The Tabernacle of David
"Part I"
Psalms 1 – 41
Title Page
Chapter 1.
Chapter 2.
Chapter 3.
Chapter 4.
Chapter 5.
Chapter 6.
Chapter 7.
Chapter 8.
Chapter 9.
Chapter 10.
Chapter 11.
Chapter 12.
Chapter 13.
Chapter 14.
Chapter 15.
Chapter 16.
Chapter 17.
Chapter 18.
Chapter 19.
Chapter 20.
Chapter 21.
Chapter 22.
Chapter 23.
Chapter 24.
Chapter 25.
Chapter 26.
Chapter 27.
Chapter 28.
Chapter 29.
Chapter 30.
Chapter 31.
Chapter 32.
Chapter 33.
Chapter 34.
Chapter 35.
Chapter 36.
Chapter 37.
Chapter 38.
Chapter 39.
Chapter 40
Chapter 41.
Title Page
The Tabernacle of David
A Study of how the Psalms
Define Prophetic Numerology
(Psalms 1 – 41)
“Part I”
By
Russell M. Stendal
Chapter 1.
Compare this first psalm with the initial use of the number one in Scripture, which occurs in the opening book of the Old Testament (OT): In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without order, and empty; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day (Genesis 1:1–5).
We can see that from the beginning, the number one is linked to light. And God saw that the light was good. Psalm one mentions the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. The difference is that righteous walk in the light.1
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man2 that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful.
Being blessed is the opposite of being cursed. Those who are godly walk in the light (1 John 1:7; Psalm 89:15), but the ungodly walk in darkness.
2 But his delight is in the law3 of the LORD, and in his law he meditates day and night. Those who are born again from above by the Spirit of God have a change in the desires of their heart. They delight in what God says, and they meditate on his words by day and by night. Their will is aligned with God’s will. They participate in the eternal life of Jesus Christ.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
The tree of life is planted beside a river and brings forth fruit every month. Its leaves, incidentally, are for the healing of the Gentiles4 (Revelation 22:2).
When we participate in the eternal life of the Lord, this does not mean that we experience the natural life of man extended infinitely into the future, like a weed that does not wither with age. Eternal life is a different quality of life because it is God’s life. In order for us to live in God’s life, we must accept that the knowledge of good and evil belongs exclusively to him, and he is the only one who can truly decide what is good and what is evil and rightly judge between the two. This requires us to have a change of heart so that we may be in tune with his heart.
4 The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
The ungodly may think they have it together, but they are unable to stand firm in the face of adversity, 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.
The time of judgment is fast approaching, and when it arrives, the ungodly will not be able to stand. It is then that sinners will be removed from the congregation of the righteous (see also Matthew 13:41).
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
The Lord knows the way of the righteous because it is his way (John 14:6).
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, please show us your way so that we may walk in your light in the way of the righteous. Amen.
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1 Throughout this book the spiritual value of the number one will not be repeated over and over because from now on I assume that you are digesting all of the enclosed contents in the light of the Holy Spirit.
2 There are two words for “man” in Hebrew. The one used here can denote noble birth. When we are born again from above into the life of Christ, we will no longer desire to walk in the counsel of the ungodly.
3 Under the new covenant established in the New Testament (NT), God will change our hearts by his grace. Then the law of sin and death and the letter that kills will give way to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2) and to the law of liberty (James 1:25, 2:12) also known as the law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21).
4 In this context, Gentiles are individuals, families, or even nations that are not in proper covenant with God.
Chapter 2.
Let us examine what happened on the second day of creation: And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made a firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heavens. And the evening and the morning were the second day (Genesis 1:6–8).
In Psalm 1, God differentiates between the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly. On the second day of creation, he differentiates between the waters which were under the firmament and the waters which were above the firmament. These waters are symbolic of two different realms created and sustained by the word of God. A higher realm or firmament is above the earth and is called “Heavens.”5 Those who are sons of God are citizens of heaven even while they are walking here below (Matthew 6:19–21; Hebrews 12:23, 13:14).
In Scripture, the number one has to do with God bringing light out of darkness (and thus creating the possibility of two ways), and the number two has to do with making choices. Thus, God has chosen to create the realm of the heavens, and we can choose to kiss the Son and submit to Jesus Christ, for he is the Lord of heaven (1 Corinthians 15:47).
5 Jesus Christ is the ascended Word of God. He has the keys to death and to Hades and has ascended high above all heavens (Ephesians 4:10; Revelation 1:18).
Psalm 2
1 Why do the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine 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 bands asunder and cast away their cords from us.
Why does the natural man rebel against God? Because he desires to be his own god. Instead of allowing God to distinguish between good and evil, our ancestors (Adam and Eve) decided to make their own choice. So it has been through out human history – with one exception. The Lord Jesus, who is the Christ (the anointed), became a man, yet he lived to do the will of his Father. We have a similar choice. We may join with Jesus (God’s anointed), or we may continue among the Gentiles and peoples that imagine a vain thing.
In the physical world around us, the Gentiles continue to rage, and the peoples are taking part in what they conceive to be a grand rebellion. This rebellion is a worthless and futile effort. They refuse to allow God and his anointed One to reign over them. This, however, is about to change:
4 He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then he shall speak unto them in his wrath and trouble them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet I have set my king upon Zion, the mountain of my holiness.
