yahweh, what is man, that You care for him? Or the son of man, that You think of him?-

This repeats Ps. 8:4, and as commented there, that Psalm is clearly, as here, David's thoughts as he marvelled at how he had been used to achieve the victory over Goliath. But as explained on Ps. 8:3, he becomes a symbol of the Lord Jesus, the ultimate "son of man". David is here alluding to the earlier words of Job. Probably the only extant scripture at David's time was the book of Job and the Pentateuch, which explains why he so often alludes to the book of Job. Job came to deeply marvel at the fact that despite God's highness, He tests us and meditates upon us every moment of our lives: "What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him?... that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?" (Job 7:17,18). These words became the basis of the thoughts of the Lord Jesus as prophesied here. Like Job, the Lord learnt from the depth of His own inner struggles about the moral greatness of the Father. So even God's own Son, peerless and spotless lamb of God that He was even in mortal nature, recognized that such was God's moral splendour that He was surprised that during His mortality, God was so intensely interested in Him.

As God was "mindful of" (Ps. 8:4) or 'cared for' David and thereby all men in Israel through the victory granted over Goliath, so David urged that in response, they should be "mindful" of God (s.w. 1 Chron. 16:12,15). But "mindful" implies 'to remember', and is a term used for answer to prayer (Jud. 16:28; 1 Sam. 1:11 and often). David is acknowledging that he had prayed for victory, and been granted it- but felt unworthy to have received such an answer.

Psalm 144:4

Man is like a breath, his days are like a shadow that passes away-

"Breath" is the word for "vanity". So this may not be a general reflection upon all humanity, but upon the unrighteous, upon whom the judgment of :5,6 is to come. The word is used in Ps. 94:11 "Yahweh knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile". "Vanity" is the word commonly used of idolatry. And this indeed is where modern day idolatry is committed- through having an empty mind, filled with vanity, rather than the things of God's Spirit. And yet all the same, the parallel in Psalm 8 seems to suggest that David marvelled that God had wrought so much through him, a mere mortal man. And his allusions to the language of idolatry and apostacy could effectively be saying that 'Seeing I am a mere mortal, there but for God's grace go I, I am not so much higher than those apostates'. An attitude we all need to remember as we mix with those others would consider the dregs of our societies.

Psalm 144:5

Part Your heavens, Yahweh, and come down; touch the mountains, and they will smoke-

It seems at this point that David is praying for a dramatic deliverance from apparently certain death, and he has reminded himself in :1-4 of the victory and salvation granted him over Goliath as an inspiration. He has done this previously in this section of the Psalms; see on Ps. 140:7. He asks for a theophany to save him, no less that what happened at Sinai (s.w. Ex. 19:18-20), when again God had as it were made the mountains smoke by His touch. We marvel at David's spiritual ambition, unafraid to ask for a similar theophany to save him. And he reflects at the end of his life that this prayer was in fact answered (Ps. 18:9). The relevance to the exiles is that Yahweh was prepared to "bow" (s.w. "stretch out") the heavens and "come down" to restore the exiles; but they chose not to make use of that huge potential (s.w. Is. 40:22; 42:5; 64:1).

Psalm 144:6

Throw out lightning and scatter them-

This continues the request for a saving theophany of the magnitude of what was seen at Sinai; see on :5. At the end of his life, David was thankful that this prayer had in fact been answered (Ps. 18:14). David rejoices that Divine "arrows" were sent to destroy his enemies (Ps. 7:13; 18:14; 45:5; 64:7; 144:6), in fulfilment of God's promise to do so to the sinful within Israel (Dt. 32:23,42). But David was to later realize that those same arrows had been fired by God into him in judgment for his sin (Ps. 38:2). This realization was perhaps to help David understand that his rejoicing in Divine arrows of judgment being fired at his enemies had not been mature; for he himself had to realize that he was worthy of the same.

Send out Your arrows and defeat them-

Again the prayer was answered and David thanks God for this at the end of his life (s.w. Ps. 18:14). We cannot locate any particular historical incident of fulfilment; perhaps it was too personal and wonderful to be recorded. Just as a Christian man or woman might feel it inappropriate to record God's most dramatic salvation of them when they write their autobiography. The shooting or sending forth of arrows is only elsewhere used of God doing so against an apostate Judah (s.w. Ez. 5:16). The phrase is also repeatedly used of how Jonathan shot arrows to signal to David that his father Saul was going to try to kill him (1 Sam. 20:20-22). Perhaps the enemies in view are therefore Saul and his men.

Psalm 144:7

Stretch out Your hand from above, rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners-

The "foreigners" may be literal Gentiles, represented as often by "waters". But I suggested on :6 that it is perhaps Saul and his men (such as Doeg, the Gentile Edomite) who may be initially in view. This would continue a major Biblical theme; that the apostate amongst God's people are as Gentiles. See on :8.

As noted on :5,6, Ps. 144 has many points of contact with Ps. 18, here to Ps. 18:16 "He sent from on high. He took me, He drew me out of many waters". At the end of his life, David felt his prayer of Ps. 144:7 had indeed been answered. "Waters" are usually symbolic of armies or nations. David felt he had been surrounded and faced with certain death, but had been as it were airlifted to safety by God. The language here says that God has done this, but it is parallel with David's prayer for this to happen in Ps. 144:7. The triumphant song of Ps. 18 is therefore praise for the prayer of Ps. 144 being answered.

Psalm 144:8

whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood-

The language of deceit is more appropriate to the apostate within Israel than to Gentiles. See on :7. The mouths who spoke deceit and falsehood are often those of Saul and his men (see s.w. Ps. 7:14; 27:12; 31:18; 35:19; 119:69,78, 86,118 etc.)

Psalm 144:9

I will sing a new song to You, God, on a ten-stringed lyre I will sing praises to You-

This is the song of Ps. 18; see on :5-7. Even in the Old Testament, the idea of living in a spirit of newness of life is to be found. David six times invites us to sing with him “a new song” (Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1 cp. Is. 42:10). Invariably these songs are associated with the experience of God’s redemption (cp. Rev. 5:9). Obviously those ‘new songs’ were intended to be repeatedly sung. Our regular experience of forgiveness and redemption should urge us onwards in the spirit of ‘newness of life’. Like Paul we die daily with the Lord, and the power of His resurrection life likewise daily breaks out in us.

Psalm 144:10

You are He who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David His servant from the deadly sword-

Again the allusion is to the victory over the deadly sword of Goliath. David is praying for a dramatic deliverance from apparently certain death, and he has reminded himself in :1-4 of the victory and salvation granted him over Goliath as an inspiration. He has done this previously in this section of the Psalms; see on Ps. 140:7. We note how David on one hand recognizes that he is indeed a king, but more than that, Yahweh's servant. In the thinking of his time, kings didn't need salvation. They were themselves seen as saviours, self sufficient. But David broke this paradigm of thinking, considering himself to be the humble king.

Psalm 144:11

Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood-

This repeats :7,8, where I suggested that the people in view are not necessarily Gentiles but Saul, acting as a Gentile, and whose entourage included Gentiles like Doeg the Edomite. "Redeem / deliver me from the hand..." is again a quotation from Jacob's words when he found his relative Esau [not a complete Gentile, although acting like one] barring his path back home (Gen. 32:11,30). And the word is used of David's desire for deliverance from Saul (1 Sam. 26:24); and yet this was a redemption unappreciated by him as it ought to have been (2 Sam. 12:7). Finally David recognized that this prayer was answered (2 Sam. 22:18,49). As David had earlier prayed for redemption / deliverance from Saul and his enemies (Ps. 31:15; 59:1; 144:7), he would later pray for redemption / deliverance from his sins (Ps. 39:8; 79:9).

