Upwards Church

Theme:   A prayer for deliverance in trouble. God is able to rescue us.

 The inscription tells us that David wrote this psalm but we aren’t sure when he wrote it. It could have been composed during the time of Absalom’s rebellion when David was old, sick, and unable to handle all the complex responsibilities of the kingdom. David’s gradual failure as a visible leader was one of Absalom’s “selling points” as he stole the hearts of the Israelites (2 Sam. 15:1-6). But the psalm might have been written at any time during David’s reign when he was ill and being attacked by his enemies. He describes his plight—”foes without, fears within”—and cries out to God for mercy. He was sure he was facing death (v. 5), which indicates that his experience was real and that he wasn’t using sickness and war only as metaphors for his personal troubles. Neginoth means “stringed instruments,” and Sheminith means “eighth,” which may refer to the number of a familiar melody, a lower octave for men’s voices or the number of strings of the instrument to be played. You find Sheminith also in the title of Psalm 12 (see 1 Chron. 15:21). Psalm 6 is the first of seven “penitential psalms” in which the writers are being disciplined by God and experiencing suffering. The other psalms are 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143, and all of these psalms are helpful to us when we need to confess our sins and draw closer to the Lord. In this psalm, David records the stages in his difficult experience of moving by faith from trial to triumph.

The Pain of Discipline (vv. 1-3)

Eight times in the psalm David addresses God as “Lord—Jehovah,” the covenant name of God, and the address in verse 1 is repeated in 38:1, and see Jeremiah 10:24. When God deals with His children, usually He first rebukes and then chastens, just as parents first warn disobedient children and then discipline them (Heb. 12:5-6; Prov. 3:11-12). According to Hebrews 12:1-13, chastening is not punishment meted out by an irate judge but discipline given by a loving Father to help His children mature (see Rev. 3:19). Sometimes God chastens us in order to deal with our disobedience, but at other times, He corrects us to prepare us for what lies ahead. It’s like the training of an athlete for a race. David thought God was angry with him, but that wasn’t necessarily true. However, when you consider that he was surrounded by foes (v. 7), evildoers (v. 8), and enemies (10), and that his body was weak and in pain and his soul troubled, you can see why he felt like he had a target on his back.

Three times he used the Hebrew word bahal, which means “faint, weak, troubled, terrified.” It is translated “vexed” in the King James Version (vv. 2, 3,10), but in the 17th century, the word “vex” was much stronger than it is today. The translators of the Greek Old Testament used tarasso, which is the word used in the Greek of John 12:27, “Now is my soul troubled …” (and see Matt. 26:38 and Mark 14:34). Knowing that he deserved far more than what he was enduring, David begged for mercy (see 103:13-14) and asked God to send help speedily. The painful question “How long?” is asked at least sixteen times in The Psalms (6:3; 13:1-2; 35:17; 62:3; 74:9-10; 79:5; 80:4; 82:2; 89:46; 90:13; 94:3). The answer to the question is, “I will discipline you until you learn the lesson I want you to learn and are equipped for the work I want you to do.” According to Hebrews 12, when God disciplines us, we can despise it, resist it, collapse under it and quit, or accept it and submit. What God is seeking is submission.

The Futility of Death (vv. 4-5)

David felt that God had turned His back on him and deserted him, so he asked Him to return; and then he began to reason with Him. Every Jew knew that the Lord was “merciful and gracious” (Ex. 34:6-7), so David asked God to manifest that mercy to him and spare his life. Furthermore, what would the Lord gain by allowing David to die? (See 30:9-10; 88:10-12). King Hezekiah used a similar approach when he prayed for deliverance from death (Isa. 38:18-19). The word “grave” in verse 5 (KJV) is sheol, a word that can mean “the grave” or “the realm of the dead.” Here it means the latter. In Old Testament times, people didn’t have the clear revelation of the afterlife that was brought through Jesus (2 Tim. 1:10), although there were glimpses of what God had in store for His people (16:9-11; 17:15; 49:14-15; 17:24). A body in the grave can’t praise or serve God, and David wasn’t certain what his spirit could do for the Lord in sheol. Conclusion: it would be wiser for the Lord to deliver him and let him live. David still had work to do.

