For the leader, according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.
Psalm 53 is exactly the same as Psalm 14—the only real repetition in the psalms. Perhaps this is an editorial oversight, or perhaps the editor wanted to make sure this psalm didn’t get missed.
The rebellious idiot said in his heart, "There is no God."
They are corrupt
Committing abominable deeds
The person who is being spoken of is not just a “fool” as in the standard translations. He is someone who is rebellious, evil, attempting to do that which is destructive and selfish. At first sight, it seems that this fool is an atheist. But in fact, he is not denying the existence of God or gods, but the reality of judgment. This is his excuse for doing his evil deeds in order to accomplish what he wants corruptly. He tells himself, “God isn’t really going to judge me for this. He isn’t interested in my minor actions. Even if there is a god, he has no interest or power to act against me. I am free to do what I please.” Ultimately, this is a person who thinks there are no consequences for his actions.
There is none that does good.
God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there is anyone who sees
Who seeks after God.
Every one of them has turned aside
Together they have become corrupt
There is none that does good
Not even one.
The psalmist then changes his focus for a moment. Before he was focused on the few individuals who live according to the creed, “No evil will befall me no matter what I do”. Now, he looks at all humanity, and points out that none of us are free from this corrupt concept. Even those of us who want to do what is right and holy before God, we also are rebellious fools in some way. Every one of us see what God wants us to do and does something else. Every one of us closes our eyes to God’s perfection and live just in the moment. Every one of us is trapped by our own desires and faults, our minor corruptions and weaknesses. Paul calls this human nature “the flesh” and John clearly states “Anyone who says he has not sinned is a liar.” (Romans 7; I John 1:8). So the psalmist is saying that even though he is pointing out a particular fault in some folks, this fault exists in all of us, without exception.
Have those who work evil no knowledge
Who eat up my people as they eat bread
And do not call upon God?
There they were, in terror, where no terror was,
For God will scatter the bones of him who camped against You
They will be put to shame
For God has rejected them.
The psalmist now stares in disbelief at the actions of those so thoroughly corrupt that they attack God’s people, the poor, to steal from them, attack them and kill them. He is amazed because they have forgotten God so completely. Sure, he says, we are all forgetful at times, but most of us have a limit. But these people have no fear of God whatsoever—and this, he says, is their ultimate corruption. Now they will face the Great Terror—the judgment of God. God has rejected them and will destroy them completely. Not only will they be killed, but their bones will be scattered throughout the earth, their souls never at peace for the rest of eternity.
Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people
Jacob will rejoice and be glad.
This paragraph is about God’s people, asking for deliverance. Zion is the place where God’s temple stands. The real shock of what the psalmist sees is not the thoroughly corrupt nature of some, but the attack of God’s people. How the helpless are attacked and those that trust in God. And for those who trust in God, they have only one Resource, one Security.
And so, in speaking of the corruption of some evil ones, as well as the corruption of all humanity, the psalmist was really just leading up to a prayer of rescue. “O God! Save those who trust in You alone! They have no defense against the corrupt—please be there for them.”
Interestingly enough, the psalmist doesn’t speak of confidence in God, as other psalms do. The psalm ends on a hope—a desperate hope, but just a hope—in God’s deliverance.
Evil abounds, but cling to hope in God
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Anawim's Deliverance Psalm 22:19-32
In the first part of Psalm 22, we read about a man who was in dire circumstances. He was accused of being evil by the people of God, and so he was attacked and judged. They began to tear him to pieces, to torture him, to strip him naked and to mock him. Then they began to close in… But the psalmist’s cry was wondering where is God in all this? He was innocent—was God going to deliver him? Shouldn’t God deliver him? Or did God agree with his attackers—that he was evil and accursed by God?
But You O Yahweh, be not distant.
My strength, hasten to my aid.
Deliver my life from the sword
My only life from the dogs power.
Save me from the lion's mouth,
From the horns of the wild oxen deliver me.
The psalmist now, in the most dire of circumstances, cries out to God. Up until this point in the psalm, the psalmist has not actually asked God for help. He complained to God that God hadn’t saved him yet, but he has not asked for help. Now the psalmist is direct in his request. He knows that no one can save him but God. God is his knight on shining armor, his Dudley Doright, coming to save him in the last minute. Before in the psalm, the psalmists enemies are describes as dogs—because they are encircling him—as a lion—because they attack with intent to kill—and as bulls—because of their mauling him. Now he is asking God to deliver him from these three creatures.
I will proclaim Your name to my brothers;
In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.
You who fear Yahweh, praise Him!
All you descendents of Jacob, honor Him!
And stand in awe of Him, all you descendents of Israel.
For He has not spurn or abhor the plight of the anawim
He did not hide His face from him
When he cried out to Him for help, He listened.
From you comes my praise in the great assembly;
I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him.
If God delivers him, the psalmist makes a promise—he will glorify God before his people. Obviously, it is not all of God’s people attacking the psalmist. Perhaps only a select group of leaders. But God always leaves a remnant of people who truly love him and worship him. This remnant is whom the psalmist is really family with—the anawim. The anawim are those who have faced terrible troubles, but still trusted in God through them. Perhaps his own family rejected him, but God has given him one who really love and serve God. And among these people, the anawim will declare his deliverance. They will not be left in the midst of these enemies—delivered to death and torture. No, they will be delivered by God, and able to proclaim God’s true nature.
God is not the God of forsaking—He is the God of deliverance. God pays attention to the innocent and abused, the anawim. He does not leave them alone. Sure, it may seem that God has left the anawim alone for a period of time, but in the end God will save them and punish the ones who destroy his innocent people. The anawim cry out to God, and expect his deliverance. And so, when the deliverance comes, they give praise to God’s name, who acted for them!
The anawim will eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise Yahweh
May your hearts live forever!
These anawim are the true people of God. Yes, they all go through terrible circumstances at times. They are persecuted, they suffer, they are hated, they are torn apart—but God delivers them. And after that deliverance, God gives abundance. They have abundant food, and they are able to praise God. Only those who have experienced deliverance can praise. Only those who gain their hearts desire express joy. And this joy isn’t just for a period of time—it is eternal. The people of God—those who are destroyed by the evil, but stick with God throughout the ordeal—will be kept alive by God forever, secure and safe.
This is the promise of Jesus. Not eternal life for everyone who claims Jesus or who loves God. Rather, eternal life for those who suffer and stick with God (Mark 8:34-37; Mark 13:13). God will resurrect those who died suffering for Him. And they will have joy in place of suffering, communion instead of hatred, exaltation instead of humiliation.
All the ends of the earth take note and turn to Yahweh;
The clans of the nations bow down to You.
For the kingdom is Yahweh's
And he rules over the nations.
Not only is this promise for those among Israel, but it is for all who love God, no matter what nation they are of. All peoples will have an opportunity to love God, serve him, and receive of his salvation. They, too, were abused by God’s people and so they will be delivered, if only they trust in Him. And God will give the opportunity.
Jesus, through his suffering, opened up the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not just for those born in the nation of Israel. Many immigrants, many hopeless of all the nations, will be welcomed into God’s people and given an opportunity to live for Him.
All who wallow in the ashes of the earth will eat and bow down;
All who go down to the dust will kneel before Him;
Even he who cannot keep his life alive.
The anawim, however—those who were humiliated and abused because they stayed with God—they are God’s special people. They cannot help themselves, so God will help them. God is there for them and will keep them alive for all time because they worshipped Him in their terror, their destruction, their death. God loves them and keeps them forever.
Their descendents will serve Him;
It will be told of Yahweh to future generations.
And they will come and declare his righteousness
To a people not yet born that He does act.
Not only do these whom God love, the anawim, have a special place before God, but so do their children. The descendents of the anawim will make a new people. This new people will go from generation to generation, praising God for what He has done for their forefathers. They will all remember God’s deliverance, praise him for it, and God’s name will be declared to all the world for the sake of His deliverance.
So, although Psalm 22 begins as a complaint, it ends as a hymn in praise of God’s deliverance. Because God is the God of the anawim, God is the God of deliverance. God is always ready to act, the psalmist declares, and even in the face of death, he proclaims God’s power and love. This is why Jesus quoted Psalm 22 on the cross. Not because he was declaring God’s rejection of him. Just the opposite. He was proclaiming his unity with the anawim, and their resurrection and the beginning of God’s kingdom. Although he only stated a line—as much as he could state during his time of oxygen deprivation—he was referring to the whole. Not just the complaint of the anawim, but the promise of deliverance due to the suffering for the sake of God.
But You O Yahweh, be not distant.
My strength, hasten to my aid.
Deliver my life from the sword
My only life from the dogs power.
Save me from the lion's mouth,
From the horns of the wild oxen deliver me.
The psalmist now, in the most dire of circumstances, cries out to God. Up until this point in the psalm, the psalmist has not actually asked God for help. He complained to God that God hadn’t saved him yet, but he has not asked for help. Now the psalmist is direct in his request. He knows that no one can save him but God. God is his knight on shining armor, his Dudley Doright, coming to save him in the last minute. Before in the psalm, the psalmists enemies are describes as dogs—because they are encircling him—as a lion—because they attack with intent to kill—and as bulls—because of their mauling him. Now he is asking God to deliver him from these three creatures.
I will proclaim Your name to my brothers;
In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.
You who fear Yahweh, praise Him!
All you descendents of Jacob, honor Him!
And stand in awe of Him, all you descendents of Israel.
For He has not spurn or abhor the plight of the anawim
He did not hide His face from him
When he cried out to Him for help, He listened.
From you comes my praise in the great assembly;
I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him.
If God delivers him, the psalmist makes a promise—he will glorify God before his people. Obviously, it is not all of God’s people attacking the psalmist. Perhaps only a select group of leaders. But God always leaves a remnant of people who truly love him and worship him. This remnant is whom the psalmist is really family with—the anawim. The anawim are those who have faced terrible troubles, but still trusted in God through them. Perhaps his own family rejected him, but God has given him one who really love and serve God. And among these people, the anawim will declare his deliverance. They will not be left in the midst of these enemies—delivered to death and torture. No, they will be delivered by God, and able to proclaim God’s true nature.
God is not the God of forsaking—He is the God of deliverance. God pays attention to the innocent and abused, the anawim. He does not leave them alone. Sure, it may seem that God has left the anawim alone for a period of time, but in the end God will save them and punish the ones who destroy his innocent people. The anawim cry out to God, and expect his deliverance. And so, when the deliverance comes, they give praise to God’s name, who acted for them!
The anawim will eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise Yahweh
May your hearts live forever!
These anawim are the true people of God. Yes, they all go through terrible circumstances at times. They are persecuted, they suffer, they are hated, they are torn apart—but God delivers them. And after that deliverance, God gives abundance. They have abundant food, and they are able to praise God. Only those who have experienced deliverance can praise. Only those who gain their hearts desire express joy. And this joy isn’t just for a period of time—it is eternal. The people of God—those who are destroyed by the evil, but stick with God throughout the ordeal—will be kept alive by God forever, secure and safe.
This is the promise of Jesus. Not eternal life for everyone who claims Jesus or who loves God. Rather, eternal life for those who suffer and stick with God (Mark 8:34-37; Mark 13:13). God will resurrect those who died suffering for Him. And they will have joy in place of suffering, communion instead of hatred, exaltation instead of humiliation.
All the ends of the earth take note and turn to Yahweh;
The clans of the nations bow down to You.
For the kingdom is Yahweh's
And he rules over the nations.
