Psalm 41, Healing

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

41:1-3
Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; 
the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.
The LORD will protect him 
and preserve his life; 
he will bless him in the land 
and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.
The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed 
and restore him from his bed of illness.

Caring for the weak is an indication of compassion and goodness and calls upon the LORD's protection.  Here David praises God for protecting him and healing him.

Both Alter and Kidner translate the Hebrew of verse 3 to mean, "turn over his bed from his sickness". There is an image of a bed being flipped over or, possibly, a bed being made up after someone has risen from his illness.

41:4
I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me; 
heal me, for I have sinned against you."

David recalls his earlier pleas.  They included a request for help, healing ... and mercy and forgiveness.  (This is reminiscent of Psalm 38.)

41:5-9
My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?"
Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;
then he goes out and spreads it abroad.
All my enemies whisper together against me; 
they imagine the worst for me, saying,
"A vile disease has beset him; 
he will never get up from the place where he lies."
Even my close friend, whom I trusted, 
he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

David has been seriously ill, long enough for enemies to plot against him and pass on gossip about his impending death.  For David (and for most of us) the most vicious acts are those of deceit and betrayal, the acts of people lying about you and working against you.
Is this a messianic allusion to Judas?  Or was Judas simply a later example?

41:10-12
But you, O LORD, have mercy on me; 
raise me up, that I may repay them.
I know that you are pleased with me, 
for my enemy does not triumph over me.
In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.

Once again, David expresses sudden confidence that God has heard and that David is forgiven. David expresses praise and joy as makes plans to move forward in integrity and purpose with "the God of Israel."

41:13
Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.

Alter says that this phrase is intended to close out Book I.  Kidner points out that the phrase, translated here "Amen and Amen" (or a similar one) closes each of the five books of the Psalms.

This psalm ends our summer 2015 study in the Psalms.  I hope, next summer, to continue with Book 2 of the Psalms, Psalms 42-72.

For next time: At the end of our summer in the psalms, I will add a post (or two) on things I've learned....

Psalm 40, A New Song

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

40:1-3
I waited patiently for the LORD; 
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; 

he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. 

Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

The psalm begins with praise, grateful for God's intervention and aid in desperate times.  This aid, this salvation, has led to David's announcement of a new song of praise.  He concludes that this new song will bring "fear" and trust in God.

The emphasis on patience as the psalm opens acknowledges that God's responses are not quick.

40:4-5
Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, 
who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.

Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. 
The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; 
were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

There is ever the temptation to follow other attractions, other things that look (temporarily) promising and powerful.  In Old Testament times, the "false gods" of verse 4 were literal idols; we have more subtle versions today.

40:6
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; 
burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

Some confusion on the text of verse 6.  "My ears you have opened; burnt offerings and sin offerings you do not require."

The comment that God does not really desire sacrifices and offerings is a poignant one, an important statement for an Israelite trained in the tabernacle sacrifices and Jewish feasts.  It is repeated in Psalm 51.

40:7-10
Then I said, "Here I am, I have come-- it is written about me in the scroll.

I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; 
I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.

I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; 
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. 
I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.

David's new song includes his desire to follow God and to speak out on his faithfulness, salvation and love....

Verse 7 is quoted in Hebrews 10:7 as a messianic statement about Jesus.

40:11-12
Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.
For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. 

They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.

Although there is claim to righteousness in this psalm, there is also recognition of overwhelming sin and self-created troubles.  We all need mercy, much of it.

40:13-15
Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.
May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; 
may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!" be appalled at their own shame.

Yet, as always, David has enemies....

40:16-17
But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; 
may those who love your salvation always say, "The LORD be exalted!"
Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. 
You are my help and my deliverer; 
O my God, do not delay.

May we all experience joy and say, "The LORD be exalted!"  Even when we are poor and needy (especially then!?) we rely on God.

For next time: Read Psalm 41.  

I hope to post on Psalm 41 on Sunday, Aug 23, 2015.

Psalm 39, The Handbreadth of Life

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

Jeduthun was apparently a Levite musician appointed by David.  See I Chron 16:41-2, and I Chron 25:1-3.

39:1-3
I said, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; 
I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence."

But when I was silent and still, 
not even saying anything good, 
my anguish increased.

My heart grew hot within me, 
and as I meditated, the fire burned; 
then I spoke with my tongue:

David vows not to speak.  But as he watches, he grows angry and must speak!  This is the David of Justice, the king whose reign (when he is good) concentrates on justice and integrity.  The rest of the psalm is David's speech after watching evil prosper.

