Read Psalm 22

Summary

Some passages in the Old Testament have a very immediate link to Jesus, our Saviour. For instance, Isaiah 53 speaks clearly of the Suffering Servant cut off for his people. Psalm 22 is another psalm which speaks clearly of Jesus’ death in our place, especially as Jesus quoted this psalm as one of his “seven words” on the Cross.

Psalm 22 clearly divides into two parts. In the first twenty-one verses, King David cries for help and laments his present suffering, fulfilled most perfectly in Christ’s own suffering on the Cross. We see in this psalm a trusting cry for help, lament at his state, and lament at his suffering. In these verses, we see expressed the agony Jesus endured on the Cross for our sake written 1,000 years beforehand.

Our passage explained

v1-5

Psalm 22 begins with a trusting cry for help. The psalm cries out despairingly “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and asks why salvation seems so distant from him, despite declaring God his God (v.1). He feels like he cries out to God day and night, but God does not respond (v.2), abandoning him.

Despite his feelings of abandonment, David still expresses the basis for trusting God. He is holy and the subject of Israel’s praise, the God who “our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them” (vv.3-4). The Patriarchs and David’s ancestors before him trusted God and were rescued when they cried for help (v.5). Despite feeling abandoned, David trusts God because of his past covenant faithfulness.

v6-11

This confidence in God then leads David to lament at his state in verses six to eleven. He describes himself as barely human, a “worm” who is “scorned by mankind and despised by the people” (v.6). He experiences mocking and insults from those who see him (v.7), who mockingly state “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” (v.8).

But despite the mocking and rejection he experiences, he confidently appeals to God to rescue him! He recognises that God has been with him from his mother’s womb, and has trusted in him from his days as a baby (vv.9-10). Because he is David’s God in whom he has trusted all his life, he asks God to reverse the current distance he feels and “be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help” (v.11).

v12-18

The trouble he experiences is then described in a lament at his suffering in verses twelve to twenty-one. His enemies are described like bulls, dogs, and devouring lions surrounding him to consume him (vv.12-13, 16). He is weak and feels as if he is already dead, as he “poured out like water… bones are out of joint… heart is like wax, it is melted within my breast” (v.14). Because of his suffering, his strength is dried up, tongue stuck to the top of his mouth (in thirst), and as if God has laid him “in the dust of death” (the grave; v.15).

His suffering extends further. His hands and feet are pierced (v.16), can feel all his bones out of joint while bystanders mock and gloat (v.17). Even his final possessions, his clothes are removed and gambled over as a final indignity (v.18).

v19-21

Despite these indignities, David still expresses hope in God. He appeals again to God to come near, to “come quickly to my aid” (v.19). He asks God to deliver him from “the sword”, his life from the dogs, lions, and wild oxen which he previously described as surrounding him (vv.20-21). Even as his life fades away, he trusts God to faithfully save him from the hands of his enemies.

Our passage applied

While penned by David and possibly a poetic inspiration of many events in his life, these verses find fulfillment in the death of Christ. The Gospels identify this passage with Jesus.  Jesus cries out verse 1 on the Cross (Matt. 27:46, Mark 15:34), as the God he knew intimate fellowship with from the womb poured out the wrath of judgment for the sins of the elect on him.

Jesus experienced the mocking voices (Mark 15:29-32), surrounded by his enemies watching him suffer the agonies of the Cross while the soldiers gambled for his clothes (John 19:24). Jesus fulfilled and embodied this very psalm, which pointed forward to his suffering in our place.

Despite the great pain of abandonment, the suffering and the mockery, Jesus kept his hope in God. Jesus declared “it is finished!” (John 19:30) because the wrath of God described in these verses, applied by the hands of God’s enemies, was complete. He knew God would save him from death and receive his Spirit, until he would take his life up again.

In these words we too find our hope. God has heard our cries for help by sending Christ to redeem us from God’s wrath. Jesus was forsaken, so we could be forgiven.

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Read Psalm 21

Summary

Victories come for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, superior technology and technique. Sometimes, superior strategy and tactics. Sometimes, superior numbers. In some way, these victories occur because of superior strength. For God’s people, our victory is found not in superior numbers or more cunning cultural engagement, but in the strength of God who is supreme over all.

Psalm 21 expresses the praise of God’s people for their victory in God’s strength. God provides the requested help to their king (Psalm 20), and provides the victory. So God’s people praise God for his victories of old, the victories they trust will come, and for God’s power.

