Meditations on the Psalms

Psalms are praises to God. We come upon the first psalm of praise in Exodus 15, which Moses wrote to celebrate the deliverance from the bondage of Pharaoh. Miriam the prophetess took the tambourine, and the women of Israel followed her in singing and dancing: Sing to the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! (Exodus 15:20,21). We read the song of Deborah the prophetess in Judges 5, and the song of Hannah, Samuel's mother (1 Samuel 2). We find also David's lament of King Saul (2 Samuel 1). The greater part of the psalms, however, is in the Psalter (Hebrew tehillim, meaning praises). The book starts off with blessing the one whom God blessed, and ends in praising the glory of the Lord who blessed man. Accompanied by playing on different musical instruments, psalms were songs of thanksgiving, worship and glorification to God. They are full of hope in God's goodness, love, wisdom, power, holiness and faithfulness. He is an infinite, righteous and good God. The psalmists speak of God more than they speak of themselves or of other people. They are aware of His closeness to them and that He is the God of salvation, the God who rescues from injustice and persecution, who is a Helper of the poor, the oppressed and the crushed who have no one to care for them. He is at work in nature, in man and in history. He hears alike those who cry for help and those who love and worship Him. He also answers both. He is the One who forgives sins and cleanses hearts. Martin Luther said well, "In the psalms one looks into the hearts of all the saints."

The psalmists praise God for saving the individual as well as the nation. He is the God of the individual, the God of the family and the God of the whole nation. He alone is the Saviour and Deliverer from distress, war, starvation and sin.


	The Writers of the Psalter

God inspired a number of His prophets, through the Holy Spirit, to write down the psalms. The whole book was titled "The Psalms of David the Prophet" because, according to our study of the headings of the psalms, 73 psalms were written by him. So the whole book was named after him. It is evident from the Old Testament that David wrote Psalms 96 and 105 (cf. 1 Chronicles 16:23-26; 1 Chronicles 16:7-22). The New Testament ascribes to him Psalm 2 (Acts 4:25) and Psalm 95 (Hebrews 4:7). Asaph wrote 12 psalms, the sons of Korah 10 psalms, Solomon Psalms 72 and 127, Heman Psalm 88, Ethan Psalm 89, and Moses Psalm 90. There are 49 psalms written by anonymous writers.

Ezra collected these psalms, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, into one book.


	The Divisions of the Psalter

The Jews divided the Psalter into five books, corresponding to the Five Books of the Law, each one of them ending in a final psalm of praise:

Book One is from Psalm 1-41, and corresponds with the Book of Genesis, which speaks of the supremacy and fall of man.

Book Two is from Psalm 42-72, and corresponds with the Book of Exodus, which focuses on the children of Israel.

Book Three is from Psalm 73-89, and corresponds with the Book of Leviticus, which speaks of the holy temple.

Book Four is from Psalm 90-106, and corresponds with the Book of Numbers, which speaks of the holy land,

Book Five is from Psalm 107-150, and corresponds with the Book of Deuteronomy, which stresses the word of God.


	Psalms for Special Occasions

There are seven penitential psalms: 6,32,38,51,102,130,143.

There are seven psalms by David as he was chased by Saul: 7,34,52,54,56,57,142.

There are seven psalms in praise of God the King: 93,95-100.

There are six psalms called The Egyptian Hallel [praise]: 113-118.

There are fifteen psalms of ascents (to Jerusalem): 120-134.

There are six final praise psalms: 145-150.


	Psalms Invoking God's Judgement

In many psalms one finds prayers in which the writer invokes the Lord's judgement upon his enemies, such as Psalms 35,69,109,137. This corresponds with the spirit of the law of Moses, which maintained eye for eye, tooth for tooth (Leviticus 24:19), but it conflicts with the spirit of Christ's teachings, which calls for forgiving ones enemies and praying for those who spitefully use us (Matthew 5:43-48). Living under the Mosaic law, the psalmists lifted up their prayers with good conscience and without any overreaction or emotionalism. They hated sin, and therefore hated the sinner who committed sin. The psalmist often demanded that the sinner should be handed over to God to execute His justice upon him (Psalm 37:8,9), so that the just should see and fear (Psalm 52:6). The Jews used to say, "Heaven rejoices over one sinner who perishes because the earth will be relieved of his wickedness." Christ, however, teaches us that there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7,10) because the earth will be relieved of his wickedness through his repentance, not his perdition.

Some expositors, however, hold that the psalmist was speaking of cause and effect, for the sinner must receive the wages of sin. Consequently, the curses he invokes are prophecies of what will happen to the sinner. Imprecations, therefore, are prayers lifted up to a just God who will surely establish the right of the oppressed and punish the oppressor.


	The Numbering of the Psalms

According to the Masoretic text the Psalter consists of 150 psalms. In the middle of the second century BC, the psalms were translated into Greek for the benefit of the Greek-speaking Jewish diaspora. This translation came to be known as the Septuagint, from which Jerome translated his Latin version, the Vulgate. The Septuagint combined Psalms 9,10 and 114,115, and split up Psalms 116 and 147 each into two psalms, thus keeping the total number of the psalms 150.

The Septuagint contained an additional psalm (151). A Hebrew original of it was found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the second cave (published in 1965-1967). The Greek text, however, mentions that Psalm 151 is extra-canonical. Evidently, the differences between the Septuagint and the Masoretic text do not affect the contents of the psalms; it only affects the numbering, which the Vulgate adopted, and which all the other versions followed.


	The Headings of the Psalms

Thirty-four orphan psalms have no headings; the rest, however, (116 in number) have headings. Thirty-two psalms of these mention the occasion of writing the psalm (3,7,18,30,34,51,52,54,56,57,59,60,63,90,92,102,120-134,142). Twelve psalms mention the name of the tune to which they were sung. Sixteen psalms mention the name of the musical instrument which accompanies the singing of the psalm. A hundred and one psalms mention the names of their writers; 73 by David, (3-9,11-32,34-41,51-65,68-70,86,101,103,108-110,122,124,131,133,138-145), 12 by Asaph (50,73-83), 10 by the sons of Korah (42,44-49,84,85,87), 2 by Solomon (72,127), 1 by Heman the Ezrahite (88), 1 by Ethan the Ezrahite (89), and 1 by Moses (90). Commentators say that the title "A psalm of David" does not necessarily mean that David was the writer, because this expression -- whether it be of David, of Solomon, or to the chief musician -- may have three meanings: First, that the writer is David (which is most likely the case). Second, that the psalm is dedicated to David. Third, that it concerns a certain experience that David went through.


	Meaning of Some Repeated Words and Expressions in the Psalms

Selah:This is a musical expression that occurs 71 times in 39 psalms, but we do not know its exact meaning. Some expositors claim that it was meant to lend support and strength to the tune, as the singers stop singing and let only the instruments play. Others say that it indicated a musical pause, where both instruments and singers stop to meditate on what they had sung. James of Ruha says that it resembles Amen after prayer, and that it means, "Answer now." So Selah could mean: Give grace. (Selah also occurs three times in the prophecy of Habakkuk.)

To the chief musician:It occurs in the headings of 55 psalms; 4-6,8,9,11-14,18-22,31,36,39-42,44-47,49,51-62,64-70,75-77,80,81,84,85,88,109,139,140. There are many interpretations of this heading, the most accurate of all is that the temple's choirmaster (the chief musician) led the worshippers in singing these psalms at the temple. Or perhaps some poets dedicated them to the chief musician, as is the case with Psalm 4 "To the chief musician... A psalm of David." Apparently, David wrote the psalm and dedicated it to the choirmaster.

On an eight-stringed harp:It occurs in the headings of Psalm 6 and 12. It is a translation of the Hebrew word shemenit. Some expositors said that it is an eight-stringed instrument, whereas others said that it indicated a degradation of sound in the musical scale. Yet others said that the scale was unknown to the children of Israel.

