Psalm 29
A psalm of awe at the power of God's voice
"A Psalm of David." (verse 1)
At church, you will notice that there are two types of worship songs, generally speaking. Songs about God and songs about us. The former are filled with praise for Who God is and the latter are filled with prayers and praise for what God can do and has done. Both are good, and David was no stranger to either subject. If you recall, the last four Psalms, (25, 26, 27, and 28), were all prayers for deliverance, coupled with praise (for that deliverance) offered in faith towards a merciful and loving God.
Here David writes an entirely different style of song; this song is all about the power of God's voice. It is majestic and spectacular, designed to instil awe and reverence in the heart that reflects upon its meaning and upon the great God of whom it speaks.
"Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." (verses 1- 2)
David begins this psalm with a command to worship. There is no gentle lead-in, dimming of the lights, strumming, or intro. One can picture the music that perhaps once accompanied this psalm: a loud trumpet blast breaks the silence, demanding the attention of all worshippers. The director of the Levite choir then shouts these words in a melodious chant, like the heralds of old who proclaimed the edicts of the king.
He addresses the "mighty ones," which I believe is a reference to the angelic host of the LORD. The literal interpretation of this phrase is "sons of the mighty", in Hebrew ben-el. It is used in Psalm 89:6 in reference to angels: "For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?" However, some commentators have believed it to be a reference simply to all those born to nobility, the sons of the "mighty" men of the earth who would be inclined to be proud in their position and power.
It matters little which interpretation you take, because the application remains the same: "You who take pride in your might and strength, be you a man or an angel, give glory to God, who alone deserves it."
Note that wonderful phrase "worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." There is much we deem beautiful in this life, but that beauty is but a reflection of the Creator of it. God is the most beautiful Being of all; eternally self-existent and all powerful, He is the One who defines beauty, as the very image of it. Is it any wonder that when we, or any other created being, worship the one true God of heaven, it is describes as beautiful? Holiness is essentially "set-apartness", meaning that when we worship the LORD, we are "set apart" from the common and banal things of this life, and enter in spiritually to the beauty of the presence of God.
"The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is over many waters." (verse 3)
The next seven verses are all about the "voice of the LORD," and each one gives a different aspect of it. Verse three tells us first that the voice of LORD is "over the waters" and over "many waters," and that He "thunders." The waters referenced here are storm clouds. Consider Jeremiah 10:13: "When He uttereth His voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; He maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures."
God's voice is revealed in the thunderstorm.
"The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty." (verse 4)
The voice of the LORD is described as powerful and full of majesty. There is actual power in God's words, for by them He created the universe. Hear the words of Genesis 1:2-3, 6: "The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”"
When God speaks, things happen.
Majesty is defined as "impressive stateliness, dignity, or beauty." Not only is our worship of God beautiful, but His own voice is beautiful, fiercely beautiful! His voice alone compels us to worship Him.
"The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars, yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox." (verses 5-6)
David is creating a picture with his words. We saw in verse three that God has spoken a tempest into being. There are storm clouds and thunder. Often wind accompanies a storm, and where there is thunder, there is lightning. Verse five and six now continue the dramatic scene.
The voice of the LORD breaks apart the mighty trees of the forests of Lebanon and Mount Hermon (Sirion was the Sidonian name for it). Lebanon was once a vast forest, containing gigantic cedar trees, of which many buildings of splendour were built in time of old. Cedars are not scraggly little trees that blow with the winds, but are magnificent, straight, and tall, with thick, strong trunks.
When God speaks, they crash to the ground in splinters, scattering wildly in all directions. This does not seem like an average tree felling; what David describes seems more akin to an explosion. Like a fast, wild young cow when frightened, the bits and pieces of these mighty trees go skipping along the ground like debris.
What could cause such a disaster? Remember the storm? Whether it is a hurricane that rips off the tops of the trees, hurling them around like toothpicks, or fierce bolts of lightning that splinter the them, setting them on fire as they crash to ground, the voice of the Lord is sovereign over all.
It is interesting to note that the vision God gave the proud King Nebuchanezzar when he exalted himself was of a mighty tree that was felled to the ground, symbolizing the humbling that was to come upon him. As this psalm is specifically addressed to the "mighty" ones of heaven or earth, the imagery of the destroyed forests of mighty cedars lends weight to the initial command to give God all the glory.
"The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire." (verse 7)
The word for divide used here means to carve out, or dig through, as in stones. The word for flames is also used for point of a spear or sword; it is sharp and deadly. The voice of the LORD cuts through the deadly flames of fire, dividing them as it passes through.
It would appear that David is describing a lightning storm. With swordlike bolts shredding through the air, one after the other, in a fearful display of power, who could doubt the majesty of the LORD? The forest is ravaged by the storm.
"The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh." (verse 8)
God's voice brings forth thunder and lighting and, according to verse eight, causes earthquakes. David now moves to another scene where God's awful glory and power are shown... the vast wilderness of Kadesh. Kadesh was a town in the extreme south of Judea, a desert area. It is plausible that in David's time, and perhaps shortly before the writing of this psalm, there was a great lightning storm in Lebanon to the north, and likewise, a great earthquake in the desert of Kadesh to the south. They may have been the subject of much conversation, much as natural disasters reported in the news today still elicit a sort of awe and terror in our hearts.
Inspired by the natural forces at work all around him and compelled to give glory to the great God who reigns sovereign over all these terrifying wonders, David may have penned this psalm.
"The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everyone says, 'Glory!'" (verse 9)
Earthquakes and lightning storms, falling trees, fire, and thunder... it is a little wonder that the timid deer would go into labour prematurely. The aftermath of the storm is utterly devastating. The once tall and majestic forrest lies a ruinous mass of fallen trees. One night, one storm. God has shown in one act of His power that even the mightiest cannot stand before His glory. The people, hearing of this destruction, go to the temple to worship the great God who rules over all terrors.
It is interesting that David is emphasizing the awful power of God in this psalm- God's power to destroy. In the vast majority of his psalms, Davids extolls the LORD's mercy, gentleness, and faithfulness. He speaks often of God's power in creation. Why then the focus on destruction?
We must return to the first verse to see to whom it is written: the mighty ones, the ones inclined towards pride, the ones symbolized in the mighty trees. To these he writes of the terrible power of God, that they might rightly fear Him and remember that He alone is worthy of glory and honour.
"The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, and the LORD sits as King forever." (verse 10)
The Flood was the greatest disaster of all time. Never has there been anything to match it. It literally reshaped the entire planet. Mountains sinking into the seas, tectonic plates heaving over and under each other, streams of magma erupting under water, the sky dumping torrents of rain... it was catastrophic. No one on earth survived. Only eight people in a carefully designed boat lived to tell about it. When the flood waters receded due to extreme tectonic activity, the earth they now stepped onto was unrecognizable from the one they knew. Not a single landmark remained. The destruction was total.
During all this, God was still reigning from His throne in heaven. It did not catch Him by surprise. He did not lose a battle with the forces of nature or another deity. No. He was in charge and it all happened according to His will.
David brings up the flood to complete his point. The voice of the LORD is capable of anything, and those who set themselves up as mighty in heaven or on earth, must give glory where it is due. As Solomon wrote: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 9:10)
"The LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace." (verse 11)
David concludes with a comforting verse. He tells the children of Israel, "The terrible and awesome God who does all these things is our God, and He loves us. He will give us strength as we are weak; unlike the proud "mighty ones", we know we are weak. He will give us peace when our enemies desire war, and we know how able He is to fight for us! As the forest was stripped bare, so will any army be that comes against the people of this great and awesome God."
For the proud, the voice of the LORD is a terror. For the humble, it is a comfort.
When Jesus came for the first time, a humble baby born in a stable, He invited men to trust in Him as their Lord and Saviour. In meekness, He accomplished our salvation on the cross. In a quiet display of His power, He rose again from the dead and ascended into heaven, promising to return.
But when He does return, it will not be as the first time. Clothed in glory and majesty, His eyes like flames of fire, and His feet like brass, Jesus our Saviour will reveal His awesome might as He pours out His wrath on the world who rejected His loving gift of salvation and abused those who received it. As it says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)
Where are you today? Are you walking in pride, believing that your own goodness is sufficient before God? Let the terror of a fierce and awesome God work wisdom into your heart, and repent. Trust in Jesus for salvation and submit to Him as your Lord. He will guard you, protect you, and uphold you your whole life. He will give you eternal life, free from sin and pain, and you will live with Him as your Friend, no longer your Enemy, all your forever life. It really is the best offer you could ever receive, and the alternative is utterly terrifying to contemplate. And it is your choice.
The God of love is also the God of terror. Which do you want to know for eternity?
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Psalm 28
Psalm 28
A psalm of prayer and praise
"A Psalm of David." (verse 1)
I sometimes cannot get over how amazing language is, written language especially. Contained in patterned markings on a page, (or screen), are the thoughts, feelings, and knowledge of another person. Through their words, written perhaps even eons before we were born, we can see into the very soul and mind of that other person, long passed away. It is nothing short of incredible.
Here we have a psalm written by a man we know as David, the king of Israel, some three thousand years ago. We don't know when in his life he wrote this, but it is clearly a time of distress; David seems to have dealt with his inner turmoils with the pen as much as with prayer.
Some of David's psalms appear to be written completely in the moment, as the end of the situation is still unclear at the psalm's conclusion, although he does include that he believes it will turn out right because of God, his trust. Here, though, we seem to have a psalm written in two parts; the first, during the agony of his soul that initially prompted him to pick up the pen and write out his plea to God, and the second, after it all was settled and done.
God did indeed deliver him from his troubles, and after perhaps finding the scroll, or scrap of scroll, depending on where he was and what he was doing (not a lot of scrolls likely to be available in caves), he felt compelled to give it a happy ending.
Alternatively, he may have actually written this after the great distress was over, and composed the first part from his still fresh memories of anguish. Regardless of our speculations on the timeframe in which David wrote it, this psalm presents two distinct portions to notice: David's prayer and David's praise.
"To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: Do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary." (verses 1-2)
"Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbours, but evil is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours; give them according to the work of their hands; render to them what they deserve. Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up. " (verses 3-5)
It would appear that David is in danger of being lumped in with a bad lot. In Psalm 27, David spoke of a time when many false witnesses rose up against him and accused him of conspiring with evil men. Perhaps this was written around that time, or yet, it may still have been a different situation altogether, simply sharing similar troubles.
David asks God to deliver him from the condemnation that is justly awaiting these others who are guilty of wickedness. They made a pretense of friendship while yet plotting evil against those who trusted them. David hates their deeds and desires their judgement as much as he defends his own innocence.
David pronounces what he believes God's response will be to their sin: He will destroy them. Rather than build them up, He will tear them down. David likewise gives the reason for this: they did not fear God, nor take His Word seriously. God promised blessing to those Israelites who obeyed His commands, and cursing to those who didn't. Furthermore, He promised to bless those nations who blessed the children of Israel and to curse those who cursed them. We don't know who David's enemies are in this psalm, whether they be native or foreign, but in either case, if David is God's man, then these "workers of iniquity" have stepped over a line that requires God's involvement, and it sure doesn't look good for them.
"Blessed be the LORD, because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him." (verses 6-7)
Now into the second part of the psalm, David praises God for answering his prayers. We can thus assume that when the time of judgment came, David was acquitted and the evil doers were justly condemned, just as David prayed and believed would happen. David knows that God is the One to whom he owes his life, not the judge, nor the opinion of men. God delivered him from death, and to God his gives the glory.
David calls the LORD his "strength and shield," denoting that his source of ability and protection was due to God, not something from "within himself," as is the popular philosophy today.