Our passage explained

v1-7

The psalm begins with praise for God’s victories of old (vv.1-7). God’s people praise The LORD because in his “strength the king rejoices, and in [his] salvation how greatly he exults!” (v.1). God had answered his prayers as he went out to battle, and “given him his heart’s desire” nor “withheld the request of his lips” (v.2).

The psalm describes the blessings given to the king by God’s victories. Using a picture of the king returning from battle, God is said to “meet him with rich blessings” and place his crown back on his head (removed during battle) (v.3). He asked that his life would be spared which God granted, and gave him “length of days forever and ever” – long life, considered a blessing in David’s day (v.4).

Through salvation on the battlefield, the king is described as receiving “splendour and majesty” (v.5), reflecting God’s attributes as his divinely appointed ruler. He receives “blessings forever” and the joy of knowing God’s presence (v.6), demonstrating God’s commitment to his covenantal promises to David (2 Samuel 7). This is emphasised by verse seven, which describes how the king trusts God, and will not be moved or shaken because of God’s covenant love and loyalty (“the steadfast love of the Most High”).

Psalm 21 transitions from God’s past victories to praise for God’s victories to come. Addressing the king, the psalm describes the victories God will work through him. This is described in language of curses on the nations which oppose God and his people.

v8-9

In verses eight and nine, the king’s enemies perish. The king will “find out all your enemies …those who hate you” (v.8). When he finds them he will “make them as a blazing oven” and God will “swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them” (v.9). Much like a blazing hot oven consumes everything in it, so too God’s judgement handed out by the king will destroy all his enemies.

v10-13

The destruction is then described as being a complete, comprehensive one. The victory will be so complete that the king “will destroy their descendants from the earth, and their offspring from among the children of man” (v.10). Losing your descendants was a customary curse in that time, and reflects the idea that there will be nobody left to avenge the enemies’ defeat.

Their defeat will be so comprehensive that despite their plans and mischief, they will not succeed (v.11) because God will frustrate their plans. The king will “put them to flight” when his bowmen fire their arrows (v.12), because of God’s intervention on his side.

The psalm concludes with praise for God’s power. “Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power” the people proclaim (v.13). They ask God to reveal his power and glory, and for all to see that God alone is exalted above all earthly powers. The victories of past, present, and future are the works of God’s hand. It is God who deserves the credit for victory.

Our passage applied

Much like Psalm 20, on its face it is difficult to understand how a psalm about military victories relates to the Church today. We do not have standing armies, or enemy nations we fight. But as we considered with Psalm 20, we do wage war against sin, and against the powers of darkness.

What this psalm reminds us of is that victory in our battle against sin is not won by us, but by God. It is Christ who crushed the serpent’s head (cf. Genesis 3:15) when he bore the punishment for our sins on the Cross, and rose again from the grave to defeat death. Christ is our king, blessed with a crown on his head and length of days forever, sitting at God’s right hand.

The Cross was the decisive victory over Satan, and over sin and death. Now God is advancing in battle against the armies of darkness, as the Kingdom of God expands until one day all enemies are put under Jesus’ feet. The Holy Spirit works in our lives to defeat sin, sanctifying us. No nation, people, spiritual power or principality can resist God’s hand. Even sin and death will one day be finally and comprehensively defeated.

So like God’s people in David’s day, we can sing Psalm 21 praising God for his strength and power, giving victory.

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Read Psalm 20

Summary

Throughout history it has been common for soldiers, in heading into battle, to pray and ask God’s favour for their cause. The people of Israel in the Old Testament also sought God’s favour when they went into battle. They recognised that God, their covenant-keeping Great King, was a mighty warrior and that all their warfare must be under his will and command.

Psalm 20 appears to be a psalm written for singing (in prayer) before battle by God’s people. The psalm splits into prayer before battle, praise for God’s anticipated victory, and petition for God’s king. In this psalm, we see a reminder that as we do battle with sin it is God we must ask for help, and God who gives.

Our passage explained

v1-5

The first five verses of Psalm 20 offer a prayer before battle. This comes from the people, addressed to the king and his troops: “May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! 

May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!” (v.1) The people pray that God would protect and listen to the king, who embodied the people as their leader before God, as he and his army seek God’s protection.

The prayer asks that God would provide help and sustaining power. “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion! May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices!” (vv.2-3). They ask that God would send help from his special dwelling place with his people, the temple in Jerusalem (often stylised as Zion in the Psalms) which was God’s “palace” in their presence. 

The people also ask that the offerings and sacrifices, presumably offered before battle, would be accepted by God. These offerings sought atonement for sin and also showed the dedication of the sacrificers to the service of and covenant relationship with God. As their covenant king, the people would expect that God would help his faithful servants who sought to serve him, and trusted him for forgiveness and deliverance.

