DBG - Jun 18 - Psalms 9-16

This psalm is by David and meant for use in public worship in the Temple.  There is a further description in the superscription of “upon Muthlabben”.  Once again, the exact meaning and purpose of this term is not immediately clear and there are various interpretations offered.  It literally means “death of a son” or “death of a champion”.  I think it is not a musical term but describing the setting when the psalm was composed.  It could refer the death of Absalom, but that is conjecture based the psalms and themes preceding it.  This psalm is a triumphal song of praise.

vs. 1-2 – An outpouring of praise opens the psalm.  We will see why as we progress.

vs. 3-4 – David anticipates that God will deliver him and God will be the Righteous Judge.

vs. 5-6 – We see the enforcement of the judgment David just foresaw.  The wicked are crushed by God.

vs. 7-8 – God sits on high and will be the Judge of all.

vs. 9-10 – Thought God executes judgment, the righteous need not fear him.  He is a refuge for all that seek Him.

vs. 11-12 – Praise for God for executing judgment and delivering the innocent.

vs. 13-14 – Seeing God’s past deliverance and the praise poured out for it, David begins God for deliverance in his present condition and promises praise to follow it.

vs. 15-16 – God turns the machinations of the wicked against them.  Reminds me of Haman’s gallows.

vs. 17-18 – God may be longsuffering, but His patience has an end.  The cries of the oppressed will be answered.

vs. 19-20 – The psalm closes with an urgent appeal for God to move to judge the wicked and deliver the righteous.

This psalm has no author, setting, or direction given with it.  It is a call for God to deliver the oppressed.

vs. 1-5 – The psalm begins with an indictment of the wicked for their pride.  That pride is manifested in their rebellion against God.

vs. 6-11 – Next, we see the plans of the wicked, how he lays in wait to pounce and do evil.

vs. 12-15 – Here is the cry of the righteous against the wicked for God to execute justice and end their evil ways.

vs. 16-18 – God is exalted through His dispensing of justice.  The response of the righteous is both to praise Him and to reinforce their humility.  This humility is contrasted to the pride of the wicked earlier.

This psalm of David for public worship.  It describes the confidence of the righteous in God’s character when the evil men lurk about.

vs. 1-3 – David describes being threatened by the wicked and responds to those who tell him to not trust in God’s deliverance.  The foundations being destroyed in vs. 3 alludes to the destruction of defensive walls.  David is being attacked and there is no earthly shield to find refuge under.

vs. 4-7 – God looks down and sees the situation.  He delivers the righteous and crushes the wicked. 

This psalm is by David and is meant for public worship.  Like, Psalm 6, it is to be performed “upon Sheminith”, that is, “the eighth”, for which we have no sound definition.  This psalm is an expression of faith amid dark times.

vs. 1 – David sees himself among the dwindling numbers of the faithful, sort of like Elijah in I Kings 19.  Darkness seems to be winning the day as the light is dimming.

vs. 2-4 – The wicked work their evil through their words.  Flattery and deception are their tools.  They believe they can talk themselves out of any situation.

vs. 5 – God moved to deliver the oppressed from the wicked.

vs. 6-7 – David responds to God’s words of action.  He compares them to the purest silver.  This is contrast to the corruption of the words of the wicked previously.  There is not misdirection in God’s declarations.  Now vs. 7 is interpreted two ways, depending on who you interpret “them” to be.  It could be about the words of God in vs. 6, which is plausible and true.  It could also be about the oppressed in vs. 5, which to me is the better fit in context. 

vs. 8 – This verse is a mirror to vs. 1 describing the setting.  The righteous are few and the wicked are many.  Not only are they numerous, but they are prosperous.

This psalm is by David and is meant for public worship.  This psalm is a cry to God for aid.

vs. 1-2 – David opens by asking “how long” four different times.  He has been oppressed for some time and longs for God to deliver him.

vs. 3-4 – David now requests three things of the Lord: to consider him, to answer him, and to “lighten mine eyes” (give strength or understanding to him).  Three reasons are given for these requests: that he not die, that the enemy not boast against God, and the enemy to celebrate David’s destruction.

vs. 5-6 – David closes by acknowledge three of his own actions:  he had trusted in God, he will rejoice in God’s deliverance, and he will praise God for His goodness.

