Upwards Church

Theme: A prayer for victory in battle. Such a prayer can help us prepare for any great challenge. David knew that trust should be placed in the Lord more than in human power.

 Those who have problems with the military aspects of some of David’s psalms should remember that David went to war only when the enemy attacked Israel. He did not invade other nations just to gain territory, and he was fighting the Lord’s battles (1 Sam. 17:47; 25:28; 2 Chron. 20:15). The covenant God made with David (2 Sam. 7:11) assured him of victory over his enemies. In this regard, David is a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Commander of the Lord’s armies (Josh. 5:14-15), who one day will ride in victory against the armies of this world (Ps. 45:3-7; Rev. 3:14; 17:14; 19:11-21). Just as physicians fight a battle against disease and death, so our Lord wages a war against sin and evil.

 This psalm describes three essentials for victory as God’s people fight against the forces of evil:

A Praying People (vv. 1-5) 

Before the army went out to battle, the Jewish law of warfare required the officers and soldiers first to dedicate themselves to the Lord (Deut. 20:1-4), and this psalm speaks of such a dedication service. “Battles are won the day before,” said Marshall Foch, commander of the Allied forces in World War I. The word “may” is used six times in verses 1-5 as the people prayed for their king (see NASB, NIV). Not only were the lives of the king and his army involved, but so also was the glory of the Lord (vv. 5,7). It was a “day of trouble” (see 50:15; 59:16; 77:2; 86:7; 102:2), but Jehovah is a “very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). In verse 1, the people prayed that God would answer the king’s prayers and lift him up above the enemy (“defend”). “The God of Jacob” is a familiar title for the Lord (24:6; 46:7, 11; 75:9; 76:6; 81:1,4; 84:8; 94:7; 114:7; 132:2,5; 146:5; and see Isa. 49:26 and 60:16). It suggests that God works on behalf of those who are weak and in special need (see Gen. 35:1-3). David had brought the ark of the covenant to Mt. Zion (2 Sam. 6), which meant that God was enthroned among His people and would help them (Pss. 80:1 and 99:1, NIV). His holy name was upon the sanctuary (Deut. 14:23; 16:2,11), and therefore His glory was at stake. Many times David had brought sacrifices to the altar and dedicated himself to the Lord (burnt offerings) and given thanks to Him, and he would have offered sacrifices before coming to lead the army. (See 1 Sam. 7:9ff and 13:9ff.) The Lord did not forget these offerings which were given as memorials to His great name (Lev. 2:1-2, 9, 16; 5:12; and see Acts 10:4). But David had done more than worship God; he had also sought the Lord’s will concerning strategy for the battle (see 1 Sam. 23). The people prayed that God would bless those plans, for petitions and plans must go together. The central verse in the psalm is verse 5, a confident affirmation of victory before the battle even started.

Raising the banners and waving them was a sign of victory, and “Jehovah our banner” was one of God’s special names (see Ex. 17:15-16). The theme of salvation (victory) is repeated in verses 6 and 9.

A Capable Leader (vv. 6-8)

“Everything rises and falls with leadership,” Dr. Lee Roberson often says, and he is right. Now the king speaks and assures his people that he is confident of success because the Lord has chosen him (“anointed”) and heard his prayers. The people had prayed “May the Lord hear” (v. 1) and David’s reply was, “He will hear” (v. 6). The Lord would not only send help from Zion (v. 2) but also from the very throne of heaven! (v. 6). Just as God’s hand had reached down and saved David in the past (18:9-18), so His hand would deliver him from the enemy. In the covenant God made with David, He had promised him success in battle (2 Sam. 7:11), and David claimed this promise by faith.

Was the enemy coming with horses and chariots? There was no need to fear, for Israel’s faith was in the Lord. Israel’s kings were commanded not to acquire great numbers of horses and chariots (Deut. 17:16), a law that Solomon disobeyed (1 Kings 10:26-27). Note that the law of warfare even mentions horses and chariots (Deut. 20:1-4, and see 32:20 and 2 Sam. 10:18). God had defeated Egypt’s best troops (Ex. 14:6ff; 15:4), and He could defeat the enemy attacking David (Ps. 33:16-17; Prov. 21:31; 2 Kings 19:20-23). “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). God’s people don’t boast in their human resources but in the God who alone can save them in every situation. Only this kind of faith will honor the strong name of the Lord. The enemy will go down in defeat, but Israel will stand upright as victors.