All of the kingdoms of man will soon crumble and fall (Daniel 2:44; Revelation 11:15), and God’s mountain (his holy kingdom) will prevail. The essence of holiness is not religious ritual, vocabulary, or dress code. Holiness is the state of being separated exclusively unto God for whatever he desires. Therefore, those who dwell in “Zion”6 live to please God and to make him happy.
7 I will declare the decree; the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day I have begotten thee.
This is a messianic Scripture applying directly to Jesus Christ.7 He is the only begotten Son of the Father;8 he is fully God and fully man, and the only way for us to be born again and have eternal life is in him.9 Although Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, was born of a woman, we may also become adopted sons of God if we are born again by the Spirit. Then we will be members of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). God can decide to choose us, and we can choose to follow God.10
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance and unto the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
God makes sovereign choices, but he also desires for us to choose that which is right. Because God said to the Son, Ask of me, if we are in Christ, we may ask according to the will of God, bearing in mind that according to Scripture, the fullness of the inheritance is reserved for those who have come to maturity. In one of the letters that Jesus dictated to the apostle John, he echoed the words of this psalm: And he that overcomes and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the Gentiles; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter they shall be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father (Revelation 2:26–27).
Those that overcome and keep the “works” of Jesus unto the end are those who have come to maturity in Christ – those who consistently do his will instead of their own. To rule with a “rod of iron” is to enforce the law (or commandments) of God upon the “Gentiles” who are not in a proper covenant with him. As sons of God, we may be selected to reign and rule with Jesus Christ when he returns (Revelation 20:4–6).
10 Understand now therefore, O ye kings: receive chastening, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
All of us are like kings in that God has created us with the ability to make choices that can affect our eternal future and even the future of others. Therefore, it behooves us to receive the chastening (or correction) of God our Father. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10), and those who take this path will rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled in a little while. Blessed are all those that put their trust in him.
Here is another very clear messianic reference to the Son of God. Those who kiss the Son are those who choose to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ. Over the past three millennia since the book of Psalms was compiled, judgment has fallen upon the people of God a number of times. This verse, however, primarily refers to the upcoming day of the Lord when Jesus will return in power and glory.
All those that put their trust in him will be blessed, and to be blessed is the exact opposite of being cursed.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, may we be granted the ability to discern the light from the darkness. May we distinguish between “the waters that are above and the waters that are below” – between what is of heaven and what is of earth. May we receive your chastening so that we may rejoice with trembling. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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6 “Zion” means “sustained” or “lifted up.” Psalm 2 was written after David and his men captured the literal fortress of Zion that had previously been considered impregnable (2 Samuel 5:6-10).
7 Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5, 5:5.
8 John 1:18, 3:16.
9 See John 3:36, 5:26; Colossians 2:10, 3:4; and 1 John 5:11–12.
10 It is clear that David and many others mentioned in Scripture knew by the Spirit that they were sons of God.
Chapter 3.
In Psalm 3, we have a depiction of how the sea of humanity rose up against David and followed his seditious son Absalom (meaning “father of peace”). This is similar to the rebellion of Lucifer (“light bearer”) against God who then became Satan (“the accuser”).
The number three has to do with the dry land being separated from the seas, both literally and metaphorically. It was on the third day of creation that God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas; and God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:9–10).
On the same day that God separated the dry land from the seas, he also said, Let the earth bring forth green grass, herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its nature, whose seed is in itself upon the earth; and it was so. And the earth brought forth green grass and herb yielding seed after its kind and the tree yielding fruit whose seed was in itself, according to its nature; and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day (Genesis 1:11–13).
Throughout the Bible, the dry land (earth) is symbolic of the people who are in covenant with God; the dry land is linked to the concept of the promised land. Hence, after the general resurrection and final judgment, there will no longer be any sea (Revelation 21:1).
On dry land, grain and fruit can come forth according to the nature of the seed that is planted. Since the time of the curse, however, what naturally comes forth is thorns and briers. (Recall Jesus’s parable in which Satan caused trouble by planting tares among the wheat.) Good fruit, on the other hand, must be carefully cultivated, but it is worth the effort, for Jesus told us that we shall know people by their fruits (Mat[1]thew 7:20). Psalm 3 illustrates the difference between David and his followers (who bring forth good fruit) compared to Absalom and his followers (who are not fruitful because they are not right with God). Therefore, the numbers may be used in both a positive and a negative sense.
Incidentally, the word “Selah” appears three times in the first eight verses of Psalm 3. Since this is a word that invites the reader to pause and reflect, it is clear that this psalm merits our serious meditation on its message.
Psalm 3
A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
1 LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me.
2 There are many who say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.11 Many rose up against David, and in the same manner, many have risen up against God. The natural inclination of fallen man is to oppose God the Father, just as David’s own son Absalom12 rebelled against his father. After a period of false peace, Absalom succeeded in turning most of the nation against David (and against God).
3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory and the lifter up of my head.
4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he answered me out of the mountain of his holiness. Selah.
When so many people turned against him, David did not rely on his own strength or his own wisdom. Knowing that God had anointed him to be king of Israel, he trusted that the Lord would be his shield in his time of trouble. His head had been bowed by his troubles, but he knew that God could lift it up. David lived to please and to glorify God,13 and when he cried unto the Lord, he received an answer out of the mountain of God’s holiness.