Going to battle, the king would have had plans for victory and defeating his (and God’s) enemies. In verse four, we read that the prayer before battle asks “May [God] grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!” The people seek God’s blessing on the king and his army as they march to battle.

In verse five, the prayer looks forward to victory. “May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!” They pray that they will be among those who rejoice with the king and his army over their victory, as God saves them from defeat.

v6-9

The psalm moves from prayer to praise in verses six to eight. God’s people express their trust in God’s power to save, as they sing “Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.” The people clearly attribute the victory they anticipate to God’s saving hand, acknowledging it is God who intervenes to give victory to the king and the people.

In verses seven and eight, the people express their confidence in God, not force of arms, to deliver. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.” Chariots were the tanks of David’s day, but while the nations around trusted in military might, God’s people trust in the Creator God to destroy even the finest weaponry and the most powerful armies.

The psalm concludes with a petition for God’s king in verse nine. “O LORD, save the king! 

May he answer us when we call.” The people conclude their battle song by again asking God to deliver the king, and expressing their hope God would respond to their prayers when they petition him.

Our passage applied

As pilgrims on earth we do not have a piece of territory which is ours and over which we fight, but instead dwell among the nations, witnessing of God and his wonders. Paul says “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

While we wrestle against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil, and our own sinful hearts, this psalm reminds us that our strength is found in God, not us. Like the saints of old, we should pray that God would be with us, helping and sustaining us in the struggle, and win the victory for us. God has promised he will deliver us from our enemies to dwell with him for eternity. 

As we pray for our deliverance, we can also give thanks for our anticipated victory in Christ. Because it is God who we trust to deliver us, not the strength of our own hand.

Resources

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Read Psalm 19

Summary

“If God existed, he would give me a sign.” This phrase, and others like it, express the idea that God has not revealed himself sufficiently for people to know he exists and to give him the due honour and worship he deserves as Creator.

But though the distance between God and us, the creature, is so great that we could never know of the blessings found in him unless he revealed himself to us (WCF VII.1), we are not left to wonder of God’s existence. God has revealed himself to all men as Creator, and to his people as their Covenant Lord. Psalm 19 praises God for this truth.

Our passage explained

v1-6

In the first six verses of Psalm 19, we read of God’s Glory revealed in nature. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (v.1). All of Creation declares the existence and glory of God to all of us. God’s glory is revealed both “day to day” and “night to night” (v.2) as Creation metaphorically shouts from the rooftops of God’s existence and majesty.

The revelation of God is not limited by time, nor by location. In verses three and four we read that “there is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” Nobody is able to escape the proclamation of God’s glory, wherever they are.

The revelation of God’s glory is further described in verses four to six, compared to the sun. The sky is described as a “tent” which God made for the sun to dwell in (v.4). The sun races across the sky like an excited groom heading to meet his bride, or an athlete running his course (v.5), reaching all people (v.6). If the sun, which is so powerful (and was often worshiped) is set in place and limited by God, how much more glorious must God be!

v7-9

From describing God’s glory described in nature, the psalm moves to God’s glory revealed in Scripture. Noticeably now, God is described by his covenant name (translated “LORD”) rather than as the generic “God”. Scripture is described (using various synonyms such as Law, commandment, testimony) in verses seven to nine as “perfect … sure … right … pure … clean … true”. That God’s revelation in Scripture is like this demonstrates God’s glory, because what can really be perfect or clean or true unless it comes from one who is himself the same?

In the same verses, what Scripture does is described. It is described as “reviving the soul … making wise the simple … rejoicing the heart … enlightening the eyes … enduring forever” and are “righteous altogether”. Scripture teaches and wisens our simple hearts, brings rejoicing and true satisfaction, and demonstrates the character of God in its nature, enduring forever and being wholly righteous.

v10-14

The precious character of God’s revelation in Scripture is declared in verse ten. God’s words are “more to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.” Gold is desirable but more so Scripture. In ancient times nothing was sweeter than honey, but God’s word is sweeter to the taste.

The psalm concludes by encouraging our response to God’s revelation. If God’s Word is the sweetest and most valuable thing, then we must desire it. Reason is given in verse eleven, “by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” Scripture corrects and promises blessing for obedience. 

No wonder David seeks forgiveness from God for his “errors” and inadvertent sins, his “hidden faults” (v.12). Even more so, David asks that God “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me!” so he would not be found ruled by sin, instead of whole-hearted devotion to God (v.13). Instead, David asks that “the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer” (v.14). 