Psalm 144:12

Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants, our daughters like corner stones carved to adorn a palace-

If indeed Saul and his followers are in view in :11 (see note there), then this will be David's anticipation of what the kingdom of God in Israel would be like when he became king and Saul was deposed, as had been promised by Samuel. This vision of that Davidic kingdom didn't fully come about, partly because of David's own imperfections; but it looks ahead to how things will be in the ultimate Davidic kingdom of the Lord Jesus. Solomon and David's other sons were hardly like "well nurtured plants". The potential was that David's sons would be "planted" eternally (s.w. 2 Sam. 7:10), but this only came finally true in the kingdom of the Lord Jesus. God's people were indeed "planted" in the land (Ps. 80:8) but were uprooted; and the prophecies only come true in the person of the Lord Jesus who is as the plant which grew in the dry land (Ps. 80:15).

Psalm 144:13

Our barns will be full, filled with all kinds of provision; our sheep will bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields-

As noted on :12, this is a picture of the kingdom which David hoped to establish after the death of Saul. It is expressed in terms of the blessings for obedience to the covenant; and throughout Ps. 119 David had vowed to be personally obedient to the laws of God which formed the old covenant. But he was overconfident of both his own obedience and that of Israel. And so as explained on :12, these things are reapplied to the final reestablishment of the Davidic kingdom by the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 144:14

Our oxen will pull heavy loads, there will be no breaking in and no going away, and no crying in our streets-

The reference is to the breaking in of the Philistines upon Israel and their going away in flight from them, and the crying in the streets after the Philistines had sacked the Israelite villages. This would now be no more, thanks to David's victory. But this vision of the Davidic kingdom didn't last and didn't even fully come about. See on :11,12.

Psalm 144:15

Happy are the people who are in such a situation. Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh-

This kingdom of God on earth under David's rulership was indeed the ideal projection of how God's Kingdom in Israel could be. But the people didn't retain Yahweh is their God in a meaningful sense, and so its realization was precluded; it will only come fully true in the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus, which will be a restoration and extension of the Davidic kingdom, with Him reigning eternally on David's throne. This is indeed "the Hope of Israel".

Psalm 145

Psalm 145:1

A praise psalm by David-

This psalm is alphabetic, like other Psalms, but the letter nun is omitted. It is good homework for the enthusiast to work out why. The Psalm appears to be David looking forward to how his kingdom would be once he had taken over from Saul as promised; in this sense it follows on from the end of Ps. 144, which is all about this. However, as noted on Ps. 144:12-15, this didn't come about as David hoped and envisioned. But it will do so in the future Kingdom of God, where the Lord Jesus will sit upon David's throne and rule over a revived Davidic Kingdom. This Psalm therefore becomes a prophecy of God's future Kingdom, and praise for how it shall be.

I will exalt You my God as the King. I will praise Your name forever and ever-

As noted above, David is looking ahead to his kingdom becoming the Kingdom of God which would be eternal, with him praising God forever. And David emphasizes that God and not himself is the ultimate king of the Kingdom. Samuel had well instilled this into him.

Psalm 145:2

Every day I will praise You, I will extol Your name forever and ever-

This was David's vision of the Davidic kingdom; praising God's name daily for ever, implying he would live endless days.

Psalm 145:3

Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable-

The eternity of David's praise (:2) is related to the unsearchable greatness of God which he is praising. Paul appears to allude to this in Rom. 11:33, where the unsearchable greatness refers to the greatness of God's grace in saving sinners. David is quoting Job 5:9; 9:10, which also talk of God's unsearchable grace in human salvation. Job and the Pentateuch were likely the main scriptures known by David. The same unsearchable nature of God's grace was available to the exiles (s.w. Is. 40:28).

Psalm 145:4

One generation will commend Your works to another, and will declare Your mighty acts-

This is how David imagined his kingdom being. God’s word is a living word. Unlike other history, we can see the intense personal relevance of all God’s past dealings with men. David at times gets ecstatic for what God had done at the Red Sea; one generation would tell accounts like the Passover story to another, they too would sing as Miriam had done (Ps. 145:4-7). The "works" retold would be of God's saving grace; that will be our talk throughout eternity, and we should begin living the Kingdom life now.

Psalm 145:5

Of the glorious majesty of Your honour, of Your wondrous works, I will meditate-

This is defined in :12 as the glory of God's Kingdom. David was about to become king as promised by Samuel, and he hopes that his kingdom shall be God's Kingdom. He is commendably full of thought and meditation of God's Kingdom rather than his own; and there we have an abiding principle. But David used the same words in Ps. 8:5 when meditating upon his victory over Goliath; he had been crowned with glory and honour. That victory was the basis upon which he became king, in the eyes of Israel; and he meditates how the glory and honour given him was in fact God's and not his own. The glory and majesty of the kingship and kingdom was "laid upon" him (Ps. 21:5 s.w.). But David's kingdom didn't fully become God's Kingdom on earth, and the final glory, honour and majesty will be in the future Kingdom of God on earth, when the Lord Jesus reestablishes David's kingdom and reigns on his throne (s.w. Is. 35:2).

Psalm 145:6

Men will speak of the might of Your awesome acts; I will declare Your greatness-

It was David who was doing just this, especially through his Psalms. But he imagines the Kingdom of God as being a time when all men will have his uninhibited desire to speak and declare God's greatness.

Psalm 145:7

They will utter the memory of Your great goodness and will sing of Your righteousness-

As noted on :6, it was David who was the singer, and he looked forward to all men having his same attitude to open and uninhibited praise. Hence this Psalm, which was intended for all men to sing even now. Thus David consciously sets himself up as the parade example to all who shall be in God's Kingdom.

Psalm 145:8

Yahweh is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great grace-

This repeats Yahweh's declaration of His Name to Moses, when He listed His characteristics. We note that "grace" is His lead characteristic. And this will be the more apparent when we are in God's Kingdom, for this is how David imagines us praising God in the Kingdom.

Psalm 145:9

Yahweh is good to all, His tender mercies are over all His works-

This will be the praise offered to God in His Kingdom. The struggle of modern man is indeed to believe that God "is good to all". Issues of the justice of God cloud so many attempted relationships with Him. Only in the Kingdom will we finally perceive that He has been good to all, and all His works are encoded with His tender grace. Those issues are left unresolved in this life in order to teach is humility, and trust that there will come a day when all shall be clarified and God's essential goodness and tenderness will be finally perceived.

Psalm 145:10

All Your works will give thanks to You, Yahweh; Your saints will extol You-

God's "works" may refer to the natural creation, which will be endued with a capacity to praise Yahweh in His Kingdom. In this sense all of creation groans for that day of His Kingdom (Rom. 8:22). But we can also interpret His "works" as a poetic parallel with His "saints", His people. We will then realize that God worked with us to prepare us for the final and eternal day of His Kingdom.