The Strain of Despair (vv. 5-7)

We have gone from a morning psalm (3:5) to an evening psalm (4:8) and back to a morning psalm (5:3). Now we have another evening psalm (6:6). But whereas in the previous psalms, the Lord gave sleep and peace to David, here we find the king sleepless because of fear and pain. He was worn out from groaning, tossing and turning, and he spent a good deal of time weeping. “I soak my pillow … I drench my couch” (v. 6, AMP; see 38:9-10). Sleeping had been replaced by suffering. Sleep is important for healing (John 11:11-12), so David’s lack of sleep only made the condition worse. David’s weakened condition was revealed by the dullness of his eyes (v. 7; see 1 Sam. 14:27,29). It’s remarkable how much about our physical condition can be determined by looking into our eyes.

If we turn to God, pray, remember His promises and trust Him, we will find His grace sufficient for our needs (2 Cor. 12:9). The Lord may not do what we ask, when we want it, but He will do what needs to be done and help us glorify His name. The question we should ask isn’t “When will I get out of this?” but “What can I get out of this?”

 *Life Application: Pouring out his heart with tears, David was completely honest with God. We can be honest with God even when we are filled with anger or despair because God knows us thoroughly and wants the very best for us. Anger may result in rash outward acts or turning inward in depression. But because we trust in our all-powerful God, we don’t have to be victims of circumstance or be weighed down by the guilt of sin. Be honest with God, and he will help you turn your attention from yourself to him and his mercy.

 The Joy of Deliverance (vv. 8-10)

At this point, there’s a sudden and surprising change from suffering to joy, an experience recorded in other psalms (22:22; 56:10; 69:30). It doesn’t matter whether this change occurred later or immediately after David prayed, but he felt healing in his body and peace in his heart and mind. Perhaps word came to him that the enemy had retreated or, better yet, had been defeated, and he knew God had heard his cries. Or maybe his circumstances hadn’t changed at all, but David felt God’s witness in his heart that all would be well. The Lord had heard his weeping and requests and had accepted his prayer.

He used this experience to glorify the Lord as he witnessed to his enemies. How this message was conveyed to them, we don’t know; but David was quick to honor the Lord for what had occurred. Perhaps the words in verses 8-10 are an apostrophe, a speech addressed to persons not present but meaningful to those people hearing or reading it. His enemies said that David was done for, but the failure of their prediction would leave them ashamed and defeated. The phrase “Depart from me” is quoted in Matthew 7:23 and Luke 13:27 and seems quite final.

 In Hebrews 5:7 we are told  “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission..” That is our confidence today. God will hear and answer our prayer when we are in deep trouble. Isn’t that a comfort to you? You may be in a very hard place right at the moment. If you are, this psalm is for you.

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: The lies of enemies. God is able to defend us from lies spoken against us.

 Overview:  David may have written this psalm during the crisis caused by Absalom (like Psalm 3 &4) but we have no indication that he did. However, the description of David’s enemies given in verses 4-6 and 9-10 suggests the period prior to David’s flight from Jerusalem. The New International Version translates verse 10, “Let their intrigues be their downfall,” and there was certainly a great deal of deception and intrigue going on at that time (2 Samuel 15) “Nehiloth” in the title is a musical instruction that probably means “for flutes.”