A Sovereign Lord (v. 9)

David, the people, and the troops acknowledging the sovereignty of the great king of Israel. Unless the Lord is King, there can be no victory. “For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods” (95:3, NIV). “The Lord Almighty—he is the King of Glory” (24:10, NIV). David plans his strategy (v. 4), but the Lord alone can determine the outcome.

 *Life Application: As long as there have been armies and weapons, nations have boasted of their power, but such power does not last. Throughout history, empires and kingdoms have risen to great power only to vanish in the dust. David, however, knew that the true might of his nation was not in weaponry but in worship; not in firepower but in God’s power. Because God alone can preserve a nation or an individual, be sure your confidence is in God, who gives eternal victory. Whom do you trust?

Darrell

For more about The Ridge Fellowship, go to www.ridgefellowship.com

Sources:

 Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) – Old Testament

 J. Vernon McGee’s Thru The Bible

 Life Application Bible Notes

The Treasury of David

 Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary

Theme: Both God’s creation and his Word reveal his greatness.

Well-known Christian writer C. S. Lewis said of this Psalm, “I take this [Ps. 19] to be the greatest poem in The Psalms and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.” C. S. Lewis

The World Around Us—God the Creator (vv. 1-6)

David focused on the heavens above him and the many facets of God’s creation. They include the earth beneath our feet, the plant and animal kingdoms on earth, in the skies and in the waters, the human world, the world of rocks and crystals, worlds visible to the human eye, and worlds so small we need special equipment to see them. World famous biologist Edward O. Wilson claims there may be as many as 1.6 million species of fungi in the world today, 10,000 species of ants, 300,000 species of flowering plants, between 4,000 and 5,000 species of mammals, and approximately 10,000 species of birds. But these large numbers pale into insignificance when you start examining the heavens, as David did, and begin to calculate distances in light years. David knew none of this modern scientific data, and yet when he pondered the heavens, he was overwhelmed by the glory of the Lord.

The Jewish people were forbidden to worship the objects in the heavens (Ex. 20:4-5; Deut. 4:14-19; 5:8-9), nor were they allowed to practice astrology (Isa. 47:13-14; Jer. 10:1-5). They worshiped the Creator, not the creation (Rom. 1:25). The existence of creation implied the existence of a Creator, and the nature of the creation implied that He was wise enough to plan it and powerful enough to execute His plan and maintain what He had made. So complex a universe demands a Creator who can do anything, who knows everything, and who is present everywhere. But even more, David knew that God was speaking to the inhabitants of the earth by means of His creation. Creation is a “wordless book” that everybody can read because it needs no translation. God speaks through creation day after day and night after night; His speech “pours out” silently, abundantly, universally.

In Romans 10:18, Paul quoted verse 4 as part of his explanation of why Israel rejected the Gospel and what this rejection did to the nation. The Jewish people could never say that they had not heard God’s message, because Psalm 19:4 says that the whole world has heard. Therefore, both Gentiles and Jews stand guilty before God and need to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ, and we must take the salvation message to them (Rom. 10:1-15). Paul quoted from the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, which uses “sound” (voice) instead of “line,” but the sense is the same. Some translators use “influence” instead of “line.” God’s voice of power in creation prepares the way for His voice of grace in the Gospel. When Paul preached to Gentiles, he started with creation and then moved into the Gospel message (Acts 14:14-18; 17:22-31). Phillips Brooks gave the first instructions about God to Helen Keller, who was blind and deaf, and she replied that she had always known there was a God but didn’t know what His name was. Our task is to tell the world that His name is Jesus (Acts 4:12).

David was an outdoorsman and often watched the sunrise and sunset, and what he saw day after day reminded him of a bridegroom leaving the marriage pavilion to claim his bride, and a vigorous athlete running a race. The first image speaks of glory (the groom was richly attired), love and anticipation, while the second speaks of power and determination.

But in spite of this universal message that pours out day and night to the entire world, most people ignore it and reject God because they want to live as they please (Rom. 1:18-2:23).

The repeated question, “Are people lost who have never heard about Jesus?” has two answers: (1) Yes, they are lost, because God speaks to them all day long, and they refuse to listen; (2) What are you doing about getting the message to these people?