Not only is this promise for those among Israel, but it is for all who love God, no matter what nation they are of. All peoples will have an opportunity to love God, serve him, and receive of his salvation. They, too, were abused by God’s people and so they will be delivered, if only they trust in Him. And God will give the opportunity.
Jesus, through his suffering, opened up the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not just for those born in the nation of Israel. Many immigrants, many hopeless of all the nations, will be welcomed into God’s people and given an opportunity to live for Him.
All who wallow in the ashes of the earth will eat and bow down;
All who go down to the dust will kneel before Him;
Even he who cannot keep his life alive.
The anawim, however—those who were humiliated and abused because they stayed with God—they are God’s special people. They cannot help themselves, so God will help them. God is there for them and will keep them alive for all time because they worshipped Him in their terror, their destruction, their death. God loves them and keeps them forever.
Their descendents will serve Him;
It will be told of Yahweh to future generations.
And they will come and declare his righteousness
To a people not yet born that He does act.
Not only do these whom God love, the anawim, have a special place before God, but so do their children. The descendents of the anawim will make a new people. This new people will go from generation to generation, praising God for what He has done for their forefathers. They will all remember God’s deliverance, praise him for it, and God’s name will be declared to all the world for the sake of His deliverance.
So, although Psalm 22 begins as a complaint, it ends as a hymn in praise of God’s deliverance. Because God is the God of the anawim, God is the God of deliverance. God is always ready to act, the psalmist declares, and even in the face of death, he proclaims God’s power and love. This is why Jesus quoted Psalm 22 on the cross. Not because he was declaring God’s rejection of him. Just the opposite. He was proclaiming his unity with the anawim, and their resurrection and the beginning of God’s kingdom. Although he only stated a line—as much as he could state during his time of oxygen deprivation—he was referring to the whole. Not just the complaint of the anawim, but the promise of deliverance due to the suffering for the sake of God.
David and Jesus' Suffering Psalm 22:1-18
For the overseer; According to "The Deer of the Dawn"; A Psalm of David
This is a psalm that is spoken of as being David’s. However, we do not know if it was written by David himself, speaking of one of his times of failure, a psalmist trying to write like David, or a descendent of David. We do know, however, that it is not just speaking of David. It is speaking of whoever finds him or herself in a situation that is described. In the Christian tradition, this psalm is most often related to the death of Jesus. In fact, the description of Jesus’ death in the gospels is closely related to this psalm, beyond all other passages in the Old Testament. This is probably the best prophetic description of Jesus’ death there is.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so distant from delivering me; from my roar?
My God, I cry by day but You do not answer.
By night and there is no rest.
The psalm begins with a complaint to God. The psalmist is in terrible trouble, and continues to cry out to God, but hears nothing from Him. The psalmist is not claiming that God has forsaken him because the psalmist isn’t experiencing a mystical sense of God—rather, he is proclaiming God’s rejection of him because God hasn’t helped him yet. The psalmist is in dire circumstances, being attacked unjustly and God is just doing nothing.
This passage is one of the most famous in the psalms because of Jesus’ declaring the same expression as he was on the cross (Mark 15:34). Some claim that Jesus is declaring his separation from God due to his “becoming sin”. However, the only way that Jesus “became sin” is the same way the psalmist did—he was unjustly hated and destroyed by his fellows. Those who should have honored him, shamed, hated and abused him. He was declared sinful despite his evidence. And, like the psalmist, while Jesus was on the cross, God did nothing. He allowed the evil death sentence be carried out.
Yet You are the Holy One
Enthroned on the praises of Israel.
Our ancestors trusted in You
They trusted and You delivered them
They cried out to You and escaped;
They trusted in You and were not disappointed.
Here, the psalmist remembers the stories of his forefathers in the past. The ancients, such as Jacob, Joseph and Moses, were often in dire circumstances, such as the psalmist, and God was there for them. They waited on God, trusted in Him, and prayed to God—and then God answered. The psalmist then is implying—you did it for them, why not me? If you are the God of deliverance, why haven’t I been delivered?
But I am a worm and not a man
A reproach of men and despised by the people.
All who see me, mock me;
Sneer with the lip and shake with the head.
"Commit yourself to Yahweh-- let Him deliver Him;
Let Him save Him because He cares for him."
The psalmist then answers his own question—he is not delivered because he has been completely rejected by his fellows. The very people who have been delivered by God—they are the ones who have rejected this poor man. He is being so thoroughly rejected by God’s people that he can no longer even call himself human—now he is an insignificant, disgusting, worm. No one would say a good word to him. Everyone who sees him makes fun of him. They know that he claims Yahweh to be his savior—“So” they say, “why isn’t Yahweh delivering you? If God really cared that much about you, then shouldn’t you already be delivered?”
Even so was Jesus rejected and mocked like this. It was God’s own people, given the authority of God to judge sinners among the people, who claimed that Jesus was a blasphemer—claiming to be one who sits next to the throne of God. Crucifixion itself was the indication of the curse of God, and everyone who walked by was to participate in this cursing. The rulers of God’s people came to Jesus and, knowing that the power of God flowed through him, said, “If God’s power is with you, why hasn’t He saved you? Why don’t you come down, by God’s power? Obviously, you are the one cursed by God.” (Matthew 27:42-43; Mark 15:36) Even though Jesus was innocent.
Yet you brought me out from the womb,
Made me secure at my mother's breasts.
From birth I was cast into Your care;
You have been my God from my mother's womb.
Do not be far from me, for trouble is near
And there is no one to help.
The psalmist reminds God now that Yahweh had selected the psalmist, even from birth. The psalmist asks for God’s help now, because the psalmist has depended on Yahweh his whole life, even before he was weaned. Again, the psalmist is wondering why God has left him in this persecution, although he doesn’t deserve it.
Mighty bulls surround me
The mighty of Bashan have encircled me.
They open their mouths against me
Like a tearing, roaring lion.
Now the psalmist returns back to his troubles, speaking of his oppressors. He compares them to bulls—Basham bulls, which were the strongest, most ferocious of the land. He also compares them to lions. These are animals that gore and kill— they are both mutilators. The psalmist is feeling torn apart by his enemies. It is not enough for them to kill him—no, they have to tear his flesh apart, bit by bit, torturing him over a period of time.
This is more literally what happened to Jesus. First he was beat, then he was whipped—with bits of his flesh being torn off of his body. Then he was crucified. Crucifixion is about killing, but more than that, it is lengthening the death as long as possible over an entire day. Crucifixion is death by asphyxiation—slowly cutting off oxegon until the victim, exhausted, ultimately allows himself to be strangled by his own body, unable to pull himself up to breathe anymore.
I am poured out like water;
All my bones give way
My heart is like wax;
Melting within me.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd;
My tongue cleaves to my palate;
You lay me in the dust of death.
The psalmist speaks poetically of his personal experience. He is so fearful, he is emotionally poured out, unable to keep his composure. He trembles and collapses. He is literally dried up, completely dehydrated, because of his fear. His tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth. And he knows this is it—he’s dead.
For dogs surround me
A band of wicked close me in;
They pierced my hands and feet;
I count all my bones
They look, they stare at me.
They divide up my clothes among them
And cast lots for my garments.
And why is the psalmist in this terrible state? Because of his enemies—the so-called “people of God” who are prepared to destroy him. They are closing in, surrounding him, prepared to attack him like a pack of dogs. They have attacked him—beginning with his hands and feet, but it is certain that they do not stop there. Because of the suffering they have already caused him, he can see all of his ribs. They have taken his clothes from him and divide them amongst themselves. So there he is—naked, wounded, tortured, and shamed. So what can be done for him? Will he be delivered by God? Or is God in agreement with the attackers? What will be done? To find out the end, we have to read the rest of the psalm—which we will do next time.
But what has all this to do with Jesus death? What meaning do we get of Jesus’ death in this passage? Jesus’ death was not an attack from God, to pour out God’s wrath on mankind’s sin. Rather, Jesus’ death has to do with human sin and judgment—the fact that people attack the innocent if they get in the way of their own plans or ambitions. But with Jesus, we have a conclusion to the story. Jesus didn’t just die because we were sinners and more focused on the world’s ambition than God’s desire. He died to be resurrected—to establish a new kingdom, a new people, who would be focused on God’s power than on worldly power or pleasure. People who experienced God’s deliverance and are ready to depend on Him for their life—even like the psalmist.
This is a psalm that is spoken of as being David’s. However, we do not know if it was written by David himself, speaking of one of his times of failure, a psalmist trying to write like David, or a descendent of David. We do know, however, that it is not just speaking of David. It is speaking of whoever finds him or herself in a situation that is described. In the Christian tradition, this psalm is most often related to the death of Jesus. In fact, the description of Jesus’ death in the gospels is closely related to this psalm, beyond all other passages in the Old Testament. This is probably the best prophetic description of Jesus’ death there is.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so distant from delivering me; from my roar?
My God, I cry by day but You do not answer.
By night and there is no rest.
The psalm begins with a complaint to God. The psalmist is in terrible trouble, and continues to cry out to God, but hears nothing from Him. The psalmist is not claiming that God has forsaken him because the psalmist isn’t experiencing a mystical sense of God—rather, he is proclaiming God’s rejection of him because God hasn’t helped him yet. The psalmist is in dire circumstances, being attacked unjustly and God is just doing nothing.
This passage is one of the most famous in the psalms because of Jesus’ declaring the same expression as he was on the cross (Mark 15:34). Some claim that Jesus is declaring his separation from God due to his “becoming sin”. However, the only way that Jesus “became sin” is the same way the psalmist did—he was unjustly hated and destroyed by his fellows. Those who should have honored him, shamed, hated and abused him. He was declared sinful despite his evidence. And, like the psalmist, while Jesus was on the cross, God did nothing. He allowed the evil death sentence be carried out.
Yet You are the Holy One
Enthroned on the praises of Israel.
Our ancestors trusted in You
They trusted and You delivered them
They cried out to You and escaped;
They trusted in You and were not disappointed.
Here, the psalmist remembers the stories of his forefathers in the past. The ancients, such as Jacob, Joseph and Moses, were often in dire circumstances, such as the psalmist, and God was there for them. They waited on God, trusted in Him, and prayed to God—and then God answered. The psalmist then is implying—you did it for them, why not me? If you are the God of deliverance, why haven’t I been delivered?
But I am a worm and not a man
A reproach of men and despised by the people.
All who see me, mock me;
Sneer with the lip and shake with the head.
"Commit yourself to Yahweh-- let Him deliver Him;
Let Him save Him because He cares for him."
The psalmist then answers his own question—he is not delivered because he has been completely rejected by his fellows. The very people who have been delivered by God—they are the ones who have rejected this poor man. He is being so thoroughly rejected by God’s people that he can no longer even call himself human—now he is an insignificant, disgusting, worm. No one would say a good word to him. Everyone who sees him makes fun of him. They know that he claims Yahweh to be his savior—“So” they say, “why isn’t Yahweh delivering you? If God really cared that much about you, then shouldn’t you already be delivered?”
Even so was Jesus rejected and mocked like this. It was God’s own people, given the authority of God to judge sinners among the people, who claimed that Jesus was a blasphemer—claiming to be one who sits next to the throne of God. Crucifixion itself was the indication of the curse of God, and everyone who walked by was to participate in this cursing. The rulers of God’s people came to Jesus and, knowing that the power of God flowed through him, said, “If God’s power is with you, why hasn’t He saved you? Why don’t you come down, by God’s power? Obviously, you are the one cursed by God.” (Matthew 27:42-43; Mark 15:36) Even though Jesus was innocent.
