Justice for the Unjust

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David.

1 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?
    Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;
    your hands deal out violence on earth.

3 The wicked are estranged from the womb;
    they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent,
    like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
5 so that it does not hear the voice of charmers
    or of the cunning enchanter.

6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths;
    tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD!
7 Let them vanish like water that runs away;
    when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted.
8 Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime,
    like the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
9 Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,
    whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!

10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
    he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
    surely there is a God who judges on earth.” – Psalm 58:1-11 ESV

David opens this psalm with a question for the “gods” [ĕlōhîm] who “judge the children of man uprightly” (Psalm 58:1 ESV). The Hebrew word ĕlōhîm is a generic title used of the God of Israel, but also of false gods and human rulers. David’s rather sarcastic question was designed to highlight the injustice of Israel’s judges and expose them as hypocrites and frauds.

Do you judge the people fairly?
No! You plot injustice in your hearts.
    You spread violence throughout the land. – Psalm 58:1-2 NLT

David compares these powerful men to venomous snakes that refuse to be charmed. He accuses them of having been born in sin and being addicted to falsehood. They were like dangerous lions that prey on the weak and innocent, and he was fed up with their deadly charade. They were a menace to society and a blot on the name of God, serving up injustice in place of justice and refusing to extend mercy, love, and grace to God’s people. The prophet Micah warned the people of Israel that God had much higher standards for them.

He has told you, O man, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
    and to walk humbly with your God? – Micah 6:8 ESV

David longed to see God avenge His people by dealing with these self-proclaimed “gods” and putting an end to their wickedness.

Break off their fangs, O God!
    Smash the jaws of these lions, O Lord!
May they disappear like water into thirsty ground.
    Make their weapons useless in their hands.
May they be like snails that dissolve into slime,
    like a stillborn child who will never see the sun. – Psalm 58:6-8 NLT

They were a menace to society and had no redeeming value. Their presence among the people of God was a detriment and not a blessing. So, David begged God to pay them back for their sins and remove them from power.  

It isn’t difficult to recognize David’s frustration with these men. He has run out of patience with their antics and wants to see these purveyors of injustice get what they deserve.

There are times when injustice seems to be everywhere. The 24-hour news cycle provides a steady barrage of reports from around the world that chronicle man's inhumanity to his fellow man. We read the newspaper, watch TV, and check our social media feeds, and are appalled at what we discover. The innocent suffer at the hands of the wicked. The weak fall prey to the strong. Bigger nations take advantage of smaller ones, and nobody seems capable of doing anything about it. Governments posture and promote plans to bring about justice, but their efforts make little or no dent in the situation. Often, those very same governments perpetrate acts of injustice of their own.

As David put it, violence continues to spread through the land. Nobody seems to even know what the word justice really means anymore, except God. Even though David felt justice was a lost cause in his day, he knew he could appeal to God because He is just and righteous. God not only sees all the injustice going on, but He can do something about it.

David felt impotent to do anything about “these wicked people” who “spit venom like deadly snakes,” but he knew that God was more than powerful enough to deal with them. So in his frustration, David asked God to step in and defend the rights of the weak, innocent, downtrodden, and helpless. David wanted God to do exactly what he would do to these people if he could. His request is graphic and far from compassionate. David pulls no punches, asking God to wipe these people off the face of the earth. At first blush, a reading of David’s request to God might be disturbing. It comes across as violent and unloving, but it also reveals David’s hatred of injustice. He can’t stand to see the unjust go unpunished, because he understands that they stand in direct opposition to his God.

David refuses to tolerate or grow complacent about injustice just because he is powerless to do anything about it. That is always a temptation for God’s people. When surrounded by a tsunami of injustice, we can easily grow callous or complacent because there appears to be nothing we can do. We read the stories of injustice going on in the world, and turn a deaf ear and a blind eye. We tend to ignore what we feel like we can’t impact. We know injustice is taking place, but because we feel powerless to do anything about it, we slowly learn to tolerate it, as long as it’s not happening to us.

But David was a man after God’s own heart who loved what God loved and hated what God hated. So David hated injustice and appealed to the only one who could do anything about it. He asked God to act. He cried out to a just God and demanded that He bring justice to bear.

Despite all that was going on around him, David believed that God would intervene. He counted on God's justice and trusted that He would judge justly and rightly. He confidently asserted, “Surely there is a God who judges justly here on the earth” (Psalm 58:11 NLT).

Whether David realized it or not, he was speaking prophetically. The day is coming when justice really will prevail. God will deal with the unjust and avenge those who have suffered at their hands. When we see injustice taking place, we need to call out to God for His help. We need to ask Him what He would have us do as His hands and feet on this planet. Injustice should make us long for justice. Sin should make us long for His salvation. Wickedness should make us long for righteousness. Darkness should make us long for the light of His glorious presence. Instead of ignoring injustice or becoming callous to its presence, we should learn to see it clearly and long to watch God remove it completely.

David was the king of Israel and served as God’s vice-regent. He had the full power and authority of God at his disposal and could have dealt with these wicked judges himself. Perhaps he had tried to purge these men from their posts and failed. One gets the feeling that the problem was bigger than David could handle on his own, which is why he took the matter to God. The prophet Micah provides a blunt assessment of just how bad things eventually got in Israel.

I said, “Listen, you leaders of Israel!
    You are supposed to know right from wrong,
but you are the very ones
    who hate good and love evil.
You skin my people alive
    and tear the flesh from their bones.
Yes, you eat my people’s flesh,
    strip off their skin,
    and break their bones.
You chop them up
    like meat for the cooking pot.
Then you beg the Lord for help in times of trouble!” – Micah 3:1-4 NLT

“Listen to me, you leaders of Israel!
    You hate justice and twist all that is right.
You are building Jerusalem
    on a foundation of murder and corruption.
You rulers make decisions based on bribes;
    you priests teach God’s laws only for a price;
you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid.
    Yet all of you claim to depend on the Lord.” – Micah 3:9-11 NLT

Things were bad, but God is good, righteous, and just. David knew he could count on God to do the right thing and defend the weak, innocent, and helpless. He wasn't abdicating his authority as king or refusing to use his power to effect change, but he knew that true justice had to come from the throne of God. We need to take that same view and call on God to do what only He can do. Yes, we must be willing to do our part, but true justice can only come from a just and loving God. Yet, we must desire what God desires. We must have hearts that resonate with His. May we cry out like David and long to see “justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24 ESV).

Father, there is injustice in the land. It is all around us and we are powerless to do anything about it. But You’re not, so I ask that You intervene and do what only You can do. Bring justice. Protect the innocent. Establish righteousness. Remove wickedness. Send Your Son to right all wrong and avenge all injustice. So that the righteous might rejoice. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Is For Me

To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;
    all day long an attacker oppresses me;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long,
    for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,
    I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

5 All day long they injure my cause;
    all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They stir up strife, they lurk;
    they watch my steps,
    as they have waited for my life.
7 For their crime will they escape?
    In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

8 You have kept count of my tossings;
    put my tears in your bottle.
    Are they not in your book?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
    in the day when I call.
    This I know, that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?

12 I must perform my vows to you, O God;
    I will render thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered my soul from death,
    yes, my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life. – Psalm 56:1-13 ESV

It would be safe to say that David was well acquainted with suffering, sorrow, and setbacks. For 13 years, he lived as a fugitive, relentlessly pursued by King Saul. During those difficult days, he was forced to seek refuge in the wilderness and depend upon God for his safety and security. After seeking aid from Ahimelech, the priest at Nob, David and his men sought refuge in the Philistine city of Gath, the hometown of Goliath. This fateful decision and its less-than-flattering outcome are recorded in 1 Samuel chapter 21.

David left Nob carrying the bread of the presence to feed his men and the sword of Goliath that he used to cut off the giant’s head after killing him in battle. Bearing the holy bread dedicated to God and the sword belonging to the deceased Philistine champion, David led his men to Gath, the headquarters of Achish, the Philistine king. Everything about this decision seems poorly thought through. What was David thinking? How could he expect anything good to come from seeking refuge among the enemies of Israel, and why would they offer asylum to the man responsible for their champion’s death?

As soon as David showed up in Gath, the glaring stupidity of his decision became apparent.

So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing,

‘Saul has killed his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands’?” – 1 Samuel 21:10-11 NLT

David immediately regretted his decision and was forced to devise Plan B. As his loyal men looked on in shock, David “pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard” (1 Samuel 21:13 NLT). Surrounded by hostile forces and desperate to preserve the lives of himself and his men, David feigned insanity. It must have been an Academy Award-winning performance because King Achish was convinced that David had lost his mind.

Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?” – 1 Samuel 15:14-15 NLT

Amazingly, David left Gath alive but with his dignity destroyed. He was a humbled and humiliated man without a home and a bounty on his head. He was persona non grata in Judah and now had a growing reputation as a wild-eyed lunatic. But through it all, David continued to place his trust in God. That is what Psalm 56 is all about. He opens this psalm of lament by seeking God’s assistance in his time of need.

O God, have mercy on me,
    for people are hounding me.
    My foes attack me all day long.
I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,
    and many are boldly attacking me. – Psalm 56:1-2 NLT

Despite all life's difficulties, David refuses to turn his back on God. Instead, he declares his unwavering trust in the goodness of his ever-present, always faithful God.

But when I am afraid,
    I will put my trust in you.
I praise God for what he has promised.
    I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me? – Psalm 56:3-4 NLT

David’s words remind me of a song made famous by Louis Armstrong.

Sometimes I’m up
And sometimes I’m down
Yes, Lord, you know sometimes I’m almost to the ground
Oh, yes, Lord, still
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Nobody knows but Jesus
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Glory, Hallelujah

These familiar lyrics could be the anthem of every believer who has ever lived. We all face troubles in life. Some are physical, others are financial. Some of our problems are self-induced, while others come at us unexpectedly and undeservedly. Some are short-term, while others hang around for years, even a lifetime. But as the lyrics state so well, even when everybody else is oblivious to our troubles, Jesus knows. He is well aware of every circumstance going on in our lives.

David found comfort in his troubles because he knew that God was aware. He boldly declared, “God is on my side” (Psalm 56:9 NLT). Amid trouble, David put his hope and trust in the Lord. But before we place David on a pedestal and elevate him to sainthood, let’s remind ourselves that this psalm was written after he ran away from King Saul and fled to his arch enemies, the Philistines, for protection. That’s not exactly trusting in God, is it? He didn’t run to God; he ran to King Achish.

At every level, this does not appear to be a bright move on David’s part. Early in his career, David had made a name for himself by killing the Philistine champion, Goliath, in a one-on-one battle. The Philistines had never forgotten or forgiven David. On top of that, David had built his reputation on being a mighty warrior. In fact, there was already a song about David with lyrics that said, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” (1 Samuel 18:7 NLT). And many of those David had slain were Philistines. So why on earth did David run to the Philistines for protection? We’re not told, but we can guess that David hoped they would see him as some kind of secret weapon, and when they discovered he and King Saul were at odds, they would assume they could use him against the Israelites. But when David arrived in the Philistine territory, the reception he received was less than welcoming. They immediately recognized him and were ready to kill him. So David was forced to feign insanity, and had to act like he had completely lost his mind. Not willing to kill a lunatic, they allow him to leave.

It is after David got out of this sticky situation that he wrote, “You have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping” (Psalm 56:13 NLT). David realized after the fact that God had protected him even when he had refused to turn to God for protection. It wasn’t his incredible acting ability that saved his life; it was God. David had learned a valuable lesson: “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3 NLT).

Troubles were going to come. Trials were just around the next corner. David was always going to have people like Saul in his life. The Philistines would always be his enemy. But he had learned that he could trust God. God knew his troubles, and God had a solution. David didn’t have to fear Saul, Achish, the Philistines, Doeg the Edomite, the Ziphites,  or any other man. He simply had to trust the promises of God.

His enemies could twist his words, seek to betray him, constantly spy on him, and even plot his demise, but God was on his side. He envisioned God as caring and compassionate, carefully monitoring his suffering and sorrows.

You keep track of all my sorrows.
    You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
    You have recorded each one in your book. – Psalm 56:8 NLT

What makes this psalm so powerful is the timing of its content. David wrote it in the heat of the battle, not after having been delivered from it. He was still a fugitive. The Philistines were still his enemy. He was living in caves and running for his life, but he knew he could rely on God.

This I know: God is on my side!
I praise God for what he has promised;
    yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me? – Psalm 56:9-11 NLT

David’s troubles were far from over, but he continued to rest in God’s goodness, grace, mercy, and deliverance. He found strength in God's promises. David didn’t fully understand what was happening in his life, but he knew that God had anointed him for a reason, and he was willing to trust God with the outcome. He was confident in God’s deliverance and determined to offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving one day.

I will fulfill my vows to you, O God,
    and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.
For you have rescued me from death;
    you have kept my feet from slipping.
So now I can walk in your presence, O God,
    in your life-giving light. – Psalm 56:12-13 NLT

Father, sometimes I’m up and sometimes I’m down, but You are always right there with me, fully aware of my situation and ready to take care of me in the midst of them. You know what is going on. You are aware and I can trust You to help me at all times. Help me to trust in Your faithfulness and rest in Your unwavering goodness. I want to walk in Your life-giving light and find hope in Your powerful promises. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Keep Trusting

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?”

1 O God, save me by your name,
    and vindicate me by your might.
2 O God, hear my prayer;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.

3 For strangers have risen against me;
    ruthless men seek my life;
    they do not set God before themselves. Selah

4 Behold, God is my helper;
    the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will return the evil to my enemies;
    in your faithfulness put an end to them.

6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
    I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble,
    and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies. – Psalm 54:1-7 ESV

This psalm continues David’s diatribe against the godless fools who have made his life a living hell. David had been forced to live like a fugitive because of King Saul’s relentless pursuit of his death. When Ahimelech the priest aided and abetted David, Doeg the Edomite murdered all the priests of Nob, as well as their families, in an act of revenge, and in an attempt to win favor with King Saul. In this psalm, David complains to God about the Ziphites, who sold him out to King Saul. Everywhere David turned, he found himself surrounded by enemies intent on his destruction.

These weren’t the mutterings of an overwrought conspiracy theorist prone to over-exaggeration and hyperbole. David was describing real-life events that had produced less-than-ideal outcomes. He remained an exiled fugitive with a bounty on his head, and the senseless deaths of the priests of Nob would haunt him for a long time.

In this penitential psalm, David tells God the dire nature of his circumstances.

For strangers are attacking me;
    violent people are trying to kill me.
    They care nothing for God. – Psalm 54:3 NLT

The Ziphites had not personally threatened David, but their actions had put his life at risk. By informing King Saul that David was hiding out in nearby Horesh, the Ziphites increased the chances of his capture and death. Their betrayal of David was meant to win favor with King Saul, even though they knew it would likely result in David’s execution. In turning him over, they would be complicit in his death.

But David paints their actions as a blatant disregard for God’s will. He could recall the day when the prophet Samuel had anointed him with oil and the Spirit of God had come upon him (1 Samuel 16). Samuel had received a clear message from Yahweh that he would find the next king of Israel residing at the house of Jesse.

“You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.” – 1 Samuel 16:1 NLT

As Jesse paraded all his sons before the prophet, God disqualified each of them.

“Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT

When David, the young son of Jesse, was brought before the prophet, God affirmed him by stating, “This is the one; anoint him” (1 Samuel 16:12 NLT). Then Samuel “took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on” (1 Samuel 16:13 NLT).