The Word Before Us—God the Instructor (vv. 7-11)

The revelation of God in creation is truly wonderful, but it is limited when it comes to manifesting the attributes of God and His purposes for creation. Following the fall of man, creation has been subjected to “futility and bondage” (Gen. 3:17-19; Rom. 8:20-22), so we need something that reveals more clearly the character of God. That “something” is the inspired Word of God. When he wrote about creation, David used Elohim (v. 1), the name that speaks of God’s great power; but when he wrote about God’s Word, seven times he used the “covenant” name Jehovah, for the God of creation is also the God of personal revelation to His people. Israel was a very special nation, chosen by God to receive His law, covenants, and promises (Rom. 9:4). “He declares His words to Jacob, His statutes and his ordinances to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any nation” (147:19-20, NASB). The heavens declare God’s glory, but the Scriptures tell us what God did so that we may share in that glory. There is no conflict between what God does in His universe and what He says in His Word. It was by His Word that He created the worlds (33:9), and it is by His Word that He controls the worlds (33:11; 148:8).

David recorded six different names or attributes for God’s Word.  *Additionally we see six blessings in the lives of those who receive and obey God’s Word:

 1.      Law of the Lord (v. 7a). This is the Hebrew word torah, which means “instruction, direction, teaching.” Jewish people call the scrolls of the Law “The Torah,” but the word refers to all of God’s revelation. It comes from a word that means “to shoot an arrow,” for a teacher aims to hit the target and achieve specific goals in the lives of the students. Unlike the textbooks that we write, God’s Word is perfect, flawless, and complete. Because human language changes, we require new translations of God’s Word; but the Word of God never needs revision or improvement. “Restore” is the same word used in Psalm 23:3 and means “to revive, to give new life.” *The Word of the Lord not only has life (Acts 7:3; Heb. 4:12), but it imparts spiritual life to all who receive it (1 Peter 1:23), and it sustains life as well (119:25, 37, 40, 88,107,149,156,159).

2.      Testimony of the Lord (v. 7). The Ten Commandments were known by this name (Ex. 25:21), and they are the basis for God’s law. But all of the Scriptures are God’s witness to us of who He is, what He has said and done, and what He wants us to be and to do. The witness God bears of Himself in the written Word is sure and reliable. *Through the Word, we become wise concerning salvation (2 Tim. 3:15) and the principles of successful living (Prov. 2; 8:33; 10:8). The “simple” are not mentally deficient people or the naive people who believe everything, but the childlike people who humbly receive God’s truth (Matt. 11:25; Luke 10:21-24).

3.      Statutes/Precepts of the Lord (v. 8). These are the God’s detailed instructions concerning the practical matters of everyday life. For the Old Testament Jew, the statutes related to what they ate, how they dressed, how they kept clean, and so forth. God laid down certain basic laws and commandments, and the statutes applied them to specific situations. The New Testament epistles repeat nine of the Ten Commandments for believers today, omitting the Fourth Commandment, and then give applications of these principles. (See Eph. 4:20-32.) Some of the statutes that legislators have passed are not right and have brought grief, but the statutes of the Lord bring joy.

4.      Commandment of the Lord (v. 8). The word means “that which is appointed.” Because the Lord loves us, He commands us what to do and warns us what not to do, and how we respond is a matter of life or death (Deut. 30:15-20). God’s commands are pure and lead to a pure life, if we obey from the heart. The Bible is the Holy Scriptures (Rom. 1:2; 7:12; 2 Tim. 3:15), and therefore His Word is “very pure” (119:140; Prov. 30:5). *We are enlightened and learn God’s truth when we obey what He says (John 7:17) and not just when we read it or study it (James 1:22-25). We are strangers on this earth, and the Word of God is the road map to guide us (119:19). Like a traveler on the highway, if we deliberately make a wrong turn, we go on a detour and fail to reach our destination.

5.      Fear of the Lord (v. 9). This is an unusual name for the Scriptures, but it reminds us that we cannot learn the Word of God unless we show reverence and respect for the God of the Word. To teach the Bible is to teach the fear of the Lord (34:11; Deut. 4:9-10), and the mark of a true Bible student is a burning heart, not a big head (Luke 24:32; 1 Cor. 8:1). While some of the fears people have might be distressing and even defiling, the fear of God is clean and maturing. *We do not decay or deteriorate as we walk in the fear of the Lord (2 Cor. 4:16-18).