Shiggaion:It appears in the heading of Psalm 7, and it is most probably of an Accadian origin. It means a sad song or a plaintive tune. (It occurs also in the plural in Habakkuk 3:1.)

The instrument of Gath:It appears in the headings of Psalms 8,81,84. It could be a musical instrument invented or used in the Philistine capital Gath, from where the Jews adopted it. It could also be the name of a tune of the song of the wine-press, which coincides with the Feast of Tabernacles.

Death of the Son:It appears in the heading of Psalm 9. It may be the name of a plaintive tune for the elegy of a son who had died, and borrowed to accompany the singing of the given psalm.

Meditation:It appears in Psalm 9:16. It was intended to direct the attention of the singers. It could mean to soften the playing to give a chance to the singers to think and meditate quietly on the meanings of the words of the psalm.

Mikhtam:It appears in the heading of Psalms 16,56-60. It means "Laid with gold." The sentences of such psalms are always concise and as precious as gold.

To the deer of the dawn:It appears in the heading of Psalm 22. Its meaning is not known, but most probably it was the name of the tune to which the psalm was sung.

A contemplation:It appears in the headings of 13 psalms: 32,42,44,45,52-55,74,78, 88,89,142. This translation follows the Septuagint, which literally said, "A psalm of understanding." The original Hebrew means: "That which gives understanding and wisdom."

To bring to remembrance:It appears in the headings of Psalms 38,70. It was intended to remind the psalmist of certain events which he should not forget.

The lilies:It appears in the headings of Psalms 45,60,69,80. Its meaning is not known, but most probably it is the name of the tune to which the psalm was sung. The tune was used for singing these four psalms.

A song for Alamoth:It appears in the heading of Psalm 46. It is the name of the tune to which the psalm was sung. It could be translated "The Tune of the Virgins."

The silent dove in distant lands:It appears in the heading of Psalm 56. Its meaning is not known, but most probably it is the name of tune to which the psalm was sung.

Do not destroy:It appears in the heading of Psalm 57-59,75. Perhaps it indicates the tune to which Moses prayer in Deuteronomy 9:26 was sung: "Therefore I prayed to the Lord, and said: 'O Lord God, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance whom You have redeemed through Your greatness.'" The tune might have been used later to sing these four psalms.

To Jeduthun:It appears in the headings of Psalms 62 and 77. Jeduthun is a Hebrew name meaning praising or giving thanks”. He was a man from the tribe of Levi, and one of the senior musicians appointed by David to lead the praise and worship in the temple (1 Chronicles 16:41-43; 25:1-3). Most probably it was Jeduthun who composed the tune to these two psalms.

A song of ascents:It appears as the heading of 15 psalms: 120-134. The children of Israel used to sing them while going up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast.


	The Gospel in the Psalms

Christians love the Psalms as Jesus does because they discover great spiritual lessons and experiences in them, which were revealed in the New Testament.

Christ in the psalms:Christ was a title given to all the kings of Israel (Psalm 89:38,51), as it also referred to David's firstborn, the saviour-king of Israel (Psalm 2:2). Christ, as a title, also referred to anyone who was anointed to fill a special office, such as prophets (Psalm 105:15). In the psalms there are many prophecies concerning the life of Christ, as He Himself indicated: "All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me" (Luke 24:44). When the children shouted to Him on the day of His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, He quoted Psalm 8:3 (Matthew 21:16). As He was hanging on the cross, His mind turned to the Book of Psalms, so He called the Father using the first words of Psalm 22 (Matthew 26:46). He committed His spirit into His hands using the words of Psalm 31:5 (Luke 23:46), and in His thirst they gave Him vinegar to drink as in Psalm 69:21 (John 19:29). Psalm 22 captures the suffering of the crucifixion. The psalms describe Christ as the Son of God who will conquer His enemies (Psalm 2,72,110) and must destroy all His foes. The psalms also speak of the extension of His kingdom over the whole earth (Psalm 47,67,96-100,117). Psalms 2,8,16,22,40,45,69,72,89,102,109, 110,118,132 contain clear prophecies about Christ's life, death and resurrection.
Fellowship with God in the psalms:The psalmist is aware of God's holiness, therefore he worships Him (as in Psalms 95-100), thirsts and pants after Him (as in Psalms 42,43,63), praises Him (as in Psalms 33,34,40,92,105), loves His house (as in Psalms 84,122), loves His word (as in Psalms 19,119) and experiences His constant presence (Psalms 23,91).
Salvation from sin:The psalms focus on the fact that man has a tendency to sin, so the psalmist says, "If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?" (Psalm 130:3), and views sin as basically against God: "Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight" (Psalm 51:4). The psalms explain that the only hope of salvation from sin and its wages lies in redemption. Man cannot possibly redeem himself, nor can anyone redeem his brother: "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom from him- for the redemption of their souls is costly, and it shall cease forever" (Psalm 49:7,8). (The NIV says, "...the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough.") The only acceptable redemption is the blood sacrifice prescribed by the law of Moses (Psalm 51:19), which symbolised Christ the Lamb of God who takes away all the sins of the world (John 1:29). The psalmist says, "But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared" (Psalm 130:4), and "Blessed is the one to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity" (Psalm 32:2). Man finds salvation from his sins through confession and repentance (Psalm 32,51), then he can have the joy of salvation (Psalm 51:12).
Eternal life in the psalms:The idea of eternal life was not clear in Old Testament theology, because it was Christ who annulled death and shed light on eternal life and immortality through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10). Some verses of the psalms seem to suggest that thanksgiving to God will stop when earthly life stops: "For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks?" (Psalm 6:5). But eternal life is not denied altogether, for the psalmist also says, "My flesh also will rest in hope, for You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption" (Psalm 16:9,10). He knows the eternal joy he will have in God's presence after death: "I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness" (Psalm 17:15), and the eternal glory he will receive: "You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory" (Psalm 73:24). He says, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for he shall receive me" (Psalm 49:15).

Now let us look into Psalms 1-10, to praise God who created man and established him above all other creatures, and provided for his redemption and salvation when he fell into sin. Now we go up with the writers of the psalms to a higher level. So let us ask God to make our feet like deer's feet, and make us walk on our high hills (Habakkuk 3:19).

Two Kinds of People

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

The Jews divided the Book of Psalms into five books, corresponding to the Five Books of the Law. They said that Psalms 1-41 correspond to the Book of Genesis, which starts by mentioning the supremacy of man, whom God created in His image and according to His likeness. But unfortunately, man misused his free will to disobey his Creator, and fell into sin. Psalm 1 depicts man in his supremacy, while Psalm 2 depicts him in his rebellion against God.

Psalm 1 begins with the word "Blessed", which means "How happy!" This was the same expression Jesus used to begin His Sermon on the Mount, when He blessed the poor in spirit, the merciful, and the peace-makers (Matthew 5:3-13). The word in Hebrew is in the plural, which speaks of manifold blessings.

From the benediction of Psalm 1 and the Sermon on the Mount, we can clearly see that the happy person is the one who derives his happiness from something within him, from the grace that fills his heart and reflects on his outward behaviour, thus making him self-sufficient. A truly happy person does not depend on circumstances to bring him happiness, nor on anything outside him, but on his inner soul. If we draw our happiness and peace from things outside ourselves, we may experience joy one day, but fail to experience it again with the same intensity and abundance the following day. There might even come a day when nothing joyful at all happens. The person who relies on circumstances to make him happy will always go up and down, ever fluctuating. Besides, his downs will be more than his ups, both quantitatively and qualitatively. But he is happy indeed who draws his happiness from what is within him. As an illustration of this, the Apostle Paul says, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13).

The psalm includes the following:

First: The righteous man (verses 1-3)
Second: The ungodly man (verses 4,5).
Third: The basis of success and the cause of failure (verse 6).