Psalm 145:11

They will speak of the glory of Your kingdom, and talk about Your power-

Again we see David aware that his kingdom was essentially God's Kingdom; although he imagined his kingdom being established as God's Kingdom, he realizes that all the glory and power was related to God and not himself. The descriptions here of how life will be in God's Kingdom do not focus upon the physical environment which will then be experienced; but rather upon what we will be doing and thinking, particularly focusing upon our praise of Him. And the idea is that this Psalm is to be sung and felt today; we can begin to live the Kingdom life now. In that sense, as we learn in John's writings, we even now "have eternal life".

Psalm 145:12

to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, the glory of the majesty of His kingdom-

See on :5. We note in this Psalm David's continual desire to tell others of God's majesty. David knew his sinfulness, he knew his reliance upon the grace of God, more and more as he got older. One would have thought that after the Bathsheba incident, David would have kept his mouth shut so far as telling other people how to live was concerned. But instead, we find an increasing emphasis in the Psalms (chronologically) upon David's desire to teach others of God's ways- particularly the surrounding Gentile peoples, before whom David had been disgraced over Bathsheba, not to mention from his two faced allegiance to Achish (1 Sam. 27:8-12). There is real stress upon this evangelistic fervour of David (Ps. 4:3; 18:49; 22:25,31; 35:18; 40:9,10; 57:9; 62:8; 66:5,16; 95:1,8; 96:5-8,10; 100:1-4; 105:1,2; 119:27; 145:5,6,12). Indeed, Ps.71:18 records the "old and greyheaded" David pleading with God not to die until he had taught "thy strength unto this generation". As with Paul years later, the only reason he wanted to stay alive was in order to witness the Gospel of grace to others. David therefore coped with his deep inner traumas by looking out of himself to those around him, eagerly desiring to share with them the pureness of God's grace. He didn't do this as some kind of self-help psychiatry; it came naturally from a realization of his own sinfulness and God's mercy, and the wonderful willingness of God to extend this to men.

Psalm 145:13

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, Your dominion endures throughout all generations. Yahweh is faithful in all His words, and loving in all His deeds-

The particular "words" and "deeds" David has in view are that despite all odds, God's word of promise that he would become king and Saul deposed had come true. We see this faith expressed in this word so often in Ps. 119. David perceived that his kingdom would be everlasting, because it was to be God's Kingdom. And whilst that didn't come true in his times, it will do finally, because the Lord Jesus will reign over the restored Davidic Kingdom, on David's throne, for ever.

Psalm 145:14

Yahweh upholds all who fall, and raises up all those who are bowed down-

The Psalms were likely rewritten by David over the years. The upholding of the lowly could have referred initially to how he was exalted from the persecution under Saul, to be king of God's kingdom (s.w. Ps. 3:5; 37:17,24). It was at that time that he was "bowed down" (s.w. Ps. 57:6). But it also has reference to how he was 'upheld' after he temporarily lost his kingdom after his 'fall' in the matter of Uriah and Bathsheba (s.w. Ps. 55:12).

Psalm 145:15

The eyes of all wait for You; You give them their food in due season-

"Wait for" or "wait upon" is a term used for serving or praising God. As the eyes of servants look to their master, so the eyes of God's people look to Him (Ps.123:2, and the eyes of David are described often in the Psalms as waiting upon God (e.g. Ps. 121:1; 123:1).  David sees encoded in the natural creation a prophecy of how things shall eternally be in God's Kingdom; all turning their eyes to God as the animal creation subconsciously does.

Psalm 145:16

You open Your hand to satisfy the desire of every living thing-

LXX "Thou openest thine hands, and fillest every living thing with pleasure". But the idea is that the natural creation turns its eyes to God (:15) and He opens His hand to satisfy their desire. As noted on :15, David sees in this a prophecy of how God's true people would turn their eyes to Him and have their desires satisfied by His opening hand. In the context of the exiles, the idea is that their desire for restoration would be fulfilled when they turned their eyes to their God. Opening the hand is an idiom for generous response to the cry of the poor (Dt. 15:8,11); our generosity is to reflect the open handed generosity we have received and yet hope for from God.  "Satisfy" translates  word often used to describe how God's people in His land would be "filled" or satisfied"; if they were obedient to the covenant (Dt. 6:11; 8:10,12; 11:15 and very often).

Psalm 145:17

Yahweh is righteous in all His ways, and gracious in all His works-

This is evidenced in the natural creation (:15,16), and will finally be proven true in the lives of God's faithful people. Whether God was just / righteous and gracious was under question in the mindset of the exiles, as Ezekiel's prophecy reflects. And it has always been questioned. But David sees the Kingdom as a time when people shall finally accept and perceive His justice and grace. This means that the challenges arising from His perceived injustice is all designed to elicit our faith in the Kingdom; for according to David, there will be no answer to the questions until then. The very existence of those questions is therefore a test of our humility, the all important characteristic God looks for.

Psalm 145:18

Yahweh is near to all those who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth-

Literally, 'next to', 'neighbour / relative to'. This is how close God feels to the broken hearted and crushed; and conversely, how far He is from the self satisfied and self congratulatory, 'the strong' in secular terms. It is this feature of Yahweh which makes Him unique; no other God has this characteristic of 'nearness' (s.w. Dt. 4:7). Only those who call upon Him “in truth”, with “unfeigned lips” will he heard (Ps. 145:18). Men repeatedly ‘sought for’ the Lord Jesus (Mk. 1:37; Jn. 6:26), but He told them to truly seek Him (Mt. 6:33; 7:7; Lk.12:31).

Psalm 145:19

He will fulfil the desire of those who fear Him, He will also hear their cry and save them-

Often, “desire” is seen by God as prayer (Ps. 10:17; 21:2; 27:4; 59:10; 92:11; 140:8; 145:19; Mt. 18:32; Rom. 10:1; 1 Jn. 5:15). God interprets that inner desire as prayer, even if it is not articulated in specific requests. In the context of the exiles, the idea is that if they truly desired the restoration, it could come in response to their cry. But the problem was that the Kingdom was not their heart's desire.

Psalm 145:20

Yahweh preserves all those who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy-

See on Ps. 146:9. David felt preserved by God from Saul and his other enemies (1 Sam. 30:23; 2 Sam. 22:44), because he had preserved or obeyed [s.w.] God's ways (2 Sam. 22:22,24; Ps. 18:21,23); whereas Saul didn't obey / preserve them and was destroyed (1 Sam. 13:13,14; 1 Chron. 10:13). Hence Ps. 145:20: "Yahweh preserves all those who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy". Solomon's prophetic sonship of David was conditional upon him preserving or observing Yahweh's ways (1 Kings 2:4; 1 Chron. 22:13; 2 Chron. 7:17); but he didn't preserve of observe them (1 Kings 11:10,11); despite David praying that Solomon would be given a heart to observe them (1 Chron. 29:19). We can pray for God to work upon the hearts of others, but He will not force people against their own deepest will and heart position. Solomon stresses overmuch how God would keep or preserve the righteous (Prov. 2:8; 3:26), without recognizing the conditional aspect of this. Why did Solomon go wrong? His Proverbs are true enough, but he stresses that obedience to his wisdom and teaching would preserve his hearers (Prov. 4:4; 6:22; 7:1; 8:32; 15:5), preservation was through following the example of the wise (Prov. 2:20); rather than stressing obedience to God's ways, and replacing David his father's simple love of God with a love of academic wisdom: "Yahweh preserves all those who love Him" (Ps. 145:20).