It’s unclear how much David knew about what took place that day. The text doesn’t say that Samuel gave David all the details concerning his anointing. At no point is David told that he has just been chosen as the next king of Israel, but he knew that something significant had just taken place. He understood that there was more to Saul’s obsession with his death than mere jealousy. The king saw David as a threat to his throne, and David knew that Saul’s unjustified pursuit of his death could not be in God’s will. That’s why he begged God to protect and avenge him.

Come with great power, O God, and rescue me!
    Defend me with your might.
Listen to my prayer, O God.
    Pay attention to my plea. – Psalm 54:1-2 NLT

David viewed Saul’s actions as unjustified and undeserved. Yet, when given the opportunity to seek revenge and take Saul’s life, David refused. Chapter 24 of 1 Samuel records the story of David’s chance encounter with Saul while hiding in the wilderness of Engedi. David and Saul had been engaged in a cat-and-mouse game involving “3,000 elite troops from all Israel” (1 Samuel 24:2 NLT). These well-armed and highly experienced troops had been chasing David and his men for days. At one point, King Saul took a break from the action “to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave” (1 Samuel 24:3 NLT). 

David’s men saw this as a God-ordained opportunity for David to take matters into his own hand and put an end to their misery.

“Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” – 1 Samuel 24:4 NLT

David was tempted but refused to take the life of Saul. Instead, he told his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.” (1 Samuel 24:6 NLT). But while David spared Saul’s life, he did take advantage of the opportunity to declare his innocence. 

“Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.” – 1 Samuel 249-11 NLT

David had taken the high road. What appeared to his men as a divinely appointed opportunity to kill the king was actually a test of David’s allegiance and faithfulness. Was he willing to leave his fate in the hands of God? Would he trust the Almighty to settle matters between himself and King Saul?

Psalm 54 reveals that David was committed to relying on God despite what happened around him. Yes, he desperately wanted to see God step in and resolve the situation. He begged God to show up in power and rescue him. But even as Saul pursued him and the Ziphites betrayed him, David could say, “God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!” (Psalm 54:4 NLT). When David penned this psalm, he had not experienced some grand deliverance or dramatic change in his fortunes. He had just been betrayed by the Ziphites. King Saul remained determined to take his life. His men were growing weary of living on the run. Yet, David remained confident in God’s goodness, grace, and mercy. He understood that the very fact he was still alive was proof of God’s power and presence in his life. 

Despite Saul’s best efforts to end his life, Doeg’s murderous treatment of the priests of Nob, and the Ziphites' betrayal of his location, David remained alive. And he didn’t take this point lightly. David promises that the next opportunity he has to return to Jerusalem, he will offer the appropriate sacrifices to God for His care and compassion.

I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you;
    I will praise your name, O Lord,
    for it is good.
For you have rescued me from my troubles
    and helped me to triumph over my enemies. – Psalm 54:6-7 NLT

David’s problems were far from over, but his faith in God was far from expended. He was willing to keep trusting even though his circumstances had not changed for the better. His exile had not ended. Saul had not called off the dogs. His days of running were far from over, and his enemies were growing in number. But he knew he could trust God.

Father, what a great reminder that I should never view Your faithfulness through the lens of my circumstances. Yet, when things don’t turn out quite the way I expected, the first thing I do is begin to doubt Your goodness and grace. I question Your presence. I complain about Your apparent lack of concern for my predicament. But if I would stop long enough to think about it, I would realize that my very existence is proof of Your goodness. Even in the darkness, You are with me. When I feel all alone and abandoned, You are there. You never leave me or forsake me. No enemy is too great for me. No problem is too overwhelming for me because You are by my side — at all times. Thank you for that much-needed reminder. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Surrounded by Fools

To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
    there is none who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

3 They have all fallen away;
    together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
    not even one.

4 Have those who work evil no knowledge,
    who eat up my people as they eat bread,
    and do not call upon God?

5 There they are, in great terror,
    where there is no terror!
For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;
    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When God restores the fortunes of his people,
    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. – Psalm 53:1-6 ESV

This psalm is a slight variation on Psalm 14, with David using the title ĕlōhîm when referring to God, instead of Yahweh or Jehovah.

God [ĕlōhîm] looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God. – Psalm 53:2 ESV

The LORD [Yᵊhōvâ] looks down from heaven on the children of man,
    to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God. – Psalm 14:2 ESV

This amended version of his original psalm was placed between Psalms 52 and 54 to help make a point about David’s interactions with Doeg the Edomite and the Ziphites. In the case of Doeg, this godless man murdered innocent priests and their families to advance his own career. He exhibited no fear of God and no regret for his actions. His dastardly deed is recorded in 1 Samuel 22. 

In the very next chapter, David is hiding in Horesh in the land of Ziph. The inhabitants of Ziph learn of his presence among them and send news to King Saul.

Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? Now come down, O king, according to all your heart's desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand.” – 1 Samuel 23:19-20 ESV

To escape Saul's wrath, David is forced to flee yet again, this time to the strongholds of Engedi.

In both cases, David had to deal with those whom he determined to be fools. His criterion for qualifying for this less-than-flattering designation was simple: they acted as if God were non-existent. 

Only fools say in their hearts,
    “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
    not one of them does good! – Psalm 53:1 NLT

Notice that David accuses them of denying God’s existence in their hearts. This was not a verbal declaration but a silent conclusion that led to their godless actions. The Hebrew word David used for “fool” is nāḇāl, which is significant when one considers the story recorded in 1 Samuel 25. Not long after being sold out by the Ziphites, David and his men sought food from a wealthy landowner named Nabal. The text describes him as “crude and mean in all his dealings” (1 Samuel 25:3 NLT). For some unknown reason, his parents had named him nāḇāl, a Hebrew word that means “wicked, impious, or foolish.” The Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon describes this kind of individual as “the man who has no perception of ethical and religious claims, and with collateral idea of ignoble, disgraceful.” 

David sends his men to seek provisions from Nabal in return for having protected his shepherds and sheep. But this “fool” of a man lived up to his name and sent the following message to David:

“Who is this fellow David?” Nabal sneered to the young men. “Who does this son of Jesse think he is? There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters. Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I’ve slaughtered for my shearers and give it to a band of outlaws who come from who knows where?” – 1 Samuel 25:10-11 NLT

Enraged by Nabal’s disrespectful and ungrateful words, David was ready to end his life. But when Nabal’s wife Abigail learned of the situation, she intervened.

“I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say. I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. But I never even saw the young men you sent.” – 1 Samuel 25:24-25 NLT

Her actions prevented David from doing something even more foolish than Nabal. He relented from his plan to wipe out Nabal’s entire clan and spared the fool's life. 

David was surrounded by fools. It seemed that everywhere he turned, there were people who acted in foolish ways, treating him with contempt, hostility, and disrespect. They never seemed to consider whether their actions were in line with God’s will. So, in that respect, they acted as if God did not exist. And by this time in his life, David’s assessment of mankind had become fairly jaded.

God looks down from heaven
    on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
    if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away;
    all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
    not a single one! – Psalm 53:2-3 NLT

Everyone was corrupt and godless, from the king all the way down to Doeg, the herdsmen, the traitorous Ziphites, and Nabal the fool. David felt all alone and under constant attack from all sides. He had difficulty understanding how these people could behave in such a way. Did they really think they would get away with their actions? David was blown away by their arrogance and seeming disinterest in God’s judgment.

Will those who do evil never learn?
    They eat up my people like bread
    and wouldn’t think of praying to God. – Psalm 53:4 NLT

Everyone David took issue with was a card-carrying Hebrew who claimed to have a relationship with Yahweh. They were supposed to be God-fearing Jews who shared his belief in Yahweh's sovereignty. But they acted as if God were nowhere to be found.

Even those who claim to know Him act as if He either doesn’t care about what they do or is too powerless to do anything about it. Some just refuse to believe in Him altogether. These people “are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” (Psalm 53:1 NLT). This is not a very promising assessment on the character or condition of mankind. It leaves little doubt, at least from God’s perspective, that man is inherently wicked and in open rebellion against Him. Yet God is still reaching out to man, offering mercy and forgiveness. He will ultimately be forced to punish all those who refuse to accept His offer of new life through His Son, but until then, He keeps providing opportunities for them to repent and return to Him.

And while the world is a less-than-ideal place, full of people obsessed with their own agendas, consumed by their own importance, and controlled by their own sin natures, David gives us a glimpse of God’s goodness as he reminds us that God is always there for us even in the midst of all the evil that surrounds us. “But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!” (Psalm 54:4 NLT).

David appeals to God’s power and places himself at God’s mercy to rescue him from his enemies.

Terror will grip them,
    terror like they have never known before.
God will scatter the bones of your enemies.
    You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them. – Psalm 53:5 NLT

Those who care nothing for God were making David’s life miserable. But David knew he could call out to God, and not only be heard but answered.

Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?
    When God restores his people,
    Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice. – Psalm 53:6 NLT

David had seen the goodness of God time and time again in his life, delivering him from troubles and trials, rescuing him from every conceivable kind of predicament. And while he firmly believed that “no one does good, not a single one,” David knew that God can and does do good for those who love Him. His response was to offer God praise and gratitude. While no one else steps in and rescues God’s people, Yahweh can be counted on to be there when needed. That is why David says, “Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.”

All that God does is good, even when He has to deal with those who are bad. God is righteous and always does what is right. He never does wrong. He is just in all His actions towards men and never punishes unjustly or unfairly. He is good, and it doesn’t matter whether men reject Him, ignore Him, or attempt to deny He even exists. God remains good even when things appear bad.

Father, we live in a world that is sick and dying. It is filled with people who refuse to love and serve You. Many refuse to even believe in You. And yet, You remain good. You continue to make the sun shine on all men, showering them with Your common grace. You make the crops grow, the rain to fall, and the air breathable. You constantly offer the free gift of grace available through Your Son. And You care for Your own, providing them with a listening ear and a powerful hand to rescue and restore them. You are indeed a good God. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Good By God's Standards

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

1 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
    The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your tongue plots destruction,
    like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
    and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
    O deceitful tongue.

5 But God will break you down forever;
    he will snatch and tear you from your tent;
    he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous shall see and fear,
    and shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make
    God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches
    and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

8 But I am like a green olive tree
    in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
    forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever,
    because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, for it is good,
    in the presence of the godly. – Psalm 52:1-9 ESV

Doeg the Edomite had done a good thing, or at least he thought so. He had done exactly what the king of Israel had commanded him to do, and he knew it was going to win him favor in the king’s eyes. The fact that he had personally killed 85 priests of God, along with all their family members, didn’t seem to bother him. He seemed unconcerned that King Saul’s personal bodyguards had each refused to kill the Lord’s priests. When the king turned to Doeg and presented him with the opportunity to prove his loyalty, he stepped up to the challenge.

This story began when David was serving in King Saul’s royal administration. He had been hired by Saul after his unexpected victory over Goliath, the Philistine warrior who had repeatedly taunted and mocked the Israelites for their unwillingness to face him in hand-to-hand combat. David, a young shepherd boy, took on the Philistine's challenge and, with God’s help, scored a decisive victory over his much larger and battle-hardened foe. David’s success over the Philistine made David famous and Saul jealous. It wasn’t long before the insecure king viewed David as a threat to his reign.

Possessed by an evil spirit and driven by jealousy, Saul attempted to take David’s life, forcing the young man to flee for his life. Desperate to escape from the demon-possessed king, David sought refuge in the town of Nob, where Ahimelech the priest provided him with food and the sword of Goliath, which had been kept there ever since David had killed the Philistine champion in battle. Little did David know that Doeg the Edomite, one of King Saul’s chief herdsmen, was there in Nob and saw the whole exchange between David and Ahimelech. He returned to Saul and reported that the priest had aided and abetted David, a fugitive from justice.

As a result of Doeg’s news, King Saul commanded the slaughter of all 85 of the priests of God living in Nob, along with their families. When Saul’s bodyguard refused to do his bidding, Doeg the herdsmen was given a chance to improve his station in life by proving his loyalty and displaying his bravery to the king. And evidently, according to David, Doeg the Edomite even bragged about his brave “exploits” against the unarmed priests of God, trying to present himself as a mighty warrior.

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior?
    Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?
All day long you plot destruction.
    Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;
    you’re an expert at telling lies.
You love evil more than good
    and lies more than truth. – Psalm 52:1-3 NLT

Doeg had a knack for blowing the whole affair out of proportion, expanding the story with fanciful lies designed to justify his actions and boost his fame. David accused him of being “an expert at telling lies” (Psalm 52:3). He saw Doeg for what he was: a man who loved evil more than righteousness. He distorted reality by making evil appear as if it were good. At the end of the day, Doeg the Edomite cared more about himself than he did about God. His willingness to slaughter God’s priests reveals that he had no fear of the Almighty and no desire to do the right thing. He was obsessed with his own well-being and self-gratification. No doubt Saul rewarded him well for his “brave” handling of the whole affair.

While David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), Doeg was a man after Saul’s own heart. Like Saul, he wasn’t interested in doing what God wanted done; he was a selfish, self-centered man who longed to make a name for himself. His murder of God’s priests was probably well rewarded by Saul. More than likely, he was raised from chief herdsman to warrior status. His X-rated exploits got him a promotion, a raise, and the king's praise. But David warned Doeg about the reality of his situation.

You love to destroy others with your words,
    you liar!
But God will strike you down once and for all.
    He will pull you from your home
    and uproot you from the land of the living.  – Psalm 52:4-5 NLT

God was going to repay Doeg in full for what he had done. David says, “Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness” (Psalm 52:7 NLT). David sarcastically refers to Doeg as a “mighty warrior” and accuses him of trusting his newfound wealth instead of God. He was addicted to his fame and fortune and became increasingly wicked, looking for additional opportunities to pad his resume and expand his wealth.

But Doeg’s “good deed” was in direct opposition to God’s will. He had slaughtered innocent people just to pad his resume and improve his lot in life. He was rewarded richly for his efforts, but God would hold him accountable.

David knew that those who oppose God’s will may receive rewards and recognition in this life, but, in the end, they will always get what they deserve. David preferred to trust in God. Rather than take matters into his own hands and do what appears to be good and expeditious by the world’s standards, David preferred to obey God. He would do only what God would have him do. On two different occasions, David had the opportunity to murder King Saul, and had he done so, he could have ended his fugitive lifestyle. Even David’s companions encouraged him to kill Saul, seeing it as a God-ordained opportunity to take revenge on his enemy. But David refused, knowing that God had not given him permission to kill the king. He believed that God would take care of King Saul in His own time and according to His own terms. In the meantime, David would trust God.

Despite the anger of Saul and the efforts of men like Doeg, God came through for David. Eventually, God eliminated Saul and elevated David to the throne. David trusted, and God provided. This is what led David to say, “I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love. I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people” (Psalm 52:8-9 NLT).

Doeg trusted in himself. David trusted in God. Doeg was out for himself. David was out for God. Doeg looked successful, but would eventually fail. At one time, David appeared abandoned by God and was an apparent failure in the world’s eyes. But he trusted God and was rewarded for his faithfulness. David did what was right, according to God’s standards, and enjoyed true success. Doeg did what was right in his own eyes and according to the world’s standards, but failed in the end. We aren’t told what happened to Doeg the Edomite, but we can rest assured that God repaid him in full for what he had done – either in this life or the next.

