Meditations on the Psalms

The Generous Benefactor

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. 1 Blessed is he who considers the poor; the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. 3 The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed. 4 I said, "LORD, be merciful to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You." 5 My enemies speak evil of me: "When will he die, and his name perish?" 6 And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies; his heart gathers iniquity to itself; when he goes out, he tells it. 7 All who hate me whisper together against me; against me they devise my hurt. 8 "An evil disease," they say, "clings to him. And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more." 9 Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. 10 But You, O LORD, be merciful to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them. 11 By this I know that You are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and set me before Your face forever. 13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.

This psalm marks the end of the first part of the book of Psalms, which corresponds with the Book of Genesis, whose subject is the supremacy and fall of man. Like Psalm One, it starts with a beatitude. Our psalm depicts the generous, extraordinary man who gives to the poor and looks after the needy. It also depicts the fallen man, who is seen in the enemies of the generous benefactor that want him to die and his name to be blotted out. They envy him and cannot bear his goodness. Sick souls cannot bear the light of goodness and beneficence. After having been created in the likeness and image of God, they were distorted due to disobedience. There is a world of difference between man as God wants him to be and man as he is. He has been created in honour, but he misbehaves and commits evil.

David wrote this psalm when he was sick, persecuted or rejected. He was generous with those around him and expected them to repay him in kind, but the opposite happened. Maybe he was describing the same situation when he said, "I paced about as though he were my friend or brother... But...they rejoiced and gathered together; attackers gathered against me" (Psalm 35:14,15). Perhaps David wrote this psalm about Ahitophel his friend, who deserted him to become Absalom's counsellor in his unsuccessful attempt to overthrow his fathers government at a time when David was helpless and could not even defend himself (2 Samuel 15).

The psalm includes the following:

• First: The happiness of the generous benefactor (verses 1-4)

• Second: The complaint of the generous benefactor (verses 5-9)

• Third: The prayer of the generous benefactor (verse 10)

• Fourth: The confidence of the generous benefactor (verses 11,12)

• Fifth: A final doxology (verse 13)

	First: The Happiness of the Generous Benefactor

(verses 1-4)

1. The generous is one happy because the Lord delivers him: "Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble"(verse 1). The poor means those who lack money, as well as the weak, the sick, the depressed or the grieving who need someone to visit him and ask after him. The psalmist blesses the one who looks after the poor who need money, the weak who need support, or the depressed who need comfort, which fulfils Christ's statement: "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." Then the righteous will answer Him, "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to you? He will reply, Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me" (Matthew 25:35-40). Christ says in the fifth beatitude (Matthew 5:7), "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy in the day of trouble, which is the day of unexpected misfortunes, when a man is at peace and suddenly disasters hit him, when he is shocked because he is taken unawares." In the day of unexpected trouble God stands by the generous benefactor and lifts him above the shock. How often was David on the verge of falling into Saul's hands, and how often did the Lord deliver him? Saul directed the spear toward him twice to kill him, but the spear hit the wall and he was delivered (1 Samuel 18:11). As Saul went into the cave in which David was sleeping, God kept David so that Saul did not see him (1 Samuel 24:3-5).

   In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, we find the poor man cast down at the rich mans door, suffering from festering boils, while the rich man was feasting in his palace (Luke 16:19-31). Christ did refer to any sin the rich man had done, for the problem did not lie in his source of revenue nor in his dissipated spending for evil purposes. His fault lay in not considering the poor and never thinking of sending any aid. "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).

2. The generous one is happy because the Lord keeps him alive: "The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies"(verse 2). The Lord keeps the benefactor who considers the poor alive, gives him a meaningful and significant life on earth, and eternal life and immortality in heaven. He does this because Christ lives in him, investing His own life in him. He is blessed on the earth and says together with Job, "When the ear heard, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw, then it approved me; because I delivered the poor who cried out, and the fatherless and he who had no helper" (Job 29:11,12). The Lord will not deliver him to the will of his adversaries, as he had already prayed, "Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries" (Psalm 27:12).

3. The generous one is happy because the Lord strengthens him on his sickbed: "The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed"(verse 3). He will sustain him so that he wont go down to an early grave. This is met with the response: "You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great" (Psalm 18:35). When he is afflicted with illness, the Lord attends to him and treats him like a man who is comforted by his mother (Isaiah 66:13), as she props up his head and straightens the cushions under him to ensure maximum comfort. God looks after the believer in all different stages of life, comforts him in all situations, because the Lord's eyes are always on those who love Him.

4. The generous one is happy because the Lord forgives him: "I said, Lord, be merciful to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You"(verse 4). The psalmist relates sickness to sin; for the divine punishment of sickness may be the result of falling away from God. It should cause us to say, "Come, let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up" (Hosea 6:1). Nevertheless, sickness may not be a result of sin, as Christ said in the case of the man born blind, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him" (John 9:3). We fall ill whether we sin or not. But during our sickness the Lord cleanses us to draw us nearer to Himself and more dependent on Him, and say, "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise" (Jeremiah 17:14). It is worthy of us as believers to lead a life of confession to God no matter how pure our lives appear to us or to others, for we are not righteous in our own right, but draw on His righteousness. It is worthy of us also to realise that God did not promise us permanent health and comfort, but promised to be with us and comfort us in health as well as in sickness.

	Second: The Complaint of the Generous Benefactor

(verses 5-9)

The blessings of the generous man are certain and manifold, but his life is not empty of problems that cause him to complain:

1. Problems from his enemies:

   1. He complains of their evil intention: "My enemies speak evil of me: When will he die, and his name perish?"(verse 5). His enemies would like him to die and his memory to perish, saying, "Let his posterity be cut off, and in the generation following let their name be blotted out" (Psalm 109:13). It is true that David would die at the time God appointed to him, but his name would not perish. David died and moved on from our world to live in the divine Presence forever, because where the Master is there also will the servant be, and where the Teacher is there also will His disciple be (John 14:3). But his memory will never perish, and "The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance" (Psalm 112:6). David still lives till today through his psalms that fill our hearts with joy and trust in the Lord, because they express mans intimate relationship with God.

   2. He complains of their dissimulation: "And if he comes to see me, he speaks vain words; his heart gathers iniquity to itself; when he goes out, he tells it"(verse 6). While David lay ill, his enemies visited him, and in dissimulation expressed kind feelings, but they were in fact gathering information about him to attack and mock him. No sooner did they leave him than they started talking against him and broadcast all they knew about him, distorting his words to defame him.

   3. He complains of their whispering: "All who hate me whisper together against me; against me they devise my hurt. An evil disease, they say, clings to him. And now that lies down, he will rise up no more"(verses 7,8). After they finished visiting him, they met the rest of his enemies waiting outside to break the news to them. They whispered together secretly, hoping for the worst and wishing this would be his last illness, which would bring him down to an early grave. The prophet said,"For I heard many mocking... Report, they say, and we will report it! All my acquaintances waited for my stumbling, saying, 'Perhaps he can be induced; then we will prevail against him'" (Jeremiah 20:10).