Psalm 145:21

My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh; let all flesh bless His holy name forever and ever-

Several times in the Psalms, David’s poetry matches ‘myself’ with “all men”; he wants all men to share in his experience of Yahweh. He sees his thankful attitude in this life as characteristic of how all in God's Kingdom will eternally live.

Psalm 146

Psalm 146:1

Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh, my soul-

A case can be made that the whole of book 3 of the Psalter (Psalms 73-89) was written / edited in Babylon. The Psalms of Korah (83-87) seem to reflect the longing of the righteous remnant in Babylon for the temple services. And it is just possible that the entire Psalter was re-edited there in Babylon, under inspiration- for so many Psalms have elements of appropriacy to the exiles in Babylon and the restoration. The LXX titles of Psalm 56 [“Concerning the people that were removed from the Sanctuary”] and 71 [“Of the sons of Jonadab, and the first that were taken captive”] speak for themselves. Likewise the LXX attributes Psalms 146-148 to Haggai and Zechariah. Although I suggest they are all initially Psalms of David, relevant to his experiences, but used under inspiration in these later contexts.

Psalm 146:2

While I live, I will praise Yahweh. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist-

This is why David and Hezekiah asked to be preserved from death exactly because this life is the time to praise the Lord, and that was impossible in death. We see their implicit understanding that death is unconsciousness, and not praising God in heaven afterwards.

Psalm 146:3

Don’t put your trust in princes, each merely a son of man in whom there is no help-

The parallel between princes and men is also found in Ps. 118:8,9. Princes are but men, no more than men, and nothing compared to Yahweh. I noted on Ps. 118:8 the application to Hezekiah. Yet he failed in putting confidence in princes, turning to Egypt for help. Yet he repented and was rewarded for his sole faith in Yahweh alone. And yet afterwards, he put his confidence in the princes of Babylon. His intensity of faith was not maintained. The relevance to the exiles (see on :1) would have been that the "princes" like Cyrus who appeared to have brought about the restoration were not of themselves to be trusted. They were mere men, used by Yahweh. There may also be some reference to a Jewish leader who tried to free the exiles but not in God's strength.

Psalm 146:4

His spirit departs, and he returns to the dust. In that very day, his thoughts perish-

As noted on :2, the Psalmists clearly understood death to be unconsciousness. Whilst a specific "son of man" may be in view in :3, that individual is only human and shares the experience of mortality which all humans share. This would explain why the ambiguous term "son of man" is used, referring both to an individual as well as generic humanity.

Psalm 146:5

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Yahweh his God-

This hope and happiness is posited in contrast to the mortality which affects all humanity in :4. By implication, therefore, we can assume that the hope in view is that of resurrection to eternal life in a bodily form, the ultimate victory over human mortality. The only other person claiming Yahweh as his "hope" [with this particular Hebrew word] is David under persecution by Saul (Ps. 119:166). In the context of the exiles (see on :1), the hope and help was in the ultimate restoration of the Kingdom and David's throne.

Psalm 146:6

who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever-

As so often in the Psalms, God's creative power is seen as the guarantee that he will keep "truth", His covenant and His promises. It is no hard thing for the creator of all to raise the death (:5) or restore the exiles and His Kingdom. Encoded in creation all around us we therefore see the absolute ability of God to fulfil His promises of salvation. Disbelief in His creative power will therefore mean disbelief in our personal salvation.

Psalm 146:7

who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. Yahweh frees the prisoners-

The word is used for the loosing or freeing / deliverance of Joseph by the edict of a powerful king, which looked forward to the deliverance of the captives by the decree of Cyrus (s.w. Ps. 105:20). "Freed" is "loosed". The exiles were prisoners who could have been loosed from Babylon- had they wished. The book of Esther makes clear that the Jews were far from impoverished prisoners. The imagery of being in prison and slavery is therefore in spiritual terms; and most of the exiles refused that great deliverance because they didn't perceive their condition. And that's exactly why folks today turn down the great offer of freedom made to them in Christ.

Psalm 146:8

Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind, Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down, Yahweh loves the righteous-

The Psalms were likely rewritten by David over the years. The raising up of the bowed down could have referred initially to how he was exalted from the persecution under Saul, to be king of God's kingdom. It was at that time that he was "bowed down" (s.w. Ps. 57:6). But he was to be a pattern for the exiles, if they followed his later example of repentance and restoration.

Psalm 146:9

Yahweh preserves the strangers, He upholds the fatherless and widow, but the way of the wicked He turns upside down-

This parallels Ps. 145:20 [see note there]: "Yahweh preserves all those who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy". Those who love God are the marginal, the foreigners and widows; and in preaching the Gospel in wealthier areas, this truth is realized time and again. In the context of the exiles (see on :1), this was appropriate; for the exiles were treated as strangers in Babylon, and after the horrors of the Babylonian invasion there would have been many widows and fatherless amongst them.

Psalm 146:10

Yahweh will reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise Yah!-

The exiles (see on :1) were to praise God that the God of Zion, the temple mount, would have an eternal kingdom. They were directed not to rejoice in any particular Davidic king, but in Yahweh who was their ultimate king. But the Psalm was originally David's reflections on his own Kingdom; he correctly perceives Yahweh and not himself as the ultimate king of Israel.

David saw his sufferings as being bound up with those of Israel; those who hated him hated Zion, those who blessed him blessed Zion, and God's salvation of Israel was being expressed through God's deliverance of him in the daily vicissitudes of life; as God had chosen Zion, so He had David His servant; David's joy was Zion's joy, and her exaltation would be David's  (Ps. 51:18; 69:35; 87:2; 106:5; 121:3,4; 125:1; 128:5; 146:10; 149:2). This is how we are to make sense of suffering- by understanding that it plays a role in the salvation of others, and is part of a wider nexus of Divine operation. We suffer so that we may be able to minister the comfort we receive to others (2 Cor. 1:4). Job likewise came to realize that his sufferings were not so much for his personal maturing, but for the teaching and salvation of the friends.

Psalm 147

Psalm 147:1

Praise Yah, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise Him-

The LXX attributes Psalms 146-148 to Haggai and Zechariah. According to the LXX titles, there were certain Psalms which were written for the dedication of the rebuilt temple, and others written by Haggai and Zechariah. They include: Psalms 96,138,147,148. These all seem to speak as if the time of a glorious temple was to be the time of God’s Kingdom; this was the possibility, and it was the prevailing hope in the minds of the faithful minority. But the Psalms had to remain prophecies of the future day of Zion’s glory, for the temple was not rebuilt by the returned exiles according to the specifications of Ez. 40-48. Although I suggest they are all initially Psalms of David, relevant to his experiences, but used under inspiration in these later contexts.

Psalm 147:2

Yahweh builds up Jerusalem, He gathers together the outcasts of Israel-

The Jews returned from Babylon to the land of their own volition; but it was Yahweh who gathered them back, as if He called them almost of His volition rather than theirs. But the majority resisted this gathering of God and chose to remain in Babylon, for all the strength of His will for their restoration. Just as many do today in their rejection of the Gospel. Those who returned rebuilt Jerusalem; but actually, Yahweh did, through His confirmation of all the freewill effort of men like Haggai and Nehemiah (see on :1).

