Psalms 7 - 11 (with 7 topics)
Psalm 7 A shiggaion (sung with turbulent lyrics-- note the similar spelling of the Hebrew in the prayer in PerspectivesC C.3.), which "He (David) sang to the LORD concerning the words (business) of Cush, a Benjamite." Perh. this was the Cushite (Cushi, the Ethiopian) who delivered the news to David that His son Absalom was dead-- see PART II J.1.c.i.3. Moses married Zipporah, daughter of Reuel (Jethro; Jether), priest of Midian, where he had fled from Pharoah-- yielding Gershom (not to be confused with Gershom son of Levi); Zipporah was a Cushite (an Ethiopian)-- see Exo 2:15-16,21-22; 3:1; 4:18,25; 18:2; Num 10:29; 12:1; Jdg 4:11. Said to: address being trapped & vengeful; deal with slander/insults & persecution; provide justice & protection:
O LORD My GOD, I take refuge in YOU; save & deliver Me from all who pursue Me, or they will tear Me like a lion & rip Me to pieces with no one to rescue Me. O LORD My GOD, if I have done this & there is guilt on My hands-- if I have done evil to Him who is at peace with Me or without cause have robbed My foe --then let My enemy pursue & overtake Me; let Him trample My feet to the ground & make Me sleep in the dust. Selah
Arise, O LORD, in YOUR Anger; rise up against the rage of My enemies. Awake, My GOD, decree justice. Let the assembled peoples gather around YOU. Rule over them from on high; let the LORD judge the peoples. Judge Me, O LORD, according to My righteousness, according to My integrity, O Most High GOD. O Righteous GOD, who searches minds & hearts, bring an end to the violence of the wicked & make the righteous secure.
My shield (sovereign) is GOD Most High who saves the upright in heart. GOD is a Righteous Judge, a GOD who expresses HIS Wrath every day. If he does not relent (a man does not repent), HE will sharpen HIS Sword; HE will bend & string HIS Bow. HE has prepared HIS Deadly Weapons; HE will make ready HIS Flaming Arrows. He who is pregnant (enamored) with evil & conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment. He who digs a hole & scoops it out falls into the pit he has made. The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head. I will give thanks to the LORD because of HIS Righteousness & will sing praise to the Name of the LORD Most High.
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Psalm 8 A psalm for the director of music (chief musician); in gittith (as if marching). Said to: address being unimportant, but worshipful; provide knowledge. Texted in grape are the passages (vv. 2a, 4-6) that are quoted in the N.T. (see Psalms 12 - 18 Psalm 15 2. N.T. Quotes from Psalms A.):O LORD, Our Lord (YAHWEH, Our Supervisor), how majestic is YOUR Name in all the earth! YOU have set YOUR Glory above the heavens. From the lips of children & infants YOU have ordained praise (founded strength) because of YOUR enemies, to silence the foe & the avenger.
Jesus said, Become as little children-- then mature in the faith; it's been said, the moral of the story, ref. Ezekiel's valley of dry bones, is "They see dry bones; we see an army." Point is, maturing in the faith doesn't just mean rejoicing to see the army, but joining it, never going AWOL for any reason, & remaining convinced that the day shall come when the entire family of God shall be awarded the medal-of-honor.
When I consider YOUR Heavens, the Work of YOUR Fingers, the moon & the stars, which YOU have set in place, what is man that YOU are mindful of him, the Son of man that YOU care for Him? YOU made him/Him a little lower than the heavenly beings, & crowned him with glory & honor-- Hebr 2:9 says, Jesus... made a little lower than the angels. YOU made him/Him ruler over the works of YOUR Hands; YOU put everything under his/His feet; all flocks & herds, & the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, & the fish of the sea, & all that swim the paths of the sea. LORD, Our Lord, how majestic is YOUR Name in all the earth!