2. Problems from his friends: "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me"(verse 9). Perhaps by my familiar friend in whom I trusted David meant Ahithophel, his counsellor who ate at his table, but betrayed him and made a treacherous agreement with Absalom in the unsuccessful coup against him (2 Samuel 15:12, 31). At the Last Supper, Christ quoted this verse and applied it to Judas Iscariot: "He who eats My bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me" (John 13:18). Christ, however, did not quote the first part of the verse that says, "in whom I trusted", since He knew who was going to betray Him (John 13:21). This verse describes David's lamentable situation on the one side, and is a Messianic prophecy on the other. It speaks of Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus in spite of His full knowledge of it ahead of time.

	Third: The Prayer of the Generous Benefactor

(verse 10)

The psalmist lifted up a prayer to God in which he made two requests:

1. He asked for the Lord's mercy: "But You, O Lord, be merciful to me"(verse 10a). David is aware of God's merciful nature, and of his own need of such mercifulness. He recognises his frailty, inadequacy and worthlessness, although the Scripture testified to his heart as being after God's own (Acts 13:2). "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile" (Psalm 32:1). Yet, David sees his situation as it is, and realises how much he needs God's mercy, as Martin Luther said, I will spend my life begging for God's mercy.

2. He asked the Lord to raise him up: "And raise me up, that I might repay them"(verse 10b). Here David prays as a king who expects God to raise him up from his sickbed or out of his calamity, and restore him to his throne in order to punish those who betrayed him and lifted up their heels against him. As God raises him up, he says, "He also brought me out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps" (Psalm 40:2). Today we realise that the greatest lifting up is: "You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins...and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:1-6). He raised us up, and made us sit in the heavenly places, just as He raised up Jairus daughter and made her stand on her feet (Mark 5:41-42). Everyone who receives forgiveness for his sins through God's kindness should stand up on his feet and witness about Christ's love, who called us all to tell what great things the Lord has done for us, and how He has had compassion on us.

	Fourth: The Confidence of the Generous Benefactor

(verse 11,12)

David expresses his confidence in the Lord regarding two matters:

1. God's approval of him: "By this I know that You are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me"(verse 11). David was certain that God approved of him when he was not defeated by his enemy. God did not let him be defeated; He rather made his enemies to be at peace with him. For God to be pleased with us means that there isn't any condemnation against us, because we have been justified by faith (Romans 8:1; 5:1).

2. God's support of him: "As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and set me before Your face forever"(verse 12). To uphold is to support, strengthen and fasten in place. When the enemy is out to attack the believers reputation his own integrity upholds him, because he is innocent of what the enemy accuses him of. The psalmist believes that God upheld him since he was a man of integrity, which means uprightness of intention, not absolute perfection. Integrity is a work and gift of the Lord; for His Holy Spirit who dwells in the believer upholds him in His own perfection, so that he could stand up before God forever. The more we trust the Lord the more we will overcome the weaknesses of the flesh.

   The enemies have sought the death of the psalmist and destruction of his name (verse 5). But he is sure that he will stand before the King of kings, who will make His promise good, "And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever" (2 Samuel 7:16). And His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads (Revelations 22:3,4).

	Fifth: A Final Doxology

(verse 13)

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen"(verse 13). This is a doxology that is repeated at the end of each of the five sections of the Psalms. It marks the end of Book One, which contains Psalms 1-41. It also marks the end of Book Two (Psalms 42-72, see Psalm 72:19), and Book Three (Psalms 73-89, see Psalm 89:52), Book Four (Psalm 90-106, see Psalm 106:48). Book Five, however, (Psalm 107-150) ends with Psalm 150 which is full of glorification to the Lord!

How many are the reasons for blessing and glorifying the Lord! Blessed is God to whom His people belong. He is the God of Israel, worthy to be praised for who He is, as well as for what He does. He is all perfection and love; He has no deception, guile. We bless Him for what He has done for us through the years. He saved us from our sin, redeemed us from its power, adopted us, and wonderfully and lovingly cared for us. Blessed is the Lord on the earth- in His creatures, in the lives of the believers, "That they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16), as well as in eternity when the angels and the saints will shout to Him. Blessed is He from everlasting to everlasting, because He is the God of the past, present and future. We confirm this doxology by saying, Amen and Amen, namely: May it be so! Answer, Lord, and grant us our request because we call You with all our heart.

	Questions

1. Why is the person who helps the poor happy?

2. The person who helps the poor is confident of two things. Name them.

Thirst for God

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. 1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, "Where is your God?" 4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. 6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar. 7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me. 8 The LORD will command His loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me -- A prayer to the God of my life. 9 I will say to God my Rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?" 10 As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me, while they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.

Psalm 43 1 Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! 2 For You are the God of my strength; why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3 Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. 4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.

David wrote Psalm 42 and 43 after the unsuccessful coup of his son Absalom against him (cf. the introduction to Psalm 3). Despite his disquiet and dejection at the time, David found rest in his hope in the Lord. He started to praise the Lord because He was David's salvation. The two psalms consist of two stanzas, each of them ending in a refrain: "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God" (42:5,11;43:5). Psalm 42 and 43 show David's spiritual desires during that painful stage. He reveals in Psalm 42 the state of a pious man who suffers pain due to his absence from the place of worship (verses 1-5), and describes the way to find comfort during that time of removal (verse 6-11). In Psalm 43:1-5 he shows the desires of a pious man while undergoing that stage. Each of these three ideas ends in a declaration of hope: "Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him."

The two psalms together include the following:

• First: The state of the pious (42:1-5)

• Second: The dejection and comfort of the pious (42:6-11)

• Third: The desires of the pious (43:1-5)

	First: The State of the Pious

(verses 1-5)

1. A state of desire: "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God"(verses 1,2). David compares himself to deer and gazelles that need plenty of water, especially in the hot, dry seasons. He cries out to God, the fountain of living water: "O Lord, ... they are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life..." (Psalm 36:6,8,9). The soul will never be satisfied save by the living God. No one is happier than the living man; he receives new life from God and is filled with His Lord, who keeps and guarantees the continuity of this life. He has a constant relationship with his God. And there is no one more miserable than those whom the Lord reproves with the words: "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns- broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13).

   When David escaped from Absalom, away from the house of the Lord, Zadok the priest and the Levites carried the ark of the Lord to where David was. He ordered them to take it back to its place, saying, "If I find favour in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me back and show me both it and His habitation" (2 Samuel 15:25). David relates God's pleasure with him to his appearance in God's presence in His temple for worship. He always felt that way; one could always hear him say, "My soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land" (Psalm 63:1). God's love filled his heart, and created within him a strong longing for God, causing him to want to appear before the Lord.

   David had lost a lot when he fled from Absalom: his throne, authority and the comfort of his palace. He also lost his reputation owing to his sons misconduct. However, he considered his loss of access to the house of the Lord to be his real loss; therefore he expressed his deep desire to worship in the house of the Lord. We only feel the value of the privilege of worship when we are deprived of it. When we feel spiritual desires, we know that God has not left us, just as we have not left Him!

   Christians all over the world need to cultivate a special desire for the house of the Lord on the Lord's day, especially in countries where the Lord's day is an official work day. They should exert a special effort to be able to say along with David, When shall I come and appear before God? on the Lord's day and in the house of the Lord.

