Psalm 33, Sing a New Song

33:1-3
Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; 
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the LORD with the harp; 
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song; 
play skillfully, and shout for joy.

The first verse nicely echoes the last verse of the previous psalm, commanding joyful praise through song.  David, the harpist, see his music as a natural outlet for praise and joy.  "Note the call ... for freshness and skill as well as fervor", writes Kidner.  I'm tempted to make a snarky comment aboutchurch services but I will just continue to quote Kidner: "... three qualities rarely found together in religious music."  Sadly, yes.  (See an old favorite of mine, Larry Norman, "Why should the devil have all the good music?")

Creative art, whether music, dance, poetry or creative writing, when done with skill, energy and enthusiasm, is beautiful.  Here David calls for creative and skillful worship, as God's due.

33:4-5

For the word of the LORD is right and true; 
he is faithful in all he does.
The LORD loves righteousness and justice; 
the earth is full of his unfailing love.

The LORD is praised for being right and true, for loving righteousness and justice.  And for acting in love.   (The philosopher asks, "Then are these attributes -- righteousness, justice, love -- distinct somehow from God?  Are righteousness, truth and love choices for God?"  If not, then why praise God for these attributes?  But if righteousness is a choice for God, then it is external to God.  This philosophical conundrum is deeper than it first appears ... and so I will move on....)

33:6-7
By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, 
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; 
he puts the deep into storehouses.

God's acts in creation have long been a source for praise.  Here the heavens with their "starry host" are evidence of God's creative power, as is the wild ocean, where wavers of water are gathered "into mounds" and the deep waters "into heaps", a picture similar to Job's declaration that only God knows the "storehouses" which hold the power of nature. (See Job 38 for an example.)

33:8-9
Let all the earth fear the LORD; 
let all the people of the world revere him.

For he spoke, and it came to be; 
he commanded, and it stood firm.

Here, as in many places God's creative acts are equated with God's voice or speech.  ("God said ... and it was done" runs throughout the creation story of Genesis 1.)

33:10-12

The LORD foils the plans of the nations; 
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
 the people he chose for his inheritance.

God has a plan, involving all of humankind, running through countless generations.  In the final sentence (verse 12) we are reminded of God's covenant with Israel and with David.

33:13-15
From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;

from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth--

he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

Heaven is viewed as being up high, from where God can "look down".  Yet also, God sees the hearts of all, something that is not available just from a good perch.

33:16-19
No king is saved by the size of his army; 
no warrior escapes by his great strength.

A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; 
despite all its great strength it cannot save.

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

The things that a king (like David) might wish to use to prop up his kingdom, are seen as futile in relation to "the eyes of the LORD."  Those false signs of security are a king's idols, leading him away from trusting in God.

33:20-22

We wait in hope for the LORD; 
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice, 
for we trust in his holy name.

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

The psalm ends with a declaration of trust, forming a bookend with the opening declaration of praise.

This psalm is a song of praise and dependence, stressing the need for the nation of Israel to trust in God and not in armies, warriors, draft horses or other visible signs of strength.  It begins with declarations of enthusiastic praise, then settles down to describing marvelous qualities and characteristics of God.  It then ends with a declaration of trust and dependence.

For next time: Read Psalm 34.

I hope to post on Psalm 34 on Sunday, Aug 2, 2015.

Psalm 32, A Moaning Mule Finds Mercy

Of David. A maskil

The unknown word "maskil" is presumably a literary term, possibly a Hebrew word implying wisdom and skill.

32:1-2
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, 
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him 

and in whose spirit is no deceit.

This is a penitential psalm, like Psalms 6, 51, 102, 130 and 143.  In many of David's songs, he claims righteousness; he claims to stand on the side of justice; he fights deception, corruption and oppression.  But in the penitential psalms, David admits he is selfish and sinful and has no claim to God's love.  It is possible that these are the prayer songs of a more mature, sober man, humbled by events such as his affair with Bathsheba.

The word "blessed" here smacks, to me, of religiosity, of words reserved for a church setting.  But the word simply means, "happy", says Kidner and indeed, "happy" is probably a better word.

The New Testament apostle Paul quotes the first two verses in Romans 4: 6-8.