Because of the prayer in verse 10, Psalm 6 is classified as one of the “imprecatory psalms” (see 12, 35, 37, 58, 59, 69, 79, 83, 109, 139, and 140). In these psalms, the writers seem to describe a God of wrath who can hardly wait to destroy sinners. The writers also seem to picture themselves as people seeking terrible revenge against these enemies. But several facts must be considered before we write off the psalmists as pagan brutes who cannot forgive, or God as a “dirty bully.” To begin with, the enemies described are rebels against the Lord (5:10), and in some instances, against the Lord’s anointed king. The Jews were a covenant people whom God promised to protect as long as they obeyed Him (Lev. 26; Deut. 27-29). In His covenant with Abraham, God promised to bless those who blessed Israel and to curse those who cursed them (Gen. 12:1-3). When the Jews asked God to deal justly with their wicked enemies, they were only asking Him to fulfill His covenant promises. “God is love” (1 John 4:8,16), but God is also “light” (1 John 1:5), and in His holiness, He must deal with sin. Ever since the fall of man in Genesis 3, there has been a battle going on in the world between truth and lies, justice and injustice, and right and wrong; and we cannot be neutral in this battle. “If the Jews cursed more bitterly than the Pagans,” wrote C. S. Lewis in Reflections on the Psalms, “this was, I think, at least in part because they took right and wrong more seriously. For if we look at their railings we find they are usually angry not simply because these things have been done to them but because these things are manifestly wrong, are hateful to God as well as to the victim” (p. 30).

Those who have difficulty accepting the “imprecations” in The Psalms must also deal with them in Jeremiah (11:18ff; 15:15;1 17:18; 18:19ff; 20:11ff) and in the preaching of John the Baptist (Matt. 3) and Jesus (Matt. 23), as well as in the requests of the martyrs in heaven (Rev. 6:9-11). However, no one will deny that these servants of God were filled with the Spirit and wanted the Lord’s will to be accomplished. Perhaps our problem today is what C. S. Lewis pointed out: we don’t hate sin enough to get upset at the wickedness and godlessness around us. Bombarded as we are by so much media evil and violence, we’ve gotten accustomed to the darkness.

*Life Application: If this psalm did grow out of the time in the wilderness when David was fleeing from Absalom, then he teaches us an important lesson: no amount of danger or discomfort should keep us from our time of morning fellowship or devotional time with the Lord.

 In this psalm, David gives us three valuable instructions to encourage our daily fellowship with the Lord.

We Prepare to Meet the Lord (vv. 1-3)

If we had an invitation to enjoy a private visit with the President of the United States, or perhaps Queen Elizabeth, we would certainly prepare for it; yet many believers rush into their morning devotional time as if no preparation were necessary. David was open with the Lord and admitted his inward pain (“meditation” can be translated “groaning”) and his prayer was a cry for help. David was King of Israel, but he saw the Lord alone as his King (Ex. 15:18). David was a man with a broken heart, but he knew that the Lord understood his sighs and groanings (see Rom. 8:26). We may come to God’s gracious throne with “freedom of speech” (“boldly” in Heb. 4:16, and see 10:19, 35) because the Father knows our hearts and our needs and welcomes us. Like our Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 1:35), David kept this appointment “morning by morning” and allowed nothing to interfere. (See 55:18,59:17; 88:14 and 92:3.)

David was not only faithful in his praying each morning but he was also orderly and systematic. The word translated “direct” in verse 3 was used to describe the placing of the pieces of the animal sacrifices in order on the altar (Lev. 1:8). It also described the arranging of the wood on an altar (Gen. 22:9), the placing of the loaves of bread on the table in the tabernacle (Lev. 24:8), and the setting of a meal before the guests (Ps. 23:5). David wasn’t careless in his praying; he had everything arranged in order. The word also has a military connotation: a soldier presenting himself to his commander to receive orders, and an army set in battle array on the field. In past years, many soldiers had presented themselves to David to get their orders, but David first presented himself to the Lord. In order to exercise authority, leaders must be under authority. “I will look up” conveys the idea of waiting expectantly for God to come and bless (see NIV). In our daily morning meetings with the Lord, we should come like priests bringing sacrifices to the altar and soldiers reporting to our Captain for duty.