This verse is alluded to by the Lord in Lk. 13:34, where He how He would fain have gathered together the children of Jerusalem, “but you would not”. The words of the Psalm speak as if this is what the Lord God is going to do. But Jesus understood it as being impossible of fulfilment if the outcast children would not allow themselves to be gathered. Likewise the statement that the Lord will build up Jerusalem was made in a restoration context; but again, it was dependent upon the Jews’ obedience for its fulfilment. God was and is potentially ready to work with us.

Psalm 147:3

He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds-

The broken hearted and wounded were the exiles; see on :1. But they were comfortable in Baylon-Persia, as the book of Esther confirms. They were no longer broken hearted, and took their healing from material prosperity rather than God's Spirit. They were warned in Is. 6:10 that the potential healing of their hearts would not happen unless they were open to it. The broken hearted were those who had broken their own hearts in recognition of their sins as David had done (Ps. 51:17; 69:20 s.w.), and had followed his path to repentance and restoration. But the exiles generally were impenitent; and so the good news announced to them of healing of broken hearts was rejected (s.w. Is. 61:1).

Psalm 147:4

He counts the number of the stars, He calls them all by their names-

The stars which can't be numbered by man refer to the true seed of Abraham. Each have their own individual name in God's mind, reflecting His appreciation of their unique characteristics. The tragedy was that God called each of the exiles back to the land, desirous to fulfil the promises to Abraham; and the majority of them refused that call.

Psalm 147:5

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite-

This infinite understanding develops the thought of :4; God knew every unique characteristics of His potential people, the stars of Abrahams potential seed. David sees his sins and their consequences as "without number", but he uses the same word for God's "infinite" or "without number" "understanding" (s.w. Ps. 40:12). God understands better than we do the nature of our sins and their consequences. And His power to deal with all that  is limitless, as David discovered in his experience with his sin. The exiles too had sinned, and God infinitely understood every nuance of that; but His power was such that He would restore each of them see on :4). But they rejected such mighty power, for He allows it to be circumscribed by human freewill.

Psalm 147:6

Yahweh upholds the humble; He brings the wicked down to the ground-

"Brings... down" is the term often used for those humbled by God's condemnation, e.g. the proud who are brought low (2 Sam. 22:28; Job 40:11; Ps. 75:7; 147:6; Prov. 29:23 and very often in the prophets). And yet God by grace remembers and lifts up even those humbled by such condemnation (Ps. 136:23). This is absolute grace; to save even those suffering condemnation for their sins. This was all exactly relevant to the exiles (see on :1).

Time and again, the Biblical contrasts are between the sinners and the humble- as if humility is the epitome of the acceptable. It is the meek who shall inherit the earth (Ps. 37:11). This is how significant humility is. God right now puts down one and lifts up another– all of which He will also due at the last day (Ps. 75:7; Lk. 14:10 alludes here). The essence of judgment is ongoing now; “we make the answer now”.

Psalm 147:7

Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving, sing praises on the harp to our God-

LXX "Begin the song with thanksgiving", clearly an indication that this Psalm was to be sung in the sanctuary. This had only just been rebuilt at the time of this Psalm (see on :1).

Psalm 147:8

who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains-

As God prepares the earth for the grass and manipulates the clouds above, so the eretz / land / earth was prepared for the restoration to happen (s.w. Is. 45:18; 62:7). The tragedy was that the majority of the exiles preferred to stay in Babylon rather than return to the land prepared for them. By contrast, the land / kingdom was prepared for David (Ps. 119:90) whilst he was in exile, and he received it. The sending of the rain represents the power of God's word of restoration coming down and producing growth (Is. 55:10,11). And yet this was precluded by the exiles, and will come true fully at the last day.

Psalm 147:9

He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call-

The hint is that if the exiles truly called to God for help, He would respond. The fact He responds to calls for help is encoded throughout creation; for when even the ravens call, God answers their needs. The fact God "provides food" to His people far more than even to "the livestock" means that we should be faithful to covenant with Him (Gen. 28:20 s.w.). His provision of food to the natural creation is a reason to praise God for His grace to men (s.w. Ps. 136:25). Constantly, the natural creation is read as an encouragement to faith in God.

The raven was considered a bad omen. But still God cares for them; and how much more for His people. This is the force of the Lord's argument in Lk. 12:24, "Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them". Clearly God doesn't simplistically punish the evil and bless the righteous immediately in this life. His grace reaches out to all.

Psalm 147:10

He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse, He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man-

The Psalm was in the context of the restoration (see on :1). Perhaps the allusion is how the wicked Haman 'delighted' in the strength of a horse (Esther 6:9,11 s.w.). Haman and those like him all came to nothing, and couldn't thwart the glorification of God's captive people.

Psalm 147:11

Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His grace-

This was originally David who hoped in grace (Ps. 33:18). But the exiles are asked to hope in God's grace (Ps. 130:7); for their restoration was by grace, in that their judgment was absolutely called for.

Psalm 147:12

Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!-

The situation in the time of Haggai and Zechariah (see on :1) was not apparently worthy of so much praise. But the Psalm asks the exiles to praise God, as David did, for that which was promised and was yet to come.

Psalm 147:13

For He has strengthened the bars of your gates, He has blessed your children within you-

As noted on :1, this Psalm was relevant to the exiles. Nehemiah's record stresses how the exiles themselves strengthened the bars of the gates of Jerusalem; but it was Yahweh working with them to achieve this. But the blessing of their children was only potentially available; for Haggai (see on :1) records how there was much suffering amongst the exiles from famine and plague, because they had not truly returned to their God.

Psalm 147:14

He makes peace in your borders, He fills you with the finest of the wheat-

But at the time of Haggai and Zechariah (see on :1) they experienced famine and opposition from within their borders. The great potentials possible for the exiles who returned didn't come about; their impenitence precluded the reestablishment of the Kingdom as was prophetically possible. "Fills you" translates  word often used to describe how God's people in His land would be "filled" or satisfied"; if they were obedient to the covenant (Dt. 6:11; 8:10,12; 11:15 and very often).

Psalm 147:15

He sends out His commandment to the earth; His word runs very swiftly-

LXX "He sends his oracle to the earth: his word will run swiftly"; as in :19 "He sends his word to Jacob". A word running swiftly was an idiom for the fulfilment of that word (see on Hab. 2:2). See too on Jer. 23:18,22. The idea was that the word of restoration was now coming true for the exiles (see on :1). But tragically their impenitence precluded it coming true at that time as it might have done.

Psalm 147:16

He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes-

The idea is that God turns the water into snow, and then His word melts the snow, and the waters flow. The water changes from one state to another. The idea is that Judah went into captivity by God's word, they were as it were frozen in captivity, but God's word would melt them and change their state, so that they would flow again, back to Zion. But most of them preferred to remain frozen in captivity.

Psalm 147:17

He hurls down His hail like pebbles- who can stand before His cold?-

See on :16. "Who can stand before" Yahweh is the language of men facing condemnation (1 Sam. 6:20; Ps. 76:7; Nah. 1:6; Mal. 3:2). Only those forgiven by Him can stand before Him (Ps. 130:3). The exiles had been judged, and were now forgiven. As noted on :16, the freezing of the waters into ice was seen as their judgment in Babylon, and God's word of restoration was to change their state (:18). It was Babylon who was now to be unable to stand before Him (s.w. Jer. 49:19; 50:44).