Our passage applied

That concluding prayer ought to be ours too, as we trust in God our fortress and our redeemer from sin. Not only has God graciously revealed himself as the Creator of the world which screams of his glory, but he has revealed himself personally to us and revealed his nature to us especially in his Word. 

Through nature and through Scripture, we are confronted with the God who Is There but does not leave us blind in our sin. He is the God who steps down to relate to us by revealing himself through his Word and through Jesus (who is God dwelling with us). Through Scripture, we are able to see God as he is, and what he has done for us, and respond to his mercy and grace. 

As we celebrate and rejoice in God’s Word, we rejoice in the God whose perfections and wonders it proclaims, just as all Creation speaks of his handiwork.

Resources

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Read Psalm 18

Summary

In the first half of Psalm 18, King David praises God, his rock and refuge, for the deliverance which God gave to his people. King David proclaimed for believers of all ages to sing of how God delivers his people from their enemies and protects them.

In the second half of Psalm 18, King David heaps more praise on God. He offers praise for what God has done for him, the King, on behalf of his people. He praises God for his grace, his victory, and his conquering. He completes the Psalm with a concluding praise to God always, for his wonderful deeds.

Our passage explained

v31-36

David’s psalm praises God for his deliverance, and then his goodness. David further praises God’s character by offering praise for God’s grace in verses 31 to 36. He rhetorically asks “who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?” (v.31).

In verses 32 to 34 he elaborates on how God is incomparable. It is God who equipped David with strength and helps him to follow his ways (v.32), who allowed him to escape his enemies like a fleet-footed deer (v.33), and equipped him with the strength and skill to fight (v.34).

But David recognises it was not his own strength and skills which gave him victory, but God. “You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great” (v.35). Spoke poetically, God saved David, supported him, and raised him to greatness. He also made David’s path plain in front of him, so he did not slip and fall injured (v.36).

v37-42

Since David recognises it was God that gave the victory, he gives praise for God’s victory in verses 37 to 42. He records how he pursued his enemies until they were completely defeated, unable to rise again (vv.37-8). It was because God “equipped me with strength for the battle” (v.39) and caused his enemies to fall at his feet, causing them to flee and surrender so they were utterly defeated (or destroyed; v.40). 

While David had God on his side, his enemies had nobody. They cried out for salvation, even calling on God himself, but God did not answer them because they were not his faithful servants (v.41) and were only calling on God to save them because of the crisis they were in, as David definitively defeated them, beating them “fine as dust before the wind” (v.42).

v43-45

Not only was it God that gave the victory, but God that enlarged David’s kingdom. So in verses 43 to 45 David gives praise for God’s conquering of his enemies. David’s defeat of enemies was not only external but internal. God “delivered me from strife with the people” ensuring his kingdom was internally secure, and “made me the head of the nations” by placing other nations under David’s reign (v.43).

The victory God gave David was certain enough to bring foreigners trembling to him for peace and rule. They come “cringing to me” and had “lost heart” coming “trembling out of their fortresses” because of David’s victories in God’s power.

v46-50

The victory and kingdom given to David causes him to offer praise to God always, in the concluding verses of Psalm 18. David is clear that God alone lives among all the so-called Gods, and blesses the source of his refuge and salvation (v.46). It is God who gave David vengeance over his enemies, rescued him from them, and established him as ruler over them (vv.47-8).

For these deeds David offers praise to God. He will praise God’s name among the Gentile nations, proclaiming what God has done (v.49). Because God gives salvation to his anointed king, showing his covenant faithfulness to David and his offspring forever (v.50), including the true anointed one of God, Jesus.

Our passage applied

The attitude of David expressed here encourages us to see the big picture. We struggle with our own sin and a world which in various times and ways may seek our harm because we identify ourselves with God. But it is not our own strength that we must rely on, instead it is God who gives us the strength and the skill to overcome. Like David, God equips us for war, but it is war against the flesh and the Devil (Ephesians 6:10-18).

God’s covenant love extends to David’s descendants forever, of whom the true and greatest descendant is Jesus, our king. It is through Jesus that we receive God’s grace and deliverance, through Jesus we receive victory over sin and death, and it is Jesus whose reign extends not only to his chosen people but will extend over all the nations.

Like David, our response should not be to proclaim ourselves but to proclaim God among the nations for what he has done. We praise and worship God the Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, joining David and other saints who worship God for his covenant love shown in all ages.

Resources

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Read Psalm 18

Summary

Many years ago I used to enjoy spending time in the Tararua Ranges, following tracks which climbed up and crossed the many peaks. Standing on the tops of the local mountains, it was hard not to get a strong sense of the permanence of those rocks jutting up into the sky, compared to my own weakness and transience. Those rocks up high were there before I came, and will be there long after I go.

Psalm 18, a Royal Psalm of David, celebrates the deliverance of God’s people from their enemies, inspired by David’s deliverance from his enemies (1 Samuel 22). The psalm is structured around God as a rock, a refuge for his people. In the first part of Psalm 18 (vv.1-30), God is praised for his deliverance, his saving act described, and his goodness praised.

Our passage explained

v1-5

Psalm 18 begins with praise for the deliverance experienced by God’s hand. God’s acts have driven him to praise and devotion: “I love you, O LORD, my strength” (v.1). God is then described as David’s rock, fortress, and deliverer, a rock “in whom I take refuge”, a shield, the “horn of my salvation” (think: power of a rhinoceros’ horn), and a stronghold (v.2). These words describe God as a permanent, secure hiding place, a powerful warrior, and a protector of his people.

David’s praise of God’s deliverance is explained in verses 3 to 19, where the appearance of God to deliver is described. In verse three, David states that “I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” God is worthy of praise, and when he is called upon, God saves David (and all his people) from their enemies.

v5-20

God’s appearance came because of David’s situation. He describes it as being near to death, where he is entangled by “cords of death/Sheol”, a torrent of destruction, and snares of death confronting him (vv.5-6). David cried out to God in his distress, and God heard “from his temple” as David’s cries “reached his ears” (v.6). Much like Israel’s cries in Egypt (Ex. 2:23-25), God hears the cries of his covenant subjects, and responds.

The response of God is then poetically described in verses eight to nineteen. God’s intervention is described like an earthquake (v.7), an angry divine warrior whose power is like fire (v.8), coming with majesty as he parts the clouds, descending like a storm (vv.9-11). The storm breaks on David’s enemies (v.12), consuming them and sweeping them away (vv.13-14). Even the foundations of the earth are exposed (v.15) as God rescues David, drawing him from the waters and placing him in a broad place because God delighted in him (vv.16-19). 

v21-29

The appearance of God to deliver causes David to proclaim the goodness of God in verses twenty to thirty. God delivered David because God is faithful to his promises; that those who seek to live after God’s ways will be delivered. David describes this poetically as having “kept the ways of the LORD” (v.21), having his rules before him (to obey; v.22), being blameless in his dedication to God (not sinless, but seeking to be covenantally faithful; v.23).

God’s goodness to his covenant people is demonstrated in his deeds. He is merciful to those who show mercy, blameless to the blameless, and pure to the pure, saving the humble (vv.25-7). By contrast, the crooked experience God’s wrath like a tortuous road, and the proud are humbled (vv.26-7). It is God who provides light for his people in the darkness, and helps people conquer insurmountable odds (v.v.28-9). God is perfect in his deeds, his word is demonstrated to be true, and he protects those who seek his safety (v.30)

Our passage applied

This psalm reminded God’s Old Testament people that their well-being was tied to the Davidic line. In the first half of Psalm 18, God’s power to save and deliver is demonstrated. Ultimately, this salvation is given to us by God through Jesus, a descendant of David. When Jesus bore our sins on the Cross the sky was darkened; when he returns in glory to finally rescue us and consummate his reign the sky will snap up like a roll and the heavens convulse.

God’s goodness to us, his people, does not change because God does not change. He is like a rock, a permanent fixture. He is a shield behind which we may shelter, a fortress to run to. We do not have to save ourselves, but instead we are freed to praise God for his goodness and for his deliverance.

Other nations rise and fall, strong men come and go. But God is a permanent fixture, a rock, and his anointed king Jesus is our deliverer from our great enemies sin and death. We can shelter in the cleft of our God, our rock, and trust he will protect us because his promises hold true: he protects those who call on him for salvation.

Resources

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Read Psalm 17

Summary

The troubles of life often compel us to seek refuge. We may try and find refuge in work, in hobbies, in family and friends, in substances (alcohol, drugs, etc), in nature, or a variety of other things. We instinctively understand refuge; children seek it in their parents, many games involve some sort of refuge (behind your crease in cricket or on a base in softball). Refuge is where we find rest and comfort from trouble.

Psalm 17 encourages us to find refuge in God. King David wrote this psalm to express his own need for refuge, and his trust in God to provide it. This is expressed through a prayer from a trusting heart, an appeal in the face of danger, and a prayer for deliverance and blessing.

Our passage explained

v1-5

In the first five verses of Psalm 17, David expresses a prayer from a trusting heart. David asks God to “hear … attend … give ear” to his request (v.1). David uses absolute terms of innocence to describe his approach, as he describes his cause as “just” and from lips “free of deceit” (v.1). He asks God to vindicate him and to “behold the right” (v.2) of his situation. This does not refer to a claim of sinlessness, but innocence of accusations from enemies and a trust in God as the rightful judge.

We see this described in verses three to five, where David expresses confidence that God’s testing of his heart will “find nothing” (v.3). David has resolved that he will not sin in his speech, as he knows the effect of sinful false accusations. He has sought to follow God’s will as revealed by “the word of your lips” (v.4) in God’s Word, and he has sought to walk according to God’s commands from which he has “not slipped” (v.4) unlike the “ways of the violent” (v.4).

v6-12

In verses six to twelve we see David’s appeal in the face of danger. David again calls upon God to “hear my words” and trusts that God will answer him. He trusts because of God’s covenant love, which he asks God to demonstrate as God has done in the past with those who have sought refuge in him (v.7). Here, David is demonstrating trust based on God’s prior saving deeds, such as the Exodus.

Like God’s acts of the past, David seeks God’s protection. He asks to be treated as “the apple of God’s eye” (a term of endearment) and to be hidden in the “shadow of your wings” like a mother bird protecting its chicks. (v.8). He seeks protection from wicked who surround and attack him (v.9), pitilessly attack to crush him and his followers (vv.10-11), like lions who attack a zebra on a wildlife documentary (v.12).

v13-15

David’s appeal in the face of danger is followed by a prayer for deliverance and blessing. David has sought refuge in God because of his prowling enemies. In verse thirteen, he asks God to “arise … confront him, subdue him!” Like David confronted lions in his shepherding days, he seeks God’s intervention on his behalf. He asks for God to deliver him from the wicked  “men of the world whose portion is in this life” (v.14). They have children, whose children inherit their abundance, but they do not remain to enjoy it (v.14). Wicked men receive their due in this life, God’s people find their portion in God.

David then expresses his anticipation of blessing. David declares he “shall behold [God’s] face in righteousness”. That is, he will know God’s presence. David hints at everlasting dwelling with God by stating “when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness” (v.15). Unlike the wicked who receive their due in this life only, those who trust in God and take refuge in him receive an inheritance in both this life and forever.

Our passage applied

David’s psalm encourages us to find our true refuge in God. While family, work, hobbies, food and drink, or nature around us provide moments of relief and distraction, they do not provide refuge for the weary soul. Instead, true refuge and protection from the trials of this life is found in trusting God, and sheltering in him. We will still be buffeted by the winds of life, but beneath God’s wings we will know his love, care, and protection.

That care and protection is for those who come to God with a trusting heart. We must come to God as David did, willing to place ourselves under the all-wise and all-knowing judgment of God. We can do so, because God has promised to treat us with mercy and forgive us of our sins and trespasses in Jesus Christ, who serves as our covenant head; giving us his righteousness and having borne the penalty of sin for us on the cross.

The deliverance that God offers extends beyond the present day to eternity. The wicked enjoy today, but not eternity. Only those who trust God will find eternal refuge, satisfied in enjoying God’s presence and his blessings.

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Read Psalm 16

Summary

Many of David’s psalms were written in response to events in his life. Psalm 16 is one of the exceptions, where it simply reflects David’s confidence in God alone to save him and hope in God’s promises. Psalm 16 expresses the confidence that God’s people should express towards God in life, whether things are swell, unwell, or hard to tell.

Our passage explained

v1-4

Psalm 16 opens with a cry to God for help. In verse 1, David cries “preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.” This expresses a continual prayer for God’s protection over him, because God is the one in whom David places his trust.

The trust David places is reflected in David’s worship of God, not false idols. David’s worship shows that he believes all good things come from the ultimate source of good – his covenant God. “I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you’” (v.2). 

His worship of God is reflected in his love of God’s people, of whom he says “as for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight” (v.3). David delights in God’s chosen people, whom he considers delightful.

The goodness of God and delight in God’s people is contrasted with false idols and their followers. “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips” (v.4). 

v5-6

David recognises that true good does not come to those who worship false idols (through calling on them by name and offering blood sacrifices), but ultimately increasing sorrows as they receive punishment from God both in this life and the next. David will not associate himself with these people or their idols, even for seeming momentary gain.