2. A state of sorrow (verses 3,4):

   1. Because of the enemy's reproach: "My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, Where is your God?"(verse 3). Feeling sorry for his removal from the house of the Lord, the psalmist went without food, and his tears replaced his bread! It grieved him even more to have his enemies make fun of him because of his godliness and worship of God. They said to him, "Where is your God, to whom you have continually prayed, offered worship, and about whom you composed psalms? You told us about many spiritual experiences when He took you from following the sheep and brought you to the throne. You say you put your trust in Him and that He is pleased with you. Now you are far away from Him, and He is far away from you. Your Lord has left you!" In that critical time Shimea cursed king David and said to him, "The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul ... So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!" (2 Samuel 16:8). Yet, it was the Lord who chose David to be king and handed the rule to him.

      When God lets us fall into sufferings and trials, we often hear that question: "Where is your God?" This question was raised when the serpent bit Paul's hand. Those around him thought he was a criminal whom justice did not permit to live, but the Lord rescued him through a miracle (Acts 28:3-5). This always happens to those who love God. If it happens with you, do not give up; put your hope in God.

   2. Because of being deprived from the house of the Lord: "When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God. With the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept the pilgrim feast"(verse 4). David's sorrow increased as he looked back to the happy days when he used to go to the house of the Lord to worship and keep the feast. He would lead the congregation from all around the kingdom to the feast. They would go up the hill on which the house of the Lord was built, singing the psalms of jubilation and praise that he wrote for the happy occasion. "For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness" (Psalm 84:10). It is true that sorrow increases as the person recalls past joys, and only someone who is deprived of something can appreciate its beauty. David, however, replied to the reproaches of his mockers by stating that he worshipped God in spirit and truth, and that this faithful God would not forsake him in his time of trouble.

3. A state of hope: "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance"(verse 5). The psalmists soul was cast down under the pressure of the painful circumstances he was going through, but he did not remain in that condition. He soon rallied himself and lifted his face up to the place from where help comes. He held a conversation with his soul in steadfast faith, and believed on the divine hope, contrary to human expectation, just as his ancestor Abraham did (Romans 4:18). He said to himself, "For I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance namely, for the salvation that the Lord provides. Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me" (Micah 7:7).

   As the shadow of the heavy cross fell on Christ, he said, "Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour" (John 12:27). Trouble melted away in view of the great responsibility of providing salvation for sinful men.

   When overcome with despair, you might join Jacob in his complaint as he said, "All these things are against me" (Genesis 42:36). You might feel like saying, "May the day perish on which I was born" (Job 3:3), or joining the Baptist in prison as he expressed doubt and sent two of his disciples to ask Christ: "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" (Matthew 11:3). You will hear His voice saying to you, "For I am the Lord your God ... Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honoured, and I have loved you" (Isaiah 43:3,4). Then you will come out of despair into hope saying, "I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Psalm 18:1,2). Then you will shout in thankfulness: "I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance."

	Second: The Dejection and Comfort of the Pious

(verses 6-11)

1. The reason for dejection (verses 6,7):

   1. Removal from the house of the Lord: "O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar"(verse 6). David explained that his dejection was caused by his removal from the house of God to the land of the Jordan, the mountains of Hermon and the Hill Mizar, to which he fled from his son. All of them are at the farthest border of Canaan, far from the house of the Lord. He was sad for being deprived of the house of the Lord.

      In mentioning the reason for his dejection, he expressed hope. In verse 4 he mentioned his pains and tears, "I remember these things." This lead to despondency. But in verse 6 he mentioned God, "Therefore I will remember You, and got his hope back."

      In verse 5 he talked with himself about his being cast down under the weight of concern: "Why are you cast down, O my soul?" But in verse 6 he moved to the resolution of the problem. He addressed God and complained to Him of his concern: "O my God, my soul is cast down within me."

   2. Persistence of disasters: "Deep calls unto deep at the voice of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me"(verse 7). His intense dejection was like successive, angry waves, as though heavy showers of water tumbled down upon him followed by even heavier ones so that he was almost drowned. Disasters did not come to him one at a time, but broke over him like a tumultuous torrent. Moreover they came from home as well as from friends. Therefore he went about wondering in anguish, "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?"

      When we ask our soul, "Why are you cast down?" we learn that it is weak, helpless, without resources. Man continually goes around his soul in a sad, vicious circle. But David teaches us that the way to get out of this circle is to turn to the Lord and say to Him, "My God, I lift up my plea of injustice and the trouble of my soul. I remember You and thank You. May the countenance of the Lord be always before us."

2. The cure for dejection (verses 8,9):

   1. Divine mercy: "The Lord will command His loving-kindness in the daytime"(verse 8a). Although the psalmist is cast down and weeps, he still knows that the loving and merciful God always cares for His mournful servant. In the daytime God commands His loving-kindness to surround him, and in the nightfall He keeps him and gives him rest. Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved (Psalm 66:9).

   2. Prayer: "And in the night His song shall be with me- a prayer to the God of life. I will say to God my Rock, Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of my enemy?"(verses 8b,9). David expresses his feelings and hopes in the Lord through words of prayer and a song of praise to the God in whom he lives and moves and has his being.

3. The return of dejection: "As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me, while they say to me all day long, 'Where is your God?'"(verse 10). The intellect can be convinced of many great facts, but the heart does not always follow the intellect and act on them. David knew by intellect that God was his rock and refuge, and that He would never forsake those who love Him. His heavy heart, however, could not rest assured. He began to be depressed once more. He said that his enemies were harassing him again and reproaching him every day that his God left him. It is true that they had told him so before, and it is true that he overcame, by the grace of God, the painful effects of that false statement, and his heart was filled with what his intellect was convinced of. Yet, the repetition of the enemies reproach weakened his hope, and he asked God once more, "Why have you forgotten me?" His adversaries crushed his bones with their disheartening words, so he sadly approached God in prayer. He spread all that he heard before God, just as his descendant Hezekiah after him spread his enemies messages before the Lord (Isaiah 37:14).

4. The end of dejection: "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God"(verse 11). There is hope, because God lives and is present. Compare this verse with verse 5 that says, I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. The help of God's countenance became the help of David's countenance. The One who dwells in heaven became the God of the psalmist to whom he belongs. He spoke of a God that saves, and now he speaks of the God who saves him. Paul also says of Him, "The God to whom I belong and whom I serve" (Acts 27:23). Who else is worthy of worship? Only God is worthy. Let our motto be: "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

	Third: The Desires of the Pious

(chapter 43, verses 1-5)

Having described his condition in the countries that lie far away from the house of God, and his depression on the inside and the outside, David portrays three desires in Psalm 43: A desire to be proven innocent of the enemy's accusations (verses 1,2), a desire to worship again in the house of God (verses 3,4) and a desire for a happy life (verse 5).

1. A desire to be proven innocent of the unjust accusations: "Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For You are the God of my strength; why do you cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"(verses 1,2). David pleads with God to assume his cause as His own, and stand as an advocate for him against an unjust nation and a deceitful man, in order to prove him innocent. By the deceitful and unjust man he meant his son Absalom who lead an unsuccessful revolt against him and levelled many false accusations against him. It could also describe his sly and deceitful counsellor Ahithophel the Gilonite, who turned against him and joined Absalom. The people believe what the recalcitrant son said about his father. Many of them sided with falsehood and supported the son, which caused David to described them as an ungodly nation.