Yet you brought me out from the womb,
Made me secure at my mother's breasts.
From birth I was cast into Your care;
You have been my God from my mother's womb.
Do not be far from me, for trouble is near
And there is no one to help.
The psalmist reminds God now that Yahweh had selected the psalmist, even from birth. The psalmist asks for God’s help now, because the psalmist has depended on Yahweh his whole life, even before he was weaned. Again, the psalmist is wondering why God has left him in this persecution, although he doesn’t deserve it.
Mighty bulls surround me
The mighty of Bashan have encircled me.
They open their mouths against me
Like a tearing, roaring lion.
Now the psalmist returns back to his troubles, speaking of his oppressors. He compares them to bulls—Basham bulls, which were the strongest, most ferocious of the land. He also compares them to lions. These are animals that gore and kill— they are both mutilators. The psalmist is feeling torn apart by his enemies. It is not enough for them to kill him—no, they have to tear his flesh apart, bit by bit, torturing him over a period of time.
This is more literally what happened to Jesus. First he was beat, then he was whipped—with bits of his flesh being torn off of his body. Then he was crucified. Crucifixion is about killing, but more than that, it is lengthening the death as long as possible over an entire day. Crucifixion is death by asphyxiation—slowly cutting off oxegon until the victim, exhausted, ultimately allows himself to be strangled by his own body, unable to pull himself up to breathe anymore.
I am poured out like water;
All my bones give way
My heart is like wax;
Melting within me.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd;
My tongue cleaves to my palate;
You lay me in the dust of death.
The psalmist speaks poetically of his personal experience. He is so fearful, he is emotionally poured out, unable to keep his composure. He trembles and collapses. He is literally dried up, completely dehydrated, because of his fear. His tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth. And he knows this is it—he’s dead.
For dogs surround me
A band of wicked close me in;
They pierced my hands and feet;
I count all my bones
They look, they stare at me.
They divide up my clothes among them
And cast lots for my garments.
And why is the psalmist in this terrible state? Because of his enemies—the so-called “people of God” who are prepared to destroy him. They are closing in, surrounding him, prepared to attack him like a pack of dogs. They have attacked him—beginning with his hands and feet, but it is certain that they do not stop there. Because of the suffering they have already caused him, he can see all of his ribs. They have taken his clothes from him and divide them amongst themselves. So there he is—naked, wounded, tortured, and shamed. So what can be done for him? Will he be delivered by God? Or is God in agreement with the attackers? What will be done? To find out the end, we have to read the rest of the psalm—which we will do next time.
But what has all this to do with Jesus death? What meaning do we get of Jesus’ death in this passage? Jesus’ death was not an attack from God, to pour out God’s wrath on mankind’s sin. Rather, Jesus’ death has to do with human sin and judgment—the fact that people attack the innocent if they get in the way of their own plans or ambitions. But with Jesus, we have a conclusion to the story. Jesus didn’t just die because we were sinners and more focused on the world’s ambition than God’s desire. He died to be resurrected—to establish a new kingdom, a new people, who would be focused on God’s power than on worldly power or pleasure. People who experienced God’s deliverance and are ready to depend on Him for their life—even like the psalmist.
Expanding Glory Psalm 19
For the music director. A Psalm of David
Psalm 19 is known widely to be the psalm with two themes: God’s creation and God’s word. Some think that the psalm is actually two songs put together. Not only are there two themes, but two styles, and two different names of God that are used differently in the two sections. Yet someone, at sometime, saw the similarity between these two different themes and determined that they were richer and more descriptive together.
The Heavens’ Glory and God’s
The heavens declare the glory of God
And the sky speaks of his handiwork.
Day to day utters speech
Night to night declares knowledge
With no language and no words;
With no sound of their voice.
Their cries go forth throughout the earth,
Their words to the end of the world.
The psalmist looks at the sky—its vastness, its depth, its ever-moving lights—and he says, “However amazing this is, its Creator must be more amazing.” Just the fact that the day and night sky can be in turn both beautiful and awe-inspiring, both fearsome and marvelous communicates something to us as to the nature of God. The unspoken assumption of this verse is that God is the creator of all that we see in the sky. And since is creation is worthy of being analyzed on the one hand and the subject of inspiration on the other, then the Creator of such a magnificent canvas on which is placed such colors and drama—the entire universe—must be at least equally worthy of honor.
The Sun’s Glory and God’s
He placed a tent for the sun in them,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his marriage tent
He rejoices like a champion to run his course.
His starting point is at the end of heaven,
And his circuit reaches the other end,
And nothing is sheltered from his heat.
Now the psalmist narrows his focus onto one luminary in the heaven—the glorious sun. In the psalmist’s day, the sun was considered a god, and even in the Bible, the sun is seen as a power that rules the daytime sky (Genesis 1:16). In this section of the psalm, the sun is actually being praised for its power and glory. It is compared to a newlywed on the morning of his consummated marriage. It is compared to a powerful Olympic runner who daily runs his race across heaven daily. And it speaks of its pervasive influence on every square inch of the earth. Yet, ultimately, the glory of the sun, the power is simply God’s—for God gave him the power, gave him the light, gave him the heat, gave him his place in the universe. Thus, the glory of the sun’s is, quite frankly, God’s.
The Perfection of God’s Command
The law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving the heart.
The precepts of Yahweh is clear, making wise the simple.
The directives of Yahweh are just, rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of Yahweh is clear, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever.
The judgments of Yahweh are true, righteous altogether.
More desirable than gold, than much fine gold
Sweeter than honey, from the drippings of the comb
But as great, as powerful, as glorious as the sun is, as amazing as the universe and sky are, even greater are the commands of God. When the psalmist speaks of the law (or “Torah”), it is not only speaking of the commands that Moses proclaimed, but also the moral stories of the Bible, all of which teach God’s desire for humanity, especially for his people. God’s universe is marvelous, but God’s Torah is perfect. God’s sun shows how powerful God is, but God’s commands show how God can rejuvenate a person and lead them into a life of maturity and joy. Studying the stars has much value—but studying God’s law can lead one to a complete life.
The Purification of God’s Servant
By them your servant is warned;
In obeying them there is much reward.
Who can discern their errors?
Absolve me from unintended faults.
Keep your servant from willful sins--
Let them not rule over me
Then I shall be blameless
Free from great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth
And the meditations of my heart
Be acceptable in your sight,
O Yahweh, my rock and my Redeemer.
In comparison to God’s law, the servant of God realizes how far he must go to be right in God’s sight. Sometimes the law is frustrating when we realize just how powerless we are to accomplish God’s perfection. None of us are without fault before God. All of us have hidden sins and even evils we had no idea were evil. But the frustration we feel in studying God’s commands are not to keep us apart from God, but to help us cry out to God, even as the psalmist does. We are to realize our helplessness and to seek out God. God help us! God, purify us! Make us one with your law, so that we might accomplish the greater work you have chosen to be greater than your whole universe!
It is not enough for God’s glory to be displayed in the heavens;
We must expand that glory by living out God’s word!
Psalm 19 is known widely to be the psalm with two themes: God’s creation and God’s word. Some think that the psalm is actually two songs put together. Not only are there two themes, but two styles, and two different names of God that are used differently in the two sections. Yet someone, at sometime, saw the similarity between these two different themes and determined that they were richer and more descriptive together.
The Heavens’ Glory and God’s
The heavens declare the glory of God
And the sky speaks of his handiwork.
Day to day utters speech
Night to night declares knowledge
With no language and no words;
With no sound of their voice.
Their cries go forth throughout the earth,
Their words to the end of the world.
The psalmist looks at the sky—its vastness, its depth, its ever-moving lights—and he says, “However amazing this is, its Creator must be more amazing.” Just the fact that the day and night sky can be in turn both beautiful and awe-inspiring, both fearsome and marvelous communicates something to us as to the nature of God. The unspoken assumption of this verse is that God is the creator of all that we see in the sky. And since is creation is worthy of being analyzed on the one hand and the subject of inspiration on the other, then the Creator of such a magnificent canvas on which is placed such colors and drama—the entire universe—must be at least equally worthy of honor.
The Sun’s Glory and God’s
He placed a tent for the sun in them,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his marriage tent
He rejoices like a champion to run his course.
His starting point is at the end of heaven,
And his circuit reaches the other end,
And nothing is sheltered from his heat.
Now the psalmist narrows his focus onto one luminary in the heaven—the glorious sun. In the psalmist’s day, the sun was considered a god, and even in the Bible, the sun is seen as a power that rules the daytime sky (Genesis 1:16). In this section of the psalm, the sun is actually being praised for its power and glory. It is compared to a newlywed on the morning of his consummated marriage. It is compared to a powerful Olympic runner who daily runs his race across heaven daily. And it speaks of its pervasive influence on every square inch of the earth. Yet, ultimately, the glory of the sun, the power is simply God’s—for God gave him the power, gave him the light, gave him the heat, gave him his place in the universe. Thus, the glory of the sun’s is, quite frankly, God’s.
The Perfection of God’s Command
The law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving the heart.
The precepts of Yahweh is clear, making wise the simple.
The directives of Yahweh are just, rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of Yahweh is clear, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever.
The judgments of Yahweh are true, righteous altogether.
More desirable than gold, than much fine gold
Sweeter than honey, from the drippings of the comb
But as great, as powerful, as glorious as the sun is, as amazing as the universe and sky are, even greater are the commands of God. When the psalmist speaks of the law (or “Torah”), it is not only speaking of the commands that Moses proclaimed, but also the moral stories of the Bible, all of which teach God’s desire for humanity, especially for his people. God’s universe is marvelous, but God’s Torah is perfect. God’s sun shows how powerful God is, but God’s commands show how God can rejuvenate a person and lead them into a life of maturity and joy. Studying the stars has much value—but studying God’s law can lead one to a complete life.
The Purification of God’s Servant
By them your servant is warned;
In obeying them there is much reward.
Who can discern their errors?
Absolve me from unintended faults.
Keep your servant from willful sins--
Let them not rule over me
Then I shall be blameless
Free from great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth
And the meditations of my heart
Be acceptable in your sight,
O Yahweh, my rock and my Redeemer.
In comparison to God’s law, the servant of God realizes how far he must go to be right in God’s sight. Sometimes the law is frustrating when we realize just how powerless we are to accomplish God’s perfection. None of us are without fault before God. All of us have hidden sins and even evils we had no idea were evil. But the frustration we feel in studying God’s commands are not to keep us apart from God, but to help us cry out to God, even as the psalmist does. We are to realize our helplessness and to seek out God. God help us! God, purify us! Make us one with your law, so that we might accomplish the greater work you have chosen to be greater than your whole universe!
It is not enough for God’s glory to be displayed in the heavens;
We must expand that glory by living out God’s word!
The Life In God Psalm 15
A Psalm of David
Some psalms are simply sermons. They can be short, or long, but they have a point that they are trying to bring. This psalm almost certainly was written by David because it speaks of God’s sanctuary as being on a hill, but in a tent. This was the situation all throughout David’s reign as king, but his son Solomon built the temple so the sanctuary would no longer need to be in a tent.
O Yahweh, who will abide in your tent?
Who may live on your holy mount?
