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Wednesday 8/14/24
Title: Psalms Book I: Dwell in the land and feed on His Faithfulness
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Dwell in the land and feed on His Faithfulness
Psalm 35:1-28,
“(1) Davidic.
Oppose my opponents, LORD; fight those who fight me.
(2) Take Your shields–large and small–and come to my aid.
(3) Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers, and assure me: “I am your deliverance.”
(4) Let those who seek to kill me be disgraced and humiliated; let those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed. (5) Let them be like husks in the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away. (6) Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
(7) They hid their net for me without cause; they dug a pit for me without cause.
(8) Let ruin come on him unexpectedly, and let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it–to his ruin.
(9) Then I will rejoice in the LORD; I will delight in His deliverance.
(10) My very bones will say, “LORD, who is like You, rescuing the poor from one too strong for him, the poor or the needy from one who robs him?”
(11) Malicious witnesses come forward; they question me about things I do not know. (12) They repay me evil for good, making me desolate.
(13) Yet when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer was genuine. (14) I went about grieving as if for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning a mother.
(15) But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; they gathered against me. Assailants I did not know tore at me and did not stop. (16) With godless mockery they gnashed their teeth at me.
(17) Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my very life from the young lions.
(18) I will praise You in the great congregation; I will exalt You among many people.
(19) Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; do not let those who hate me without cause look at me maliciously. (20) For they do not speak in friendly ways, but contrive deceitful schemes against those who live peacefully in the land.
(21) They open their mouths wide against me and say, “Aha, aha! We saw it!”
(22) You saw it, LORD; do not be silent. Lord, do not be far from me.
(23) Wake up and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my LORD! (24) Vindicate me, LORD, my God, in keeping with Your righteousness, and do not let them rejoice over me.
(25) Do not let them say in their hearts, “Aha! Just what we wanted.” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”
(26) Let those who rejoice at my misfortune be disgraced and humiliated; let those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and reproach.
(27) Let those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad; let them continually say, “The LORD be exalted, who wants His servant’s well-being.” (28) And my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness, Your praise all day long.”
One thing I will add to this and similar psalms is that in his life, David did deal with enemies more than most. Some were international, some national, some from those claiming to be allies, some from trusted advisors, some from family and friends and nearly all of them had the potential of being deadly. With that in mind, some of these cries can be understood.
It would be quite another matter for people under far less circumstances to have cried out for such things against their enemies. Most people’s enemies in America are rivals at work, dishonest employers, divisions and fights within our families – but the greatest majority of them are in no way life threatening.
Under the new covenant we pray blessings on our physical enemies knowing our real adversary is not flesh and blood. While there are times when crying out to God to vindicate you is proper and even to silence our enemies, we do not pray for their destruction.
Psalm 36:1-12,
“(1) For the choir director. A psalm of David, the LORD’s servant.
An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked:
Now this is a new one. This particular Psalm is called an Oracle which is a prophecy. To state in the superscription that something is an oracle is much the same as saying, “Thus saith the Lord” or “the word of the Lord came to me saying…”.
Now prophesy simply means to speak by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So this can be confusing since all scripture is inspired by God, there is a sense in which all scripture is prophetic. Yet clearly there must be a difference on some level between the two.
My personal belief (and that truly is all it is – a belief) – is that prophesy, like from a prophet, is more powerful of an influence. It is as if the speaker is the mouthpiece of God – directly, yet, the words employed are taken from the speaker’s own vernacular and ways of thinking.
Inspiration on the other hand, seems somewhat different. Inspiration can be God placing a thought, or concept into the mind of a person and commissioning them to convey it by speech or writing with much more lateral freedom.
Inspiration may also be the nudge of God to record events or experiences with a view to our relationship with God which is both accurate and instructional. The Historical books come to mind as examples as well as much of the Psalms.
Typically, the scriptures in general seem much freer in terms of expressing the inspired ideas of God so long as the result convey’s what God inspired them to say without adding to it any of their own thoughts, bias’ or opinions.
Now this Psalm begins with what appears to be a declaration from God, but then shifts to a prayer to Him. As such, we might say that this Psalm is a combination of both a traditional prophetic word along with a written account which God inspired.
“There is no dread of God before his eyes, (2) for in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to discover and hate his sin.
“(3) The words of his mouth are malicious and deceptive; he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.