Why? Jesus told us that he is the vine and we are the branches, and thus in order for us to bear good fruit, we must abide in him. If David was bearing good fruit for the kingdom of God, he was connected to God, and so when he cried unto the Lord, he received a response.
5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked, for the LORD sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about.
Tens of thousands of enemies were after David, attempting to surround him, yet his faith was such that he was able to lie down and sleep. This is the peace of God that passes understanding.
7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God, for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the jawbone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Those who have been smitten by God upon the jawbone have lost the capability to speak and act against the people of God. They are no longer able to open their mouth, and their “teeth” are broken (they have lost their capacity to attack).
8 Salvation belongs unto the LORD; thy blessing shall be upon thy people. Selah. The Lord is the one who decides whom he will save and whom he will bless; salvation and blessing are reserved for his people, who belong to him.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for keeping your mighty hand of salvation and blessing upon us. May we bear good fruit for your kingdom all the days of our lives. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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11 “Selah” means “to stop and meditate.” This is the first use of this word in Psalms. It is possible that when singing this psalm, “selah” means that the line was repeated. The word occurs seventy-one times in the book of Psalms.
12 “Absalom” means “father of peace.” There is only one father of peace, however, and that is God.
13 On the other hand, Absalom, like Satan, clearly sought his own glory. He allowed the hair on his head to grow long and bushy (hair can be a symbol of glory in Scripture), and this ultimately led to his downfall when his hair got caught in an oak tree, trapping him (2 Samuel 18:9).
Chapter 4.
Four is not a prime number. It can be factored as two times two or two squared. If, as we have seen, the number two has to do with making choices, then the number four can relate to the consequences of God’s choices from a heavenly or eternal perspective as well as to ours.14 Note that when a number is squared it includes another dimension.
Let’s take a look at what happened on the fourth day of creation: And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for appointed times and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth; and it was so (Genesis 1:14–15).
The creation of the sun, moon, and stars in the firmament of the heavens reveals choices made by God, such as the decision to divide the day from the night. God also declared that the lights in the firmament should be for signs and for appointed times and for days and years. All of this reflects choices God made and continues to make, which affect both the present and the future. The appointed times are prophetic events such as the end-time harvest (represented by the Feast of Tabernacles) that will clearly differentiate between the godly and the ungodly.
And God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also (Genesis 1:16). This refers to the creation of the sun, moon, and stars.
And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth and to rule over the day and over the night and to divide the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day (Genesis 1:17–19).
The number four represents the consequences of decisions or choices and is linked to the heavenly realm and God’s heavenly love. God is the one who made the first sacrifice of righteousness when he decided to send his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us.15 God placed lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night and to be for signs and for appointed times and for days and years. From the beginning of creation, God has demonstrated a plan for the ages, with important predetermined dates and events that have been and will be portrayed throughout history by the sun, moon, and stars.16
Psalm 4
To the Overcomer in Neginoth,17 A Psalm of David.
1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness; thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
David had many opportunities to call upon God, because his life was full of danger and trouble. It was only toward the end of his life that Israel enjoyed relative peace. Anyone who follows the Lord will face adversity, and although most us think that it would be better to never have trials and difficulties, David was able to testify unto God: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress.
2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after the lie? Selah.
Those like David, who are called to be sons of God and who follow the Lord Jesus along what has come to be known as “the way of the cross,” are always misunderstood by those who are referred to here as ye sons of men. Those who have the desires and goals of fallen man will never be able to represent God as he desires, and David, being a man after God’s heart, wants to know how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after the lie?
People who seek after the fleeting wealth and pleasure of this world will never please God, nor will they ever overcome the sinful desires of the flesh, as long as they persist in their foolishness.
3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
4 Stand in awe, and sin not; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and desist. Selah.
The Lord has made a sovereign decision to set apart him that is godly for himself. God is David’s righteousness, and this messianic psalm is dedicated to the Overcomer18 (referring to the Lord Jesus who would come, and to the entire extended overcoming body of Christ).
David is able to declare with absolute confidence that the LORD will hear when I call unto him. If our righteousness is found in God, if we are not among those who continue to turn the glory of God into shame, our prayers will be heard on high. Knowing this, David advises those who love vanity and seek after lies to change their ways: Stand in awe, and sin not; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and desist. While our own good works and self-effort cannot save us or anyone else, anyone who is lost or defeated will be turned in the right direction if they stand in awe and meditate in their heart upon their bed, and desist. Selah. Stop and think about this. God has made and is making decisions with far-reaching consequences for the godly and the ungodly, and David is resolved to stand firm for God no matter what the cost.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
6 There are many that say, Who will show us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
What are the sacrifices of righteousness? And how do we offer these sacrifices and put our trust in the Lord?
In Old Testament times, people were un[1]aware that the animal sacrifices they offered were symbolic of the reality of the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ that would take place in the future. The bullocks and male goats they sacrificed represented their sin and guilt. Because Jesus died as a sinless sacrifice in our place, the power of the Holy Spirit is available to aid us and enable us to follow in his footsteps if we are willing to “sacrifice” our sin and our guilt. In other words, we must choose to allow God to cleanse us and correct us. These are the sacrifices of righteousness that we are to offer God.
In order for us to truly see and understand good, it is necessary for us to have a direct relationship with God. This is why David prays, LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart in the time that their grain and their wine multiplied.
8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou only, O LORD, dost make me to be confident.