6.      Judgments of the Lord (v. 9). This can be translated “ordinances” or even “verdicts.” It refers to the decisions of a judge. Throughout the Bible we see the Lord passing judgment on what people and nations do, and His rewards, rebukes, and punishments help us understand what pleases Him. In the nation of Israel, the ordinances instructed the officers and judges in settling problems between individuals and in meting out punishments to guilty offenders. Believers today are not under the Old Testament law, but *how those laws were applied helps us understand the righteousness of God and our need for His grace.

The way we treat the Bible is the way we treat the Lord, so it isn’t difficult to determine if we are rightly related to God. Do we desire His Word because it’s precious to us (12), even more than wealth (v. 10; 119:14, 72,127,162) or tasty food (119:103; 1 Peter 2:2)? Do we find satisfaction in “feeding on” God’s Word? (See Matt. 4:4; Job 23:12; Jer. 15:16.) Would we skip a meal to spend time meditating on the Scriptures? Do we attend church dinners but not church Bible studies? Furthermore, do we accept the warnings of the Word and act upon them? To know the warning and not heed it is sin (James 4:17). Do we enjoy the blessing of the Lord because we’ve obeyed His will? To have an appetite for God’s Word is a mark of a healthy Christian whose priorities are straight. The Lord has sent the Holy Spirit to teach us His Word, and if we walk in the Spirit, we will learn and live the truth (John 14:26; 16:12-15; 1 Cor. 2:9-10; 1 John 2:20-29).

 The Witness Within Us—God the Redeemer (vv. 12-14).

 Unless we have a personal relationship with the Lord so that God is our Father and Jesus is our Redeemer, what we see in creation and what we read in the Bible will not do us much good. The Magi in Matthew 2:1-12 started on their journey by following God’s star, a special messenger in the sky to direct them. Then they consulted God’s Word and found that the King was to be born in Bethlehem; so they went to Bethlehem and there found and worshiped the Savior. When you study God’s creation with a Bible in your hand, you can’t help but see Jesus! He is seen in the vine (John 15), the sun (John 8:12; Mal. 4:2), the stars (Num. 24:17), the lambs (John 1:29), the apple trees and lilies (Song 2:3, 16; 6:3), the seed planted in the ground (John 12:23-24), and the bread on the table (John 6:35). The Word in the hand is fine; the Word in the head is better; but the Word in the heart is what transforms us and matures us in Christ (119:11; Col. 3:16-17).

The Word is a light (119:105) and a mirror (James 1:22-25) to help us see ourselves, search our hearts (Heb. 4:12), and recognize and acknowledge our sins. “By the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20; 7:7-14). “Secret sins” are those we don’t even see ourselves, “sins of ignorance” we don’t realize we’ve committed. The Old Testament law made provision for their forgiveness (Lev. 4; Num. 15:22-29) because the sinners were guilty even though they were ignorant of what they had done (Lev. 5:17). However, the law provided no atonement for presumptuous sins (Num. 15:30-36; Deut. 17:12-13). When David committed adultery and arranged to have Uriah murdered (2 Sam. 11-12), he sinned insolently with his eyes wide open and therefore could bring no sacrifice (Ps. 51:16-17). When he confessed his sins, God in His grace forgave him (2 Sam. 12:13), but David paid dearly for his transgressions. Unconfessed sins, even if committed ignorantly, can grow within the heart and begin to rule over us, and this can lead to our committing willful disobedience (“great transgression”— there is no article in the Hebrew text).

Creation is God’s “wordless book,” and the Scriptures are God’s holy Word to us, but God wants to hear our words as “sacrifices” that please Him (141:1-2; Hos. 14:2; Heb. 13:15). The word translated “acceptable” refers to the priest’s examination of the sacrifices to make sure they were without blemish. If the sacrifice wasn’t acceptable to the Lord, the worshiper was not accepted by the Lord (Lev. 1:1-9; 22:17-25; Mal. 1:6-8). The words we speak begin with the thoughts in our heart (Matt. 12:33-37), so it’s important that we meditate on God’s Word and God’s works, the first two themes of Psalm 19. If we delight in God’s Word, we will naturally meditate on it and give expression of His truth with our lips, and this will help to keep us from sin (119:9-16, 23-24, 47-48, 77-78, 97-99). The usage here refers to the “kinsman redeemer” (goel = “one who has the right to redeem”) who could rescue a relative from difficult situations (Lev. 25:25-28; Num. 35:11-34; the book of Ruth; Isa. 43:14). Jesus is our Redeemer (Gal. 3:13; 4:5; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:12; 1 Peter 1:18), and He became our “kinsman” when He came in sinless human flesh to die for us on the cross. He is both Rock and Redeemer, for He not only paid the price to set us free, but He also keeps us safe.