We Seek to Please the Lord (vv. 4-6)

God has no pleasure in wickedness nor can He be neutral about sin. (15:1ff; 24:3-6). God delights in those who fear Him (147:11) and who offer sincere praise to Him (69:31). To please God, we must have faith (Heb. 11:6) and be identified with His Son in whom He is well pleased (Matt. 3:17). When you read verses 5-6 and 9-10, you meet a crowd of people who deliberately and repeatedly disobey God and think nothing of the consequences. It’s the crowd John describes in Revelation 21:8, the people who are going to hell. God loves the world of lost sinners (John 3:16) and sent His only Son “to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14, and see 1 Tim. 2:3-4 and 2 Peter 3:9). Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world (1 John 2:1-2), and His invitation to salvation is sent to all who will believe and come (Matt. 11:28-30; Rev. 22:17). Such are the vast dimensions of God’s grace and love (Eph. 3:18-19).

But the glorious truth of God’s love doesn’t change the fact that God hates sin and punishes sinners. He has no pleasure in them, and they cannot dwell with Him (v. 4) or stand before Him as they are (v. 5; see 1:5-6). He abhors murderers and liars and destroys them if they don’t trust His Son (v. 6). It isn’t necessary to dilute the word “hate” in verse 5 because you find it also in 11:5 and 45:7, and see 7:11. In fact, the Lord expects those who love Him to love what He loves and hate what He hates (97:10; 119:113; 139:21; Prov. 6:16-17; Amos 5:15; Rom. 12:9). God’s hatred of evil isn’t emotional; it’s judicial, an expression of His holiness. If we want to fellowship with God at His holy altar, then we need to feel that same anguish (anger plus love) as we see the evil in this fallen world.

We Submit to the Lord (vv. 7-12)

When he wrote “But as for me,” David contrasted himself with the wicked crowd that rebelled against the King. David had come to pray, and he had three requests.

He prayed for guidance (vv. 7-8). Because he wasn’t a member of the tribe of Levi, David couldn’t actually enter the tabernacle as could the priests, but he used that phrase to describe his approach to the Lord. David was in the wilderness, but he came to the Lord with the kind of awe that the priests and Levites displayed in the tabernacle. In the worship of our great God, there’s no place for cuteness and flippancy. For believers to enter into the presence of God to worship and pray, it cost Jesus His life (Heb. 10:19-20), and to treat this privilege lightly is to cheapen that sacrifice. David knew he needed guidance from God, for he had to put the kingdom back together again. (See James 1:5.)

He prayed for justice (vv. 9-10). David didn’t issue orders to his officers to go out and slaughter his enemies; instead, he turned them over to the Lord. During that tragic battle in which Absalom was slain, “the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured” (2 Sam. 18:8). David’s prayer was answered: “let them fall by their own counsels” (v. 10). But it was not because they rebelled against David; their great sin was that they had rebelled against God. “The Lord loves righteousness and justice” (Ps. 33:5, NIV; and see 36:6; 58:11; 97:2; Isa. 30:18; Luke 18:7-8; Rom. 1:32). Anybody who resents this kind of praying can’t honestly pray, “Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10). In Romans 3:13, Paul quoted “their throat is an open sepulcher” as part of his proof that the whole world is guilty before God (Rom. 3:19)— and that includes all of us! Instead of being upset over God’s treatment of David’s enemies, we need to examine our own relationship with the Lord!

He prayed for God’s blessing (vv. 11-12). David didn’t rejoice because some of God’s people were evil and were judged by the Lord, but because God had been glorified and His king vindicated. The future of God’s great plan of salvation rested with Israel, and if the Davidic dynasty was destroyed, what about God’s gracious Messianic covenant with David (2 Sam. 78)? The outcome of our fellowship with the Lord should be joy in His character, His promises, and His gracious answers to prayer. Even though some of his own people had turned against him, David prayed that God would bless and protect them! This sounds like our Lord on the cross (Luke 23:34) and Stephen when he was stoned to death (Acts 7:60). Note that verse 11 emphasizes faith and love, and verse 12 gives the assurance of future hope. The shield in verse 12 is the large rectangular shield, like a door, and not the smaller round shield of 3:4.

David began his devotions seeking help for himself but ended by seeking blessing for all the people, including his enemies. That’s the way our devotional times should end.

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

When you compare the wording in this psalm with Psalm 3, you cannot but draw the conclusion that they deal with the same situation.  For the historical setting of Psalm 4, review the last post, Day 3 – Psalm 3.  