32:3-5
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; 
my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. 
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Stubborn resistance to confession and to forgiveness is debilitating.  David is nauseous, weak; he cannot sleep.  His energy is sapped as if he were under the July Texas sun (or the Palestinian sun.) And so he is forced, slowly, to conclude that he needs to go to God and confess.

32:6-7
Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; 
surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.

You are my hiding place; 
you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

And now, as the darkness clears and David experiences forgiveness, he encourages those around him to seek the same forgiveness.  Like the rocks and crags of Judea, God is a "hiding place" for the desperate and distraught.

Now that David can hear God, God responds:

32:8-9
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; 
I will counsel you and watch over you.

Do not be like the horse or the mule, 
which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.

Our relationship with God involves a conversation, negotiation, understanding. (Often called "free will.")  We are not to be like domestic animals that are pulled around by the leash, without understanding.  David implies that his time of departure from God's path was a time of stubbornness.  He was a mule fighting the bit and bridle.

 32:10-11
Many are the woes of the wicked, 
but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.

Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; 
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

In this psalm, David's troubles are his own fault and he knows it.

For next time: Read Psalm 33.

I will post on Psalm 33 on Friday, July 31, 2015.

Psalm 31, Rescue, Rock, Refuge, Fortress

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

31: 1-4
In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; 
let me never be put to shame; 
deliver me in your righteousness.

Turn your ear to me, 
come quickly to my rescue; 
be my rock of refuge, 
a strong fortress to save me.

Since you are my rock and my fortress, 
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Free me from the trap that is set for me, 
for you are my refuge.

David equates God with the rocks and strongholds he experienced in the mountains of Judea, hiding from Saul.  He repeats his plea for help with slight modifications at each step.

These first three verses occur again, with very minor changes, in the first three verses of Psalm 71.

31: 5-8
Into your hands I commit my spirit; 
redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

I hate those who cling to worthless idols; 
I trust in the LORD.

I will be glad and rejoice in your love, 
for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.

You have not handed me over to the enemy 
but have set my feet in a spacious place.

The first sentence of verse 5 was quoted by Jesus on the cross.

The plea for help and statement of trust will now rise in a longer, more detailed plea for help and statement of trust.

31: 9-13
Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; 
my eyes grow weak with sorrow, 
my soul and my body with grief.

My life is consumed by anguish 
and my years by groaning; 
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.

Because of all my enemies, 
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; 
I am a dread to my friends -- 
those who see me on the street flee from me.

I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; 
I have become like broken pottery.

For I hear the slander of many; 
there is terror on every side; 
they conspire against me and plot to take my life.

David describes in detail his pain and weakness.  The torment is physical; the psalmist's body, bones, eyes are weak and hurting.  Yet the torment is also political and social; conspirators slander David and attack him.

31: 14-16
But I trust in you, O LORD; 
I say, "You are my God."

My times are in your hands; 

deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.

Let your face shine on your servant; 

save me in your unfailing love.

David combines statements of trust with pleas for help.

31: 17-21
Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, 

for I have cried out to you; 
but let the wicked be put to shame
and lie silent in the grave.

Let their lying lips be silenced, 

for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

How great is your goodness, 

which you have stored up for those who fear you, 
which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.

In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; 
in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.

Praise be to the LORD, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city.

David's request are based on God's righteousness, asking to be part of God's long term plans.

31: 22
In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" 

Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.

Verse 22 acts as a summary of the entire psalm.

31: 23-24
Love the LORD, all his saints! 
The LORD preserves the faithful, 
but the proud he pays back in full.

Be strong and take heart, 

all you who hope in the LORD.

In resolution, David turns to his audience with summary and conclusion.

This is a long song of despair and faith, of crying out to God combined with statements of decision and trust.

For next time: Read Psalm 32.

I will post on Psalm 32 on Wednesday, July 29, 2015.

Psalm 30, Weeping for a Night – Joy in the Morning!

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David.

David did not build the temple, so if this psalm is by David, it presumably is for the dedication of his palace?  Or a dedication of the tabernacle/tent that housed the ark?

30:1-3
I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths 
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.