The “grain” and “wine” of the people of God is multiplied at harvest time according to his blessing. This took place every year and was celebrated at the Feast of Tabernacles. The grain is symbolic of the word of God, and the wine is symbolic of the life of God. In a prophetic sense, the time of the end of the harvest is the end of the age, which is fast approaching. There are many who fear end-time events, as these are prophesied to bring upheaval and great tribulation. Nevertheless David, representing the Overcomer, is not afraid. He is able to say, I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou only, O LORD, dost make me to be confident.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, may we understand the sacrifices of righteousness and put our trust in you. May we have your peace in our hearts no matter what difficulties and betrayals we encounter along the paths of life. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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14 John 3:16.
15 Jesus is referred to as the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8b).
16 The natural sun, moon, and stars have spiritual counterparts. Just as David’s enemies betrayed him, Satan and Adam also betrayed God. The “sun” of this world is now the god of worldly prosperity (known in ancient Israel as Baal), and the “moon” (representing the people of God) suffers if God’s people pursue the things of this world (and reflect the “light” of the god of this world) instead of seeking heavenly treasure. Even the third part of the “stars” (the angels) have been affected and contaminated by Satan’s rebellion (Revelation 12:4). At the appointed time, however, the Sun of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2).
17 “Neginoth” means “with stringed instruments” (such as a harp).
18 There are fifty-five psalms (five times eleven) dedicated to the Overcomer.
Chapter 5.
The number five is linked to mercy and grace, which God ministers to us by his Holy Spirit, who was poured out on the early church on the day of Pentecost. The word “Pentecost” means “fifty,” which is the number that results when five (symbolic of mercy and grace) is multiplied by ten (symbolic of the word or commandments of God).
Now let’s examine what happened on the fifth day of creation: And God said, Let the waters bring forth great quantities of creatures with living souls and fowl that may fly above the earth upon the face of the firmament of the heavens19 (Genesis 1:20).
Remember that on the second day God divided the waters into two realms; they were separated above and below the firmament, which he called Heavens (Genesis 1:6–8).
Therefore, there were waters above and below the firmament, and these waters, at God’s command, brought forth great quantities of creatures with living souls.
And God created the great dragons20 and every living soul that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly after their nature, and every winged fowl after its nature; and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day (Genesis 1:21–23).
So the waters brought forth not only great quantities of creatures with living souls and fowl that may fly above the earth upon the face of the firmament of the heavens, but also creatures that could fill the waters in the seas. Creatures were created for the realm of the heavens and the realm of the seas, and the winged fowl were allowed to multiply in the earth. This was the state of affairs prior to the fall of man, who was given dominion over all these creatures. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day (Genesis 1:23).
The number five continues to be defined in Scripture when Joseph was reunited with all his brothers including Benjamin. When they sat down to eat, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs (Genesis 43:34b).
It was on the fifth prophetic day21 that Jesus arrived on earth to save those who were lost in the sea of fallen humanity. He offered mankind the opportunity to receive the gospel and be saved by God’s mercy and grace.
Psalm 5
To the Overcomer upon Nehiloth,22 A Psalm of David.
1 Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my meditation.
2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God, for unto thee will I pray.
As we come to Psalm 5, note that through out Scripture the number five is linked to mercy and grace.23
Jesus said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs24 is the kingdom of the heavens. In other words, the kingdom of the heavens belongs to those who have God as their only King. David’s words make it clear that he falls into this category.
The poor in spirit are the opposite of those who are proud and arrogant. We might assume that a king would be both arrogant and proud as a result of his position, but David is no ordinary king, and he expresses himself to God in humble terms.
3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; early will I present myself unto thee and wait.
Many wait until they are in trouble to cry out to God. David, a man after God’s heart, was in the habit of being in communion with God early, before he was in need. First thing in the morning, he would present himself before the Lord and wait upon him.
4 For thou art not a God that loves wickedness; neither shall one who is evil dwell with thee.
5 The foolish (those who are governed by carnal thoughts or desires) shall not stand in thy sight; thou dost hate all workers of iniquity.
Workers of iniquity are those who hide their sin (their wrong goals, desires, and motives) and pretend to be doing good (Matthew 7:21–23).
6 Thou shalt destroy those that speak lies: the LORD will abominate the bloody and deceitful man.
Those who are governed by carnal thoughts or desires are linked to the sea of lost humanity. In this psalm, they are specifically associated with those that speak lies. Satan is the father of lies, and all his followers are liars. The bloody and deceitful man is a killer, just as Satan was a murderer from the beginning of his rebellion. After the final judgment, all liars will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). Those who are bloody and deceitful are an abomination to the Lord. They are totally incompatible with him and will not be allowed to dwell in his presence.
7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear I will worship toward thy holy temple. If we are allowed into God’s house (or family) it is due to his abundant mercy because he has chosen to forgive us and not submit us to the punishment that we deserve. Therefore, our response should be a proper respect or “fear” of God in reverence and awe.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
The Lord orders the steps of a good man (Psalm 37:23). There is no way for us to be righteous unless we are led by the Lord, for only his way is straight.
9 For there is no uprightness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
David’s enemies minister death. Their throat is an open grave, and they flatter with their tongue.
10 Declare them guilty, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out for the multitude of their rebellions; for they have rebelled against thee.
Those who rebel against God have joined the enemy.
11 And all those that put their trust in thee shall rejoice: they shall ever be in jubilee, for thou shalt cover them; and all that love thy name shall be joyful in thee.
