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 55.03

9 – Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 – Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it;
11 – ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace.

As suggested in our first installment on this Psalm, I am of the opinion this psalm is cry out to God in relation to the rebellion of David’s son Absolom, and his trusted advisor, Ahithophel, Bathsheba’s grandfather. David understood that success for the rebels depended on good planning, and wisdom in the fight. David resorted to a two pronged approach. Seeking the Lord for his safety, and strategic use of available resources.

First off, this prayer is David’s cry for help to the Lord in a very specific way, as he seeks to defeat those who rose up against him. Secondly, to divide (or confuse) the message Absolom hears will bring the greatest oppotunity for David to survive this threat.

David’s strategic use of available resource becomes available when he flees the city of Jerusalem, at such a low point in his life. As he is ascending the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered, he was informed that Ahithophel, his counsellor joined with his son Absolom in the rebellion. With Ahithophel, success (humanly speaking) was guaranteed for Absolom.

Yet in this lowest of low points for the king, a man comes to his service. Hushai the Achite arrived before the king with his coat torn and dirt on his head. He was in deep sorrow for the king and faithful in his friendship to David. As he presents himself to David in his sorrow, David – the warrior that he is – is not shy is seeing Hushai as a resource to defeat the rebellion. He surely is a bright star in David’s dark night.

Also note that Ahithophel and Hushai had history in David’s inner circle, and I assume they knew each other well. For Hushai to take on the espionage that David requests is very dangerous, for Ahithophel must surely know of Hushai’s prinicpal station in life as David’s friend.

1 Chronicles 27:33 Ahithophel was the king’s counselor, and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend.

Having laid the background to my understanding of this time in David’s life, and having Hushai go into the enemy camp with the goal of frustrating Ahithophel’s wisdom for Absolom is genius. But it is only the plans of a man, of a king on the run. Hence the cry out to God in verse 9 of our psalm.

Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city.

David saw the opportunity with Hushai, but realized the only success he truly had was in God providing the confusion needed for Absolom to make a critical mistake. Without Hushai, Ahithophel would have singular influence over Absolom. David may have seen this this as the critical point of success or failure in returning the the throne.

David’s prayer of confusion, of dividing thier tongues, of have two conflicting messages provided to Absolom, was only a plan, good as it was, but the execution and direction of Absolom’s decisions were dependent only on God. And David knew it!

Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.

The Lord indeed turns the heart of a king (and serf) wherever He wills, and David, in his prayer, was not shy about seeking God’s favor in the current crisis. David used the offer of Hushai’s service to set up a situation that God could turn Absolom’s decision into foolishness.

I believe David’s specific cry for help had this background in his mind. He sent a spy into the midst of the enemy, and provided an alternate message to Ahithphels counsel. Now it was up to God to steer Absolom’s decision. For further reading, see 2 Samuel 17:1- 23 for Hushai’s success with Absolom. Note how Hushai catered to Absolom’s pride with his counsel!

Considering the situation, that is Hushai’s sudden turn from his friend David and Ahithophel’s suicide based on Absolom’s decision to follow Hushai’s counsel, for Absolom to continue with Hushai’s counsel seems most unwise for Absolom. Why did he continue with his decision? Do I hear that pride motivator Hushai introduced into the argument ringing in the air?

Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

God is good, and God can use even the pride of man to bring glory to his name. May his name be praised.

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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 55

4 – My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 – Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.
6 – And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest;
7 – yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 – I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.”

Oh my goodness, do I resonate with this passage.

How often have I been under some type of stress, and my first reaction is to flee. Run away. Some nights my stomach is in knots, fearing the day’s events. As I take my time in the morning on my walk, I often want to succumb to the temptation to simply walk away from the days events. Don’t get me wrong, for these events are not life and death situations as we know David is impacted by, but though the depth of my fears may be far less than David’s, the reality of wanting to escape is just as real.

At times, the only thing that pulls me back from the brink of escaping a pressure situation is that there is no advancing in the faith if the wind is always at your back. An old Scottish preacher, by the name of  Alexander Maclaren, made a statement that rings true for all believers.

“So the psalmist’s wish was but a wish; and he, like the rest of us, had to stand to his post, or be tied to his stake, and let enemies and storms do their worst.”

Remember that David is facing near death on a daily basis within this psalm, and to make matters even worse, the threat is from a close friend. The wind in his face was tornado-like, and his daily experience was one of anguish, terrors of death, fear, trembling and horror.

Horror! This term is rarely used in the Old Testament, and David is admitting to being overwhelmed by this horror. What he was experiencing I cannot tell, and cannot relate to. Yet this passage smacks of the suffering the Messiah experienced on His way to the cross. He did not turn back, nor fly away on the wings of a dove, but fully embraced God’s will. And out of that obedience, He sent the Holy Spirit to comfort us in our times of anguish and fear.

He is good, and He is good all the time

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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 55.01

1 – To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.

Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
2 – Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan,
3 – because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

The history of this psalm is unknown, but we can deduce a few items from the psalm to give us David’s situation. First off, it appears David is speaking primarily of a good friend who has turned on him, a betrayer, even called out as a covenant breaker!

Secondly, this is no idle threat, for David describes his condition including the “terrors of death”, and of horror overwhelming him.

David was in deep trouble, with his life on the line, not knowing how close he was to being destroyed. A constant stress, a continual pain and agony of mind and soul. A period of time when the Lord did not answer his prayers, for his repetition of seeking God to give ear, to not hide, and to attend to David, smacks of disappointment in previous efforts of prayer to God. The stress builds, and the heart is failing, and the LORD seems to be quiet.

Note that the basis of his prayer is depending on the mercy of God, that he realizes he has no other claim at this time. He is an experienced man of God, realizing his failings in front of God and depending on God’s mercy for his rescue. As the Lord had promised his kingdom to be forever, it was not promised to David that he would live a long and extended life and as such, David understood that his life could be cut short without any blemish on the Lord’s promises to him. Yet he calls on the mercy of God for deliverance in this time of terror.

What was the source of this terror you may ask? David gives us the reason in verse 3.

Noise of the enemy/Oppression of the wicked

As we have mentioned in earlier posts, the Old Testament prophets, when writing in poetry, would use a method of “rhyming” thoughts as opposed to our method of rhyming the last words in a couplet of phrases. In two verses, the author would say the same thing with a slight expansion or clarification of the previous phrase. I think this is happening here.

The oppression of the wicked is equivalent to the noise of the enemy. Threats, verbal attacks, intimidation causing a sense of imminent danger produced the stress residing in David’s heart. Words are powerful, and our words, whether intention or not, may cause tremendous stress in other’s lives. David’s enemies were certainly taking advantage of this type of warfare. Our enemy also does this!

An interesting connection, that will undoubtedly increase the readers understanding of David’s stress level is the two following phrases he uses in describing the type of stress he is undergoing. This is conjecture, but I find the connection interesting, and plausible.

When David speaks of the enemy “dropping trouble on him” this has a similar sound as when he was escaping from the City of David, from his own son Absalom’s treachery.

1 Samuel 15:14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

David continues with the description of the enemies motives, calling it a grudge. Both Absalom and his chief counsellor Ahithophel may be described in this manner.

We know the background to Absalom’s grudge, and his ability to hold a grudge for extended periods. When Amnon rapes his sister, he holds a grudge for two years before acting on it! But then his grudge comes to fruition (as unforgiven grudges always do) in his planning and executing the premeditated murder of his brother. Absalom’s next grudge is exercised when he spends 4 years after returning to Jerusalem, grooming the populace for his rebellion against the king. Grooming the populace to accept him in order to take the kingdom from his father. Right in the City of David, right under the nose of his father!

As for Ahithophel, David’s actions in having Uriah murdered in battle may be coming back to bite him. Consider Ahithophel’s relation to Bathsheba.

2 Samuel 23:34 – Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

2 Samuel 11:3 – And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

Catch it? Bathsheba, it appears, was the granddaughter of Ahithophel. Consider the ramifications of that.

This psalm may be speaking of David’s condition in the potential loss of his kingdom, and if the kingdom was lost, surely his life was forfeit! At the hands of his son and/or his friend.