39:4-6
"Show me, O LORD, my life's end 
and the number of my days; 
let me know how fleeting is my life.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth; 

the span of my years is as nothing before you. 
Each man's life is but a breath.
Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: 

He bustles about, but only in vain; 
he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

David meditates on the brevity of life and how quickly it passes.  He uses "handbreadth", "nothing", "breath", "phantom", "vain" all as descriptors of life. Alter points both to Job and Ecclesiastes for similar examples.  Ideas of this psalm are echoed in Job -- see Job 7, for example.

The verses tend to come in triplets of thought instead of doublets.  Alter suggests this a device that increases tension as the conclusion of the thought is postponed one phrase, one heartbeat.

39:7-8
"But now, Lord, what do I look for? 
My hope is in you.

Save me from all my transgressions; 
do not make me the scorn of fools.

There is a penitential aspect to this, as if this song follows Psalm 38.

39:9-11
I was silent; 
I would not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done this.

Remove your scourge from me; 
I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

You rebuke and discipline men for their sin;
 you consume their wealth like a moth-- each man is but a breath.

A quick flitting moth, a brief breath, and we are gone!  When I was younger, I was not aware of how fleeting life is.  But now, to quote a Johnny Cash line: "I can no longer run" and the quickness of life is frightening!    This idea, the brevity of life, occurs throughout Old Testament wisdom literature and also New Testament passages, like the letter of James, which reflect the Old Testament ideas.

39:12-13
"Hear my prayer, O LORD, 
listen to my cry for help; 
be not deaf to my weeping. 
For I dwell with you as an alien, a stranger, as all my fathers were.

Look away from me, that I may rejoice again before I depart and am no more."

In the midst of this short brief life, God, help me to live a life of meaning and purpose!

For next time: Read Psalm 40.

I hope to post on Psalm 40 on Friday, Aug 21, 2015.

Psalm 38, Stomach Burning, Heart Churning (Penitential)

A psalm of David. A petition.

The Hebrew word translated "petition" in the NIV only occurs here and in Psalm 70.  Robert Alter translates it as "a call to mind"; Derek Kidner translates it "to bring to remembrance."

38:1-4
O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.

For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me.

Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; 
my bones have no soundness because of my sin.

My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.

David's pain is guilt, a result of his own wrong actions.
This is (relatively rare)  penitential psalm (see 6, 32, 51, 102, 130 and 143) in which the just king is aware that he has sinned and grieved God.
David, whether due to the intensity of his guilt or to some special act of God, is physically ill, his body reflecting his mental anguish.

38:5-10

My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.

I am bowed down and brought very low; 
all day long I go about mourning.

My back is filled with searing pain; 
there is no health in my body.

I am feeble and utterly crushed; 
I groan in anguish of heart.

All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; 
my sighing is not hidden from you.

My heart pounds, my strength fails me; 
even the light has gone from my eyes.

Note the description of physical pain and illness, to go with the mental anguish.  Alter translates the beginning of verse 7 as "innards burning" and ends verse 8 with "heart churning."  The searing pain, nausea, weakness and misery David experiences is vivid to me.  (I've been there; I don't want to go back!)

38:11-12

My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;
my neighbors stay far away.

Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; 
all day long they plot deception.

This is similar to Psalm 32.  The physical illness scares away the psalmist's friends and enemies in the shadows whisper about his coming death.

38:13-14

I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute, who cannot open his mouth;

I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply.

In Psalm 32, David compares himself to a mule who does not listen.

38:15-18

I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God.
For I said, "Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips."
For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me.
I confess my iniquity; 
I am troubled by my sin.

David makes a choice, a wise one.  The repentant David confesses his sin and leans on God.

38:19-20
Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; 
those who hate me without reason are numerous.
Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good.

38:21-22
O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God.
Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.

These last two verses serve as bookends, reflecting the opening call for a savior.

This is another penitential song, a psalm in which David admits that his problems are caused by his own folly, yet he pleads for God to stay near and to not abandon him.

For next time: Read Psalm 39.

I hope to post on Psalm 39 on Thursday, Aug 20, 2015.

Psalm 37, Relax, Do Not Fret!

Of David.