Psalm 147:18

He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow and the waters flow-

See on :16. Note the parallel between God's word and His wind / Spirit. The exiles could have been released from their frozen condition in exile, their state could have been changed from snow to flowing waters. The idea of God's wind / Spirit blowing over the waters is that of creation. A new creation could have been brought about; but they refused.

Psalm 147:19

He shows His word to Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances to Israel-

As in :15 LXX has "He sends his word to Jacob". The reference there was to how God's prophetic word of restoration could have come true for Jacob / Israel; but they had to be obedient to His statutes. And they were not, for the most part, as the sad record of the restoration makes clear.

Psalm 147:20

He has not done this for any other nation; they don’t know His ordinances. Praise Yah!-

The gift of God's laws was not to be perceived as onerous, but the greatest blessing a nation could have. To perceive that God's word is shown to us... leaves us with an awesome impression. This is what grasping the meaning of an inspired Bible should do for each of us. Whoever wishes to believe in that word has had God's word shown to them (:19); and thereby become God's new Israel.

Psalm 148

Psalm 148:1

Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh from the heavens! Praise Him in the heights!-

The LXX attributes Psalms 146-148 to Haggai and Zechariah. According to the LXX titles, there were certain Psalms which were written for the dedication of the rebuilt temple, and others written by Haggai and Zechariah. They include: Psalms 96,138,147,148. These all seem to speak as if the time of a glorious temple was to be the time of God’s Kingdom; this was the possibility, and it was the prevailing hope in the minds of the faithful minority. But the Psalms had to remain prophecies of the future day of Zion’s glory, for the temple was not rebuilt by the returned exiles according to the specifications of Ez. 40-48. Although I suggest they are all initially Psalms of David, relevant to his experiences, but used under inspiration in these later contexts.

Psalm 148:2

Praise Him, all His angels! Praise Him, all His army!-

The praise in the context of the exiles (see on :1) was not for what God had already done, but for what they believed and hoped He would do in the ultimate restoration. Because at the time of the restoration, the exiles were experiencing famine and judgment for their impenitence.

Psalm 148:3

Praise Him, sun and moon! Praise Him, all you shining stars!-

The praise is because of their creation by a Divine word (:5). The stars and heavenly bodies were representative of the exiles in Ps. 147:4 (see notes there); who were to be part of a new creation according to God's prophetic word of restoration. This is why otherwise inanimate bodies are presented as praising God.

Psalm 148:4

Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, You waters that are above the skies-

The "heaven of heavens" seems to refer to the dwelling place of God personally. There was to ecstatic praise there because of how God would restore His people and forge a new creation out of them by the means of His word. That the exiles largely refused this great potential is tragic; the joy of Heaven itself was precluded by their disinterest.

Psalm 148:5

Let them praise the name of Yahweh, for He commanded, and they were created-

The Genesis creation is unique amongst creation accounts for the way that the true creation was called into being by Divine words. As explained on Ps. 147:18, a new creation was envisaged at the restoration. And the exiles were bidden praise God for this; even though ultimately that restoration to its full extent was not to be at that time, due to their general impenitence.

Psalm 148:6

He has also established them forever and ever. He has made a decree which will not pass away-

The reestablishment of a new heavens and earth at the time of the return from Babylon is a major theme of the restoration prophets. A Divine decree would eternally establish them. The decree of Cyrus to return and rebuild the temple could have been that decree. But it was not to be, because Israel refused to repent and truly return to their God and their land. Perhaps God did indeed make the decree, and that of Cyrus was a human articulation of it upon earth; but Israel failed to respond, and so God's eternal decree would therefore have a later and different fulfilment.

Psalm 148:7

Praise Yahweh from the earth, you great sea creatures, and all depths!-

The "waters" would refer to the Gentiles around Israel; see on Rev. 16:5. LXX "serpents" supports the idea that it is the mythical creatures feared by the Middle Eastern peoples who were finally to praise God. The intention was that the exiles would be restored, judgment would come upon Babylon, and this would lead to Babylon and the other great nations repenting and praising God. Their destruction would be in allusion to God's division of the Red Sea and destruction of the "monsters" of Egypt. The chariots of Pharaoh are likened to sea monsters. The same idea is presented to the exiles in Is. 51:9. People of the time found the sea mysterious, and believed in a vast sea dragon lurking there which was invincible, rather like folks tend to believe in a supernatural devil figure. The simple point was that God has and can destroy such entities at ease, to the point that effectively God's people need not believe in them.

Psalm 148:8

Lightning and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word-

LXX "the things that perform His word". Hail and lightning (AV "flaming fire") are the words used for the destruction of Assyria / Babylon (Is. 30:30; and see on Ps. 105:32). They are also associated with theophany (Ps. 18:12,13). Hail and lightning could have been used to destroy Babylon and thereby fulfil God's prophetic word of restoration for the exiles. But these great potentials were not realized because the Jews didn't repent and didn't for the most part actually want the restoration of the Kingdom. They preferred the good life in Persia. Ultimately all the elements of the natural creation will be used in the last days to bring about the reestablishment of the Kingdom, although not exactly in the terms initially envisaged for the restoration of the exiles from Babylon.

Psalm 148:9

mountains and all hills; fruit trees and all cedars-

The Psalm looks ahead to a time when the entire creation would praise God's Name. This could be simply poetic language representing a general situation of praise. But the restored Kingdom could well be a time when the natural creation realizes some latent spiritual potential within it, and praises God's Name (Rom. 8:22,23).

Psalm 148:10

wild animals and all livestock; small creatures and flying birds-

See on :9. The list of things which will praise Yahweh's Name here and in :9 is taken from the record of the Genesis 1 creation. Perhaps what is envisaged here is a new creation, where all the components of that creation have a spiritual potential, which is used to praise God's Name (:13).

Psalm 148:11

kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth-

The kings of the eretz promised to Abraham are typically presented in the Bible as being against God's people. But here we have then envisioned as praising Yahweh's Name. Or we could read this Psalm as an invitation to them to do so. The prophetic intention was that the nations in the eretz would repent; this Psalm may be looking forward to that time, or it could be read as an appeal to them to accept Yahweh and praise His Name (:13).

Psalm 148:12

both young men and young women; old men and children-

The praise of the entire Gentile society within the eretz promised to Abraham (:11) is to parallel the praise of God's people Israel (:14). The impression given is of Jews and Gentiles united in a new multiracial people of God, giving the same praise to the same God. We note that "children" are equally invited to praise the name of Yahweh (:13); they are felt to be capable of appreciating His Name / characteristics.

Psalm 148:13

let them praise the name of Yahweh, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and the skies-

Heb. 12:8: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to day, and for ever” suggests that the three tenses of the Yahweh Name were  supremely manifest in the Lord Jesus. Which is surely why ‘Jesus’ in the NT becomes the Name above every Name (Phil. 2:9,10; Eph. 1:21); for only ‘Yahweh’ was exalted above every other name (Neh. 9:5; Ps. 148:13). It is praise of Yahweh through the Lord Jesus which will be the scene of the  eternally reestablished kingdom of Yahweh.

This Psalm may well have originated in the victory over Goliath, for it is very similar in spirit to Psalm 8, and here quotes from Ps. 8:1,10. After that, it was David's name which was much set by (1 Sam. 18:30); but David's desire was that it should be Yahweh's Name which was now made majestic after the defeat of Goliath, and not his name.