David speaks here of his heart. It is with his heart that he trusted God and it is with his heart that he will now rejoice. Our "heart,"as scripture uses the term, is our innermost being, not an organ that pumps blood. Actually the word could be better translated "bowels," as it was believed by the ancients that the "heart" of our being was within our reproductive system. Both physical localities make sense, but that is not the point. The "heart" David references is the spiritual part of us- our soul, and thus is not "located" in any organ of our body. David is saying that his soul trusted in God and that it now rejoices in God's faithfulness to answer him.
"With my song I will praise Him." Indeed, and we are reading it right now!
"The LORD is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed. Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever." (verses 8-9)
David now expands his praise to include all the children of Israel. God is not only his personal deliverer, but is all Israel's deliverer. To anoint is to specially choose and commission, and God has specially chosen the descendants of Jacob, also known as "Israel", to be a witness to all the world of how God deals with those who trust in Him. They were to be a light to the gentile nations around, as God blesses them and protected them supernaturally from harm.
They are called His "inheritance" because they are His children, and He promised never to disown them, no matter what they did. He would chasten and discipline them severely at times, because of their gross rebellion to His good and just statutes, but He never rejected them as a whole. In fact, we have recorded in scripture promises He will yet still fulfil to the literal physical nation of Israel, godless as they may currently be!
He has ordained a final "week" of seven years in which He will purify His people and save them from both their enemies and from their sin, as they turn, one and all, to faith in their true Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. They largely rejected Him when He first came, but they will all believe in Him when He returns in glory.
David concludes this psalm with the final prayer: "shepherd" Your people, and "bear them up" forever. David, ever the shepherd at heart, sees the Israelites as God's "sheep," and calls upon the nurturing nature of God to watch out for them. He goes into great detail and spiritual analogy in his 23rd psalm, but here he simply asks God to shepherd them "also."
To "bear up" is to uphold what is inclined to fall, what is weak. All men are thus weak and thus inclined to fall. It is my prayer that God uphold me in my frailty and His church in it's weakness, and it is my assurance from His Word that He will indeed do so:
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Saviour, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."
(Jude 1:24-25)
A psalm of prayer and praise
"A Psalm of David." (verse 1)
I sometimes cannot get over how amazing language is, written language especially. Contained in patterned markings on a page, (or screen), are the thoughts, feelings, and knowledge of another person. Through their words, written perhaps even eons before we were born, we can see into the very soul and mind of that other person, long passed away. It is nothing short of incredible.
Here we have a psalm written by a man we know as David, the king of Israel, some three thousand years ago. We don't know when in his life he wrote this, but it is clearly a time of distress; David seems to have dealt with his inner turmoils with the pen as much as with prayer.
Some of David's psalms appear to be written completely in the moment, as the end of the situation is still unclear at the psalm's conclusion, although he does include that he believes it will turn out right because of God, his trust. Here, though, we seem to have a psalm written in two parts; the first, during the agony of his soul that initially prompted him to pick up the pen and write out his plea to God, and the second, after it all was settled and done.
God did indeed deliver him from his troubles, and after perhaps finding the scroll, or scrap of scroll, depending on where he was and what he was doing (not a lot of scrolls likely to be available in caves), he felt compelled to give it a happy ending.
Alternatively, he may have actually written this after the great distress was over, and composed the first part from his still fresh memories of anguish. Regardless of our speculations on the timeframe in which David wrote it, this psalm presents two distinct portions to notice: David's prayer and David's praise.
"To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: Do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary." (verses 1-2)
David is very definite in his cries. Unlike some who vaguely lament their pain to the "great unknown" or call upon anyone who will listen, David directs his prayers to the God of the Bible, Yahweh or Jehovah, as His name has been translated. The name "LORD" in all capitals signifies a four letter configuration in Hebrew known as the "tetragrammaton", literally, "the four letter Name." It is written without any vowels, and the letters have various pronunciations, so the name of God remains a bit of an enigma. Yet, we know His character and we know His Word, and most importantly, we know Him in the person of Jesus.
David calls God his "Rock." Rocks are strong, stable, immoveable, and ancient. You don't get into a fight with a rock; it will always win, without even moving. Its very nature and composition is its power. God is like a rock to those who depend upon Him.
Notice here that David expects an actual answer from God when he prays. Do we? How many times have we just poured out our souls to God and then got up and left? David starts his prayer by asking God to answer him, not just to listen to him.
His reason gives us an insight into the nature of his troubles. If God doesn't answer him, David fears he will die. The word "pit" is the Hebrew word bowr, meaning cistern or sepulchre. It was used as a poetic reference to an actual gravesite, a tomb. The sense of the word is that of a "prison," much like the literal pit into which Joseph was thrown by his brothers; the idea being that there is no escape once one is "locked up" in a grave. David clearly did not want to die yet, especially at the hands of his enemies.
When David "lifts up his hands" towards God's Holy Sanctuary, he is not enacting some sort of prayer ritual, like the Muslims who face Mecca when they pray. David knows that God dwells in the heavens and not in only one special spot on earth, not even His own prescribed tabernacle.
“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things." (Acts 17:24)
“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!" (1 Kings 8:27)
David is reaching out physically for God, even as his soul is reaching out towards Him. "Hear me!" is the essence of his prayer, a prelude to his main request.
It would appear that David is in danger of being lumped in with a bad lot. In Psalm 27, David spoke of a time when many false witnesses rose up against him and accused him of conspiring with evil men. Perhaps this was written around that time, or yet, it may still have been a different situation altogether, simply sharing similar troubles.
David asks God to deliver him from the condemnation that is justly awaiting these others who are guilty of wickedness. They made a pretense of friendship while yet plotting evil against those who trusted them. David hates their deeds and desires their judgement as much as he defends his own innocence.
David pronounces what he believes God's response will be to their sin: He will destroy them. Rather than build them up, He will tear them down. David likewise gives the reason for this: they did not fear God, nor take His Word seriously. God promised blessing to those Israelites who obeyed His commands, and cursing to those who didn't. Furthermore, He promised to bless those nations who blessed the children of Israel and to curse those who cursed them. We don't know who David's enemies are in this psalm, whether they be native or foreign, but in either case, if David is God's man, then these "workers of iniquity" have stepped over a line that requires God's involvement, and it sure doesn't look good for them.
"Blessed be the LORD, because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him." (verses 6-7)
Now into the second part of the psalm, David praises God for answering his prayers. We can thus assume that when the time of judgment came, David was acquitted and the evil doers were justly condemned, just as David prayed and believed would happen. David knows that God is the One to whom he owes his life, not the judge, nor the opinion of men. God delivered him from death, and to God his gives the glory.
David calls the LORD his "strength and shield," denoting that his source of ability and protection was due to God, not something from "within himself," as is the popular philosophy today.
David speaks here of his heart. It is with his heart that he trusted God and it is with his heart that he will now rejoice. Our "heart,"as scripture uses the term, is our innermost being, not an organ that pumps blood. Actually the word could be better translated "bowels," as it was believed by the ancients that the "heart" of our being was within our reproductive system. Both physical localities make sense, but that is not the point. The "heart" David references is the spiritual part of us- our soul, and thus is not "located" in any organ of our body. David is saying that his soul trusted in God and that it now rejoices in God's faithfulness to answer him.
"With my song I will praise Him." Indeed, and we are reading it right now!
"The LORD is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed. Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever." (verses 8-9)
David now expands his praise to include all the children of Israel. God is not only his personal deliverer, but is all Israel's deliverer. To anoint is to specially choose and commission, and God has specially chosen the descendants of Jacob, also known as "Israel", to be a witness to all the world of how God deals with those who trust in Him. They were to be a light to the gentile nations around, as God blesses them and protected them supernaturally from harm.
They are called His "inheritance" because they are His children, and He promised never to disown them, no matter what they did. He would chasten and discipline them severely at times, because of their gross rebellion to His good and just statutes, but He never rejected them as a whole. In fact, we have recorded in scripture promises He will yet still fulfil to the literal physical nation of Israel, godless as they may currently be!
He has ordained a final "week" of seven years in which He will purify His people and save them from both their enemies and from their sin, as they turn, one and all, to faith in their true Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. They largely rejected Him when He first came, but they will all believe in Him when He returns in glory.
David concludes this psalm with the final prayer: "shepherd" Your people, and "bear them up" forever. David, ever the shepherd at heart, sees the Israelites as God's "sheep," and calls upon the nurturing nature of God to watch out for them. He goes into great detail and spiritual analogy in his 23rd psalm, but here he simply asks God to shepherd them "also."
To "bear up" is to uphold what is inclined to fall, what is weak. All men are thus weak and thus inclined to fall. It is my prayer that God uphold me in my frailty and His church in it's weakness, and it is my assurance from His Word that He will indeed do so:
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Saviour, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."
(Jude 1:24-25)
Psalm 27
Psalm 27
A psalm of hope in the midst of fear
"A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. " (verses 1-3)
David faced many times of conflict and difficulty throughout his life. Even as a boy tending the family flocks, he dealt with dangerous predators, such as lions and bears, who not only could savagely kill his sheep, but could tear at his own flesh as well. As a teenager, David faced the giant warrior, Goliath of Gath, and stood firm in his faith in the LORD, even as the giant spewed threats at him, "Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field." (1 Samuel 17:44) As the captain of King Saul's army, he faced not only the regular hazards of battle, but later the treachery of the jealous king himself.
During the many years of exile, David faced innumerable dangers on every side: wild animals, deathly sicknesses, neighbouring enemy nations, people of his own nation, Saul and his army, and even his loyal band of rebels who became mutinous every now and then. As king, David had yet still more battles to fight, more division amongst his own, and even sedition and insurrection in his own family. David certainly had ample opportunities to fear.
Yet, here David declares that he is confident, no matter what happens, because the LORD is his 1. light, 2. salvation, 3. strength of life. Such assurance prompts him to rhetorically ask, "Whom shall I fear... of whom shall I be afraid?," as if such knowledge removes all shadows of doubt. What is it about the LORD that takes away all of David's fear?
Lets look at the first reason: "The LORD is my light." What are the properties of light? Well, to name a few: it provides warmth, it enables physical life, it reveals, it heals, it comforts, and it is colourful. David says that the LORD is his "light," meaning that the properties we can attribute to physical light, David can apply to God spiritually.
For example, the LORD would reveal to David the safest course of action or direction to take when he was unsure of how to proceed, even as the rays of dawn will shed new light on a hazardous pathway allowing travellers safe passage. The LORD renewed and energized David's spirit and body after weary marches or battles, even as the sun gives life and energy to the plant world through photosynthesis. The LORD's presence was like the security of a lighted house on a dark night to David through times of uncertainty and loneliness. David does not fear, because the LORD is his Light.
The second reason David does not fear is because: "The LORD is... my salvation." Salvation is most often defined as: "preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss." As defined spiritually, salvation means: "deliverance from sin and its consequences as brought about by faith in Christ." David could surely be referring to both, in that the LORD both rescued him often from physical danger and death, and likewise also provided a means of atonement for his sins, rescuing him from eternal death. David knew that whether earthly or spiritually, the LORD was his Saviour, and he banked on that.
The third reason David writes is that: "The LORD is the strength of my life." David does not take assurance in his own strength, though it may have been great. He does not glory in his own prowess in battle or skill with the sword. He does not boast in the accuracy of his shepherd's sling, nor his swiftness of foot. David claims God as the source of his strength, the secret of his success, and the power behind his victories and survival. As he wrote in another psalm, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." (Psalm 20:7)
David likewise took strength from the LORD in his personal life, living a life of integrity, humility, and faithfulness. He was not perfect, but when he sinned, he turned to the LORD in repentance and faith, reliant upon God's great mercy. The LORD was David's strength in every aspect of his life.
David is able to affirm that no matter what or who comes up against him, he will not fear, for the LORD is his light, his salvation, and his strength. In his own words, "...in this will I be confident."
"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock. " (verses 4-5)
What one thing would you want if the Lord offered you anything? Solomon asked for wisdom, and the LORD spoke to him in a dream and said that because he asked for wisdom, and not health and wealth, He would grant him all three. Solomon was the richest and wisest king Israel ever had, and he left us the book of Ecclesiastes as a testament to what he learned in his long life.