12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Every fiftieth year was to be a year of jubilee (Leviticus 25:8–10). It was the year of liberty – the time when all slaves and captives were freed, all debts were forgiven, and all property was restored to its rightful owner. Although God will ultimately judge the wicked, all who put their trust in the Lord will rejoice and will live in continual jubilee. These righteous ones will be eternally blessed, and God’s favor (grace) will surround them like a shield. In the highest sense, Jesus Christ is the only one who is righteous, and when we are led according to his will and by the Holy Spirit, we will be clothed and protected in his righteousness. For if ye live according to the flesh, ye shall die; but if through the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For all that are led by the Spirit of God, the same are the sons of God (Romans 8:13–14).
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, may our prayer and meditation be considered before your throne. May your mercy and grace be multiplied upon us. Like David, we desire to seek you early. May we be delivered from the lies and deception and flattery of the enemy. May we be among those who will enter into eternal jubilee. May your grace and favor be a continual shield of protection around us. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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19 This mention regarding the creation of creatures with living souls and fowl that may fly above the earth upon the face of the firmament of the heavens and the statement below concerning every winged fowl after its nature gives ample food for thought. What exactly is encompassed within original meaning of the word, fowl? Angels are described as having wings and as being living creatures or animals (Gr. Bios) that have access to the heavenly realm (Revelation 4:6-11 Jubilee Bible). The thought has occurred to me, and I am mulling it over, that maybe the creatures created on the fifth day include the angels. The Scripture above also names great dragons that were created and we know that Satan, a created being, has access to the heavenly realm and is referred to prophetically by John: And the great dragon was cast out, the serpent of old, who is called Devil and the Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:9).
20 Satan is known as the great dragon or sea serpent (Revelation 12:9); he is also linked to the leviathan (Isaiah 27:1).
21 Jesus was born in Bethlehem at the beginning of the fifth millennium or “fifth prophetic day.” For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past (Psalm 90:4), and one day before the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years are as one day (2 Peter 3:8). See Appendix B.
22 “Nehiloth” means “flutes.”
23 The NT mentions five ministries that are instruments of God’s mercy and grace (Ephesians 4:11).
24 The Greek is exclusive – theirs and only theirs.
Chapter 6.
Six is not a prime number and can be factored as two times three. As we have seen, the number two is linked to making choices, and three has to do with bearing fruit. Man, who was created on the sixth day, got into trouble when he disobeyed God and chose to eat of the fruit of The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Those who continue in the way of Adam will not bear good fruit. Fallen man must be redeemed and restored by God before he can bear fruit that is pleasing in God’s sight. One way or another, people will bear fruit that is either good or evil.
Psalm 6 (dedicated to “the Overcomer”) sums up the situation of man, who in Scripture is aligned with the number six. This psalm is messianic: David was a forerunner and example of Jesus Christ, who is the real Overcomer. Because God became a man, the number six also relates to the humanity of Jesus Christ.25
Now let’s examine the sixth day of creation.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living soul after its nature, beasts and serpents and animals of the earth after its nature; and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after its kind and cattle after their kind and every thing that moves upon the earth after its kind; and God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:24–25).
The beasts were all created on the sixth day. Remember that without the Spirit of God, man has no understanding; he is as a beast (Psalm 49:20, 73:22).
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have do[1]minion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the beasts and over all the earth and over every serpent that moves upon the earth (Genesis 1:26). From the beginning, God gave man dominion, which implies responsibility.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every beast that moves upon the earth (Genesis 1:27–28).
The authority and dominion and blessing given to man over the earth and over all of the creatures turned out to be vitally linked to a right relationship between man and God. This, in turn, created a vital link between man and the creatures that he was given dominion over.
When Adam rebelled (Romans 5:14; 1 Timothy 2:14), Satan usurped the authority of Adam and Eve. The curse went into effect, leaving nothing in creation untouched. And God said, Behold, I have given you every grass bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every fowl of the air and to every thing that moves upon the earth, in which there is a living soul, I have given all green grass for food; and it was so (Genesis 1:29–30).
Note that in the beginning, it was only man who was given the fruit of a tree yielding seed as his lawful food. This privilege was not extended to the beasts of the earth or the fowl of the air. In Genesis 2:16–17 it would be only man who was ordered by God to not eat the fruit from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, even though he was authorized to eat the fruit of all of the other trees in the garden.
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day (Genesis 1:31).
By the end of the sixth day, God declared that everything he had made was very good, a phrase that is used only six times in Scripture.26 The key for everything to remain very good27 was for Adam and Eve to remain in right fellowship and communion with God. But as we know, they soon failed to do so.
Psalm 6
To the Overcomer in Neginoth upon Sheminith,28 A Psalm of David.29
1 O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
Bones in this case refers to our basic foundation and structure, the only part of our body that will endure in the grave. Remember that man was originally created in the image and likeness of God. However, in our current fallen state our bones are troubled, and we are all in desperate need of healing from the Lord.
3 My soul is also greatly troubled; but thou, O LORD, how long?
Not only are David’s bones troubled, but his soul is also greatly troubled (today this might be diagnosed as an anxiety attack).
4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake.
David is absolutely convinced that he needs deliverance and salvation. He links this with a desire for the Lord to “return.”
5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in Sheol30 who shall give thee thanks?
6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night I flood my bed; I water my couch with my tears.