1. Pray, Believe-n-talk, Receive Dealing with the mountain The soil-styles of receipt were covered in Psalms 1 - 6 Psalm 6 1. Receive-n-listen, Believe, Mature Dealing with the soil, where the receiving was the hearing of the Word of GOD; it was pointed out that the type-of-heart depended upon experiences, etc.-- that at 1st they may be due to early-family experiences (perhaps even inherited at birth), but more later due to choices. It was seen that the least likely to be godly impacted were those hearing while standing/walking/running on the wayside (sidewalk) of the path-- having 1 ear toward the path, but the other attuned to the world-views. Note that Luke 8:8 says, They may not believe & be saved. Whereas those receiving on the rock (hard hearts) receive with joy, but in the time of testing-- they do believe for a while. Those among thorns also believe-- but never mature. Those receiving with good hearts-- their belief leads to maturity &, per v.25, they persevere. I.e., all receive & to varying degrees, disbelieve/believe-- those that were by the wayside may wind up with full belief (recall Jesus saying, Many that are last shall be 1st). But now rather than belief-based-upon-receipt, we have receipt-based-upon-belief. Much later in His ministry, Jesus spoke of receipt-based-upon-belief during prayer. The parable of the 4 soils can be found in Matt 13; much later, in Matt 21:21-22 after His donkey-ride into Jerusalem, Jesus said, You can say to this mountain (huge obstacle, like a memory), 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' If You believe, You will receive whatever You ask for in prayer. The parable of the 4 soils can also be found in Mark 4; much later, in Mark 11:23-24 after His donkey ride into Jerusalem, Jesus said, If anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' whatever You ask for in prayer, believe that You have received it. 3 things of special note: 1) much earlier Jesus had instructed disciples how to pray-- the most relevant part here is that the 1st long sentence was about declaring His will be done; 2) also earlier Jesus had said, Cast Your unwanted burdens upon Me; now He said, say indirectly to the hugely impeding mountain, 'Throw yourself into the sea;' 3) this last came on the heals of the incident when Jesus cast out demons, which were allowed to enter pigs-- which cast themselves into the sea. Now in stark contrast to the American-view (counsel) of facing your problems, here the advice is to keep looking as through a dark window to God, & though the mountain may loom as a reflection, do not turn around & face it-- just talk to it (tell it where to go).
2. Believe, Talk-n-wave, Proceed Dealing with Satan The key above was to remain facing God, as you merely speak to the mountain, Cast yourself into the sea; the key here is also to remain focused on God, but to add a certain waving-gesture. Now it is written (Jame 1:13), GOD the FATHER cannot be tempted by evil, but we know that Jesus the son of man was-- Hebr 4:15 says, We have a PRIEST who was tempted in every way, just exactly as We are-- yet was without sin. Not-a-shred of scripture exists just for information; 2ndTim 3:16 says, All Scripture is GOD-breathed & is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting & training in righteousness-- thus we know the wherefore of the recording of Jesus' response to the incident in which Satan employed a disciple (Peter) to tempt Him, that He spoke directly to Satan, Get behind Me, Satan. (the accompanying gesture doesn't require imagination-- see Matt 16:23; Mark 8:33).
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Psalm 9 A psalm for the director of music; muth-labben (to the tune of the favorite melody, 'The Death of the Son'). An acrostic poem (the 1st word of each stanza begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet-- see PerspectivesB B.2. for the other acrostic poems; Psa 9 & 10 together may have been originally a single acrostic poem). Prob. written after David had a victory over the Philistines, perh. after the final victory, in 2ndSa 5:22-25 (after which the ark was taken to Israel). Said to: address being alone; deal with poverty; provide joy & vindication:
I will praise YOU, O LORD, with all My heart; I will tell of all YOUR Wonders. I will be glad & rejoice in YOU; I will sing praise to YOUR Name, O Most High GOD. My enemies turn back; they stumble & perish before YOU. For YOU have upheld My right & My cause; YOU have sat on YOUR Throne, judging righteously. YOU have rebuked the nations & destroyed the wicked; YOU have blotted out their name for ever & ever. Endless ruin had overtaken the enemy, YOU have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished.
The LORD reigns forever; HE has established HIS Throne for judgment. HE will judge the world in righteousness; HE will govern the people with justice. The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know YOUR Name will trust in YOU, for YOU, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek YOU.
Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what HE has done. For HE who avenges blood remembers; HE does not ignore the cry of the afflicted. O LORD, see how My enemies persecute Me! Have mercy & lift Me up from the gates of death, that I may declare YOUR Praises, in the gates of the daughter of Zion (virgin Jerusalem-- Zion was yet focused in the tent of the holy hill, as the temple had not yet been constructed on Mt. Moriah (that was done by Solomon, David's son). Note in Isa 37:22 we have the original Jerusalem being referred to as the virgin daughter of Zion, followed immediately by the saying, the non-virgin daughter of Jerusalem tosses Her head as You flee-- the Israeli citizens were flippant about the woes, the result of the practices of the priests.) & there rejoice in YOUR timely (not eternal) Salvation.
The nations have fallen into the pit that they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. The LORD is hidden by HIS Justice; the wicked are snared by the work of their hands. Higgaion [Meditation-- but recall Psa 7 was shiggaion (with turbulent lyrics)] Selah
The wicked return to the grave, all the nations that forget GOD. But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish. Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph; let the nations be judged in YOUR Presence (non-Israelites be judged Facing YOU). Strike them with terror, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men. Selah
We saw in Psalms 1 - 6 Psalm 5 that David prayed: The arrogant cannot even stand in YOUR Presence (Facing YOU).
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Why, O LORD, do YOU stand afar off? Why do YOU hide yourself in times of trouble? In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy & reviles (the covetous blesses himself & abhors) the LORD. In his pride the wicked man does not seek HIM; in all his thoughts there is no room for GOD. His ways are always prosperous (for gain); he is haughty & YOUR Laws are far from him; he sneers at all his enemies.
He says to himself, 'Nothing will shake me; I'll always be happy & never (from generation to generation not) have trouble.' His mouth is full of curses & lies & threats (cursing & bitterness, per Roma 3:14); trouble & evil are under his tongue. He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims (his eyes hide themselves from the poor). He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless & drags them off his net. His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength (into his strong parts). He says to himself, 'GOD has forgotten; HE covers HIS Face & never sees.'
Arise, LORD! Lift up YOUR Hand, O GOD. Do not forget the helpless (afflicted). Why does the wicked man revile GOD? Why does he say to himself, 'He won't call me to account?' But YOU, O GOD, do see trouble & grief; YOU consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to YOU; YOU are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked & evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out. The LORD is KING for ever & ever; the nations will perish from HIS Land. YOU hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; YOU encourage them, & YOU listen to their cry, defending the fatherless & the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.
1. The donkey (colt) ride Per Matt Matt 21:2,5-7,15-16 In Psalms 1 - 6 Psalm 6 1. Receive-n-listen, Believe, Mature Dealing with the soil we find (relatively early in His ministry, in Matthew 13:1-13; Mark 4:1-25; & Luke 8:4-18) Jesus describing how that though the types of soil (hearts) may vary when 1 1st hears the word, all may overcome (mature as disciples)-- though it's less likely for many.Later we have Psalm 8 (above, 1. Pray, Believe-n-talk, Receive Dealing with the mountain Matt 21:21-22 (much later in His ministry), in witch Jesus said that anybody, via prayer & faith, might say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea.'
Now we skipped a few chapters, for in ch. 17 Jesus explained to His disciples why they could not cast out others' demons-- Because You have so little faith, not even faith as small as a mustard seed.
But back to a disciple's own mountain-- or rather to an event that happened just prior to His statement about faith in prayer for speaking to a mountain. He rode into Jerusalem on both a donkey & also a foal of a donkey (colt-- a donkey's offspring). Matt 21:2 says that Jesus instructed 2 of His disciples, Go find a donkey tied with her colt; bring them to Me. Matt 21:5 quotes Zec 9:9 which says, Say to the daughter of Zion, 'See, your King comes to You, gentle & riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Then we read v.6, The disciples brought the donkey & the colt, placed their cloaks on them (the donkeys), & Jesus sat on them (the cloaks). The significance? To underscore that Jesus loved children, that salvation is generational. Upon doing some healing, etc., in Jerusalem: When the chief priests & the teachers of the law saw the wonders that He did & the children shouting in the temple area, They were indignant. 'Do You hear what these children are saying?' They asked Him. Yes, replied Jesus, have You never read this quote from Psa 8:2, From the lips of children YOU have ordained praise?