   David knew that God was his fortress. He asked himself: "Why does He reject me? Why does He let me go about mourning in foreign lands, driven away by my enemy? To whom shall I go? The only protection is in the good God?" He sounded as though he was saying, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).

2. A desire to worship again in the house of God: "Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God"(verses 3,4). The psalmist asked for God's light and truth to guide him to the house of the Lord, as if light and truth were two people, so that the countenance of the Lord should shine upon him with favour as it did his ancestors in the Sinai Desert. In their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, He walked before them in a pillar of cloud to lead the way by day, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light (Exodus 13:21). He requested God's light and truth from the Urim and Thumim (i.e. lights and perfections) that were put on the breastplate of judgement over Aaron's heart when he went into the Holy of Holies before the Lord. For Aaron bore the judgement of the children of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually (Exodus 28:30).

   The purpose for requesting such guidance is to be found in the house of God for worship. The psalmist says, "Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy" (verse 4a). David rejoices and delights in offering up sacrifices in the house of God. On His altar he offers a burnt sacrifice to atone for his sin and win God's favour (Leviticus 1:3-9), a sin offering to atone for his unintentional sins (Leviticus 4:1-5:13), a trespass offering to atone for iniquity and as a restitution for the harm that he has done to God's judgements (Leviticus 5:14-6:7) and a peace offering to express his gratitude to God (Leviticus 3:1-5). All these sacrifices served as symbols for the redeeming Christ, the great sacrifice, who offered Himself on our behalf, and obtained for us eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). "Knowing that you were ... redeemed ... with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:18,19).

   Can we picture David at the end of the land of Canaan, being rebelled against by his son and reproached by his enemies, yet daring with confidence to hope that he would offer to the Lord an acceptable sacrifice, express his joy in God my exceeding joy (verse 4a) and sing, on the harp I will praise You (verse 4b)? These are the desires of a believer who experienced the Lord, loves Him and considers his worship in joy, jubilation and praise the most important thing there is.

3. A desire for a happy life: "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God"(verse 5). The psalmist repeats what he said to his soul, and encourages it to hope in God, because he will yet praise Him for being his help and his God. I call you to experience the goodness of your God, who delivers you from all despair, and brings you out from any depression you may have, to enjoy the happy life God planned for you. He is the help of your countenance. Build a personal relationship with God through repentance and obedience. Then you will call Him my God and He will call you My servant, son and beloved. Your heart will always yearn for His house, to be found in His presence.

	Questions

1. What is the pious person panting for?

2. What was the reason for ending his dilemma?

The God of the Past, the Present and the Future

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. 1 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, the deeds You did in their days, in days of old: 2 You drove out the nations with Your hand, but them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out. 3 For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favoured them. 4 You are my King, O God; command victories for Jacob. 5 Through You we will push down our enemies; through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us. 6 For I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me. 7 But You have saved us from our enemies, and have put to shame those who hated us. 8 In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever. Selah 9 But You have cast us off and put us to shame, and You do not go out with our armies. 10 You make us turn back from the enemy, and those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves. 11 You have given us up like sheep intended for food, and have scattered us among the nations. 12 You sell Your people for next to nothing, and are not enriched by selling them. 13 You make us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to those all around us. 14 You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples. 15 My dishonour is continually before me, and the shame of my face has covered me, 16 Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, because of the enemy and the avenger. 17 All this has come upon us; but we have not forgotten You, nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. 18 Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from Your way; 19 But You have severely broken us in the place of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death. 20 If we had forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a foreign god, 21 Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. 22 Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 23 Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever. 24 Why do You hide Your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression? 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our body clings to the ground. 26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for Your mercies' sake.

The psalm is the cry of believers who are persecuted though innocent. The psalmist does not mention that they were unfaithful to their God's covenant, yet they suffer defeat and derision from their enemies. Their father and grandfathers had taken God as their God, just as they took Him as Master and Lord in all the stages of their lives. They gloried in His holy name. Suddenly, something unexpected happened: God cast them off and shamed them! So they reprove gently: "O God of our fathers, how can you leave us in this situation?" They ended the psalm with a prayer: "Arise for our help, and redeem us for Your mercies sake."

Delitzsch linked this psalm and Psalm 60, and compared Psalm 44:9,23 to 60:1,10 and 44:5 to 60:12 and 44:3 to 60:5. He says that the writing of the two psalms was occasioned by an Edomite military raid against the kingdom of Judah at a time when David was busy fighting the Ammonites and the Arameans. The people recalled their previous triumphs over the enemies, and required God to support them and give them victory.

The psalm includes the following:

• First: God is the God of the past (verses 1-3)

• Second: God is the God of the present and the future (verses 4-8)

• Third: The painful experience (verses 9-16)

• Fourth: The announcement of innocence (verses 17-22)

• Fifth: A prayer (verses 23-26)

	First: God is the God of the Past

(verses 1-3)

1. Our fathers have told us: "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what deeds You did in their days, in days of old"(verse 1). God wrought deeds for His people in the past due to His grace, not their worthiness. He drove out the inhabitants of Canaan before them and gave them a dwelling in their land. He commanded His people to reflect on the past and not to forget it. Some of that history must have remained in the memory of the people before it was written down. Happy is the man who speaks of God's deeds for his fathers and grandfathers, and remembers the faith of his father, mother and grandfather, as Gideon did, "Where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about?" (Judges 6:13). Timothy also could glory in this genuine faith, which dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice and in him too (2 Timothy 1:5). God's work in the past is not an experience of just one individual, an emotional experience or mere imagination; it is a living history and matter of fact in the history of all God's people. The Lord is the God of the past, the God of the fathers and grandfathers, the God of old, the Refuge (Deuteronomy 33:27). God's people do not approach God empty-handed; they use the experiences of the past to strengthen them in their present day and drive them to trust the Lord more in the future. Our fathers have told us about what God did in their lives, so let us do the same with our children, "That you may tell in the hearing of your son and your sons son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord" (Exodus 10:2). "One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts" (Psalm 145:4).

2. He rooted out the nations and planted His own people: "You drove out the nations with Your hand, but them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out"(verse 2). This was in fulfilment of a prophecy "You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which You have made for Your own dwelling" (Exodus 15:17). "You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations and planted it ... She sent out her boughs to the Sea, and her branches to the River" (Psalm 80:8,11).

3. Not due to their strength, but because He favoured them: "For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own army save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favoured them"(verse 3). God destroyed antagonistic nations, and extended the body of believers to grow; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against them. They possessed the land, not by their own strength or sword. He had forewarned them, "Do not think in your heart, after the Lord your God has cast them out before you, because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land; but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out before you ... God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness" (Deuteronomy 9:4-6). "For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before you until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever" (Joshua 4:23,24). He brought down the walls of Jericho before their eyes, and all the glory went to Him.

	Second: God is the God of the Present and the Future

(verses 4-8)

Having reflected on God's past work, the psalmist had courage, confidence and security in the present and the future. He was with the fathers and fulfilled His promises to them, so he must be with the children and fulfil His promises to them as well. He does not change. He is the King and they are His subjects. Jacob said of Him, "The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil" (Genesis 48;15,16). The psalmist bases his confidence on five facts:

1. God is his King: "You are my King, O God"(verse 4a). The king plans for his kingdom and defends his people, who should listen to and obey his instructions. Moses said to God, "If I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people" (Exodus 33:13).