Darrell

For more about The Ridge Fellowship, go to www.ridgefellowship.com

Sources:

 Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) – Old Testament

 J. Vernon McGee’s Thru The Bible

 Life Application Bible Notes

The Treasury of David

 Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary

Theme: Gratitude for deliverance and victory.  To be delivered from surrounding evil,  call upon God for help and strength.

This psalm of praise and victory was written and sung after the Lord made David king of all Israel and gave him victory over the nations that opposed his rule (2 Sam. 5, 8, 10). Another version of the psalm is found in 2 Samuel 22, and quotations and allusions are found in Psalm 116. No matter how much Saul persecuted David, David did not consider Saul his enemy. “Deliver” is one of the key words in the psalm; it is found in the title as well as in verses 2, 17, 19, 43, and 48 (KJV). It’s possible that the new king used this song at a national day of prayer and praise to give thanks to the Lord for His manifold mercies to Israel. The psalm opens (vv. 1-3) and closes (vv. 46-50) with a doxology. David told the people what God had done for him, so the song blends worship and witness.

The focus of the psalm is on the Lord and what He graciously did for His servant, but it also tells us what He can do for us today if we will trust and obey.

God Delivers When We Call on Him (vv. 1-18)

When David expressed his love for the Lord, he used a special word that means “to love deeply, to have compassion.” It’s related to the Hebrew word for “womb” (see Jer. 21:7) and describes the kind of love a mother has for her baby (Isa. 49:15), a father has for his children (103:13), and the Lord has for His chosen people Israel (102:13; Hos. 1:7; Deut. 13:17). It’s a deep and fervent love, the kind of love all of us should have for the Lord (31:23). David expressed his love (v. 1), his faith (v. 2), and his hope (v. 3). The seven metaphors he used certainly reflect the life of an outdoorsman and a soldier. “Rock” is a familiar metaphor for the Lord, speaking of strength and stability, a place of refuge.  It goes back to Genesis 49:24 and Deuteronomy 32:4,15, 18, and 30-31. “Fortress” pictures God as a stronghold, like the city of Jerusalem on Mount Zion (1 Sam. 22:4; 24:22; 2 Sam. 5:17; 23:14). “Shield” speaks of God’s protection;( Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:29), but it also is a symbol of the king. David was Israel’s shield, but the Lord was David’s shield. “Horn” refers to strength (Deut. 33:17; 1 Sam. 2:1, 10; 1 Kings 22:11) and has Messianic connotations (Luke 1:69). This kind of God is worthy of our prayers and praise!

After expressing his devotion, David described his distress (vv. 4-6) and pictured himself as a man who had been hemmed in on every side, caught in a trap, bound with cords, and thrown into the water to drown. (See 88:16-178; 69:2, 15; 124:4; Job 22:11.) But, when he called, God began to act on his behalf. The great deliverance (vv. 7-18) is depicted as a storm. The Lord had been longsuffering with King Saul, but now His anger arose and began to shake things, like an earthquake and an erupting volcano (vv. 7-8; Ex. 15:8; Deut. 32:22). God came down in a storm, like a warrior in a chariot, carried along swiftly by a cherub. (See Gen. 3:24; Ex. 25:18; 2 Kings 19:15; Ezek. 1,10). He was accompanied by darkness, rain, wind, hail (a rare thing in the Holy Land), thunder, and lightning (His arrows, v. 14; see 77:17,144:6). All because David called on the Lord! (v. 6). At just the right time, God reached down and delivered David (vv. 16-19). Like Moses, he was drawn out of the water (Ex. 2:10). The enemy fell in defeat, but David stood firm, supported by the Lord (23:4). He was now king of Israel. Ten years of exile were ended, his life had been spared, and his ministry lay before him.