The basic question of this psalm is who can live before God. This, we would think, is a question that is very much of concern to priests and pastors, but it is an important question for all of us. After all, we are all, in Jesus, to be priests, to be saints, to be people able at any time to go before God and ask Him according to our needs. But this psalm assumes that some people can go and pray and some people cannot. The rest of the psalm speaks of who can rightfully go before God and expect Him to listen to their request.
He who walks blamelessly
And does what is right
Often we hear that the one who is right before God is the one who prays a certain prayer or who worships a certain way. But the psalmist—in fact, the entire Bible—says that it is the person who lives a certain life that God welcomes into his presence. God hates people who think they are good because of the way they worship, but do not have justice in their lives. God despises people who think that the way they pray gives them the right to be heard. Rather, God is looking for people who will live the life that He requires. Christianity, the right religion, has to do with right living, not with one’s attitude or one’s words before God. To live before God is to live God’s life.
But what kind of life does God require? Keep reading…
And speaks truth from his heart.
Whose tongue does not slander
The God-pleaser is one who is careful about what he or she says. The person who is careless about their speech, who says evil things about others because it is what they were feeling at the time—they will not be right before God. The person who is always speaking evil of others is not right before God. But the one who always speaks the truth, and only the truth that is merciful and necessary—that is the holy, godly person. The person with merciful integrity is the one who walks with God.
Who has not done wrong to his fellow
Who has not lifted up reproach against his neighbor
The God-pleaser is the one who goes out of his or her way not to harm another person. The God-liver is the one who doesn’t bring up evil things about another person to get them in trouble. Also, when they act, they do what is good for another person, not causing harm from negligence or anger. The person with careful, loving actions is the one who walks with God.
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised
But he honors those who fear Yahweh
The God-pleaser is the one who discerns others correctly. They know who the people are who despise God and his ways, and rightfully stays away from those people. They don’t want to do the God-hater evil, but they don’t encourage them in their evil lifestyle. But these righteous do go out of their way to say positive things about those who seek God and want to please Him. The person who acts appropriately with others, according to their godliness, is the one who walks with God.
He swears to his own hurt
And is steadfast
The God-pleaser is the one who makes sure he or she keeps the promises they make. They make a promise that is painful for them to make, that is a sacrifice. They do it to help a friend, to be seen as someone who is willing to help another, no matter what it costs to themselves. But not only that, they don’t back out of the promise when it is just too inconvenient. They follow through on the difficult promise they made. The person who makes sacrifices and follows through is the one who walks with God.
He does not lend his money at interest
Nor take a bribe against the innocent.
The God pleaser doesn’t take advantage of another’s need. A person might need to borrow money or might need some help—the righteous one doesn’t seek to take advantage of them just because they need help. Nor do they allow someone else’s misfortune just because they could make a profit off of it. The person who isn’t a poverty pimp, that is the one who walks with God.
The one who does these things will never be shaken.
The God-pleaser, the one who walks with God, the one who lives the life that is pleasing to God—that person has the support of God. No matter what tragedies strike their lives, no matter how many difficulties they have to face, God is there for them and will help them. God will always listen to their cries and assist them. Blessed is the one who lives the life of God.
Some psalms are simply sermons. They can be short, or long, but they have a point that they are trying to bring. This psalm almost certainly was written by David because it speaks of God’s sanctuary as being on a hill, but in a tent. This was the situation all throughout David’s reign as king, but his son Solomon built the temple so the sanctuary would no longer need to be in a tent.
O Yahweh, who will abide in your tent?
Who may live on your holy mount?
The basic question of this psalm is who can live before God. This, we would think, is a question that is very much of concern to priests and pastors, but it is an important question for all of us. After all, we are all, in Jesus, to be priests, to be saints, to be people able at any time to go before God and ask Him according to our needs. But this psalm assumes that some people can go and pray and some people cannot. The rest of the psalm speaks of who can rightfully go before God and expect Him to listen to their request.
He who walks blamelessly
And does what is right
Often we hear that the one who is right before God is the one who prays a certain prayer or who worships a certain way. But the psalmist—in fact, the entire Bible—says that it is the person who lives a certain life that God welcomes into his presence. God hates people who think they are good because of the way they worship, but do not have justice in their lives. God despises people who think that the way they pray gives them the right to be heard. Rather, God is looking for people who will live the life that He requires. Christianity, the right religion, has to do with right living, not with one’s attitude or one’s words before God. To live before God is to live God’s life.
But what kind of life does God require? Keep reading…
And speaks truth from his heart.
Whose tongue does not slander
The God-pleaser is one who is careful about what he or she says. The person who is careless about their speech, who says evil things about others because it is what they were feeling at the time—they will not be right before God. The person who is always speaking evil of others is not right before God. But the one who always speaks the truth, and only the truth that is merciful and necessary—that is the holy, godly person. The person with merciful integrity is the one who walks with God.
Who has not done wrong to his fellow
Who has not lifted up reproach against his neighbor
The God-pleaser is the one who goes out of his or her way not to harm another person. The God-liver is the one who doesn’t bring up evil things about another person to get them in trouble. Also, when they act, they do what is good for another person, not causing harm from negligence or anger. The person with careful, loving actions is the one who walks with God.
In whose eyes a reprobate is despised
But he honors those who fear Yahweh
The God-pleaser is the one who discerns others correctly. They know who the people are who despise God and his ways, and rightfully stays away from those people. They don’t want to do the God-hater evil, but they don’t encourage them in their evil lifestyle. But these righteous do go out of their way to say positive things about those who seek God and want to please Him. The person who acts appropriately with others, according to their godliness, is the one who walks with God.
He swears to his own hurt
And is steadfast
The God-pleaser is the one who makes sure he or she keeps the promises they make. They make a promise that is painful for them to make, that is a sacrifice. They do it to help a friend, to be seen as someone who is willing to help another, no matter what it costs to themselves. But not only that, they don’t back out of the promise when it is just too inconvenient. They follow through on the difficult promise they made. The person who makes sacrifices and follows through is the one who walks with God.
He does not lend his money at interest
Nor take a bribe against the innocent.
The God pleaser doesn’t take advantage of another’s need. A person might need to borrow money or might need some help—the righteous one doesn’t seek to take advantage of them just because they need help. Nor do they allow someone else’s misfortune just because they could make a profit off of it. The person who isn’t a poverty pimp, that is the one who walks with God.
The one who does these things will never be shaken.
The God-pleaser, the one who walks with God, the one who lives the life that is pleasing to God—that person has the support of God. No matter what tragedies strike their lives, no matter how many difficulties they have to face, God is there for them and will help them. God will always listen to their cries and assist them. Blessed is the one who lives the life of God.
Poverty Pimps Psalm 12
For the director; on the Sheminith. A psalm of David.
Help, Yahweh.
The simplest, most direct prayer in the Bible is “help”. To call on God for assistance is the basis of prayer. It is a recognition that all is not well in the world, and God himself sorrows over it. It is a recognition of the power of God, and His ability to change things when we cannot. And it is dependence on the Only One who can make all things right. When everything is going wrong, when everything is destruction and horror, all we can do is to cry out to God for help, without fancy words, without elaborate speeches. Simply “help”.
There is no longer any godly;
The faithful have disappeared from humanity.
They speak lies to each other
They have flattering lips
And they speak with a double heart
The psalmist cries to God because the whole world is evil. Perhaps this isn’t so insightful, as the world has been evil from an early time. But the evil that the world is consumed by is an insidious evil, a deceptive wickedness where everyone thinks that good is being done to them, but really it is the deepest wickedness. Hypocrisy is no longer for a few Pharisees, but a way of life for the majority of the world. Everyone feels that they “must” lie, from white lies to whoppers, from small boasts to great deceits. Everyone exaggerates, elongates, extrapolates. Not just for the entertainment of it, the pleasure of a shared knowledge of untruth, but a lie to deceive, a fib to lead astray. They do it to protect themselves, to get something from someone else, to hope in the hopeless in order to obtain profit for oneself.
May Yahweh cut off all smooth talkers
The tongue that speaks boastfully.
They that say, "By our tongue we succeed.
Our lips are our own;
Who is lord over us?"
Why must they lie and deceive? Because it works. It gets them what they want. Through successful lies, one gains employment, one obtains a better salary and gains the higher profit. In a world that honors the one ultimately self-interested, the best liar is the most successful. And why not? To tell the truth is for the one who believes in God. But the liar is the one—no matter how much lip service they give—who, in their heart of hearts, does not believe that God will judge them. For they can speak without any consequence, and all that they obtain will be theirs forever.
"For the plundered poor
For the groaning needy
Now I will arise," says Yahweh
"I will give him the safety which he longs for."
God draws himself up to bring justice, to judge the hypocrites. Why? Not because the hypocrites attack other hypocrites. If the liars gain profit from liars, then who is truly harmed? It is just a game that the most successful liar will win. But it is not the liars that lose out—it is the poor. The most successful liars either directly or ultimately take advantage of the poor. The banks who claim that they make profit through “free checking” by establishing fees that deliberately target the poor. The loan companies that say that they will give a “fare rate” and strip the poor of what little earnings they have. The supermarkets that claim a great sale on the very things the poor would use to fill out their stomachs, but never on the basics that they actually need. The churches and organizations that claim to be helping the poor, but just degrade them and condemn them for not living up to middle class standards. These hypocrites, these liars will be judged by God, simply because they harm the poor by their lies.
The words of Yahweh are pure;
Silver refined in an earthen furnace
Purified sevenfold.
You, Yahweh, will protect them
You will guard each one from this generation forever.
The aspect of God that is least spoken about in modern theology, but most affirmed in the Bible is God’s faithfulness. God would never make a promise and fail to keep it. He does not claim one thing and grant another. God is completely honest, completely true. So, if he says he will be there for the poor, to defend them against the hypocrites, the secret haters of the poor, He will. Thus, hypocrites beware! God is on the side of the poor, so should you destroy the poor with your lies, God will destroy you.
The wicked strut about on every side
When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.
Despite this warning, the evil continue their attempts. They exult in their duplicity. They glory in their vileness. They don’t care who sees their shame, for they see it as success, as something to be trumpeted, to be praised by all humanity. And yes, they are praised. They make the Fortune 500, the top business lists. But their day is coming. God will not allow them to be honored forever. They are being raised up, just so that their fall would be harder.
Help, Yahweh.
The simplest, most direct prayer in the Bible is “help”. To call on God for assistance is the basis of prayer. It is a recognition that all is not well in the world, and God himself sorrows over it. It is a recognition of the power of God, and His ability to change things when we cannot. And it is dependence on the Only One who can make all things right. When everything is going wrong, when everything is destruction and horror, all we can do is to cry out to God for help, without fancy words, without elaborate speeches. Simply “help”.
There is no longer any godly;
The faithful have disappeared from humanity.
They speak lies to each other
They have flattering lips
And they speak with a double heart
The psalmist cries to God because the whole world is evil. Perhaps this isn’t so insightful, as the world has been evil from an early time. But the evil that the world is consumed by is an insidious evil, a deceptive wickedness where everyone thinks that good is being done to them, but really it is the deepest wickedness. Hypocrisy is no longer for a few Pharisees, but a way of life for the majority of the world. Everyone feels that they “must” lie, from white lies to whoppers, from small boasts to great deceits. Everyone exaggerates, elongates, extrapolates. Not just for the entertainment of it, the pleasure of a shared knowledge of untruth, but a lie to deceive, a fib to lead astray. They do it to protect themselves, to get something from someone else, to hope in the hopeless in order to obtain profit for oneself.
May Yahweh cut off all smooth talkers
The tongue that speaks boastfully.