A David is ecstatic that he has been healed and is now victorious.  His victory could be a military/political victory (over his enemy, Saul?) or victory over a serious disease.  Regardless of the enemy, David's imagery suggests the pit/grave as a deep well from which God reached down and pulled him up.

30:4-5
Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; 
weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

There is some pain in following God, indeed there is pain in all of life.  Here Weeping arrives to stay the night but Rejoicing shows up in the morning, kicking Weeping out the door.

30:6-7
When I felt secure, I said, "I will never be shaken."

O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; 
but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.

30:8-9
To you, O LORD, I called; 
to the Lord I cried for mercy:

"What gain is there in my destruction, 
in my going down into the pit? 
Will the dust praise you? 
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

A common refrain of David's: I can't praise you from the grave!  Keep me alive so that I can praise you!  (This seems a fairly blatant negotiation!  "Don't You need me alive to praise You?")

30:10-12
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; 
O LORD, be my help."
You turned my wailing into dancing; 
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. 
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

David reviews God's mercy and goodness to him, how pain and despair gave way to joy and dancing.

Sackcloth is a sign of despair, a physical acting out of grief and despondency.  God has removed David's sackcloth and dressed him again, trading the sackcloth for the garment "joy".

There is an ABA envelope:  "I praise You," "Don't let me fail!" "I praise You!"

For next time: Read Psalm 31.

I will post on Psalm 31 on Monday, July 27, 2015.

Psalm 29, The Voice of the Lord

A psalm of David.

Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, 
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; 
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

What does "ascribe" mean?  Assign, testify, give quality to...?  David answers that question by modeling this type of praise.  In the next few verses David actively describe characteristics of God and urges others to join him in this description.

As David speaks out here, in parallel, he emphasizes God's actions as attributed to God's "voice."

This passage certainly recalls the creative voice of God ("and God said...") from Genesis 1.  A number of verses are reminiscent of the creation story, building land and life out of the chaotic waters.

The "mighty ones" in verse 1 may represent the "angels", divine beings around God.

The command "worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness" could also be translated "because of His holiness"; regardless, the worshipper is immersed in God's character and surrounded by God's righteousness and splendor.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, 
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

The voice of the LORD is powerful; 
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

The word translated LORD throughout this passage (in the NIV version) is the Hebrew word Yahweh (YHWH).  It is emphasized through repetition.

The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; 
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, 

Sirion like a young wild ox.

Sirion is apparently Mt. Hermon.

Alter suggests that as the cedars of Lebanon were on the northern border of Israel and the desert of Kadesh (below) were in the south, David sees God's Voice sweeping over Israel.

 The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.
The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; 

the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. 
And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

"Twists the oaks" in verse 9 is an attempt at interpreting an unclear Hebrew phrase.

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; 

the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

The LORD gives strength to his people; 
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

David ends the psalm, as he often does, with a thought that extends beyond himself, to the Jewish nation that he rules.

This psalm is reminiscent of other Old Testament songs, the Song of Moses in Exodus 15 and the Song of Deborah in Judges 5.  It is a song of repetitive, building praise, in which God's name, YHWH, is a drumbeat of adoration.

For next time: Read Psalm 30.

I hope to post on Psalm 30 on Sunday, July 26, 2015.

Psalm 28, Rock & Fortress

Of David.

"Of David" is part of the ancient Hebrew text.  Presumably this psalm was written by David (or possibly written for David).

 To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. 
For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.

A common Davidic metaphor for God: "my Rock."  See Psalm 18:1-3 for another example of this metaphor; see 1 Samuel 23:26-28 for a literal example of God saving David as David hid among the rocks, fleeing Saul.  The same metaphor, in "fortress" reappears in verse 8.

The "pit" may be Sheol, the grave.

Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.

This psalm is the third in a string of similar psalms, Psalms 26, 27, 28, in which David describes dwelling with God and pleads for safety and more time in God's presence.

Regarding verse 3: how often have we had some one speak cordially to us, but with malice in their hearts?  I fear this is especially common in Texas, where southern gentility requires that one say, "Good morning!" or "Good day!" regardless of one's real motives.

Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; 
repay them for what their hands have done and bring back upon them what they deserve.

Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD and what his hands have done, 
he will tear them down and never build them up again.

