PSALM 5
With cross refers. & topics
Psa 5:1-12 A psalm for the director of music (chief musician); nehiloth (on flutes/wind instruments). Said to: address being insecure; deal with lies; provide guidance, fellowship with God & prayer. Texted in grape is the passage (v. 9b) that is quoted in the N.T. [see PSALM 15 N.T. Quotes From PsalmsA.; s.a. Romans3:10-18(below right)]:
Give ear to My words, O LORD (YAHWEH), consider My sighing. Listen to My cry for help, My KING & My GOD (Majestic ONE), for to YOU I pray. In the morning, O LORD (YAHWEH), YOU hear My voice; in the morning I lay My requests before YOU & wait in expectation.
YOU are not a god (mighty one) who takes pleasure in evil; with YOU the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot even stand in YOUR Presence (Facing); YOU hate all who do wrong. YOU destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty & deceitful men the LORD (YAHWEH) abhors. But I, by YOUR Great Mercy, will come down into YOUR House; in reverence will I bow down toward YOUR Holy Temple. Lead Me, O LORD (YAHWEH), in YOUR Righteousness (Justice) because of My enemies-- make straight YOUR Way before Me.
Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit. Declare them guilty, O GOD (Majestic ONE)! Let their intrigues be their downfall (them fall from their own counsels). Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against YOU.
But let all who take refuge in YOU be glad; let Them ever sing for joy. Spread YOUR Protection over Them, that Those who love YOUR Name may rejoice in YOU. For surely, O LORD (YAHWEH), YOU bless the righteous (upright); YOU surround (crown) Them with YOUR Favor as with a shield.
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1stKi <1> 2:31-32 <2> 8:29,31-32 <3> 22:19-23 <1> David being old, Solomon's older brother, Adonijah, attempted to set himself up to become king; David responded by ordaining Solomon; Solomon temporarily dispatched Adonijah's guilt-- he did not forgive nor forget it. David having died, once again Adonijah tried to assume the throne; Solomon had him killed (v. 23), as well as Joab (v. 31), who had assisted Adonijah. This was their 2nd offense-- Solomon said: 'Strike him [Joab] down & bury him, & so clear Me & My father's house of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed. The LORD (YAHWEH) will repay him for the blood he shed, because without the knowledge of My father David he attacked 2 men [Abner of Israel & Amasa of Judah] & killed Them. <2> Part of Solomon's prayer after the dedication of the temple-- see PART II I.4.c.1.&2.: May YOUR Eyes be open toward this temple night & day, this place of which YOU said, 'MY Name shall be there,' so that YOU will hear the prayers YOUR Servant prays toward this place. When a man wrongs his neighbor & is required to take an oath, hear from Heaven & act. Judge between YOUR Servants; declare the innocent not guilty. <3> After the kingdom divided: king #8 of Israel, Ahab, & king #4 of Judah, Jehoshaphat, endeavored to cooperate with each other (including Jehoshaphat's son, Jehoram, marrying a daughter of Ahab); thus when Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to fight together against Ramoth Gilead, Jehoshaphat quickly agreed-- but 1st he wanted to hear what the prophet Micaiah had to say-- though Ahab had already consulted 400 of his own "lying" prophets. These were "lying" in the sense that they merely told Ahab what he wanted to hear, what he was determined to do anyway, so that the Lord's will would be done. Micaiah speaking: 'I saw the LORD (YAHWEH) sitting on HIS Throne with all the host (army) of Heaven standing around HIM on HIS Right & on HIS Left. And the LORD (YAHWEH) said, Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead & going to his death there? One suggested this, & another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD (YAHWEH) & said, I will entice him. By what means?, the LORD (YAHWEH) asked. I will go & be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets, he said. You will succeed in enticing him, said the LORD. Go & do it. So now the LORD (YAHWEH) has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD (YAHWEH) has decreed (determined) disaster for you.' S.a. PART II I.5. ref. after the temple was finished (1stKi 9:1-9 & 2ndCh 7:11-22)-- after Solomon's dedication, prayer & address to Israel (1stKi 8 & 2ndCh 6). Recorded is what God said to Solomon: 1st, MY Eyes & MY Heart will always be there upon the nation of Israel-- despite whatever was done by the kings or the people; 2nd, that Israel would suffer the consequences if Solomon or his sons turned away from God. We shall see that the original making of blood sacrifices & burnt offerings became ritualistic. God repeatedly communicated that he valued & appreciated merciful sacrifices directed toward others as well as thank offerings directed toward him; eventually Jesus was the "bull" that God reached down & provided (today Christians are still to make merciful sacrifices for others & thank offerings to him).