They that say, "By our tongue we succeed.
Our lips are our own;
Who is lord over us?"
Why must they lie and deceive? Because it works. It gets them what they want. Through successful lies, one gains employment, one obtains a better salary and gains the higher profit. In a world that honors the one ultimately self-interested, the best liar is the most successful. And why not? To tell the truth is for the one who believes in God. But the liar is the one—no matter how much lip service they give—who, in their heart of hearts, does not believe that God will judge them. For they can speak without any consequence, and all that they obtain will be theirs forever.
"For the plundered poor
For the groaning needy
Now I will arise," says Yahweh
"I will give him the safety which he longs for."
God draws himself up to bring justice, to judge the hypocrites. Why? Not because the hypocrites attack other hypocrites. If the liars gain profit from liars, then who is truly harmed? It is just a game that the most successful liar will win. But it is not the liars that lose out—it is the poor. The most successful liars either directly or ultimately take advantage of the poor. The banks who claim that they make profit through “free checking” by establishing fees that deliberately target the poor. The loan companies that say that they will give a “fare rate” and strip the poor of what little earnings they have. The supermarkets that claim a great sale on the very things the poor would use to fill out their stomachs, but never on the basics that they actually need. The churches and organizations that claim to be helping the poor, but just degrade them and condemn them for not living up to middle class standards. These hypocrites, these liars will be judged by God, simply because they harm the poor by their lies.
The words of Yahweh are pure;
Silver refined in an earthen furnace
Purified sevenfold.
You, Yahweh, will protect them
You will guard each one from this generation forever.
The aspect of God that is least spoken about in modern theology, but most affirmed in the Bible is God’s faithfulness. God would never make a promise and fail to keep it. He does not claim one thing and grant another. God is completely honest, completely true. So, if he says he will be there for the poor, to defend them against the hypocrites, the secret haters of the poor, He will. Thus, hypocrites beware! God is on the side of the poor, so should you destroy the poor with your lies, God will destroy you.
The wicked strut about on every side
When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.
Despite this warning, the evil continue their attempts. They exult in their duplicity. They glory in their vileness. They don’t care who sees their shame, for they see it as success, as something to be trumpeted, to be praised by all humanity. And yes, they are praised. They make the Fortune 500, the top business lists. But their day is coming. God will not allow them to be honored forever. They are being raised up, just so that their fall would be harder.
Hitting Bottom: A Prayer Psalm 6
For the music director, with stringed instruments, on the Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
We have all made mistakes, some small and some big. But some of us have a whole life characterized by mistakes. And eventually those mistakes catch up with us and attack our very body. This attack is not unforeseen—people have been telling us for years that if we live this way, we will eventually die. Then we realize that death is imminent. Our time has come. And we ask, “Is it too late? Can I turn back to God now, at this late hour? Will God give me life, although I deserve death?”
O Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger
Nor chastise me in your wrath.
Show me mercy, Yahweh, for I waste away;
Heal me, Yahweh, for my bones are shaking in terror.
My soul is utterly frightened.
The psalmist is terribly ill, chronically sick. His whole body is breaking down, wasting away, he can hardly lift his head. Yet, at the same time, he recognizes that this illness is his own fault. He was the one who acted in opposition to God’s plan, and so the illness is a result of his own sin, his own rejection of God’s instruction. He wishes so much that he could change his past—but it’s too late. What’s done is done and now his body is being eaten alive from within.
Many of us have lived in lifestyles of addiction, doing that which we knew would destroy us. We have lived lives of sexual freedom, drugs, alcohol, violence or hatred. Yes, we knew that it would destroy us, but to live such a life seemed like freedom, like joy that we felt we could never experience in limitations. But now we know the consequence of our actions. Every action we do has results, either good or bad. And as our bodies fail, our muscles weaken and our minds falter, we can now see that our choices were not freedom, but foolish short-sightedness. Now we are scared—will God give us the ultimate punishment because of our rebellion?
As for you, Yahweh, how long?
Return, Yahweh, deliver me!
Save me because of your faithful love.
In death there is no remembrance of You
In Sheol, who will give You thanks?
In the midst of this self-blame, the psalmist asks for God’s deliverance. His sickness is a slavery, and God is the one who delivers from slavery. Even as he saved the children of Israel, even in their rebellion, will He not also deliver me? Of course he will. The psalmist reminds God of His faithfulness. You promised to forgive, Lord! You promised to stop judgment if I would turn to You! Even so, at any time we can turn to God and ask for deliverance, for healing. He will not fail to listen. No matter what kind of evil we have done, God is there for us if only we would say, “Please forgive me.”
And if we make an agreement with God, God will fulfill his side. God is faithful and merciful. He doesn’t stick to a harsh sentence if we ask for pardon. After all, the psalmist reminds God, if you send me to hell, then I will not be there to honor You. Death is full of silence and emptiness—“Please,” he cries, “give me life and I will praise You!” Only if we experience God’s deliverance from death can we give Him glory.
I am exhausted with my groaning
I flood my bed each night
I drench my couch with tears.
My eye is worn out in grief
It becomes weak because of my adversaries.
The psalmist turns back to his agony. He groans in pain and sorrow. He is up all night, crying. He is weeping because of his illness. His sleep is punctuated by vomit and shit. He is terribly sick and in horrific pain. But not only is he crying out about his illness, but also in regret. He cries to God for delieverence and for repentance.
Then he looks around. His friends surround him. Yes, they are concerned about him. Yes, they care about him. But they have never cared about him as much as their own pleasures, their own desperate needs. Who are these people? Are they really his friends, ready to support him in his need? Or are they actually his enemies, looking to draw him back into the very sin that brought him to this sorry state? Do they love him or do they want to use him? Suddenly, with a realization of insight, they never loved him. They are not his friends, but his enemies.
Get away, all who do evil
For Yahweh heard the voice of my weeping
Yahweh has heard my petition
Yahweh accepts my prayer.
All my enemies will be shamed and will panic
They will turn back,
They will be instantly ashamed.
The psalmist turns on his so-called “friends” and recognize them as the people who are destroying him. Some of these oppressors are spirits—demons tempting him to do evil, to destroy himself in pleasure and forgetfulness. Some of these oppressors are human, always calling him to join them in their excesses, drawing him into the path of sickness and death.
“Get away from me,” he cries. Sure, the life he led was his own choice, but these people, these spirits have continually drawn him back, even when they seem to be caring about him the most. Now he realizes that if God is going to give him freedom—true freedom, freedom from sickness, freedom from the consequences of his sin, God will also give him freedom from these who drew him away from God.
These enemies, the psalmist understands now, are headed to destruction, just as he was. God will lead them into sickness, into death, and if they do not repent they too will be eaten alive by judgment, by remorse. The psalmist no longer wants to live that life, but to live in God. So he separates himself from his previous friends. Not because he hates them, but because he no longer wants the results of the life they live.
We have all made mistakes, some small and some big. But some of us have a whole life characterized by mistakes. And eventually those mistakes catch up with us and attack our very body. This attack is not unforeseen—people have been telling us for years that if we live this way, we will eventually die. Then we realize that death is imminent. Our time has come. And we ask, “Is it too late? Can I turn back to God now, at this late hour? Will God give me life, although I deserve death?”
O Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger
Nor chastise me in your wrath.
Show me mercy, Yahweh, for I waste away;
Heal me, Yahweh, for my bones are shaking in terror.
My soul is utterly frightened.
The psalmist is terribly ill, chronically sick. His whole body is breaking down, wasting away, he can hardly lift his head. Yet, at the same time, he recognizes that this illness is his own fault. He was the one who acted in opposition to God’s plan, and so the illness is a result of his own sin, his own rejection of God’s instruction. He wishes so much that he could change his past—but it’s too late. What’s done is done and now his body is being eaten alive from within.
Many of us have lived in lifestyles of addiction, doing that which we knew would destroy us. We have lived lives of sexual freedom, drugs, alcohol, violence or hatred. Yes, we knew that it would destroy us, but to live such a life seemed like freedom, like joy that we felt we could never experience in limitations. But now we know the consequence of our actions. Every action we do has results, either good or bad. And as our bodies fail, our muscles weaken and our minds falter, we can now see that our choices were not freedom, but foolish short-sightedness. Now we are scared—will God give us the ultimate punishment because of our rebellion?
As for you, Yahweh, how long?
Return, Yahweh, deliver me!
Save me because of your faithful love.
In death there is no remembrance of You
In Sheol, who will give You thanks?
In the midst of this self-blame, the psalmist asks for God’s deliverance. His sickness is a slavery, and God is the one who delivers from slavery. Even as he saved the children of Israel, even in their rebellion, will He not also deliver me? Of course he will. The psalmist reminds God of His faithfulness. You promised to forgive, Lord! You promised to stop judgment if I would turn to You! Even so, at any time we can turn to God and ask for deliverance, for healing. He will not fail to listen. No matter what kind of evil we have done, God is there for us if only we would say, “Please forgive me.”
And if we make an agreement with God, God will fulfill his side. God is faithful and merciful. He doesn’t stick to a harsh sentence if we ask for pardon. After all, the psalmist reminds God, if you send me to hell, then I will not be there to honor You. Death is full of silence and emptiness—“Please,” he cries, “give me life and I will praise You!” Only if we experience God’s deliverance from death can we give Him glory.
I am exhausted with my groaning
I flood my bed each night
I drench my couch with tears.
My eye is worn out in grief
It becomes weak because of my adversaries.
The psalmist turns back to his agony. He groans in pain and sorrow. He is up all night, crying. He is weeping because of his illness. His sleep is punctuated by vomit and shit. He is terribly sick and in horrific pain. But not only is he crying out about his illness, but also in regret. He cries to God for delieverence and for repentance.
Then he looks around. His friends surround him. Yes, they are concerned about him. Yes, they care about him. But they have never cared about him as much as their own pleasures, their own desperate needs. Who are these people? Are they really his friends, ready to support him in his need? Or are they actually his enemies, looking to draw him back into the very sin that brought him to this sorry state? Do they love him or do they want to use him? Suddenly, with a realization of insight, they never loved him. They are not his friends, but his enemies.
Get away, all who do evil
For Yahweh heard the voice of my weeping
Yahweh has heard my petition
Yahweh accepts my prayer.
All my enemies will be shamed and will panic
They will turn back,
They will be instantly ashamed.
The psalmist turns on his so-called “friends” and recognize them as the people who are destroying him. Some of these oppressors are spirits—demons tempting him to do evil, to destroy himself in pleasure and forgetfulness. Some of these oppressors are human, always calling him to join them in their excesses, drawing him into the path of sickness and death.
“Get away from me,” he cries. Sure, the life he led was his own choice, but these people, these spirits have continually drawn him back, even when they seem to be caring about him the most. Now he realizes that if God is going to give him freedom—true freedom, freedom from sickness, freedom from the consequences of his sin, God will also give him freedom from these who drew him away from God.
These enemies, the psalmist understands now, are headed to destruction, just as he was. God will lead them into sickness, into death, and if they do not repent they too will be eaten alive by judgment, by remorse. The psalmist no longer wants to live that life, but to live in God. So he separates himself from his previous friends. Not because he hates them, but because he no longer wants the results of the life they live.
Terror and Trust Psalm 3
Fleeing From Absalom
A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.
This psalm is given a context of David crying out to God when his son had rebelled against him. At this time in David’s life, not only did his son reject and battle against him, but a good portion of his own nation, whom he had protected and ruled over justly for many years, rebelled against him and tried to kick him out of his kingship. It was a completely unjust act against a ruler who had done what was right to his people.