David desired one thing from God, one main thing: to be with Him forever. It would be like a child coming to their parents with a Christmas wish list, and on it one thing is written: "I really only want you, Mom/Dad." Wouldn't that, if genuine, touch your heart more than anything? Your child sees and grasps your value, and cherishes you for it.
Have you ever thought, like me, that if only our children understood how much we truly sacrifice for them out of love for them, how much we care for and provide for them, just how blessed they are among the children of the world to have food, clothes, and security, ... that if they understood all this, they would be so much more thankful and content?
Well, that is what David is saying here. He lives the reality of Hebrews 13:5, "Be content with such things as you have, for the LORD Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" All David desires is to be in the presence of God for all eternity, because in God is all provision, protection, and perfection. All he could ever want, he has found in the presence of the LORD.
"And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD." (verse 6)
David's confidence in God results in an overflow of worship. When faced with a difficult circumstance we often come before God with lamentations and mournings, pouring out our troubles to Him in desperate prayer. That's totally right to do, and David did his share of wailing before the throne as well. But note what he is also doing here: he is worshipping God in joy! We all understand such exuberance after our prayers are answered, but here David is doing the rejoicing beforehand!
In Phillipians 4:6-7, Paul admonishes the believers,
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Note that alongside those desperate prayers and supplications, we are told to express thanksgiving! What does it take to be able to celebrate answered prayer before it is, in fact, answered? Faith.
David says that his praises would be "sacrifices of joy", or in other words, it was difficult for him to rejoice in the midst of his troubled circumstances. It certainly does not come naturally. Yet, David is so certain that God will deliver him (future tense), that he gives evidence to his faith by praising God for delivering him (past tense).
James speaks of faith that is proven by works, and Hebrews declares that, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen." (Hebrews 11:1) When we are faced with a situation that strikes fear into our hearts, remember that the God of David is our God, too, and that we can have the same assurance David did of God's presence and promises. He will not leave us nor forsake us, and will supply our needs. We can rejoice in advance through faith in God's good plan and purpose in every trial. He is faithful to His Word.
"Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, 'Seek ye My face'; my heart said unto Thee, 'Thy face, LORD, will I seek'. Hide not Thy face far from me; put not Thy servant away in anger: Thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up." (verse 7-10)
Like most of David's psalms, they were likely written during times of great inner struggle, and were intended to encourage himself in the LORD more than anything. So here we are on one of those roller coaster rides, and it has hit the downturn. After a lengthy declaration of his confidence in God's care, David now turns to supplication for the burdens weighing heavily upon his heart. He begins with a cry for God to listen to his prayers and to answer them.
He reminds himself, even as he "reminds" God, that he is walking in obedience to what God has commanded, and is seeking first the LORD and His ways. He had not yet read the verse in which Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you."(Matthew 6:33), but David understood the truth of it. He was a man who sought the LORD with a whole heart, and as such was found pleasing in God's eyes, despite his many faults.
Knowing that, if God were to regard David purely in His righteousness, and not in His mercy, He would find great fault with him; thus David begs to be regarded in mercy.
He once more expresses the confidence he holds in the character and mercy of God, Who will remain faithful to him even when all others desert him.
"Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." (verses 11-14)
This psalm is about David's dependence on the LORD throughout a fearful season of literal enemies and real physical dangers, that God sees him safely through. David's entire emotional security and mental stability is bed rocked upon his faith in God's character and promises. He says himself that had he not believed that God would deliver him, he would have straight passed out! False witnesses, wars, and enemies on all sides, and yet David found strength in waiting upon the LORD for His guidance and His deliverance.
Throughout the ages since David wrote this psalm, believers have found strength and hope in these final words of this powerful song of hope:
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."
A psalm of hope in the midst of fear
"A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. " (verses 1-3)
David faced many times of conflict and difficulty throughout his life. Even as a boy tending the family flocks, he dealt with dangerous predators, such as lions and bears, who not only could savagely kill his sheep, but could tear at his own flesh as well. As a teenager, David faced the giant warrior, Goliath of Gath, and stood firm in his faith in the LORD, even as the giant spewed threats at him, "Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field." (1 Samuel 17:44) As the captain of King Saul's army, he faced not only the regular hazards of battle, but later the treachery of the jealous king himself.
During the many years of exile, David faced innumerable dangers on every side: wild animals, deathly sicknesses, neighbouring enemy nations, people of his own nation, Saul and his army, and even his loyal band of rebels who became mutinous every now and then. As king, David had yet still more battles to fight, more division amongst his own, and even sedition and insurrection in his own family. David certainly had ample opportunities to fear.
Yet, here David declares that he is confident, no matter what happens, because the LORD is his 1. light, 2. salvation, 3. strength of life. Such assurance prompts him to rhetorically ask, "Whom shall I fear... of whom shall I be afraid?," as if such knowledge removes all shadows of doubt. What is it about the LORD that takes away all of David's fear?
Lets look at the first reason: "The LORD is my light." What are the properties of light? Well, to name a few: it provides warmth, it enables physical life, it reveals, it heals, it comforts, and it is colourful. David says that the LORD is his "light," meaning that the properties we can attribute to physical light, David can apply to God spiritually.
For example, the LORD would reveal to David the safest course of action or direction to take when he was unsure of how to proceed, even as the rays of dawn will shed new light on a hazardous pathway allowing travellers safe passage. The LORD renewed and energized David's spirit and body after weary marches or battles, even as the sun gives life and energy to the plant world through photosynthesis. The LORD's presence was like the security of a lighted house on a dark night to David through times of uncertainty and loneliness. David does not fear, because the LORD is his Light.
The second reason David does not fear is because: "The LORD is... my salvation." Salvation is most often defined as: "preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss." As defined spiritually, salvation means: "deliverance from sin and its consequences as brought about by faith in Christ." David could surely be referring to both, in that the LORD both rescued him often from physical danger and death, and likewise also provided a means of atonement for his sins, rescuing him from eternal death. David knew that whether earthly or spiritually, the LORD was his Saviour, and he banked on that.
The third reason David writes is that: "The LORD is the strength of my life." David does not take assurance in his own strength, though it may have been great. He does not glory in his own prowess in battle or skill with the sword. He does not boast in the accuracy of his shepherd's sling, nor his swiftness of foot. David claims God as the source of his strength, the secret of his success, and the power behind his victories and survival. As he wrote in another psalm, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." (Psalm 20:7)
David likewise took strength from the LORD in his personal life, living a life of integrity, humility, and faithfulness. He was not perfect, but when he sinned, he turned to the LORD in repentance and faith, reliant upon God's great mercy. The LORD was David's strength in every aspect of his life.
David is able to affirm that no matter what or who comes up against him, he will not fear, for the LORD is his light, his salvation, and his strength. In his own words, "...in this will I be confident."
"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock. " (verses 4-5)
What one thing would you want if the Lord offered you anything? Solomon asked for wisdom, and the LORD spoke to him in a dream and said that because he asked for wisdom, and not health and wealth, He would grant him all three. Solomon was the richest and wisest king Israel ever had, and he left us the book of Ecclesiastes as a testament to what he learned in his long life.
David desired one thing from God, one main thing: to be with Him forever. It would be like a child coming to their parents with a Christmas wish list, and on it one thing is written: "I really only want you, Mom/Dad." Wouldn't that, if genuine, touch your heart more than anything? Your child sees and grasps your value, and cherishes you for it.
Have you ever thought, like me, that if only our children understood how much we truly sacrifice for them out of love for them, how much we care for and provide for them, just how blessed they are among the children of the world to have food, clothes, and security, ... that if they understood all this, they would be so much more thankful and content?
Well, that is what David is saying here. He lives the reality of Hebrews 13:5, "Be content with such things as you have, for the LORD Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" All David desires is to be in the presence of God for all eternity, because in God is all provision, protection, and perfection. All he could ever want, he has found in the presence of the LORD.
"And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD." (verse 6)
David's confidence in God results in an overflow of worship. When faced with a difficult circumstance we often come before God with lamentations and mournings, pouring out our troubles to Him in desperate prayer. That's totally right to do, and David did his share of wailing before the throne as well. But note what he is also doing here: he is worshipping God in joy! We all understand such exuberance after our prayers are answered, but here David is doing the rejoicing beforehand!
In Phillipians 4:6-7, Paul admonishes the believers,
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Note that alongside those desperate prayers and supplications, we are told to express thanksgiving! What does it take to be able to celebrate answered prayer before it is, in fact, answered? Faith.
David says that his praises would be "sacrifices of joy", or in other words, it was difficult for him to rejoice in the midst of his troubled circumstances. It certainly does not come naturally. Yet, David is so certain that God will deliver him (future tense), that he gives evidence to his faith by praising God for delivering him (past tense).
James speaks of faith that is proven by works, and Hebrews declares that, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen." (Hebrews 11:1) When we are faced with a situation that strikes fear into our hearts, remember that the God of David is our God, too, and that we can have the same assurance David did of God's presence and promises. He will not leave us nor forsake us, and will supply our needs. We can rejoice in advance through faith in God's good plan and purpose in every trial. He is faithful to His Word.
"Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, 'Seek ye My face'; my heart said unto Thee, 'Thy face, LORD, will I seek'. Hide not Thy face far from me; put not Thy servant away in anger: Thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up." (verse 7-10)
Like most of David's psalms, they were likely written during times of great inner struggle, and were intended to encourage himself in the LORD more than anything. So here we are on one of those roller coaster rides, and it has hit the downturn. After a lengthy declaration of his confidence in God's care, David now turns to supplication for the burdens weighing heavily upon his heart. He begins with a cry for God to listen to his prayers and to answer them.
He reminds himself, even as he "reminds" God, that he is walking in obedience to what God has commanded, and is seeking first the LORD and His ways. He had not yet read the verse in which Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you."(Matthew 6:33), but David understood the truth of it. He was a man who sought the LORD with a whole heart, and as such was found pleasing in God's eyes, despite his many faults.
Knowing that, if God were to regard David purely in His righteousness, and not in His mercy, He would find great fault with him; thus David begs to be regarded in mercy.
He once more expresses the confidence he holds in the character and mercy of God, Who will remain faithful to him even when all others desert him.
"Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." (verses 11-14)
This psalm is about David's dependence on the LORD throughout a fearful season of literal enemies and real physical dangers, that God sees him safely through. David's entire emotional security and mental stability is bed rocked upon his faith in God's character and promises. He says himself that had he not believed that God would deliver him, he would have straight passed out! False witnesses, wars, and enemies on all sides, and yet David found strength in waiting upon the LORD for His guidance and His deliverance.
Throughout the ages since David wrote this psalm, believers have found strength and hope in these final words of this powerful song of hope:
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."
Psalm 26
Psalm 26
A psalm pleading vindication
"A Psalm of David. Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the LORD; I shall not slip. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my mind and my heart. For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth. I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor will I go in with hypocrites. I have hated the assembly of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked." (verses 1-5)
David begins this psalm with a clear intent and purpose. He has been maligned and wants God to vindicate him. In these first five verses, David lists both the good he has done and the evil he has not, all the while calling upon God to bear witness and affirm his innocence. David has "walked in integrity", meaning that he has been as honest behind closed doors as he is publicly. There is no hypocrisy in his life. He has "trusted in the LORD," meaning that he has placed his faith in no idol, man, or method, but in God alone. David declares that he has "walked in truth," again reiterating that he lives his life above reproach.
He does not embrace nor tell lies. He is honest before God and man. He has not "sat with idolatrous mortals," or in other words, he does not keep company with those who do not worship the one true God of Israel. To "go in with hypocrites" means that he does not have dealings with people whose lives don't match their words, people who claim to worship God but do evil things. David has no taste for those who conspire together for evil and has not been involved with them, nor ever will.