Treachery, mirroring the very treachery of an apostle who turned on the Messiah. David was spared from experiencing the results of the enemies threats, but for the Messiah, the threats were realized, for He was crucified, He was put to death by His enemies.

He experienced so much more than we can imagine, and His cause was to rescue us from those who hate us. We are to walk in the same manner as He did, loving His enemies and proving it through His sacrificial life and death.

But let it be known that our deliverance may not be as David’s deliverance, but nevertheless, we can and should trust Him in the times when the noise of the enemy is loudest.

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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. Our last portion of Psalm 54 is David’s response to the rescue of God from the betrayal of the Ziphites.

Psalm 54

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.

A short review may be in order.

God has provided the nation of Israel a king, one who is in effect a replacement for God. This replacement has now become a rogue king, in rebellion against God disobeying direct commands from the prophet, and has been formally rejected by God as being the king. Ever the faithful one, Saul does not step down, but forges ahead, seeking to maintain his position in front of the people. A true politician, instead of finding his authority in God, seeking approval from the people.

Enter David, a youth obviously destined for the throne, being chased down by the rogue king, under persecution by his own father in law! Yes, Saul was David’s father in law when he married Saul’s daughter Michal! Death was David’s future if he was caught by Saul, for Saul’s intentions were made clear when he threw the javelin at him in his home, in front of Jonathon.

1 Samuel 20:33 But Saul hurled his spear at him (David) to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.

Beyond the hatred of a father in law, consider David’s clansmen, the Ziphites. Seemingly, David hid in the hills of the Ziphites land, due at least in part to a level of trust he had in his fellow clansmen of Judah. A man on the run doesn’t hide amongst his enemies – at least not yet! Out of this trust in his fellow Judahites, betrayal reared its ugly head, and his very clansmen give him up to a politician!

In summary, put yourself in David’s shoes (sandals?) Your father in law wants to kill you, The nation is under the rogue king, recognizing you as his greatest threat, and as the ultimate authority in the nation, has resources everywhere within the land of Israel. The citizens of Israel are seemingly following the current authority, at least passively. Brothers in your tribe actively inform this king, who is hunting you down, of your whereabouts, even going so far as telling king Saul they will give him up. Finally, your continual condition of being on the run, in hiding, away from your family, on the edge of death, must be taking a toll on you. Darkness and despair is an option for David at this point, and certainly a very real temptation for David to fall into at this time in his life.

As David writes this psalm, I want to think he is writing it as the pressure is on. Writing the psalm prior to the deliverance of God from the clutches of that king. If my assumption is correct, when David speaks next, his desire to offer a freewill offering is quite shocking.

Now a freewill offering is a offering of thanksgiving, an offering that is not required. It is simply an offering to God because of a thankful spirit, understanding the goodness of God and his provision and protection. Note also that his first reason for this freewill offering is the goodness of God’s name. Yes, David also speaks of the deliverance to be provided in the next verse, but the first thing on David’s mind is the name of God, the character of the God he worships. At this particular time of betrayal by the Ziphites – remember they tried twice to give up David to Saul, – God gave David respit from his enemy by pulling Saul away from the chase in order to fight against the Philistines.

So close to being caught by the enemy! I like the sentiment Spurgeon provides when he speaks of David’s life. “David lived a life of dangers and hair-breadth ‘scapes, yet was he always safe.”

Not so for the greater King, the Lord Jesus, for though He was persecuted by the politicians of His day, and was betrayed by His friend, as David was, He was overtaken by death. Yet the deliverance of God that was to be provided, was not protection from death, but the provision of life through death.

He was delivered from this enemy through the resurrection. God has truly delivered Jesus out of all trouble, and in this deliverance, secured provision and protection for those who follow after Him.

He is good, and He is good all the time!

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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 54

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.

We discussed the Ziphites, and the type of character these clans men of David had in these men in our last post. In this current writing, we will consider how David understands God.

God our Helper

He begins with a description of God as his helper. This particular word provides the image of the helper surrounding the helpless one, of protecting the one in need. Our God is One who is a helper, One who protects those who fear Him. I can not help but think of Psalm 91:4 as a similar sentiment in this description of our God as our protector, helper.

Psalm 91

4 He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

As a mother eagle covers her helpless chicks, so our God covers his people with his love. Consider that the mighty eagle has far greater abilities (as does our God) than to simply provide a defensive cover for her chicks, but the protection described here is an act that gives security, a sense of safety, a nearness of strength and an experiential comfort for the chicks.

Also, this position of covering by the mother eagle is a stance of self sacrifice. Any intruder or attacker will have to go through the mother before they get to the helpless chicks!

God our Upholder

Not only is God David’s protector, but God is the upholder of his life. A term that is synonymous with upholding is sustainer. God is not simply protecting his children that have no other needs. He is not simply a protector, but He sustains us. We can claim nothing in us as independent of God, for He is the source of life. Not only is He the source of life, but the continual provider of life, for He is as a river of life providing a continual source of life for his children. He is not One who provides life to His child and then says “Good luck with that”, or “Hope everything turns out while I look the other way”. He sustains us, upholding our heart, soul and body for His pleasure.

Regarding verse 5, David declares, based on the faithfulness and righteousness of God, that evil will return on these foreigners, these men who claim to be of the nation of God. There is little said in the future passages of King David’s reign regarding the Ziphites. One passage recounts these treacherous, ruthless men trying a second time to betray David – yes they betray him a second time – (See 1 Samuel 26:1-4) but after that disgraceful act, Scripture seems silent on this family of the tribe of Judah.

History though, speaks of the land of the Ziphites becoming a royal estate/vineyard. The true King redeemed the land from these treacherous men, just as our King will redeem this earth from the clutches of betrayers, becoming a fruitful vineyard and a place for royalty, as it should be, for the King has the right to rule over His Kingdom!

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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.

In our introduction to this psalm, we considered the Ziphites, those treacherous, man pleasing Israelites who sought to rat out David to king Saul. Since then, I have found that the Ziphites were a clan of one specific tribe of Israel. The tribe they belonged to was of the tribe of Judah, David’s own tribe!

This betrayal reminds me of the betrayal of Judas, in that David surely expected to have confidence in his own tribal family, and yet we find David once more reflecting the future greater King Jesus in his betrayal by a confidant. Truly the Ziphites are a picture of Judas, in that both were in close association with David/Jesus, and both the Ziphites/Judas used sensitive information for their own act of betrayal. They gave up their “friend” to a godless authority, who was a replacement for God in their lives.

But alas, I need to focus on the Psalm, for that is the purpose of our time together. Let’s consider David’s thoughts.

Psalm 54

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

David calls out to God in prayer, seeking salvation from the treachery of his clansmen. From those who were his very family! How this must have added to the emotional pressure to drive David into despair! Yet, he seeks salvation by the name of God, which is in my mind, a fantastic turn of phrase for David to record.

Save me by your name.

I am currently enjoying, by the providence of God, a study in the Names of God as revealed in the Scriptures, and when the term “name of God” comes up, multiple characteristics of our Savior are brought to mind. David, in looking to God for his rescue in this betrayal, depends on the character of God, the God he has understood, the God he has experienced. A saving God, not only from a bear and lion when he was in the fields, but from a giant named Goliath. He experienced God as a saving God, and to that “type” of God he called out to. It was no theoretical deity he was calling out to!

He also looks for vindication by the might of God. Vindication is an interesting term, for when I think vindication, I think revenge. Earlier in the Psalms, David has requested vindication (See Psalms for Psome – Ps 43.01). Based on these earlier studies, I am not convinced David is simply looking for a one sided judgement against the Ziphites, for though he states “vindivcate me”, using the term vindicate is a request to judge, or to execute judgement. David is allowing God to make a judgement on who is the guilty party, and though David may have a clear conscience in the circumstance, yet he is allowing God to teach. He is not simply pointing a finger to the Ziphites and seeking God to condemn them, to pass some sentence on them. He is asking for God’s judgment on both parties!

Centuries later another man seeking God’s will, provides this humble attitude for our instruction, reminding us that God is the ultimate Judge, and that we all shall be judged by Him, and not by our own feelings, confidence or reasonings!