This is the first mention of “the chief musician,” who is included in the titles of fifty-three psalms. He was the “minister of worship” and custodian of the sacred psalms at the tabernacle and then the temple (1 Chron. 6:31-32; 15:16-22; 25:1, 7). The Hebrew word neginoth means “accompanied by stringed instruments” (4, 6, 54, 55, 61, 67, 76) and refers to the harp and lyre (1 Chron. 23:5; 25:1, 3, 6). It’s a wonderful thing that David could turn this distressing experience into song, to the glory of God. His example shows us what our responses ought to be in times of crisis.

Look to the Lord (v. 1)

“Hear me” is a passionate and concerned call that means “Answer me!” David had been praying for God’s help and was desperate to receive an answer. (See 18:6; 50:15; 55:16; 145:18.) During his youthful days of exile, he had a priest with him to consult the Urim and Thummim and determine God’s will, but not during Absalom’s rebellion. “God of my righteousness” implies not only that God is righteous and will do what it best (“my righteous God”), but also that David’s righteousness came from God, and therefore God should vindicate him (“God of my innocence”). Yes, David was being chastened because of his disobedience, but God had forgiven his sins. God had called David to be king, and God alone could vindicate him.

David reminded the Lord that He had often delivered him in times past, so He was able to deliver him now. “Distress” means “pressed into a corner, in a tight place.” But God “enlarged him” or “set him in a broad place,” for David grew spiritually in difficult situations (18:19,36; 25:17; 31:8; 118:5; 119:32). David knew he didn’t deserve any help from the Lord, but he prayed on the basis of God’s mercy and favor. God in His grace gives us what we don’t deserve, and God in His mercy doesn’t give us what we do deserve.

 * Life Application: We too can be confident that God listens to our prayers and answers when we call on him. Sometimes we think that God will not hear us because we have fallen short of his high standards for holy living. But if we have trusted Christ for salvation, God has forgiven us, and he will listen to us. When you feel as though your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, remember that as a believer you have been set apart by God and that he loves you. He hears and answers, although his answers may not be what you expect. Look at your problems in the light of God’s power instead of looking at God in the shadow of your problems.

Confront the Enemy (vv. 2-3)

David wasn’t at the scene of the revolt, but he spoke out to those who had turned against him and made Absalom king. The phrase “sons of men” refers to the leading men of rank who had been seduced by Absalom and with him were leading the people astray. David understood their thinking and how Absalom had deceived them. David had no glory of his own, for all his glory came from the Lord (3:3). The enthusiastic mob was following vanity and would pay dearly for their sins. When you follow vain things and believe falsehood, you can only go astray. The people weren’t just deposing a king; they were fighting against the Lord Jehovah who had placed David on the throne. Absalom certainly wasn’t a man of God, nor was he God’s chosen one to rule over Israel. The rebels were actually following a false god when they listened to Absalom’s flattery and lying promises (2 Sam. 15:1-6). David didn’t try to compromise with the rebels; he knew what they were, and he rejected them.

Encourage Your Friends (vv. 4-5)

In these verses, David speaks to his own followers, some of whom were so overcome by their emotions that they were about to get out of hand. David gave them six instructions, all of which are useful to us today when we find ourselves getting angry.

Tremble before the Lord (4a). Believers who fear the Lord need not fear anything else. Absalom’s followers neither trembled before the Lord nor before their rightful king.

Don’t sin (4b). Sinful anger leads to sinful words and deeds, and even to murder (Matt. 5:21-26). Paul quoted this verse in Ephesians 4:26, using the Septuagint (Greek Version of the Old Testament). It reads, “Be angry, and do not sin” (NKJV), which reminds us that not all anger is sinful. There is a holy anger against sin that ought to be in the heart of every believer (Mark 3:5), but we must be careful not to be guilty of unholy anger.