David knew that God would deal with Doeg justly. “But God will strike you down once and for all. He will pull you from your home and uproot you from the land of the living” (Psalm 52:5 NLT). David trusted God.

Father, this world is constantly tempting us to live according to its standards. It wants us to do good on its terms, but You call us to trust You and live according to Your standards. Keep reminding us that Your way is the not only the best way, it is the only way. Your will trumps our will every time. Doing what is right in our own eyes or according to the world’s standards is never a profitable path to take. Trusting in You isn’t always easy, but it is always profitable. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s Great Grace

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
    build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in right sacrifices,
    in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar. – Psalm 51:1-19 ESV

In 1910, Julia H. Johnston penned the words to the hymn “Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord.” They reflect her understanding of the unmerited grace God made available to sinners through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount out-poured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

That last line speaks volumes and echoes the sentiment expressed by David in this psalm. As the title of the psalm suggests, David wrote this well-known and oft-quoted song of praise after reflecting on the marvelous reality of God's grace in the face of unforgivable sin.

That God’s grace is greater than all our sins is a truth that is virtually impossible for us to comprehend. It’s difficult to fathom how a holy and completely righteous God could love us so much that He would be willing to extend us grace despite our consistent struggle with sin. But David had experienced this truth first-hand. Here in Psalm 51, he is dealing with the aftermath of his sin with Bathsheba. David was known as the man after God’s own heart and was the anointed king of Israel, yet he wrestled with the guilt and conviction of his affair with a married woman. As if that sin was not enough, when David discovered his illicit sexual tryst had produced a baby, he ordered the death of Bathsheba’s husband so that he might marry her and provide a more acceptable explanation for her pregnancy.

His was a sin of the first degree. It shocks even the most hardcore agnostic or atheist. These kinds of things are just not done in civilized society. But here is the leader of God’s chosen people confessing his guilt and willingly accepting God's just judgment.

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
    and your judgment against me is just. – Psalm 51:4 NL

David opened his psalm with an admission of guilt and a plea for mercy. He describes the stain of his sin and the impurity of his guilt as barriers to God. He knew he was guilty, but he was counting on the fact that Yahweh was merciful and compassionate. 

Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins. – Psalm 51:1 NLT

He firmly believed that God was ready and willing to forgive his sin and restore him to a right relationship with Himself. He also knew that God was the only one who could provide restoration. So he cries out to God for mercy and appeals to God’s unfailing love. He asks God to show him compassion and begs for the stain of his sin to be removed. He pleads with God to wash him clean from his guilt and purify him from his sin.

David understood the depth of his sin and guilt. He had not attempted to excuse his actions or diminish his culpability. He owned his sin and confessed that he deserved God's just judgment. But this did not prevent him from crying out for God’s mercy and grace.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Oh, give me back my joy again;
    you have broken me—
    now let me rejoice. – Psalm 51:7-8 NLT

David was a broken man. Ever since his lust-fueled liaison with Bathsheba, he had been plagued by guilt and shame. His role in her husband’s death only stoked the flames of the raging condemnation that consumed his joy. When the prophet Nathan confronted the king about his sin, David confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:14 NLT). And while Nathan assured David that God would forgive him, he warned that his sin would still be consequences.

Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.” – 2 Samuel 12:13-14 NLT

The child was born but suffered from a deadly disorder. David fasted and prayed that God would spare the life of his son, but seven days later, the child died. This loss weighed heavily on David’s heart. Yet, David didn’t lash out at God in anger and resentment. He bore the brunt of God’s righteous wrath and cried out for restoration.

David knew that only God could make him clean. Time doesn’t heal all wounds, but God certainly can. Only God could renew his broken heart and restore a sense of joy through His compassionate act of salvation. Only God could give him the ability to return to a life of obedience and righteousness.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and make me willing to obey you. – Psalm 51:12 NLT

David was at the mercy of God and found comfort in that fact. The key to David’s appeal to God was his understanding that God was looking for true repentance from a heart grieved over its mistreatment of God and His Word. David knew that his sin was ultimately against God, not Bathsheba or Uriah. He also knew that God was looking for godly sorrow and not just a false sense of remorse or regret. The apostle Paul explains what godly sorrow looks like in his letter to the Corinthian church.

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. – 1 Corinthians 7:9-10 NLT

The sacrifice God wanted from David had little to do with lambs, goats, blood, or offerings. But it had everything to do with a broken and contrite heart. A heart that is broken and crushed because it understands that it has offended a holy, yet loving and merciful God.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
    You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. – Psalm 51:16-17 NLT

God wanted sacrifices offered in the right spirit, with the right kind of heart behind them. David’s sin had been an affront to God, and that sin needed to bother him as much as it did God. It seems clear from this beautifully worded and bluntly honest psalm that David had come to grips with the weight of his sin and built. That is what led him to come before God in sorrow, repentance, openness, honesty, and complete reliance on God’s mercy and grace.

David had full confidence that God would hear and restore him because he knew that God was gracious, kind, loving, and merciful. David’s God was forgiving. His grace was greater than all of David’s sins – from the smallest to the largest. David’s sins of adultery and murder rank high on our scale of transgressions against God, and yet David found mercy, grace, and forgiveness even for these two heinous sins against God’s holiness. God’s grace really was greater than David’s worst sins. Long before Julie H. Johnston wrote the words of he own song of praise, David learned the powerful truth they contain.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

Father, thank You that Your grace truly is greater than my sin. And because of Your grace I can receive forgiveness, cleansing. restored joy, and the constant assurance of Your unfading love. Too often, I begin to believe that my sin is greater than You are. I listen to the words of the enemy and begin to doubt the reality of Your forgiveness, grace, and mercy. He convinces me that I am undeserving and You are unrelenting in Your hatred for my transgressions. Help me to understand that Your love is never based on my loveliness or loveableness. Your grace and mercy are there because I need them, not because I deserve them. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Their Hearts Are Far From Me

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 The Mighty One, God the LORD,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
    God shines forth.

3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence;
    before him is a devouring fire,
    around him a mighty tempest.
4 He calls to the heavens above
    and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,
    who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
6 The heavens declare his righteousness,
    for God himself is judge! Selah

7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
    O Israel, I will testify against you.
    I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
    your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will not accept a bull from your house
    or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine,
    the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the hills,
    and all that moves in the field is mine.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    for the world and its fullness are mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
    and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;
    I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

16 But to the wicked God says:
    “What right have you to recite my statutes
    or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,
    and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
    and you keep company with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent;
    you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God,
    lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
    to one who orders his way rightly
    I will show the salvation of God!” – Psalm 50:1-23 ESV

Asaph, the apparent author of this psalm, was a Levite who headed up a contingent of musicians who provided worship music to accompany the people’s offering of sacrifices before the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple.

David appointed the following Levites to lead the people in worship before the Ark of the LORD—to invoke his blessings, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel. Asaph, the leader of this group, sounded the cymbals. Second to him was Zechariah, followed by Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They played the harps and lyres. The priests, Benaiah and Jahaziel, played the trumpets regularly before the Ark of God’s Covenant. – 1 Chronicles 16:4-6 NLT

Asaph’s role in leading the people in worshipping Yahweh must have inspired him to write this psalm. Observing his fellow Israelites as they offered their sacrifices to God gave him a perfect vantage point to witness their hypocrisy and duplicity. Asaph was not a Levitical priest, so he had no authority to address what he believed to be the people’s blatant disregard for Yahweh. This prompted him to write this psalm as an extended speech. from the lips of God Himself.

He opens the psalm with a description of Yahweh’s glory.

The LORD [Yahweh], the Mighty One, is God,
    and he has spoken;
he has summoned all humanity
    from where the sun rises to where it sets. – Psalm 50:1 NLT

What God had to say would be addressed to “all humanity,” not just the people of Israel. This extended audience was intended to make what He had to say all the more convicting for His chosen people. He was about to expose their dirty laundry for all the world to see. And Asaph goes out of his way to establish God’s glory and majesty, describing Him as beautiful and radiant but also surrounded by a consuming fire. God’s splendor is contrasted with His judgment, setting up the bad news the people of Israel are about to hear.

He calls on the heavens above and earth below
    to witness the judgment of his people. – Psalm 50:4 NLT

This will not be a private rebuke, but instead, it will be a public declaration of Israel’s disobedience and well-deserved judgment. Asaph portrays Yahweh as a justifiably angry husband whose wife has committed adultery. They have broken their covenant relationship with Him by refusing to remain faithful and responding to His care and compassion with disinterest and disrespect. In a command laced with sarcasm, Asaph has God call His covenant people to the stand.

“Bring my faithful people to me—
    those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices.” – Psalm 50:5 NLT

Asaph recalls the fateful day when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Book of the Covenant containing God’s laws. He had read every one of God’s commands, making sure the people understood the nature of the commitment they were about to make.

Then Moses went down to the people and repeated all the instructions and regulations the LORD had given him. All the people answered with one voice, “We will do everything the LORD has commanded.”

Then Moses carefully wrote down all the LORD’s instructions. Early the next morning Moses got up and built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He also set up twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent some of the young Israelite men to present burnt offerings and to sacrifice bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. Moses drained half the blood from these animals into basins. The other half he splattered against the altar.

Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the LORD has commanded. We will obey.” – Exodus 24:3-7 NLT

They had repeatedly expressed their intentions to keep the Lord’s commands. But now, Asaph was exposing their failure to live up to their commitment, and he did so by having Yahweh deliver the bad news.

“O my people, listen as I speak.
    Here are my charges against you, O Israel:
    I am God, your God!” – Psalm 50:7 NLT

But what God has to say to His people is surprising. He doesn’t complain about the quality of their sacrifices or their failure to keep the various rituals associated with Temple worship.

“I have no complaint about your sacrifices
    or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.” – Psalm 50:8 NLT

They weren’t guilty of bringing shoddy sheep or blemished lambs. They hadn’t offered improper or inappropriate sacrifices. It wasn’t the quality of their offerings that was the problem; it was the condition of their hearts. Asaph has Yahweh expose the meaninglessness of their repeated sacrifices by declaring His lack of need for them.

“But I do not need the bulls from your barns
    or the goats from your pens.
For all the animals of the forest are mine,
    and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.” – Psalm 50:9-10 NLT

God isn't hungry. He has no need or insufficiency that requires their provision of food. He is the Creator of the universe who spoke all life into existence. So, He is fully capable of meeting His own needs without their help. But He makes the real problem clear.

“Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
    and keep the vows you made to the Most High.” – Psalm 50:14 NLT

Gratefulness and obedience were the missing ingredients to their sacrifices. Bulls and goats were not what God was looking for. The prophet Isaiah records a similar indictment from God, accusing His covenant people of simply going through the motions when it came to their worship of Him.

“What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
    says the LORD.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
    of bulls and lambs and goats.
When you come to worship me,
    who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
    the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
    and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
    I want no more of your pious meetings.” – Isaiah 1:11-13 NLT

Asaph was expressing a similar dissatisfaction without the behavior of his fellow Israelites. As he witnessed their repeated sacrifices, he could tell their hearts were not in it. It had all become nothing more than a ritualistic observance that no longer carried any weight and was missing any sincerity or passion. And to drive home his point, Asaph has God be the bearer of bad news.

“Why bother reciting my decrees
    and pretending to obey my covenant?
For you refuse my discipline
    and treat my words like trash.
When you see thieves, you approve of them,
    and you spend your time with adulterers.
Your mouth is filled with wickedness,
    and your tongue is full of lies.
You sit around and slander your brother—
    your own mother’s son.” – Psalm 50:16-20 NLT

From God’s perspective, it was all pretense and posturing. Their sacrifices were meaningless and heartless. The people of Israel were guilty of saying one thing and doing another. Their worship of Yahweh, expressed through their offerings and sacrifices, was all a hypocritical and worthless display. Again, the prophet Isaiah recorded God’s displeasure with this disengenuous behavior on the part of His people.

And so the Lord says,
    “These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” – Isaiah 29:13 NLT

In his role as a Levitical musician, Asaph had repeatedly witnessed this egregious behavior and been appalled by it. Now, he was taking the opportunity to highlight it by having the LORD condemn it for what it was – disobedience and disrespect for His glory. To accentuate the gravity of their transgression, Asaph has God declare that His patience has run out. No longer willing to tolerate their breaking of their covenant vows to Him, Yahweh threatens rebuke unless they repent.

“While you did all this, I remained silent,
    and you thought I didn’t care.
But now I will rebuke you,
    listing all my charges against you.
Repent, all of you who forget me,
    or I will tear you apart,
    and no one will help you.” – Psalm 50:21-22 NLT

If Asaph intended to compose a song that would stir the people to change their ways, this one is more of a dirge than a call to contrition and recommitment. It is more depressing than inspiring. Yet, he closes his song with a merciful call from Yahweh, offering the people of Israel an opportunity to do the right thing.

“But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
    If you keep to my path,
    I will reveal to you the salvation of God.” – Psalm 50:23 NLT

It was King David who declared the real sacrifice that God required of His people. Having been convicted of his adulterous affair with Bathsheba and his role in the murder of her husband, David expressed the valuable lesson he had learned from this self-induced but highly painful experience.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
    You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. – Psalm 51:16-17 NLT

That is what Asaph longed to see in the people of Israel, and so he composed a song that would lead them to worship God rightly, respectfully, and reverently.

Father, Iit is so easy to just go through the motions when it comes to worshiping You. Showing up to church each Sunday is easy. Making the effort to spend time in Your Word takes discipline, but none of that matters if my heart is far from You. I can do all the right things but miss the point that my heart is not right with You. I don't want to be hypocritical or duplicitous. I know I can fool others but I can't fool You. Help me to live openly and honestly before You, displaying abroken and contrite heart when necessary, but also a grateful and fully submissive heart each day of my life. Because You are worthy and well-deserving of my honor, love, time, and attention. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Trusting God When It Doesn't Make Sense

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Hear this, all peoples!
    Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high,
    rich and poor together!
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;
    the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
    I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,
    when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 those who trust in their wealth
    and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom another,
    or give to God the price of his life,
8 for the ransom of their life is costly
    and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever
    and never see the pit.

10 For he sees that even the wise die;
    the fool and the stupid alike must perish
    and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves are their homes forever,
    their dwelling places to all generations,
    though they called lands by their own names.
12 Man in his pomp will not remain;
    he is like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;
    yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
    death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
    Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
    for he will receive me. Selah

16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
    when the glory of his house increases.
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
    his glory will not go down after him.
18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed
    —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,
    who will never again see light.
20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. – Psalm 49:1-20 ESV

This psalm is an honest response to one of the most common concerns expressed by the godly in every generation. Why do the wicked prosper while the righteous seem to suffer? This seeming incongruity on God’s part has always puzzled His people, often causing them to question His justice. The author of Psalm 73 voiced the frustration of the faithful as he conveyed inequitable success of the godless.

I envied the proud
    when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
They seem to live such painless lives;
    their bodies are so healthy and strong.
They don’t have troubles like other people;
    they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. – Psalm 73:3-5 NLT

He goes on to express the impact this inequity has on God’s people.

And so the people are dismayed and confused,
    drinking in all their words.
“What does God know?” they ask.
    “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
Look at these wicked people—
    enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. – Psalm 73:10-12 NLT

This is exactly the problem the author of Psalm 49 is addressing, but he comes at it from an eternal perspective. Rather than focusing on the temporal success of the wicked, he points out the promise of future reward for the righteous. He approaches the whole matter from God’s all-knowing, all-seeing vantage point. Yahweh is not blind to the actions of the unrighteous, and He is not guilty of injustice or inequity. Things are not always as they seem. So, inspired by the wisdom of the proverbs, the psalmist calls on all people to listen to his counsel.