Throughout, David appeals to God to affirm his words: "vindicate me", "examine me", "prove me", "try my mind and my heart," and even voices his own confidence in his integrity: "I shall not slip."
David is not declaring his perfect sinlessness, but rather his innocence in regards to the specific accusations raised against him.
"I will wash my hands in innocence; so I will go about Your altar, O LORD, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works. LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells. " (verses 6-8)
The phrase "wash my hands in innocence" is used elsewhere in scripture and references the ceremonial washing of hands done in connection with offerings and sacrifices. Asaph wrote, "Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence." (Psalm 73:13) We also read of Pontius Pilate washing his hands of the injustice done to Jesus. David is saying that he will publicly "wash his hands" of those sins which he is accused of, those things of which he is innocent. He will then go before God with sacrifice and praise, bespeaking a pure conscience before God and man.
David was known for his love of the house of God, the tabernacle, and would have lived there had he been allowed. He loved His merciful and righteous God, and would have no sin, nor unjust accusation of sin, come between him and His God.
We can come before God in the same innocence if we have trusted in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, for if we have, then we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Himself. There is no spot or blemish in us, if we are in Christ! The author of Hebrews tells us, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16) We are welcome before the very throne of God, the place where His glory dwells. Praise God!
"Do not gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands is a sinister scheme, and whose right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me. My foot stands in an even place; in the congregations I will bless the LORD." (verses 9-12)
Here we have a clue as to the nature of slander that David is dealing with. It seems that some have accused him of conspiring together with murderers through bribery. David vehemently denies such as a lie. He insists on his integrity before God, and pleads with God not to condemn him unjustly through His silence in this matter. He cries for redemption and mercy. Resting in the confidence that God will not abandon him to these lies, David confidently says, "My foot stands in an even place." Earlier David declared that because of his trust in the LORD, his foot would not slip. The idea of both being that he was in a good position; he would not fall nor be condemned. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:31, "If God be for us, who can be against us?"
David concludes with the assurance that he would indeed bless the Lord in the congregation at the tabernacle in the future. His name would be cleared, his accusers silenced, and his public worship restored. David's psalms are wonderful in that no matter how low he is all through it, he always ends in hope. Hope is the remedy for despair. If we hope in God, as David, our hope is sure.
A psalm pleading vindication
"A Psalm of David. Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the LORD; I shall not slip. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my mind and my heart. For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth. I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor will I go in with hypocrites. I have hated the assembly of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked." (verses 1-5)
David begins this psalm with a clear intent and purpose. He has been maligned and wants God to vindicate him. In these first five verses, David lists both the good he has done and the evil he has not, all the while calling upon God to bear witness and affirm his innocence. David has "walked in integrity", meaning that he has been as honest behind closed doors as he is publicly. There is no hypocrisy in his life. He has "trusted in the LORD," meaning that he has placed his faith in no idol, man, or method, but in God alone. David declares that he has "walked in truth," again reiterating that he lives his life above reproach.
He does not embrace nor tell lies. He is honest before God and man. He has not "sat with idolatrous mortals," or in other words, he does not keep company with those who do not worship the one true God of Israel. To "go in with hypocrites" means that he does not have dealings with people whose lives don't match their words, people who claim to worship God but do evil things. David has no taste for those who conspire together for evil and has not been involved with them, nor ever will.
Throughout, David appeals to God to affirm his words: "vindicate me", "examine me", "prove me", "try my mind and my heart," and even voices his own confidence in his integrity: "I shall not slip."
David is not declaring his perfect sinlessness, but rather his innocence in regards to the specific accusations raised against him.
"I will wash my hands in innocence; so I will go about Your altar, O LORD, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works. LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells. " (verses 6-8)
The phrase "wash my hands in innocence" is used elsewhere in scripture and references the ceremonial washing of hands done in connection with offerings and sacrifices. Asaph wrote, "Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence." (Psalm 73:13) We also read of Pontius Pilate washing his hands of the injustice done to Jesus. David is saying that he will publicly "wash his hands" of those sins which he is accused of, those things of which he is innocent. He will then go before God with sacrifice and praise, bespeaking a pure conscience before God and man.
David was known for his love of the house of God, the tabernacle, and would have lived there had he been allowed. He loved His merciful and righteous God, and would have no sin, nor unjust accusation of sin, come between him and His God.
We can come before God in the same innocence if we have trusted in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, for if we have, then we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Himself. There is no spot or blemish in us, if we are in Christ! The author of Hebrews tells us, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16) We are welcome before the very throne of God, the place where His glory dwells. Praise God!
"Do not gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands is a sinister scheme, and whose right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me. My foot stands in an even place; in the congregations I will bless the LORD." (verses 9-12)
Here we have a clue as to the nature of slander that David is dealing with. It seems that some have accused him of conspiring together with murderers through bribery. David vehemently denies such as a lie. He insists on his integrity before God, and pleads with God not to condemn him unjustly through His silence in this matter. He cries for redemption and mercy. Resting in the confidence that God will not abandon him to these lies, David confidently says, "My foot stands in an even place." Earlier David declared that because of his trust in the LORD, his foot would not slip. The idea of both being that he was in a good position; he would not fall nor be condemned. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:31, "If God be for us, who can be against us?"
David concludes with the assurance that he would indeed bless the Lord in the congregation at the tabernacle in the future. His name would be cleared, his accusers silenced, and his public worship restored. David's psalms are wonderful in that no matter how low he is all through it, he always ends in hope. Hope is the remedy for despair. If we hope in God, as David, our hope is sure.
Psalm 25
Psalm 25
A psalm of trust in God's mercy and deliverance
"A Psalm of David. To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause." (verses 1-3)
David is clearly in a state of distress and in his turmoil, he cries out to the One who he knows will hear his cry and answer. To the LORD he "lifts up his soul". David is a unique man, in that, throughout the psalms we see him admonishing his "soul" to do what is right. It is as if his emotions and even his reason argue against what he knows to be true, and thus has to direct his soul- his innermost being- to do or think what is right. In Psalm 42, he writes:
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance." (Psalm 42:5)
Here we see him again directing his soul heavenward, to seek help from God above, rather than to dwell in despair. David declares his faith in God's faithfulness to him, in one breath both affirming his trust in God's deliverance and pleading for God to deliver him. He says, "I trust in You; let me not be ashamed." Is that not our same fear when we step out in faith, acting upon the promises of God? We say, like David, "I believe what You said, God... and please, please, please do what You said You would do... I'm laying it all on the line in trusting You. Don't let me be ashamed of my faith in You!" And He comes through. He upholds His Word. Isn't that wonderful to know? We have a God who never lies; He always does what He says He will do. That is GREAT confidence.
David adds a prayer that those who are causing his distress, who make a mockery of his faith, would be in fact the ones who are ashamed. This prayer comes true, sadly, after death for too many. Ashamed before the Throne of God for their sins that could have been washed away by the blood of Jesus, and they are now condemned for eternity. Oh, that men would see their need for a Saviour in this life and repent, while it is not yet too late!
"Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day." (verses 4-5)
There is only one right way. There is only one truth. For it to be otherwise is both illogical and self defeating. Yet, our generation insists that truth is relative and that there are many equally right paths. If your path says there are many paths and my path says there is only one path, can we both be right? They exclude each other by nature and thus cannot both be right, without cancelling out each other. This is basic logic, not a complex philosophy, and yet such plain reason is largely rejected by most of of our peers.
The world can believe what it wants, however unreasonable it may be, but as for me, there is but one God who made one way, and I want to walk in that way, for it is true. Three thousand years ago David wrote these lines and they stand as powerful today as they did then, and will remain so for eternity, for they are right.
Every morning of every day, and all throughout the day, we need to come before the Lord and pray as David did for guidance and direction that we may know the truth and walk in it. There is but one right way, and we are prone to wander. May we bring our steps before the Lord before we take them, that there need be no back tracking.
"Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your mercy remember me, for Your goodness' sake, O LORD." (verses 6-7)
The theme of the Bible is the mercy of God. Mercy implies both righteousness and love. Righteousness demands justice and love demands forgiveness. Mercy is where they meet. The mercy of God was lived out in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, our Saviour. Mercy, we find, is a Person. God has always been merciful, from the first sin of Adam onward; God has always shown mercy. He covered the sin of men and women during the ages before He Himself made an end of sin, by simple faith in the promise of a future Deliverer. He continues to pardon sin through faith in that same Deliverer who has now come: Jesus our Lord.
David knows of the Lord's mercy and he here pleads for it. He is remembering past sins, done in the foolishness of youth, and begs the Lord to not remember them, but rather to recall His own merciful nature.
Some of my most shameful sins were done in my teenage years and I still blush to think of them. It says in the Bible that foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, and my own life is proof of that. Whatever you may have done in the past, whether as a teenager or an adult, know that God is merciful and that when He forgives, He forgives completely. Those sins are washed away, never to be brought to mind before God forever. He has made an end of them in the death of His Son Jesus our Saviour. They are not hanging over your head, nor are they hidden under a carpet, always threatening exposure. If you have confessed them to God and placed your faith in Jesus, they are gone. Forever. All He thinks of when He thinks of you is how much He loves you. You are pure before Him, as Jesus Himself is pure, because He has clothed you in the righteousness of Jesus Himself.
"Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great." (verses 8-11)
God has not left us to try to figure out how to get through life on our own. He is not the god of the deist who merely believes in a supreme being who started the universe, winding it up like a clock, and then let it go. There is purpose and meaning to life, and that in found only in relationship with the Creator of life Himself, Jesus Christ.
Notice that He teaches sinners in the way; finding purpose and meaning starts with humility. When we understand our need for salvation, we are ready for God to teach us divine wisdom. It says in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." And again in Proverbs 15:33, "The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and before honour is humility."
Job, the oldest book in the Bible, says, "And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.' "
God is good and upright, therefore He does not leave us to try to figure out life on our own, but reveals Himself through His creation, through His Word, and through the person of Jesus Christ, that we may know Him and know His way.
David knows the Lord's mercy and His covenants, both that of Abraham and of Moses. Abraham's covenant preceded Moses and it was a one sided covenant of faith. God carried the burden of fulfillment while mankind carried only the requirement of faith. God would impart righteousness to all who placed their trust in Him.
The covenant of Moses was two sided, and was given to the children of Israel. If they obeyed the laws God gave them, He would bless them. If they disobeyed, He would discipline them.
David understands both. He knows his sins have consequences, as ordained by God in the law, and yet He also knows that God is full of mercy and receives humble faith with great joy. David appeals to the "name", or character, of the God of mercy, in acknowledging his great sin (and hence, need for punishment), and yet asking pardon for it.
"Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net." (verses 12-15)
David once more affirms that those who humble themselves before the righteous and merciful God, acknowledging their sin, will be led by God into truth. He says that God will reveal His "secret" to them and show them His covenant. What else could David be speaking about, but the mercy of God? God's covenant with Abraham was a shadow of the the New Covenant we have in Christ, where all righteousness is ours through simple trust in Jesus our Saviour and Lord. David also speaks of prosperity and inheritance. Of course there were the promised earthly blessings for the Jewish nation when they turned their hearts to God's ways, which included prosperity for both themselves and their descendants, but what David is speaking of goes deeper and further.
Those who turn to Jesus in humility and trust in His salvation are promised life eternal. Jesus said that the meek shall inherit the earth, and Jeremiah the prophet spoke of the day when Jesus Himself would reign on the earth in prosperity and righteousness. (Matthew 5:5, Jeremiah 23:5)
David's eyes were miles ahead of his present distress; he was focused on eternity. His confidence has only grown stronger in the Lord's deliverance, as he encourages himself with the words he writes, so that he can now emphatically say, "He shall pluck my feet out of the net." Like a bird caught in the fowler's net, David needs to be rescued, and He is certain that His God will indeed rescue him.
"Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged; bring me out of my distresses! Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. Keep my soul, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all their troubles!" (verses 16-22)
As though his present reality came suddenly before him in the midst of his confidence, David returns to his original plea. Help me, God! I was in the ER not too long ago, and while waiting in the appropriately named "waiting room," a man was brought in. Howling with pain, he cried out again and again, "Oh God! Help me!!" The staff were at a loss of what to do. The patients were greatly discomfited by his outbursts. The security was demanding he lower his voice, but still the man kept crying. I approached him with a psalm written out on a scrap of paper and offered it to him, saying it was from the God who he was crying out to. He grasped at it with hunger and thankfulness. He was comforted in the midst of his pain in knowing God heard him and cared for him.
God is the God of the distressed. God is the God of the afflicted and desolate. He is God and there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. David cries out to this great God who alone can deliver him and pours out his troubles before Him. His struggles are many, but in them all he puts his trust in God. It is an active choice. Appealing to God's sense of justice and integrity, he declares that he will simply wait on God until He answers. All his eggs are in this one basket, so to speak, and David is saying that he has no hope apart from God's intervention. That is true trust. He repeats his plea that he be not ashamed of this extravagant trust, and ends with a cry for God to deliver all of Israel.
We know from history that God did indeed deliver David, as He always did, and that God has time and again delivered His people. We are living in a day and age when that deliverance is available to all mankind in the person of Jesus Christ. He paid for all our sins, abolished death, and has freely given us eternal life. Whatever may befall us in this earthly body, we have a hope that is no less extravagant than David's. Putting all our eggs in this one basket, we wait with confidence in the Lord's soon return and His promise of the redemption of our bodies. He is true and His Word is true. We need not fear being ashamed, for what He says, He does. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
A psalm of trust in God's mercy and deliverance
"A Psalm of David. To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause." (verses 1-3)
David is clearly in a state of distress and in his turmoil, he cries out to the One who he knows will hear his cry and answer. To the LORD he "lifts up his soul". David is a unique man, in that, throughout the psalms we see him admonishing his "soul" to do what is right. It is as if his emotions and even his reason argue against what he knows to be true, and thus has to direct his soul- his innermost being- to do or think what is right. In Psalm 42, he writes:
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance." (Psalm 42:5)
Here we see him again directing his soul heavenward, to seek help from God above, rather than to dwell in despair. David declares his faith in God's faithfulness to him, in one breath both affirming his trust in God's deliverance and pleading for God to deliver him. He says, "I trust in You; let me not be ashamed." Is that not our same fear when we step out in faith, acting upon the promises of God? We say, like David, "I believe what You said, God... and please, please, please do what You said You would do... I'm laying it all on the line in trusting You. Don't let me be ashamed of my faith in You!" And He comes through. He upholds His Word. Isn't that wonderful to know? We have a God who never lies; He always does what He says He will do. That is GREAT confidence.
David adds a prayer that those who are causing his distress, who make a mockery of his faith, would be in fact the ones who are ashamed. This prayer comes true, sadly, after death for too many. Ashamed before the Throne of God for their sins that could have been washed away by the blood of Jesus, and they are now condemned for eternity. Oh, that men would see their need for a Saviour in this life and repent, while it is not yet too late!
"Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day." (verses 4-5)
There is only one right way. There is only one truth. For it to be otherwise is both illogical and self defeating. Yet, our generation insists that truth is relative and that there are many equally right paths. If your path says there are many paths and my path says there is only one path, can we both be right? They exclude each other by nature and thus cannot both be right, without cancelling out each other. This is basic logic, not a complex philosophy, and yet such plain reason is largely rejected by most of of our peers.
The world can believe what it wants, however unreasonable it may be, but as for me, there is but one God who made one way, and I want to walk in that way, for it is true. Three thousand years ago David wrote these lines and they stand as powerful today as they did then, and will remain so for eternity, for they are right.
Every morning of every day, and all throughout the day, we need to come before the Lord and pray as David did for guidance and direction that we may know the truth and walk in it. There is but one right way, and we are prone to wander. May we bring our steps before the Lord before we take them, that there need be no back tracking.
"Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your mercy remember me, for Your goodness' sake, O LORD." (verses 6-7)
The theme of the Bible is the mercy of God. Mercy implies both righteousness and love. Righteousness demands justice and love demands forgiveness. Mercy is where they meet. The mercy of God was lived out in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, our Saviour. Mercy, we find, is a Person. God has always been merciful, from the first sin of Adam onward; God has always shown mercy. He covered the sin of men and women during the ages before He Himself made an end of sin, by simple faith in the promise of a future Deliverer. He continues to pardon sin through faith in that same Deliverer who has now come: Jesus our Lord.
David knows of the Lord's mercy and he here pleads for it. He is remembering past sins, done in the foolishness of youth, and begs the Lord to not remember them, but rather to recall His own merciful nature.
Some of my most shameful sins were done in my teenage years and I still blush to think of them. It says in the Bible that foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, and my own life is proof of that. Whatever you may have done in the past, whether as a teenager or an adult, know that God is merciful and that when He forgives, He forgives completely. Those sins are washed away, never to be brought to mind before God forever. He has made an end of them in the death of His Son Jesus our Saviour. They are not hanging over your head, nor are they hidden under a carpet, always threatening exposure. If you have confessed them to God and placed your faith in Jesus, they are gone. Forever. All He thinks of when He thinks of you is how much He loves you. You are pure before Him, as Jesus Himself is pure, because He has clothed you in the righteousness of Jesus Himself.
"Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great." (verses 8-11)
God has not left us to try to figure out how to get through life on our own. He is not the god of the deist who merely believes in a supreme being who started the universe, winding it up like a clock, and then let it go. There is purpose and meaning to life, and that in found only in relationship with the Creator of life Himself, Jesus Christ.
Notice that He teaches sinners in the way; finding purpose and meaning starts with humility. When we understand our need for salvation, we are ready for God to teach us divine wisdom. It says in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." And again in Proverbs 15:33, "The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and before honour is humility."
Job, the oldest book in the Bible, says, "And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.' "
God is good and upright, therefore He does not leave us to try to figure out life on our own, but reveals Himself through His creation, through His Word, and through the person of Jesus Christ, that we may know Him and know His way.
David knows the Lord's mercy and His covenants, both that of Abraham and of Moses. Abraham's covenant preceded Moses and it was a one sided covenant of faith. God carried the burden of fulfillment while mankind carried only the requirement of faith. God would impart righteousness to all who placed their trust in Him.
The covenant of Moses was two sided, and was given to the children of Israel. If they obeyed the laws God gave them, He would bless them. If they disobeyed, He would discipline them.
David understands both. He knows his sins have consequences, as ordained by God in the law, and yet He also knows that God is full of mercy and receives humble faith with great joy. David appeals to the "name", or character, of the God of mercy, in acknowledging his great sin (and hence, need for punishment), and yet asking pardon for it.
"Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net." (verses 12-15)
David once more affirms that those who humble themselves before the righteous and merciful God, acknowledging their sin, will be led by God into truth. He says that God will reveal His "secret" to them and show them His covenant. What else could David be speaking about, but the mercy of God? God's covenant with Abraham was a shadow of the the New Covenant we have in Christ, where all righteousness is ours through simple trust in Jesus our Saviour and Lord. David also speaks of prosperity and inheritance. Of course there were the promised earthly blessings for the Jewish nation when they turned their hearts to God's ways, which included prosperity for both themselves and their descendants, but what David is speaking of goes deeper and further.
Those who turn to Jesus in humility and trust in His salvation are promised life eternal. Jesus said that the meek shall inherit the earth, and Jeremiah the prophet spoke of the day when Jesus Himself would reign on the earth in prosperity and righteousness. (Matthew 5:5, Jeremiah 23:5)
David's eyes were miles ahead of his present distress; he was focused on eternity. His confidence has only grown stronger in the Lord's deliverance, as he encourages himself with the words he writes, so that he can now emphatically say, "He shall pluck my feet out of the net." Like a bird caught in the fowler's net, David needs to be rescued, and He is certain that His God will indeed rescue him.
"Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged; bring me out of my distresses! Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. Keep my soul, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all their troubles!" (verses 16-22)
As though his present reality came suddenly before him in the midst of his confidence, David returns to his original plea. Help me, God! I was in the ER not too long ago, and while waiting in the appropriately named "waiting room," a man was brought in. Howling with pain, he cried out again and again, "Oh God! Help me!!" The staff were at a loss of what to do. The patients were greatly discomfited by his outbursts. The security was demanding he lower his voice, but still the man kept crying. I approached him with a psalm written out on a scrap of paper and offered it to him, saying it was from the God who he was crying out to. He grasped at it with hunger and thankfulness. He was comforted in the midst of his pain in knowing God heard him and cared for him.
God is the God of the distressed. God is the God of the afflicted and desolate. He is God and there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. David cries out to this great God who alone can deliver him and pours out his troubles before Him. His struggles are many, but in them all he puts his trust in God. It is an active choice. Appealing to God's sense of justice and integrity, he declares that he will simply wait on God until He answers. All his eggs are in this one basket, so to speak, and David is saying that he has no hope apart from God's intervention. That is true trust. He repeats his plea that he be not ashamed of this extravagant trust, and ends with a cry for God to deliver all of Israel.
We know from history that God did indeed deliver David, as He always did, and that God has time and again delivered His people. We are living in a day and age when that deliverance is available to all mankind in the person of Jesus Christ. He paid for all our sins, abolished death, and has freely given us eternal life. Whatever may befall us in this earthly body, we have a hope that is no less extravagant than David's. Putting all our eggs in this one basket, we wait with confidence in the Lord's soon return and His promise of the redemption of our bodies. He is true and His Word is true. We need not fear being ashamed, for what He says, He does. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Psalm 24
Psalm 24
A psalm to be sung as the ark was brought to Mount Zion
A Psalm of David.
“The earth is the LORD’s and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.” (verse 1)
God holds the right of ownership over this world for one main reason: He made it. When seeking a copyright on a written work or invention, the main matter of concern is who the author or inventor is, as they hold the copyright by nature. By virtue of creating something, one becomes the owner of their creation. It is a natural law. The only exception is when the materials used belong to someone else.
If I take someone else's original ideas and publish them as my own, I could be accused of plagiarism or idea theft. If I steal someone else's building supplies and build a machine from them, the machine is not rightly mine, although the design might be. Yet here, too, we see God’s right of ownership. He made the universe out of nothing. He both made the materials and shaped them into this wonderfully habitable world. The whole earth, in all its fullness, belongs to God.
The people who populate this planet also belong to God, as His unique and special creation. On the sixth day of time, God created the first human being from the materials that make up this world, and breathed physical and spiritual life into him. He made him a female partner from his own body, and commanded them to have children and to rule the world He just made. From Adam, all peoples that fill the earth today have descended, and as God created mankind, mankind belongs to God.
“For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters.” (verse 2)
Notice the words “founded” and “established”. Organizations and charities often seek to establish credibility with possible customers or donors by advertising their heritage and long history of productivity. "Est. 1887" may often be seen above the door to some old establishment, and in others, great emphasis may be placed upon the “founders” who originally started the organization; their vision, their character, their efforts, and their donations all glorified in tributes and memorials.
David declares that the founder of Earth is the LORD, the One who brought it into existence, and also makes reference to the time of its establishment. The earth, on day one of creation, began as a dark mass of liquid and solid matter (Genesis 1:2) that was surrounded by the hovering energy of the Spirit of God. God spoke light into existence, and then on day two, separated the earth into land and water.
David could have written, in essence: “Earth. Founder: God, Est. 1CTF (creation of time forward)” Although David’s tribute to God’s establishment of creation could easily apply to the whole universe, as He is indeed the founder of the whole physical realm, David here refines his praise. He glorifies God for the habitable land of the earth, upon which mankind dwells.