This is another standard David refrain, "I plea for help!  I have been righteous (mostly) while they seek evil!"

Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; 
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. 

My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

The LORD is the strength of his people, 
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
Save your people and bless your inheritance; 
be their shepherd and carry them forever.

In verse 7 David responds in song, expressing his thanks in music.
In verse 8, David relies on his covenant with God, reminding God that David (and his descendants) are "anointed", part of a messianic plan.  (Indeed the Greek word, "Christ", simply means "the Anointed One," that is, the one promised by David.)

Throughout this passage, David's past experiences -- both as a shepherd in his youth and later, as a leader of men, hiding among the rocks and hills -- drive the metaphors for his dependence on God.

The last verse serves as an appropriate blessing, "May God bless your inheritance, be your Shepherd, and carry you forever."  Amen!

For next time: Read Psalm 29.

I hope to post on Psalm 29 on Friday, July 24, 2015.

Psalm 27, Seeking the Face of God

Of David.

The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?

When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, 
when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; 
though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

Light represents goodness, joy, life, vitality. (Kidner.)

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: 
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, 
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD 
and to seek him in his temple.

This psalm, like the last one, concerns itself with visiting God is His/Her sanctuary.  (Psalm 15 also has this theme.)

Why should God be sought?  Why does David enjoy God?
The emphasis here is on a personal relationship, personal joy with God, practicing the "presence of God."

What is this temple of the Lord?  What does it mean to dwell in it?   How does he hide us there?  Why will David sing and make music there?  The "temple" here need not be the temple of Solomon's day, but stands for God's presence and would have been represented by the tabernacle tent of David's day. 

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

David, recalling his days of running from Saul among the rocks and cliffs of Judea, often speaks of God as is God were mountain fortress, a large rock upon which to hide. (See Psalm 18:1-3.)

Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; 
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; 
I will sing and make music to the LORD.

"I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" is the ending of Psalm 23.  Many of the psalms in this section (26, 27, 28) have God's dwelling as a theme.

Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; 

be merciful to me and answer me.

My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" 
Your face, LORD, I will seek.

Do not hide your face from me, 
do not turn your servant away in anger; 
you have been my helper. 
Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

Teach me your way, O LORD; 
lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.

Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, 
for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.

Feel the desperation and loneliness in verses 9 and 10?  David is concerned that God will turn away, then reassures himself that even if his family were to betray him, God would not.

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

David's expectation is immediate; he is not interested in some type of heavenly reward", but wants God's goodness here, amongst the living!

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

David's songs usually end with a resolution.  Here David seems to have simply made a decision -- that, based on past experiences, he will wait on God and so will see God's goodness again.  And so he ends the song with the same encouragement to the listener.

For next time: Read Psalm 28.

I hope to post on Psalm 28 on Wednesday, July 22, 2015.

Psalm 26, You Vindicate Me & I Praise You

Of David.

Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; 
I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.

I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites;

I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.

This is a passage of adoration and moral confidence.  In our modern culture this sounds (at least to me) arrogant and hypocritical.  But David is being simple, innocent, straightforward.  He has been seeking God and trying to follow God's law and want to make that clear.   His emphasis is sincerity more than moral perfection.

Like the writer of Psalm 1, David insists that the community he forms around himself is not one of the wicked or hypocritical.

The hypocrites (end of verse 4) and the wicked (verse 5) are synonymous.

I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O LORD,

 proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells.

The concept of washing one hands is a symbol of spiritual cleanliness.  This entire paragraph suggests a visit to the Tabernacle, with hands washed before the laver and then proceeding to the altar.  The "house" or abode of God, is, in the Old Testament, evidence of close communion.  (Note that the location of the "temple" of God changes in the New Testament!  See I Cor 6:19-20.)

Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men,

in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.

But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me.

My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the LORD.

David's refrain throughout the psalm is: "I am blameless!  I trust in God without wavering!"  (Yet see Psalm 143:2, for a balancing viewpoint.)

There is a certain general parallelism, "envelope" structure to this psalm, a broad repetition:
A: Vindicate, test/ I avoid evil
B: I proclaim your praise and enjoy your temple.
A: So protect me and don't let me be defeated
B: while I praise you

For next time: Read Psalm 27.