*Life Application:  God’s protection of his people is limitless and can take many forms. David characterized God’s care with five military symbols. God is like (1) a rock that can’t be moved by any who would harm us, (2) a fortress or place of safety where the enemy can’t follow, (3) a shield that comes between us and harm, (4) a horn of salvation, a symbol of might and power, (5) a stronghold high above our enemies. If you need protection, look to God.

God Rewards When We Obey (vv. 19-27)

The word “distress” in verse 6 means “to be in a tight place, in a corner, hemmed in,” but when the storm was over, David found himself in “a large place” where he could take “large steps” of faith in serving, the Lord (v. 36). God enlarged David’s trials and used them to enlarge David!  David wasn’t perfect, nor are we, but he was “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14, and see and a man with a shepherd’s heart  (2 Sam. 24:17). God delighted in David the way parents delight in the maturing of their children in character, obedience, and service. David was faithful to the Lord (vv. 20-24; so the Lord faithfully cared for David (vv. 25-29). David knew God’s law (v. 22) and obeyed it, in spite of the difficult circumstances of his exile. In the spirit of Samuel (1 Sam. 12:3) and Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:3), his affirmation of righteousness was an evidence of humility and honesty, not pride and deception. Note the use of the words righteousness and cleanness (vv. 20,24), upright (blameless, vv. 23, 25), and pure (v. 26).

The way we relate to the Lord determines how the Lord relates to us (vv. 25-27). David was merciful to Saul, and God was merciful to David (Matt. 5:9). David was loyal (“blameless”), and God was faithful to him and kept His promises to bless him. David wasn’t sinless, but he was blameless in his motives. The “pure in heart” (Matt. 5:8) are those whose hearts are wholly dedicated to God. Saul had been devious in his dealings with God, David and the people, but David was honest and straightforward. It’s true that early in his exile, he lied to Ahimelech the priest and to Achish, king of Gath (1 Sam. 21), but he soon learned that faith is living without scheming. Read verse 26 in the New American Standard Bible or the New International Version to see that God meets our “perverseness and crookedness” with His own shrewdness. The word translated “astute” or “shrewd” means “to wrestle,” which reminds us of the way God dealt with Jacob (Gen. 32). God’s character and covenants never change, but His dealings with us are determined by the condition of our hearts.

God Equips When We Submit to Him (vv. 28-45)

What was God accomplishing during those difficult years of Saul’s reign? For one thing, He was disciplining His people for running ahead of Him and making Saul king (Hos. 13:10-11). In His longsuffering, He was also giving Saul opportunities to repent. At the same time, He was equipping David for his years of service. God takes time to prepare His servants: thirteen years for Joseph, forty years for Moses, and forty years for Joshua. The lessons David learned about himself and God during those years of exile helped to make him the man that he was. The images in these verses reveal God developing a great warrior, a compassionate leader, and a godly man.

The image of the lamp (v. 28) speaks of God’s grace in keeping David alive during those dangerous years (Job 18:5-6; Prov. 13:9). It also speaks of the perpetuity of his family and dynasty (132:17; 2 Sam. 21:17; 1 Kings 11:36, 15:4; 2 Kings 8:19; 2 Chron. 21:7), culminating in the coming of Jesus Christ to earth (Luke 1:26-33). Because David trusted God (v. 30), God enabled him to run, leap, fight, and defeat the enemy (vv. 29, 32-34, 37-45). He could run through a troop, scale a wall, or leap like a deer up the mountains (see Hab. 3:19). This is not a glorification of war, for God trained him to fight His battles (v. 34) and protect Israel so they could accomplish His purposes on earth. David did not invade other countries just to add territory to his kingdom. Whatever land he gained was the result of his defeating armies that first attacked Israel.

Though David was a man of war, he recognized that it was God’s gentleness that made him what he was. The word means “condescension.” God condescended to look down and call David (1 Sam. 16), bend down and mold David (v. 35), and reach down and save David (v. 16); and then He lifted him up to the throne (vv. 39-45). This reminds us of what Jesus, the Son of David, did when He “stepped down” to come to earth as a servant and die for our sins (Phil. 2:1-11; see also John 8:1-11 and 13:1-11). Because David was submitted to the Lord, God could trust Him with the authority and glory of the throne. Only those who are under authority should exercise authority.