(4) Even on his bed he makes malicious plans. He sets himself on a path that is not good and does not reject evil.
(5) LORD, Your faithful love reaches to heaven, Your faithfulness to the skies. (6) Your righteousness is like the highest mountain; Your judgments, like the deepest sea.
LORD, You preserve man and beast.
(7) God, Your faithful love is so valuable that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
(8) They are filled from the abundance of Your house; You let them drink from Your refreshing stream, (9) for with You is life’s fountain.
In Your light we will see light. (10) Spread Your faithful love over those who know You, and Your righteousness over the upright in heart.
(11) Do not let the foot of the arrogant come near me or the hand of the wicked drive me away. (12) There the evildoers fall; they have been thrown down and cannot rise.”
Since this was under the Old Covenant, which was a covenant of works – God’s judicial actions towards sin are considerably different than they are since the Redemptive Messianic work of Jesus.
Under the Old Covenant, sins were COVERED by the blood of animals. This covering was ENTIRELY a Jewish thing. The Day of Atonement would address sin for the entire nation, while day to day sacrifices for sins would address issues as they came up. NONE of this extended to those who were not in covenant with God (and any nationality of people could be). Nor did it extend to any Jew who did not keep the covenant. [See – About Blood and the Day of Atonement]
As such, all that remained for them was the justice of having their own actions turned back upon their own heads in daily affairs and in the end spiritual destruction, if they failed to repent.
Psalm 37:1-40,
Though technically within a category of Psalm known as a Lament, this Psalm is also a wisdom Psalm.
It offers the reader a godly perspective on the trajectory of sin and righteousness.
It calls on the godly to trust the Lord regardless of how things may temporarily appear.
Godliness is in fact profitable for all things.
Sin may appear a path to success for a short time, those who pursue evil and ignore God will not enjoy prosperity forever. At any one moment, it may seem that the ungodly prosper and are getting away with their sin, their end is in fact destruction.
As will become very apparent, this is a profoundly Jewish Psalm in that THE reward most often referenced throughout is that their reward was to eventually inherit the land as their eternal possession – which speaks to the Millenial reign of Christ – and most likely to their eternal possession of that part of the earth forever. At which time – if one were to look for the ungodly, they would never again be able to find them!
“(1) Davidic.
Do not be agitated by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong. (2) For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender green plants.
(3) Trust in the LORD and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely.”
I have often referred to this verse in times of questioning where I am in life. When the enemy comes in attempting to cause questions and confusion in the darkness regarding the direction God afforded me in the light.
The instruction is the dwell where God planted you. Get your mind off what benefits you may or may not be able to identify, but rather focus on doing what is good. If you do these things you will dwell in feed upon God’s faithfulness.
This always reminds me of the provisions God made for Elijah after He told him to prophesy to King Ahab of God’s sending a severe drought upon the land.
The first word of God to Elijah was to go to the Brook of Cherith where God had commanded ravens to bring Elijah food and where Elijah could drink water from the brook. [1 Kings 17]
After a while that brook dried up, which could have caused Elijah to question if he had really been led by God.
Then God told him to go to Zarephath in Sidon where He had commanded a widow to care for him. This is where Elijah met the widow at the well who was preparing her last meal to eat with her son, before they both starved to death. Elijah told her to first go make some food for him and then prepare something for her and her son. He told her that God would cause her provisions to not dry up. So she obeyed and there Elijah remained until God gave him word to appear before Ahab to announce the end of the drought.
It is a testament to God’s provision in the midst of impossible situations, when we simply trust in the Lord, dwell where He has planted us, focus on doing what is good and we will not only experience -but feast upon His faithfulness!
“(4) Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires.
(5) Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act, (6) making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday.
(7) Be silent before the LORD and wait expectantly for Him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the man who carries out evil plans.
(8) Refrain from anger and give up your rage; do not be agitated–it can only bring harm. (9) For evildoers will be destroyed, but those who put their hope in the LORD will inherit the land.”
“(10) A LITTLE WHILE, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for him, he will not be there. (11) But the humble will inherit the land and will enjoy abundant prosperity.
(12) The wicked schemes against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him.
(13) The Lord laughs at him because He sees that his day is coming.
(14) The wicked have drawn the sword and strung the bow to bring down the afflicted and needy and to slaughter those whose way is upright.