This poem is an acrostic, with most pairs of verses beginning with a particular Hebrew letter.  The psalm is twice as long as other acrostic psalms (like Psalm 34) because it puts two lines (roughly two verses) with each Hebrew letter.

37:1-2
Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong;

for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

The New Testament letter of James (see James 1:9-12) repeats some of this imagery.

37:3-6
Trust in the LORD and do good; 
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Delight yourself in the LORD 
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD; 
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, 
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Much has been made of the pairs of verses, 37:4-5.  Some have said verse 4, "give you the desires" could mean more than, "You will get what you want", but maybe instead it should be interpreted as "God will provide (new) wants and wishes."

37:7
Be still before the LORD 
and wait patiently for him; 
do not fret when men succeed in their ways, 
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

We fret and worry as others manipulate and lie their way to success.  This entire psalm has an anti-anxiety theme: "Relax!  God is still in charge!"

37:8-9
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; 
do not fret--it leads only to evil.

For evil men will be cut off, 
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

Proverbial pairing: first a parallel set of statements on refraining from anxiety and then an answering parallel set of statements as to why one should do so.

This psalm is typical of Old Testament wisdom literature (such as the book of Proverbs), with short strong statements of how one should think and act, usually in doublets, parallel repetitive phrases.  The New Testament letter of James develops the same "wisdom" style and echoes many of the ideas of this psalm. (Surely James knew of this song and expected his readers to recall it.)

37:10-11
A little while, and the wicked will be no more; 
though you look for them, they will not be found.

But the meek will inherit the land 
and enjoy great peace.

This psalm promises success to the righteous and defeat of the wicked.  Again there are two options, two choices (no more!); these are stressed in steady repetition and parallel lines.

Verse 11 is repeated by Jesus in the Beatitudes (Matt 5:5).

37:12-13
The wicked plot against the righteous 
and gnash their teeth at them;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked, 
for he knows their day is coming.

I'm glad God laughs at those who scheme and betray, since I don't seem to be able to do it!

37:14-15
The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, 
to slay those whose ways are upright.
But their swords will pierce their own hearts, 
and their bows will be broken.

Note the reflective, mirror action -- the "wicked" stab themselves.

37:16-20
Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
for the power of the wicked will be broken, 

but the LORD upholds the righteous.

The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, 

and their inheritance will endure forever.
In times of disaster they will not wither; 

in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

But the wicked will perish: 

The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, 
they will vanish--vanish like smoke.

Each refrain compares the righteous and the wicked, contrasting the eventual success of the righteous with the eventual defeat and destruction of the wicked.  The last chapter of James has portions which seem to parallel this psalm.

37:21-24
The wicked borrow and do not repay, 
but the righteous give generously;

those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, 
but those he curses will be cut off.

If the LORD delights in a man's way, 
he makes his steps firm;

though he stumble, he will not fall, 
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Here is stability is emphasized; God sets the righteous on firm ground during times of storm or turmoil.

37:25-26
I was young and now I am old, 
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
They are always generous and lend freely; 

their children will be blessed.

This psalm makes some very strong claims.  These last two verses (25-26) are strong simplistic statements (hyperbole?)  Certainly the righteous are at times forsaken and hungry!  (The New Testament letter of Hebrews, Hebrews 11:36-40 agrees with me -- we don't always see success in this life!)

37:27-33
Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. 
They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.

The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.

The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives;

but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

Note the recognition that the wicked do have power and that the righteous are, from time to time, trapped.  But that evil victory is (apparently) only temporary.  From verse 27, the viewpoint is a longterm one (says Kidner); those who follow the LORD are assured of good things happening in a timeline that includes "forever".

37:34-40
Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,
but he soon passed away and was no more; 
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

Consider the blameless, observe the upright; 
there is a future for the man of peace.
But all sinners will be destroyed; 
the future of the wicked will be cut off.

The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; 
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

The LORD helps them and delivers them; 
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, 
because they take refuge in him.

The repetitive stress of the psalm reflects the ideas at the beginning of the book in Psalm 1.  "Choose the path of righteousness! Do not be misled by that apparent success of the manipulative oppressor!"
In the classical Old Testament wisdom, there are two choices and the rewards about those choices, reinforced in simple terms.

For next time: Read Psalm 38.

I hope to post on Psalm 38 on Wednesday, Aug 19, 2015.

Psalm 36, An Essay on Wickedness

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.

The attribute "servant of the LORD", describing David, occurs only in one other psalm, Psalm 18.