*Life Application:  God promises to give us strength to meet challenges, but he doesn’t promise to eliminate them. If he gave us no rough roads to walk, no mountains to climb, and no battles to fight, we would not grow. He does not leave us alone with our challenges, however. Instead he stands beside us, teaches us, and strengthens us to face them.

God is Glorified When We Worship Him (vv. 46-50)

After looking back at God’s gracious ministry to him, what else could David do but praise Him? “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). David didn’t take things into his own hands but allowed the Lord to vindicate him when the time was right (1 Sam. 24:1-7; 26:1-12; Rom. 12:17-21).

Paul quoted verse 49 in Romans 15:9 and applied it to the Jews praising God among the Gentiles. In Romans 15:10-11, the Jews and Gentiles rejoice together— the result of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles—and then Romans 15:12 announces Jesus Christ reigning over both Jews and Gentiles (see Isa. 11:10).

The psalm ends with David exalting the Lord for His covenant to him and to his descendants (v. 50; 2 Sam. 7). Little children often use their own names when they ask for something (“Please give Tommy a cookie”), and David used his own name here, just like a little child. (See also 2 Sam. 7:20). David used the word “forever,” so he must have realized that it would be through the promised Messiah that the kingdom promises would be fulfilled. “And he shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

God still extends His kindness to us today! This wonderful psalm closes on a note of praise to God.  May we too praise God for all He has done.

Darrell

For more about The Ridge Fellowship, go to www.ridgefellowship.com

Sources:

 Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) – Old Testament

 J. Vernon McGee’s Thru The Bible

 Life Application Bible Notes

The Treasury of David

 Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary

Theme: A plea for justice in the face of false accusations and persecution. David urges us to realize the true goal of life–to know God–and the true reward of life–to one day see God.

 This is one of five psalms identified as “prayers” (see also 86,90,102,142). The title is also used in Habakkuk 3:1 and Psalm 72:20. Since most of the psalms contain prayers to the Lord, we wonder why these five were singled out for this special title. Except for 90, written by Moses, they describe the writer in dangerous situations and crying out to God for deliverance. Only 17, 86, and 142 are attributed to David, and they were probably written during the years when Saul pursued him. There are at least a dozen words for prayer in the Hebrew language, and this one (tepilla) can also mean “to intervene.” Perhaps the title also told the temple musicians what melody to use when using these psalms in public worship.  In this prayer, David deals with three pressing concerns and makes three major requests to the Lord. Each section opens with David addressing the Lord.

Vindication—”Examine Me” (vv. 1-5)

The psalm begins and ends with “righteousness” (vv. 1 and 15), because David wants God to examine him and vindicate him before his enemies. He saw God as a righteous judge who would give him a fair trial. King Saul and his leaders believed and circulated all kinds of lies about David, but the Lord and David knew the truth. David asked God to hear his plea, examine his life, and declare his integrity by giving him victory over the forces of Saul. Then everybody would know that God was with David, the man He has chosen to be Israel’s king. God knew that David’s prayer was sincere and that his life, though not sinless, was blameless. He was a man of integrity whose cause was a righteous one. During those years of exile, God had proved David’s heart, visited and examined him, and tested him the way gold and silver are tested and refined in the crucible (“tested by fire”). (See 26:2; 66:10; 81:7; 95:9; 139:23-24; also Job 23:10; Rev. 3:18.) No matter what Saul and his men had said about him, David was able to affirm to the Lord that he had not spoken evil of the king. In fact, on at least two occasions, David could have slain Saul, but he refused to lay hands on God’s chosen and anointed leader (1 Sam. 24, 26). Saul would have killed David (v. 9, “deadly enemies”), but David obeyed the Word of the Lord and kept himself from violence. Though he was a fugitive in the wilderness, David walked on the paths of the Lord and obeyed God’s law.

David’s declaration of righteousness was not evidence of pride or hypocrisy but of faithfulness to the Lord in difficult situations. You find similar language in 18:19-28, and see John 18:22-23 and Acts 23:1 and 24:16. David had a good conscience toward God.

Protection—”Keep Me” (vv. 6-12)

The enemy had surrounded him (vv. 9,11; and see 1 Sam. 23:19-29), and though David was a masterful military tactician, he knew that without the Lord’s help, he could not escape. God was not only the righteous judge, but He was also the powerful defender who could shelter David and his men from the enemy. He used the Hebrew name El as he addressed the Lord, a name that emphasizes God’s great power, for He is “the Mighty God.” His request in verse 7 reminds us of the “Song of Moses” in Exodus 15:1-19.