“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?” (verse 3)
Having established the ownership of the earth and all its inhabitants as belonging inherently to God, David now poses this question: “Who may?” And I ask, in turn, "Who may indeed?!"
The word “may” implies permission, allowance, ability. To “ascend” means to climb or be raised up, and implies a change of position from low to high. To “stand” is to hold oneself erect in full stature, as opposed to sitting, bowing, or laying down.
The “hill of the LORD” is Mount Zion, the future site of the holy temple located in Jerusalem. David had purchased the land, drafted the design, and acquired the materials for the temple, but God had told him he was not to build it. David thus made preparations for his son Solomon to construct it. In the mean time, David had the tabernacle relocated to the site, and sought out the Ark of Covenant from where it had been stored for many years.
In an elaborate parade, described in 1 Chronicles 15, in which he danced shamelessly before the Lord, David transported the Ark to its proper place in the tabernacle, the “Holy of Holies,” or the “Holy Place.” This was the part of the tabernacle where God’s presence had dwelt in time of old. David wrote Psalm 24 for this holy procession, to be sung by the Levites whose responsibility and high honour it was to carry the Ark of the Covenant to the tabernacle on Mount Zion, into the Holy Place.
David asks, “Whom among the men of Israel are worthy to carry the Ark up to the tabernacle on Mount Zion and enter with it into the Holy Place?” Intended, undoubtably, to be a question asked by the carriers of themselves, “Who, really then, IS worthy?” is the essential thrust of the question at hand.
If you recall the story in 1 Chronicles 13, this parade is not the first David had organized for the said purpose of relocating the Ark. In a tragic incident, David’s first joyous procession had been halted; one of the men chosen to oversee the transportation of the Ark had been struck dead by God. The Ark had begun to slip off the cart it was being carried on, and unfortunate Uzza had reached up to steady it. David had been devastated. He returned home to seek the scriptures and to discover what had gone wrong. It turned out that God had a particular way in which the Ark was to be moved, and this time around, David wanted to be sure of God’s blessing.
As the ones designated to sing this song as they ascended the hill, the chosen Levites undoubtably would have had ample time to consider the weighty words beforehand, (and to contemplate Uzza’s fate), as they practiced the new song in the days before the parade. The words of the song drew attention to the necessity of holiness in the lives of those who would accept service before the Holy God and before the holy Ark.
“He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully.” (verse 4)
Here are the job requirements. “Clean hands” indicates upright and just actions. Recall how Pilot “washed his hands” after unjustly sentencing Jesus to death; injustice causes “dirty hands”. Where these Levites living moral lives among their brethren?
A “pure heart” indicates singleness of devotion and goes hand in hand with “has not lifted up his soul to an idol”. The concept is of someone whose heart is fully set upon God, whose affection is not divided by a love of this world or the things in the world, specifically of a false god. Did these Levites seek after the one true God of Israel?
To “swear deceitfully” is to have hypocrisy of the tongue. When we speak one thing, but think or do another, we practice deceit not only with our neighbour, but with ourselves. God sees; He knows our hearts. Where these Levites faithful to their vows?
Did such men exist? Well, apparently there were men whose lives adequately qualified, for we read of their names in 1 Chronicles 15 and 16. Note Asaph, another psalmist and a contemporary of David, who was both part of the parade choir and appointed to minister before the Ark regularly.
"Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy. So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of their brethren, the sons of Merari, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; and with them their brethren of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers;" (1 Chron. 15:16-18)
"And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom: Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God." (1 Chronicles 16:4-6)
While these men loved God and served Him loyally, there is only One in all of history who could actually stand in the presence of the Holy God with pure actions, thoughts, and words. Jesus alone could have perfectly fit David’s description, and He did ascend the hill of the Lord into the highest of heaven, which Zion typifies. He did enter into the Holy Place, as He entered even into the Throne Room of God on high. Jesus, our Saviour, made a way for us to stand in the presence of God through His sacrifice on our behalf. We may have unclean lives, thoughts, and words, but it is for that reason that Jesus came to save us!
The great question here is not who among the men of Israel qualified, or even who among the Levites, but rather, who among all mankind can claim such purity? I surely cannot. My heart, my thoughts, my actions, my words… they all betray the truth of my nature. I am but a sinner, condemned, and in need of God’s mercy. There is no one on earth who truly qualifies.
The Old Testament Law was given for one purpose; it was not to make men holy by means of adherence to a list of rules, but to prove to man their inherent guilt. In describing the character of this “perfect” man, David essentially sets the bar too high for any to reach, and in so doing, fulfills the purpose of his question- to make clear the necessity of God’s mercy.
If the Levites had approached their service with self confidence in their own inherent “goodness,” they would have been an affront to the holiness of God, to whom “all their righteousness was as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). It was better for these servants of God to enter into their appointed service with humble hearts, aware that it was the atonement provided by the mercy of God that allowed them access into the presence of God.
So too we, when faced with our own sinfulness, should not seek to improve upon our fallen human nature before coming to God, but should simply acknowledge it and rely instead upon the mercy of God offered in the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the penalty for all our sins before God and offers us holiness through simple trust in Him!
“He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” (verse 5)
When the Israelites first came into the land with Joshua, God instructed him to give the people a lesson in contrast. Placing half of the leaders of the people on Mount Gerizim and the other half across the green valley on Mount Ebal, they then heralded the promises of God towards the multitude. Those on Gerizim read the passages of the Law, written by Moses, in which God promised blessing to the Israelites if they obeyed Him. Those on Ebal read the passages in which God promised cursing to the Israelites if they disobeyed Him. According to the Law, obedience brings "blessing" and favour, and disobedience brings cursing and chastisement.
In reference to the man in question, (who was fit to stand before the holiness of God), David summarizes the simple message of the Old Covenant Law: If you fulfill your part of the deal, you will receive God's favour. This is the very reason why the Law called by the apostle Paul, a "tutor" to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). Made aware, by means of His unattainable standard, of our own wretched inability to ever meet that standard, we are left seeking His grace, that is, His unmerited favour, which is found only in Jesus our Saviour.
And look here! David now mentions salvation. To “receive” implies not already being in possession of; a gift that one accepts. If this "blessing" and this "righteousness" (right standing before God) is a gift, then it is not earned. Not earned by holiness, not earned by adherence to the Law, but received freely from the Giver. This sheds an entirely new light on this passage.
David knew he was not a perfect man and he was under no delusion as to the holiness of others, either. Known as "a man after God's own heart" throughout the Bible, David was characterized by one thing: a dependence and trust in the mercy and salvation of God. Thus, his description of the kind of holiness needed to bear the Ark to the Holy Place was that of a different nature than legalistic rule keeping. It conveys not perfection, but rather a whole hearted devotion to a God of mercy who saves those who trust in Him.
Under the inspiration of the Spirit, David wrote this psalm for several purposes. The most practical being the reminder to the Levites ministering before the Ark of the need to walk uprightly before a holy God, lest the fate of Uzza should also befall them. The second is more far reaching, as it applies to all who would read his words in future generations. God saw to preserve them in the body of scripture, so we can be sure that He desires us to learn something from them. I believe that He would have us understand that God is holy and yet, He is merciful. He dwells in approachable light, and yet He came to earth and dwelt among sinful men, that we might be reconciled to Him through His own death and resurrection.
He does not look for perfection in us, but rather, faith. As 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him." David was a man after God's own heart, and describes in this psalm a man whose whole life is to be devoted to God, in heart, in action, and in word. In essence, a loyal heart. That is what God is looking for in a servant.
“This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face. Selah.” (verse 6)
Paul said, "For they are not all Israel who are of Israel" (Romans 9:6). True Israelites are those who, like Abraham, seek after God and receive righteousness by faith in Him. It was at this point in the psalm that the Levites would have reached the gate of the tabernacles. They pause at "Selah".
“Lift up your heads O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.” (verse 7)
The choir of Levites was here divided into two groups: the gatekeepers of the tabernacle and those in the procession with the Ark. The Levites who accompanied the Ark, now cry out in song: "Open the gates! Let us in! We bring with us the presence of God!"
“Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.” (verse 8)
The gatekeepers, singing their part, now ask for clarification that the majesty of God be declared loud and clear to all around. This is the finale of the parade. "Who is this King you speak of?" The second group cries out in a yet louder shout, "This is the LORD! He is strong! He is mighty! He is mighty in battle!"
“Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.” (verse 9)
Again the parade choir cries, louder this time, "Let us in! Let the King of glory come in!"
“Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.” (verse 10)
Rising now to fever pitch, the gatekeepers ask one last time, "Who do you say this is?", themselves as excited as the rest. With unrestrained zeal and joy, the procession now shouts as one voice, "The LORD of hosts!" This was an irrefutable title. Only the God of Israel, the God above all gods, who commands the heavenly host of angels, who defends and delivers His people, goes by this Name.
"HE is the King of Glory!!!"
They then become silent as they enter through the holy gates into the courtyard of the tabernacle, and a hush comes over the crowd. God is in the House. Selah.
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This psalm is a popular Ascension Day reading used in liturgical churches, and rightly so. Although it was written for a specific occasion in the past that already occurred, there is a distinct element of prophesy to it, as all the emblems and services of the tabernacle itself are prophetic of the spiritual things they were designed to represent. The coming of the Ark into the tabernacle on Mount Zion is truly a picture of the Lord returning through the Eastern Gate into the city of David when He comes again in glory, leading His host into battle. Will we be there with Him, as He stands before the gate sealed by men, crying alongside the Levites of David's day, "Lift up, you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! That the King of Glory shall come in! The LORD mighty in battle! The LORD of hosts!"? I pray it be so. Come quickly Lord Jesus!
A psalm to be sung as the ark was brought to Mount Zion
A Psalm of David.
“The earth is the LORD’s and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.” (verse 1)
God holds the right of ownership over this world for one main reason: He made it. When seeking a copyright on a written work or invention, the main matter of concern is who the author or inventor is, as they hold the copyright by nature. By virtue of creating something, one becomes the owner of their creation. It is a natural law. The only exception is when the materials used belong to someone else.
If I take someone else's original ideas and publish them as my own, I could be accused of plagiarism or idea theft. If I steal someone else's building supplies and build a machine from them, the machine is not rightly mine, although the design might be. Yet here, too, we see God’s right of ownership. He made the universe out of nothing. He both made the materials and shaped them into this wonderfully habitable world. The whole earth, in all its fullness, belongs to God.
The people who populate this planet also belong to God, as His unique and special creation. On the sixth day of time, God created the first human being from the materials that make up this world, and breathed physical and spiritual life into him. He made him a female partner from his own body, and commanded them to have children and to rule the world He just made. From Adam, all peoples that fill the earth today have descended, and as God created mankind, mankind belongs to God.
“For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters.” (verse 2)
Notice the words “founded” and “established”. Organizations and charities often seek to establish credibility with possible customers or donors by advertising their heritage and long history of productivity. "Est. 1887" may often be seen above the door to some old establishment, and in others, great emphasis may be placed upon the “founders” who originally started the organization; their vision, their character, their efforts, and their donations all glorified in tributes and memorials.
David declares that the founder of Earth is the LORD, the One who brought it into existence, and also makes reference to the time of its establishment. The earth, on day one of creation, began as a dark mass of liquid and solid matter (Genesis 1:2) that was surrounded by the hovering energy of the Spirit of God. God spoke light into existence, and then on day two, separated the earth into land and water.
David could have written, in essence: “Earth. Founder: God, Est. 1CTF (creation of time forward)” Although David’s tribute to God’s establishment of creation could easily apply to the whole universe, as He is indeed the founder of the whole physical realm, David here refines his praise. He glorifies God for the habitable land of the earth, upon which mankind dwells.
“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?” (verse 3)
Having established the ownership of the earth and all its inhabitants as belonging inherently to God, David now poses this question: “Who may?” And I ask, in turn, "Who may indeed?!"