Search your own hearts (4c). It’s easy to get angry at the sins of others and ignore our own sins (Matt. 7:1-5). In fact, David himself was guilty of doing this (2 Sam. 12:1-7). Some translate this phrase “Speak to your own heart” (see 10:6, 11, 13). Instead of tossing and turning in bed because of the things others are doing, take inventory and see if there aren’t sins in your own heart that need to be confessed.

Be still (4d). The Amplified Bible translates this, “Be sorry for the things you say in your heart.” Another translation is “say so in your own heart,” that is, “Say to your own heart, Sin not.” The honest searching of the heart should lead us to confess our sins to the Lord and claim His gracious forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

Offer right sacrifices (5a). They couldn’t offer them there in the wilderness, but they could promise the Lord they would do so when they returned to Jerusalem. This is what Jonah did (Jonah 2:9). Absalom was offering insincere and hypocritical sacrifices to impress the people (1 Sam. 15:12), but God didn’t accept them. (See Ps. 50:14-15.)

Trust the Lord (5b). Absalom was trusting his leadership, his army, his clever strategy, and his popularity with the people, but he wasn’t trusting the Lord. His plans were destined to fail.

David was not only a great king and military strategist, but he was also a loving shepherd who cared for his people and wanted them to walk with the Lord. David knew that the spiritual condition of his people was far more important than their military skill, for the Lord gives victory to those who trust and obey (Ps. 51:16-19).

 *Life Application: Worship in David’s day included animal sacrifices, but more important to God than ceremony was the offerer’s attitude of submission and obedience (1Samuel 15:22,23). Today, a “right sacrifice,” one that is pleasing to God, is still the same. He wants our obedience and our praise before our gifts (Hebrews 13:15). Offer God your sacrifice of total obedience and heartfelt praise.

 Praise the Lord (vv. 6-8)

David’s leaders reported to him what many of the people were saying, so he knew that there was discouragement in the ranks (see also 3:2). “Who will show us any good?” means “O that we might see some good!” (AMP), or “Can anything good come out of this?” or “Who can get us out of this plight?” The tense of the verb indicates that this discouraging statement was repeated again and again by the complainers, and the more they complained, the more others took up the strain. The Jewish Publication Society version reads, “O for good days!” It’s well been said that “the good old days” are a combination of a bad memory and a good imagination. What kind of “good” were the people looking for—material wealth, peace and security at any price, a godly king, a successful new king?

David knew what kind of good he wanted: the light of God’s smile upon him and his people. To see the glorious face of God and know that He was well pleased would take care of everything. This statement refers to the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:24-26, and see also 31:16; 44:3; 67:1; 80:3, 7,19; and 119:135. There was no priest present to bestow this blessing, but David knew that God would answer the prayer of his heart. The king wanted to see the Lord change darkness into light, and that’s exactly what He did.

But not only did David’s darkness become light, but his discouragement was replaced by joy (v. 7).  The Israelites experienced great joy at weddings and bountiful harvests (Isa. 9:3; Jer. 48:33); but the joy God gave David exceeded even those times. (See Rom. 15:13 and John 16:24.) Finally, David praised God for the peace the Lord placed in his heart before the battle had been fought and won (v. 8; see 3:5). God had given him rest the night before, and now he would rest again, knowing that God was his shield (3:3). The Hebrew word for “peace” (shalom) means much more than the absence of conflict. It carries with it the ideas of adequacy for life, confidence and fullness of life. Perhaps the Lord brought Deuteronomy 33:12 to David’s mind— “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all day long …” (NKJV).

 How many of our sleepless hours might be traced to our untrusting or anxious minds?  There is no pillow as soft as faith in God.  We should be able to say, “I will lie down and sleep, and leave tomorrow with God.”

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

The theme of Psalm 3: We can confidently trust God for protection and peace.