	First: The Righteous Person

(verses 1-3)

There are three pictures of the righteous person: negative, positive and descriptive:

The negative picture: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful"(verse 1). To counsel someone means to give him advice or talk him into adopting a certain thought or action. A happy person is the one who does not incline his heart to the thought of the ungodly, nor stands in their path and as a result does not sit in the seat of the scornful. The ungodly thought leads us to stand, and standing ends up in sitting. It is an unhappy man who walks in the counsel and thought of the ungodly, and finds himself standing in the path of sinners, finally sitting in the council of the scornful. These are three stages; each leads to the other, and they end in total decline.

Sin starts with a simple thought, and ends in a downfall. This is because Satan is deceitful. He knows that we will resist the temptation to commit a big sin, which causes moral decline. But with deception he offers us a seemingly good thought, assuming the role of a sincere advisor who cares for our welfare.

This deception became known when Satan suggested certain thoughts to Eve, by way of a seemingly innocent question, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?.... You will not surely die." The idea appealed to our first ancestors, so they stood before the tree in deep reflection, and found that it was ...pleasant to the eyes, and...desirable to make one wise. From just standing they were led to sitting down and actually eating of the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:1-7). If we take Satans advice, we automatically stand still and start reflecting over it, and wind up adopting his idea and actually doing it in the council of the scornful.

Just as walking leads to standing and ends in sitting as a gradual process of decline, dealing with the thoughts of the ungodly leads us to the path of sinners, which eventually ends in sitting with the scornful. The ungodly are the dissolute who do not go by any spiritual laws. They may respond to spiritual things, but they reject them as soon as they do not fall in line with their preferences and physical comfort. They are the unstable, who do not remain in one state. They are not in harmony with themselves, due to their vacillation and unsteadiness. How happy is the one who does not stop to hear the advice of the dissolute, unsettled, ungodly man, who moves from one immoral thought to another!

Sinners are those who miss the mark, who cannot accomplish God's purpose for their lives. They are in a more evil state than the ungodly.

The scornful are more wicked than the ungodly, and more sinful than sinners. They are those who do nothing else but mock religion and the religious. They are those who laugh at the worshippers. The status of a scornful person may be high, because he attracts people to him who gather around him to laugh. But he is so close to the gates of hell, and he will surely perish.

This was the negative description of the righteous man, who refrains from doing any of these three errors.
The positive picture: "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night"(verse 2). We find here a delineation of the emotions of a happy man: His delight is in the law of the Lord. He loves the word of God. His delight in the law takes away of the pleasure of counselling with the ungodly.

We have here a delineation of his mentality: He eagerly meditates on the word of God day and night. The Hebrew word for meditate means to chew the cud. A camel, for example, gulps down his feed very quickly, and later on chews on it unhurriedly, savouring what it has gobbled in haste! The believer takes in God's word in a hurry, delighted to have heard it, and sits down afterward to meditate on it, by recalling it back to his mind and heart. He reflects on it more in order to analyse its meanings, and start acting on it in his day-to-day life. He exerts a mental effort to know the meaning of these holy words, just like the believers of Berea, who were described as more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11).

The believer's delight in the word of the Lord protects him from sitting in the council of the scornful, because it rids him of the need of their company. He searches God's word to know God's good will. As a result it dwells in him richly, and he lives a godly life far away from evil. Blessed is the man who does not sit with the scornful, not because he compels himself to keep away from them, but because he lets God's word satisfy him and give him inner satisfaction.

The believers do not flee from sin for fear of consequent punishment, but because the Lord satisfies their hearts. They are filled, not deprived. The more they are filled, the deeper they meditate on God's word day and night, only to find happiness for their souls: Negatively, by keeping away from the evil thoughts that lead to a sinful stand, and end in a session with the scornful. And positively, because they rejoice in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night. "How can a young man cleanse His way? By taking heed according to Your word. Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:9,11).
A descriptive picture:As a result of his negative attitude to sin and positive attitude to God's word, the believer becomes:
1. A well-watered tree: "Like a tree planted by the rivers of water..."(verse 3a). He does not plant himself, but the grace of God does. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes. But her leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the day of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit (Jeremiah 17:7,8).
  
  The believer is not planted by one river, but by many rivers, full of running and living waters, ever renewed. He always quenches his thirst from a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God (Psalm 46:4).
  - He says as he quenches his spiritual thirst from the river of forgiveness that washes him, "Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow... Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:7,10).
  - As he quenches his thirst from the river of God's promises under both happy and painful circumstances, being encouraged by His true word and faithful promises, he hears God whisper to him, "Be of good cheer. It is I; do not be afraid." God's promises disperse fear, fill needs and guide in perplexity.
  - He quenches his thirst from the river of intimate fellowship with God; enjoying Him, rejoicing at His goodness and revelling in His love.
2. A fruitful tree: "That brings forth its fruit in its season..."(verse 3b). The believer is like a tree that always yields fruit in its season, and whose leaves are ever green. I wonder why the psalmist mentions the fruit first and the leaves second, even though the tree puts forth leaves first and yields fruit second. Perhaps he thinks about a perfect personality, such as Christ's, whom the Bible describes as follows: "All that Jesus began both to do and teach" (Acts 1:1). Jesus does first, and then teaches. This means that Christ's fruit appeared first before His leaves, and His deed before His word: "Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people" (Luke 24:19). The deed first and the word second!
  
  The steadfast believer, who is planted by running waters, cares for the fruit first and the leaves second. Moreover, we cannot bring forth fruit but fail to leaf, because the believer is in fact beautiful from within and without; in his deed and his word, and in all things. For the Bible says that God "will beautify the humble with salvation" (Psalm 149:4).
3. With green leaves:Whose leaf also shall not wither (verse 3c). The believer is like an evergreen plant. The cold of winter does not destroy him, and the snow of life does not make his leaves fall off. He is like "a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing" (Psalm 92:12-14). His motto is "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved... Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should arise against me, in this I will be confident... My heart is steadfast, O God, I will sing and give praise" (Psalm 16:8; 27:3; 57:7).
  
  The deeds of the true believer may seem as simple as the leaves of the tree, but they bring blessing. The least it could do is overshadow those around him in a scorching, hot place. Happy is the believer to whom you speak when you are weary, and leave him refreshed and invigorated, because he can say, "The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary" (Isaiah 50:4). Let us be like a flourishing tree planted by streams of running water, always bringing forth our fruit in its season. Let people come to us seeking fruit, and be filled with the blessing and grace God bestowed upon us. Let "the leaves of the tree be for the healing of the nations" (Revelations 22:2). Be a means of healing to those around you, and a shade for those at loss and those who became weary searching for shelter.
4. A prosperous man:Whatever he does shall prosper (verse 3d). This sums up the believer's life, because the Lord makes the way of the righteous prosperous, by turning his troubles and the thorns in his life into roses that please the beholders. Even the very area where he fails, God turns into something beautiful. The simplest word he may utter lasts forever, and the least act of love he does remains as an everlasting memory. Both his fruit and his leaves last! He neither loses his beauty, nor his fruit, because, in His love, God transforms his mistakes into lessons. When he makes a mistake, he runs to His heavenly Father and confesses it to Him, and He reassures him and shows him goodness. He brings out of the eater something to eat, and out of the strong something sweet (Judges 14:14).
  
  In the trials and sorrows of the righteous there are hidden blessings. Job said, "When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10). This was also the experience of Joseph when his brothers sold him, but the Lord was with him and he was a successful man (Genesis 39:2). His father Jacob also said as he blessed him, "Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; his branches run over the wall. The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot him and hated him. But his bow remained in strength" (Genesis 49:22-24).


	Second: The Ungodly Person

(verses 4,5)

The psalmist gives us a dark picture of the ungodly man, to show us how bright the picture of the righteous is. He uses the principle: to whiten, surround with black. He may have had in mind the fact that in order to show how bright something is, you need to display it on a dark background, thus highlighting its radiance. It is true that the Lord marks out and sets the godly ones apart for Himself (Psalm 4:3).