This psalm is by David and is meant for public worship in the Temple.  This psalm exposes the vanity of wickedness.

vs. 1-3 – It is the biggest fool who not only denies God existence but lives their life without regard to Him.  Without God, there is no hope for man to prevent him from fulfilling the depths of his depravity.  Paul will quote in Romans 3 from these verses to establish the fact that all men are sinners.

vs. 4-6 – Here is described the guilt of the wicked.  They are caught red-handed and can offer no excuse.

vs. 7 – Here David looks beyond some temporary deliverance to the ultimate deliverance of the Jews when the Messiah reigns.

This psalm is by David.  This psalm described the character and relationships of the righteous.

vs. 1-3 – The description here of the righteous is not about their actions, or lack thereof.  Those actions are based on the heart.  The character of a person is both who they are and what they do.  Someone who is not righteous may mimic someone that is for a short time, but they cannot deny their nature. 

vs. 4-5 – Here the relationships of the righteous are examined.  The wicked are justly condemned while the righteous are respected.  He keeps his word to his fellow man and does not abuse them for gain.  The person who walks the path of righteousness is blessed by God (compare to Psalm 1).

This psalm is by David and is described as a michtam.  Once again, there is some debate as to the meaning and purpose of this.  Some translate it as “writing” or even “engraving”.  Some find relation to the word for gold and call these “golden psalms”.  This psalm concerns the blessedness of refuge in God for the righteous.

vs. 1-4 – David calls on God to protect him.  He speaks to God and tells him that he has been good to the people God loves (the righteous).  He has separated from the idolators.

vs. 5-9 – Here are described the blessings found in God.  We see in vs. 5-6 a description of receiving an inheritance of land, such as when the land was divided out by Joshua.  The wicked may inherit destruction, but the righteous have a forever home with God.  God gives instruction that guides his steps.  The Lord is present with the believer and will not lose him.  Finally, in vs. 9 is the hope of the resurrection.

vs. 10-11 – These final verses describe the resurrection mentioned in vs. 9.  It is both personal and prophetic.  It is personal in that it is the hope of the believer to be raised to eternal life and the beauty of heaven.  I believe that the Old Testaments saints did not go directly to Heaven but stayed in a temporary place until Christ’s resurrection (see Luke 16:19-31 as one evidence for this).  It is prophetic, in that is applied to Christ in Acts 2:27-31 and 13:35-38.  Christ died, but before His body could decay He was raised from the dead.

One of the common themes we have seen is that of deliverance.  So often we express with our words that we have faith in God but do not actually rely on Him.  Have an unexpected bill?  No need to pray, just put it on a credit card!  There are so many situations like this were believers become what I call practical atheists.  It is not that they do now know or even believe in God, but their lives are too often lived as if He is not there or is powerless. 

Our hymn today is “Oh, To Be Over Yonder!”, written by Florence Armstrong in 1862 and first published in 1865.  We closed our reading with the blessed hope of the resurrection and life in Heaven, so it seemed only fitting to carry on that theme.

Oh, to be over yonder!
In that land of wonder,
Where the angel voices mingle,
And the angel harpers ring;
To be free from pain and sorrow,
And the anxious, dread tomorrow,
To rest in light and sunshine
In the presence of the King.
Oh, to be over yonder,
In that land of wonder,
There to be forever
In the presence of the King.

Oh, to be over yonder!
My yearning heart grows fonder
Of looking to the east, to see
The blessed daystar bring
Some tidings of the waking,
The cloudless, pure day breaking;
My heart is yearning--yearning
For the coming of the King.
Oh, to be over yonder,
In that land of wonder,
There to be forever
In the presence of the King.

Oh, to be over yonder!
Alas! I sigh and wonder
Why clings my poor, weak, sinful heart
To any earthly thing;
Each tie of earth must sever,
And pass away forever;
But there's no more separation
In the presence of the King.
Oh, to be over yonder,
In that land of wonder,
There to be forever
In the presence of the King.

Oh, when shall I be dwelling
Where angel voices, swelling
In triumphant hallelujahs,
Make the vaulted heavens ring?
Where the pearly gates are gleaming,
And the morning-star is beaming?
Oh, when shall I be yonder,
In the presence of the King?
Oh, to be over yonder,
In that land of wonder,
There to be forever
In the presence of the King.

Oh, I shall soon be yonder,
Tho' lonely here I wander,
Yearning for the welcome summer--
Longing for the bird's fleet wing;
The midnight may be dreary,
And the heart be worn and weary,
But there's no more shadow yonder
In the presence of the King.
Oh, to be over yonder,
In that land of wonder,
There to be forever
In the presence of the King.