2. God answers prayer: "Command victories for Jacob"(verse 4b). He had saved them before, and He must save them today from sickness, trouble and sin. They know His power and the extent of His authority, therefore they call upon Him to command their salvation from all trouble.

3. God is powerful: "Through You we will push down our enemies; through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us"(verse 5). The psalmist uses an allegory based on the weapons that were common at his time, like oxen that push down and elephants that trample. Moses had blessed the tribe of Joseph, saying, "His glory is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like the horns of a wild ox; together with them he shall push the peoples to the ends of the earth" (Deuteronomy 33:17).

4. All things are futile apart from God: "For I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me"(verse 6). It was God who said, "Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah, will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword of battle, by horses of horsemen" (Hosea 1:7).

5. God is faithful: "But You have saved us from our enemies, and have put to shame those who have hated us. In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever"(verses 7,8). These are the experiences of the people of the Lord as their fathers also experienced before them. They have nothing to boast in except for their belonging to the Lord and their dependence on His divine love that supports them. They will continue singing a song of triumph.

	Third: The Painful Experience

(verses 9-16)

The psalmist spoke of the greatness of God's deeds with His people in the past, and on this he based their confidence in Him in the present and the future. He also mentioned that the reality contradicted their expectations. For this reason he demanded it from the Lord. He had delivered them into the hands of their enemies, and allowed the attackers to deride them.

1. The cause for the painful experience: "But You have cast us off and put us to shame, and You do not go out with our armies"(verse 9). The psalmist feels pain because the powerful, faithful, divine King, who listens to prayer, has rejected His people and put them to shame- their enemies defeated them. The Israelites sometimes took the ark to go before them in battle, symbolising God's presence with them (Numbers 10:35). When defeat came, the psalmist felt like telling God that He had rejected His people and no longer went out with their soldiers.

2. A description of the painful experience (verses 10,11):

   1. Defeat: "You make us turn back from the enemy"(verse 10a).

   2. Spoil: "And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves. You have given us up like sheep intended for food"(verses 10b,11a). Some of them were slaughtered like sheep, and some were sold as slaves. They were driven away from their home and the temple of their worship (Joel 3:6).

   3. Captivity: "And have scattered us among the nations"(verse 11b). But, "Has God cast away His people? Certainly not! ... God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew" (Romans 11:1,2).

3. The result of the painful experience (verses 12-16):

   1. Reproving the Lord: "You sell Your people for naught, and are not enriched by their price"(verse 12). Those in pain reprove the Lord for selling them for nothing, as if they are not worth their price! But it has never happened that God sold His people; on the contrary, He bought them, not with silver or gold, but with His precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18,19). The Holy Spirit, however, recorded the peoples reproof of the Lord for us, to emphasise that our reproof of Him will be accepted and taken care of.

   2. The enemy's derision: "You make us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to those around us. You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples"(verses 13,14). Their Philistine, Edomite, Ammonite and Aramean neighbours envied and grudged them. Seeing their defeat, they gloated over them and derided them, because the God in whom they gloried let them down. "All who pass by clap their hands at you; they hiss and shake their heads ...: Is this the city that is called the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?" (Lamentations 2:15).

   3. Inferiority: "My dishonour is continually before me, and the shame of my face has covered me, because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, because of the enemy and the avenger"(verses 15,16). Their defeat loomed great before them, people reproached and reviled them and shame showed on their faces and covered them. They felt inferior and insignificant. No doubt the loving God allows believers to be punished or purified by pain. When they feel worthless they lean more on divine mercies, and the Lord gives them blessings to relieve their pain.

	Fourth: The Announcement of Innocence

(verses 17-22)

In these verses the psalmist says that both he and his people do not deserve this harsh treatment from God, because they suffer from their enemies on account of belonging to Him.

1. They have not been unfaithful to the Lord's covenant: "All this has come upon us; but we have not forgotten You, nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from Your way; but You have severely broken us in the place of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death"(verses 17-19). There was a covenant between the Lord and His people. It started with His friend Abraham (Genesis 17:7), and was confirmed to the people in Sinai (Exodus 19:5; 24:7,8). Circumcision served as a sign for the covenant (Genesis 17:10-11), the ark of the covenant symbolised it (Numbers 10:33) and the ten commandments formed its constitution (Deuteronomy 9:9). The psalmist emphasises that his people did not deal falsely with the covenant at their time of defeat, as some of their forefathers had done. Nevertheless, God allowed their country to be devastated, turned it into a place for jackals and engulfed them in the pitch-black shadow of death.

2. They did not worship idols: "If we had forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a foreign god, would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart"(verses 20,21). Stretching the hands out was a sign of prayer and expectation of help. It has never happened that the people forgot their God, at that time of defeat, and turned to idols. Had they done so, the Lord would have known about it. Job said that He knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart: "Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps?" (Job 31:4).

3. They suffered for God's sake: "Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter"(verse 22). God's people had not broken faith with the Lord; they rather suffered for His names sake and stayed faithful to Him. Paul quoted this verse in Romans 8:36 trying to encourage believers to bear persecution for Christ's sake even unto death. However, he adds that in being killed and slaughtered we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Just as the Old Testament people endured all troubles on account of belonging to God, the New Testament people should do likewise. They should not consider suffering as unusual, but rather expected! "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29).

   There are two remarkable things about the announcement of innocence:

   1. The psalmist talks about innocence from major sins, in spite of many minor sins in him and his people. We so need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to recognise our sins and repent of them, so that we would not be righteous in our own eyes.

   2. This is a didactic, historical psalm. God walked with the fathers and grandfathers in spite of their weaknesses and shortcomings, and He must walk with the children and grandchildren in the same faithfulness.

	Fifth: A Prayer

(verses 23-26)

The psalmist concludes his psalm with a request for speedy divine help. This prayer involves two requests:

1. A request for divine watchfulness: "Awake, why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever. Why do You hide Your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our body clings to the ground"(verses 23-25). The psalmist knew that God, the watcher of Israel, does not slumber or sleep (Psalm 121:3,4). It was out of pain that he thought God was unmindful of him. Faith usually does not seek the visible, but the believer begins to search for the visible once he doubts and grows spiritually weak. He asks God, who never sleeps, to wake up, be alert and not sleep! "For the Lord will not cast off forever" (Lamentations 3:31). He requests God, who cast His people off and hid His face, to smile in favour on them, as Moses said, "The Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labour and our oppression" (Deuteronomy 26:6,7). The enemy knocked the people down and humbled them. They had no strength left in them and could not stand up any more. The soul and body of the people were cast down and fallen, therefore they asked God to pay attention to them.

2. A request for help and redemption: "Arise for our help and redeem us for Your mercies sake"(verse 26). The Lord had revealed Himself as "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin" (Exodus 34:6,7). So the psalmist asked Him to reveal Himself through action, through helping and redeeming His people. His people say when His mercy overtakes them, "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:18,19).

   Today we fully comprehend how God redeems. In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7). Thus we become justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). The psalmist said in his psalm, "Redeem us!" We say according to the gospel, "We thank You for redeeming us!"