1 Corinthians 4

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

But who were those whom David sought salvation from? How did David describe his fellow clansmen?

Strangers

Those Ziphites were strangers. David, how can you say that? They are men of Israel, even of your own clan of Judah! Yet even in this description, we are given a chance to remember that bloodlines mean nothing in the family of God. True, they came from the same father, from Israel’s fourth son Judah, many years ago, but that did not guarantee their standing before God. Numerous passages in the Old Testament contain this Hebrew word, and the word is translated sometimes as “foreigners” with some ominous implications. Two passages, from the prophet Isaiah, may provide this understanding.

Isaiah 1:4, 7

Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.

Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.

Note in the first verse, the very nation of Israel is called out a utterly estranged. They have become as foreigners the the very covenant of God they belonged to. Not three verse later, the same term describes the foreigners/strangers are those who devour the land. The Ziphites are described in the same manner as the Babylonians who destroyed the nation of Israel, taking them into captivity.

Ruthless

David continues to describe the Ziphites as ruthless men. These men had sensitive information for the king of Israel, and calling them ruthless describes their intent and actions. They we influential, and had the information to destroy the future king of Israel. As we often hear nowadays, “Information is power”! So true for the Ziphites and they used this information ruthlessly.

David’s last description in verse 3 simply states the source of this decision by the Ziphites to betray their own brother. They do not set God before themselves! Selah, or take a moment to consider this statement!

Those who seek favor from a God replacement must not be setting the True God before themselves. How could someone seek a man’s favor when they know God actively in their lives? David is giving us the source of the Ziphites core condition in this short phrase. They have decided (whether actively or passively) to not set God before their eyes!

Conversely, the believer will set God before their eyes in a purposeful, intentional way. Without this core action on the part of the believer, we will fall into justifying socially acceptable deeds, such as informing on an enemy of the state, or simply gossiping about a work mate, instead of understanding God’s ways and seeking to follow His will.

As believers, we need to know the will of God and be willing to reject the attraction of socially acceptable behavior. What think ye?Shall we not, as believers, seek to avoid looking like strangers to the covenant God has provided, and acting as ruthless men?

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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 54

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

As we begin in Psalm 54, some background information is critical to consider. Even David, at the time of his writing this psalm, provided the reason for this psalm of thanksgiving, and it will do us well to understand his situation.

David was on the run from king Saul. He had been anointed king of Israel, and Saul was having none of it. As the king of Israel, Saul had the resources of the government, and of those who seek his allegiance as the authority in the nation.

As an aside, this is one of the fallouts when we replace God in our lives with a human leader. The transferred allegiance to a mortal leader can divert from God’s will, even becoming a tool to persecute those who seek to follow God. So treacherous and yet such an appearance of godliness!

Let’s take a moment to review the passage in 1 Samuel 23, where the treacherous Ziphites approach king Saul to inform him of David’s whereabouts.

1 Samuel 23

19 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?
20 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.”
21 And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me.
22 Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning.
23 See therefore and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you. And if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

I am curious if the king required his subjects to “rat” on David. Had an edict, or law been passed that required citizens of the nation of Israel to report on David’s whereabouts? I haven’t found anywhere in the text where Saul formally distributed an edict amongst the citizens of Israel, requiring the citizens to inform on David’s whereabouts. Yet it must have been common knowledge that Saul was after the future King. Hearing of the King’s desires can be as powerful as a formal law for those who seek the Kings favor. And of course, as we read in this background passage, the Ziphites were definitely seeking the king’s favor.

The Ziphites were from the area defined in the map to the right, which also provides the location of Horesh, where David was in hiding, and where the Ziphites were able to locate him. Yet notice the distance to Gibeah, where the Ziphites had to travel to inform Saul of this development. It is close to 25 miles as the crow flies, approximately a days journey for the Ziphites to get to Saul. A days journey there and a days journey back! These folk were determined to get on Saul’s good side!

They bring him good news, and then he, as king of Israel, sends them back for verification. Never enough eh? Give me more information says Saul. This is the spirit of a bossman, a man who is never satisfied, a proud man that uses people.

Notice also that king Saul blessed these folk, but as we well know, these men were treacherous men, seeking to find favor with a king that has had the kingdom taken from him. Did the Ziphites know of Saul’s loss of the kingdom? That is uncertain, but Saul’s vengeful character, his selfish manner and his desire for power should have given the Ziphites guidance on the wisdom of sharing this information.

They should have considered who they were telling secrets too, for I was once told that if a man complains about someone to me, he will complain about me to someone. It is a rare man (or woman) who considers the person’s character he reveals info to, instead of simply looking for instant gratification, as the Ziphites seem to be seeking. Certainly, the Ziphites were ignoring Saul’s character, being deceived by his godly platitudes and were not recognizing the type of man they were revealing sensitive information to.

It is our wisdom to understand those we share sensitive data with, as the Lord himself has informed us in the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Definitely the need for wisdom is paramount for us as believers in today’s treacherous world, and yet we can have confidence in sharing the love of God with those we come in contact with. He is good, and provides direction in our lives as we look to Him. In all our discussions with those we come in contact with, let us not seek the favor of anyone other than the Lord Himself.

I have spent a bit of time reviewing the context of David’s condition as he writes this Psalm. We shall return to our Psalm in our next post, where David pours out his heart concerning the impact these Ziphites were causing in his attempt to stay alive.

May God bless you as you seek his way this wonderful day.

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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.

We are visiting Psalm 53, which upon even a cursory review, sounds very familiar. So it should, for it is almost identical to Psalm 14, and with that similarity, I would like to consider the similarities and differences each Psalm is communicating. This post will consider verse 3 of the two Psalms.

Psalm 14	Psalm 53
3  – They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.	3  – They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

Psalm 14:3and Psalm 53:3 are identical in all aspects but for one. Is there a difference between turning aside and falling away? Let’s consider this difference in today’s post.

Psalm 14	Psalm 53
turned aside	fallen away
Strongs H5493, סוּר çûwr, soor	Strongs H5472, סוּג çûwg, soog
Genesius’ Hebrew Lexicon defines this term as – to turn aside, to go away, to depart.	Genesius’ Hebrew Lexicon defines this term as – to go away from, to draw back. This term is sometimes associated with backsliding, or moving away
TWOT #1480a	TWOT #1469

I gotta admit something. I am trying to find a difference between Psalm 14:3 and Psalm 53:3, but I can’t!

Though the action taken by the fool is defined by two different Hebrew words in the verses, the Hebrew words are very closely associated (synonyms?). The translation given also provides similar, if not identical actions. The fool turns away from God. The fool falls away from God. Granted, as I took my preliminary read of the two verses, I started thinking falling away is less of an intentional act than turning back, but again the Hebrew words do not allow me to follow that seeming difference.

All that to say, the message is the same. The fool departs from God! This is simply a logical outworking of the contemplation of the heart – no God! No restrictions, and no responsibilities to behave properly with our neighbor! I gotta admit that I sometimes pull a magnifying glass out and try to study little differences in words, when I really just need to pull back and look at the big picture.

Note that David is returning to the concept of corruption. Remember in verse 1, David stated that “They are corrupt”. In this verse, David is describing the group of fools as having “become corrupt”. Which is it David?. They are corrupt or they are becoming corrupt?

Individual or Social?

Although I have no authority in backing up this suggestion, I would like to offer a thought for your consideration. In verse one, might David be referring to an individual fool, and that as an individual, the corruption is a fact. The internal heart condition is in a state of corruption, the degree of which may be different for each fool. Is the corruption evident? Possibly, even probably to a degree, but as the fool continues in his heart contemplation of rejecting God, the evidence of corruption becomes clear.

In verse 3, David includes the descriptive term “together” which I think may hint at the corruption of a group, in contrast to the individual. Is it not true that as an individuals inner corruption becomes evident, it emboldens others to reveal, even boast in their their corruption, allowing for the social fabric to show forth its total corruption. Notice that the verse starts out with this group inclusion thought, by stating “They have all fallen away”.

The last phrase may also support this idea of a group of fools being addressed, in that David emphasizes a singular fool in the midst of the group when he states… “there is none who do good, not even one.” Let me know your thoughts in the comment box below.