I hope to post on Psalm 27 on Friday, July 17, 2015.

Psalm 25, Show, Teach, Guide, Remember

Of David.

As a footnote in the NIV attests, this song is an acrostic; each verse (with one exception) begins with a different Hebrew letter, alphabetical order, aleph for the first verse, beth for the second, etc.  This is a poetic device, a poetical form designed to aid memorization and possibly to force a certain creativity on the artist.  Acrostic poetry shows up in a variety of passages of the Hebrew scriptures, including the book of Lamentations and a number of the psalms.

Since there are 22 Hebrew letters, there will be 22 verses.

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;  in you I trust, O my God. 
Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, 
but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.

The psalm opens with statement of allegiance, of commitment, dependent on a covenant with God.  It will, of course, continue with a petition, a request for help in trouble.

Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; 
guide me in your truth and teach me, 
for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

David's request here is a simple one, for wisdom and understanding, so that he asks and thinks correctly.  Some of David's psalms are in desperation and begin immediately with a plea for help. Here, presumably, David's request is a less stressed and more thoughtful.

Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.  
Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; 
according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.

Forgiveness is part of the covenant David has with God.  Note the admission of youthful sins and rebellion.

Good and upright is the LORD; 
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

David emphasizes God desire for instruction and relationship.  David then shifts to instruction of his fellow humankind:

Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
He will spend his days in prosperity, 
and his descendants will inherit the land.

The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.

Now David's song begins to take on an air of suffering.  He is "lonely and afflicted".  In the verses which follow we hear sudden cry about real trouble.

My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.
Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.
See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!
Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

The nineteenth verse ("See how may enemies...") does not  begin with the nineteenth Hebrew letter, qof, but repeats the eighteenth letter, resh.  Presumably the original opening word has been lost.  Both commentators Alder and Kidner suggest that a natural word to open verse 19 would be qeshov, meaning "hearken", as in "Hearken-see how my enemies..."

Verse 21, below, is a "bookend" verse, return to an opening theme:

May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.

Then, as in many of the psalms, the song ends with a plea for help, not just David, but for the entire nation.  (Of course, the king's success and that of the nation are closely connected.)

Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!

Yes, may God protect the people Israel.

For next time: Read Psalm 26.

I hope to post on Psalm 26 on Wednesday, July 16, 2015.

Psalm 24, Who is this King of Glory!

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.

In the first lines of this song, it is clear that this God of David is the Creator, creator of all the world and everything in it.  The establishment of the land on the seas is reminiscent of Genesis 1:9.

This psalm is a simple song of worship.  One might view this as a coronation psalm for the King of Heaven!  It is a psalm of praise, at times exuberant and ecstatic, similar to Psalms 8 and 18.

Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? 
Who may stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, 
who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.  

He will receive blessing from the LORD 
and vindication from God his Savior.

Such is the generation of those who seek him, 

who seek your face, O God of Jacob. 

A major attribute of God is Righteousness and for this attribute God is praised.  So which mortals may "stand" with God?  Only one who follows God's model and has "clean hands and a pure heart".  Standing in God's presence,  says Kidner, is an aspect of worship.

Note the Old Testament concern about idols.  The concept of "clean hands" is also a concept of justice, of doing right actions with one's fellow human beings.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; 
be lifted up, you ancient doors, 
that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory? 
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; 
lift them up, you ancient doors, 
that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory? 
The LORD Almighty-- he is the King of glory.

Even the gates and doors of the King's palace should exalt in the King's presence!  (Why is this instruction addressed to the doors and gates?  Are the doors the first to see God's presence?)

The psalm first focuses on God and his power, beauty, as expressed in creation.  Then there is a transition – which humans are allowed to enjoy God’s presence and beauty?  Only those with a pure heart – who meet God’s standards (whose desire is really for God and not some substitute.)

And then the psalm ends in a chorus – a praise chorus preparing for the entrance of the king of glory.  The praise chorus has been an inspiration, over the centuries, for a number of Christian hymns.  (Here is one by Third Day.)
  

For next time: Read Psalm 25.

I will post on Psalm 25 on Friday, July 10, 2015.