	Questions

1. What did the Lord do in the past?

2. How did the Psalmist describe his Lord?

A Song of Love

To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Lilies." A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love. 1 My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. 2 You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever. 3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, with Your glory and Your majesty. 4 And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; and Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. 5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies; the peoples fall under You. 6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. 8 All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad. 9 King's' daughters are among Your honourable women; at Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir. 10 Listen, O daughter, consider and incline your ear; forget your own people also, and your father's house; 11 So the King will greatly desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, worship Him. 12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; the rich among the people will seek your favour. 13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; her clothing is woven with gold. 14 She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colours; the virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You. 15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought; they shall enter the King's palace. 16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, whom You shall make princes in all the earth. 17 I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.

The title of this psalm is a song of love. Love is its theme. It talks about the marriage of the king with the king's daughter. Some said that it talks about Solomon's marriage with Pharaoh's daughter; but the Holy Spirit would not inspire the author to sing about Solomon's union with a heathen princess, neither could the contents of the psalm apply to any Israelite king. The Church, in both the Old and New Testaments, had always used the psalm as a Messianic prophecy about the union of Christ the King and the Church, His bride redeemed with His blood. The author of Hebrews quoted verses 6 and 7 of this psalm in Hebrews 1:8,9, "But to the Son He says: 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.'" It is obvious that the apostle quoted them from the Greek Septuagint, not straight from the Hebrew. The wording varies but the meaning remains the same.

The psalm includes the following:

• First: Glorification of Christ, the fair King (verses 1,2)

• Second: Glorification of Christ, the victorious King (verses 3-9)

• Third: The relationship of the Church to her King (verses 10-17)

	First: Glorification of Christ, the Fair King

(verses 1,2)

1. The way of glorification (verse 1):

   1. Cordial: "My heart is overflowing with a good theme"(verse 1a). The psalmist felt so much love for Christ that he could not keep it to himself, and his heart just overflowed. Also the theme he talks about is very dear to him, and "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things" (Matthew 12:35).

   2. Creative: "I recite my composition concerning the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer"(verse 1b,c). The heart that loved God composed a poem on the love of the king. It was ready to glorify the king through words and writing. When the heart was filled with love, it, in turn, filled the tongue with beautiful words. Ezra the scribe had the title skilled scribe (Ezra 7:6), which is the same in Hebrew sopher mahir.

2. The reasons for glorifying Him (verse 2):

   1. The beauty of His person: "You are fairer than the sons of men"(verse 2a). The psalmist glorifies the fair and beautiful personality of the king. Christ is the fairest in His birth through the Holy Spirit from the Virgin Mary. He is the fairest in His growth in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52). He is the fairest in his holiness. He said to His enemies, "Which of you convicts Me of sin?" (John 8:46). Pilate said of Him, "I have found no fault in this Man" (Luke 23:14). He is the fairest in His influence on sinners to bring them to repentance, rather than being influenced by them and rejecting them. Even on the cross He was the fairest in His love as He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). He is the fairest in His resurrection, ascension and the expectation of His return. As the disciples gazed upon Him when He was ascending, the two angels said to them, "This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).

   2. The beauty of His teachings: "Grace is poured upon Your lips"(verse 2b). The psalmist sings the praises of Christ's fair, unprecedented teachings: "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). His audience were astounded at His authoritative teachings. He never refused a person who asked Him a question, nor did He snub anyone who came seeking an answer. He never changed an answer that He had given. The answers He gave to basic questions about religious life, such as obtaining forgiveness and answered prayer, were always clear, definite and certain. He never said, "Perhaps" but "Assuredly I say to you...." Christ did not offer law and decrees, because the law of Moses was still there. He rather touched the hearts and the attitudes. If you do not hate, you do not kill; and if you do not lust, you do not commit adultery, He taught. This is why all bore witness to Him, and marvelled at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth (Luke 4:22).

   3. God was pleased with Him: "Therefore God has blessed You forever"(verse 2c). Christ said to the Father, "I have come ... to do Your will, O God" (Hebrews 10:7). The Fathers only response was, "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).

	Second: Glorification of Christ, the Victorious King

(verses 3-9)

It is unfortunate that such a fair king has enemies. In His majesty, He has to break through their ranks and fell them at His feet. The prince of this age has blinded the eyes of unbelievers, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ should shine on them (2 Corinthians 4:4). Our fair Master has enemies. The psalmist calls upon Him to fight them, and fight He must in order to defend His bride, which is the Church. How many are His enemies, whom He defeats by turning them into lovers! He destroys their disobedience by His grace to obey the call of His love. How many are His enemies, even within the hearts of those who believe in Him! Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then those who are in the flesh can not please God (Romans 8:7,8). It is the power of Christ within them that makes them shout, "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).

1. The King's weapon (verses 3,4):

   1. His sword: "Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One"(verse 3a). He was seen in the Book of Revelations as a fighter and "out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations ... And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelations 19:15,16). His sword that goes out of His mouth is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). "The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12). His precious sword wakes up the consciences of men and convicts them of their sins.

   2. His glory: "Gird ... Your glory and Your majesty, and in Your majesty ride"(verse 3b,4a). His glory is eternal; He had it before the creation of the universe (John 17:5). His glory touches people here and now, through His daily, frequent miracles; as well as in heaven, either through His intercession or judgement. He was born in a stable, having assumed the form a servant, and captivated our heart through the glory of His love. He will come again with the clouds, and every eye and those who pierced Him will see Him (Revelations 1:7).

   3. His character: "Because of truth, humility, and righteousness; and Your right hand shall teach you awesome things"(verse 4b). Christ gains victory through truth, which stands against lying, for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). He gains victory through humility, which stands against human pride; for He is gentle and humble of heart. He gains victory through righteousness, which stands against sin, for He is the Righteous One who makes many righteous. Because of such a character His enemies' hearts fail them (Luke 21:26).

2. The King's victory: "Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies; the people fall under You"(verse 5). The king must gain victory through His sword, glory and great character. His sharp arrow must hit the hearts of His enemies and fell them. "With righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist" (Isaiah 11:4,5).

3. The kingdom of the King (verses 6-9):

   Christ the King has enemies, whom He must defeat. For He shall reign! These verses describe the majesty of His reign.

   1. His reign is everlasting: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever"(verse 6a). He is ever-existing and always stable: "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end ... from that time forward, even forever" (Isaiah 9:7). His throne is unlike the thrones of the earth, which always come to an end. Had the earthly thrones lasted for the ancestors, they would not have come to their descendants!

   2. His reign is righteous: "A sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Your kingdom"(verse 6b). A sceptre of righteousness is a sceptre of equity and integrity. "God is light, and there is no darkness in Him" (1 John 1:5). God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone (James 1:13).

   3. His reign is gladdening: "You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions"(verse 7). Because of His upright reign, love of righteousness and hate of wickedness, God anointed Him with the anointing of joy and favour. This anointing is different from anointing the king; it refers to joy and gladness. It is the oil of joy (Isaiah 61:3). People also anointed their dear guest as a welcome sign (Psalm 23:5). Oil was also used on happy occasions as a sign of rejoicing. The psalmist said, "I have been anointed with fresh oil" (Psalm 92:10) because he was joyful and confident. A hurried reader might find verses 6 and 7 contradictory. Verse 6 says, "Your throne, O God," whereas verse 7 says, "Your God, has anointed You." This paradox is cleared away once we know that God the Father was talking with God the Son, The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool" (Psalm 110:1). Your throne, O God, is forever and ever portrays Christ before His incarnation and after His ascension to His glory. The statement "God, Your God, has anointed You" portrays Christ at the time of His humility and condescension, when He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7).