The word “may” implies permission, allowance, ability. To “ascend” means to climb or be raised up, and implies a change of position from low to high. To “stand” is to hold oneself erect in full stature, as opposed to sitting, bowing, or laying down.
The “hill of the LORD” is Mount Zion, the future site of the holy temple located in Jerusalem. David had purchased the land, drafted the design, and acquired the materials for the temple, but God had told him he was not to build it. David thus made preparations for his son Solomon to construct it. In the mean time, David had the tabernacle relocated to the site, and sought out the Ark of Covenant from where it had been stored for many years.
In an elaborate parade, described in 1 Chronicles 15, in which he danced shamelessly before the Lord, David transported the Ark to its proper place in the tabernacle, the “Holy of Holies,” or the “Holy Place.” This was the part of the tabernacle where God’s presence had dwelt in time of old. David wrote Psalm 24 for this holy procession, to be sung by the Levites whose responsibility and high honour it was to carry the Ark of the Covenant to the tabernacle on Mount Zion, into the Holy Place.
David asks, “Whom among the men of Israel are worthy to carry the Ark up to the tabernacle on Mount Zion and enter with it into the Holy Place?” Intended, undoubtably, to be a question asked by the carriers of themselves, “Who, really then, IS worthy?” is the essential thrust of the question at hand.
If you recall the story in 1 Chronicles 13, this parade is not the first David had organized for the said purpose of relocating the Ark. In a tragic incident, David’s first joyous procession had been halted; one of the men chosen to oversee the transportation of the Ark had been struck dead by God. The Ark had begun to slip off the cart it was being carried on, and unfortunate Uzza had reached up to steady it. David had been devastated. He returned home to seek the scriptures and to discover what had gone wrong. It turned out that God had a particular way in which the Ark was to be moved, and this time around, David wanted to be sure of God’s blessing.
As the ones designated to sing this song as they ascended the hill, the chosen Levites undoubtably would have had ample time to consider the weighty words beforehand, (and to contemplate Uzza’s fate), as they practiced the new song in the days before the parade. The words of the song drew attention to the necessity of holiness in the lives of those who would accept service before the Holy God and before the holy Ark.
“He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully.” (verse 4)
Here are the job requirements. “Clean hands” indicates upright and just actions. Recall how Pilot “washed his hands” after unjustly sentencing Jesus to death; injustice causes “dirty hands”. Where these Levites living moral lives among their brethren?
A “pure heart” indicates singleness of devotion and goes hand in hand with “has not lifted up his soul to an idol”. The concept is of someone whose heart is fully set upon God, whose affection is not divided by a love of this world or the things in the world, specifically of a false god. Did these Levites seek after the one true God of Israel?
To “swear deceitfully” is to have hypocrisy of the tongue. When we speak one thing, but think or do another, we practice deceit not only with our neighbour, but with ourselves. God sees; He knows our hearts. Where these Levites faithful to their vows?
Did such men exist? Well, apparently there were men whose lives adequately qualified, for we read of their names in 1 Chronicles 15 and 16. Note Asaph, another psalmist and a contemporary of David, who was both part of the parade choir and appointed to minister before the Ark regularly.
"Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy. So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of their brethren, the sons of Merari, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; and with them their brethren of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers;" (1 Chron. 15:16-18)
"And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom: Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God." (1 Chronicles 16:4-6)
While these men loved God and served Him loyally, there is only One in all of history who could actually stand in the presence of the Holy God with pure actions, thoughts, and words. Jesus alone could have perfectly fit David’s description, and He did ascend the hill of the Lord into the highest of heaven, which Zion typifies. He did enter into the Holy Place, as He entered even into the Throne Room of God on high. Jesus, our Saviour, made a way for us to stand in the presence of God through His sacrifice on our behalf. We may have unclean lives, thoughts, and words, but it is for that reason that Jesus came to save us!
The great question here is not who among the men of Israel qualified, or even who among the Levites, but rather, who among all mankind can claim such purity? I surely cannot. My heart, my thoughts, my actions, my words… they all betray the truth of my nature. I am but a sinner, condemned, and in need of God’s mercy. There is no one on earth who truly qualifies.
The Old Testament Law was given for one purpose; it was not to make men holy by means of adherence to a list of rules, but to prove to man their inherent guilt. In describing the character of this “perfect” man, David essentially sets the bar too high for any to reach, and in so doing, fulfills the purpose of his question- to make clear the necessity of God’s mercy.
If the Levites had approached their service with self confidence in their own inherent “goodness,” they would have been an affront to the holiness of God, to whom “all their righteousness was as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). It was better for these servants of God to enter into their appointed service with humble hearts, aware that it was the atonement provided by the mercy of God that allowed them access into the presence of God.
So too we, when faced with our own sinfulness, should not seek to improve upon our fallen human nature before coming to God, but should simply acknowledge it and rely instead upon the mercy of God offered in the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the penalty for all our sins before God and offers us holiness through simple trust in Him!
“He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” (verse 5)
When the Israelites first came into the land with Joshua, God instructed him to give the people a lesson in contrast. Placing half of the leaders of the people on Mount Gerizim and the other half across the green valley on Mount Ebal, they then heralded the promises of God towards the multitude. Those on Gerizim read the passages of the Law, written by Moses, in which God promised blessing to the Israelites if they obeyed Him. Those on Ebal read the passages in which God promised cursing to the Israelites if they disobeyed Him. According to the Law, obedience brings "blessing" and favour, and disobedience brings cursing and chastisement.
In reference to the man in question, (who was fit to stand before the holiness of God), David summarizes the simple message of the Old Covenant Law: If you fulfill your part of the deal, you will receive God's favour. This is the very reason why the Law called by the apostle Paul, a "tutor" to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). Made aware, by means of His unattainable standard, of our own wretched inability to ever meet that standard, we are left seeking His grace, that is, His unmerited favour, which is found only in Jesus our Saviour.
And look here! David now mentions salvation. To “receive” implies not already being in possession of; a gift that one accepts. If this "blessing" and this "righteousness" (right standing before God) is a gift, then it is not earned. Not earned by holiness, not earned by adherence to the Law, but received freely from the Giver. This sheds an entirely new light on this passage.
David knew he was not a perfect man and he was under no delusion as to the holiness of others, either. Known as "a man after God's own heart" throughout the Bible, David was characterized by one thing: a dependence and trust in the mercy and salvation of God. Thus, his description of the kind of holiness needed to bear the Ark to the Holy Place was that of a different nature than legalistic rule keeping. It conveys not perfection, but rather a whole hearted devotion to a God of mercy who saves those who trust in Him.
Under the inspiration of the Spirit, David wrote this psalm for several purposes. The most practical being the reminder to the Levites ministering before the Ark of the need to walk uprightly before a holy God, lest the fate of Uzza should also befall them. The second is more far reaching, as it applies to all who would read his words in future generations. God saw to preserve them in the body of scripture, so we can be sure that He desires us to learn something from them. I believe that He would have us understand that God is holy and yet, He is merciful. He dwells in approachable light, and yet He came to earth and dwelt among sinful men, that we might be reconciled to Him through His own death and resurrection.
He does not look for perfection in us, but rather, faith. As 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him." David was a man after God's own heart, and describes in this psalm a man whose whole life is to be devoted to God, in heart, in action, and in word. In essence, a loyal heart. That is what God is looking for in a servant.
“This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face. Selah.” (verse 6)
Paul said, "For they are not all Israel who are of Israel" (Romans 9:6). True Israelites are those who, like Abraham, seek after God and receive righteousness by faith in Him. It was at this point in the psalm that the Levites would have reached the gate of the tabernacles. They pause at "Selah".
“Lift up your heads O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.” (verse 7)
The choir of Levites was here divided into two groups: the gatekeepers of the tabernacle and those in the procession with the Ark. The Levites who accompanied the Ark, now cry out in song: "Open the gates! Let us in! We bring with us the presence of God!"
“Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.” (verse 8)
The gatekeepers, singing their part, now ask for clarification that the majesty of God be declared loud and clear to all around. This is the finale of the parade. "Who is this King you speak of?" The second group cries out in a yet louder shout, "This is the LORD! He is strong! He is mighty! He is mighty in battle!"
“Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.” (verse 9)
Again the parade choir cries, louder this time, "Let us in! Let the King of glory come in!"
“Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.” (verse 10)
Rising now to fever pitch, the gatekeepers ask one last time, "Who do you say this is?", themselves as excited as the rest. With unrestrained zeal and joy, the procession now shouts as one voice, "The LORD of hosts!" This was an irrefutable title. Only the God of Israel, the God above all gods, who commands the heavenly host of angels, who defends and delivers His people, goes by this Name.
"HE is the King of Glory!!!"
They then become silent as they enter through the holy gates into the courtyard of the tabernacle, and a hush comes over the crowd. God is in the House. Selah.
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This psalm is a popular Ascension Day reading used in liturgical churches, and rightly so. Although it was written for a specific occasion in the past that already occurred, there is a distinct element of prophesy to it, as all the emblems and services of the tabernacle itself are prophetic of the spiritual things they were designed to represent. The coming of the Ark into the tabernacle on Mount Zion is truly a picture of the Lord returning through the Eastern Gate into the city of David when He comes again in glory, leading His host into battle. Will we be there with Him, as He stands before the gate sealed by men, crying alongside the Levites of David's day, "Lift up, you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! That the King of Glory shall come in! The LORD mighty in battle! The LORD of hosts!"? I pray it be so. Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Psalm 23
Psalm 23
A psalm of dependence.
"A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (verse 1)
Who better to write a psalm about shepherding than David, the shepherd boy who became king. Growing up as the youngest of Jesse's sons, David spent many days and nights in the field, caring for the family's flocks. He was well acquainted with every aspect of shepherding, a fact which influenced his leadership style throughout his life. Whether leading his motley assortment of followers from cave to cave during the Saul years, or leading his people in the worship of the Lord as their king in Jerusalem, David was first and always a shepherd. But like those who have the role of a shepherd in the church today, David recognized that he was also a sheep. He too needed someone to lead, sustain, and protect him. With confidence and assurance in God's faithful care for him, David declares: "The LORD is my shepherd".
Tied into this declaration is an affirmation of its application to his life. Because God is his shepherd, David says "I shall not want." To want is to desire or need. In Bible college, many years ago, I was meditating on this verse. I realized that "I shall not want" could be taken either as a choice to be content in what the Lord has provided, or as a confidence in the Lord's provision for me, that I would not be in want. I came to the conclusion that both interpretations were valid in that they are both based upon the care and provision of the good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep." (John 10:15)
I have noticed that different people tend to struggle with different aspects of the application of this verse. While some might battle fear regarding God's provision and care for them, others battle discontentment and covetousness. The Shepherding heart of the Lord is the answer to both.
As related to covetousness, from early childhood, one of my favourite pastimes was looking at the Sunday ads that came in the paper. I would pore over the various flyers, enticing myself with new clothes, toys, gadgets, and decor. What had previously satisfied me, did no longer. I now needed something more, something new, something better than what I had. As I grew to become an adult, these desires took on new forms, but the heart sin was the same: I was discontent with what I had and wanted something better.
A key verse that has given me the victory over this sin time and time again has been Hebrews 13:5: "Therefore, let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." The promise of the Lord to care for all my needs, to be everything that I need, and present constantly with me, frees me to relinquish the petty fleshly lusts and to walk in the liberty of contentment. There is so much stress involved in covetousness and conversely, there is so much peace in contentment. Truly, as the VeggieTales song says, "A thankful heart is a happy heart." It turns out that everything I need to know I could have learned in Sunday school!
The faithful provision of the Lord is also the key to victory over fear for the future. Life throws many curve balls and whether financial, physical, or relational, the promise of the Lord to be ever present with us, taking care of us, is the grounding we need to find peace and joy in the midst of every trial. Describing the man who trusts in the Lord, Job writes, "You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth." (Job 5:22) Total confidence in the provision of the Lord enables you to be so free from fear that you can even laugh when frightening things come your way. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want!"