The ungodly in the present life: "The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away"(verse 4). Being a living, green tree is a far cry from being dead, dried-up chaff! The tree is planted by the vine-dresser, but the chaff is dead, rootless, fruitless, worthless. The wind blows it away to unknown and undesired places. Thus is the ungodly who is carried by evil to unknown and undesired places. When he first commits any sin, he thinks that he has full authority over it, but soon he finds out that he is a slave of sin, paying the price of his misdeed! The ungodly has no control over his present or future, no matter what authority he may think he has.

Let us give thanks to the Lord because He planted us. We were chaff, and by His grace He made us green trees. But if one of you is like chaff that the wind blows away, the Lord calls you now to plant you by the running waters, that you may become a blooming tree.
The ungodly in the coming life: "Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement"(verse 5). As an end result of their misconduct, the ungodly shall not be able to stand on their feet on the Judgement Day. Because they will dread God, their knees will shake and their legs will not hold them.

They will not be able to rise or stand because they have been in sin for such a long time that their life pattern became a continual falling, and they no longer knew how to stand. They simply bow their heads in shame. Yet, when the books are opened, and their sins exposed, they will appear for who they really are and hear God say to them, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41).

The ungodly will not be able to stand the divine interrogation on the Day of Judgement. The psalmist says, "If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, who could stand?" (Psalm 130:3). Who can possibly stand in the divine court? Who can dare defend himself?


	Third: The Basis of Success and the Cause of Failure

(verse 6)

The basis of success:For the Lord knows the way of the righteous. The Hebrew word for know means to know lovingly. The very hairs of your head are all numbered (Matthew 10:30). This means they all have numbers! Christ, the Good Shepherd, knows His own sheep and calls them by name (John 10:3). The Lord knows the believers, and knows their ways, too!

Be sure that you are not on your own! You can say, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me" (Psalm 23:4). How beautiful it is to know that Christ knows your way, because He walked it before you. He Himself has suffered, being tempted, and He is able to aid those who are being tempted. We belong to Him. "We are His people, the sheep of His pasture" (Psalm 100:3).
The cause of failure:But the way of the ungodly shall perish. God said, "Those who depart from Me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters" (Jeremiah 17:13). Please, do not follow an illusion, because the way of the ungodly will surely perish.

Now that we have seen how the Scriptures describe both the righteous and the unrighteous, who among us would like to remain unrighteous and far away from God? The Lord offers the greatest proposal to repent, and the greatest call for free salvation.

Oh, that every ungodly man would wake up from his false security, realise that however happy his way may seem, it will surely end in hell, and that he would turn away from it now. Oh, that every righteous man would take courage, as he says to the Lord, "But You, O Lord, know me; You have seen me, and You have tested my heart toward You" (Jeremiah 12:3).

Blessed is the righteous man because he has everlasting life in Christ. And woe to the ungodly man in this life, and in the eternal one!


	Questions

Psalm 1:1 mentions three consecutive steps to sinning. What are they? How can we avoid them?
What does the psalmist mean by "The wicked will not stand in the judgement?"

The Clay Plot

1 Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

3 "Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us."

4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.

5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure:

6 "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion."

7 "I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.

8 Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.'"

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.

11Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Psalm 1 presented man in his supremacy as it said, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly... but his delight is in the law of the Lord." Psalm 2, however, presents man after having sinned, fallen down from his spiritual supremacy, and rebelled against God. This rebellion on man's part was unsuccessful, because it contradicted common sense. Therefore, Psalm 2 commences with a rhetorical question: Why do the nations rage?

Peter and John ascribed this psalm to David (after having been released from jail, to which they had been taken for healing the invalid), as they prayed, "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David said: 'Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ'" (Acts 4:24-26). The disciples explained the words of the psalm as follows: "For truly against Your Holy Servant Jesus, Whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done" (Acts 4:27-28).

So this revolt was not really against God, but was in fact a fulfilment of His will. True, the rebellious kings raged in ignorance, but their rebellion did the will God, who is the true King!

The disciples continued their prayer: "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your Holy Servant Jesus" (Acts 4:29). They did not say, "Avenge us of them", nor "Annihilate them!" They said, "Stretch out Your hand to heal them!" As a result of this prayer, the place where they assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31).

The nations raged in vain against God, and the place was shaken in truth by the power of the Lord. The raging of the nations was in vain, because it was a meaningless noise. But the shaking of the place was the result of God's blessing on those who were filled with the Holy Spirit, who forgave their enemies, prayed for their persecutors, and spoke God's word with boldness.

Psalm 2 furnishes the first prophecy in the psalms concerning Christ's work, glory, the resistance He would encounter and His ultimate triumph. This is a frequently repeated prophecy in the Bible. It has been fulfilled in church history, but will be perfectly and finally fulfilled at Christ's advent, when He will come in such great heavenly glory, to the consternation of those who withstand His will. He will break them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessel, as punishment for their unsuccessful revolt. Today Christ is rejected as King by many, but the day will come when His triumph will be announced: "For to which of the angels did He ever say: 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You'? And again: 'I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son'?" (Hebrews 1:5). "So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You'" (Hebrews 5:5).

This psalm is a poem of four stanzas; each stanza consists of three verses. It speaks of God's fulfilment of His purpose in Christ His Son, through whom He will establish His kingdom. All those who oppose Him are in great danger, and all those who enthrone this powerful, triumphant King over their hearts will have great blessing.

God will act out His purposes in spite of the opposition of some ignorant people, whether they like it or not! Then all mankind will sing, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created."

Men's revolt against God is an unsuccessful and illogical one.

The psalm includes the following:

First: Men's revolt against the Lord (verses 1-3)
Second: How God the Father responded to this revolt (verses 4-6)
Third: How Christ responded to this revolt (verses 7-9)
Fourth: A call to wisdom (verses 10-12)


	First: Men's Revolt against God

(verses 1-3)

The first stanza of Psalm 2 starts off with a question: "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and His Anointed, saying, 'Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.'" This describes how much hate there is in the hearts of many people against Christ, and out of this hate they foolishly revolt and rebel against Him.

Unaware of the goodness involved, those foolish men presumed that the divine law was bonds and cords that held them down. Have you ever heard of a train that revolted against the tracks because they limited its freedom? You see, those who oppose God's will are children in their spiritual mind; they do not know that they cannot do without bonds!

The whole world has joined a revolt against the Lord and His Anointed (Christ). The nations, the peoples, the kings and the rulers all rage like a turbulent sea, devising, resisting and plotting to break what they think of as the bonds of the Lord, and to cast away the cords that deny them their happiness. They make an agreement to fight the Prince of Peace, so they rebel against the divine rule! They want to be free to do whatever they desire. This thought is vain, untrue and useless. For God is the Creator, the One who holds all things in place, the supreme Sovereign in heaven and earth. He will surely reign and His coming is like a "refiners fire and like fuller's [launderers] soap... For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day that comes will burn them up... that will leave them neither root nor branch"(Malachi 3:2; 4:1).

As King Herod heard that a royal Child was born in Bethlehem, he tried to kill Him to keep the throne for himself and his descendants after him. Perhaps he thought that the throne belonged to him by right. Yet, it was entrusted to him by the King of kings! Herod commanded that all the children who were two years old and less should be murdered, but the Lord commanded Joseph to take the Child and His mother to Egypt. Herod's kingdom ended, whereas the Kingdom of God will endure for ever and ever (Matthew 2:16)!

Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the greatest king of his time, said after learning a lesson about the inexorable sovereignty of the Most High, "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to abase" (Daniel 4:37).

Why do the people plot a vain thing? They are fools! As for us, let us bow down before our Creator, our Sovereign God, who loves us and cares for us, who is worthy of our worship, obedience and adoration. Christ's yoke may seem hard on those who do not love Christ, yet it is easy and light on those who have enjoyed His salvation.