Psalm 23, A Shepherd's Song

A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, 
he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul. 
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Note the parallelism in verses 1-3 (and throughout the psalm.)

David, the shepherd, sees God's actions as similar to his own past actions taking care of vulnerable and simple sheep.

Even 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.

Rod and staff are a shepherd's tools.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 
You anoint my head with oil; 
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

At the end of the psalm, the shepherd/sheep metaphor ends and the Shepherd is a divine Friend, who sets a table and lavishes gifts on the undeserving David.

This is the ancient "Good Shepherd" psalm, long recited by Christians in times of trouble.  It is beautiful in its calm simplicity.  The sheep unknowingly walk through dangerous valleys while an alert shepherd protects them; the sheep look for good food and good days and they are provided.  But David is more aware of the Shepherd than any sheep could ever be, and so he is grateful and commits to staying close to God.

For next time: Read Psalm 24.

I will post on Psalm 24 on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.

Psalm 22, Silent and Suffering, Ignored by God

For the director of music. To [the tune of] "The Doe of the Morning." A psalm of David.

Presumably "Doe of the Morning" was an ancient song?

22:1-2
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 
Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.

The Silence of God is an important problem for any serious believer.  At times God may seem very close.  But at other times God is silent and appears to be inactive.  How do I respond to this silence? It is not unique to me, for both David and Jesus (!) experienced it.

22:3-5
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

David turns back the clock and reminds himself of past history.  This is the beginning of a response to the Silence of God.

22:6-8
But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.

All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

"He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. 
Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."

But just because God worked in Abraham's life ... is there any reason for this "worm", David, to expect similar treatment?

22:9-11
Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast.

From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.

Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

David leans on God's divine plan.

22:12-18
Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me.

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. 
My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; 
you lay me in the dust of death.
Dogs have surrounded me; 
a band of evil men has encircled me, 
they have pierced my hands and my feet.
I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.

In verse 16 ("Dogs have surrounded me... pierced my hands and feet") a number of Hebrew manuscripts, including the Septuagint and Syriac (says the NIV), end the verse with words that translate as "lion, my hands and feet."  But a slight alteration of the Hebrew word for lion turns the phrase into "[they have] pierced my hands and feet."  This seems to be a commonly acceptable translation for that verse, accepted both by Hebrew scholars Kidner and Alter.

David is in pain, surrounded by enemies.  He is physically ill, in pain, as he is humiliated, tortured, mocked.  As a number of commentators point out, this appears to be an execution.  In this passage the psalm has moved away from any historical event in David's life.  The desperation of the early verses, in which David is surrounded by enemies, is not unusual.  But this death scene is.

22:19-22
But you, O LORD, be not far off; 

O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

Deliver my life from the sword, 
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; 
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
I will declare your name to my brothers; 
in the congregation I will praise you.

Another request for help.  Somewhere, somehow, in all this suffering, the speaker knows that God's plan is at work....  Note the vicious animals surrounding this shepherd.

22:23-31
You who fear the LORD, praise him! 
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! 
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; 
he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; 
before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.

The poor will eat and be satisfied; 
they who seek the LORD will praise him-- may your hearts live forever!
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, 
and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 
for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; 
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him-- those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him; 
future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn-- for he has done it.

David's song turns to instruction.  Once again, a decision has been made and David moves forward in confidence.  Notice all the promises David slings out in his ecstasy and enthusiasm.

Of whom does David speak in verses 30 & 31?  Future generations of Jews?  Or even future unknown Gentiles (like me)?

The death scene described in verses12 through 18 does not fit a historical event in David's life and has messianic overtones and the rest of the psalm fits descriptions of a messianic figure.  The New Testament passage Matthew 27:33-50 describes the crucifixion of Jesus and there are clear allusions to this psalm.  (How many of the events described by Matthew can you find in Psalm 22?)   Indeed, in Matthew 27:46, Jesus quotes the first verse of this psalm! (Jesus quotes the psalm in the local Aramaic, not in Hebrew.)  Surely the audience at the foot of the cross understood the scripture from whence the cry came.

Other passages which record the crucifixion are: Mark 15:20-37, Luke 23:26-46 & John 19:17-30. Psalm 22 is also quoted in Hebrews 2: 10-12.