7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxes old because of all mine enemies.
It appears that David may have been an avid student of the book of Job, which also refers frequently to Sheol and the grave. Like Job, David realized in the midst of persecution and tribulation that there are important things that must be resolved this side of the grave in order for any of us to rest in peace.
8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity,31 for the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.
David refused to associate himself with those who work iniquity (those who not only commit sin but hide their wrong motives and carnal desires under a veneer of self-righteousness). As soon as David knew that God had heard him, his immediate reaction was to command all workers of iniquity to depart from his presence.
9 The LORD has heard my supplication; the LORD has received my prayer.
David prayed and sought God until he was able to say with absolute assurance that the LORD has received my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed; they shall be sorely troubled: they shall turn back and be ashamed suddenly.
All of us who are made of flesh and blood and live upon the earth have enemies, starting with the carnal desires of our flesh, which are displeasing to God. Those who choose to follow God will also become increasingly aware of Satan and of the principalities and powers of wickedness that are aligned with him to control and manipulate those who belong to the kingdoms of this world.
Once David knew that God had received his prayer and would take action to deliver him and save his soul, he also knew by revelation that all his enemies would soon be ashamed and defeated and that this would happen suddenly.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we, like David, fervently desire to remain in a right relationship with you. May you intervene in our lives as necessary so that our hearts may remain clean and pure and so that the fruit we produce will always be very good. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen..
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25 As we learn more about numbers in Scripture, we will find that their meaning is not always positive. The new man in Christ is very positive, for example, but the old man in Adam is definitely negative. This is similar to the way in which the Hebrew language operates in that the meaning of a given phrase or even a name can easily become inverted according to nuance and context. Therefore, it is not possible for any of us to derive spiritual meaning or value from the numbers, colors, or names mentioned in Scripture unless in each and every instance we are in tune with and led by the Spirit of God.
26 Genesis 1:31; Judges 18:9; 1 Samuel 19:4, 25:15; Jeremiah 24:2–3 (two of these references are to David and his men).
27 There are two references in Scripture to very good fruit and two references to its opposite, which is very evil fruit (Jeremiah 24:2–3).
28 “Neginot” means “upon a stringed instrument” and “sheminit” means “an octave” (or it may possibly refer to an instrument with eight strings).
29 This is the fourth psalm that is labeled “of David,” out of a total of seventy-two.
30 This is the first of fifteen references to Sheol in the Psalms.
31 This phrase occurs twenty-three times in Scripture (seventeen times in the Psalms) and is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 7:23 and Luke 13:27.
Chapter 7.
Seven is a very significant prime number (and numbers that are multiples of seven also tend to have great importance). Ever since God finished his creation on the seventh day and rested, seven has been linked to rest, completion, perfection, and peace. Here in Psalm 7 David goes from being falsely accused and unjustly persecuted to being justified, saved, and avenged by God.
Psalm 7 reflects the historical situation that David was going through. It is also a messianic psalm and is prophetic of what God will do in the seventh prophetic day (the seventh millennium) as he finishes his work on the new creation. God is using the old creation as a seedbed to bring forth those who will reign and rule with Christ in the new creation. Jesus Christ is the first of the firstfruits of the new creation, and we, like David, have the opportunity to be included in the body of Christ.
Let’s look at the account of what happened on the seventh day of the first creation (which was frustrated due to sin and rebellion): Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it he had rested from all his work which God created in perfection. (Genesis 2:1–3)
The seventh day is linked to the completion and perfection of God’s work and also to rest and blessing. This is the context in which the number seven is introduced in Scripture.
Psalm 7
Shiggaion32 of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.33
1 O LORD my God, in thee I have put my trust: save me from all those that persecute me, and deliver me
2 Lest they take my soul, as a lion dismembers his prey when there is none to deliver.
3 O LORD my God, if I have done this: if there is iniquity in my hands,
4 if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me, then let my persecutor escape without retribution.
5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay my honour in the dust. Selah.
Let’s meditate on these five verses.
David wants to be exonerated because of his complete innocence. He is not asking God to pretend that he is upright if this is not really the case. David is willing to submit to the judgment and examination of God here in the present so that he will have no fear at the future final judgment.
6 Arise, O LORD, in thine anger; lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake the judgment in my favour that thou hast commanded.34
7 So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about, for their sakes therefore return thou on high.
This psalm is clearly messianic, for it is the Lord Jesus who would return on high and be granted all power and authority to effect judgment.
8 The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteous[1]ness and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Let wickedness consume the wicked; but establish the just: for the righteous God is he who tries the hearts and kidneys.
Our heart pumps lifeblood through our body, and our kidneys remove waste and impurities from the blood. In a spiritual sense, God allows us to pass through trials and even persecution, in order to test our “hearts” and our “kidneys.”35
10 My shield is in God, he who saves the upright in heart.
David is sure he can rely on the shield of God because he is confident of the upright status of his heart. We know that David is a man after God’s own heart,36 and God himself has declared that David belongs to him: I have found David my slave; I anointed him with the oil of my holiness (Psalm 89:20).
11 God is he who judges the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he does not turn, he will whet his sword; he has bent his bow and made it ready.
The wicked must turn from his evil ways and repent; otherwise, God will sharpen his sword and string his bow in readiness to do battle against him.