	Second: How God the Father Responded to this Revolt

(verses 4-6)

The second stanza of the psalm shows God's reaction to this unsuccessful revolt:

The Lord laughs: "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh"(verse 4). The nations rage, and He simply laughs in ridicule because His own creation opposes Him! Will a piece of clay say to its maker, "What are you doing?" It is an ineffective and feeble revolt. It a meaningless, fruitless noise. They are like a child shouting at his parents, declaring his rebellion, only to run and hide under the bed as soon as he has finished. But the hand of the father can reach him there, because there is no use trying to avoid the plan of the loving father who cares only for the good and benefit of his child. In this verse we capture the glorious calmness that the Almighty God radiates, and the derision in which He holds the sinner, who rebels against the God in whom he lives and moves and has his being!

To where shall we escape from God? Jonah went down to the ship, but even there the big, loving hand reached out to send a tempest and prepare a big fish to swallow him and bring him back to where he should be. Don't we often do that when God communicates a message to us and we get too busy with other things? Sometimes when we do something wrong, the Lord says to us, "You are destroying your life by going far away from me. Where do you think you are going? Can you escape from the divine will? Till when will you keep on acting foolishly?!"
The Lord rebukes: "Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure"(verse 5). He touched them lovingly, but they did not respond; so it was time for rebuke. When our children run away from us we laugh at first, then we rebuke them when they do not answer the call of love, and misunderstand our parental interest in their welfare.

Heaven is still silent despite all the blasphemies of those who rebel against God. And God still declares the good news of His forgiveness and salvation. But the time will come when God makes His enemies His footstool, and terrifies them in His anger on the day of vengeance and wrath!
The Lord declares: "Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion"(verse 6). In verse 2 we saw the plot against the Anointed of the Lord. Here He declares that He has anointed His King with the Holy Spirit, to establish Christ's reign on earth, which is God's desire. They have to accept His will because it is best for them and because He loves them.

God laughs. God rebukes. God declares that His will is good, acceptable, perfect and foreordained. So may the will of the Lord of hosts be done!

This divine declaration shows that Christ is King over His people, to defend them, manage their affairs and plan their lives. He is King over His enemies and causes them to accomplish His plans unwittingly. God has declared that he has anointed His King over His holy hill of Zion the Fortress, on which service to the King of heaven and earth is offered.


	Third: How Christ Responded to this Revolt

(verses 7-9)

The rulers take counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed so the Father declares that He has anointed His King despite their opposition. Christ responds to the nations revolt against Him by:

Declaring His eternal past: "I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You.'"(verse 7). A human father would say to his son, "Today I have begotten you, you are my son." But the heavenly Father says to Christ, "You are My Son, today I have begotten You." He has already been Son before His birth. He is the Son of God before all the ages, and His birth from the Virgin only provided Him with the human body. Here Christ declares that He is born, not created, and that he is consubstantial, of the same substance, with the Father. Christ is the Son of God, the eternal Word, who is one with the Father, without beginning, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times (Micah 5:2).

"Today I have begotten You."This is How Christ entered the sphere of time, because "when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law" (Galatians 4:4). Christ is the Son of God since before the creation of the universe, and in the fullness of time He came to do the work assigned to Him. After He had finished it He said, "I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was" (John 17:4,5).

The Son King says, "I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You.'" By this Christ declared His rights as God's Anointed King. In verse 2 we saw the failure of a plot, and in verse 7 we see the Lord's decree.
Declaring His kingdom:He says that the Father said to Him, "Ask of Me, and I will give You nations for You inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession" (verse 8). Great kings were in the habit of granting their favourites whatever they wanted up to half of the kingdom (Esther 5:6; Matthew 14:7). This eternal Son, who entered the realm of time and place, was granted the kingdom by His heavenly Father. All the ends of the world shall remember and return to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You (Psalm 22:27). Every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10,11).

Christ's declaration of His kingdom shows us that our God is democratic, and that He tolerates opposition parties. He accepts the fact that the devil, who is the ruler of this world, and the nations and people that follow him, rage, devise things, rise and plot against Him, saying, "Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us."Nevertheless, He is their provider, life-Giver, and it is He who empowers them to rise against Him. He bears with them, perhaps they might repent, because he desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Despite the unsuccessful opposition, He still is the supreme Ruler, entitled with full authority.
Declaring the confirmation of His triumph: "You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash to pieces like a potters vessel"(verse 9). They rose against Him, so He broke them to pieces, so that they could not rise again. A broken clay pot cannot be fixed, is good for nothing and cannot be remoulded again. In His love, God called people to return to Him and submit to Him. Everyone who accepts this call will be blessed, and everyone who declines will have to suffer punishment. For those who are not founded on the Rock will come to ruin.


	Fourth: A Call to Wisdom

(verses 10-12)

After wondering about the reason for this unsuccessful revolt against God and His laws, and explaining God's and Christ's reaction to this revolt, David calls the nations and the peoples to be wise and instructed in the presence of God.

He calls them to be wise: "Be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth"(verse 10). They are kings and judges because God granted them these ranks, in view of the fact that He is the Most High King and Judge, to whom they will have to give an account! The fear of the Lord is the essence of wisdom, and the beginning of knowledge. Only the fools despise wisdom and instruction (Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:7). It is wise to listen and learn, because the heavenly instruction leads to our salvation, if we accept it. It advises us to use our minds and submit to it willingly.

Someone may say, "But I am neither a king nor a judge." The answer is: Each one of us is responsible for a job or a house, and we judge every day: we judge our children and our fellow-workers. So let us obey Christ and be wise and instructed in the fear of the Lord. Let us ask Him for mercy and wisdom.
He calls them to serve: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling"(verse 11). Service is the same as worship. The Hebrew words for servant and worship come from the same root. When you worship you serve. Worship is the service we offer to God, not with words of tongue, but in deed and in truth. It is a call for serving with pious fear coupled with obedience. Much the same way, the shouts of rejoicing have to be mixed with holy fear, because fear without joy is torment, and joy without fear is pretence.
He warns them from rebelling: "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little"(verse 12). Kissing means three things in the Bible:
1. The kiss of greeting:It says in the Old Testament that the prophet Samuel took a flask of oil and poured on King Saul's head, kissed him, and said, "The Lord has anointed you commander over His inheritance" (1 Samuel 10:1). This we must do with the beloved Son, the Anointed of the Lord. In kissing Him we declare that we accept His authority over our lives.
2. The kiss of worship:God said to Elijah, "I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him" (1 Kings 19:18). Kissing here is an equivalent of worship. So let us bow down to Christ the Son, and say to him together with Thomas, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28).
3. The kiss of love:The Apostle Peter commanded the Christians of the early church to "Greet one another with a kiss of love" (1 Peter 5:14). So let us give a kiss of love to the Son, fulfilling the first and the greatest command: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30).
  
  Let us submit to Christ, the Son King, and offer Him total service, honour and love, because He alone is worthy of all this. If we take this chance we will be blessed, and if we reject it we perish.
He calls them to trust on Him: "Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him"(verse 12). Trusting God means depending on Him and acting according to what He says, out of confidence in His instructions and promises. Let your dependence upon Christ be true, and submit your will to the divine will.

In conclusion of this meditation on this psalm, I would like to refer back to Acts 4:31 where it says, "...the place... was shaken." Let us obey the divine command: Kiss the Son, so that the place would be shaken by His presence, and we be blessed because He is there- in our hearts, homes and churches. Worship Him and cry out in awe, that the place may be filled with His presence among us, and that we may all be filled with the Holy Spirit and go forth to proclaim God's word with boldness.


	Questions

The disciples quoted Psalm 2:1 when they prayed in Acts 4:24-28. Write a short comment on the disciples' prayer.
Psalm 2:12 commands "Kiss the son". Give three possible meanings for this command.

The Lifter of my Head

A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.

1 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.

2 Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God.'' Selah

3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

4 I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.

6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.