Jehovah is a God of marvels and wonders (Ex. 15:11) and great unfailing love (15:13), and His right hand works for His people (15:12). If God could deliver His people from Egypt, He could deliver David from the hand of Saul. (In Ps. 18, David will celebrate that victory.) David asked for “a marvelous demonstration of God’s love” in the defeat of his enemies.

In verse 8, David used two images—the eye and the wings—to remind God that he was precious to Him. The, “apple” of the eye is the pupil, the most delicate part of the eye. The Hebrew says “the little man of the eye,” for when you look into someone’s eyes, you can see yourself. Just as we protect the eye from injury, so David wanted the Lord to protect him. David may have borrowed this image from Deuteronomy 32:10. The phrase “under the shadow of your wings” pictures the mother hen protecting her young (Matt. 23:37), but often it refers to the wings of the cherubim in the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle (Ex. 25:18-20). David asked the Lord to make his hiding place into a Holy of Holies, the place of God’s throne and God’s glory, protected by the angels of God (see 36:7-8; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7; Ruth 2:12). Because of the heavenly intercession of Jesus Christ, God’s people today can enter into the Holy of Holies and fellowship with God (Heb. 10:1-25).

The enemy had arrogant mouths and hearts that were callous from repeated disobedience to the Lord. These people were morally and spiritually insensitive to what was right and weren’t upset when they did something wrong. Paul called this “a seared conscience” (1 Tim. 4:2), for a callous heart would not be sensitive to the needs of others (1 John 3:17). David’s heart was sensitive to God’s will; he knew that God wanted him to have “a broken and a contrite heart” (51:17). David was a compassionate shepherd, but Saul was a ravenous beast (v. 12; see 57:3 and 2 Sam. 1:23). Twice Saul threw his spear at David (1 Sam. 18:11; 19:10), on four occasions he sent soldiers to capture him, and Saul went personally to lay hold of him (1 Sam. 19:11-23). Now, like a lion, Saul tracked his prey and waited for the right time to pounce; but the Lord protected David.

Salvation—”Rescue Me” (vv. 13-15)

David now sees the Lord as his gracious Redeemer, rescuing him and his men from the wicked hands of Saul. These verses contrast the “people of this world” to the “people of God” who live for that which is eternal. “Arise, O Jehovah” reminds us of 3:7,7:6,9:19 and 10:12, all of which go back to Numbers 10:35. He asks the Lord to confront Saul and his army, cast them down, and use His sword to defeat them. “Cast down” (v. 13) can be translated “make him crouch down like a lion that has been subdued.” (See v. 12.) Except for his son Jonathan, Saul and his leaders were not spiritually minded but thought only of the things of this fleeting world (39:5; 49:1; 89:47). As “men of the world,” they lived for time, not for eternity, and for their own pleasures, and not for the glory of God. (See Luke 16:8 and 25 and James 5:5.)

Verse 14 is difficult to translate, but the sense seems clear: God was storing up judgment for David’s enemies (Matt. 23:32; 1 Thess. 2:16), and their only reward would be in this life, not in the afterlife. They were full, they had many children who lacked nothing, and they would leave their wealth to their descendents. But the consequences of their sins would also be inherited by their descendents (Ex. 34:7; Num. 14:18). “May they have their punishment in full. May their children inherit more of the same, and may the judgment continue to their children’s children” (v. 14, NLT). But verse 15 describes David’s glorious future: seeing God’s face and sharing God’s likeness. This is one of the few texts in The Psalms that touches on the future life (see 16:11 and 73:23-26).

Verse 15: “Awake” is a metaphor for the resurrection of the human body (2 Kings 4:31; Job 14:12, 14 and 26:19; Dan. 12:2; John 11:11; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). It shows that David believed in life after death. He is saying, “Even when I die, the Lord won’t desert me; for when I awake, I will see His face, and I will be satisfied!”

Darrell

For more about The Ridge Fellowship, go to www.ridgefellowship.com

Sources:

 Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) – Old Testament

 J. Vernon McGee’s Thru The Bible

 Life Application Bible Notes

The Treasury of David

 Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary