Considering the Bible

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Before we begin this psalm that refers of the true king, pictures the Messiah, and describes the ultimate kingdom, it may be good to mention there is some discussion on the author. Per the ESV, verse 1 seems to speak of this psalm as originating (humanly) from Solomon, David’s son. There is an argument that the psalm was written by David himself (see the last verse) and he wrote it “of Solomon” in his reign, as David looked into the future potential of his son.

Although I am of the opinion David wrote this psalm, no matter how you see this topic, let us delve into this psalm that speaks over and over again of the greater Son of David, the true King of all.

Psalm 72:1  Of Solomon. Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!
Psalm 72:2  May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!
Psalm 72:3  Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness!
Psalm 72:4  May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!

David opens this psalm with one overarching topic, a topic that is of top priority in any government. This topic, if found in the government will provide the foundation for a lasting kingdom, providing security and prosperity to the people.

The topic is righteousness, and David uses multiple terms to describe this characteristic of the kingdom he foresees

72:1 – 0 Give the king your justice

justice (מִשְׁפָּט mishpâṭ, H4941) This term speaks of the act of judging, an action that rightly belongs to God Himself, who can judge properly and correctly at all times, for He alone is able to know all things affecting the decision, and to weigh the intangible aspects of the act (motivations and intent) being judged. David knows of the challenge this is for the King, and understands the critical need for God to provide!

72:1 – righteousness to the royal son

righteousness (צְדָקָה tsᵉdâqâh, H6666) Can you see the root of one of God’s name in this Hebrew word? JEHOVAH TSIDKENU In that earlier post we spoke of how there may be two righteousness’s in a culture or kingdom, one based on lies and violence and one based on peace and love. Of course, we live in a world where the claim of righteousness is based on lies and violence, but for David, he sought that righteousness that was not logical, not common, not familiar, but of God.

David is asking that the royal son be different than those kingdoms that surround him, that the son would listen to God for instruction in righteousness and not the neighbor kingdoms. And that God would grant him this righteousness!

72:2 – May he judge your people

judge (דִּין dîyn, H1777). This Hebrew word speaks of contending, or of pleading a cause. Might David be hinting to the act of directing the people, or a singular person, prior a decision to be made? Of course as a human king, David must be considering this for Solomon in relation to his inner court, for how could he anticipate all the judgements of his people.

And yet, this may be observed in Solomons judgement to cut the baby in half to bring to the truth the identity of the living child. In his “harsh” judgement, he plead the emotions of the true mother, and found the truth!

72:2 – he judge your people with righteousness,

righteousness (צֶדֶק tsedeq, H6664) This term is of the same root word as in verse 1, and as is obvious, connected with the description of God as righteousness.

72:2 – poor with justice!

righteousness (מִשְׁפָּט mishpâṭ). David speaks the same term here as in verse 1. He reiterates the need of the King to have God provide the correct understanding of each act needing a decision from the king, and produce the desired effect on the kingdom.

Note that he associates the poor (or afflicted) with the kings declaration of justice. It is too often the poor’s only defense against the powerful that the judgement of the government can be called upon. Thus the emphasis on the poor, for the powerful take whatever they want!

72:3 mountains bear prosperity … in righteousness!

Any government worth it’s salt is to provide a condition within the kingdom that provides the ability of it’s subjects to prosper. The environment needed for any within the kingdom to prosper is

72:4 May he defend the cause of the poor

Defend (שָׁפַט shâphaṭ, H8199). David continues his cry for the king to exercise righteousness, in the act of defending the afflicted. He has referred to the connection between righteousness and the poor in verse 2, and speaks again of the responsibility to judge rightly, or to govern in righteousness for the sake of the powerless, the poor and afflicted.

Some passages translate this term as “vindicate”. Is David speaking of not only a defensive position, but a proactive attitude, of not merely rescuing the afflicted, but fighting for them in righteousness? That seems obvious in theory, but David seeks it to be in practice for his royal son.

Consider

In all of this discussion on righteousness, David is setting the stage for the establishment of a kingdom that will endure.

Although we are directed to think of this psalm as being “of Solomon”, or describing the hopes David has for his direct son, in reality, this psalm speaks to the Son of David, the Messiah. Throughout this psalm David speaks of this king’s reign “to the ends of the earth”, that his name “enduring forever”, that “all kings fall down before him”, that his fame “continue as long as the sun” and that “all nations serve him”.

As we venture through this psalm, we will continually bump into statements that bring the Lord Jesus to mind, of the kingdom Jesus will (has) established.

For our passage this morning, note the basis upon Jesus’ governance will be established. He is the Righteous King, and has been granted this right not only through the fact He is God, but that He has suffered and bled for us, leading His kingdom through love, peace and self sacrifice.

He is the Righteous King!

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 71 is a psalm written by an aged saint, a man who had walked with the Lord through many trials and triumphs. Some think this psalm represents David’s thoughts as he approaches the grave, as he ages and finds his life coming to a close.

One thing that is obvious in this psalm, that whoever wrote this psalm had an intimate experience with the Word of God. I have heard the claim that in the 24 verses of this psalm, there are up to 25 references, allusions and hints of other psalms within this reflection of an old saint. He has saturated his life with the Word, to the point that even phrasing of the old book comes through this old man’s message.

It is truly a witness of the wise to engage in an early and consistent immersion into the Word of God for every saint.

Let’s take a moment to consider

Psalm 71:22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.
Psalm 71:23 My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.
Psalm 71:24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt.

In our last post, we reviewed the hope of this ol’ saint, the hope of resurrection, of being raised from the depths of the earth. In verse 23, he continues describing the works of God in his soul’s redemption.

God is elevated in His many works by this ol’ saint and not in the simple ways, but in resurrection and redemption. He speaks of God’s “righteous help all the day long”, and in that, it show’s the ol’ saint is watching for the work of God, that he expects and looks for the work of God in his life. He seeks the help, anticipates the help, observes the help and is thankful for the help.

As a matter of fact, the emphasis in this verse is on the righteousness of the help, specifically in this case of the shame and disappointment falling on his adversaries, who wanted to hurt the ol’ saint.

It is good to recognize the help of God as He works righteous acts in and through our lives.

But there is a concern I sometimes trip over as I seek to thank Him for all things. There have been too many times I have praised the Lord for something that favors my lot, yet may not exactly be righteous. Yes we are to give thanks in all circumstances, as 1 Thessalonians directs us.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

You see there is a difference between thanking Him for all things, and thanking Him in all circumstances.

Some things that occur in the believers life may be terrible, and may cause much heartache, disappointment and even despair. These things may even be the righteous acts of our loving Father, and in the pain, the believer may have to submit, but to be thankful for the pain is a difficult concept for me to understand. Yet as 1 Thessalonians speaks, it doesn’t address the believer to be thankful for the pain, but that in the circumstances, God is in the middle of it, and that is the focus of the thanks. It is looking to the source of the circumstance, the hand of God, and not the result of the righteous act, which may be causing great pain.

It is to look to the Savior, to be thankful He is with us, that though we may find pain and trial, to know that the hand of God is with us, that He has led the way and been faithful, that is what we can give thanks for.

This ol’ saint was thankful for the righteous acts of God in his life, and the way God rescued him from his very enemies. He is a saving God, a God who may bring struggles, but as we come to know Him as the loving God He has proven Himself to be, we can go through the trial with a thankful heart.

Oh, to be of a thankful heart O Lord!

Contact Me

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 71 is a psalm written by an aged saint, a man who had walked with the Lord through many trials and triumphs. Some think this psalm represents David’s thoughts as he approaches the grave, as he ages and finds his life coming to a close.

One thing that is obvious in this psalm, that whoever wrote this psalm had an intimate experience with the Word of God. I have heard the claim that in the 24 verses of this psalm, there are up to 25 references, allusions and hints of other psalms within this reflection of an old saint. He has saturated his life with the Word, to the point that even phrasing of the old book comes through this old man’s message.

It is truly a witness of the wisdom to engage in an early and consistent immersion into the Word of God for every saint.

Let’s take a moment to consider

Psalm 71:17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
Psalm 71:18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.
Psalm 71:19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?
Psalm 71:20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.
Psalm 71:21 You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.

This old man, this old saint who has known God, even from the womb somehow, who leaned on the Lord from before birth, speaks of the teaching work of God in his life. Out of this teaching ministry, the result for this ol’ saint was that he proclaimed the wondrous deeds of God.

He did not proclaim the wondrous works of God out of a vacuum, but had been taught, trained, led by God through many experiences, many trials, many troubles and calamities (vs 20). Given this experience of the leading of God, this ol’ saint does not presume upon his history, but is reaching out to God, seeking that God would continue teaching, that God would not forsake him in his old age.

What a tremendous spirit this ol’ saint had, that he still had a deep resolve to follow, tinged with the fear of God, not assuming but continuing to seek God in his last days.

One additional impression I have of this ol’ saint is that he doesn’t whitewash his pilgrimage with God, but admits that God made him experience trials and troubles.

Did I say one additional impression? Get a load of vs 20. Is that saying what I think it is saying?