It is possible that this psalm was not actually written during that time, but was written to be stated in that context. There is nothing in the psalm that indicates the context, and is actually a prayer that could be used in many different situations.
My Enemies Have Increased
O Yahweh, how my enemies have increased!
Many rise up against me!
Many are saying of my soul, "There is no deliverance from God for him." (Selah)
Everyone has enemies. Perhaps we may not know who they are, but at the least there are people who avoid us or say nasty things about us behind our backs. But the psalmist is not speaking of a time when we feel bad that we have enemies at all, but the enemies that hate us have gotten bolder and have accumulated more comrades who will attack us with them. Then, not only do they speak against us, but they also say that God is opposed to us as well. They say that we are separated from God and that our prayers will not be heard.
These enemies could be any sort of people. They could be those who raise up a physical attack, such as what David had to face. They could be people who speak evil against us, and tries to divide our friends from us. They could be people who are attacking our faith, saying that we are stupid to believe in God. And any and all of these could either be human or spiritual persons—even a demonic attack which is trying to separate us from God. Enemies even within our own mind.
God Sustains Me
But You, O Yahweh, are a shield about me
My glory, the One who lifts my head.
I cry aloud to Yahweh
And He answers me from his holy mountain (Selah)
I lay down and sleep;
I awake for Yahweh sustains me
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around
The psalmist is confident in God’s protection. Yahweh is a shield, he says, so that nothing can attack him from any side. God is the one who lifts the head, so that one need not be depressed about circumstances any more. All the psalmist has to do is to call out loud to Yahweh and God answers from his temple on Mt. Zion. The psalmist confidently sleeps, even with enemies all about him, because Yahweh is keeping him safe and makes sure that he awakes safely. No matter how many enemies attack him, the psalmist is not afraid of any of them, because God is on his side.
It is a great and comforting thing to know that God is watching over us. God is the most powerful force in the universe, and so if He is watching over you, then there is nothing that can attack you or cause you fear. To know that God is on your side is the greatest answer to anxiety, because God has the ability to cause all things go well for His—and your—sake.
I Cry Aloud To Yahweh
Rise up, Yahweh
Save me, O my God!
You strike the cheek of all my enemies
You have shattered the teeth of the wicked
Deliverance belongs to Yahweh
May your blessing be on your people! (Selah)
Even as the psalmist has said above that God would help if the psalmist calls, so the psalmist actually does this now. He confidently tells God to come and to assist him. He calls Yahweh to action to offer him deliverance. The psalmist recognizes his helpless place and so he calls on God to strengthen his position. The enemies—the ones around him, the ones speaking against him, the ones in his own head—he asks to be vanquished, completely, by God. God is the one who delivers the oppressed. As the oppressed, the psalmist requests—no, even demands!—God’s assistance. Then, assured of God’s assistance, he offers a note of confidence in God’s character that He will help his own.
One of the main characteristics of this psalm is the writer’s confidence in God. Yes, he recognizes his terrible situation, but he is absolutely assured of God’s strength and of God’s desire to help him. This is a part of faith—the confidence that is with one who really knows God. If we know who God really is, and have seen God assist us, we can be confident in any situation, no matter how difficult.
Lean on God and He will be your strength
A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.
This psalm is given a context of David crying out to God when his son had rebelled against him. At this time in David’s life, not only did his son reject and battle against him, but a good portion of his own nation, whom he had protected and ruled over justly for many years, rebelled against him and tried to kick him out of his kingship. It was a completely unjust act against a ruler who had done what was right to his people.
It is possible that this psalm was not actually written during that time, but was written to be stated in that context. There is nothing in the psalm that indicates the context, and is actually a prayer that could be used in many different situations.
My Enemies Have Increased
O Yahweh, how my enemies have increased!
Many rise up against me!
Many are saying of my soul, "There is no deliverance from God for him." (Selah)
Everyone has enemies. Perhaps we may not know who they are, but at the least there are people who avoid us or say nasty things about us behind our backs. But the psalmist is not speaking of a time when we feel bad that we have enemies at all, but the enemies that hate us have gotten bolder and have accumulated more comrades who will attack us with them. Then, not only do they speak against us, but they also say that God is opposed to us as well. They say that we are separated from God and that our prayers will not be heard.
These enemies could be any sort of people. They could be those who raise up a physical attack, such as what David had to face. They could be people who speak evil against us, and tries to divide our friends from us. They could be people who are attacking our faith, saying that we are stupid to believe in God. And any and all of these could either be human or spiritual persons—even a demonic attack which is trying to separate us from God. Enemies even within our own mind.
God Sustains Me
But You, O Yahweh, are a shield about me
My glory, the One who lifts my head.
I cry aloud to Yahweh
And He answers me from his holy mountain (Selah)
I lay down and sleep;
I awake for Yahweh sustains me
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around
The psalmist is confident in God’s protection. Yahweh is a shield, he says, so that nothing can attack him from any side. God is the one who lifts the head, so that one need not be depressed about circumstances any more. All the psalmist has to do is to call out loud to Yahweh and God answers from his temple on Mt. Zion. The psalmist confidently sleeps, even with enemies all about him, because Yahweh is keeping him safe and makes sure that he awakes safely. No matter how many enemies attack him, the psalmist is not afraid of any of them, because God is on his side.
It is a great and comforting thing to know that God is watching over us. God is the most powerful force in the universe, and so if He is watching over you, then there is nothing that can attack you or cause you fear. To know that God is on your side is the greatest answer to anxiety, because God has the ability to cause all things go well for His—and your—sake.
I Cry Aloud To Yahweh
Rise up, Yahweh
Save me, O my God!
You strike the cheek of all my enemies
You have shattered the teeth of the wicked
Deliverance belongs to Yahweh
May your blessing be on your people! (Selah)
Even as the psalmist has said above that God would help if the psalmist calls, so the psalmist actually does this now. He confidently tells God to come and to assist him. He calls Yahweh to action to offer him deliverance. The psalmist recognizes his helpless place and so he calls on God to strengthen his position. The enemies—the ones around him, the ones speaking against him, the ones in his own head—he asks to be vanquished, completely, by God. God is the one who delivers the oppressed. As the oppressed, the psalmist requests—no, even demands!—God’s assistance. Then, assured of God’s assistance, he offers a note of confidence in God’s character that He will help his own.
One of the main characteristics of this psalm is the writer’s confidence in God. Yes, he recognizes his terrible situation, but he is absolutely assured of God’s strength and of God’s desire to help him. This is a part of faith—the confidence that is with one who really knows God. If we know who God really is, and have seen God assist us, we can be confident in any situation, no matter how difficult.
Lean on God and He will be your strength
The Son of God and the Nations Psalm 2
Many think that Psalm 2 was a psalm that was read at the coronation of every son of David that became king over Judea. Certainly parts of it—especially the middle section—strongly affirms that God has established the king of Judea upon his throne in Jerusalem and God is protecting that kingship. But there is a story in this Psalm that communicates more than just an affirmation of Davidic rule—it is a direct challenge to any nation or authority that stands against the Davidic King.
The Rebellion of the Nations
Why do the unbelieving nations rise up in insurrection?
And the people plot in vain?
Why do the kings of the earth take up their positions
And the rulers conspire together
Against Yahweh and against His Messiah?
"Let us break their bands apart
And cast their thick cords from us"
The Enthroned One in heaven laughs
Yahweh mocks them.
Then He speaks to them in anger
And terrifies them in fury:
"It is I who have anointed my King
On Zion, My holy mountain."
Gentiles and God
God has a special connection to his people, Israel, through his special king, the Messiah. This psalm has a focus on how other nations and peoples relate to God through his chosen king and people. Who are these peoples? They are all of the nations that exist outside of God’s people. Some of these nations are friendly to God’s people, but many of them are in opposition. They are jealous of the power and blessing of the kingdom of God. They are upset at the ways in which they are controlled by God’s people. And so they decide to do what nations do best—make war. If they can’t get what they want, they will fight for it. So God’s people are attacked by the other nations surrounding it, wanting its blessing, its power, its control. Most of all, the Gentile nations don’t want to feel as if they are being controlled by God or by God’s people. If they feel controlled, they will rebel against God and His ways and determine to strive against it, in anyway they can.
God’s Chosen One
I will declare Yahweh's decree.
He said to Me: "You are my Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask it of me, and I will grant the nations as your inheritance
The ends of the earth as your possession
You shall smash them with an iron rod
You shall shatter them like earthenware."
Son of David/son of God/Messiah
God’s revelation, however, is that all of His power—the whole earth and the angelic powers—are behind his chosen one. But who is this chosen one? God calls him his Messiah—which means the one who was anointed with oil. Who was anointed with oil? Well, those who were chosen by God for a particular office. It could be the king of God’s people, the priest of God’s people or, sometimes, a prophet to God’s people.
But this Messiah is also called “son” by God. So who is God’s son? In the Hebrew Scriptures, the one who is called God’s son is a king in the Davidic line. God promised David that of his sons, none would be lacking to sit on a throne—he would always have a son reigning. But God also said something amazing—that David’s son who was reigning would be called “son” by God, and thus would rule with God’s authority (II Samuel 7:12-16). This psalm, which was not written by David, but is about David’s line, is God’s speech to the kings of David’s line, to whom he says, “You are my son.”
He also promises this Davidic king that he would control the nations of all the earth. That he wouldn’t be under the nations around him, but the nations would submit themselves to him. If they argue or rebel against the king, then God would give him permission to attack and demolish them.
Where is Jesus connected with this Psalm?
But it is not enough to just say that the son, here, is any Davidic king. Originally, this is what it meant. But there was a period of more than 200 years in which a Davidic king was not ruling in any way. And after this time, it was revealed that God spoke this very line from Psalm 2 to Jesus, the Nazarene: “You are my beloved Son.” (Mark 1:9-11) What was God saying?
He was not saying that Jesus was unified with God, otherwise he would have used a different passage. Rather, he was proclaiming to all the spirit world that Jesus was the king of Jerusalem in the line of David. How is this possible, given that Jesus was from Nazareth, in Galilee, not near Jerusalem? First of all, Jesus is of the line of David, adopted by Joseph, a descendent of David. Secondly, Jesus was actually born in Bethlehem, the city of David, although as a child his parents moved to Nazareth and Jesus grew up in Galilee.
So who is Jesus? According to God’s revelation, he is the king of Jerusalem, the Messiah, the ruler of the line of David.
Responding Respectfully
So now, O kings, be wise;
Be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve Yahweh in awe
And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son
Lest God becomes angry and you perish in the way.
For His wrath flares in an instant.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
Responding To Messiah’s Rule
This final part of the psalm is showing how the Gentile nations should respond to the Messiah of God, the king of Jerusalem. Given the fact that God is completely behind his chosen king, the nations of the world would be wise to not rebel against the king of God. The kings need to remember that this king has all the power of God behind him. If God gives a Gentile nation to the Messiah, then the nation should best honor the Messiah. Why is this? Because God has the authority of all the world. To fear the Lord is not just to respect Him, but it is to remember that God has great power and can destroy and kill as He pleases (Matthew 10:28; Deuteronomy 5:24-29). God has great power, and so all should obey Him, even if they don’t like it. This is the warning against all Gentiles who rebel against God: honor God’s chosen or God’s wrath will come upon you.
What About Us?