 This is the first time we find the word psalm in the book. The Hebrew word is mizmor and means “to pluck strings.” This is also the first prayer in the Psalms, and the first psalm attributed to David. All the psalms in Book I (Pss. 1-41) are attributed to David except 1, 10, and 33. (Ps. 2 is assigned to him in Acts 4:25.) Psalm 3 is categorized as a “personal lament,” and there are many of these in the collection (Pss. 3-7, 13, 17, 22, 255-28, 35, 38-40, 42-43, 51, 54-57, 59, 61, 63-64, 69-71, 86, 88, 102, 109, 120, 130, 140-143). David wrote the psalm after he had fled Jerusalem when his son Absalom took over the throne (2 Sam. 15-18). The king and his attendants had crossed the Jordan River and camped at Mahanaim. This is a morning psalm (v. 5); Psalm 4 was written during the same events and is an evening psalm (4:8). It’s possible that Psalm 5 also fits into the same time period, as well as 42, 43, 61, 62, 63, 143. (See 5:3, 8-10.)

Conflict: He Admits His Troubles (vv. 1-2)

The prayer begins very abruptly with “Lord.” Like Peter sinking into the sea (Matt. 14:30), David didn’t have time to go through a long liturgy, for his own life was at stake and so was the future of the kingdom. David knew that God is a “very present help in trouble” (46:1). Absalom had taken a long time to build up his support for taking over the kingdom and the number increased day by day (2 Sam. 15:12-13; 16:7-8; 17:11; 18:7). Absalom was handsome, smooth-spoken, and a gifted liar who knew how to please the people and steal their hearts (2 Sam. 15:1-6). British statesman James Callaghan said, “A lie can be halfway around the world before the truth has got its boots on.” There’s something in the heart of mankind that enjoys feeding on lies.

Not only were David’s enemies increasing but the news was getting worse. People were saying, “The king is beyond help.” (See 31:13; 38:19; 41:4-9; 55:18; 56:2; 69:4 and 71:10-11.) The word “help” in the Hebrew (yeshua) is translated “save” in verse 7 and “salvation” in verse 8 and gives us the names “Jesus” (Matt. 1:21) and “Joshua.” It’s used 136 times in the Psalms.

Why had God permitted this dangerous and disgraceful uprising? It was part of David’s chastening because of his sins of adultery and murder (2 Sam. 12:1-12).

God in his grace forgave David when he confessed his sins (2 Sam. 12:13-14; Pss. 32 and 51), but God in his government allowed David to reap the bitter consequences of those sins. He experienced painful family problems (2 Sam. 12-14), including the death of the son Bathsheba bore him, the rape of his daughter Tamar, and the slaying of his sons Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah.

This is the first use of “Selah” in Scripture (vv. 2, 4, 8); it is used seventy-one times in the Psalms and three times in Habakkuk 3. Hebrew scholars aren’t agreed whether it comes from words meaning “to lift up” or “to be silent.” If the first, then it might be a signal for louder voices or the lifting and blowing the trumpets, perhaps even the lifting of hands to the Lord. If the second, it could signal a pause, a moment of silence and meditation.

 * Life Application: David was not sitting on his throne in a place of power, but he was running for his life from his rebellious son Absalom and a host of traitors. When circumstances go against us, it is tempting to think that God also is against us. But David reminds us that the opposite is true. When everything seems to go against us, God is still for us. If circumstance has turned against you, don’t blame God seek him.  

Confidence: He Affirms His Trust in the Lord (vv. 3-4)

But David wasn’t a man easily beaten. Without ignoring his problems, he lifted his eyes from the threatening situation around him and looked by faith to the Lord. David knew he was in danger, but God was his shield (see Gen. 15:1). Israel’s king was referred to as a “shield” because he protected the nation (84:9; 89:18), but David depended on God as his shield (7:10; 18:2; 47:9; 59:11; 84:11; Deut. 33:29). David was in disgrace because of his own sins and his son’s treachery, but God was the source of David’s glory. Absalom turned his father’s “glory into shame” (4:2), but one day that glory would be restored. The situation was discouraging, but the king knew that God would lift up his head and restore him to his throne (27:6; 2 Sam. 15:30). His faith was in the promises God had made to him in the covenant recorded in 2 Samuel 7, and he knew God would not forsake him.