With all this analysis, let us remember that the departure from God, corruption that follows and eventual evil acts produced, flows from a heart that rejects God. Every day that we ignore God and His will, we slip towards corruption, to falling away, and to evil acts. This ought not to be, for as the people of God, He has called us to life (not death & corruption), to walking uprightly (not falling away), and to being fruitful believers instead of workers of iniquity.

Spend some time with the One who gives life, righteousness and the fruit of love. He is the fountainhead of all blessing!

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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.

We are visiting Psalm 53, which upon even a cursory review, sounds very familiar. So it should, for it is almost identical to Psalm 14, and with that similarity, I would like to consider the similarities and differences each Psalm is communicating. This post will consider verse 2 of both Psalms.

Psalm 14	Psalm 53
2  – The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.	2  – God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.

Verse 2 provides a striking difference between the two Psalms. Who is looking down from heaven on the children of men? Psalm 14 speaks of the LORD looking down, whereas Psalm 53 speaks of God looking down on the children of men. What shall we make of this difference?

I have coincidentally just begun a series on the names of God and of course these two primary names of God are considered.

• Names of God – ELOHIM (GOD) – 1
• Names of God – JEHOVAH (LORD) – 2

At this time, let us consider if the difference in using two names for God in these psalms may indicate different intended audiences. When we see that God is addressed in Psalm 53, we may understand the audience to be of the more general audience, those not only in the Siniatic covenant (Israel) but of all who have consciousness, alive within this created world. In contrast, when Psalm 14 addresses God with the revealed covenantal name of LORD (Jehovah/Yahweh), David may be targeting the covenantal people of God

Given that in Psalm 53:1, David described the works of the fool as abominable iniquity, and not simply abominable deeds in Psalm 14, may also support this difference in who is looking down on the children of men. Psalm 53, in being directed to a general audience, and may reflect the authors desire to make a point with those outside of the community of faith. Their deeds are incredibly offensive to God. Those outside the community of faith need to understand their plight, for they may not have access to the law of God that provides guidance for their lives, (and conviction of sin).

Are you in a covenant with God, and do you know Him? To avoid the stigma and condemnation / judgement of doing abominable deeds, we must find life in the Son and hold fast to His leadership in our lives.

Without Him, we are all without hope.

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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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As we have been venturing through the Psalms, getting lost in the volume of the book, and the many nuggets of truth laid out for believers, I have come to realize (again and again) the beauty of the book, the depth of the book, the expanse of the human experience the book describes and allows us to join into.

We started with a quick dip into one of the most amazing chapters in the Word, one that has impacted my life in various stages of my Christian faith. It is a psalm that spoke to my wife and I as we were reading that night, but it began a journey through the psalms that has continued for over a year, and I suspect may continue to hold me.

With that said, I would like to offer those who read my bumbling efforts to understand one of the great books of the greatest book ever delivered to the human race, an ongoing summary of the findings and blessings I have enjoyed discovering.

Psalms for Psome – Ps 41.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 41.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 41.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 41.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 42.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 42.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 42.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 42.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 43.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 43.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 44.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 44.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 44.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 44.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 45.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 45.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 45.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 45.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 45.05

Psalms for Psome – Ps 46.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 46.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 46.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 47.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 47.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 48.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 48.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 48.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 48.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 49.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 49.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 49.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 49.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 49.05

Psalms for Psome – Ps 50.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 50.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 50.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 50.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 50.05

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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.

We are visiting Psalm 53, which upon even a cursory review, sounds very familiar. So it should, for it is almost identical to Psalm 14, and with that similarity, I would like to consider the similarities and differences each Psalm is communicating.

The first item to review is the topic of a fool. Both psalms speak of the “fool” and in our modern way of understanding, to call someone a fool implies one who is deficient in understanding, judgemnt or sense. One who is easily tricked, or made to look foolish/stupid. This is not the primary meaning of when the Hebrew mind read this word.

The term found in both psalms is nāḇāl, and if you think back in David’s life, you will recognize this noun as a proper name of one of David’s enemies.

1 Samuel 25:3 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite.

Note that the Scripture gives us a character description of the man named “fool” as being harsh and badly behaved. Nothing to do with intelligence directly, but a commentary on his lifestyle and behavior. To be a fool (nāḇāl) in the Hebrew mind was to reject God’s authority and influence, being controlled by the baser elements of the earthly life.

David is not making a commentary on the intelligence of the one rejecting God, but on the moral standing of that one. With that short introduction, lets consider our first verse.

Psalm 14	Psalm 53
1  – To the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.	1  – To the choirmaster according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.

Note that Psalm 53 has the additional instruction of “according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David”. Mahalath, from what I have found, refers to an instrument, possible a harp, along with the description of David the psalm as a maskil. This is another mysterious word, but many scholars lean to the idea that this word describes a contemplation or an instructive message.

For Psalm 53 to include this addition may emphasize the seriousness of the message, since Mahalath also may have a sense of mournfulness, sadness or entreaty.

The fool contemplates the existence of God in his heart. During this contemplation, he concludes that there is either no God, (as the translation records – “There is no God”) or that the fool rejects God’s authority over him, by saying “No God”. For you see, the Old Testament text does not include specific words that may be translated as “There is” – see snippet from the Blue Letter Bible to the right.

Either an athiest or a rebel – Which my friend do you consider to be the worst fate?

This is the beginning of becoming the fool, for without God, there are no lasting standards defining right from wrong, and therefore all things are relativistic, according to multiple authorities, with inevitable conflicts. Truly a foolish way to live!

Corrupt

David continues in the first verse of both Psalm 14 and 53 to describe the outcome of this contemplation. Both Psalms speaks of corruption, of a spoiling or rotting, even of a perverting of their very nature. Their very nature or character is being destroyed by this thinking, falling to baser and baser levels of existence. They are literally rotting on the inside. After David’s description of the fool’s character, he goes on to to describe the works produced by this fool.

Abominable Deeds/Iniquity

This is where we find a difference in the Psalms we are looking at. You see, Psalm 14 speaks of deeds, whereas Psalm 53 brings the darker concept of iniquity into the equation.

Psalm 14	Psalm 53
they do abominable deeds	doing abominable iniquity

Psalm 53 raises the stakes in speaking of abominable iniquity. Both describe the activities as abominable, that which is abhorrent, but with the added concept of iniquity, Psalm 53 becomes an even darker description of the fools works. Iniquity speaks of injustice, including violence, which if considered, will always become the end result of a life with no standards. This is the end result of saying “No God”

Uniform in not Doing Good

A final description within both Psalms speaks of this group of fool as being homogeneous, pure and without any deviation in their work of doing good. That is, no-one that contemplates the non existence of God, or that refuses to bow before Him, performs any good. To say that no one does good, for some, implies that the fool cannot even understand goodness or righteousness. Yet, let’s remember that David is speaking of actions when he speaks on no one doing good, based on the contemplation of the heart.

Yes, the heart, if hardened beyond reach, this condition sets the fools actions into inevitable evil and injustice. Yet, I am not convinced the contemplation of the heart is necessarily complete in any fool, for I too (as you may be) lived a fools life and contemplated a life of the rebel, saying no to God. In His mercy, He invited me into a living relationship with Him, and by His grace, He is pulling me out of a life of injustice and violence.

Are you contemplating saying no to God? My friend, consider you ways, for a life of rejecting God will lead to a life of injustice. A life of walking with Him will produce love and peace, both internally and as an outworking of the heart into the lives of others.

Don’t be a Nabal!

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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 52:8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
Psalm 52:9 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.

David has just described the doom of the mighty man, along with the reaction of the humble man to the “breaking” of the mighty man.
We considered what it meant to be broken and what seeking refuge in his own destruction may be describing. (Who in their right mind would seek refuge in their own destruction).

David, in our portion this time, describes his own experience in relation to God. He is like a green olive tree, and when I hear the term olive tree I think of God’s covenant relationship with His people. See Jeremiah 11:16 for an example.

Jeremiah 11:16 – The LORD once called you ‘a green olive tree, beautiful with good fruit.’ But with the roar of a great tempest he will set fire to it, and its branches will be consumed.