(15) Their swords will enter their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
(16) Better the little that the righteous man has than the abundance of many wicked people. (17) For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD supports the righteous.
(18) The LORD watches over the blameless all their days, and their inheritance will last forever. (19) They will not be disgraced in times of adversity; they will be satisfied in days of hunger. (20) But the wicked will perish; the LORD’s enemies, like the glory of the pastures, will fade away–they will fade away like smoke.
(21) The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and giving.
(22) Those who are blessed by Him will inherit the land, but those cursed by Him will be destroyed.
(23) A man’s steps are established by the LORD, and He takes pleasure in his way. (24) Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the LORD holds his hand.”
Now David describes the provisions of the righteous as well as a definition of sorts for what it means to be a righteous person.
“(25) I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned or his children begging bread. (26) He is always generous, always lending, and his children are a blessing.
(27) Turn away from evil and do what is good, and dwell there forever.
(28) For THE LORD LOVES JUSTICE AND WILL NOT ABANDON HIS FAITHFUL ONES. They are kept safe forever, but the children of the wicked will be destroyed.”
Though the particular manifestation of safety may differ from Old Covenant to New, this is still an eternal truth. It is one of the promises in the Old Testament which is NOT tethered to the covenant specifically, but to the nature of God.
“(29) The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it permanently.
(30) The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom; his tongue speaks what is just. (31) The instruction of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter.
(32) The wicked lies in wait for the righteous and seeks to kill him; (33) the LORD will not leave him in his hand or allow him to be condemned when he is judged.
(34) Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land. You will watch when the wicked are destroyed.
(35) I have seen a wicked, violent man well-rooted like a flourishing native tree. (36) Then I passed by and noticed he was gone; I searched for him, but he could not be found.
(37) Watch the blameless and observe the upright, for the man of peace will have a future. (38) But transgressors will all be eliminated; the future of the wicked will be destroyed.
(39) The salvation of the righteous IS FROM THE LORD, their refuge in a time of distress.
(40) The LORD helps and delivers them; He will deliver them from the wicked and will save them because they take refuge in Him.”
Psalm 38:1-22,
“(1) A Davidic psalm for remembrance.
This is a Psalm with which all of God’s people throughout time can easily identify. Many of our problems come upon us due to our sin and own lack of faithfulness. Then the every enemy who encouraged and tempted us towards such atrocities, turns on us to press his advantage against us in our compromised condition.
David here calls upon all of God’s people to REMEMBER God’s faithfulness even in our times of sin. That owning and confession of our sins is imperative, but that the attacks of the enemy are still evil. Once sin has been confessed and forsaken, there is cause for hope and rescue from our enemies – because the ear of God hears, the eyes of God see, the heart of God is compassionate and He IS faithful!
“LORD, do not punish me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath. (2) For Your arrows have sunk into me, and Your hand has pressed down on me.
(3) There is no soundness in my body because of Your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. (4) For my sins have flooded over my head; they are a burden too heavy for me to bear. ”
We literally covered this last week in Psalm 32:3-4,
“(3) When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. (4) For day and night Your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat. Selah”
Psalm 38…
“(5) My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness. (6) I am bent over and brought low; all day long I go around in mourning.
(7) For my loins are full of burning pain, and there is no health in my body.
(8) I am faint and severely crushed; I groan because of the anguish of my heart.
(9) Lord, my every desire is known to You; my sighing is not hidden from You. (10) My heart races, my strength leaves me, and even the light of my eyes has faded.
(11) My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction, and my relatives stand at a distance.
(12) Those who seek my life set traps, and those who want to harm me threaten to destroy me; they plot treachery all day long.
(13) I am like a deaf person; I do not hear.
I am like a speechless person who does not open his mouth.
(14) I am like a man who does not hear and has no arguments in his mouth.(15) I PUT MY HOPE IN YOU, LORD; YOU WILL ANSWER, LORD MY GOD.
(16) For I said, “Don’t let them rejoice over me–those who are arrogant toward me when I stumble.” (17) For I am about to fall, and my pain is constantly with me.
(18) So I confess my guilt; I am anxious because of my sin. (19) But my enemies are vigorous and powerful; many hate me for no reason.
(20) Those who repay evil for good attack me for pursuing good.
(21) LORD, do not abandon me; my God, do not be far from me. (22) Hurry to help me, Lord, my Savior.”
Blessings!
Tri
