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Wednesday 01/01/25
Thru the Bible: Psalm Book III: Chapters 83-85
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The Pilgrim’s Progress
Psalm 83:1-18, [Holman]
This psalm is a special one in that it is the last of the Psalms of Asaph, which include Psalms 50 and 73 to 83. However, it is also the last of the “Elohist” collection of psalms which include chapters 42–83. The Elohist psalms are those in the Hebrew word Elohim is the title mainly used for God.
Now I have told you before that Asaph lived during the time of David and shortly thereafter by telling you that David himself appointed him as music director and Solomon further appointed him to prominently serve at the dedication to the temple he built in Jerusalem.
This gridlocks Asaph into a time period long before many of the events which appear in the Psalms attributed to him. Being a prophet this is no big surprise and the specifics mentioned in these Psalms are mostly clear enough to easily identify which future time periods they were pointing to, but vague enough to be prophetic. What I mean by that is that most of the time prophecy is a broad-stroked and general foretelling of future events. One of the reasons for this is that it still requires those born in the generation to whom the events are immediately relevant to possess some spiritual sensitivity and acuity to identify theirs as the time period in question.
We’ve witnessed this regarding the Messianic prophecies time and again. Balaam’s prophecy of a star marking the birth of a king in Israel, Isaiah’s horrifically accurate depiction of Roman style crucifixion centuries before they had developed their take on the horrid process, Micah’s mention of the Messianic birthplace and God’s words to Eve of the seed of the woman are all clear enough and yet still not “plain English” so to speak.
There is a basic pattern to prophetically inspired words which separate them in tone and development from historical or strictly poetic literature and these psalms do generally fit that description. However, it is NOT beyond possibility that some of these Psalms attributed to Asaph himself were actually written and composed by his progeny.
The superscript of these Psalms is “le’asaf” and though most commonly translated as “of Asaph”, so far as I was able to determine, it is within the scope of possibilities that this also could be understood as “of the descendants of Asaph” or “of the guild of singers and poets who were of the guild of the Asaphites”.
Of course I don’t postulate any of this to sidestep the miraculous. I am more in favor of this and all the Psalms with the superscript “le’asaf” being written by Asaph himself.
I only think it is responsible for me to set before you all possibilities.
It is 100% within the scope of scripture and the power of God to predict ANYTHING on ANY LEVEL to ANY degree of clarity He so desires.
So NONE of these suggestions rob these Psalms from their possible prophetic origins. They only set forth the full spectrum of possible meanings of “of Asaph” which includes the possibility that some of these may have been written during the time periods they reference and if that is the case with some or all of them, it still in no way alters the fact that they were inspired of God as is all of scripture!
“(1) A song. A psalm of Asaph. God, do not keep silent. Do not be deaf, God; do not be idle.
(2) See how Your enemies make an uproar; those who hate You have acted arrogantly. (3) They devise clever schemes against Your people; they conspire against Your treasured ones.
(4) They say,
“Come, let us wipe them out as a nation so that Israel’s name will no longer be remembered.”
(5) For they have conspired with one mind; they form an alliance against You– (6) the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, (7) Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre. (8) Even Assyria has joined them; they lend support to the sons of Lot. Selah”
The ancestors of these people groups are telling in their history with Israel.
- Edom and Amalek come from Esau and his descendants
- Ishmaelites from Ishmael Abraham’s son according to the flesh who was rejected regarding the promise
- The Moabites and Ammonites who come from Lot and his two daughters.
- Assyria is a branch of the descendants of Shem through Ashur even as Abraham descended from Shem through Arphaxad.
- Gebal, The Hagrites, Philistia and Tyre do not appear to be immediately related to Israel but at least Philistia and Tyre shared a known and sordid past with them.
As to the natural aspects of this Psalm, there are many theories. Is it a prophecy of something to come or was it something which, if written by a descendant of Asaph, they knew Israel stood to face at the time of its composition?
So as to the time and events of this Psalm – we know that the specifics of this Psalm have never come to pass as of yet. Meaning, this particular assembly of peoples have never formed one unified alliance against Israel in a single strike.
While it “could be” argued that today it is being fulfilled in that the AREAS in which these nations existed at the time this Psalm was written are now largely occupied by Arabs who now surround Israel and are quite hostile to them. I however, do not believe this Psalm was talking about the geographical locations but the people groups themselves. Especially by the use of the phrase “Even Assyria has joined them; they lend support to the sons of Lot.” The words “sons of Lot” are clearly a reference to the literal people group who were known in the Bible as the descendants of Moab and Ammon.
Taken altogether, this means that either this was a real historic looming and possible threat which God thwarted OR that it is a prediction of some future event which, as of yet, has still not happened.
Also of significance is that Egypt is not mentioned. Egypt has always played a huge role in Israel’s past but since the peace treaty of 1979, any hostilities between the two have been suppressed. So now is the most likely time for this to come to pass since before this treaty, if a collaboration to attack Israel had been mounted it is all but certain Egypt would have played a part. Of course there is no biblical indicator that Egypt will even still be around as a nation at the end so a peace treaty may not even be needed in order to fulfill this prophecy.
“(9) Deal with them as You did with Midian, as You did with Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River. (10) They were destroyed at En–dor; they became manure for the ground. (11) Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their tribal leaders like Zebah and Zalmunna, (12) who said,
“Let us seize God’s pastures for ourselves.”
(13) Make them like tumbleweed, my God, like straw before the wind. (14) As fire burns a forest, as a flame blazes through mountains, (15) so pursue them with Your tempest and terrify them with Your storm.