When my husband and I answered the Lord's call to service, we knew we were embarking on an exciting journey that would involve much faith and sacrifice, but we had no idea how much fun such a life of trust would be! We often found ourselves entirely dependent upon the provision of the Lord, as our obedience to His call frequently ran contrary to conventional financial advice (ahem... translation: we were slightly crazy). Many times we would offer our situation up to the Lord in prayer, laughing as we did so, because we knew from experience that not only would He faithfully answer, but that He often did so in the most unusual and even funny ways.
One time, when we needed food and presented our need to God, thanksgiving turkeys starting showing up on our doorstep, and once a full salmon was discovered in the trunk of our car! Another time, we asked Him for a fridge, (as we were using our neighbour's backyard fridge and it was getting awkward), and within a month, two new fridges showed up at our house. Another time, I prayed for a pair of jeans, and in one day, someone felt led to give me 17 pairs! That was many years ago, and I'm still wearing some of those jeans today. Trusting in the Lord's provision has afforded a unique opportunity to witness God's sense of humour in action. Don't tell me God doesn't know what a good practical joke looks like! "You shall NOT want!"
The Good Shepherd cares for His sheep and as we trust in Him, He will meet our every need. "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19)
"He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters." (verse 2)
David is speaking from the perspective of being a sheep, with God as His loving Shepherd. When a shepherd takes his flock out to pasture, he leads them to places rich with green grass, and will often linger in that place until all the resources have been exhausted. He then will strike camp and move on until a fresh pasture of grass is found. In pastoral communities, there are ancient routes that shepherds have followed so consistently since days of antiquity, that at any given time of year, it can be guessed which pasture the flock will be grazing upon with remarkable accuracy.
The best grazing spots will naturally have ready access to water, so most pasture land lies alongside the banks of rivers or lakes. In every river, there are places where it runs faster and is more turbulent, as the terrain through which it flows presents uneven topography or even obstacles, that result in waterfalls, white water, and whirlpools. At these points, it would be particularly dangerous for sheep to drink. Not a highly intelligent animal, (to be kind), sheep have been known to drown in small flash floods, ponds, and other less acute dangers. A good shepherd would naturally lead his sheep to water at safe, still parts of a stream.
David is saying that, like a good shepherd who leads his sheep to green pastures and still waters to eat and drink, the Shepherd of his soul leads him to times of rich nourishment and refreshment spiritually. The Word of God is that means by which we are strengthened in spirit; it is our "food" so to speak. In the book of Hebrews, spiritual maturity is related directly to the regularity of a believer's time in the Word of God:
"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:12-14)
Jesus Himself linked our sanctification (i.e. Christian growth and maturity) to our intake of the Word of God, when He prayed to His Father, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." (John 17:17)
Like a shepherd who leads his flocks to good pasture, our Good Shepherd has given us the Word of God to feed our souls upon, and we would do well to eat from it.
Regarding the still waters, in John 7:38, Jesus said, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." For those of us who have believed upon Jesus, there is a spring of spiritual refreshment within us in the Person and power of the Holy Spirit. Like the Samaritan woman at the well, we no longer have to seek out external "waters" to quench our soul thirst; we need only to depend upon the power of the Spirit of grace who now dwells in us.
"Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”" (John 4:14-15)
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is like the refreshing stream; to drink of it, however, one must bend the knee and bow the head, even as a sheep steps down into the waters and lowers its head to access the sweet still water. The recognition of our need, coupled with our trusting dependence upon Him to meet that need, is how we receive His life-giving water bubbling up from within our soul. When we are self-sufficient or proud, His power, although there, remains unused in our life. Like a thirsty sheep, let us humble ourselves before God and allow Him to fill us up overflowing with His Holy Spirit.
"He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His namesake." (verse 3)
To "restore" means to bring back or to put back, in reference to a prior state of being or condition. The idea of restoration is that of repairing, healing, and renewing and is most often used in the sense of a return to wholeness or beauty. David here attributes the LORD with restoring his soul: his internal being, or as some understand it, his heart and mind.
David was known as a man after God's own heart; he had a loyal heart, inclined to worship. He was also a man of great faith. But he was human, like us, and "prone to wander", as the song has it. His heart would deviate from the right path at times, his emotions reel with the circumstances, and his mind despair when he couldn't see past his present distress. His soul regularly needed restoration, and God was always faithful to do that work of renewal in his life.
I believe it is key here to note the context of this declaration. It is after David has established the spiritual provision of the Lord through His Word and His Spirit that he speaks of soul restoration.
Our minds are renewed as we immerse ourselves in the life giving Word of God:
Romans 12:2, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
Our hearts are renewed as the Spirit of God works in us by His grace:
Ephesians 3:16, "that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,"
The work of soul restoration is an ongoing process in the lives of all who place their faith in Jesus Christ. As we allow Him to lead us to rich pastures and still waters, He will restore our souls. "Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." (2 Corinthians 4:16)
What does it mean to be led in "paths of righteousness?" Applied to sheep, it means the correct and safe path that leads eventually to rich pastureland and alongside refreshing streams. It does not lead to dangerous forests full of predators; it does not lead to cliff edges where many may fall to their death; it does not lead to barren deserts where there is no food or water. It is the good path.
Glance back at Romans 12:2 and notice the second half of the verse: "that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Have you ever sought to know the will of God for your life? This verse tells us plainly that as we allow the Lord to renew our minds through the Word of God, that His will for us will become clear. It also says in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
As we let the LORD guide us into all truth in His Word, His specific will for our lives will be revealed. I cannot tell you how many times I have been puzzled over what to do or how to think, and after pouring my heart out to the Lord, I pick up my Bible and journal for my daily devotional time, and right there in the text for that day, I find the answer I need. Really. It is more times than I can count. He does lead us into the right paths, if we let Him.
Yes, there are times, too, when the answer is long in coming, but it always comes, and at the right time. Sometimes the waiting period is part of the process by which He leads us into truth, and sometimes it is for necessary character growth that equips us to walk the path He has set for us.
Don't be an obstinate sheep and insist upon going your own way, ("All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one to his own way..." Isaiah 53:6), but rather let Him lead you into the right path... the good path... the one that leads to a future and a hope. And if He has not yet shown you the way to go, be in the Word and keep waiting on Him. He will guide your steps.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me." (verse 4)
Every shepherd knows the areas through which he must be extra vigilant in his care for his sheep. He leads them by day, keeping a keen eye for danger and His staff in hand ready to defend them should the need arise. He will guard them at night in a sheep fold, lying across the entrance, his very body becoming the door to the fold. Jesus said in John 10 that He was the "door" to the sheep fold (John 10:7) and that He was the "Good Shepherd" (John 10:14) who lays down His life for the sheep. When there are dangers surrounding us, we can rest assured that our Shepherd is with us and that He will protect us. The Bible declares again and again that God is ever present with us and will never abandon us.
“And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Our good Shepherd also promises to not lose a single one of us:
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John 10:27-28)
No matter what fears you are facing, they are only the "shadow" of death; they are not death itself. They will not overcome you. You have a good Shepherd who will never leave you and who will guide you through every trial and temptation that this life may yield. Stick close to Him in full confidence that He has not, nor ever will, lose a single sheep that belongs to Him.
Notice, too, that the Good Shepherd carries not only a staff for defence and guidance, but also a rod. Rods speak of discipline, chastisement. Out of love, a good shepherd will strike a wondering sheep to keep it with flock, where there is safety. The discipline is not intended to hurt the sheep but rather to save it from hurt; a small sting to prevent horrible pain or even death.
It says of God in Hebrews 12:5-11 that He chastens only those that He loves.
"My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
In his times of distress, David finds not only the staff of the Lord comforting, but also His rod. He rests in the assurance that God loves him enough to discipline, and thus protect, him when he leaves the safe and right path. I have many times asked the Lord to show mercy to me in not allowing me to wander too far from the path before restoring me to it. If He must chasten me, as a loving shepherd does to save his sleep from their own foolishness, then so be it. I would rather the gentle chastening of my Shepherd, than the teeth of the wolf or the jagged rocks of a precipice.
We can take great comfort in our Shepherd's presence, knowing that He will save us from what lurks in the shadows as well as from what lurks in our own hearts. As Isaiah said, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one to his own way, and the LORD has laid on Him (JESUS!) the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6)
Our Good Shepherd lay down His life that we might live. What greater comfort is there?
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You annoint my head with oil; my cups runs over." (verse 5)
"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)
David had physical enemies, like King Saul and the Philistines, from whom he at times feared for his life. These men sought to kill David, because David was chosen by God to lead the people of Israel as their shepherd-hearted king. Although it at times perhaps felt that all the world was against him, God never forsook David and provided for him again and again, so that even his enemies could not deny that God was with him. God was on his side. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
David was chosen out of all Israel by God to be king. While yet a boy, the Lord led the prophet Samuel to David to anoint him with oil as the next king of Israel. Yet it was many years before this prophesy would come to pass in his life. Through the long, hard years of waiting, David doubtless found strength in the promise of God. He was the Lord's anointed king, yet every passing year he seemed to get further and further away from the throne. It was his faith in God's Word that kept David from despair. God had promised it, so David knew He would do it. The anointing was his guarantee.
In the same way, the Father anoints all who place their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation with His Holy Spirit, as a promise and guarantee of that salvation.
"Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
Like a cup that is being filled past the brim until it is overflowing, our hearts can overflow with the joy and assurance of God's promises, protection, and provision for us. Worship arises spontaneously when we realize just how good our Good Shepherd really is to us. My cup runs over!
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." (verse 6)
Notice that David didn't say, "Surely health and wealth shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in prosperity forever." That is the false gospel of self, preached every week in pulpits across the country. It is a "gospel" that cannot be found in the Gospels, nor the epistles, nor any book of the Bible.
What we do find is mercy. Put simply, "mercy" is not getting the punishment that I deserve.
What we do find is mercy. Put simply, "mercy" is not getting the punishment that I deserve.
From the very fall of man in the book of Genesis to the final act of God in the book of Revelation, the theme of "mercy triumphing over judgment" pervades the whole of Scripture. God's goodness cannot abide sin, and sin brings judgment, but yet His mercy conquers judgment! He fulfilled all in the person and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus our Saviour. Perfectly good, Jesus died for the evil of all of mankind, providing atonement for all who trust in Him. That is mercy above all mercy.
David was a man who trusted in the mercy and goodness of God. He knew that however he failed God, God would never fail him; that His mercy would endure forever.
"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 106:1)
This statement is repeated over forty times in the Bible, and there are scores of other verses all about the unending mercy of God throughout scripture. Truly, as James wrote, "Mercy triumphs over judgment." (James 2:13)
David loved the LORD with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. He would have preferred, it seems, to have been born a Levite, whose calling and purpose was to serve the Lord in the tabernacle. David wrote countless worship songs for the Levitical choir, to be sung in the tabernacle, and made it the focus of the latter years of his reign to prepare for the building of the temple that God had said his son would build. David loved the house of the LORD.
"One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple."
Psalm 27:4
While he never dwelt in the tabernacle during his life on this earth, nor even got to see the temple he designed for the LORD built, David spoke truly. He, for all eternity, will dwell in the house of the LORD, in His very presence. When Jesus returns to earth in majesty and glory to sit upon His throne in the temple of Jerusalem, David will be there, promised to be forever king in Jerusalem. David's life, as recorded in the Word of God, was but the prequel to the real story of his life. As he wrote, and now has experienced in person, "As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness." (Psalm 17:15) David's greatest desire has been fulfilled.
If you have trusted in the mercy of the LORD as displayed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you too have this same hope. Like David, you will dwell forever in the house of the Lord and be satisfied in His presence. Set your heart and eyes on Jesus, and look forward to the fulfillment of all He has promised you in His everlasting Word.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep... us.
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