Not only does the green olive tree remind me of the relationship God had with His nation Israel, it also reminds me of the new covenant we enjoy under the Lord’s authority today.

But beyond all that, I think of the wonderful oil that is produced from the fruit of this tree. The olive oil that is produced by the crushing of the olive fruit. A crushing of the fruit that hearkens to the crushing of the Savior, the crushing of His body to bring about the spiritual oil that anoints those who seek the Master. But we must not forget that it was a crushing that was required to produce this blessing, and as he hung on the cross, taking the punishment we – I – deserved, He was also undergoing a crushing that would produce the fruit of life to those who sought Him.

How often Jesus may have recounted the second portion of verse 8 while suffering.

I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.

No one in the history of all of creation has experienced the depth of the truth of that verse but for him. At the very time of His suffering, He only had His trust in the steadfast love of God, in the faithfulness of His Father, even as He was abandoned for the first (and only) time of His existence.

Upon His resurrection, may I suggest that Jesus entered the truth of verse 9.

I will thank you forever, because you have done it.

Consider how Jesus is thanking His Father. God the Father rescued Him from death, for He could not behold it. Is it any less incumbent for us who know nothing of His depth of suffering to be any less thankful for His tremendous grace towards us?

Let us have a thankful spirit and give thanks unto the Lord for His mighty acts of rescue!

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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

As we have been venturing through the Psalms, getting lost in the volume of the book, and the many nuggets of truth laid out for believers, I have come to realize (again and again) the beauty of the book, the depth of the book, the expanse of the human experience the book describes and allows us to join into.

We started with a quick dip into one of the most amazing chapters in the Word, one that has impacted my life in various stages of my Christian faith. It is a psalm that spoke to my wife and I as we were reading that night, but it began a journey through the psalms that has continued for over a year, and I suspect may continue to hold me.

With that said, I would like to offer those who read my bumbling efforts to understand one of the great books of the greatest book ever delivered to the human race, an ongoing summary of the findings and blessings I have enjoyed discovering.

As you can tell from the expanding list of posts, the Psalms have got a hold on me!

Psalms for Psome – Ps 31

Psalms for Psome – Ps 32

Psalms for Psome – Ps 33.1

Psalms for Psome – Ps 33.2

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.1

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.2

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.3

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.4

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.5

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.6

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.7

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.05

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.06

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.07

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.08

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.09

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.10

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.11

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.00

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.05

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.06

Psalms for Psome – Ps 37.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 37.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 37.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 37.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 37.05

Psalms for Psome – Ps 38.00

Psalms for Psome – Ps 38.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 38.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 39.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 39.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 39.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 39.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.05

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.06

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.07

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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 52:5 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
Psalm 52:6 The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying,
Psalm 52:7 “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!”

David just completed the introductory verses of Ps 52, describing the boasting of the mighty man, referring to Doeg the Edomite, as he ratted on David to Saul.

We noticed in our last study that Doeg and David had some similarities, in that they were both men associated with a deceitful tongue. Remember that David was lying to Ahimelech when he spoke of his circumstances. Granted we may readily admit that Doeg was a man who sought to deceive, destroy and devour, whereas David fell into deception at a weak point in his life. All that may be true, but as we spoke last time, David will speak of the outcome of a deceitful, destructive devouring tongue, even though David fell into that very condition for a short time. Yet, David did not shy away from the holiness and righteousness of God, even if it condemned him. That, in my mind, is a wonderful testimony of the truth and inspiration of the Word. Sin isn’t covered up, even by the author who performed a sin.

Nevertheless, our passage today speaks of God’s judgement on the mighty man who devours, destroys and deceives, and the reaction of the righteous when the mighty man is broken.

Verse 5 begins with the statement that God will break the mighty man down forever. Reading it for the first time, I assumed David was speaking of Doeg’s destruction, his death and eternal judgement. Even as I say that, I am not sure that is what David intended me to understand, for as we read the following verse, David speaks of the mighty man torn from his home (tent) and uprooted from the land of the living. Yes, seeing land of the living may refer to the death of the mighty man. That may be the intent of David’s message.

But, consider what it means to be broken. God will break the mighty man down forever. May this expression be synonymous to a humbling of the mighty man? God is able to humble the mighty man, we know that. And I think you may agree with me that being taken into captivity (or at least from his home and land) is a most humbling event.

Still though Carl, when David refers to the land of the living, he must be speaking of Doegs death. Well might that be, but consider that the land of the living may also reference a land full of vibrant life, much vegetation, wildlife, plenty of water and resources for a population. The land of the living may be our present condition, pre-death.

Consider Psalm 27:13

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!

This makes some sense to this feeble mind, even as David continues in verse 6, stating that the righteous will see and fear the outcome of the mighty man. And laugh at him!

If David is describing what we consider to be eternal conscious torment, how would laughing be appropriate for the righteous man? I am not convinced that David, or any OT prophet had the understanding of the afterlife – especially for the unrighteous – that we say we have today!

David finished this three verse middle portion of Psalm 52 with a statement from the righteous man’s lips, speaking of the mighty man’s own destruction, how the life of the mighty man showed that he was in reality seeking refuge in his own destruction!

What a difficult truth to grapple with! To seek refuge in our own destruction. What is it for us to seek our own hurt, our own pain, to avoid life and turn from it? I believe if my reader has walked with the Lord for any period of time, they will admit to the pull of the old man, dragging us away from life, away from real blessing, away from the fountainhead of all goodness.

He rescues us from the guilt of sin in our initial salvation, but our walk with Him is our rescue from a life of sin, a life of rebellion, a life of seeking death. Sanctification during our time on earth is the battle to say no to seeking our own hurt, and to pursue the blessing of knowing the One True God.

Let us admit that our daily lives are not simply a time for us to wait for the end to be delivered to heaven, but that even today, He is actively working in us to do His good will, to conform us to His dear Son, to imitate God, walking in the way of love.

My friends, this condition is somewhat common amongst both the mighty and the humble. The difference is that only the humble understand how treacherous and strong the old man is, for the mighty man never challenges the old man, but simply follows his whims.

Follow after Him and say no to your old man. It is the path He walked.

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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.

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
Psalm 52:2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
Psalm 52:3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
Psalm 52:4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.

The background to this story is found in1 Samuel 21:1-2, where David is fleeing Saul. Jonathon had just challenged his father regarding David and realized Saul’s desire to kill David. Jonathon, a faithful friend, informed David and he took to running. His suspicions of Saul’s murderous intent had been verified, and now David, who once was celebrated in Israel, is now an enemy of the state!

Ahimilech

Twelve miles from Jerusalem was the priestly city of Nob, where many priests lived. One of those priests was Ahimelech, a descendant of Eli the High Priest. It appears the news feed of Saul’s intent hadn’t been updated when David approaches Ahimelech, and surely the priest assumed David was in good graces with the King. After all, David was the son in law to the King!

First thing out of Ahimelech’s mouth was David’s condition – that is, What da heck are you alone for? His general demeanor was that of fear, for the passage speaks of Ahimelech trembling. Something wasn’t right!

David used this situation to spin a yarn (tell a lie). The secrecy of the throne was a useful tool to take advantage of, and David used it to settle Ahimelech’s concern. I’m on a secret mission, with men that I need to meet up with. Don’t say anything Ahimelech. Very top secret. By the way, do you have any food?

Ahimelech eventually provides David (and his non-existent men) bread to eat. Notice that David has misled Ahimelech as to his reason for being alone, and the reason was his need of bread. There were no men that he was joining with – He was on the run all alone! David then requests a weapon, and eventually receives the sword of Goliath.

Doeg

All of this discussion happens in front of Doeg the Edomite. The name Doeg actually is the Hebrew term for “fearful”, and may give us a look into his inner demons. He was an anxious man, that was controlled by suspicions and fear. We shall see it was the wrong type of fear to be controlled by.