(16) Cover their faces with shame so that they will seek Your name, LORD. (17) Let them be put to shame and terrified forever; let them perish in disgrace.
(18) May they know that You alone–Whose name is Yahweh–are the Most High over all the earth.”
*** This ends the known Psalms of Asaph ***
Psalm 84:1-12, [Holman]
This Psalm IS a verbal depiction of the life of everyone who has ever come to God and journeyed on with Him in sincerity. It reminds me of the passage in Hebrews where God is said to not be ashamed to be called Abramham’s God.
“(1) For the choir director: on the Gittith. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
How lovely is Your dwelling place, LORD of Hosts.
(2) I long and yearn for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh cry out for the living God.
(3) Even a sparrow finds a home, and a swallow, a nest for herself where she places her young–near Your altars, LORD of Hosts, my King and my God.
(4) How happy are those who reside in Your house, who praise You continually. Selah
(5) Happy are the people whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.”
(6) As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a source of springwater; even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings.
(7) They go from strength to strength; each appears before God in Zion.
(8) LORD God of Hosts, hear my prayer; listen, God of Jacob. Selah”
Verses 4-8 are interesting in their word choices and development.
Verse 4 ends with the thought of dwelling with God. On the surface it sounds like the priests who alone can enter the temple but then through parallelism the word image is broadened to include those who continually praise God. This paints a more spiritual picture of closeness to God than a literal one which would point geographically to Jerusalem which I believe sets the pace for the real or inspired direction of this psalm.
Verses 5-8 seem to build on this idea. Those whose hearts are set on pilgrimage are also those who find their strength in God. So while the imagery is one of the three yearly pilgrimages to Jerusalem, it clearly depicts those who never leave God in heart. Those who continually maintain their awareness of Him, loyalty to Him and seek His favor daily.
These three pilgrimages are associated with three feasts. That of:
- Passover: The spring festival of the Feast of Unleavened Bread
- Shavuot: The summer harvest Festival or Feast of weeks market that marked the giving of the Law at Sinai, and Israel becoming the people of God by covenant.
- Sukkot: A fall festival that celebrates the Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles.
Significantly all of these feasts point to leaving the world to be united with God and forever dwell with Him.
However, it is depicted as it is experienced in real life. All such “pilgrimages” from the world to habitat with God is marked with suffering the loss of all we ones valued and the opposition of those who will not go themselves. Much like the fabled tale of Pilgrim’s progress -by John Bunyan whose main protagonist “Christian” was opposed and hindered throughout his entire journey from “the city of destruction to the Celestial city”. It was and is a journey through the Valley of Tears.
And even though it is a trek of suffering it is marked by oasis’s of strengthening and therefore is said to lead from strength to strength. As it has been said many times in many ways, Christianity is NOT for the weak or the faint of heart. In fact it could be said that the point at which we are made the weakest is the very same at which we are infused with inner strength and that is when we, at many points along our journey we have those cogent encounters with God which break us and make us in one event. It is at these places that we “go from strength to strength; each appears before God”.
As I said and the introduction of this Psalm, it reminds me of the passage in Hebrews where God is said to not be ashamed to be called Abramham’s God.
It is found in Hebrews 11:8-16,
“(8) By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was going. (9) By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, co-heirs of the same promise.
(10) For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
(11) By faith even Sarah herself, when she was barren, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful. (12) And therefore from one man–in fact, from one as good as dead–came offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand by the seashore.
(13) These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.
(14) Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. (15) If they had been remembering that land they came from, they would have had opportunity to return. (16) But they now aspire to a better land–a heavenly one.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”
Psalm 84…
“(9) Consider our shield, God; look on the face of Your anointed one.
(10) Better a day in Your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be at the door of the house of my God than to live in the tents of the wicked.”
This is the point and message of the Bunyan’s fictional work. It is the point and message of all of scripture and it is the truth of every heart that longs for God having been reconciled to Him through Christ.
“(11) For the LORD God is a sun and shield. The LORD gives grace and glory; He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity. (12) LORD of Hosts, happy is the person who trusts in You!”
Psalm 85:1-13, [Holman]
“(1) For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
LORD, You showed favor to Your land;
You restored Jacob’s prosperity.
(2) You took away Your people’s guilt;
You covered all their sin. Selah
(3) You withdrew all Your fury;
You turned from Your burning anger.”
These were reflections on the way God had dealt with Israel in the past and the basis upon which the Psalmist makes his plea to God to show His same faithful mercies to his generation.
“(4) Return to us, God of our salvation, and abandon Your displeasure with us.
(5) Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger for all generations?
(6) Will You not revive us again so that Your people may rejoice in You?
“(7) Show us Your faithful love, LORD, and give us Your salvation.”
Then there is a declaration of surrender and faithfulness to God in response.
“(8) I will listen to what God will say; surely the LORD will declare peace to His people, His godly ones, and not let them go back to foolish ways. (9) His salvation is very near those who fear Him, so that glory may dwell in our land.”
What remains of this Psalm is a prediction of hope in faith. That God WILL indeed show favor to His people. Though possibly unknown specifically to the writer, this is the prophesied future of Israel in the Millennial kingdom. [References – Isaiah 2:4; 9:6-7; 30:23-26; 35:1-2; 61:11; Ezekiel 36:33-36;Zechariah 8:11-12; 9:16-17…etc.]
“(10) Faithful love and truth will join together; righteousness and peace will embrace. (11) Truth will spring up from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven. (12) Also, the LORD will provide what is good, and our land will yield its crops. (13) Righteousness will go before Him to prepare the way for His steps.”
Blessings!
Tri