      Christ is marvellous and peerless; He is the only Son of God. He said to His own disciples, "I am ascending to My Father and you Father, and to My God and your God" (John 20:17), rather than, "I am ascending to our Father and God." His relationship to the Father differs from the disciples relationship to the Father. He is the Only Son of God; His eternal divinity and original Sonship are not acquired.

   4. His reign is rich: "All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad. King's daughters are among Your honourable women; at Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir"(verses 8,9). Costly imported perfumes have been sprinkled over the king's garments. Myrrh came from the Arabian Peninsula, aloe was taken from a tree that grew in India and Malaya and cassia is a bark of an aromatic, evergreen tree that grew in India. Inlaid with ivory, the king's palace rang out with music coming from stringed instruments. The daughters of the kings of the nations serve Him. The children of this world have served the Church and its Master down the ages. Artists painted Him pictures, poets composed poems that sang His praises and the greatest musicians composed symphonies and operas that glorified Him. The visual and auditory media convey His message, and science and technology offer their service to His heavenly priesthood. The Church, His bride, is made to stand at the right hand of His throne, adorned with the gold of Ophir, which is the best and rarest sort of gold. Is there a more wonderful adornment than the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control? Does the Church take credit for all that fruit? No! She was made to stand. It is God who makes the Church stand at the right hand of its Master and Bridegroom, Christ. It is God who enriches her and makes her enjoy His great blessings. Unfortunately, we often see that she has forgotten her first love and lazily placed the lamp of the gospel under the bed or stowed it away under a basket (Matthew 5:15). But the king wakes her up and cleanses her to bring the splendour of her glory back to her.

	Third: The Relationship of the Church to Her King

(verses 10-17)

Addressing the king's bride, the psalmist advises her to forget about her old house and give herself up to the king, because all majesty and glory await her with Him. After that he gives a description of the bride in the greatness of her new status. At the conclusion of the psalm, he describes the reaction of the Church.

1. A relation of dedication: "Listen, O daughter, consider and incline your ear; forget your own people also, and your fathers house"(verse 10). The psalmist demands the bride to forget her past life and listen to the instructions of her royal king to gain happiness and favour. Likewise, the Church ought to obey Christ and submit its will to His own. Every member of the Church must give Him first priority in their lives, because He said, "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me ... And he who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:37-39).

2. A relation of assurance (verses 11-16):

   1. Because the King takes pleasure in her: "So the King will greatly desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, worship Him"(verse 11). Christ takes pleasure in the Church and confers upon her His perfect attributes when she submits to Him. This makes her even more beautiful than ever! "God will beautify the humble with salvation" (Psalm 149:4). The Church should be adorned with the ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:4).

   2. Because the nations serve her: "And the daughter of Tyre will be there with a gift; the rich among the people will seek Your favour"(verse 12). Tyre was an opulent Phoenician port and a great commercial and industrial centre. The psalmist says that the daughters of Tyre will seek the favour of the bride with a gift, just to see her smiling at them. The Lord is pleased when the Church of Christ discharges her responsibilities toward society, and He makes her enemies at peace with her (Proverbs 16:7). He even uses her enemies to serve her. Our good God calls us to obedience, which gives us assurance and places all His resources at our disposal.

   3. Because of the wedding procession: "The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; her clothing is woven with gold. She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colours; the virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You. With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought; they shall enter the King's palace"(verses 13-15). The bride was taken to the women's quarters in a glorious procession, in anticipation of meeting the King. She had put on her best clothing, her maids of honour gathered around her, cheerful music was played and moving voices rang out with singing in preparation for appearing in the royal presence. Finally the joyful procession arrives at the royal palace. This description is reminiscent of the parable of the wise virgins. Let us be prepared for the happy wedding day, so that the door should not be shut and keep us out. Let us be partakers of the divine glory, among the guests of the royal celebration that Christ wants for us, for believers will be united with Him. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife (the Church) has made herself ready. "And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints" (Revelations 19:7,8).

   4. Because of divine recompense: "Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, whom You shall make princes in all the earth"(verse 16). The bride leaves her parents house only to find that God has recompensed her with her saved sons. Leaving her parents house to go to her husband Isaac's house, Rebecca's brothers said to her, "Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants posses the gates of those who hate them" (Genesis 24:60). Likewise, the Lord promises the Church many spiritual sons who will become princes in all the earth, for the meek will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). The Lord shall come and judge the world, together with His saints (1 Corinthians 6:2).

      Talking to Christ, Peter said, "We have left all and followed You. Therefore, what shall we have?" Jesus answered him, "When the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for my names sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit everlasting life" (Matthew 19:27-29).

3. A relation of a covenant: "I will make Your name to remembered in all generations; therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever"(verse 17). The heart of the bride is filled with love for the Groom, and she always remembers His name. When the people will see the Church's love for and loyalty to Christ, and hear her sing His praises, they also will join in praising Him forever and ever.

   Christ has loved the Church and given Himself up for her "that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:26,27). The Church will always sing Christ's love for her and His exaltation of her. In doing so Christ will see His seed from her, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand (Isaiah 53:10).

	Questions

1. Why did the psalmist glorify the Messiah?

2. Why is the church confident?

God is Refuge and Strength

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth. 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. 6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. 7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, who has made desolations in the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. 10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

The three psalms 46-48 make up a trilogy of praise. They are dedicated to the Lord for Jerusalem's deliverance from her enemies. Psalm 46 declares the presence of the King in the midst of His city to give assurance and peace. Psalm 47 declares God's reign over all the earth, which can be seen clearly through the defeat of His enemies. Psalm 48 declares Jerusalem's safety, because God is present among His people.

It was Jerusalem's deliverance from the attack of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, under King Hezekiah (701 B. C.) that occasioned writing these three psalms (2 King's 18,19; Isaiah 36,37). King Hezekiah of Judah was enslaved to him at the time, but refused to pay tribute to him (most probably under the instigation of the king of Babylon). Sennacherib attacked and defeated Hezekiah, who was obliged to pay 300 shekels of silver and 30 shekels of gold as penalty. He even had to scrape off the gold that covered the gates of the temple and give it to Sennacherib. Later Sennacherib headed south toward Egypt to wage war against it. Suddenly, and for an unknown reason, he decided not to leave Jerusalem in the hands of Hezekiah. Perhaps he did not trust Hezekiah after the latter had brought water into Jerusalem from Gihon spring by means of a subterranean tunnel (2 King's 20:20). Sennacherib sent a detachment of his army under Rabshakeh and two other leaders to besiege Jerusalem. When he called for the king, three representatives of the king came out to answer him. He ridiculed King Hezekiah and said in the Hebrew tongue that Hezekiah's dependence on Egypt was like depending on a sharp stick that pierces the hand of whoever leans on it. He claimed that confidence in YHWH is useless, because YHWH will not save those who worship Him, just as the gods of the nations around them could not help their people. Sennacherib destroyed their cities and dashed their gods to pieces. Judah's God will not be any better than those gods!