Doeg was a man in charge of Saul’s herdsmen, a chief of the herdsmen, and he happened to be at Nob “detained before the Lord”. An Edomite detained before the Lord? He wasn’t of the chosen people, and as we will see in the Psalm, he was not a man seeking after God’s heart. Many think he was simply at the tabernacle to fulfil some ceremonial requirement to keep his position under Saul. No matter why he was there, he heard David and Ahimelech, saw the food and weapon transfer and couldn’t wait to get back to Saul. What great information to share with the King. How advantageous to be at the right place and at the right time! How providential!

David

With that background, let’s consider Davids opening to this psalm

Psalm 52:1 To the choirmaster. A Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day.

David is referring to Doeg when he speaks of the “mighty man” in this opening verse and describes him as one who boast’s of evil. He sets the tone of Doegs character by associating him with evil.

Let’s stand back here for a moment.

Given that David is on the run, and Doeg is an employee of Saul, is it not Doeg’s responsibility to report back to the King? Is this not the right thing for Doeg to do? King Saul is the God appointed leader of the nation of Israel. Although this will provide an opportunity for Doeg to advance in Saul’s eyes, it is also an opportunity provided to Doeg, seemingly providentially. Surely this is the will of God for Doeg to provide security to the King in informing him of his enemies whereabouts.

Is this not a plausible argument for Doeg? I suggest that many in our culture would side with Doeg, in finding an opportunity to “rat” on someone to gain favor of a government official. Of course, in Doeg’s case, this information led to the slaughter of 85 priests in the city of Nob. Sometimes an advantageous situation simply leads to death and destruction, and we need to recognize that. Such is the nature of the kingdom of this world.

Doeg’s decision is typical for those who side against the kingdom of God, in that they seek power over others, to gain self advantage in any way possible, and to find opportunities of self advancement, even as being provided by God Himself. God provides opportunities for each of us in our daily lives, but we are to be wise in determining the use of the opportunity. Consider David a bit later in his life. He was providentially provided an opportunity to kill King Saul, his enemy, yet did not for He was not seeking self advantage, but God’s honor.

Doeg was seeking his own self advantage, and David calls him out on this. This psalm contrasts the man of destruction against the man who takes refuge in God, and in our first portion of this psalm, David describes this man of destruction.

Psalm 52:2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
Psalm 52:3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
Psalm 52:4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.

• He boasts of evil
• His tongue plots destruction, as a razor cuts
• He loves evil more than good
• He loves lying more than speaking truth
• His words devour
• He is a liar

David doesn’t mince words here. And yet I can’t help but think David, during his time of flight from Saul, also entered into this life of deceit and lies when he spoke to Elimelech.

This Psalm doesn’t protect David from some personal incrementation, and the fact that David is bold in proclaiming God’s truth even in an instance where it condemns himself – I find that to be refreshing. How often do we see some believers padding the truth to protect their own image, decisions or habits. To honor God means that we are not honored. He is the only One who is honorable, when it comes to being a truthful witness. We have that pull in us to defend ourselves, to blame someone else, to claim it wasn’t my fault, or it was an accident. May I suggest to my gentle reader that we must admit we have that pull in us, that self desire that seeks to take advantage, to pursue our own agenda.

To realize this weakness, to agree with this truth, to live in this fact, is a much needed characteristic in the modern church nowadays. We are so often taught that we deserve God’s love, deserve God’s blessing, deserve God’s attention, because we do some act of charity or attend church once a week. Yet we turn away from the mirror when we see a bit of Doeg in us, and decide that we would rather have the affirmation of the world.

My friends, consider your base nature, as how active it is in your life. Do you find yourself speaking lies to avoid uncomfortable times, boasting of your accomplishments out of insecurity, cutting others down with your tongue in gossip and slander? Jesus spoke of taking up his cross daily. We know the cross is an instrument of death, and the death we have to face is not pleasant, affirming or enjoyable. We are to decide against ourselves, and seek to honor God, even to our own detriment. Jesus is the ultimate model of self sacrifice to honor God, and He is truly the One to follow after.

1 Peter 2:21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Doeg was a man committed to evil and it led to the murder of 85 of God’s priests, and the continued persecution of God’s newly chosen king.

David was a man after God’s heart, and yet had periods in his life where he was dominated by that pull of self, the desire to trust in his own thoughts, to succumb to his fears. I identify with David in these times where his humanity sneaks out and reveals itself. A man that sought God’s honor beyond his own self interests.

May we have the courage to do likewise!

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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

As we have been venturing through the Psalms, getting lost in the volume of the book, and the many nuggets of truth laid out for believers, I have come to realize (again and again) the beauty of the book, the depth of the book, the expanse of the human experience the book describes and allows us to join into.

We started with a quick dip into one of the most amazing chapters in the Word, one that has impacted my life in various stages of my Christian faith. It is a psalm that spoke to my wife and I as we were reading that night, but it began a journey through the psalms that has continued for over a year, and I suspect may continue to hold me.

With that said, I would like to offer those who read my bumbling efforts to understand one of the great books of the greatest book ever delivered to the human race, an ongoing summary of the findings and blessings I have enjoyed discovering.

Psalms for Psome – Ps 21

Psalms for Psome – Ps 22

Psalms for Psome – Ps 23

Psalms for Psome – Ps 24.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 24.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 25.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 25.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 26

Psalms for Psome – Ps 27

Psalms for Psome – Ps 28

Psalms for Psome – Ps 29

Psalms for Psome – Ps 30

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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 51

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.

David is closing his prayer of contrition with these final verses, and expanding his prayers beyond his own life.

His first desire is that God will do good to Zion. This is God’s heart for His people and David is expressing his own heart in connection with God. He is seeking the prosperity of Jerusalem, and this must mean the spiritual prosperity of Jerusalem, for he immediately refers to God delighting in right sacrifices.

After this entire psalm, if there is one thing that stands out, it is that the sacrifices God prescribed in the Old Testament were not only to be physically performed, but that the practice of sacrifice had a much greater meaning than a simple offering of an animal.

The greatest message of sacrifice is of the Lord Jesus Himself, and of His full and complete provision of our salvation through his sacrifice on the cross. This is the focus of the Word and we (at least I) need to be remined of it daily.

Yet David speaks to the believer also in this psalm, describing the sacrificial system in the believers life, not only of physical sacrifice, but of the sacrifice of our will to God’s will, of the acceptance of a verdict of death in our own lives.

As he closes he speaks of “then bulls will be offered..” Bulls and goats, sheep and doves were being offered in sacrifice even as he wrote this psalm, yet David speaks of the sacrifices of a humble and contrite (broken) spirit in the believer, that is to accompany acts of worship and remembrance. When the believer humbles himself, accepts the truth of his rebellion and obstinacy, openly confesses his dark heart, and seeks renewal and restoration after a period of sin, this is when the sacrifices become pleasing in the sight of the Lord.

May God open our eyes to our own condition before Him so that we may gladly offer up sacrifices to Him in spirit and in truth!

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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.

In our last post I needed to stop on the last thought, that of praising God, and just settle in that mindset for a short period, for it is a good thing to do. He really is good, you know.

This next couple of verses, they also are super famous, with songs a plenty being written based on them. Yet David continues to amaze me, for he is describing concepts that go beyond what was available for the common Jewish man of his day.

During David’s time, to approach God involved sacrifice. Sacrifice of animals was the primary (only) way to approach a holy God. God established a sacrificial order to deal with personal sins, iniquities, transgressions and rebellion. Beyond the sacrificial system, which is a picture of the Christ, the Jewish man had no way to enter into God’s presence. God had provided a way for the covering of sin, but it was highly specific, detailed and required multiple steps, even an intermediary, as in the Levitical priests that would provide this service.

But read the verse above once more.

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

Sacrifice was the prescribed method of approach to God, given by God in that time. Yet David says God does not delight in sacrifice, nor is He pleased with a burnt offering. What type of heresy is David teasing us with? Or is David a New Testamental believer that is far beyond some of our own understandings of God and His ways?

I would suggest the latter, for David understands the relationship connection with the Almighty, and the secondary religious priority of sacrificial offerings. This is not to say David no longer went to the temple to offer up sacrifices of bulls, lambs and goats, but that his thinking had shifted. Maybe he had always understood this prioritization of relationship over religion. Maybe those days in the fields with his sheep had been times of understanding God’s ways.