The temple had not yet been built on the “holy hill of Zion,” but the ark was there (see 2 Sam. 15:25) and that was God’s throne (80:1, NASB). David may have been forced off his throne, but Jehovah was still on the throne and in control, and Absalom had attacked God’s anointed king (2:2). That was a dangerous thing to do. David kept crying out to God in prayer, knowing that God had not forsaken him in the past and would not forsake him now. “This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles” (Ps. 34:6, NKJV).

 *Life Application:  Sleep does not come easily during a crisis. David could have had sleepless nights when his son Absalom rebelled and gathered an army to kill him. But he slept peacefully, even during the rebellion. What made the difference? David cried out to the Lord, and the Lord heard him. The assurance of answered prayer brings peace. It is easier to sleep well when we have full assurance that God is in control of circumstances. If you are lying awake at night worrying about circumstances you can’t change, pour out your heart to God, and thank him that he is in control.

 Celebration: He Anticipates the Victory (vv. 5-8)

When David awakened the next morning, his first thought was of the Lord and how He had protected him and his attendants during night. This was a sign to him that the Lord was with them and would see them through the crisis. It reminds us of Jesus asleep in the storm (Mark 4:39) and Peter asleep in the prison (Acts 12). If we trust Him and seek to do His will, God works on our behalf even while we’re asleep (121:3-4; 127:2). David affirmed that he would not be afraid if tens of thousands of people were set in battle array against him, for God would give him victory (Deut. 32:30).

The morning was the most important time of day for David, as it should be for us today.

It was in the morning that he met with the Lord and worshiped Him. It was his time to pray (5:3), to sing (57:7-8; 59:16) and to be satisfied by God’s mercy (90:14). “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (30:5, NKJV). Abraham arose early in the morning (Gen. 19:27; 21:14; 22:3), and so did Moses (Ex. 24:4; 34:4), Joshua (Josh. 3:1; 6:12; 7:16; 8:10), Samuel (1 Sam. 15:12), Job (Job 1:5), and our Lord (Mark 1:35).

God not only rested David but He also rescued him. David’s prayer in verse 7— “Arise, O Lord”—takes us back to the years when Israel was in the wilderness, as David was at that time. When the guiding cloud of glory began to move and the camp set out, Moses would say (or sing): “Rise up. O Lord! Let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You” (Num. 10:35, NKJV). David had sent the ark back to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 15:24-29), but he knew that the presence of a piece of sacred furniture was no guarantee of the presence of the Lord (see 1 Sam. 4). David had no access to the tabernacle or the ministry of the priests, but he was spiritual enough to know that the love and obedience of His heart was what God wanted. He didn’t have the ark of God, but he had the God of the ark! He couldn’t offer animal sacrifices or incense, but he could lift his hand to worship God (141:2). The glory of God was with him (v. 3) and so was the blessing of God (v. 8). Let the enemy arise! (v. 1). God will also arise and give victory!

David had the faith to trust God to go before him and defeat the army of Absalom, and God did. Striking the enemy on the cheek—a “slap in the face”—was an act of humiliation.    (7:2; 22:12-13, 16, 20-21; 10:9; 17:12; 35:17; 57:4; 58:6).

Jonah quoted verse 8 when he was in the great fish (Jonah 2:9) and then experienced that salvation. Though he had used brilliant strategy in opposing Absalom’s plans, David refused to take the credit. It was the Lord who alone would receive the glory. David also refused to carry a grudge against his people, but asked the Lord to bless them. This reminds us of our Lord’s prayer on the cross (Luke 23:34) and Stephen’s prayer as he was being stoned to death (Acts 7:60). God restored David to his throne and enabled him to prepare Solomon to succeed him. David was also able to bring together his wealth so that Solomon would have what he needed to build the temple. (See 1 Chron. 22-29.)

 Trials and sorrows are shared by all godly people, regardless of who they are or in what period of history they live. The comfort given in this psalm is for all of God’s people. There are two ways to look at this psalm. The primary interpretation is about David’s experience. But there is also the application for us today. As we go through trials, we can trust God for protection and peace. 

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