But this is the same warning given to us. We, on the earth, are all outside of God’s people, not a part of the Israel of promise, unless we are a part of Jesus. Jesus, according to God, is the chosen ruler, the Lord of all the earth, and God has given all nations to his hands. Whether one is Jew or Gentile, we are all under God’s wrath unless we honor and obey the Son. We need to remember God’s power and tremble. We need to worship the Son and give him the respect and obedience He deserves. Only in this way, will we be delivered from God’s wrath.
The Rebellion of the Nations
Why do the unbelieving nations rise up in insurrection?
And the people plot in vain?
Why do the kings of the earth take up their positions
And the rulers conspire together
Against Yahweh and against His Messiah?
"Let us break their bands apart
And cast their thick cords from us"
The Enthroned One in heaven laughs
Yahweh mocks them.
Then He speaks to them in anger
And terrifies them in fury:
"It is I who have anointed my King
On Zion, My holy mountain."
Gentiles and God
God has a special connection to his people, Israel, through his special king, the Messiah. This psalm has a focus on how other nations and peoples relate to God through his chosen king and people. Who are these peoples? They are all of the nations that exist outside of God’s people. Some of these nations are friendly to God’s people, but many of them are in opposition. They are jealous of the power and blessing of the kingdom of God. They are upset at the ways in which they are controlled by God’s people. And so they decide to do what nations do best—make war. If they can’t get what they want, they will fight for it. So God’s people are attacked by the other nations surrounding it, wanting its blessing, its power, its control. Most of all, the Gentile nations don’t want to feel as if they are being controlled by God or by God’s people. If they feel controlled, they will rebel against God and His ways and determine to strive against it, in anyway they can.
God’s Chosen One
I will declare Yahweh's decree.
He said to Me: "You are my Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask it of me, and I will grant the nations as your inheritance
The ends of the earth as your possession
You shall smash them with an iron rod
You shall shatter them like earthenware."
Son of David/son of God/Messiah
God’s revelation, however, is that all of His power—the whole earth and the angelic powers—are behind his chosen one. But who is this chosen one? God calls him his Messiah—which means the one who was anointed with oil. Who was anointed with oil? Well, those who were chosen by God for a particular office. It could be the king of God’s people, the priest of God’s people or, sometimes, a prophet to God’s people.
But this Messiah is also called “son” by God. So who is God’s son? In the Hebrew Scriptures, the one who is called God’s son is a king in the Davidic line. God promised David that of his sons, none would be lacking to sit on a throne—he would always have a son reigning. But God also said something amazing—that David’s son who was reigning would be called “son” by God, and thus would rule with God’s authority (II Samuel 7:12-16). This psalm, which was not written by David, but is about David’s line, is God’s speech to the kings of David’s line, to whom he says, “You are my son.”
He also promises this Davidic king that he would control the nations of all the earth. That he wouldn’t be under the nations around him, but the nations would submit themselves to him. If they argue or rebel against the king, then God would give him permission to attack and demolish them.
Where is Jesus connected with this Psalm?
But it is not enough to just say that the son, here, is any Davidic king. Originally, this is what it meant. But there was a period of more than 200 years in which a Davidic king was not ruling in any way. And after this time, it was revealed that God spoke this very line from Psalm 2 to Jesus, the Nazarene: “You are my beloved Son.” (Mark 1:9-11) What was God saying?
He was not saying that Jesus was unified with God, otherwise he would have used a different passage. Rather, he was proclaiming to all the spirit world that Jesus was the king of Jerusalem in the line of David. How is this possible, given that Jesus was from Nazareth, in Galilee, not near Jerusalem? First of all, Jesus is of the line of David, adopted by Joseph, a descendent of David. Secondly, Jesus was actually born in Bethlehem, the city of David, although as a child his parents moved to Nazareth and Jesus grew up in Galilee.
So who is Jesus? According to God’s revelation, he is the king of Jerusalem, the Messiah, the ruler of the line of David.
Responding Respectfully
So now, O kings, be wise;
Be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve Yahweh in awe
And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son
Lest God becomes angry and you perish in the way.
For His wrath flares in an instant.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
Responding To Messiah’s Rule
This final part of the psalm is showing how the Gentile nations should respond to the Messiah of God, the king of Jerusalem. Given the fact that God is completely behind his chosen king, the nations of the world would be wise to not rebel against the king of God. The kings need to remember that this king has all the power of God behind him. If God gives a Gentile nation to the Messiah, then the nation should best honor the Messiah. Why is this? Because God has the authority of all the world. To fear the Lord is not just to respect Him, but it is to remember that God has great power and can destroy and kill as He pleases (Matthew 10:28; Deuteronomy 5:24-29). God has great power, and so all should obey Him, even if they don’t like it. This is the warning against all Gentiles who rebel against God: honor God’s chosen or God’s wrath will come upon you.
What About Us?
But this is the same warning given to us. We, on the earth, are all outside of God’s people, not a part of the Israel of promise, unless we are a part of Jesus. Jesus, according to God, is the chosen ruler, the Lord of all the earth, and God has given all nations to his hands. Whether one is Jew or Gentile, we are all under God’s wrath unless we honor and obey the Son. We need to remember God’s power and tremble. We need to worship the Son and give him the respect and obedience He deserves. Only in this way, will we be delivered from God’s wrath.
The Tree and the Chaff Psalm 1
The book of Psalms begin with an introduction, giving one of the main themes of the book immediately—the difference between the righteous and the wicked.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
Or who stands with sinners in their path
Or who sits in the company of mockers
But his delight is in the teaching of Yahweh
And he recites his instruction day and night.
He is like a tree transplanted near running water
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither
And all that it grows is prosperous.
Not so the wicked;
They are like the chaff the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor will sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For Yahweh watches the way of the righteous
But the way of the wicked is destroyed.
Who are the wicked?
There are three words that are used to describe the “wicked”. First, there is the word “wicked”, which means those who seek to do immoral, evil things. Second is the term “sinner” who are those who do that which makes them wrong before God and so unable to pray to God or receive anything from Him. The third term is “mocker” or “scoffer.” This is the one who makes fun of others, especially when they are doing poorly or trying to help another—even the one who is mocking them.
Who is the righteous one?
The righteous is not necessarily the one who is perfect, and certainly not the one who is holier-than-thou. To be “righteous” rather means that he is one who makes it a priority to be able to pray to God, and so remain right before God. The righteous is the one who knows his weaknesses enough that he will spend time focusing on God and on His word. His focus is not perfection, but in wanting a good relationship with God, every day, at least twice a day. So he reads God’s instructions and he tries to live by them, and repents when he has broken God’s word.
What does the righteous have to do with the wicked?
Part of maintaining his right standing before God is in the company he keeps. He recognizes that we are all influenced by and see our reality by the company we keep. So he avoids the company of the wicked, so that he wouldn’t participate in his actions. This doesn’t mean that he avoids the wicked or that he turns his nose up at them. But he doesn’t “hang out” with them, try to have fun with them or base his decisions around their counsel. Often the wicked will try to establish themselves as authorities over him, and he won’t have anything to do with that.
Often the wicked in our lives is not even people, but an atmosphere, or anything that would cause us to be separated from God. The Psalmist is warning us to remain away from whatever would cause us to separate from God.
What is the end of the righteous?
The righteous is to have much joy—perhaps not right away, though. It implies in the psalm that the wicked might be in authority and so the righteous might get a hard time from them if he doesn’t hang with them. But the fate of the righteous is described as a tree that has been planted for a long time by a stream—constantly getting nourishment and growing strong. The life of the righteous, the psalm says, is watched over by the Lord, and the Lord always is ready to hear from him.
What is the end of the wicked?
However, the wicked has a very different result of his life. For a while, perhaps, they will be able to mock and laugh and have fun at the expense of others. But their end, it says, is that of chaff.
Chaff is the inedible part of grain that is light. If one throws grain in a light breeze, the chaff flies away, as trash, yet the grain remains. Chaff is useless, and is thrown away, or used to be stepped on.
What exactly does this mean? Well, the psalm is very specific about that. We will all stand before the Lord in judgment, the psalm says. And the wicked will be sentenced harshly by God himself. The righteous will stand as a group, blessed by God, but the wicked will not be allowed in their company.
Jesus says…
This Psalm is very much like the blessings that Jesus pronounced: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy; Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. But woe to those who laugh now, for they shall weep.” (Matthew 5:8; Luke 6:21, 25). Jesus recognized, like the Psalmist, that the righteous would not be able to hang with the wicked, if there was any chance that they would participate in their sin, which keeps them away from God. (Matthew 18:7-9) The important thing is that we have to protect our relationship with God—nurture it and then it will thrive. And one of the important ways for us to do that, Jesus said, is to Listen and do what God says. If we do that, then we will be successful with God. If we have success in Him, then we our future is secure.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
Or who stands with sinners in their path
Or who sits in the company of mockers
But his delight is in the teaching of Yahweh
And he recites his instruction day and night.
He is like a tree transplanted near running water
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither
And all that it grows is prosperous.
Not so the wicked;
They are like the chaff the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor will sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For Yahweh watches the way of the righteous
But the way of the wicked is destroyed.
Who are the wicked?
There are three words that are used to describe the “wicked”. First, there is the word “wicked”, which means those who seek to do immoral, evil things. Second is the term “sinner” who are those who do that which makes them wrong before God and so unable to pray to God or receive anything from Him. The third term is “mocker” or “scoffer.” This is the one who makes fun of others, especially when they are doing poorly or trying to help another—even the one who is mocking them.
Who is the righteous one?
The righteous is not necessarily the one who is perfect, and certainly not the one who is holier-than-thou. To be “righteous” rather means that he is one who makes it a priority to be able to pray to God, and so remain right before God. The righteous is the one who knows his weaknesses enough that he will spend time focusing on God and on His word. His focus is not perfection, but in wanting a good relationship with God, every day, at least twice a day. So he reads God’s instructions and he tries to live by them, and repents when he has broken God’s word.
What does the righteous have to do with the wicked?
Part of maintaining his right standing before God is in the company he keeps. He recognizes that we are all influenced by and see our reality by the company we keep. So he avoids the company of the wicked, so that he wouldn’t participate in his actions. This doesn’t mean that he avoids the wicked or that he turns his nose up at them. But he doesn’t “hang out” with them, try to have fun with them or base his decisions around their counsel. Often the wicked will try to establish themselves as authorities over him, and he won’t have anything to do with that.
Often the wicked in our lives is not even people, but an atmosphere, or anything that would cause us to be separated from God. The Psalmist is warning us to remain away from whatever would cause us to separate from God.
What is the end of the righteous?
The righteous is to have much joy—perhaps not right away, though. It implies in the psalm that the wicked might be in authority and so the righteous might get a hard time from them if he doesn’t hang with them. But the fate of the righteous is described as a tree that has been planted for a long time by a stream—constantly getting nourishment and growing strong. The life of the righteous, the psalm says, is watched over by the Lord, and the Lord always is ready to hear from him.
What is the end of the wicked?
However, the wicked has a very different result of his life. For a while, perhaps, they will be able to mock and laugh and have fun at the expense of others. But their end, it says, is that of chaff.
Chaff is the inedible part of grain that is light. If one throws grain in a light breeze, the chaff flies away, as trash, yet the grain remains. Chaff is useless, and is thrown away, or used to be stepped on.
What exactly does this mean? Well, the psalm is very specific about that. We will all stand before the Lord in judgment, the psalm says. And the wicked will be sentenced harshly by God himself. The righteous will stand as a group, blessed by God, but the wicked will not be allowed in their company.