God is looking for sacrifices, that is true, but we understand in the church that the vicarious death of animals was a picture of the Lord Jesus, and always has been. David takes the concept of sacrifice and internalizes it, speaking of his brokenness and regret. And expresses his realization of the nature of God in that He will not despise one who comes to Him broken, humble and open to Him.

God will not despise this heart attitude. As we approach Him in humility and brokenness, we can have confidence that the Lord of Glory will receive us, minister to us, heal us and save us. One of my favorite set of verses in this vein of thinking may be found in Matthew 12:18-20, where the Lord Jesus is describing Himself, God’s Chosen Servant, and the character the Servant would display.

Matthew 12:18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
Matthew 12:19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
Matthew 12:20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;
Matthew 12:21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Did you catch it. A bruised reed has no strength. A smoldering wick has no life. He will not quarrel or shout, but understands the condition we are in. He is approachable in our very weakness and contrition. His character is to heal, not to destroy or to take advantage of any weakness we come to Him with.

As we walk the way, following after Him, we may stumble, even rebel against the good life. Do not hesitate to return to Him, admitting to and confessing your sin, for He is a great Father, One who delights in truth in the inward being.

Praise Him.

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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

As we have been venturing through the Psalms, getting lost in the volume of the book, and the many nuggets of truth laid out for believers, I have come to realize (again and again) the beauty of the book, the depth of the book, the expanse of the human experience the book describes and allows us to join into.

We started with a quick dip into one of the most amazing chapters in the Word, one that has impacted my life in various stages of my Christian faith. It is a psalm that spoke to my wife and I as we were reading that night, but it began a journey through the psalms that has continued for over a year, and I suspect may continue to hold me.

With that said, I would like to offer those who read my bumbling efforts to understand one of the great books of the greatest book ever delivered to the human race, an ongoing summary of the findings and blessings I have enjoyed discovering.

Psalms for Psome – Ps 11

Psalms for Psome – Ps 12

Psalms for Psome – Ps 13

Psalms for Psome – Ps 14

Psalms for Psome – Ps 15

Psalms for Psome – Ps 16

Psalms for Psome – Ps 17

Psalms for Psome – Ps 18

Psalms for Psome – Ps 19

Psalms for Psome – Ps 20

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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 51

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.

David has just reviewed his sins, laid them all out to the Lord, begged for forgiveness, and asked God for an act of creation, no small request. He knew he needed a clean heart, and after referring to washing away of his iniquities and purging of his sins, he still understood that the heart was the matter, the dead weight holding him down, the unrighteous influence in his pursuit of God. His heart was not in need of a repair, or medicine, as if it had any redeeming value.

He begged for the creation of a clean heart!

As the new heart is created, the natural fruit of a clean heart is described in the next three verses.

A Teacher of Transgressors

The clean heart can’t help but to share the truth with those who have it not. Whether it is with a believer who may be sliding a bit, or a lost soul who has never understood the grace of God, a clean heart is motivated to declare God’s goodness.

A Tongue of Singing

Recently, I have been listening to the old hymns, and when I am alone, I sometimes sing them to myself. (I restrict my singing around others as an act of love towards them!) At the Cross – what a hymn. Of course I usually only sing the chorus,

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight, And now I am happy all the day!

What great lyrics to dwell on in the body of the song itself.

Alas, and did my Savior bleed?   And did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head   For such a worm as I?

Was it for sins that I had done  He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity! grace unknown! And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide,   And shut His glories in, When Christ, the mighty Maker, died For man, His creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face While His dear cross appears. Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, And melt mine eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay The debt of love I owe; Here, Lord, I give myself away, ’Tis all that I can do.

A Mouth of Praise

A praising mouth. The joy of expressing praise to God. Of speaking of His glories, of His faithfulness, of His steadfast love, of His mercy.

Recently I have been meditating in the morning about what it mean for God to be the Highest of all. That there are no gods like Him, that none are as lofty, or above Him. The implications of this truth is growing in my mind and heart, and the blessings are such that I can not explain. Oh to try, but words fail me!

Let us pickup on verse 16 in our next post, and give yourself some time this day the Lord has given us, to consider the One who has provided all things to us, and to take a few moments to meditate on Who He is. It shall transform you!

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

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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 51

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.

Super famous verses, some of the first verses out of the Old Testament that I memorized. Songs have been written based on David’s confession and request for restoration after his rebellion. Very famous passage!

Yet, as I reflect on the passage, I sense in the King a continuing admission of his helpless state. He begs God to do what only God can do. He begins this section in verse 7 where he refers to his need of cleansing. We have discussed the cleansing David requested in previous posts, (See Psalms for Psome – Ps 51.02) and he recalls the request again in front of the only One who can cleanse.

David then continues with a request for God, to allow, no – to provide the ability to experience joy and gladness, to hear with right ears and to find joy in the very discipline (broken bones) he experienced in his rebellion.

He pleads God to hide His face from his sins, and to blot out his iniquities. How much greater experience we have to know that His sacrifice for our sins allows us to experience forgiveness based on His mercy and love in dying for us. We no longer have to request the Father to “hide His face” from our sins, for He has dealt with our sins on the cross. We are most blessed, for we as believers have the gospel shining into our hearts, giving us light, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

David then breaches the famous words!

Create in me a clean heart. No longer is he asking to wash his sins away! He “cuts to the core” and speaks of his heart condition, realizing he is in desperate need of a new heart, for the old heart will only drag him back into the rebellion he is desperately clawing away from. No – a new heart is what he needs, and he knows it. The depth of David’s understanding of self is astounding.

One other time in the Old Testament, the term “clean heart”:” occurs, and that is also in the Psalms, in chapter 73, verse 12. Asaph speaks of maintaining a clean heart, but some translations refer to it as a pure heart. Ezekiel is the prophets that speaks of a new heart, that of those who in the New Covenant will be granted, as they look to the Messiah.

A clean heart. A pure heart. A new heart. Out of a sinful existence this is a very real possibility for those who wish it. The freedom that comes from a clean heart, the boldness, the restfulness and openness a clean heart provides. Oh to have a clean heart continually!

He speaks to God concerning his fear of being cast away, of having the Spirit of God taken from him. This is a topic I would like to reserve for a separate post in the Conditional Security series I am venturing though. Watch for it.

He finally requests God for restoration. He has confessed, he has requested, now he looks to God for his restoration, and not only restoration, but that God would uphold him in this restoration. For you see, David claimed the very same thing Jude spoke of in his book where it is written..

Jude 1:24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

In the midst of trials and troubles, self inflicted pain and worries, as we look to Him for help, He may be found. As you may be going through confession and contrition over sin, realize that it is a sign of life. Do not refuse it, do not ignore it, for He looks to those who are brokenhearted, and delights to see truth in the inward man, in the heart!

God is good, all the time.

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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

As we have been venturing through the Psalms, getting lost in the volume of the book, and the many nuggets of truth laid out for believers, I have come to realize (again and again) the beauty of the book, the depth of the book, the expanse of the human experience the book describes and allows us to join into.

We started with a quick dip into one of the most amazing chapters in the Word, one that has impacted my life in various stages of my Christian faith. It is a psalm that spoke to my wife and I as we were reading that night, but it began a journey through the psalms that has continued for over a year, and I suspect may continue to hold me.

With that said, I would like to offer those who read my bumbling efforts to understand one of the great books of the greatest book ever delivered to the human race, an ongoing summary of the findings and blessings I have enjoyed discovering.

Psalms for Psome – Ps 1

Psalms for Psome – Ps 2

Psalms for Psome – Ps 3

Psalms for Psome – Ps 4

Psalms for Psome – Ps 5

Psalms for Psome – Ps 6

Psalms for Psome – Ps 7

Psalms for Psome – Ps 8

Psalms for Psome – Ps 9

Psalms for Psome – Ps 10

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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 51

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.

David is rehearsing his sins before the Lord, recounting his knowledge of them, informing the Lord of the constant reminders of his rebellion. He can not avoid the knowledge of his sins, and his witness is not to inform the Lord of His sins, for the Lord knows! David is giving us the result of the sin, that is the ever present remembrance of the sin against his God running through his thoughts. The sleepless nights, the constant looking over his shoulder, the fear and suspicion he is experiencing because of his sin.