A major challenge to Christianity is the Problem of Evil.  How could a powerful loving God allow suffering, pain.  How can Jesus be defeated by death?  How can Jews by destroyed by Hitler and other clearly evil enemies.  There is not an easy answer to this problem.  But the psalms, especially this psalm, claim that God is at work but that the actions of God are slow and deeper, more complicated than we can know.  That God is not human and we cannot make God follow our wishes are meet our demands.

At this point the crucifixion and the resurrection become important.  On the cross, God is completely defeated and ... Jesus quotes this psalm!  How could God be killed?  How could there be any victory in this?  Yet, at the end of this psalm, in the resolution, we hear "all the ends of the earth will ... turn to the Lord.  This includes those who go down to the dust (to the grave) before Him.

In the Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis has Aslan call this plan "deep magic".  Believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus requires believing that there is a longterm (indeed infinite) plan far beyond the suffering described in the psalms.  We are only given hints of this plan, by a Being who is not human and does not bow to our demands ... but appears willing to listen to our pleas.

For next time: Read Psalm 23.

I will post on Psalm 23 on Monday, July 6, 2015.

Psalm 21, A Blessing After Battle

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give!

You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips.
You welcomed him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him-- length of days, for ever and ever.
Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.

This psalm, like psalm 2, could serve as a coronation psalm for David or another Davidic king.

Verse 2, on the "desires of the heart", echoes verse 4 of Psalm 20.  In Psalm 20, the request is made; in Psalm 21 it is answered.  Because of the similarities between these two psalms, Kidner suggests that Psalm 20 is a blessing/prayer before a king's battle and Psalm 21 is a thanksgiving prayer afterwards.  In Psalm 20, the king makes request, followed by a statement of praise and faith, then a climactic final verse.  In this psalm, the statement of faith and resolution comes first.

II Samuel 7:8-16 has God's covenant with David.  Verses 3-7 of this psalm echo that passage.

Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes.

At the time of your appearing you will make them like a fiery furnace. 

In his wrath the LORD will swallow them up, and his fire will consume them.

You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from mankind.

Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed;

for you will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow.

Verses 8-10 ("Your hand...") turns attention to the enemies of God and the end result of God's foes.  This passage contains more universal statements, independent of a specific historical event and so has a messianic flavor. A New Testament version of this occurs in II Thessalonians 1:5-10 where this event is described more fully.  (See also Revelation 20:11 – 21:8 for a similar end-time statement about the culmination of history.)

Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might.

Like the previous psalm, this psalm ends with one climatic statement of praise.

I am now halfway through the 41 psalms of "Book 1" of the psalter.  From here on, I hope to cover four psalms a week over the next five weeks.

For next time: Read Psalm 22.

What is the one theme (question) of this psalm?  Does that question get resolved?

I will post on Psalm 22 on Sunday, July 5, 2015.

Psalm 20, Blessing Before Battle

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; 

may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests.

Notice that this is all in second person.  Instead of David speaking in first person to God, there is a  a "blessing" given to a single individual, a request for God to give success to the king.  (Commentator Derek Kidner says that the Hebrew pronoun translated "you" here is singular.)

The phrases "help from the sanctuary" and "support from Zion" are interesting.  They seem to describe a location for God, from whence help comes.

That God "remembers" the sacrifices and burnt offerings is a statement about the righteousness and sincerity of the individual being blessed.

"May the LORD grant all your requests."  Amen!  :-)

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.

Kidner sees this psalm in 3 parts: Verses 1-5 are the blessing given by the people to the king before battle.  Verses 6-8, above ("Now I know...") is the response of the king (God's "anointed") to that blessing.  And finally, below, is the people's climactic final shout.

O LORD, save the king! Answer us when we call!

Deuteronomy 17: 15-17 gives three things kings of Israel were not  to collect.  What are they?  Why do you think kings were forbidden to collect these objects?  (Look at verse 7 of Psalm 20!)

In II Kings 6:15-19, God opens the eyes of Elisha's servant so that he can see the spiritual army protecting Elisha.  How does this supplement the message of Psalm 20?

For next time: Read Psalm 21.  Compare that psalm to this one.

I will post on Psalm 21 on Friday, July 3, 2015.