Listen to this, all you people!
    Pay attention, everyone in the world!
High and low,
    rich and poor—listen!
For my words are wise,
    and my thoughts are filled with insight. – Psalm 49:1-3 NLT

Rather than rail against God for His apparent mishandling of earthly affairs, the psalmist sought to take a more long-term perspective. While it may appear that the wicked grow wealthy as they purposefully disregard God’s law and abuse His people, their affluence will have no influence on their eternal state. They will never make enough money to pay for their sins or ransom their way out of judgment.

Why should I fear when trouble comes,
    when enemies surround me?
They trust in their wealth
    and boast of great riches.
Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death
    by paying a ransom to God.
Redemption does not come so easily,
    for no one can ever pay enough
to live forever
    and never see the grave. – Psalm 49:5-9 NLT

The psalmist repeatedly brings up the topic of Sheol, or the grave, because he is attempting to shift the focus to the fate of the wicked. Death is inevitable and unavoidable. This life can be fleeting and fickle, with some enjoying experiencing joy and material success while others suffer great sorrow and the pains of poverty. But in the end, they all suffer the same fate: Death.

King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived and he enjoyed all the perks that came with his role as king. He was wealthy, powerful, well-educated, and surrounded by all the pleasures money could buy, but he had learned that money was an unreliable source of satisfaction and provided no protection from the grave.

Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! – Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 NLT

There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver. Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children. We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us. – Ecclesiastes 5:13-15 NLT

A rich man may use his money to build a beautiful mausoleum to contain his remains, but his wealth can’t stave off death. That is precisely the point the psalmist is trying to make.

Those who are wise must finally die,
    just like the foolish and senseless,
    leaving all their wealth behind.
The grave is their eternal home,
    where they will stay forever.
They may name their estates after themselves,
   but their fame will not last.
    They will die, just like animals.
This is the fate of fools,
    though they are remembered as being wise. – Psalm 49:10-13 NLT

It doesn’t matter if you’re wise, foolish, wealthy, impoverished, famous, or faceless — everyone faces the same fate. With this rather somber and depressing thought in mind, the psalmist drives home his primary point. He will rest in God’s sovereign protection and provision.

Like sheep, they are led to the grave,
    where death will be their shepherd.
In the morning the godly will rule over them.
    Their bodies will rot in the grave,
    far from their grand estates.
But as for me, God will redeem my life.
    He will snatch me from the power of the grave. – Psalm 49:14-15 NLT

The wicked, like all mankind, will eventually face death. Their bodies will rot in the grave while others spend their hard-earned wealth and enjoy the fruits of their earthly labor. And when they are gone, there will still be righteous, God-fearing people who remain behind. Verses 14 and 15 are sometimes construed as the psalmist’s belief in some form of afterlife. But at this point in their history, the Israelites did not have a fully formed theology of heaven, hell, and the eternal state. Their concept of life beyond the grave was a work in process that had yet fully developed.

“It is possible that the psalmist is looking at ultimate eschatological realities, anticipating his own resurrection and a time when the righteous, not the rich, will rule on earth. However, it is more likely that the ascendancy of the righteous refers to their vindication in this life, a well-attested theme in the Psalter, especially in the wisdom psalms (see, e.g., Pss. 1, 34, 37, and 112, as well as the discussion above). In this case verse 15 refers to God’s preserving the psalmist through ‘evil days’ (cf. v. 5) by keeping him from premature, violent death at the hands of the oppressive rich and from the calamity that overtakes them. ‘Morning’ (v. 14), which brings to mind the dawning of a new day after a night of darkness, aptly symbolizes the cessation of these ‘evil days.’“ – Robert B. Chisholm, Jr. – "A Theology of the Psalms." In A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament

It's unlikely that the psalmist is expressing his belief in a place called heaven or declaring his hope in an eternal abode beyond the grave. He is simply stating His trust in God’s sovereign will over the affairs of life. He knows that he, too, will one day face death, but he trusts that his days are numbered by God and that nothing will happen to him until his God-ordained hour comes.

The emphasis of his song is not on the hope of heaven but on the inevitability of death. Everyone dies — from the wealthiest and wisest to the impoverished and ignorant. Death is the great leveler. But the righteous have God on their side. He watches over them and protects them. He preserves their lives even when they are confronted by the unfair and unjust actions of the wicked. So, he concludes:

So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich
    and their homes become ever more splendid.
For when they die, they take nothing with them.
    Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
In this life they consider themselves fortunate
    and are applauded for their success. – Psalm 49:16-18 NLT

Don’t waste your time envying them or longing to be like them. Don’t get fooled by their apparent success and seeming avoidance of God’s judgment. Death will come for them just as it does for everyone else. The Jews did believe that death was not the end, but it was not a well-formed or fully developed doctrine at this time. The psalmist is not trying to encourage hope in the afterlife; he is trying to remind his fellow Hebrews to trust God in this life. In a sense, he is saying, “Don't judge a book by its cover.” The wealthy wicked may seem blessed and free from pain and suffering, but death is the inevitable judgment for all mankind. Death, as the apostle Paul put it, is “the wages of sin” (Romans 6:23 NLT). Death entered the world because of sin, and only God can preserve and protect His people from the penalty of death. In the psalmist’s day, they believed God could delay death for His righteous ones. 

But it wasn't until the coming of Christ that the concept of a permanent escape from sin’s penalty became a reality. With His death and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for mankind’s sin debt. Death still occurs. The righteous must still face the inescapable reality of the finality of life. But the apostle Paul reminds us that there is hope beyond the grave because of the atoning work of Jesus.

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NLT

The psalmist had no concept of this great truth, but he encouraged his audience to sing God’s praises nonetheless. He believed in the goodness and greatness of God in this life, even though he had no fully developed doctrine of the next life. He was willing to trust God in the here and now, even when it didn't make sense. Death is the great equalizer, but God determines each man's fate. As David confessed in Psalm 139, God knew his birth date and death date before he was even born.

You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed. – Psalm 139:16 NLT

So, don't worry. Don’t be jealous. Don’t allow the apparent success of the unrighteous weigh you down or cause you to doubt God’s goodness. He is in control, and your life is in His all-powerful hands.

Father, I needed to hear this today. We live in a world where nothing seems to make sense. It seems like the wicked get rewarded while the righteous are forced to suffer in obscurity and face ridicule for our faith in You. It’s so easy to allow jealousy, envy, fear, and doubt to creep in and destroy my confidence. But this psalm reminds me that You are in control — at all times. I know things the psalmist didn’t know. I have been exposed to the truth of the gospel and the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. I know where I'm going when I die, yet I still struggle with fears, doubts, and questions about the seeming lack of justice in this life. Help me stay focused on Your faithfulness and sovereignty. You are not done yet. Your plan has not yet been completed, but it will be. Thank you for this timely reminder.. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s Presence and Protection Require Faithfulness

A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
    in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation,
    is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
    the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God
    has made himself known as a fortress.

4 For behold, the kings assembled;
    they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
    they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 Trembling took hold of them there,
    anguish as of a woman in labor.
7 By the east wind you shattered
    the ships of Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen
    in the city of the LORD of hosts,
in the city of our God,
    which God will establish forever. Selah

9 We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,
    in the midst of your temple.
10 As your name, O God,
    so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11     Let Mount Zion be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
    because of your judgments!

12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
    number her towers,
13 consider well her ramparts,
    go through her citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
14     that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
    He will guide us forever. – Psalm 48:1-14 ESV

This psalm, like the previous one, was written by one of the sons of Korah and was designed to accentuate the supremacy and superiority of Yahweh over every other ĕlōhîm. The title ĕlōhîm, which is commonly rendered as “god” in our English translations, was the generic title for all deities. Yet, it was also used to refer to the one true God, the Creator of the universe.

In the beginning, God [ĕlōhîm] created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God [ĕlōhîm] was hovering over the face of the waters. – Genesis 1:1-2 ESV

To differentiate Himself from all the false gods that mankind manufactured after the fall, the Creator God introduced Himself to Moses with a new name.

Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you.” God [ĕlōhîm] also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God [ĕlōhîm] of Abraham, the God [ĕlōhîm] of Isaac, and the God [ĕlōhîm] of Jacob—has sent me to you.” – Exodus 3:14-15 NLT

This more intimate and personal name would become the primary way the people of Israel addressed their God. He even told them, “This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations” (Psalm 48:15 NLT).

The psalmist opens his song with a statement of praise for this eternal and highly personal name of God.

How great is the LORD [Yahweh],
    how deserving of praise… – Psalm 48:1 NLT

In a sense, the psalmist is highlighting the unparalleled nature of Israel's ĕlōhîm. Other nations could claim to worship a superior ĕlōhîm, but their god was no match for Yahweh. In ancient times, gods were believed to be regionally based deities who ruled from and over specific locales. That is why the psalmist mentions Jerusalem, “the city of our God!” (Psalm 48:2 ESV). Then, he specifies the exact spot on which the royal city sits.

His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation,
    is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
    the city of the great King.
Within her citadels God
    has made himself known as a fortress. – Psalm 48:1-3 ESV

From the psalmist’s perspective, Yahweh dwelt in Jerusalam, which sat on the Mount of Zion. He describes this sacred spot as Yahweh’s citadel or palace, from which He rules as the great King. His presence among the Israelites created a fortress-like environment, protecting them from their enemies and assuring them of safety and security from harm.

God himself is in Jerusalem’s towers,
    revealing himself as its defender. – Psalm 48:3 NLT

In a somewhat arrogant fashion, the psalmist brags of Jerusalem’s invincibility, declaring that Yahweh’s presence serves as a kind of “iron dome,” protecting its inhabitants from all threats.

The kings of the earth joined forces
    and advanced against the city.
But when they saw it, they were stunned;
    they were terrified and ran away.
They were gripped with terror
    and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.
You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish
    shattered by a powerful east wind. – Psalm 48:4-7 NLT

With Yahweh serving as their protector and defender, they could sleep peacefully at night, knowing they had nothing to fear. No harm could come their way as long as Yahweh was with them.

Verse 2 contains a subtle yet significant statement intended to set Yahweh apart from the competition. In describing Mount Zion, the psalmist states, “It is lofty and pleasing to look at,  a source of joy to the whole earth. Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon” (Psalm 48:2 NET). He is purposefully differentiating Mount Zion from Mount Zaphon, a range located to the north of Jerusalem. This reference to Mount Zaphon is important because local legends designated this location as the gathering place of the gods.

The prophet Isaiah recorded a divine warning against the king of Babylon, predicting his eventual fall.

“How you are fallen from heaven,
    O shining star, son of the morning!
You have been thrown down to the earth,
    you who destroyed the nations of the world.
For you said to yourself,
    ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.
I will preside on the mountain of the gods
    far away in the north [ṣāp̄ôn].
I will climb to the highest heavens
    and be like the Most High…” – Isaiah 14:12-14 NLT

In this prophetic judgment, the king is described as seeking to set up his throne on “the mountain of the gods,” which was located in the north. The Hebrew word translated as “north” is ṣāp̄ôn or Zaphon.

“Mt. Zaphon to the north of Palestine was the mythical residence of the gods (as Mt. Olympus was the mythical residence of the gods to the Greeks; v. 13; cf. Ps. 48:2). Rather than being king of the gods, Babylon’s king proved to be only human having weakened nations through his domination of them. Even though he had exalted himself to near deity status, he would die and go to Sheol like every other proud person.” – Thomas L. Constable, Study Notes on Isaiah

“Zaphon, located north of Israel, was the sacred mountain of the Canaanites from which their high god El supposedly ruled. However, Zion was the real ‘Zaphon,’ for it was here that the Lord God of Israel, the ‘Great King’ of the universe, lived and ruled.” – Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., "A Theology of the Psalms." In A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament

Zaphon was not a sacred mountain because the Canaanite god, El, was not a real god. He was the figment of the fertile imaginations of a pagan people who attempted to replace the one true ĕlōhîm with a god of their own making. The apostle Paul describes mankind’s sin-inspired penchant for replacing the one true God with a poor substitute.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. – Romans 1:21-23 NLT

But for the psalmist, no other ĕlōhîm would do.

O God [ĕlōhîm], we meditate on your unfailing love
    as we worship in your Temple.
As your name deserves, O God [ĕlōhîm],
    you will be praised to the ends of the earth.
    Your strong right hand is filled with victory.
Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice.
    Let all the towns of Judah be glad
    because of your justice. – Psalm 48:9-11 NLT

There was no competition between Zion and Zaphon because there was no ĕlōhîm living in the north. Yahweh had no rivals, and the people of Israel had nothing to worry about when it came to their enemies and their enemies’ false, non-existent gods. All they had to do was look at the majesty and magnificence of Jerusalem and be reminded that their ĕlōhîm was superior.

Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.
    Walk around and count the many towers.
Take note of the fortified walls,
    and tour all the citadels,
that you may describe them
    to future generations.
For that is what God is like.
    He is our God forever and ever,
    and he will guide us until we die. – Psalm 48:12-14 NLT

The city was impregnable, a fitting reminder of God’s power and protective capacity. The fortifications of Jerusalem were to serve as a symbol of Yahweh’s presence, power, and provision for generations to come. He would not leave them or forsake them. But in his enthusiasm, the psalmist leaves out one small but highly significant point. God expected His people to remain faithful. His presence was predicated on their obedience to His law and faithfulness to the covenant they had made with Him. They would enjoy His protection as long as they remained spiritually faithful and refrained from worshiping other ĕlōhîm. But centuries later, the prophet Isaiah would repeatedly warn of God’s pending wrath for their infidelity and unfaithfulness.

“Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, and don’t beg me to help them, for I will not listen to you. Don’t you see what they are doing throughout the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? No wonder I am so angry! Watch how the children gather wood and the fathers build sacrificial fires. See how the women knead dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven. And they pour out liquid offerings to their other idol gods! Am I the one they are hurting?” asks the Lord. “Most of all, they hurt themselves, to their own shame.”

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “I will pour out my terrible fury on this place. Its people, animals, trees, and crops will be consumed by the unquenchable fire of my anger.” – Jeremiah 7:16-20 NLT

God’s presence and protection are vital to His people’s survival, but they do not come without a cost. God requires that His people commit wholeheartedly to Him. He is a jealous God who will not tolerate infidelity and unfaithfulness. He will not tolerate spiritual adultery among His chosen people. If the psalmist wanted to continue to enjoy the presence, power, and protection of Yahweh, he would need to call the people of Israel to live up to their covenant commitments.

Father, I revel in the reality of Your presence in my life and I fully appreciate the promise of the care and protection You provide. But I sometimes live as though my actions don't matter. I treat Your love with a flippancy and carelessness that borders on rebellion. I fail to treat You with the honor and reverence You deserve, living my life according to my own will and agenda. I know You are the one true God and I am confident in Your power and fully appreciate Your divine protection over my life. But forgive me for the many times I take Your protection for granted. Help me to live faithfully and obediently, treating You with all the honor You deserve. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Worthy of Our Praise

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Clap your hands, all peoples!
    Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
2 For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared,
    a great king over all the earth.
3 He subdued peoples under us,
    and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our heritage for us,
    the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah

5 God has gone up with a shout,
    the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
    Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
    sing praises with a psalm!