Psalm 71:20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.

Yes, the ol’ saint has seem his many troubles and calamities, directly from the hand of God, but in this statement, he speaks of reviving, even bringing him up from the depths of the earth.

Now I have been told by some very respectful Bible teachers that the Old Testament does not speak directly of a resurrection for the faithful very often. One passage that stands out is Daniel 12:2.

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Granted, there are a number of passages that refer to, point to, imply of, and hint at the bodily resurrection of the faithful, but many are pictures of this truth, as in the Shunammite’s child, being resuscitated from death, only to eventually face death later on! 2 Kings 4:18–20, 32–37

Some are super clear, as in Job 19:25–27, and consider verse 26

And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God

Additional passages in the Old Testament that provide the hope of resurrection in various ways may be found at the end of this posting for those interested.

For our passage today, in verse 20, this ol’ saint provided a declaration of resurrection that is as clear as any in the Old Testament. As the Lord was dwelling on the Word, how this short passage must have impacted Him, speaking of the faithfulness of God to this ol’ saint, and the hope of resurrection for him in his last days. Jesus would soon enough face his last days, though as a much younger man, but the hope of resurrection was on His mind and in His heart, fanned by the promise of God to His saints!

Might Paul have had in mind this passage as he wrote to the Ephesians of the resurrection “process” of the Lord Himself?

Ephesians 4:9 ….He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?

He may have, especially in speaking of the lower regions, the earth, and that the psalmist spoke of the depths of the earth.

Additional Old Testament resurrection passages

• Psalm 16:8–11
• Psalm 49:13–15
• Isaiah 26:19–20
• Isaiah 53:10–11
• Ezekiel 37:7–10
• Hosea 6:1–2
• Jonah 1:17–2:2, 6–7, 10

As believers age, and have followed after the Lord during our pilgrimage, we can take the place of this ol’ saint, finding confidence in the faithfulness of God, even of the resurrection, for our God is the only God that has proven Himself to crush death under His heal!

There is a resurrection coming!

Contact Me

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 71 is a psalm written by an aged saint, a man who had walked with the Lord through many trials and triumphs. Some think this psalm represents David’s thoughts as he approaches the grave, as he ages and finds his life coming to a close.

One thing that is obvious in this psalm, that whoever wrote this psalm had an intimate experience with the Word of God. I have heard the claim that in the 24 verses of this psalm, there are up to 25 references, allusions and hints of other psalms within this reflection of an old saint. He has saturated his life with the Word, to the point that even phrasing of the old book comes through this old man’s message.

It is truly a witness of the wisdom to engage in an early and consistent immersion into the Word of God for every saint.

Let’s take a moment to consider

Psalm 71:14 But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.
Psalm 71:15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.
Psalm 71:16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

Remember our psalmist is in the midst of a battle that is possibly going to consume him, take his life and snuff him out! Was it not just a few verses previously, that he spoke of his enemies consulting to take his life?

Psalm 71:10-11 For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.”

I bring this to our memory, for he begins this portion with hope and praise. He has not won some lottery, or received a promotion at work, but is experiencing a life changing, life altering, possibly life ending event in this passage, yet has the eye of faith that will hope and praise God.

He has a history with God, and is entering his last days, but though weakened, he has a history with God, knowing that God is a faithful and loving God. With this history and the knowledge of the faithfulness of God in his life, he has the strength of spirit to raise up praise in the midst to trial, to hope in a seemingly hopeless situation!

And he isn’t shallow in his experience with God, for he speaks of “talking up” God all day long! He has a deep well of experiences to draw from, of a life where God showed up on a consistent basis, providing a deliverance for the saint, whether small or great, exhibiting His faithfulness.

But let me settle on verse 16, for that is a verse that speaks of the Lord Jesus.

16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

Did He not come to rescue us?

Did He not come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD? So many miracles! So many chances for the soul to admit He is the One!

Did not the Lord Jesus declare the righteousness of the God of Israel, the God of the fathers, the eternal God?

Did not the Lord Jesus remind us of the “onlyness” of God’s righteousness? Granted, I don’t think “onlyness” is a proper word, but hopefully you get my intent. Jesus spoke of God’s righteousness alone, and not of any others, but God’s alone! He minced no words in declaring that God alone is truly righteous, and that all others are not!

He spoke the truth for us, and though it is difficult to hear, His words are a balm for the weary soul, even as we submit to the truth that only God is righteous, and that we are not.

Jesus came with mighty miracles, reminding us of such a righteous God and our need for Him.

And He provided us the way, the truth and the life!

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com