36:1-4
An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: 
There is no fear of God before his eyes.

For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.

The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; 
he has ceased to be wise and to do good.

Even on his bed he plots evil; 
he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.

This song is an essay on the thoughts and actions of the wicked, along with David's resolution to trust God, to be God's servant and to seek God's refuge.  David, in earlier psalms, has passionately called out for help from those who attack him. Here he is calmer, more thoughtful, writing out his views on these conflicts.

The first verse, about "an oracle" is translated by others (including Alter and Kidner) as expressing statements by a personification of wickedness. Robert Alter's translation begins "Crime's utterance to the wicked within his heart: ..." and goes on to described what "Crime" (or "Evil") says to the wicked person.  (Some argue that the possessive pronoun translated "my" in the NIV is the Hebrew word "his"; apparently some ancient manuscripts support this.)

David argues that the "wicked" person "flatters himself" (or is so flattered by Evil) so that he cannot detect his rebellion against God and certainly cannot see the rebellion enough to hate it.  Human rationalization is strong, very personal and (in my experience) so so difficult to catch.  Long ago, I was astonished by my ability to always argue (internally) in my favor, to even lie to myself to avoid the discomfort, the dissonance that comes from thinking (just for a moment) that I might be in the wrong.  Because this rationalization is so deep and pervasive in the human heart, one who seeks to be "good" must be willing to examine one's heart and motives -- and to not accept, "I'm OK", as an immediate flippant response from one's soul.

Self-examination, although uncomfortable, leads to clarity and wisdom and eventually to a satisfied life.  To quote a wise individual (not a Christian), "The unexamined life is not worth living."

36:5-9
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, 
your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, 
your justice like the great deep. 
O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.

How priceless is your unfailing love! 
Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They feast on the abundance of your house; 
you give them drink from your river of delights.

For with you is the fountain of life; 
in your light we see light.

After focusing on his enemies in the first four verses, David moves, in sharp contrast, to listing the characteristics of God.  These characteristics provide a strong motive for seeking righteousness and acting justly.

The poetry here emphasizes extremes -- while God's justice is like the highest mountains, God's justice extends to the deepest parts.

David's great grandmother, Ruth, also took refuge in the shadow of God's wings: Ruth 2:12.

36:10-12
Continue your love to those who know you, 
your righteousness to the upright in heart.

May the foot of the proud not come against me, 
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

See how the evildoers lie fallen-- thrown down, not able to rise!

The song on wickedness and evil ends with a final, passionate plea.

I hope to post on Psalm 37 on Monday, August 17.

Psalm 35, Shield, Buckler, Spear and Javelin (and Betrayal)

Of David.

35:1-3
Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; 
fight against those who fight against me.

Take up shield and buckler; 
arise and come to my aid.

Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. 
Say to my soul, "I am your salvation."

David's traditional requests begin with "(1) Stand for me, God..."
In this case the metaphors are those of a soldier at war but the initial word "contend" is a legal term, as if in a courtroom (say both commentators Alter and Kidner.)

The word translation "javelin", in verse 3, is an attempt to translate an unknown Hebrew word that may be closer to the hilt or shaft of a sword.

35:4-8
May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; 
may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.

May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away;

may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me,

may ruin overtake them by surprise-- may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

David's requests typically continue with "...(2) and defeat my enemies!"

There are only two places in the psalms where the "angel" (messenger) of the LORD is mentioned; they are here and in Psalm 34.  It is likely that this psalm is a sequel to Psalm 34, elaborating on the same themes as appearing in that shorter psalm.

Note in verse 5, the ascending parallelism, as the chaff is not just driven by the wind but by God's angel; as the path is not just dark and slippery but is run with God's angel in pursuit.

35:9-10
Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.

My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like you, O LORD? 
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, 
the poor and needy from those who rob them."

David is never afraid to say, "If you save me, then I will praise you" or "Please protect me and then I can rejoice in you!"  There is a hint of negotiation, as if God benefits from David's praise. I like David's transparency in the psalms and I certainly sympathize.

David is always concerned about justice, about the poor and needy.

35:11-14
Ruthless witnesses come forward; 
they question me on things I know nothing about.
They repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn.
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. 
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. 
I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother.

David's enemies have betrayed him, gossiping about him, attacking him behind his back, yet David's actions have been pure -- when his enemies were sick, he prayed for them and fasted, mourned for them.