Jesus says…
This Psalm is very much like the blessings that Jesus pronounced: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy; Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. But woe to those who laugh now, for they shall weep.” (Matthew 5:8; Luke 6:21, 25). Jesus recognized, like the Psalmist, that the righteous would not be able to hang with the wicked, if there was any chance that they would participate in their sin, which keeps them away from God. (Matthew 18:7-9) The important thing is that we have to protect our relationship with God—nurture it and then it will thrive. And one of the important ways for us to do that, Jesus said, is to Listen and do what God says. If we do that, then we will be successful with God. If we have success in Him, then we our future is secure.
Why Read The Psalms?
What are the Psalms?
The Psalms is a book, right in the middle of our English Bible. In fact, if you open the Bible to the middle, you will open it in the middle of the book of Psalms. Psalm 118 is the middle chapter of the whole English Bible, containing New and Old Testaments. It is actually a collection of songs that were used to express one’s relationship and emotions to God. Many of the Psalms were used in worship in ancient times, while others were often too personal for that. Today, however, the whole book is used for worship and for personal expression of one’s emotions, whether it be joy, despair, thanks to God or complaining.
Who Wrote the Psalms?
The popular idea is that David, the most important king of Israel wrote the Psalms. This idea comes from the introduction statement in almost half (73, to be exact) of the Psalms which says “of David”. We are further encouraged to think this way when, in the famous story about David of the books of Samuel, we learn that David was a musician, and we are quoted a couple of his songs, there. However, this statement, nor the stories, do not necessarily mean that all of the Psalms listed this way is from the mouth of David. Some of them, such as Psalm 3 and Psalm 51, where a part of David’s life story is mentioned, might be more likely to be written by David himself. However, the phrase could mean that it is of a type of Davidic psalm that was written after David had passed on.
Some were almost certainly written by David, but others were certainly not. Some are titled to be of “Asaph” or “The Sons of Korah”. Some are to be “For the chief musician”. These are all people who are known to be musicians in the text of Scripture—but it does not mean that it was written by them. For instance, Asaph was a chief singer in the courts of David (I Chron. 16:1-5), yet one of the Psalms attributed to him was written about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, centuries after David (Psalm 74). Thus, this Psalm was not written by Asaph himself, but probably by a school of singers and musicians named after him. This could also have been the case of the name Korah, and even David. While many of the songs “Of David” could easily have been written by the king himself—Psalm 3, for instance—others probably were not, being of a later style or a content that would indicate a later writing (Psalms 2 and 37, for example). These were possibly written in a style that would be considered Davidic, or perhaps there was a school of music that was in David’s name and every song from that school was named “of David”, which would mean “of David’s school of music.”
Certainly the book was collected after the Jewish return from Babylon. So the traditional editor of the Psalms, the scribe Ezra, is a possible pick.
When Were the Psalms Written?
Just as the authors of the Psalms are widely varied, so the timeframe of the writings are also. The earliest claimed author or school is that of Moses (Psalm 90), which could be as early as 1300 BC. But the majority of the psalms were written from 1000 BC (the time of David) to 400 BC (After the rebuilding of the second Temple). That is quite a range of time, and this is reflected in the range of writing styles and the range of content.
Why study the Psalms?
1. Because they speak specifically about the plight of the poor and outcast
All of the Bible was written from the perspective of the outcast, the persecuted and the poor. But the book of Psalms speaks about that plight and our various responses to it more than any other book in the Bible. It isn’t as melancholic as Ecclesiastes, nor focused on lost “glory days” as the histories, nor as literary as Job. It just talks about desperate circumstances and how we deal with it, with God at our side, or even God at a distance. It is probably as realistic about life as any book out there.
2. Because they get us into the minds of the ancient people of God more than any other book
Other books talk about the ideas of certain people, or the events that surround people. This book is the only one that really gives us a diary of ancient peoples of God—their sorrows, their cries of anguish, their triumphs, their moralities, their hopes, their understanding of God and their daily expressions.
3. Because it comes from many different perspectives
Like many books, the Psalms were written by many people, and edited together later. But unlike other books in the Bible, it was not heavily edited, so a lot of the original understanding of the songs come through. Also, it probably has the broadest range of times it was written in—possibly over a thousand years. There is a mythic understanding in some, a later orthodoxy in others, a philosophy of hope in despair in some, and a cynical understanding of life in others. The theologies come from different perspectives as well. So in the Psalms there is the broadest range of perspectives of the people of God.
4. Because the people of God have always gained understanding of their lives from them
Ancient Jews, modern Jews and Christians of all ages have understood themselves and others better for having read the Psalms. Modern Jews, in their daily prayer, quote the entire book of Psalms every month. Christian monks, in the Benedictine model recite the whole book of Psalms every week! Part of the strength of the Bible as a whole is seeing how other people, who have a strong relationship with God, deal with their lives. This is found in the psalms more than any other book—it is not an ideal, but a realistic perspective from people who sin like us, who love like us, have joys like us, and even hate like us—but all before God and with God. We can certainly learn how we can live in God by understanding how these lived in God.
5. Because they speak about Jesus more than any other book
Some call Isaiah the “fifth gospel” because of the prophecies it contains about Jesus—but the Psalms have many more specific prophecies and realizations of Jesus. His sonship is described in Psalm 2, his priesthood in Psalm 110, his being rejected in Psalm 118, his crucifixion (in great detail) in Psalm 22, and his resurrection in Psalm 16. Even as the Psalms are the expression of the heart of the people of God, so they are the expression of the heart of Jesus.
6. Because the NT quotes them more than any other book of the OT
Because of all of these reasons, and perhaps especially the one immediately previous, the New Testament quotes the Psalms extensively—more than any other book. When they wanted to express their troubles, they turned to the Psalms (Acts 4). When they wanted to hear Jesus’ words, they quoted the Psalms (Hebrews 2). When they wanted to know what God thought of Jesus, they turned to the Psalms (Hebrews 2, Acts 2). Why is this? Because Jesus quoted the Psalms to express God’s will as presented in the Scriptures (Luke 24).
The Book of Psalms really is the heart of the Bible.
The Psalms is a book, right in the middle of our English Bible. In fact, if you open the Bible to the middle, you will open it in the middle of the book of Psalms. Psalm 118 is the middle chapter of the whole English Bible, containing New and Old Testaments. It is actually a collection of songs that were used to express one’s relationship and emotions to God. Many of the Psalms were used in worship in ancient times, while others were often too personal for that. Today, however, the whole book is used for worship and for personal expression of one’s emotions, whether it be joy, despair, thanks to God or complaining.
Who Wrote the Psalms?
The popular idea is that David, the most important king of Israel wrote the Psalms. This idea comes from the introduction statement in almost half (73, to be exact) of the Psalms which says “of David”. We are further encouraged to think this way when, in the famous story about David of the books of Samuel, we learn that David was a musician, and we are quoted a couple of his songs, there. However, this statement, nor the stories, do not necessarily mean that all of the Psalms listed this way is from the mouth of David. Some of them, such as Psalm 3 and Psalm 51, where a part of David’s life story is mentioned, might be more likely to be written by David himself. However, the phrase could mean that it is of a type of Davidic psalm that was written after David had passed on.
Some were almost certainly written by David, but others were certainly not. Some are titled to be of “Asaph” or “The Sons of Korah”. Some are to be “For the chief musician”. These are all people who are known to be musicians in the text of Scripture—but it does not mean that it was written by them. For instance, Asaph was a chief singer in the courts of David (I Chron. 16:1-5), yet one of the Psalms attributed to him was written about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, centuries after David (Psalm 74). Thus, this Psalm was not written by Asaph himself, but probably by a school of singers and musicians named after him. This could also have been the case of the name Korah, and even David. While many of the songs “Of David” could easily have been written by the king himself—Psalm 3, for instance—others probably were not, being of a later style or a content that would indicate a later writing (Psalms 2 and 37, for example). These were possibly written in a style that would be considered Davidic, or perhaps there was a school of music that was in David’s name and every song from that school was named “of David”, which would mean “of David’s school of music.”
Certainly the book was collected after the Jewish return from Babylon. So the traditional editor of the Psalms, the scribe Ezra, is a possible pick.
When Were the Psalms Written?
Just as the authors of the Psalms are widely varied, so the timeframe of the writings are also. The earliest claimed author or school is that of Moses (Psalm 90), which could be as early as 1300 BC. But the majority of the psalms were written from 1000 BC (the time of David) to 400 BC (After the rebuilding of the second Temple). That is quite a range of time, and this is reflected in the range of writing styles and the range of content.
Why study the Psalms?
1. Because they speak specifically about the plight of the poor and outcast
All of the Bible was written from the perspective of the outcast, the persecuted and the poor. But the book of Psalms speaks about that plight and our various responses to it more than any other book in the Bible. It isn’t as melancholic as Ecclesiastes, nor focused on lost “glory days” as the histories, nor as literary as Job. It just talks about desperate circumstances and how we deal with it, with God at our side, or even God at a distance. It is probably as realistic about life as any book out there.
2. Because they get us into the minds of the ancient people of God more than any other book
Other books talk about the ideas of certain people, or the events that surround people. This book is the only one that really gives us a diary of ancient peoples of God—their sorrows, their cries of anguish, their triumphs, their moralities, their hopes, their understanding of God and their daily expressions.
3. Because it comes from many different perspectives
Like many books, the Psalms were written by many people, and edited together later. But unlike other books in the Bible, it was not heavily edited, so a lot of the original understanding of the songs come through. Also, it probably has the broadest range of times it was written in—possibly over a thousand years. There is a mythic understanding in some, a later orthodoxy in others, a philosophy of hope in despair in some, and a cynical understanding of life in others. The theologies come from different perspectives as well. So in the Psalms there is the broadest range of perspectives of the people of God.
4. Because the people of God have always gained understanding of their lives from them
Ancient Jews, modern Jews and Christians of all ages have understood themselves and others better for having read the Psalms. Modern Jews, in their daily prayer, quote the entire book of Psalms every month. Christian monks, in the Benedictine model recite the whole book of Psalms every week! Part of the strength of the Bible as a whole is seeing how other people, who have a strong relationship with God, deal with their lives. This is found in the psalms more than any other book—it is not an ideal, but a realistic perspective from people who sin like us, who love like us, have joys like us, and even hate like us—but all before God and with God. We can certainly learn how we can live in God by understanding how these lived in God.
5. Because they speak about Jesus more than any other book
Some call Isaiah the “fifth gospel” because of the prophecies it contains about Jesus—but the Psalms have many more specific prophecies and realizations of Jesus. His sonship is described in Psalm 2, his priesthood in Psalm 110, his being rejected in Psalm 118, his crucifixion (in great detail) in Psalm 22, and his resurrection in Psalm 16. Even as the Psalms are the expression of the heart of the people of God, so they are the expression of the heart of Jesus.
6. Because the NT quotes them more than any other book of the OT
Because of all of these reasons, and perhaps especially the one immediately previous, the New Testament quotes the Psalms extensively—more than any other book. When they wanted to express their troubles, they turned to the Psalms (Acts 4). When they wanted to hear Jesus’ words, they quoted the Psalms (Hebrews 2). When they wanted to know what God thought of Jesus, they turned to the Psalms (Hebrews 2, Acts 2). Why is this? Because Jesus quoted the Psalms to express God’s will as presented in the Scriptures (Luke 24).
The Book of Psalms really is the heart of the Bible.
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