8 God reigns over the nations;
    God sits on his holy throne.
9 The princes of the peoples gather
    as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
    he is highly exalted! – Psalm 47:1-9 ESV

In this psalm, one of the sons of Korah praises the LORD, the Most High, as “a great king over all the earth” (Psalm 47:1 ESV). This recognition of Yahweh (the LORD) as the one true sovereign is meant to single out the Israelite God from all other deities and earthly kings. Throughout his song, the psalmist primarily uses the generic title ĕlōhîm, which was used in reference to all deities. In a culture where many gods were recognized and worshiped, the psalmist wanted to set apart the Israelite ĕlōhîm as superior and unparalleled in His power, majesty, and sovereignty. He calls on the people of Israel to clap their hands in praise to the one true God, reminding them of the many benefits they have received from their gracious King.

He subdues the nations before us,
    putting our enemies beneath our feet.
He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance,
    the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves. – Psalm 47:3-4 NLT

They had been the undeserved recipients of the land of Canaan, promised to them by God as their inheritance. Under the leadership of Moses, they had been set free from slavery in Egypt and guided to the borders of their future home. After Moses’ death, Joshua served as their God-appointed leader and military commander, helping them conquer the nations that occupied Canaan. Under his leadership, they took possession of the promised land, but it had been God who had subdued the nations before them. They owed their success to the sovereign hand of Yahweh, “the great King of all the earth” (Psalm 47:3 NLT).

The psalmist pictures God as ascended on high, where He sits on His royal throne and reigns above the nations (Psalm 47:5, 8 NLT). From His lofty vantage point, Yahweh surveys His Kingdom, which consists not only of the nation of Israel but all the peoples of the world. It all belongs to Him. While other ĕlōhîm exist in the minds of men and are worshiped and revered, only Yahweh deserves praise and adoration. That is what leads the psalmist to call on God’s people to sing His praises.

Sing praises to God, sing praises;
    sing praises to our King, sing praises!
For God is the King over all the earth.
    Praise him with a psalm. – Psalm 47:6-7 NLT

This same fervor for God’s glory is found in Psalm 113.

Praise the Lord!

Yes, give praise, O servants of the LORD.
    Praise the name of the LORD!
Blessed be the name of the LORD
    now and forever.
Everywhere—from east to west—
    praise the name of the LORD.
For the LORD is high above the nations;
    his glory is higher than the heavens.

Who can be compared with the LORD our God,
    who is enthroned on high? – Psalm 113:1-5 NLT

Yahweh is incomparable and without equal. He alone reigns on high and is worthy of His people’s adoration and worship. God demands the veneration of His name, Yahweh. That personal, intimate name was reserved for use by the people of Israel and was given to them long before their exodus from Egypt.

God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.” – Exodus 3:15 NLT

Yahweh was serious about His name and expected His people to honor it at all times. In the Book of Malachi, God indicts His chosen people for their defamation of His name. He describes the pagan nations as more respectful of His glory than the people who bear His name.

“But my name is honored by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

“But you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it’s all right to defile the LORD’s table. You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the LORD,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. – Malachi 1:11-13 NLT

God had given the people of Israel a name to use when referring to Him. It was a name intended to set Him apart from all the other ĕlōhîm. In a sense, the name Yahweh was intended to differentiate their ĕlōhîm from all other ĕlōhîm. God gave that name to Moses in preparation for his return to Egypt, where He would have to convince the people of Israel that the God of their ancestors had sent him. For 400 years, the Israelites had lived in Egypt and acclimated to their surrounding, adopting the many ĕlōhîm of the Egyptians as their own. When Moses was told by God to return to his people and announce their coming deliverance, he asked, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God [ĕlōhîm] of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13 NLT).

His question was legitimate because he knew that if he simply said ĕlōhîm had sent him, the people would want to know which ĕlōhîm. Their were hundreds of ĕlōhîm in Egypt, and the Israelites had long forgotten about the ĕlōhîm that their ancestors worshiped. So, in response to Moses’ question, God gave him the name Yahweh.

But as the Malachi passage reveals, the people of Israel eventually treated God’s name with disrespect and dishonor. They failed to show God the reverence and respect He deserved. In fact, the chosen people of God were guilty of denigrating His name to such a degree that the pagan nations displayed greater fear and reverence than they did.

“I am a great king,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and my name is feared among the nations!” – Malachi 1:14 NLT

The psalmist closes out his song with a prophetic statement regarding a future day when all the nations will give Yahweh the glory and honor He so rightly deserves.

The rulers of the world have gathered together
    with the people of the God of Abraham.
For all the kings of the earth belong to God.
    He is highly honored everywhere. – Psalm 47:9 NLT

The prophet Isaiah records the words of God predicting a future day when all nations will honor Him for who He is – the soveriegn King over all the earth.

“Let all the world look to me for salvation!
    For I am God; there is no other.
I have sworn by my own name;
    I have spoken the truth,
    and I will never go back on my word:
Every knee will bend to me,
    and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.” – Isaiah 45:22-23 NLT

This worldwide worship of Yahweh will take place because of the efforts of His Son. Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of mankind, will return to earth a second time to bring about the completion of God’s redemptive plan. In the book that bears his name, Daniel records a vision he was given of the second coming of Christ.

I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. – Daniel 7:13-14 NLT

The apostle John was also given a vision and a message, declaring the day when Christ would establish His Millennial Kingdom on earth.

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” – Revelation 11:15 BSB

Paul wrote the believers in Philippi, reminding them that Jesus died, rose again, and ascended back to His Father’s side in heaven. But he also reminded them that the day would come when Jesus would return to finish what He began, ending with the worldwide recognition of His majesty and glory as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:9-11 NLT

The worship and praise that the psalmist calls for will one day happen, and it will be the result of Christ’s redemptive work as He returns to set up His Kingdom and conquer Satan and all the enemies of God. Paul describes this future day when Yahweh will receive the glory and honor He so richly deserves, and it will all be the result of His Son’s completion of His assignment.

After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere. – 1 Cornithans 15:24-28 NLT

Father, You deserve praise and honor right now. I don't have to wait until the end of the story to understand that You are worthy of my thanks, adoration, and worship. You have already done so much for me by sending Your Son to die on my behalf. But when I consider all that is going to happen in the future because of Your great redemptive plan, I have no reason to treat Your name with anything but the highest respect and honor. Keep me focused on Your faithfulness so that I might live more faithfully as I wait for the fulfillment of Your promises. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The LORD of Hosts Is With Us

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah – Psalm 46:1-11 ESV

The title of this psalm reveals that it was written by one of the sons of Korah and “according to Alamoth.” The meaning of this description is somewhat obscure, but the Hebrew word ʿălāmôṯ refers to maidens or young women. Some conjecture that this psalm was to be sung by men but in falsetto voices “according to the alamoth style” (NET Bible). This musical notation was intended to dictate the vocal style of the song when performed. 

But while the title’s exact meaning remains undetermined, the psalm’s message is clear. The opening line establishes the theme.

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble. – Psalm 46:1 NLT

Inspired by this psalm, the great reformer Martin Luther penned the opening lines of his hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”

A mighty Fortress is our God
A Bulwark never failing
Our Helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing

Isaac Watts also found inspiration from this psalm when writing “O God Our Help In Ages Past.”

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Both Luther and Watts found the message of Psalm 46 hopeful and inspirational. Its declaration of God’s greatness even in the face of calamity struck a chord with them, and they echoed its message in their own words and for a more contemporary audience.

The psalm contrasts the eternality and power of God with the temporal chaos of the fallen world in which men live. Earthquakes, natural disasters, storms, and man-made wars may rock our world, but God remains firmly established on His heavenly throne and in complete control of all things. Chaos may abound around us, but there is no reason to fear because “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Psalm 46:7 ESV).

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the psalmist painted a beautiful picture that portrays the past, present, and future plans of God. Isaac Watts seemed to grasp this point when he penned the opening line of his hymn. He mentioned God’s help in the past ages as the source of our hope for years to come. God is constant and consistent. He is eternal and unchanging.

So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! – Psalm 46:3 NLT

The God who created the world can maintain and sustain it, even in the face of earth-shattering disasters. His presence is a source of power that assures His people of protection and peace even amid the storms of life. The psalmist describes the assuring nature of God’s presence.

A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it. – Psalm 46:4-5 NLT

The city of God refers to Jerusalem, but there was no river flowing in or out of the capital city. Yet, the apostle John was given a glimpse of the New Jerusalem, the city which will be the home of God’s people where they will dwell with Him for eternity. That city will feature a river flowing from the throne of God.

Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. – Revelation 22:1-2 NLT

In that city, the permanent presence of God will provide protection from pain, sorrow, suffering, storms, and wars.

“Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” – Revelation 21:3-4 NLT

But until that day comes and the holy city descends from heaven to earth, the world will be marked by continuing chaos and confusion.

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts. – Psalm 46:6 ESV

But God will be with us. He will not leave us or forsake us.

The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. – Psalm 46:7 ESV

In the present, storms will come, wars will rage, chaos will persist, and fears will assail us. But we can rest in the hope of God’s pervasive presence and power. The psalmist fills his song with words of comfort and encouragement, speaking of God’s sovereignty over the nations of the world.

Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire. – Psalm 46:8-9 NLT

But this image of God defeating the armies of the world is prophetic, foreshadowing an event that remains unfulfilled but clearly predicted in the Book of Revelation.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. - Revelation 19:11-16 NLT

In a vision, John was given a preview of coming attractions. He was allowed to witness the second coming of Christ when, as the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus will defeat the armies of this world and set up His Millennial Kingdom on earth.

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, shouting to the vultures flying high in the sky: “Come! Gather together for the great banquet God has prepared. Come and eat the flesh of kings, generals, and strong warriors; of horses and their riders; and of all humanity, both free and slave, small and great.”

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies. – Revelation 19:17-21 NLT

We still live in a world marked by wars and marred by natural disasters. But there is a day coming when God will bring an end to all the chaos and confusion. He will send His Son to earth a second time to finish the redemptive plan He began on the cross. It is our hope in God’s promise of these future events that allows us to experience peace in the present world in which we live. God is reminding us that He is in charge and will one day make all things new.

“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.” – Psalm 46:10 NLT

In his vision of the end times, John was allowed to hear the words of another song entitled “the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:3 NLT). Sung by a choir of men and women who had been martyred by the Antichrist, this song echoes the words of Psalm 46.

“Great and marvelous are your works,
    O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
    O King of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
    and glorify your name?
    For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
    for your righteous deeds have been revealed.” – Revelation 15:3-4 NLT

The God who will bring about the restoration of all things is near — even as the chaos and confusion seem to reign over us. He is not distant or disinterested in the current condition of this world. He is not powerless or impotent. No, the psalmist would have us remember “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Psalm 46:11 ESV). But there is a day coming when God will send His Son again, and the New Jerusalem will descend. The end will come just as He promised and the eternal state will begin — never to end. And, once again, John was given a glimpse of that new city that should produce faith and hope in the heart of every believer.

I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. – Revelation 22:22-27 NLT

Father, the world is a place of chaos and confusion, and it can feel as if You are nowhere to be found. But this psalm reminds me that You are always with us. You never leave us or forsake us. You never forget about us. In fact, You are working a plan that includes the here and now and the hereafter. As You told the people of Israel, “I know the plans I have for you, They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT). That promise holds true for us as well. Help me to rest in Your eternal plan. Restore my hope so that I can resist the urge to doubt and fear when the storms of life come and wars rage all around me. You are with me and You have great plans for me. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The King is Coming

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song.

1 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
    I address my verses to the king;
    my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
    grace is poured upon your lips;
    therefore God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
    in your splendor and majesty!

4 In your majesty ride out victoriously
    for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
    let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp
    in the heart of the king's enemies;
    the peoples fall under you.

6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
    The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7     you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8     your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9     daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
    at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

10 Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
    forget your people and your father's house,
11     and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
12     The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
    the richest of the people.

13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
14     In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
    with her virgin companions following behind her.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along
    as they enter the palace of the king.

16 In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
    you will make them princes in all the earth.
17 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
    therefore nations will praise you forever and ever. – Psalm 45:1-17 ESV

This psalm is a love song to the king, written by one the admiring citizens of his kingdom. It is not romantic in nature but is meant to serve as an impassioned endorsement of the king’s moral character and physical stature. This satisfied subject cannot contain his enthusiasm and must sing the king’s praises to all who will listen. 

Beautiful words stir my heart.
    I will recite a lovely poem about the king,
    for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet. – Psalm 45:1 NLT

The psalmist describes the king as physically handsome, gracious in speech, and blessed by God. He is a mighty warrior who fights to defend truth, humility, and justice. Unwilling to use his sovereign power unjustly or for selfish gain, the king mirrors the words of the Proverb.

Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king;
    his throne is made secure through love. – Proverbs 20:28 NLT

The psalmist sees his king as a faithful vice-regent of God who wisely and righteously carries out the one true King’s divine will. The alliance between God and the king is so strong that the psalmist sees them as inseparable. At one point, he even addresses the king as God.

Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
    You rule with a scepter of justice.
You love justice and hate evil. – Psalm 45:6-7 NLT

He is not ascribing deity to the king but is simply declaring that the king rules in complete submission to God and in keeping with His will. As a result of his godly behavior, the king enjoys the blessings of God. His reign is marked by success because he has the favor of the Almighty.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,
    pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.
Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume your robes.
    In ivory palaces the music of strings entertains you. – Psalm 45:7-8 NLT

The psalmist sees the king as an icon of virtue who rightfully enjoys all the perks and benefits of his position. He has been blessed with wealth, a large family, military success, and the adoration of his people. Even as the king prepares to wed his queen, he is dressed in lavish robes and surrounded by the women of his royal court. But the psalmist addresses the queen-to-be, counseling her to leave behind her family and embrace the privilege she has to marry a man who will love and care for her as he does his people.

Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say.
    Forget your people and your family far away.
For your royal husband delights in your beauty;
    honor him, for he is your lord. – Psalm 45:10-11 NLT

The wedding is described as a beautiful affair, with the king and his new bride becoming one as they are joined together by God. Their union will be blessed by God, producing many sons who “will become kings like their father” (Psalm 45:16 NLT).

This entire psalm has been described as Messianic in nature, foreshadowing the coming of the Son of God, who would be the ultimate King of Israel and the Bridegroom of the church. The apostle John must have had this psalm in mind when he penned his vision of the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:

“Praise the Lord!
    For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
Let us be glad and rejoice,
    and let us give honor to him.
For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb,
    and his bride has prepared herself.
She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.”
    For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.” – Revelation 19:6-9 NLT

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the author of this psalm was unknowingly prophesying about the coming Messiah, who will one day rule in Jerusalem from the throne of David. He will be the true King who reigns in righteousness and perfectly fulfills the will of His Heavenly Father, just as the author of Hebrews wrote.

And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said,

“Let all of God’s angels worship him.”

Regarding the angels, he says,

“He sends his angels like the winds,
    his servants like flames of fire.”

But to the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
    You rule with a scepter of justice.
You love justice and hate evil.
    Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you,
    pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.” – Hebrews 1:6-9 NLT

The psalmist never mentions the name of the king he had in mind. This was not an oversight, but the will of the Holy Spirit who inspired this beautiful poem. It was always meant to point to Christ and to serve as a reminder that the ultimate King will one day return to earth and reign in righteousness.

The apostle John describes his vision of “the wife of the Lamb.”

Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. – Revelation 21:9-10 NLT

As the vision continued, John was given a glimpse of this new place where God and man will dwell together for eternity.

I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. – Revelation 21:22-27 NLT

Without realizing it, the author of Psalm 45 was describing this future scenario but from an earth-bound, human perspective. He thought he was praising an earthly king, but, in reality, he was picturing an as-yet-to-be-fulfilled scene that God will bring about according to His perfect will.

Your sons will become kings like their father.
    You will make them rulers over many lands.
I will bring honor to your name in every generation.
    Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever. – Psalm 45:16-17 NLT

Father, I am always amazed by the obvious inspiration of Your Word. This psalm, written so many centuries ago was inspired by Your Holy Spirit and contains imagery that points to Your Son as the coming King of kings and Lord of lords. You have always had Your plan in place and have pointed to it repeatedly through the writings of the prophets and pens of the psalmists. This poem, which appears to be written for a long-dead human king, was actually a glowing tribute to Your Son. It serves as a reminder that Your plan has yet to be fully fulfilled, but it will be. Help me to keep my focus on the reality and reliability of Your plan. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Light in the Darkness

1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
    against an ungodly people,
from the deceitful and unjust man
    deliver me!
2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
    why have you rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning
    because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Send out your light and your truth;
    let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
    and to your dwelling!
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
    to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
    O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation and my God. – Psalm 43:1-5 ESV

Psalm 42 begins what is commonly referred to as Book 2 of the Psalms. This section includes Psalms 42 through 72. Some believe Psalm 43 is a continuation of Psalm 43 because it is the only psalm that contains no heading. It also appears to carry on the theme found in the previous psalm. In Psalm 42, the author describes his soul as being “cast down” (Psalm 42:5 ESV). He feels oppressed by his enemies and abandoned by God. He longs to escape the mocking taunts of his enemies and experience a restored relationship with his God and Savior. Though he is disheartened, he remains hopeful that God will vindicate him. Psalm 42 ends with the psalmist practicing a bit of self-motivation intended to draw his attention away from his circumstances and back onto God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.– Psalm 42:11 ESV

Yet, in Psalm 43, the psalmist continues to debate with himself, displaying his difficulty in dismissing the devastating nature of his predicament. He wants to hope in God but can’t help but feel that his prayers for vindication and restoration are going unheard. He describes God as his “safe haven” (Psalm 43:1 NLT), but the conditions surrounding his life remain unchanged and anything but safe. Desperate, he vents his frustration to the only one who can save him.

Why have you tossed me aside?
Why must I wander around in grief,
oppressed by my enemies?– Psalm 43:2 NLT

The psalmist holds nothing back, describing his circumstances as God-ordained and, therefore, inevitable and unavoidable. He feels helpless and at a complete loss as to what to do. He calls out to God but receives no answer. He begs and pleads, but nothing changes.

Yet, God’s apparent delay and non-responsiveness do not stop the disheartened psalmist from crying out for help. He is persistently prayerful and stubbornly hopeful.

Send out your light and your truth;
let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you live. – Psalm 43:3 NLT

Engulfed by the darkness of his circumstances, he longs for the light of God’s glory to break through and provide a clear path back into His presence. His reference to light is reminiscent of the theophany the Israelites experienced as they made their way through the wilderness from Egypt to Canaan. God appeared to them in the form of a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire so they might experience His presence and know He was guiding them day and night.

The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people. – Exodus 13:21-22 NLT

God’s presence is always associated with light, representing His glory and majesty. When He appeared on Mount Sinai, His presence was accompanied by fire, lightning, and thunder.

All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently.– Exodus 19:18 NLT

When the prophet Ezekiel was given a vision of God’s glory, it was accompanied by indescribable light.

Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me.– Ezekiel 1:26-28 NLT

The apostle John was given a vision of the New Jerusalem, the eternal city where God will dwell with His people on earth. He described it as having “no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light” (Revelation 21:23 NLT).

The psalmist longed to be immersed in the light of God’s glory and have the truth about his life exposed. He was confident that he would be acquitted and vindicated by God. That is why he boldly cried, “Declare me innocent, O God! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars” (Psalm 43:1 NLT).

Light eliminates the darkness and illuminates the truth. The God who knows all and sees all can shine the light of His glory into the darkened recesses of life and expose the truth. He can take the confusing circumstances of our lives and reveal their God-ordained purpose to bring about good while displaying His glory. Like the psalmist, we may not understand or like what is happening in our lives, but we can trust that God knows what He is doing and has a plan that will one day make sense.

This trust in God’s faithfulness and reliance upon His light-giving nature and truth-revealing power allowed the psalmist to close Psalm 43 the same way he did Psalm 42.

Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God! – Psalm 43:5 NLT

Father, You are light and truth. There is no darkness in You (1 John 1:5). Wherever You are, darkness cannot exist. When You speak, truth always prevails. You never lie or fail to keep Your word. But I still struggle with doubt and allow the seeming darkness of life to convince me that Your light has somehow diminished and Your truth has been overwhelmed by the lies of the enemy. Don’t let me lose heart. I don't want to stop hoping and believing in You, but I sometimes feel overwhelmed by life and prone to give in to doubt and despair. When those times come, please continue to reveal Your light and truth to me. Thank you for never giving up on me. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Yet, I Will Praise Him

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
    as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
    and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
    a multitude keeping festival.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
    therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
    from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
    at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
    have gone over me.
8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
    and at night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock:
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
    because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
    my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation and my God. – Psalm 42:1-11 ESV

This psalm opens with one of the most well-known and beautifully poetic lines in the Scriptures. 

As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God. – Psalm 42:1-12 ESV

This simple expression of deep longing for fellowship with God is attributed to the sons of Korah. What makes these beautifully poetic words so significant is the background of the men who wrote them. The sons of Korah were the descendants of a man who led a hostile rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings. His mutinous act is recorded in the Book of Numbers

One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord’s people?” – Numbers 16:1-3 NLT

Korah and his cohorts questioned Aaron’s right to serve as Israel's high priest. These men were jealous, and, as sons of Levi, they declared their right to serve as priests before God. But Moses revealed that their actions were an affront to the LORD. The Korahites already served in God’s Tabernacle, but dissatisfied with their role, they demanded the right to serve as priests.

Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? The LORD is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?” – Numbers 16:10-11 NLT

Moses devised a plan to put down the rebellion that would allow God to settle the matter.

“You and all your followers must come here tomorrow and present yourselves before the Lord. Aaron will also be here. You and each of your 250 followers must prepare an incense burner and put incense on it, so you can all present them before the Lord. Aaron will also bring his incense burner.” – Numbers 16:16-17 NLT

To rally the rest of the Israelites to their cause, Korah spread dissent among the people, and a large crowd gathered to watch the showdown between Aaron and his challengers. But things didn’t turn out well for Korah and his companions.

The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. – Numbers 16:32-33 NLT

God had been ready to destroy all the people of Israel, but when Moses interceded on their behalf, God chose to kill the ringleaders and their families. But He spared the sons of Korah.

…the earth opened up its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, and fire devoured 250 of their followers. This served as a warning to the entire nation of Israel. However, the sons of Korah did not die that day. – Numbers 26:10-11 NLT

Despite their father's rebellion, the sons of Korah were given a second chance. God allowed them to continue serving in His Tabernacle, and their descendants would play a significant role in David’s royal administration, serving as warriors and worship leaders.

“…the most remarkable thing to note about the sons of Korah is that during the time of King David, they became the great leaders in choral and orchestral music in the tabernacle. Heman the Korahite had a place of great importance as a singer, along with Asaph (a Gershonite) and Ethan or Jeduthan (a Merarite). These individuals played an important role in the thanksgiving services and pageantry when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem. David formed an elaborate organization for song, instrumental music, and prophesying through these men.” – gotquestions.org

So, with that background in mind, the words of this psalm carry even greater weight. These descendants of Korah were intimately familiar with the wrath of God. They had grown up hearing the sordid details of their patriarch’s disobedience and ultimate demise at the hands of the LORD. Yet, they had been graciously spared and allowed to serve Yahweh.

Yet, the author of this psalm displays his anguish at having been separated from his duties and unable to serve in God’s house. Some catastrophic event has prevented him from coming before Yahweh, and this forced separation has left him distraught and deeply troubled.

My heart is breaking
    as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
    leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
    amid the sound of a great celebration! – Psalm 42:4 NLT

Yet, even as he wrestles with grief and confusion, he reminds himself that God has not forsaken him. His difficulties cannot truly separate him from his God. He expresses his belief that this momentary light affliction will and he will be restored.

Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God! – Psalm 42:5-6 NLT

Even as he suffers, he feels God’s love. His lack of access to God’s house has not diminished his awareness of God’s presence.

…each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me,
    and through each night I sing his songs,
    praying to God who gives me life. – Psalm 42:8 NLT

He has moments of despair and doubt. His enemies taunt him and ridicule his faith. But he continues to believe that His God is good and gracious. He relies on his belief in God’s sovereignty and saving power.

Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God! – Psalm 42:11 NLT

The fact that this psalm was written by a descendant of Korah makes it all the more remarkable. This man had inherited a legacy of rebellion and knew the consequences of his ancestor’s actions against Yahweh. Yet, he knew that the same God who destroyed his ancestor was loving, gracious, forgiving, and fully capable of restoring him to fellowship. So, even while he still suffered, the psalmist fought off his discouragement with songs of praise and adoration to God. He bolstered his weakened faith with reminders of God’s presence, power, and provision. He fought off the verbal attacks of his enemies with words of affirmation and inspiration that focused on the faithfulness of God.

Father, when times of difficult arrive, it is easy to assume that I am somehow separated from You. It can feel as if You have abandoned me. But like this “son of Korah,” I want to learn to focus on your goodness, greatness, and presence. You have promised to never leave me or forsake me and I want to believe that promise even when my circumstances seem to contradict it. You are faithful and You have never given me a reason to doubt Your presence, power, and provision. You have always come through for me and You always will. I will put my hope in You because You are my Savior and God. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Lifting Up Those Who Are Down

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;
2 theLORD protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land;
you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
3 TheLORD sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness you restore him to full health.

4 As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you!”
5 My enemies say of me in malice,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,
while his heart gathers iniquity;
when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
7 All who hate me whisper together about me;
they imagine the worst for me.

8 They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him;
he will not rise again from where he lies.”
9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
10 But you, O LORD, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them!

11 By this I know that you delight in me:
my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.
12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
and set me in your presence forever.

13 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen. – Psalm 41:1-13 ESV

At first glance, this Psalm seems a bit disjointed. David starts out talking about the poor and how God blesses those who show kindness to them. Then suddenly, David is confessing his sin and crying out for mercy because of the apparent consequences of that sin. His problem seems to have nothing to do with poverty or need but is due to his own willful sin. However, a closer look at the Hebrew word dar translated as “poor” in verse one reveals that it can mean “one who is low or weak.” It is from the root word dālal, which can refer to someone weak, languishing, powerless, or who has been brought low. So, David is not necessarily talking about poverty as it relates to finances, but he is dealing with spiritual and emotional poverty. His knowledge of this topic comes from personal experience.

His poverty of spirit was real and not based on conjecture. David knew the pain that all too often accompanied sinfulness. Not only did disobedience to God bring divine judgment, but it also brought persecution and ridicule from others. While suffering conviction over his sin, David cried out to God, “Have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you” (Psalm 41:4 NLT). But his enemies kicked him while he was down. They took advantage of his emotional distress and wished for his failure.

David imagined them wishfully crying out, “How soon will he die and be forgotten?” (Psalm 41:5 NLT). Rather than showing him kindness or compassion, they longed for his demise. 

David knew his suffering resulted from sin, and he had confessed that sin to God, but he was still experiencing the consequences of whatever he had done. God’s divine discipline was still going on, and he longed for relief. But his enemies, posing as friends, used their visits with him to gather gossip. They weren't interested in building David up but were intent on destroying what was left of his reputation by spreading salacious rumors.

They visit me as if they were my friends,
    but all the while they gather gossip,
    and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
All who hate me whisper about me,
    imagining the worst.
“He has some fatal disease,” they say.
    “He will never get out of that bed!” – Psalm 41:6-8 NLT

These posers showed no concern for David’s spiritual poverty and did nothing to lift his spirits. Instead, they tried to discern the cause of his condition and debated how long he had to live. They displayed no empathy, compassion, or mercy. Their deep hatred for David prevented them from commiserating with his condition. They never considered the tables being turned and them being on the receiving end of God’s judgment and David’s ridicule.

There is an old proverb that states, “There but for the grace of God go I.” The author of this proverb is unknown, but some attribute it to the English Reformer, John Bradford, who said it as he watched people led to execution for their crimes.

“In a way, the attitude of ‘there but for the grace of God go I’ is an antidote to judgmentalism. When we see someone who is down and out, who is suffering hardship, or who is reaping unpleasant consequences, we can respond in two basic ways. We can say, ‘He deserves it and should have made better choices,’ or we can say, ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’ The first response is what Job’s three friends ultimately chose; the second response shows empathy as we acknowledge the kindness of God toward us and extend that kindness to the one in trouble.” – https://www.gotquestions.org/there-but-for-the-grace-of-God-go-I.html

David knows he has done nothing to deserve this kind of treatment from his friends. When the shoe had been on the other foot and David witnessed his enemies suffering, he grieved with them. He even prayed and fasted for them, feeling sadness for their condition “as though they were my friends or family” (Psalm 35:14 NLT). But now that David was down and out, his “friends” became enemies. So, David is left to seek mercy from God.

But what a reminder to those of us who claim to be Christ-followers that we are to have the same heart He had. We are to love like He loved. Jesus said of Himself, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come” (Luke 4:18-19 NLT).

We are to carry on that ministry to the down and out. The Proverbs of Solomon remind us that our words carry weight. They are powerful and can accomplish good or bring about evil in the lives of others.

The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain. – Proverbs 10:11

The words of the godly encourage many. – Proverbs 10:21 NLT

Solomon also warned that “with their words, the godless destroy their friends” (Proverbs 11:9). Rather than cheer and champion their fallen compatriots, the godless tear them down. Solomon went on to record the glaring difference between the words of the godless and the godly.

Some people make cutting remarks,
    but the words of the wise bring healing. – Proverbs 12:1 NLT

We are the hands, the feet, and the mouthpieces for Christ here on this earth. We are to have a heart for the lowly and all those who are languishing, whether it is because of their own sin or the sinful condition of the world in which we live. Some languish in financial poverty, while others suffer the effects of emotional and spiritual deprivation. Either way, we are to bring them words of encouragement and healing. We are to show them mercy and grace. We are to love them with both words and actions.

David knew that extending kindness to the “poor” could be a rewarding experience. To do so was to live a life that was pleasing to God. He rewards those who care for and encourage the down and out. He repays them in kind and “rescues them when they are in trouble” (Psalm 41:1 NLT).

Father, give me a heart for the down and out. Help me to see them all around me. It is easy to see the financially poor, but the spiritually and emotionally impoverished are all around me and they tend to hide their condition well. Don’t let me be like David’s friends, who because of their treatment of him in his time of need, were no better than enemies to him. May I be a true friend to those in need, providing words of encouragement and actions that back up what I say. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Best Advertising is a Satisfied Customer

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is the man who makes
    the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
    to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
    your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
    none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
    yet they are more than can be told.