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Job <1> 1:1,6,8,10-12,22 <2> 2:1,3,5-7,10 <3> 3:1 Compare these passages from Job, in which the title YAHWEH is used several times, with PSALM 3 Job & PSALM 4 Job, which never have YAHWEH. <1> Job was blameless (flawless) & upright (straight); He feared GOD (the Almighty) & shunned evil. 1 day the Angels (Sons of GOD) came to present themselves before the LORD (YAHWEH), & Satan (accuser, adversary) also. Then the LORD (YAHWEH) said to Satan, Have you considered (set your heart on) MY Servant Job? He is blameless & upright. Satan replied, Have YOU not put a hedge around Him & everything He has? But stretch out YOUR Hand & strike everything He has, & He will surely curse YOU to YOUR Face. Very well, then, everything He has is in your hands-- God let Satan do the testing, but on the man himself do not lay a finger. Then Satan went out from the Presence of the LORD (YAHWEH's Facing). And lay-a-finger Satan surely did-- Job lost his children & his considerable possessions. In all this, Job did not sin by charging GOD (the Almighty) with wrongdoing. Later, after the 2nd "touch" (after which his 3 "friends" began to mock him) we saw (in PSALM 3 & PSALM 4) that Job did just that-- he blamed God to his face for his suffering. <2> Before proceeding-- about the purpose of suffering: note that God allowed it. It is commonly said that in all cases people suffer because, "well, the-earth-&-all-in-it are cursed." While that is true, never-the-less all humans are off-limits to Satan until & unless God allows it. It is essential to consider 3 facts: {1} God sees & knows everything through eternity & has no problem knowing what is best for us; {2} God is no respecter of persons-- he is both impartial & does not allow Satan to show favoritism; {3} God always allows only what is best for us. Why? {1} Before we have salvation, HE loved Us before we loved HIM. And since his love can only be entirely wholesome/unrestricted, it's a no-brainer that the purpose for his allowing suffering is what he deems necessary for us to deduce that we need a savior-- to choose to begin loving him. {2} The purpose of suffering after salvation? It is commonly said that it is for the purpose of testing-- to determine what we'll do. But that is not the best terminology. Recall, he already knows exactly what we're going to do in all circumstances. Rather, as before salvation, it is the best avenue for us-- i.e., we effectively test ourselves. After salvation, we deduce how we can best mature (develop character) & fully love him. On another day the Angels (spiritual Sons of GOD) came to present themselves before the LORD (YAHWEH), & Satan also. Have you considered (set your heart on) MY Servant Job? He still maintains His integrity, though you incited ME [spurred me to allow you to go] against Him to ruin Him without any reason. Stretch out YOUR Hand & strike His flesh & bones, & He will surely curse YOU to YOUR Face. Very well, then, He is in your hands-- I'll demonstrate that I knew from the beginning that, though he might intermittently curse me, in the end he will choose to love me (& you ain't-a-gonna change it); but you must spare His life. So Satan again went out from the Presence of the LORD (YAHWEH's Facing) & afflicted Job. In all this Job did not sin in what He said. <3> As we saw in PSALM 3 Job & PSALM 4 Job, Job later did sin in what he said to God. We have now, After this Job opened His mouth & cursed the day of His birth. But this is hardly tantamount to the later blaming of God after being provoked by his 3 "friends". Oh, and about the later use by Job of the title YAHWEH-- this was after he saw the need for a redeemer-for-ransom (see PSALM 4 Job<4>-- which is why Hebr 11 concludes, only together with Us would They be made perfect.
Romans 3:10-18 is a series of quotes from various psalms (& 1 from Isa); in grape text are those quoted from the various psalms; in green text is the 1 from Isa:
Quoted from Psa 14:2b-3; 53:2b-3 is As it is written, There is no 1 who has attained to being righteous, not even 1 who understands the severity, no 1 who any longer even seeks GOD. All have turned away, they have become worthless-- as we saw in PSALM 1 Jer(end), even Jeremiah early in his ministry spoke worthless words (recall God gave him the option to repent & serve him); there is no 1 who does good, not even 1.Quoted from Psa 5 (above) is Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
Quoted from Psa 140:3 is The poison of vipers is on their lips.
Quoted from Psa 10:7 is Their mouths are full of cursing & bitterness.
Quoted from Isa 59:78 is Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin & misery mark their ways, & the way of peace they do not know.Quoted from Psa 36:1 is There is no fear of GOD before their eyes.
Romans 3:9,19-21 Having just described the qualities of God & the purpose of the Mosaic Law (to demonstrate that by no means can a people attain to God's level of righteousness by following a written code)-- neither those who had the requirements of the Law written on their hearts. All people would disobey-- not just failing in pursuit, but quite the opposite (sin). Now speaking in particular of those with the written code: What shall We conclude then? Are We any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews & Gentiles are all under sin. Here we have the series of quotes listed to the right. Now We know that whatever the Law says, it says to Those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be silenced & the whole world held accountable to GOD. Therefore no 1 will be declared righteous in HIS Sight by observing the Law; rather, through the Law We become conscious of sin-- realizing that the only way to obtain HIS Measure of righteousness is via the free gift of Jesus Christ.