Psalm 148:14

He has lifted up the horn of His people-

The idea of the horn of the righteous being exalted is used about what David envisaged happening for God's people in this life (s.w. Ps. 148:14), although the final fulfilment was to be at the last day, when the horn of the wicked is cut off (Ps. 75:10). But there are potential foretastes of the last day in this life. Jeremiah appears to struggle with the Psalms which taught that the horn of the righteous would be lifted up, lamenting that instead the horn of their enemies had been lifted up (s.w. Lam. 2:17). The truth was that the horn of God's people would only be lifted up if they were identified with the lifting up of the horn which was Messiah (Ps. 89:17,24). And because this didn't happen, their horn was not exalted.

David is here alluding to Hannah's prayer (1 Sam. 2:10). He appropriates her words to himself personally in Ps. 92:10, but there he also bids all Israel apply the words to themselves every Sabbath (Ps. 92:1). Hence "our horn shall be exalted... his horn shall be exalted" (Ps. 89:17,24). Israel were to see themselves as somehow "in" David, as we are "in Christ".

Inspiring the praise of all His saints, even of the children of Israel, a people near to Him. Praise Yah!-

The reason why space is so deep and huge may simply be because God wants to show us His humility: in that although He is so far from us, He will come to us, such an infinite distance in human terms, and live here with us. And this Almighty, so distant God... describes Israel as "a people near to Him"- using the very word elsewhere translated "near of kin" or "kinsman". This is how close He comes to His people. The Hebrew means literally, 'next to', 'neighbour / relative to'. This is how close God feels to the broken hearted and crushed; and conversely, how far He is from the self satisfied and self congratulatory, 'the strong' in secular terms. It is this feature of Yahweh which makes Him unique; no other God has this characteristic of 'nearness' (s.w. Dt. 4:7).

Psalm 149

Psalm 149:1

Praise Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh a new song, His praise in the assembly of the saints-

Even in the Old Testament, the idea of living in a spirit of newness of life is to be found. David six times invites us to sing with him “a new song” (Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1 cp. Is. 42:10). Invariably these songs are associated with the experience of God’s redemption (cp. Rev. 5:9). Obviously those ‘new songs’ were intended to be repeatedly sung. Our regular experience of forgiveness and redemption should urge us onwards in the spirit of ‘newness of life’. Like Paul we die daily with the Lord, and the power of His resurrection life likewise daily breaks out in us.

Psalm 149:2

Let Israel rejoice in Him who made him, let the children of Zion be joyful in their King-

I noted on Ps. 147:4; 148:3,4 that there is a major theme of God working a new creation in the restored exiles. In this sense, Israel would be "made" by God (Is. 44:2; 51:13), who would then be accepted as the king enthroned in Zion. The exiles resisted this, largely preferring to remain in exile in Babylon-Persia. And so no Davidic king was reestablished as had been potentially possible.

David saw his sufferings as being bound up with those of Israel; those who hated him hated Zion, those who blessed him blessed Zion, and God's salvation of Israel was being expressed through God's deliverance of him in the daily vicissitudes of life; as God had chosen Zion, so He had David His servant; David's joy was Zion's joy, and her exaltation would be David's  (Ps. 51:18; 69:35; 87:2; 106:5; 121:3,4; 125:1; 128:5; 146:10; 149:2). This is how we are to make sense of suffering- by understanding that it plays a role in the salvation of others, and is part of a wider nexus of Divine operation. We suffer so that we may be able to minister the comfort we receive to others (2 Cor. 1:4). Job likewise came to realize that his sufferings were not so much for his personal maturing, but for the teaching and salvation of the friends.

Psalm 149:3

Let them praise His name in the dance! Let them sing praises to Him with tambourine and harp!-

David asks Israel to join him in his praise on tambourine and harp (s.w. 2 Sam. 6:5,14-16) for the ark returning to Zion. It is based upon Israel's rejoicing after the deliverance from Egypt (Ex. 15:20). But these images all had special relevance to the possibilities at the restoration of the exiles. The young woman taking the timbrel and rejoicing in the dance once again is presented as the epitome of the restoration (Jer. 31:4,13), after the years of exile when Judah's dance had been turned to mourning (Lam. 5:15). The invitation to "let" this happen confirms the great theme observed so often- that the restoration from Babylon could have led to the restored Kingdom of God, but was precluded by Judah's impenitence. But the Psalm urges them to "let" these things happen by as it were fulfilling the prophecies.

Psalm 149:4

For Yahweh takes pleasure in His people, He crowns the humble with salvation-

This renewed "pleasure in His people" suggests the effective remarriage of God and Israel, the exiles, based upon a new covenant seeing they had broken the old covenant (Is. 54:7,8; 60:10). But they refused that new covenant, seeking justification by the old covenant [the law of Moses] which they had broken. And they never therefore remarried God as intended, and so he turned to form a new people for relationship, the Gentile-Jewish mix of the body of Christ. The crowning or adorning of God's people is that spoken of in the restoration prophecies, when Zion itself would be glorified (Is. 55:5; 60:7,9,13). But again, this didn't happen at the restoration from Babylon as was potentially possible. The prophecies are rescheduled and reapplied to God's final salvation of a new, multiethnic people in Christ.

Psalm 149:5

Let the saints rejoice in glory-

"Rejoice" is s.w. "triumph" in Ps. 94:3, where the psalmist has asked how long shall the wicked triumph. Now finally is the day when the "How long...?" question has been answered.

Let them sing for joy on their beds-

David rightly perceived that what a man thinks alone on his bed is a litmus indicator of his essential spirituality  (Ps. 4:4; 149:5), and he condemns Saul for plotting sin on his bed (Ps. 36:4). And yet the same phrase "on his bed" is used for how David plotted the sin with Bathsheba on his bed (2 Sam. 11:2). David was surely taught by his sin that he had been too quick to condemn others for their wicked thoughts upon their beds.

This is all the language of God's Kingdom upon earth, and it has some similarities with how David brought the ark to Zion; see on :3. But it was God who would make this happen (Ps. 132:16), rather than David's manipulation of the physical ark, and getting the people to shout for joy (Ps. 132:8,9). But as discussed on Ps. 132:8, David mistakenly thought that merely bringing the ark to Zion meant this would come about.

Psalm 149:6

May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand-

Literally, a two mouthed sword; as if the praise coming out of their mouths was parallel with the mouth of the sword they were wielding. The restoration of the exiles was intended to coincide with the judgment and fall of Babylon, which was to be effected on the ground by a glorified, Spirit empowered, repentant Judah. But they didn't repent, Babylon didn't fall as the "fall of Babylon" prophecies in the restoration prophets envisaged. Instead those prophecies were reapplied and rescheduled to the fall of a latter day Babylon as described in Rev. 18.

Psalm 149:7

to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples-

To pray for this to happen was effectively asking for the Kingdom to come. For David is always careful to emphasize that vengeance belongs to God and not man (see on Ps. 94:1). The stress that vengeance belongs to God was of course a major theme with David, in that he refused twice to take Saul's life when he easily could have done- because vengeance belongs to God and not man. And likewise it was stressed to the exiles that vengeance upon the Gentiles who had abused them belonged to God, and they were to pray for the time of His vengeance to come. This time of vengeance could have come at the restoration from Babylon (Is. 61:2; 63:4); but most of the exiles preferred to remain in Babylon and were quite comfortable there. And so again, these prophecies were reapplied and rescheduled to the fall of a latter day Babylon as described in Rev. 18.