Instead, David expresses confidence in God’s promises to him. Picking up imagery from God’s giving the Promised Land as an inheritance to the Israelites, David says “The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance” (vv.5-6). His portion in God is certain and pleasant, unlike the sorrows of idol worshipers.

v7-8

David’s confidence in God extends to receiving learning and protection from him. “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken” (vv.7-8). 

David praises God for the teaching which God blesses him with, which he meditates on day and night (Psalm 1:2, Joshua 1:8). David knows that because he trusts God continually, that God is at hand to help (the right hand) and so he will not be moved.

The confidence that David has in God’s presence with him causes David to rejoice in God. In verse nine, David sings “therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices” because God is at hand to help and to keep him secure in God’s presence.

v9-11

But God’s helping hand extends beyond the present circumstance to eternity. “my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption” (vv.9-10). David is secure in God’s presence, both now and in the future, because God will not abandon David to death. 

But moreover, David is secure because in this passage David prophetically speaks of Christ’s resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:24-36, 13:34-39). It is through Christ’s resurrection, the true holy one of God, that David and all of God’s people dwell secure, and will not be abandoned in death.

The rejoicing in God which David expresses is summed up in verse eleven, the psalm’s conclusion. “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” God reveals to David the way to live, giving him joy in whatever circumstances he is in. The pleasant places and things which God gives David (v.6) will last throughout life and into eternity.

Our passage applied

Like David, we can sing with confidence of God’s help to us all our days. Through Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection from the dead (v.10) we are reconciled to God, and enjoy his presence. We can take refuge in God, because he has stepped forward to help us and to save us from sin and death. He promises us a beautiful inheritance as his children, enjoying his presence in a world made new.

This psalm encourages us to worship God, to rejoice in him, to take confidence in him. God is the source of all true good, and with him, his pleasures endure forever. We do not need to trust in any other, whether ourselves, other people, or false idols. God alone is the true source of goodness and confidence in which we can take refuge.

Do you want to sing along with David this song of confidence and rejoicing in God? This version of Psalm 16 expresses the joy and beauty of taking refuge in God.

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Read Psalm 15

Summary

What is it that allows us to come into God’s presence? Is it nice clothes? A long list of good works? Being descended from the right parents? Uttering the right words or providing the correct list of sacrificial items? The Bible is consistent in its answer to this question. Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, “but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). 

Psalm 15, a hymn sung as worshipers entered the temple grounds, also addresses this question, demonstrating that it is personal character which allows us to enter God’s presence. As we examine this list, we should all see that we fail to meet the ethical requirements listed; thankfully, Jesus has met these requirements for us so we may enter God’s presence by Christ’s righteousness given to us.

Our passage explained

v1-3

In verse one, the psalm poses a question: “O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?” The worshipers are coming to the temple (a permanent tent which replaced the tabernacle of the Exodus) to worship their covenant-keeping God, and so they ask who may come into his presence on Mount Zion, where God especially dwelt with his people.

v2-4

The answer to the question is found in verses two to five, where a series of positive and negative ethical standards are described. Firstly, in verse two, three positive personal characteristics are described: “He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart.” The one who draws near shall “walk blamelessly” in godliness, acts in righteousness, and speaks truthfully.

In verse three, the psalmist lists three negative personal characteristics to avoid. The one who may dwell with God “does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend.” The righteous one speaks truthfully, and does not speak lies (slander). He acts in righteousness, not committing sins and harmful acts against his neighbour. He does not cast slurs on someone because of their actions or their situation.

v4

In verse four, the psalmist returns to positive characteristics of the true worshiper. He is one “in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” The one who may approach God adopts the moral posture of God: he does not glorify and popularise the wicked (“vile person” refers to someone rejected by God). 

Instead, he honours those who “fear the LORD,” that is, those who worship God. The positive moral characteristics are rounded out by noting that he is a man who keeps his word, even to his own great cost.

The list of personal characteristics is completed in the first part of verse five with a final set of negative characteristics to avoid, both centered on money. The acceptable worshiper of God “does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent.”

v5

Lending to fellow members of the covenant community was banned (Lev. 25:36-37, Deut. 23:19) because lending only those in financial trouble sought loans. Imposing interest added to the poor person’s burden, rather than helping them. Likewise, taking a bribe “against the innocent” enriched yourself at the expense of someone who had done no wrong, and perverted justice: something the perfectly just God hates (Ex. 23:8). These sins affected the societal life of the covenant people, and so the acceptable worshiper would not act unethically in this way.