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
    but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
    you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
    in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
    your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance
    in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
    as you know, O LORD.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
    I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
    from the great congregation.

11 As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain
    your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
    ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
    beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
    and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
    my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me!
    O LORD, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
    who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
    who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
    say continually, “Great is the LORD!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
    but the LORD takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    do not delay, O my God! – Psalm 40:1-17 ESV

When was the last time you told someone else what God has done for you? I’m not talking about your salvation story, how you came to Christ when you were seven or eight. I’m talking about telling others how God is actively involved in your life, accomplishing things He can do.

David starts this Psalm by talking about a time in the not-so-distant past when he found himself patiently waiting for help from God. Then he testifies that “he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along” (Psalm 40:1-2 NLT). As a result of God’s gracious intervention, David sang His praises for what He had done in his life. He engaged in an orchestrated public relations campaign for God, boldly proclaiming his miraculous rescue and restoration. His goal was simple: He wanted others to learn from his experience and place their confidence in God.

Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord. – Psalm 40:3b NLT

To ensure that his audience didn’t miss the point, David recorded a very public prayer of gratitude to God that conveyed his belief in God’s trustworthiness.

Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD,
    who have no confidence in the proud
    or in those who worship idols.
O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
    Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
    You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
    I would never come to the end of them. – Psalm 40:4-5 NLT

Too often, the only stories we have of God’s activity in our lives are in the past tense. We can tell how we came to faith in Christ and describe the life-transforming nature of that encounter. We may even recall a time when God answered a prayer or delivered us from a difficult situation. But our stories of God’s active involvement in our lives tend to be few and far between and rarely recent in occurrence.

But for David, God was actively involved in every aspect of his life. The LORD’s actions weren’t sporadic or isolated; they were constant and commonplace. Everywhere David looked, he could see God’s handiwork, and he could stop talking about it.

I have told all your people about your justice.
    I have not been afraid to speak out,
    as you, O Lord, well know.
I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;
    I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
I have told everyone in the great assembly
    of your unfailing love and faithfulness. – Psalm 40:9-10 NLT

This testimony of God’s love and faithfulness was meant to encourage others, but David also used it to bolster his own trust in God. He knew the future would be filled with ample opportunities to seek God’s help and see His faithfulness played out because sin wasn’t going away and troubles were inevitable.

LORD, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.
    Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.
For troubles surround me—
    too many to count!
My sins pile up so high
    I can’t see my way out.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
    I have lost all courage. – Psalm 40:11-12 NLT

David knew from experience that difficult days would come, but he also knew that God could and would show up when he called. David viewed his life as a proving ground of God’s presence, power, and provision. When his enemies attacked, David could turn to God for help. When his own sinfulness raised its ugly head, David could seek forgiveness and restoration from the LORD. There was no difficulty or dilemma in David’s future that God couldn’t handle. His life had been a testimonial to God’s presence and power, and he wanted everyone to know it.

…may all who search for you
    be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
    repeatedly shout, “The LORD is great!”
As for me, since I am poor and needy,
    let the Lord keep me in his thoughts.
You are my helper and my savior.
    O my God, do not delay. – Psalm 40:16-17 NLT

In the middle of this psalm, David draws an interesting conclusion that has far-reaching implications. His testimony concerning God’s faithfulness must be accompanied by a willing obedience to keep God’s commands. It doesn't do any good to go through the motions, offering sacrifices to God and displaying a ritualistic religious fervor that conveys a false sense of piety. David knew that God wanted more than lip service; He desired heartfelt obedience.

You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.
    Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand—
    you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings.
Then I said, “Look, I have come.
    As is written about me in the Scriptures:
I take joy in doing your will, my God,
    for your instructions are written on my heart.” – Psalm 40:6-8 NLT

What makes this passage even more significant is its presence in the Book of Hebrews, where the author quotes it in reference to Christ and His sacrificial death on the cross

…when Christ came into the world, he said to God,

“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
You were not pleased with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’” – Hebrews 10:5-7 NLT

According to the author of Hebrews, Jesus understood that obedience to the Father’s will superseded any adherence to the Mosaic Law. While He lived on this planet, Jesus kept the law perfectly and obeyed His Heavenly Father flawlessly. 

When he appeared in human form,
    he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. – Philippians 2:7-8 NLT

Jesus became the perfect sacrifice—the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). During His earthly ministry, Jesus repeatedly testified to God’s presence, power, and provision. He spoke of God’s greatness and goodness and demonstrated God’s power through miracles and messages. But all that would have meant nothing if He failed to do what God had sent Him to accomplish.

David seemed to understand that obedience must accompany obeisance. In other words, feigning worship of God without obeying the will of God is hypocrisy. Testifying to God’s greatness while refusing to do His will isn’t worship, it’s the worst form of duplicity. God spoke of this duplicitous and deceitful charade on the part of His people through the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel.

“These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” – Isaiah 29:13 NLT

“…they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.” – Ezekiel 33:31 ESV

Testifying to God’s greatness while ignoring His will is unacceptable and untenable. David understood that the greatest form of praise was obedience. He was more than willing to sing God's praises, but he also wanted to do God’s will.

I am convinced that many more people would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ if the followers of Christ had more to say about Him. If we had more to share about what He has done in our lives lately and how Christ is transforming our lives daily, it would give credibility to our claims regarding the value of salvation. So many unbelievers are asking, “What has God done for you lately?” If they asked you that question, what would your answer be? What would you tell them? David gives us some not-so-subtle hints:

I have told all your people about your justice.
    I have not been afraid to speak out… – Psalm 40:9 NLT

I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;
    I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
I have told everyone in the great assembly
    of your unfailing love and faithfulness. – Psalm 40:10 NLT

David knew first-hand what it was like to have God intervene in his life and rescue him from trouble, forgive him of sin, provide him with victory, heal him from sickness, and restore him to a right relationship with Himself. David knew that a relationship with God was not all about doing things for God to somehow keep Him satisfied and earn brownie points with Him. No, God wants His followers to take joy in doing His will because they have experienced His faithful, unconditional love and want to express their gratitude through obedience and submission to His will for their lives – because they know He loves them and has their best interests in store.

David said about God, “Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them” (Psalm 40:5 NLT). David had much to say about God because God was an active and vital part of his life. Can the same thing be said of us? If we tried to recite all the wonderful things He has done for us lately, would we run out of time before our list ran out?

David called on God because he expected God to act. David waited on God because he was confident God would respond. David told others about God because he had plenty of stories of God’s faithfulness to tell. He said, “May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, ‘The Lord is great!'” (Psalm 40:16b NLT). Maybe we have little to say about God because we so seldom turn to God for help and hope.

Oh, the joys of those who trust in the LORD. – Psalm 40:4a NLT

Father, the problem is not that You are silent in my life, it is that I don’t recognize and appreciate Your activity. I don’t see it, so I don’t acknowledge it. You are working all the time on my behalf, but I tend to be blind to it. I also don’t turn to You enough in times of trouble and trust You for deliverance. I try to solve all my own problems. In doing so, I rob You of glory and deny myself the opportunity to see Your power on display in my life. I want to be a greater witness for You by being more satisfied by You. I want to sing Your praises more and tell everyone I meet of all Your wonderful acts. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Getting Right With God

To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 I said, “I will guard my ways,
    that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
    so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was mute and silent;
    I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
3     My heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

4 “O LORD, make me know my end
    and what is the measure of my days;
    let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
    and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
6     Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
    man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

7 “And now, O LORD, for what do I wait?
    My hope is in you.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.
    Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
    for it is you who have done it.
10 Remove your stroke from me;
    I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11 When you discipline a man
    with rebukes for sin,
you consume like a moth what is dear to him;
    surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD,
    and give ear to my cry;
    hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you,
    a guest, like all my fathers.
13 Look away from me, that I may smile again,
    before I depart and am no more!” – Psalm 39:1-13 ESV

The title of this psalm mentions a choirmaster named Jeduthun. His role and identity are not explained, but according to 1 Chronicles, Jeduthun was an appointee of David who served as a musician in his royal court.

David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and the others chosen by name to give thanks to the LORD, for “his faithful love endures forever.” They used their trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments to accompany their songs of praise to God. And the sons of Jeduthun were appointed as gatekeepers. – 1 Chronicles 16:41-42 NLT

As choirmaster, Jeduthun was responsible for turning David’s psalms into musical tributes to God designed to express gratitude for His faithful and never-ending love. But this psalm doesn’t seem to give Jeduthun much to work with because it is more of a lament than an expression of thanksgiving. In it, David freely voices his frustration over a less-than-pleasant circumstance he was going through. Some have suggested that David was experiencing serious health issues that threatened his life. Evidently, David believed his condition was tied to a sin he had committed, and his suffering was the result of God’s discipline.

I am silent before you; I won’t say a word,
for my punishment is from you.
But please stop striking me!
I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.
When you discipline us for our sins,
you consume like a moth what is precious to us.
Each of us is but a breath. – Psalm 39:9-11 NLT

David was clearly frustrated by the lingering effects of his condition and wondered out loud how long God would delay providing deliverance. In a sense, David saw his life passing before his eyes, reminding him of its brevity. He acknowledged God as the life-giver and sustainer, and begged to know how long his suffering would continue. For David, death would be preferable to a lingering illness and a life under the disciplining hand of God. 

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.” – Psalm 39:4-5 NLT

Despite his difficulty, David had chosen not to complain about his circumstances in the hearing of men — especially the ungodly. He knew that to do so would cast dispersions upon God’s grace and goodness, so he remained silent. But that didn’t eleviate the emotional turmoil inside his head and heart.

But as I stood there in silence—
    not even speaking of good things—
    the turmoil within me grew worse.
The more I thought about it,
    the hotter I got,
    igniting a fire of words… – Psalm 39:2-3 NLT

When David finally spoke up, he took his grievance to the Lord, expressing his thoughts to the one who could do something about it. But instead of complaining, David asked God for perspective. His questions concerning the length of his life were meant to seek clarity. While he felt like his current condition would never end, he knew his life was nothing but a breath to God. It was here one moment and gone the next. This is less an expression of pessimism than an acknowledgement of God’s eternality and man’s temporal state.

David asked God to help him keep his life in proper perspective, never forgetting that eternity is our future, not this temporary condition we call life. In God’s grand scheme, our lives are but a breath, a fleeting moment on the eternal timeline. Yet, we put all our emphasis on the here and now and forget about the hereafter. We spend all our time rushing around, attempting to accomplish things that only end in insignificance. We work hard to accumulate wealth and then end up having to leave it behind when we go.

It’s easy to see where David’s son, Solomon, got the perspective on life he shared in the book of Ecclesiastes.

For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun? – Ecclesiastes 6:12 NLT

I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. – Ecclesiastes 2:18 NLT

Solomon also shared David’s perspective on wealth.

Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless – like chasing the wind. – Ecclesiastes 4:4 NLT

But long before David wrote this psalm, he decided to place his hope and trust in God. He owed his life to God, and without Him, David would have remained a shepherd herding sheep rather than serving as the king of Israel. Whatever David was going through, he knew it had passed through the hands of God. David viewed his condition as God-ordained and, therefore, he took his problem to the source. He believed his punishment was due to sin and knew that only God could forgive him and relieve his suffering.

In verse 8, David asks God to “pluck him out of” his sin, to deliver him from his own transgressions. He knew that only God could bring relief from the pain he was suffering. So he asks God to hear his cries, to restore his joy, and to give him relief so that he might spend whatever days he has left in a right relationship with Him.

Isn’t that what this life is all about? It isn’t the accumulation of toys and the gaining of fame. It isn’t about comfort and ease, earning and spending, competing and winning. It is about the joy of a right relationship with God, something money can’t buy. When we are not right with God, nothing will make sense or satisfy our longing for peace, joy, contentment, and purpose. Nothing can make life right except getting right with God.

Father, what a wonderful reminder that life is all about living for You and with You. The pain and suffering we experience is nothing more than a reminder of our dependence upon and need for You. Keep me focused on You and nothing else. May I desire a right relationship with You more than anything else in the world. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Sin, Sorrow, and Confession

A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

1 O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
    nor discipline me in your wrath!
2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
    and your hand has come down on me.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh
    because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
    because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
    like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds stink and fester
    because of my foolishness,
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
    all the day I go about mourning.
7 For my sides are filled with burning,
    and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and crushed;
    I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

9 O Lord, all my longing is before you;
    my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
    and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
    and my nearest kin stand far off.

12 Those who seek my life lay their snares;
    those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
    and meditate treachery all day long.

13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
    like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 I have become like a man who does not hear,
    and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

15 But for you, O LORD, do I wait;
    it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,
    who boast against me when my foot slips!”

17 For I am ready to fall,
    and my pain is ever before me.
18 I confess my iniquity;
    I am sorry for my sin.
19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
    and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20 Those who render me evil for good
    accuse me because I follow after good.

21 Do not forsake me, O LORD!
    O my God, be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
    O Lord, my salvation! – Psalm 38:1-22 ESV

We are not told what David’s sin was, but he clearly articulates what he believes to be the consequences for that sin. David is suffering greatly, both physically and emotionally. He sees his circumstances as directly related to his sin and as a rebuke from God. Crying out to God, he says, “Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins. My guilt overwhelms me – it is a burden too heavy to bear” (Psalm 38:3-4 NLT).

David clearly understands that sin has consequences and that God, because He is just, must punish sin. There is discipline involved when sins are committed. As children of God, we are not allowed to sin freely and without repercussions. If we belong to God, our sin produces guilt. His Spirit convicts us of our sin and creates within us those same feelings that David had. He speaks of God’s rebuke and discipline. He uses words like crushing, broken, grief, crushed, anguish, and pain. And he attributes it all to his “foolish sins” (Psalms 38:5 NLT).

Speaking of this conviction of sin, C. H. Spurgeon states, “God’s law applied by the Spirit to the conviction of the soul of sin, wounds deeply and rankles long; it is an arrow not lightly to be brushed out by careless mirthfulness, or to be extracted by the flattering hand of self righteousness” (C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David – Volume 3)

David could not escape God's loving discipline by simply finding something to distract him. He could avoid it for a time, but his unconfessed sin would continue to haunt him, leaving him longing for relief. Conviction is designed to lead to confession. If conviction is ignored, it will only lead to continued sorrow. It will eat away at you from the inside out.

My guilt overwhelms me—
    it is a burden too heavy to bear.
My wounds fester and stink
    because of my foolish sins. – Psalm 38:4-5 NLT

That’s why confession is so important. It is the anecdote for conviction, guilt, and shame. John reminds us, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9 NLT). In Psalm 38, the word that David uses, which is translated as “confess” in the New Living Translation, is actually the Hebrew word for “tell or declare.” He claims to avow, acknowledge, or confess the sins for which he has been convicted. He gets them out in the open with God. The truth is, God already knows what David has done and is only waiting for David to acknowledge or confess his guilt. He must openly admit and agree with God that what he has done is wrong. Spurgeon says that this process of confession is therapeutic and healing.