13 He has also prepared for him the weapons of death; he ordains his arrows against the persecutors.
14 Behold, he travails with iniquity and has conceived of his own work and brought forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit and deepened it and shall fall into the ditch which he made.
16 His work shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
God will turn the work of the wicked upon their own head, and the evil they intended for others will be perpetrated on them instead.
17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we desire, like David, to be lined up with the desires of your heart. We desire to submit to your discipline and dealings so that our conscience may function properly. We desire not only to have our sins forgiven but to be cleansed from all unrighteousness. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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32 “Shiggaion” means “irregular,” possibly referring to the beat or to a minor key.
33 This appears to be the only reference in Scripture to Cush the Benjamite (an enemy of David who falsely accused him).
34 And as it is appointed unto men to die once, and after this the judgment; so also the Christ is offered once to take away the sins of many; and unto those that wait for him without sin he shall appear the second time unto saving health (Hebrews 9:27–28).
35 I believe that what are referred to here as our “hearts” and “kidneys” signify deep aspects of our souls having to do with our will, desires, goals, and conscience. Even in David’s day they knew enough about the biology of the heart and kidneys to be able to understand that the lesson is figurative.
36 1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22.
Chapter 8.
The number eight is not a prime number it is two cubed (and therefore three dimensional). It can be factored as two (having to do with choice and decision) times four (linked to God’s plans and heavenly love). Eight, therefore, is a number that can represent a new beginning in Christ, that will transcend into a heavenly dimension, if we respond to the invitation to choose God’s way instead of our own.
Psalm 8
To the Overcomer upon Gittith,37 A Psalm of David.
1 O LORD our Lord, how great is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy praise above the heavens.
How was the praise of our Lord set above the heavens?
After his death and resurrection, Jesus ascended up far above all the heavens, that he might fulfill all things (Ephesians 4:10b).38
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings39 hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou might still the enemy and the avenger.
Jesus warned: Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 18:3). His plan is for us to be born again by the Spirit of God and suckle on the milk of the word of God. And whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receives me (Matthew 18:5; Mark 9:37; Luke 9:48).
Go has a plan for us to still the enemy and the avenger. That plan includes birthing us into his life by the Spirit of God.
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou dost visit him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels and hast crowned him with glory and beauty.
After the fall, man was made a little lower than the angels, but with the advent of Jesus Christ, God crowned him with glory and beauty.
6 Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.40
9 O LORD our Lord, how great is thy name in all the earth!
Adam was given dominion over creation and lost it. Jesus is the one who recovered everything. We benefit from this if we participate in God’s plan to give us a new beginning. Under the old covenant of law, the sign of the covenant was the circumcision of the flesh, which was per formed on each male child on the eighth day. Under the new covenant of grace, the sign is the circumcision of the heart (male and female). Under the old covenant, God’s commandments were written on tablets of stone and administered by the Levitical priesthood. Under the new covenant, God’s commandments are given in our souls and written in our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33), and the only mediator is the Lord Jesus Christ, now seated with all authority at the right hand of the Father (1 Timothy 2:5).
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, may our hearts be circumcised and purified by the power of your Holy Spirit. May the pull of sinful, carnal desires be completely cut by the sword of your living word. May we humble ourselves as little children and partake of a wonderful new beginning in Christ. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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37 “Gittith” means “after the manner of the Gittites,” who were the original inhabitants of Gath (meaning “winepress”). While Saul was persecuting him, David spent some time in voluntary exile in Gath (which had become the capital city of the Philistines), and God used this time at the “winepress” to develop the flow of the “fine wine” of his life in and through David. It is also possible that David and his mighty men (some of whom were Philistines who began to follow David) learned the use of musical instruments and style native to Gath. It is interesting that David was brought from the land of the Philistines to be king of Judah when God decided it was the appointed time for him to have a new beginning, especially because the land of Philistia symbolizes death.
38 When heaven and earth pass away the Father’s throne and the New Jerusalem on the heavenly Mount Sion and God’s words and judgments do not pass away. Jesus said, The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35).
39 Jesus quoted this phrase in Matthew 21:16.
40 Meditate about whatever passes through the paths of the seas being under the dominion of the Overcomer in the light of Revelation 13:1.
Chapter 9.
The number nine equals three squared. When a number is squared (multiplied by itself), this can denote that the consequences of the number are intensified. Three has to do with fruitfulness, and as we have seen, fruit may be very good or very evil. By their fruits ye shall know them, Jesus advised us (Matthew 7:20). Therefore, the number nine has to do with discernment and judgment (including the dimension of final, eternal judgment).
Psalm 9
To the Overcomer upon Muthlabben,41 A Psalm of David.
1 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all thy marvellous works.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High
3 because my enemies are turned back; they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
David realizes that it is due to God’s intervention in his life that his enemies are turned back and that they shall (future tense) fall and perish. Our enemies are not necessarily afraid of us; they are terrified, however, when the Holy Spirit projects in and through us the presence of the Lord. Ultimately, at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, all our enemies shall fall and perish at his presence.42
4 For thou hast accomplished my judgment and my cause; thou didst sit in the throne judging according to righteousness.
5 Thou hast reprehended the Gentiles, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.
When Jesus returns in power and glory, then shall that Wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and remove with the clarity of his coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8). This applies to Satan and all his followers.
6 O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and the cities that thou hast destroyed; their memorial is perished with them.
Satan, the deceiver, came to steal and to kill and to destroy,43 but his kingdom (which includes the kingdoms of this present world) is temporal.