2. The donkey (colt) ride Per Luke Luke 19:30,35,39-44 This account is only somewhat similar to the Matt account; it begins similar to the Mark account (Mark 11:1-11). Jesus did instruct 2 of his disciples, but, Go find a colt, which no 1 has ever ridden-- note that Zec 9:9 (about riding on a donkey, specifically on a colt, the foal of a donkey) is not quoted verbatum. Rather, the emphasis is upon the colt-- signifying the new creation (& eventually the new Jerusalem; bring it here. They brought it to Jesus, & put Jesus on it. No mention is made of shouting children; rather than indignant chief priests & teachers of the law, we have (this part is absent from the Mark account), Some Pharisees said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke Your disciples'-- to which Jesus replied, if They keep quiet, the stones will cry out. As He approached Jerusalem, He wept over it. The day will come when your enemies will dash you to the ground, you & your children-- because you did not recognize the time of GOD'S Coming to you.
3. The donkey (colt) ride Per John John 12:14-16 This account does not refer to instructions to disciples, but rather, Jesus found a young donkey & sat upon it-- & proceeds to "quote" Zec 9:9 in this manner, Do not be afraid, O daughter of Zion; see, your King is coming, seated on a donkey's colt. As in the Luke account, there is no ref. to children; however there is ref. to the disciples' ministry in this fashion: At 1st His disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did They realize that these things had been written about Him & that They had done these things to Him.
4. Jesus dealt with Jerusalem's temple courts John 2:12-17 We just saw several accounts of Jesus' donkey ride into Jerusalem shortly before the crucifixion. But here we see an incident that occurred about 3 yrs. earlier-- per John, 1 of the 1st things He did. Having turned the water into wine in Cana of Galilee: After this He went down to Capernnaum with His mother & brothers & His disciples. There They stayed for a few days. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep & doves, & others sitting at tables exchanging money. So He made a whip out of chords, & drove all animals from the temple area, both sheep & cattle; He scattered the coins of the money changers & overturned their tables. To those who sold doves He said, Get these out of here! How dare You turn My FATHER'S House into a market-- for the Holy Spirit is given freely! His disciples remembered that it was written in Psa 69:9a: Zeal for YOUR House will consume Me.
5. Jesus baptized His disciples John 3:22-26 We find in Matt 3:11 & Luke 3:16 that when John the Baptist baptized Jesus, he said he would baptize with the Holy Spirit & with fire. Certainly today he does, as salvation is imparted-- but in his day also. Sure, per John 4:2 his disciples assumed that role- after they themselves were baptized. But prior to that: After this (speaking to Nicodemus-- see Psalms 141 - 144 Psalm 143 1. Nichodemus...), Jesus & His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with Them, & baptized them. Now John the Baptist also was baptizing, because there was plenty of water, & people were constantly coming to be baptized. (This was before John was put in prison.) An argument developed between some of John's disciples & a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John & said to Him, 'Rabbi, that man who was with You on the other side of the Jordan-- the 1 You testified about --well, He is baptizing, & everyone is going to Him.'
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Psalm 11 For the director of music. Said to: address being hated & threatened; deal with danger; provide courage, perspective & stability:In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to Me: 'Flee like a bird to Your mountain (Mt. Zion). For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows (in darkness) at the upright in heart. When the foundations (purposes of the weaving) are being destroyed, what can the righteous do (what is the Righteous ONE doing)?'
Well, God did marvelously: Distant prophecy The LORD GOD is in Jesus HIS Holy Temple (Place); the LORD GOD is in Jesus' heart (HIS Most Holy Place, the Holy of Holies) on HIS Heavenly Throne-- recall Jesus' saying, I & the FATHER are ONE? Far Distant prophecy HE observes the sons of men; HIS Eyes examine them. The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked (The LORD, the Righteous ONE, examines the wicked) & those who love violence HIS Soul hates. On the wicked HE will rain fiery (quick burning) coals & burning sulfur; a scorching (burning) wind will be their lot. For the LORD is Righteous; HE loves justice; upright men will see HIS Face. EOP