”Open confession is good for the soul. When sorrow leads to hearty and penitent acknowledgment of sin it is blessed sorrow, a thing to thank God for most devoutly. I will be sorry for my sin. My confession will be salted with briny tears. It is well not so much to bewail our sorrows as to denounce the sins which lie at the root of them. To be sorry for sin is no atonement for it, but it is the right spirit in which to repair to Jesus, who is the reconciliation and the Saviour. A man is near to the end of his trouble when he comes to an end with his sins.” – C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David – Volume 3

But an essential part of confession is sorrow. David states, “I am deeply sorry for what I have done” (Psalm 38:18 NLT). Confession without sorrow is nothing more than regret or remorse. You may regret your sins because they have produced pain and discipline, but that is not what God is looking for. Confession as a means of escaping coming punishment is not enough. There must be sorrow for the sin we have committed and not just sorrow for the discipline our sins have incurred. A child may express sorrow for something he has done, but it may be motivated by a desire to escape further punishment. It might have nothing to do with sorrow for having offended his parents. The same can be true with us.

In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul mentioned another letter he had sent that addressed a sin with which they were struggling.

I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. – 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 NLT

The kind of sorrow God wants us to experience is intended to lead us away from sin and result in salvation. David was deeply sorry for his sins. He confessed them to God and asked for forgiveness and restoration. He knew only God could bring the physical, emotional, and spiritual healing he needed. He cried out to God, “Do not abandon me, O LORD. Do not stand at a distance, my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord may savior” (Psalm 38:21-22 NLT).

David’s pain and sorrow were real. His suffering was intense, and so was his desire for relief. But David knew that confession must precede restoration. He needed to own what he had done and recognize that his pain and suffering were a just and righteous consequence for his disobedience to God. God was not being vengeful or vindictive. David’s suffering was not an overreaction on God's part. The punishment fit the crime, and David knew it. But he also knew that his only hope for relief and restoration was in God.

Do not abandon me, O LORD.
    Do not stand at a distance, my God.
Come quickly to help me,
    O Lord my savior. – Psalm 38:21-22 NLT 

Father, they say confession is good for the soul, and nothing could be more true than when it comes to sin in the life of a believer. When we sin, the Spirit convicts our soul and creates in us a holy discontentment and discomfort. Like David, we grow increasingly unhappy with our condition, feeling guilt and shame for what we have done. But You are simply using that conviction to lead us to confession, in order that You might forgive and restore us. Give us an increasing hatred for sin and a willingness to acknowledge its presence in our lives as soon as it shows up. Help us respond quickly to the Spirit’s prompting and confess our sin with godly sorrow because we have offended You, our heavenly Father and holy God. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Don’t Worry About the Wicked

A psalm of David.

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
    be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
    and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
    trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
    over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
    Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
    but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
    though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
    and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous
    and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the LORD laughs at the wicked,
    for he sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
    to bring down the poor and needy,
    to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
    and their bows shall be broken.

16 Better is the little that the righteous has
    than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
    but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
    and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
    in the days of famine they have abundance.

20 But the wicked will perish;
    the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;
    they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
    but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,
    but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
    when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
    for the LORD upholds his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old,
    yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
    or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
    and his children become a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good;
    so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the LORD loves justice;
    he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
    but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
    and dwell upon it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
    and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
    his steps do not slip.

32 The wicked watches for the righteous
    and seeks to put him to death.
33 The LORD will not abandon him to his power
    or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

34 Wait for the LORD and keep his way,
    and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
    you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
    spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
    though I sought him, he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
    for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
    the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
    he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    because they take refuge in him. – Psalm 37:1-40 ESV

It’s hard not to worry about the wicked. They’re all around us. Many of them are in positions of power and influence in our country. Others are considered celebrities and stars. They write books, have their own TV shows, create music and art, and define what is in when it comes to everything from clothing to hairstyles. The wicked come in all shapes and sizes, and their wickedness is not always readily apparent or easily recognized. They seem to live lives marked by success, happiness, affluence, and popularity. So it’s sometimes easy to envy or desire to be like them. But David tells us not to worry about the wicked or to covent their lifestyles, because their days are numbered. Yet, we often find ourselves getting angry over the apparent lack of justice in a world where the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer.

Some of these people prosper despite lifestyles marked more by sin than anything else. David reminds us that “it is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich” (Psalm 37:16 NLT). To drive the point home, David provides a running contrast between the wicked and the godly. He paints a clear and memorable picture of the stark difference between these two lifestyles.

The wicked will soon fade.
But the godly will find shelter in Him.

This life is temporal, and its rewards are fleeting and ephemeral. While the wicked may appear to enjoy the good life in this life, they face a future judgment. The righteous may suffer in this life, but they have the assurance of God’s presence, protection, and provision — right here, right now.

The wicked will soon wither.
But the godly will never slip from His path.

Things are not always what they seem. What appears to be prosperity and unbridled success is often accompanied by discontentment and dissatisfaction. Wealth and fame cannot immunize anyone from disease, disappointment, or death. The wicked can hide behind the temporal trappings of worldly success, but their sins will find them out (Numbers 32:33). Yet, the righteous will find security and safety in this life by faithfully following the ways of God.

The wicked will be destroyed.
But the godly will be rescued by God.

The wicked stand opposed to God, and He has a way of holding them accountable for their actions. Their present prosperity and seeming immunity from justice will not last. God will have the last word when it comes to their eternal judgment. In the meantime, the righteous must maintain their confidence in God and trust that His eternal reward is far greater than any temporal treasure or pleasure a life of wickedness may offer.

The wicked will disappear.
But the godly will trust in the Lord and do good.

Leave the fate of the wicked up to God. He knows what He is doing and is not fooled by the deceitful ways of those who ignore His will and reject His sovereignty. Their cleverness and covertness make them feel invincible, but their fate is sealed. Nothing is hidden from the eyes of God and no sin goes unpunished. So, rather than worry about the wicked, the righteous need to spend their time doing what pleases God.

The wicked will be gone.
But the godly will never fall.

The righteous must maintain an eternal perspective. This life is not all there is. We are eternal creatures who have a long future ahead of us. This present life is just a blink of the eye in God’s plan for His children’s prosperity. While there will be trials and tribulations in this life, the one to come will be free from sin, suffering, sorrow, and loss. 

The wicked plot against the godly.
But God will take care of the godly because they are innocent.

This world is not always fair, and things don't always turn out how we think they should. But God is in control at all times, and His ways are always just and righteous — even when circumstances paint a very different picture. Because we are finite creatures living in a temporal world, we can't see the big picture. Present pain has a way of clouding our future perspective. But we must rest in knowing that God sees all and knows all. He has a firm grasp on what is going on in His world and has a flawless plan to mete out justice and reward the righteous — in His time.

The wicked snarl at them in defiance.
But God will expose the justice of the cause of the godly.

The prosperity of the wicked won't last forever. It may appear that they get away with murder and escape any form of justice, but God is not done yet. We can’t see what He is doing behind the scenes, but we can know that He will leave no sin unpunished and no wicked individual free from His judgment. 

The wicked draw their swords and string their bows.
But God is the fortress of the godly.

The wicked may appear to be powerful and unstoppable. Their string of victories over the righteous seems endless, but they are no match for Jehovah-Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts. They may win their fair share of battles, but the war between the righteous and the wicked has already been decided. 

The wicked kill the poor and oppressed.
But the godly live in peace and prosperity.

Despite all the injustice and inequities in this world, those who place their hope and faith in God can rest assured that He is with them and fights on their behalf. They are not alone and far from defenseless. Yes, evil exists, and atrocities happen, but that does not mean God is powerless or impotent. His ways are not our ways. His methodologies may confuse and confound us, but we must trust that He always knows what He is doing and His ways are always just, righteous, and good.

The wicked slaughter those who do right.
But the Lord directs the steps of the godly.

There are two opposing forces at work in the world. Satan, the prince of this world, has aligned himself against all that is good, righteous, and godly. He and his demonic minions stand in opposition to God and pour out their hatred on His children. The wicked of this world are in Satan’s grip and do his bidding, but their actions are limited by the sovereign power of God. As they do their worst, God is directing the steps of His people, guiding, protecting, and blessing them even as the enemy attempts to destroy them.

The strength of the wicked will be shattered.
But the godly will be taken care of by God.

Give God time. Let Him finish what He began and complete the plan of redemption He put in place before He laid the foundations of the world. Our victory is assured. The future is secure. God’s plan has an end, and the outcome has never been in question.

David continues his comparison between the wicked and the godly, pointing out the glaring differences between the two.

The wicked will die.
But the godly will possess the land.

The wicked will disappear like smoke.
But the godly will never be abandoned.

The wicked borrow and never repay.
But the godly give generous loans to others.

The children of the wicked will die.
But the children of the godly are a blessing.

The wicked wait in ambush for the godly.
But God will honor the godly by giving them the land.

The wicked look for an excuse to kill the godly.
But God teaches the godly right from wrong.

The wicked will not succeed.
But the godly will live safely in the land and prosper.

The wicked will be destroyed.
But a wonderful future awaits the godly.

The wicked will appear to flourish, then are gone.
But the godly will not be disgraced in hard times.

The wicked have no future.
But a wonderful future awaits the godly.

David wasn't a glass-half-full, perpetual optimist who refused to acknowledge the disparities and difficulties of life. He was painfully aware of the presence of the wicked. He struggled with their apparent success and seeming immunity from judgment. But he trusted God and knew that justice would be served. The wicked would get what they deserved and the godly would be blessed — in time and according to God’s perfect plan.

As believers, we are to put our hope in God. We are to confidently and faithfully trust the path He has chosen for us to follow and not worry about what might appear to be the unfair advantages of the ungodly. God is just, and He will deal with them in His own way and time. I can leave them in God’s hands and concentrate on honoring Him with my life and trusting Him with my future. He will not let the wicked succeed or the godly be condemned. He has it all under control. So don’t worry.

Father, thanks for this timely reminder from the pen of David. The wicked have always been around and they have always given Your people cause for consternation and concern. They appear so happy and so together. They seem to be getting away with their lifestyle of open rebellion to You, but You are not done yet. You are a just and righteous God who will make sure that all things are taken care of rightly and justly. They will not escape Your notice or Your judgment. I can leave them in Your hands and rest in the knowledge that You have me securely in Your loving grasp as well. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Dark and Light

To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the LORD.

1 Transgression speaks to the wicked
    deep in his heart;
there is no fear of God
    before his eyes.
2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes
    that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
    he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
4 He plots trouble while on his bed;
    he sets himself in a way that is not good;
    he does not reject evil.

5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
    your judgments are like the great deep;
    man and beast you save, O LORD.

7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
    The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
    and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light do we see light.

10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
    and your righteousness to the upright of heart!
11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
    nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the evildoers lie fallen;
    they are thrust down, unable to rise. – Psalm 36:1-12 ESV

In this Psalm, David compares the wicked with God. Both are realities in his life. As the king of the nation of Israel, David is surrounded by enemies – both within and without. He could witness and experience firsthand the attitudes and actions of the wicked as they interacted with him daily. Of course, David seems to be using the literary device of hyperbole to make his point about the wicked  – but only slightly. He speaks of their hearts being filled with wickedness. He describes them as being so blinded by pride that they are oblivious to their sinfulness.

In their blind conceit,
    they cannot see how wicked they really are. – Psalm 36:2 NLT

They display no fear of God, and everything they say and do is perverted by their own sin so that they are incapable of doing anything good or wise. Their wickedness is so pervasive that it inhibits their sleep and produces a non-stop obsession with wickedness. 

They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots.
    Their actions are never good. – Psalm 36:4 NLT

David imagines them lying awake at night, dreaming up evil things to do the next day. From his perspective, it’s as if they couldn’t stop doing evil even if they wanted to. While much of this is exaggerated, there is a certain degree to which it is true. Those who do not know Christ and have a relationship with God through Him are controlled by sin. They are slaves to sin (Romans 6:19). They are incapable of doing what is right or righteous in God’s eyes. This doesn’t mean they are incapable of doing anything good, but that the good they do will never earn them favor or merit in God’s eyes. Isaiah put it this way: 

We are all infected and impure with sin.
    When we display our righteous deeds,
    they are nothing but filthy rags.
Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,
    and our sins sweep us away like the wind. – Isaiah 64:6 NLT

So, in a way, David was right. The wicked – those who do not believe in God – are incapable of doing anything good. They are controlled by and enslaved to sin.

But then, David addresses the other reality in his life: God. While the wicked were always present in David’s life, so was God. Yahweh was a constant and consistent source of strength, encouragement, hope, and help. David describes God’s unfailing love and mercy, His unbelievable steadfastness or faithfulness, His justice and righteous judgments, and His ever-present salvation, care, provision, and protection. David describes God as the “fountain of life, the light by which we see” (Psalm 36:9 NLT). God not only gave us life, but He graciously maintains and sustains it. He makes every breath we take and every second we live on this earth possible, which is true for the righteous and the wicked.

God provides us with light so that we can see. In Hebrew, verse nine literally translates as, “In thy light we see light.” David is saying that it is only in the illuminating presence of God’s glory that we gain the capacity to see things as they really are. The wicked can’t see their own wickedness. But when we stand in the light of God’s glory, our sinfulness is exposed by His glory. The prophet Isaiah had just such an experience. 

I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
    The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” – Isaiah 6:1-5 NLT

Peter had a similar experience when he first witnessed Jesus performing a miracle. He and his companions had fished all night and caught nothing. But Jesus commanded them to go back out and cast their nets one more time. Unused to taking fishing advice from a Rabbi, Peter reluctantly obeyed, and what happened next would be a life-changing experience for him.

…this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. – Luke 5:6-7 NLT

Stunned by the results and convinced that Jesus was more than just a Rabbi, Peter “fell to his knees before Jesus and said, ‘Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man’” (Luke 5:8 NLT). In the light of Jesus’ glorious presence, Peter saw the depth of his own depravity. He experienced the truth of John’s words, which opened up his gospel account.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. – John 1:1-5 NLT

John goes on to say, “He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him” (John 1:10 NLT). The Light of the world came into the world to dispel the darkness, but those who lived in the world rejected Him. They didn’t want their darkness exposed. They didn’t want the Light to illuminate and eliminate the wickedness they had grown to love. Yet John writes, “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God” (John 1:12-13 NLT).

David was intimately familiar with the wickedness of man. He had experienced its pervasive presence in his own life. But he also knew that God was righteous and just. His ways were pure and free from any hint of wickedness. He could be trusted because He was always trustworthy. David had discovered God's faithfulness to be immeasurable and inexhaustible. God’s love was unfailing, and His mercy was unwavering. David would not allow the presence of the wicked to diminish his trust in God because he knew the Light would conquer the darkness. The wicked were no match for “the light by which we see” (Psalm 36:9 NLT).

With David, we can say, “Pour out your unfailing love on those who love (know) you; give justice to those with honest (righteous) hearts” (Psalm 36:10 NLT). We have had our darkness exposed, our sins forgiven, and our hearts transformed by the Light of the world. We were once just like those David describes in the opening verses of this Psalm. But because of the grace, mercy, and goodness of God, we have been given a second chance. We have experienced the truth of the prophecy first spoken by Isaiah and recorded by Matthew in his gospel account.

“…the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.” – Matthew 4:16 NLT

We have drunk from the river of delights, sheltered in the shadow of His wings, and fed from the abundance of His house. We have been enlightened and transformed by the life-changing power of God’s glorious presence, and while the wicked may prosper, they will never prevail. 

Father, we are surrounded by those who love darkness more than light and wickedness more than righteousness. But we used to be the same way. And we would still be that way if it were not for the gracious gift of Your Son. May we learn to love the Light and increasingly appreciate how it exposes our own sin. You are always transforming us into the likeness of Christ and that takes the exposure of our sin nature. It isn’t always fun to see, but it’s a necessary part of the transformative process. Thank You for Your patient, loving care for us. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.