Psalm 15 ends with a promise to those who act ethically, in the last half of verse five. “He who does these things shall never be moved.” Those who act ethically will never be removed from the temple and from God’s presence. Instead they shall dwell with God forever. This does not just mean physical presence at that point, but eternal presence with God, enjoying his protection forever.

Our passage applied

As we work through this list of ethical characteristics which the acceptable worshiper must show, we must admit that we are not able to enter into God’s presence on our own merit. We are not blameless, but too often walk in sin, speak lies, love the evildoer more than the humble worshiper of God, do not keep our word, and have behaved unethically towards each other. 

None of us can say we have kept the positive characteristics completely, and avoided the negative characteristics entirely. Only Christ has. We all have gone astray like wandering sheep, but God has laid on Christ our iniquity (Isaiah 53:6) and given us Christ’s righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) so we may enter God’s presence to praise him.

Since God has enabled us to enter into his presence through Christ’s sacrifice and mediation, we know we shall enjoy God’s presence forever. As a result, we can respond in worship, already welcomed, by seeking to live ethically wholly, doing the will of God who has brought us into his kingdom by grace through faith.

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Read Psalm 14

Summary

What does it mean to be a fool? If you ask the average person on the street, then they will probably respond that it is someone who behaves or acts in ways that are silly and have bad outcomes for themselves or others. For instance, a fool may run out in front of a bus, or spend all their money as soon as they are paid, without leaving some aside for bills.

While these might be valid descriptions of someone who behaves or acts foolishly, the Bible considers the key sign of foolishness as someone who refuses to acknowledge God and worship him. Psalm 14 expands on this idea, lamenting a world which foolishly rejects God. The psalm provides a description of a fool, the fate of the fool, and the hope of the righteous compared to the fool.

Our passage explained

v1-3

Psalm 14 opens in verses one to three with a description of the fool. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good” (v.1). The characteristic of a fool is that they speak and live as if God does not exist, they lack the fear of God which is the beginning place of true wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). Their foolishness overflows in the way they act: their actions are corrupt and disgusting to God.

Verses two and three expand on this description. In verse two we read that God “looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” Despite the fool’s denial of God, God still observes all people to see if they seek him in prayer and worship. 

Instead God sees “they have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one” (v.3, quoted in Romans 3:10-18). What God sees is complete moral corruption, an inability to do good absolutely with a desire to motivate God (as opposed to relative good, which we all still do to varying degrees). He does not see good which saves, but the sinfulness of man.

v4-6

Verses four to six direct us to the fate of the fool. In verse four, the psalmist asks rhetorically “have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord?” The fools who think and live as if God does not exist, persecute and exploit God’s (and the psalmist’s) people easily and guiltlessly like someone who devours food. Their behaviour suggests a lack of knowledge of what awaits them.

Verse five indicates that despite their behaviour, fools live in fear of their coming judgment. “There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous.” Though the evildoers oppress and persecute God’s people, God is with them and will come to their aid, punishing the evildoers. For this they live in fear of what awaits them. The wicked “would shame the plans of the poor, but the LORD is his refuge” (v.6). God will protect his covenant people, and ultimately defeat the wicked oppressors.

v7

The psalm concludes with an emphasis on hope for the righteous already demonstrated by contrast in verses five and six. Verse seven offers a prayer: “ Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.” 

The psalmist prays that the promised day of salvation for God’s people would come, when God will save his covenant people and restore their fortunes which were harmed by the wicked. The prayer is expressed hopefully, as the psalmist prays for “when” not “if”, and encouraged all of God’s people to be glad at the promised salvation.

Our passage applied

We live in a world where people increasingly openly speak of Christians as foolish, actively seeking to exclude us and the Gospel from the public sphere. Yet this psalm teaches that it is those who accuse us of foolishness who are themselves fools. As Paul says in Romans 1:22ff, the wicked “claiming to be wise… became fools” and exchanged the worship of God for worshiping idols. We should not be surprised and ashamed of the Gospel and of God, for “the wisdom of this world is folly with God” (1 Corinthians 3:19).

We should not let our superior knowledge be an occasion for pride, but instead for witness. We have not figured these truths out ourselves, but God has revealed them to us (1 Cor. 2:10-12). God uses the folly of preaching to save those who believe, for the folly of this world is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” for salvation (1 Cor. 1:24).

Instead, we should rejoice that God has revealed his wisdom to us, that we may learn to walk in it. And we can rejoice that in a world of folly, the fate of the fools is judgment, while we will enjoy salvation and good fortune from God, our covenant king.

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