Yet I would suggest it isn’t the sin that is the problem. Wait wait wait – don’t hang up on me right yet. For when you compare David with another King, say Manasseh, or one of the rebellious northern kings later on, would you not agree their sins were as offensive as David’s? But I suspect the killing and raping performed by the other kings were not haunting them as they were David.

So why such a heavy burden David? Why are you in such a struggle over your sin? Can anyone guess?

You see, David was a man in love with the Lord and his sins were a personal affront to the One He worshipped. He hurt his Master, and this betrayal to his first love is what struck his heart.

This is so instructive, for there is a lesson for us in this history of the King of Israel. Upon an act of sin, the true believer is struck with a sense of condemnation, a guilt of conscience and a foreboding fear that is the result of being a believer. If you can freely sin in front of the Lord, take note, for this may be telling you more than you want to admit to. Note that some may claim “freedom in Christ” as a cloak of covering for their habitual sins. My friend – if you know you are in opposition to God’s will for your life, claiming “freedom in Christ” must be seen as a ludicrous claim.

Of course, after the rebellion, confession of sin is available for the believer, but once sin gets ahold, confession can become a difficult exercise to perform. Who wants to go before the Lord out of a period of rebellion? True confession is not a flippant repetition of words, but a coming clean, an admission of wrongdoing. For some acts of sin, confession may not be enough, for restitution towards those we sin against is often described in the Word as necessary.

But even as we must come before Him in our shame at times, we know He is a loving God, a forgiving God and a merciful God. Our God is One who delights in truth, even the truth of admitting to our sin.

Story time

Years ago, as we had a young family, my chillun would sometimes seek to do it their way as opposed to obeying their parents. Of course at times things would blow up for them and then they had a decision to make. Fess up, come to Mom and Dad and accept the resultant consequences, or hide it and damage relationship with Mom and Dad.

When they chose to come to us and fess up, my heart was literally warmed that they wanted to be right with us. The critical issue wasn’t that they admit we were right, but that they wanted to maintain communication between us. I delighted in seeing them come to me even though their previous actions may have caused pain.

How much more for the Lord, who delights in truth within the inner being, of the believer admitting to an offense in order to repair a relationship, and not simply a recitation of some rote repetition of words to follow a religious requirement.

If you have something nagging you in your conscience – rejoice! It is good to be in a state of conviction. No conviction of sin before the Lord may mean a hardened conscience which is definitely bad news, very bad news! Note that I did not say it is good to remain in a state of conviction – Get to the cross and admit your sin. Ask Him for forgiveness, for His is a merciful God, who delights in seeing His children come to Him in contrition.

Praise Him for His many mercies to us in our weakness and frailty. He is good, all the time

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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 51

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

I honestly tried to finish the above two verses in our last post but the mercy concept just ate me up. Can we revisit this passage for a short time, and consider verse 2?

As I mentioned in the earlier post, David is taking the sacrificial system that the priests worked at, and as prescribed by God, and internalized it, applying the washing and cleansing performed at the brazen altar to actions he needs for his life, actions that need to be done by God.

Let’s consider the first phrase – Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

Wash

Out of the 51 times this term is found in the Old Testament, Leviticus has the overwhelming number of occurrences (31 times), and is used for the cleansing of those that have been defiled. It is used of anyone who has become defiled, and the required cleansing of the garments (and/or his flesh) required to be performed in order to become clean before God and remain in the camp of Israel. Leviticus is the book of holiness and as such speaks of the methods required to be practiced by the Israelites to walk before the Lord in a prescribed way. Without this cleansing, approaching the Lord was not allowed, with the person actually retaining his iniquity.

Leviticus 17:16 But if he does not wash them or bathe his flesh, he shall bear his iniquity.”

When I hear of washing spoken, especially in this reference, I have the picture of water flowing over my heart, like a waterfall, crystal clear, warm and comforting, gently washing any filth off my “skin”. I’m afraid this picture is simply not the image I should imagine as I read this passage.

The term translated as washed in the second verse is כָּבַס kâbaç kāḇas, and is related to a term which means to trample. The term describes the washing of garments by the stamping of the feet. This type of washing is not the image I had in mind above! The garment is being scrubbed with much force, underfoot and seemingly without mercy. I have an image in my mind of being down at the river bank, with the garments being rubbed/scrubbed against the rocks, a somewhat forceful undertaking. No gentle flow of water comforting the subject, but of trampling, crushing, scouring.

David is begging the Lord to wash him, to “trample on him” in order to produce the cleansing required, that the washing would rid him of his iniquity. This term “iniquity” isn’t used much nowadays, but it speaks of perversity or depravity, a moral evil, and we certainly can see a connection with this concept in David’s past actions. He has, in one decision on the roof of his house, fallen into a depravity that seemed impossible prior to it’s occurrence. This was the man who followed after God’s heart, and yet fell to such a depth of sin. Consider this for our own lives my friend.

1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

cleanse

This term is what I expected, but it does have a few implications that are of interest. Again, it is a term that the book of Leviticus uses heavily (43 times out of 80 verses in the Old Testament), and relates to the cleansing of the defiled one who seeks to be clean before the Lord. The term speaks of purity, and of a cleansing both ceremonially and morally. It came from a root term meaning “to be bright”. It is used very often in relation to the cleansing of leprosy.

David connects this cleansing to his “sin”, the familiar term we associate with evil in our lives. Since this psalm is speaking of confession sin, it may be good to review all of the ways David speaks of sin in this Psalm

Phrase or Word	Hebrew	Synonyms
v1 …blot out my transgressions	פֶּשַׁע peshaʻ	Rebellion, trespass, revolt
v2…my iniquity	עָוֺן ʻâvôn	Perversity, depravity, iniquity
v2…my sin	חַטָּאָה chaṭṭâʼâh	Sin, sinful, guilt of sin, condition of sin
v3…my transgressions	פֶּשַׁע peshaʻ	Rebellion, trespass, revolt
v3…my sin	חַטָּאָה chaṭṭâʼâh	Sin, sinful, guilt of sin, condition of sin
v4… I sinned	חָטָא châṭâʼ	To miss the mark, to lose oneself, to induce sin, to cause to sin
v4…done what is evil in your sight	רַע raʻ	bad, disagreeable, malignant, unpleasant, adverse, wrong
v5…brought forth in iniquity	עָוֺן ʻâvôn	Perversity, depravity, iniquity
v5… in sin did my mother conceive me	חֵטְא chêṭᵉʼ	Sin, fault, grievously offence
v9…my sins	חֵטְא chêṭᵉʼ	Sin, fault, grievously offence
v9…all my iniquities	עָוֺן ʻâvôn	Perversity, depravity, iniquity
v14.Deliver me from bloodguiltiness	דָּם dâm	Bloodshed

David expressed his sin in multiple terms, and multiple ways to make his confession before God. Granted two of the references are possibly speaking of David’s conception (brought forth in iniquity, in sin did my mother…), yet it is David’s description of not only his deeds in relation to God, but his condition before God, his history, his very existence.

You might notice in the table above a repetition of 3 Hebrew root words, that speak of an escalation of evil in the human experience.

châṭâʼ – to miss the mark. May refer to an unintentional sin. May speak of inability to hit the mark, or lack of skill in hitting a mark.

ʻâvâh – to bend or distort. To know the good and to twist or distort.

pâshaʻ – to rebel or revolt. to act defiantly, to know the good and to fight against it

King David was asking for forgiveness, yet he did not shy away from expressing the multiple ways he had offended God. He sought a washing and a cleansing from his sin, and he knew the only One who could provide this was the One whom he had offended.

His name is Jesus and He is the One who not only knows your sin, He entered into our existence in order to deliver us from all our inabilities, distortions and rebellion. Will you look to Him for your salvation, for your deliverance from a wasted life, from a life of distortion and revolt against the truth?

He is the Savior and He is the Lord. Confession of sin is to be addressed to Him, for He died to provide full forgiveness to those who seek Him.

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