8 Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

David wrote Psalms 3 and 4 when he fled from Absalom his son, after the latter had attempted a coup d'tat against him. The situation was so hard on David, who was rejected as king by the majority of the people, and rejected as father by his own son! The majority of the people sided with Absalom, but a few faithful people remained with David. So he had to run from his palace barefooted, because there was no chance for getting ready to get out of the palace. In this harsh circumstance David found his comfort in the Lord, and lifted up a prayer in this early-morning psalm, which he composed after a night of extreme terror, "I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me" (verse 5). And in Psalm 4, which is an evening psalm that was composed after the good end of a dangerous day, he lifts up this prayer: "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" (verse 8).

The king fled from his palace under cover of night, and wrote down Psalm 3 when the day dawned on him and found him in safety. At the end of the fourth day of his flight he composed Psalm 4. It was a severe day, at the end of which David committed himself into the hands of his God. Similarly, when we face troubles at the beginning of the day, we can still end our day in the hands of a loving God. When troubles come by night we still know that "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5) because our God is with us. And if troubles come at the beginning of our lives, we know that we will end our lives in the hands of a loving God. When troubles assail us at the end of it, we know that our sun must set in the hands of a loving God.

Psalms 3 and 4 reassure us greatly, for our God is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Our Alpha is from Him and our Omega goes back to Him. To Him we lift up the morning prayer and to Him we sing the evening thanksgiving song.

We saw in Psalm 2 a revolt raging on the outside against the Anointed of the Lord, and in Psalm 3 we see David encounter a revolt from within his household and kingdom, from people he never expected to do so. Although the distress we experience at the hands of those on the outside may be hard, the distress we experience at the hands of those who are very close to us is even harder. In the two psalms (3, 4) David shows us God's providence and the security of His children, whether distress assaults them from afar off or from nearby. He had said at the end of Psalm 2, "Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him"; concluded Psalm 3 by saying "Salvation belongs to the Lord" and concluded Psalm 4 by saying, "You alone... make me dwell in safety."

We read the story of Absalom's unsuccessful coup against his father in 2 Samuel 15-18. Afterward David sang this psalm.

The psalm includes the following:

First: The psalmist's complaint (verses 1,2)
Second: The psalmist's trust (verses 3,4)
Third: The psalmist's security (verses 5,6)
Fourth: The psalmist's prayer (verses 7,8)


	First: The Psalmist's Complaint

(verses 1,2)

David has every right to complain: his son has implemented a coup, and risen against him. He could not find any reason for this to happen, as he had to walk barefooted, with his head bowed. Perhaps some of his friends said that he had not disciplined his son properly. His enemies, on the other hand, must have said that David's sins and bad example turned his own son against him. His God must have forsaken him, since his son was able to plan this coup against him, and all his worship and songs were mere hypocrisy.

How often do we find ourselves in a position where we cannot complain to people, because we see criticism in their eyes? Because of this David approached God and said to Him, "I will tell You of my anxiety because I can get an answer from You. Lord, how many are those who trouble me! Many people rise against me. Many people say to my soul, 'His God cannot help him at all.'" The biblical historian says, "With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited, and they went along innocently and did not know anything" (2 Samuel 15:11). David was a great king and rendered many a good service to the nobility in his kingdom; but here they are turning against him, some knowingly and some ignorantly. The greatest danger that David encountered came from those who stood against him, saying, "Your God cannot help you." It seems that these words upset David's mood and caused him to complain from deep within: "Had the thought occurred to my mind I would have banished it quickly, but my complaint has gone deep within me: You cannot stand by me anymore. Have You really banished me from Your presence?"

But thanks to God, David knew where to turn to lodge his complaint- and this was the reason for his delivery. Even if it was said to him that God abandoned him, he would still turn to Him for help, for he has none else but Him. "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You" (Psalm 73:25).

David applied his complaint to the Lord, and wrote down this psalm for the godly to sing after he was gone, in order to proclaim the praises of Him who never disappoints anyone who complains to Him.


	Second: The Psalmist's Trust

(verses 3,4)

The psalmist begins the second part of the psalm by turning to God, and saying to Him, "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me." Shields were usually made of a piece of wood covered with animal skin, with which the soldier defended himself against pointed arrows, which struck the shield.

As though David was saying, "Lord, I turn my gaze from the problem to You. The going is tough, and it seems, to all appearances, that there is no hope. I am a fugitive and my enemies are in hot pursuit after me. Yet, I see the invisible: I see You. I look up, not to the nations, and not to my own nation, but to You alone."

The psalmist sees the following in his God: A shield, a Lifter of his head and a Hearer of prayer.

The Lord is the shield of the psalmist: "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me"(verse 3a). Remember when he stood in front of Goliath the giant?! He was just a little child in front of an armored warrior, who, in spite of his strength, could not carry all his weapons, and another man had to follow him to carry his armour. David's weapons, on the other hand, were only a stick, a sling and five smooth stones! The shield could not shield the giant and he fell before David, the little child! David had no wooden shield, but he had the true shield: "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me." You are my protection; You are my fortress. I turn to You for help, and I take refuge in You.

The word shield occurs in the Bible for the first time in Genesis 15:1 when God said to Abraham, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward" (Genesis 15:1). David must have recalled how God helped Abraham, His friend, as he led the first and the last military battle to rescue his nephew Lot from his captors. Abraham expected King Chedorlaomer and the defeated kings to return to fight him since he posed a military threat to them. Perhaps Abraham was afraid. He rescued his nephew, who did not even say thank you, as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah did. Neither did Lot ask his uncle to come back to live with him. Abraham was in a weak and fearful situation, but God reassured him, drove his fears away, and said, "Do not be afraid. I am your shield."

David knew that God would do the same with him, so he said to Him, "You are a shield for me." God is his protection.
The Lord is the glory of the psalmist: "You... are my glory"(verse 3b). The Lord was his glory even in his loneliness. David was king before the attempt to overthrow him. His glory was in his kingdom, throne, army and family. But now he is a pursued fugitive, barefoot and weeping. All his earthly, political glory was gone, and his friends who gathered around him showed him more pity than respect.

Even though David's visible glory was lost, the Lord was still his glory, which he can never lose.

We may glory in a famed family line, our university degree, our intelligence that we believe will get us out of trouble, or our health that we depend on. But all this can be lost in a moment, and only the Lord will remain, if He is our glory and if we have already established a personal relationship with Him. Only the person who has real glory can have David's attitude as he said when he lost all things, "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me."
The Lord is the Lifter of the psalmist's head: "The One who lifts up my head"(verse 3c). The recorder of the holy history describes David's flight: "So David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and he went barefoot. All the people that were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up" (2 Samuel 15:30). They covered their heads out of grief and shame. Only the Lord could lift up their heads. If the world causes us to bow our heads, only the Lord can lift them up if we love Him and follow Him.
The Lord hears the prayer of the psalmist: "I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill"(verse 4). David was accustomed to call upon the Lord in prayer both in distress and comfort, and was used to getting an answer every time. And now he prays with confidence that God who stood by him always will stand by him on this critical day.


	Third: The Psalmist's Security

(verses 5,6)

We see the peace that filled David's heart in verses 5 and 6 of the psalm. He proclaimed his trust in God his shield, the One who lifts up his head and hears his prayer, therefore he felt confident in his heart.

The rest of the confident: "I lay down and slept"(verse 5a). It was possible for any one of Absalom's men to attack David and kill him in his sleep. It was possible that one of those around him was a spy for Absalom and that he could have killed David while he was asleep. All this was possible. Nevertheless, he went on sleeping because God gives His beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2). This is not the sleep of those who have a false hope, but of those who trust in the Lord's loving care, and feel secure in it. He said as he woke up, "I woke, for the Lord sustained me" (verse 5b). The fact that he woke up proves that the Lord kept him alive.