All Rabshakeh wanted was to stir the people against Hezekiah, but they did not respond to him. So he sent him messages ridiculing him and his God. Hezekiah took these messages to the house of the Lord and prayed, "O Lord of hosts, ... save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord, You alone" (Isaiah 37:16-20). God sent him the prophet Isaiah to reassure him of the coming victory, and to tell him that He will defend him and defeat the pride of Sennacherib. And so it was! The angel of the Lord struck 185 thousand soldiers of the Assyrian army. The Old Testament does not tell how all those soldiers died in one night, but Herodotus said that a huge army of rats crept up on the Assyrian army by night and gnawed at their arrows and bows. They were left without a weapon to fight with or even to defend themselves. When he saw what happened to his army, Sennacherib gathered the rest of his army and returned home. As he was worshipping in the temple of his god Nisroch, two of his sons killed him and fled. His third son Esarhaddon reigned in his place.

On the occasion of this deliverance this trilogy of praise was written (Psalm 46-48). Psalm 46 consists of three stanzas speaking about God's power. The first one says that God's power grants His people assurance, therefore they say, We will not fear (verse 2). The second stanza says that God's power gladdens His people: "There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God" (verse 4). The third stanza says that God's power silences His enemies and commands them to "Be still, and know that I am God" (verse 10). Both the second and the third stanzas end with the statement: "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (verses 7,11).

The psalm includes the following:

• First: God's power assures His people (verses 1-3)

• Second: God's power gladdens His people (4-7)

• Third: God's power silences His enemies (8-11)

	First: God's Power Assures His People

(verses 1-3)

"God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling"(verses 1-3). These verses make clear that God's protection of His people gives them assurance and peace, no matter how the firm things shook! The roaring Assyrian army attacked the peaceful city, and the hearts of its inhabitants were filled with terror. The earth shook and trembled under the hooves of the horses and the clamour of the soldiers. The enemy threw the scales out of balance. It seemed that he shook the earth and sent the mountains tumbling down into the heart of the seas, causing them to scream and raise their voice, so as to scare the peaceful people.

Yet the voice of faith also rose to declare that the Lord is refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. This filled the fearful hearts with peace! Make the Lord your lot, and yourself His, then He will be your refuge. You will declare out of experience, "This is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation" (Isaiah 25:9). In the midst of their fears believers call out: "O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited for You ... Be ... our salvation also in the time of trouble" (Isaiah 33:2). The Lord answers, "The mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has mercy on you" (Isaiah 54:10). Thus God's precious statement is fulfilled: "The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters; but God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like the chaff of the mountain before the wind, like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. Then behold, at eventide, trouble!" (Isaiah 17:13,14). When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19). ">No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgement you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me, says the Lord" (Isaiah 54:17). Everything around may threaten us, but we must feel secure and not afraid, because the Lord's presence provides us with protection. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). Christ emphasised that "where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). They are poor who hoard treasures on earth, for it will shake. The day will come when the earth will burn up and all the works in it (2 Peter 3:10). Happy are those who store up treasures in heaven. Oh, how desperately we need families that gather together for prayer in Christ's name, and are united in the face of the hard circumstances, no matter how hard they are! And how much do we need churches that are united in prayer, able to face persecutions, no matter how intense they may be.

God is our refuge and strength; He helps us when the enemy attacks us. He is the ark of our deliverance, our city of refuge, the One who redresses the wrongs done against us and invests us with inner strength to face the difficulties of life. Therefore we declare: "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37). Again He is our refuge and strength when our sins weigh us down with guilt feelings. We rush to Him to confess, so that He will forgive and cleanse us from all sin. He is our refuge and strength when we grow weak, and hear Him say, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

	Second: God's Power Gladdens His People

(verses 4-7)

In these verses the psalmist describes God as the Most High, the master of supreme authority in His created universe. No earthly king rules except by His permission. No doubt that "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; he turns it wherever He wishes" (Proverbs 21:1). But against what we would expect, this divine authority does not stop the enemies from attacking God's community; for there are two kingdoms in our world: the kingdom of Satan, and the kingdom of God. There is a continual war going on between the armies of evil and the army of righteousness. The kingdom of Satan roars with empty shouts against the kingdom of God, but the final victory belongs to the power of good. God allows an opposition party on Earth, but Christ went out conquering and to conquer. He assured His followers, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

God gives victory to His people through the following:

1. God waters His people: "There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High"(verse 4). True, the salty, roaring and swelling waters of the seas surround the believer, but there is a river of fresh water that springs to fill the thirsty soul and the parched land. It makes the desert of the believer bloom into a garden, for His Lord brings him to still waters, free from turbulent waves. He drinks in peace and safety (Psalm 23:2). Describing the waters of Shiloh, the prophet Isaiah said that they flow softly (Isaiah 8:6). They run quietly without waves to disturb the quiet of those who drink. Shiloh is the city in which the ark remained from the days of Joshua till the days of the prophet Samuel. It was the worship centre of the children of Israel. The Lord pours waters on the believers from a river whose streams make their souls and city glad.

   King Hezekiah made the water to run into a subterranean tunnel and let the inhabitants of Jerusalem drink during the siege (2 Chronicles 32:30). The fresh water brought joy to them. Spiritually speaking, God gives living water to His people, which is the Holy Spirit (John 7:39). Christ declared, "But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life" (John 4:14). In his vision John saw a new heaven and a new earth that had neither roaring sea nor brackish water. He only saw a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelations 22:1).

2. God lives among His people: "God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn"(verse 5). The presence of the Most High God in the midst of His people fills their hearts with joy despite the harshness of the circumstances. They derive their joy from His presence with them and the grace He grants them. This makes them exclaim, "Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us" (Micah 3:11).

   Christ was asleep on board a boat when He and His disciples were crossing the lake of Tiberias. All of a sudden the waves raged and began to beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. Shouting, the disciples woke Christ up and said, "Do You not care that we are perishing?" He rose up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and a great quiet reigned. But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" (Mark 4:35-41). Would a boat sink with Christ on board? God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn, at the darkest hour of the night. She will have another Exodus experience: "So the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea" (Exodus 14:27). It is the same thing that happened to the Assyrian army all over again: "when the people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses- all dead" (Isaiah 37:36). When life presses hard on us and we lose all hope of deliverance, God helps us just at the break of dawn. "When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you" (Isaiah 43:2).

3. God encourages His people: "The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted"(verse 6). What God says happens, and what He commands comes into being! "The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard, and show the descent of His arm, with the indignation of His anger and the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, tempest and hailstone. For through the voice of the Lord Assyria will be beaten down" (Isaiah 30:30,31). The enemy said, "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters" (Exodus 15:9,10). "And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:17).

The second stanza of this psalm ends with a refrain that repeats itself at the end of the psalm. It says, "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (verse 7,11). It was about Him that David said to Goliath, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts" (1 Samuel 17:45). His armies (hosts) are all creation (Genesis 2:1). They are His chosen people (Exodus 7:4). They are the sun, the moon and the stars (Deuteronomy 4:19;17:3). They are the angels (Luke 2:13). He is the Lord of glory, the master of all authority in heaven and on earth. Even the hosts of evil are His, in a sense; for they accomplish His divine purposes against their will.

"The Lord of hosts is with us because He is Immanuel, which is translated God with us"(Matthew 1:23). He is th