David describes the bitterness of betrayal; his care for them and their repayment of that kindness.  It is not just their attack that stings, but their betrayal.

35:15-16
But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; 
attackers gathered against me when I was unaware. 
They slandered me without ceasing.

Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked; 
they gnashed their teeth at me.

David's lament now swings back to detail the maliciousness of his enemies and the depth of their betrayal.

35:17-21
O Lord, how long will you look on? 
Rescue my life from their ravages, 
my precious life from these lions.

I will give you thanks in the great assembly; 
among throngs of people I will praise you.

Let not those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; 
let not those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye.

They do not speak peaceably, 
but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.

They gape at me and say, "Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it."

The psalm oscillates between focusing on God and focusing on David's bitterness: "I call on You God to protect me from them ... oh, and let me tell You what they have done!"

Those of us who have been betrayed by a friend, must sympathize.  Even as David focuses on God and calls out for help, his thoughts are distracted again by memories of what these people have done.

35:22-27
O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent. 
Do not be far from me, O Lord.

Awake, and rise to my defense! 
Contend for me, my God and Lord.

Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God; 
do not let them gloat over me.

Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!" or say,"We have swallowed him up."

May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; 
may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace.

May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; 
may they always say, "The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant."

Verse 21 ends with David's enemies swearing, "We have seen it!" but in verse 22 David echoes this statement, confident that God has indeed seen what really happened and will act in David's defense.  David continues his plea with more calls for divine intervention, before turning to a brief conclusion and personal commitment.

35:28
My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.

David has wandered in grief and despair, asking why God has not answered him.  Yet he continues to give thanks and praise.

For next time: Read Psalm 36.

I will post on Psalm 36 on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2015.

Psalm 34, Exalting Acrostic

 Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.

I Samuel 21 describes David's flight from Saul and the episode with the priest Abimelech and later Achish, king of Gath.  (It is before Achish, not Abimelech, that David fakes insanity.  One commentary -- Reformation Study Bible, online -- suggests that Abimelech was a title and so might have applied to Achish?)

Psalm 56 may have been written as a prelude to this psalm.

34:1-3

I will extol the LORD at all times; 
his praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the LORD; 
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the LORD with me;
 let us exalt his name together.

This psalm is an "acrostic"; each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet (with the exception of the sixth letter, waw) is used to begin a verse.  Verse one begin with aleph, verse two with beth, verse three with gimel, and so on, through the first 21 verses.  (I've not read an explanation as to why the sixth Hebrew letter is left out.)

"Let us exalt his name together", a call for communal praise and worship.  David's personal praise expands into communal worship.

34:4-7
I sought the LORD, and he answered me; 
he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant; 
their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; 
he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

There are several Old Testament stories in the background here.  In Exodus 34: 29-34, Moses had a "radiant face" when he descended from Mt. Sinai.  The concept of a "messenger" of the Lord guiding the people of God goes back to Genesis 24, when Abraham tells his servant that a messenger of God will guide him to a wife for Isaac.

34:8-10
Taste and see that the LORD is good; 
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Fear the LORD, you his saints, 
for those who fear him lack nothing.

The lions may grow weak and hungry, 
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

"Taste and see," is a strong invitation to experience God.  In this passage we have a series of parallel concepts of the form, "I ask and God answers".

34:11-14
Come, my children, listen to me; 
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,

keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.

Turn from evil and do good; 
seek peace and pursue it.

Seeking God includes a certain level of "fear", a search for peace and righteousness, a turning from evil.  This passage has form similar to Proverbs or other Old Testament wisdom literature, beginning with a phrase like "Listen and I will teach you..." followed by couplets of instruction.

34:15-18
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;

the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted..." and "saves those who are crushed in spirit."  David certainly knew despair and heartbreak, but claims that God is nearby in all of the circumstances.

34:19-22
A righteous man may have many troubles, 
but the LORD delivers him from them all;

he protects all his bones, 
not one of them will be broken.

Evil will slay the wicked; 
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

The LORD redeems his servants; 
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

Ah, but in contrast to verse 19, there are many examples where God does not deliver believers from every trouble.  Verse 19 is a certain poetic hyperbole: imagine a parent saying that to a child.  It is almost true....  But there is still pain, suffering and troubles -- as the book of Job makes clear.

For next time: Read Psalm 35.

I hope to post on Psalm 35 on Monday, Aug 10, 2015.