Peter fell sound asleep in jail, although Herod was going to kill him the following day! He slept fettered with two chains between two soldiers. There were guards before the door. Then the angel came, and a heavenly light shone in the prison cell. Yet Peter didn't wake up! The angel struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" (Acts 12:6-8). Peter could sleep because he was aware that death could not harm him, and that it could only bring him to his eternal home to rest forever with his heavenly Father. Death does not alarm the believer because it is a transitional phase. The believer starts his eternal life here and now, and then moves on to be with the Lord in everlasting eternity. Therefore he sleeps in peace. He rests his head on his God's shoulder and sleeps in peace in the shadow of His wings, to wake up in safety. Whether he wakes up in the glorious presence of the Lord or among his loved ones on earth, he says to the Lord in both cases, "I lay down and slept; I woke, for the Lord sustained me."
The peace of the confident: "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around"(verse 6). He had peace, not because of the circumstances, but in spite of them. David did not belittle the prob-lem. His enemies were numerous, zealous and shrewd, but he could also see the strong points on his side. There were ten thou-sands setting themselves against him, but he plus God were in the majority. He did not consider himself great, for he was not so. He could appreciate the power of the God he served, and compared the size of the problem he was facing with that of the divine authority, therefore he was filled with confidence and assurance.


	Fourth: The Psalmist's Prayer

(verses 7,8)

After David made his complaint known, showed his confidence in the Lord who lifts up his head, and his heart brimmed with peace, he went back to pray. He hit on a sad and defeated tone at the start of the psalm when he said, "Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!" But at the end of it he lifted up a prayer of triumphant joy as he said, "Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people." This is the triumphant conclusion of every difficulty the beloved of the Lord go through. They start with tears and end in joy.

David's prayer includes two requests:

A request for himself: "Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God!"(verse 7a). In the distress of his soul he called upon the Lord to arise and take action. He knew that God was alive and that he cared, so he called upon Him for help. To whom else but God could he turn? He is the Lord of hosts, who leads the hordes of angels to deliver weak David in his terrible situation. God's history with David testifies to the great salvation he received from his God, which prompted him to say, "For you have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly" (verse 7b). David reviewed his past experiences, and remembered how a lion had attacked his flock and had taken away a lamb; but he managed to kill it and take the lamb out of its mouth (1 Samuel 17:35). He recalled how Goliath assaulted him, and how he knocked down that giant (1 Samuel 17:48-50). He recalled how King Saul and his army were in hot pursuit after him trying all they could to kill him, and how all their attempts failed. It was such a strange thing for a whole kingdom to rise against a single man, that David asked Saul, "After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?"(1 Samuel 24:14; 26:20). But the whole kingdom of Saul could not do this self-named flea any harm as he jumped from one place to another, trying to run away from his chasers. David did not pray to God to avenge him of his enemy, but simply described what God did to the ungodly who opposed His good will. The Lord must strike them on the cheek that speak blasphemies, that sharpened their teeth to swallow God's people. The Lord crushes the head of the dragon!
A request on behalf of his people: "Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people"(verse 8). He is confident that the Lord is the author of salvation. True, David sent one of his loyal counselors to Absalom to defeat the counsel of Ahitophel, Absalom's counsellor, who was known for his wisdom. True, he sent two great priests to communicate the news from Absalom's camp to him. But this alone could not help David at all, for salvation does not come through his intelligence, management or worthiness, as necessary as these can be. Salvation comes from God alone.

Salvation belongs to the Lord because it is by grace from beginning to end. It is the work of God who is high above all, who has the upper hand that is stretched downward to draw out the lost. His grace chooses His elect, His Spirit brings them to life and His strength sustains them. "It is not of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy"(Romans 9:16).

Your blessing is upon Your people. At this point David asks for a blessing for the people walking along with him, and those who set themselves against him. This reminds us of the attitude of the Son of David who asked for a blessing and forgiveness for those who crucified Him when He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do"(Luke 23:34).

Many have risen against David, but he says, "Lord, please bless Your people." Have you ever done someone a good turn but he paid you back with a bad one? If so, do not regret the good you have done and do not despair. Bless those who spitefully use you and irritate you, because salvation belongs to the Lord. "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse" (Romans 12:14).

Let us sing the words of Psalm 3 to the Lord every morning. And let us conclude our day with the words of Psalm 4. Let us deal with every problem as David did: complain to God because we trust in Him, and live in peace and in an intimate relationship with the God of love who makes us triumph in every difficulty.


	Questions

Why did the enemies say to David, "God will not deliver him"?
How could David say "I lie down and sleep" during this time of turmoil?

Who will Show us any Good?

To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

2 How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood? Selah

3 But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; the Lord will hear when I call to Him.

4 Tremble and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

6 There are many who say, "Who will show us any good?'' Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.

7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased.

8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Absalom attempted an unsuccessful coup against his father, as a result of which David had to leave his palace barefoot. Most of the people sided with Absalom. David spent the night in the open with a handful of his followers. On this occasion he wrote Psalms 3 and 4. We can read about this in 2 Samuel 15-18.

Psalm 3 is a morning psalm. David says in it, "I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me." At the end of the day he wrote down Psalm 4 as an evening psalm, which he concluded by saying, "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

Psalm 4 illustrates the depth of the personal relationship between the believer and the Lord, which is the essence of true faith. David is used to recalling the Lord's past mercies, and to ask for new help on their basis. He is like Samuel, who erected the stones of help and said, "Thus far the Lord has helped us" (1 Samuel 7:12). David trusted that the Lord was his Father, friend and beloved, who felt for him, responded to him and inclined His ear to listen to him when he called on Him. He was able to face people courageously because he lived in complete friendship with God.

The psalm includes the following:

First: The psalmist addresses God (verse 1)
Second: The psalmist addresses his enemies (verses 2-5)
Third: The psalmist wonders: Where do we find any good? (verses 6-8)


	First: The Psalmist Addresses God

(verse 1)

"Hear when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me when I was in distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer"(verse 1).

David's situation was extremely difficult. His own son turned against him and tried to usurp the kingdom from him! The only solution to the problem was prayer and asking for justice. When we face a problem, we should start solving it by talking it over with God. Before you go to the doctor, the lawyer or a friend, turn to God. Knock on His door for this is the right beginning. Prayer is the safe refuge for God's people at all times because "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him... in truth" (Psalm 145:18). He says, "Before they call I will answer. While they are still speaking I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24). He says to them, "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears" (Psalm 18:6).

David describes God with three attributes:

A God of righteousness: "Hear me... O God of righteousness."Righteousness is equity, uprightness and being in a right standing with God. God is the God of righteousness because He grants righteousness to all who take refuge in His protection, atonement and forgiveness. The Lord is the believer's righteousness because He justifies him and proves him innocent. He places him in a right standing where he does not feel ashamed before God, himself or people.

God grants righteousness and guarantees its continuity to the believer because He sanctifies whom He justifies through the work of the Holy Spirit, cleansing them from all sin.

God is the model of righteousness, justice, uprightness and right standing. He is the example and the pattern that we should follow. As the Son of Man He left us an example that we should copy (1 Peter 2:21).

The Lord judges in righteousness, because He is a righteous and just God. He does not wrong anybody and does not desire that anyone should perish. God had planned a precious justification to atone for our transgressions. Someone who thought himself virtuous said, "I cloak myself in a robe of my virtues." And a wise man, who knew God's word answered him, "The robe of our virtues is a shabby one, because our virtues are mixed with wickedness. Therefore, I cloak myself with the robe of Christ's righteousness. I take refuge in Him from my sin and nakedness. I repent and seek His mercy, covering and forgiveness." -- "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God" (Romans 5:1). "...not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ" (Philippians 3:9). When we place our trust in the Lord he covers us with the robe of His righteousness.

Do you think you can cover yourself before God with your good works and superior virtues? If so, you must realise that the works of your righteousness are all useless. This is the starting point! David could not have contact with God unless he saw Him as the God of righteousness who justifies and covers him.
A God of relief: "You have relieved me when I was in distress."The enemies closed in upon him, and the Lord opened up the paths of peace and goodness before him. How wonderfully strong David's memory was! The calamity that hit him unexpectedly from within his household did not blot out his memory and make him forget God's favour. May God give us a memory that does not forget His good deeds, and the common sense to realise that even if He allows us to be tried, He still sees us through, because His promise is faithful: "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). "I will never leave you nor forsake you"(Hebrews 13:5). "I will guide you with My eye"(Psalm 32:8). We get the greatest blessings while passing through the valley of weeping. As the enemy presses us, we look up to God and He relieves us.
A God of mercy: "Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer."He did not appeal to the justice of his case, but to God's mercy. Are you in trouble? Is anyone slandering you? Are you in hot water because of your family or the surrounding community? Appeal first to the God of righteousness, the God of relief, the God of mercy; because He will relieve you from your trouble, and have mercy on you.