Psalm 149:8

to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron-

At the restoration, a revived Judah could have bound their overlords with chains (Is. 45:14). There was to be a radical inversion; they the prisoners, the bound ones (s.w. Ps. 146:7; Is. 49:9; 61:1) were to be loosed from exile, and were instead to bind their captors. But they were themselves the leaders / nobles of Babylon-Persia (as the book of Esther demonstrates) and didn't want at all to come out of Babylon.

Psalm 149:9

to execute on them the judgment written. All His saints have this honour. Praise Yah!-

The judgment written was, in the context of the exiles, the judgments upon Babylon written at such length in the restoration prophecies such as Isaiah and Jeremiah. But these prophecies were not fulfilled by the exiles as envisaged. Most of them preferred to remain in Babylon-Persia, and didn't "come out from among them" as commanded. They didn't want the "honour" spoken of here; and so those prophecies were reapplied and rescheduled to the fall of a latter day Babylon as described in Rev. 18.

Psalm 150

Psalm 150:1

Praise Yah! Praise God in His sanctuary! Praise Him in His heavens for His acts of power!-

We note one of several connections between the sanctuary and the "heavens". The sanctuary was intended to be a shadowy reflection of the heavenly sanctuary (Heb. 9:24). The joy of heaven itself at Israel's final salvation was to be reflected in the restored sanctuary upon earth. The Psalm therefore has relevance to the exiles and their hope and potential for restoring the kingdom of Heaven upon earth in Israel.

Psalm 150:2

Praise Him for His mighty acts!-

The "acts" retold with praise would be of God's saving grace in human history (as in Ps. 145:4,11,12); that will be our talk throughout eternity, and we should begin living the Kingdom life now.

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!- The phrase used by David when dedicating the plans for building the first temple (1 Chron. 29:11). This makes the Psalm easily usable by the exiles rebuilding that temple.

Psalm 150:3

Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet! Praise Him with harp and lyre!-

The trumpet was sounded at the proclamation of the feasts (Ps. 81:3 s.w.), and this Psalm was likely used on those occasions. The sounding of the trumpet recalls the proclamation of a new king (1 Kings 1:39; 2 Kings 9:13). The situation in view may be the final proclamation of Messiah Jesus as King in the Kingdom.

Psalm 150:4

Praise Him with tambourine and dancing! Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute!-

David asks Israel to join him in his praise on tambourine and harp (s.w. 2 Sam. 6:5,14-16) for the ark returning to Zion. It is based upon Israel's rejoicing after the deliverance from Egypt (Ex. 15:20). But these images all had special relevance to the possibilities at the restoration of the exiles. The young woman taking the timbrel and rejoicing in the dance once again is presented as the epitome of the restoration (Jer. 31:4,13), after the years of exile when Judah's dance had been turned to mourning (Lam. 5:15). The invitation to actually do this confirms the great theme observed so often- that the restoration from Babylon could have led to the restored Kingdom of God, but was precluded by Judah's impenitence. But the Psalm urges them to do these things, to "let" these things happen (Ps. 140:3) by as it were fulfilling the prophecies.

Psalm 150:5

Praise Him with loud cymbals! Praise Him with resounding cymbals!-

The reference to cymbals again suggests the bringing of the ark to Zion as the initial reference of this Psalm (s.w. 2 Sam. 6:5). But it looks ahead to the coming of the Lord Jesus, the ultimate dwelling place of Yahweh, to Zion- and being proclaimed king (see on :3), at His second coming.

Psalm 150:6

Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!-

This looks ahead to a time when all that has breath, which includes the natural creation, praising Yahweh. The picture is of all creation being spiritually aware and entering into the conscious spirituality of God's children (Rom. 8:22,23).

The LXX concludes with an extra Psalm:

"This Psalm is a genuine one of David, though supernumerary, composed when he fought in single combat with Goliad. I was small among my brethren, and youngest in my father's house: I tended my father's sheep.

Psalm 151:2  My hands formed a musical instrument, and my fingers tuned a psaltery.

Psalm 151:3  And who shall tell my Lord? the Lord himself, he himself hears.

Psalm 151:4  He sent forth his angel, and took me from my father's sheep, and he anointed me with the oil of his anointing.

Psalm 151:5  My brothers were handsome and tall; but the Lord did not take pleasure in them.

Psalm 151:6  I went forth to meet the Philistine; and he cursed me by his idols.

Psalm 151:7  But I drew his own sword, and beheaded him, and removed reproach from the children of Israel".

Table of Contents

Psalms: New European Christadelphian Commentary

Copyright

PREFACE

Psalm 1

Psalm 2

Psalm 3

Psalm 4

Psalm 5

Psalm 6

Psalm 7

Psalm 8

Psalm 9

Psalm 10

Psalm 11

Psalm 12

Psalm 13

Psalm 14

Psalm 15

Psalm 16

Psalm 17

Psalm 18

Psalm 19

Psalm 20

Psalm 21

Psalm 22

Psalm 23

Psalm 24

Psalm 25

Psalm 26

Psalm 27

Psalm 28

Psalm 29

Psalm 30

Psalm 31

Psalm 32

Psalm 33

Psalm 34

Psalm 35

Psalm 36

Psalm 37

Psalm 38

Psalm 39

Psalm 40

Psalm 41

Psalm 42

Psalm 43

Psalm 44

Psalm 45

Psalm 46

Psalm 47

Psalm 48

Psalm 49

Psalm 50

Psalm 51

Psalm 52

Psalm 53

Psalm 54

Psalm 55

Psalm 56

Psalm 57

Psalm 58

Psalm 59

Psalm 60

Psalm 61

Psalm 62

Psalm 63

Psalm 64

Psalm 65

Psalm 66

Psalm 67

Psalm 68

Psalm 69

Psalm 70

Psalm 71

Psalm 72

Psalm 73

Psalm 74

Psalm 75

Psalm 76

Psalm 77

Psalm 78

Psalm 79

Psalm 80

Psalm 81

Psalm 82

Psalm 83

Psalm 84

Psalm 85

Psalm 86

Psalm 87

Psalm 88

Psalm 89

Psalm 90

Psalm 91

Psalm 92

Psalm 93

Psalm 94

Psalm 95

Psalm 96

Psalm 97

Psalm 98

Psalm 99

Psalm 100

Psalm 101

Psalm 102

Psalm 103

Psalm 104

Psalm 105

Psalm 106

Psalm 107

Psalm 108

Psalm 109

Psalm 110

Psalm 111

Psalm 112

Psalm 113

Psalm 114

Psalm 115

Psalm 116

Psalm 117

Psalm 118

Psalm 119

Psalm 120

Psalm 121

Psalm 122

Psalm 123

Psalm 124

Psalm 125

Psalm 126

Psalm 127

Psalm 128

Psalm 129

Psalm 130

Psalm 131

Psalm 132

Psalm 133

Psalm 134

Psalm 135

Psalm 136

Psalm 137

Psalm 138

Psalm 139

Psalm 140

Psalm 141

Psalm 142

Psalm 143

Psalm 144

Psalm 145

Psalm 146

Psalm 147

Psalm 148

Psalm 149

Psalm 150