After addressing God in the first verse, David could address his enemies in the following verses. When you address God you get rid your fear of your enemies, and your lips, which have been purified by prayer, will speak boldly and without shame. We can address our enemies courageously if we first address God.


	Second: The Psalmist Addresses his Enemies

(verses 2-5)

After praying to God, David gave two pieces of advice to his enemies, his son Absalom included:

Your opposition is useless: "How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?"(verse 2). By calling them sons of men he implies that they are his brothers in humanity, and that they are all created of dust. They are limited, weak creatures, even though they are also created in the image of God in righteousness and true holiness. They are his relatives, as it were, and he is one of them, even though he has been set apart by God and called to His service. He accepted God's call on his life, and dedicated himself to Him, which was his glory. He also knows that he will enter his eternal glory after having served God's purpose in his own generation (Acts 13:36).

David wondered, "How long will my position be so shaky before them? How long will you so contemptuously reject me? How long will you put the glory that God gave me in the dust?"

He said, "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head" (Psalm 3:3). Here he says, "How long will you turn my glory to shame?" that is, "How long will God, my glory, be the object of my shame?"

He said, "Many are they who say of me, 'There is no help for him in God.'" (Psalm 3:2), as though he was saying, "I am sure that my God will help me out and stand by me." And at this point he says, "How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?" They slandered him, but they will soon realise that their opposition of him is useless.

He also gives two reasons for their opposition being useless:
1. The Lord sets His godly one apart: "But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly"(verse 3a). No doubt that his enemies would laugh when they hear this, and say, "Do you consider yourself His godly one? How has He set you apart if you are running away from your son? You have lost the kingdom. What you say is groundless and untenable!" But being filled with faith and hope, David could see what his enemies could not. God had chosen him and set him apart as His godly one, His special one. He had favoured him by taking him from following the sheep, and made him king over the people of God. This is an established fact because it is established on the rock of divine discernment and election!
  
  Can you express, thankfully, that you are His godly one?
2. The Lord hears His godly one: "The Lord will hear when I call Him"(verse 3b). How high man's status is in the sight of God! "For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure" (Psalm 135:4). The Lord says, "I will make them My own jewels" (Malachi 3:17). And Christ says about His church that it is a garden enclosed for Himself only (Song of Songs 4:12). How high David's status is, and how high in the sight of God is the status of all who love Him!
Calling his enemies to repent (verses 4,5):He forgot his drudgery and thought of his enemies' interests. Therefore he called them to repent in four expressions:
1. Fear God: "Tremble and do not sin"(verse 4a). As though he was saying, "I beg you to have fear of what you are doing. Stand in awe, and do not be so precipitate." He called them to stand in awe of the results of their doings, so that they could correct their mistakes before it is too late. He admonishes them, "Plan before you carry out." And while planning, do not forget that the Lord has set apart for Himself a godly one, and that He hears when I call on Him. It is true that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and each and every man will give an account of what he has done. So, let us stand in awe of Him, and have a repentant attitude.
2. Consider your attitudes: "Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still"(verse 4b). He calls everybody to have an inner conversation with himself, "Am I doing the right thing?" Sometimes we find ourselves driven by the masses, doing what they do without any deliberate, personal thinking. David wanted his enemies to think in quiet, away from the noise, to reconsider and evaluate their attitudes and repent. The quiet hours of the night, when man is left alone with himself, his conscience and His God, are the best time for soul-searching.
3. Worship God: Offer the sacrifices of righteousness (verse 5a).Instead of slaughtering men, slaughter a sacrifice that justifies you before Him. Offer Him an acceptable sacrifice. Make peace with God, so that you can appropriate Moses' blessing to the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar: "They shall call the peoples to the mountains; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness"(Deuteronomy 33:19).
4. Put your trust in the Lord (verse 5b):Trust is the behaviour that corresponds with knowledge, and the conduct that is based on confidence in God. When they have offered to God the sacrifices of righteousness, they become righteous in His sight, because the sacrifice makes peace between them and God. This results in peace that overwhelms the heart. Then they trust in God and have confidence in His forgiveness.
Today we know that the sacrifices required by the law of Moses symbolised Christ, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29,36). Without a vicarious sacrifice there is no salvation from the wages of sin, which is death, and without shedding of blood there is no remission (Hebrews 9:22). Christ our Saviour came to offer Himself to redeem us, and secured peace for us with God, who gives us peace with ourselves and those around us.


	Third: The Psalmist Wonders: Where can we Find Good?

(verses 6-8)

In the last part of the psalm David answers a question that many of us ask, "Who will show us any good?"His enemies would surely ask it if they responded to his call for repentance.

He offers two answers to this primary and important question:

Absalom assumed that he would find goodness when he usurped the kingdom from his father David,and those who joined in his failed coup d'tat thought that they would get new positions in the government, thus improving their status. So where do we find any good? We actually find three things that characterise the unbeliever:
1. He asks, Who will show us?because he is ignorant of or ignores the fact that God is the source of all goodness. He does not need to ask, for the answer is too well known: God is the only source of all goodness. "The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and he adds no sorrow with it" (Proverbs 10:22).
2. He wants to see with the eyes of the flesh,therefore he does not enjoy the blessing: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).
3. He presumes that his good lies in the material things he owns;such as grain and wine.
The believer, on the other hand, knows that:
1. The Lord Himself is goodness:He is also the source of goodness; therefore he does not search for goodness and ask where to find it. He says, "Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us", namely "Look on us with kindness and let Your smile shine upon us." Lifting up the light of God's countenance upon us means that He will turn to us and look after us. We only need His kindness and approval of us. Christ said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). Those upon whom the Lord lifts up the light of countenance will themselves lift up their eyes, because the source of life is from above, and besides Him they need no one else.
2. The goodness of the Lord is the greatest goodness: "You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased"(verse 7). Those who have a right relationship with God know that He alone satisfies them with His gifts, gives them all their needs, and keeps them in want of nothing. Christ's dominion over life is much better than all the possessions of the world, for grain and wine are the product of the earth, but the light of God's countenance is the product of heaven. When the Lord smiles at you the whole universe takes on a luminous nature.
3. Inner peace is the ultimate goodness:Inner peace remains strong no matter what the outer troubles. He said, "I will... lie down in peace" (verse 8a) because he was not worried or afraid. He will both lie down and sleep; "for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" (verse 8b). He lost his confidence in his son Absalom who betrayed him, and in many o

Meditations on the Psalms

Volume One: Psalms 1-10

Introduction

The Writers of the Psalter

The Divisions of the Psalter

Psalms for Special Occasions

Psalms Invoking God's Judgement

The Numbering of the Psalms

The Headings of the Psalms

Meaning of Some Repeated Words and Expressions in the Psalms

The Gospel in the Psalms

Psalm One

First: The Righteous Person

Second: The Ungodly Person

Third: The Basis of Success and the Cause of Failure

Questions

Psalm Two

First: Men's Revolt against God

Second: How God the Father Responded to this Revolt

Third: How Christ Responded to this Revolt

Fourth: A Call to Wisdom

Questions

Psalm Three

First: The Psalmist's Complaint

Second: The Psalmist's Trust

Third: The Psalmist's Security

Fourth: The Psalmist's Prayer

Questions

Psalm Four

First: The Psalmist Addresses God

Second: The Psalmist Addresses his Enemies

Third: The Psalmist Wonders: Where can we Find Good?