7 But the LORD shall endure for ever; he has prepared his throne for judgment.
8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall judge the peoples in uprightness.
9 The LORD also will be a refuge to the humble, a refuge for the time of trouble.
10 And those that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, O LORD, hast not forsaken those that seek thee.
Those who know the name of the Lord have intimate knowledge of his nature because (as was the case with David) he lives within their hearts. Those who know God love him with all their heart and all their soul and all their might, and they make him their habitation. He is their refuge for the time of trouble – and the entire corrupt world system will end in a time of trouble such as has never been seen before. David declared, LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place of the tabernacle of thy glory (Psalm 26:8).
11 Sing unto the LORD, he who dwells in Zion;44 declare among the people his doings.
12 When he makes requirement for blood, he remembers them; he does not forget the cry of the humble.
Jesus redeemed us by shedding his blood as he humbly died for us on the cross. This fulfilled the requirement for blood. Remember that almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission (Hebrews 9:22).
13 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer from those that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:
14 that I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion:45 I will rejoice in thy saving health.
The saving health provided for us through Jesus’s work of redemption includes nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit that God desires to cultivate in us. They are charity, joy, peace, tolerance, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22–23). Scripture also mentions nine gifts of the Spirit that are dispersed among the various members of the body of Christ according to the will of God (1 Corinthians 12:8–11).
15 The Gentiles are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid their own foot is taken.
16 The LORD is known by the judgment which he has executed; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion (meditate on this for ever). Selah.
Those whose work is evil will eventually be trapped in a pit or a snare of their own making, and the consequence of the lies and evil fruit they produce will be revealed for the deadly poison it is. The wicked never know when to quit. They always overplay their hand until their own wickedness boomerangs on them. We are to meditate on this forever.
17 The wicked shall be put into Sheol,46 all the Gentiles that forget God.
The apostle Paul makes the case that even the pagan Gentiles have a basic responsibility to acknowledge God and be thankful to him. This is because his eternal power and divinity are clearly understood by the creation of the world and by the things that are made so that there is no excuse.47
18 For the humble shall not always be forgotten: the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever.
19 Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the Gentiles be judged in thy sight.
20 Put fear into them, O LORD: that the Gentiles may know themselves to be but men. Selah.
Psalm 9 not only deals with the judgment and destruction of the wicked, but also brings out the truth that God’s righteous judgment will make sure the humble shall not always be forgotten. We are promised that even the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever. In fact, if the fear of the Lord is put into the Gentiles, this will also give them reason to hope because the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10a).
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, may we continue to produce good fruit that will meet with your approval. We ask this in Jesus’s name. Amen.
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41 It is possible that “Muthlabben” means “death to the son.” If this is so, the term’s usage has messianic implications.
42 The apostle Paul prophesied: Seeing it is a just thing with God to recompense tribulation to those that trouble you and to give you, who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with the angels of his power, with flaming fire, to take vengeance on those that do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with eternal destruction by the presence of the Lord and by the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all those that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day (2 Thessalonians 1:6–10).
43 John 10:10.
44 “Zion” means “sustained” or “lifted up (a fortress).” Jesus and the Father desire to dwell in us by the Holy Spirit. We are also encouraged to make God our habitation (Psalm 91:8–10). The word Zion is used 153 times in the OT. The habitation of God is eternal, and underneath the everlasting arms; he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say, Destroy them (Deuteronomy 33:27). This is where our security lies. There is an earthly Zion, captured by David and his men, but there is also a heavenly fortress and city called Mount Zion (Sion) (Hebrews 12:22; Psalm 65:1).
45 The phrase “daughter of Zion” is used twenty-six times in Scripture (all in the OT) and refers to God´s chosen people.
46 “Sheol” (or “Hades” in Greek) is linked to death, to the grave, and to the pit. This is where the wicked go immediately when they die. Some consider it to be a form of hell. We must remember, however, that according to Scripture, Sheol is not the same as the lake of fire that is called the second death. Consider what happens at the final judgment: And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hades delivered up the dead which were in them; and the judgment of each one was according to their works. And Hades and death were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:13–15).
47 Here is the full quote: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of men, who hold back the truth with injustice; because that which is known of God is manifest to them; for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him, his eternal power and divinity, are clearly understood by the creation of the world and by the things that are made so that there is no excuse; because having known God, they did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened (Romans 1:18–21).
Chapter 10.
Psalms is the only book in the Bible in which the chapters or individual psalms are clearly defined and retain their original order. This allows us to interpret the number pertaining to each psalm with certainty that it is significant.
At first glance, the number ten, which has to do with the Ten Commandments and with the law or the word of God, does not seem to fit very well with the content of Psalm 10. There are many Scriptures that contain the number ten or a tenth (tithe) or multiples of ten (such as one hundred, one thousand, or ten thousand), which makes it extremely important that our discernment regarding the true meaning of the number be accurate and precise. We must remember that numbers can also be used in a negative way, in which case the significance is the exact opposite of the number’s positive value. In other words, negative ten means the exact opposite of the commandments and the word of God. Negative ten can be factored as two (representing a firm decision) times negative five (complete rejection of God’s mercy and grace).
We must bear in mind that prior to receiving the Ten Commandments, the children of Israel refused to continue to hear the voice of God and instead sent Moses up the mountain to hear from God and report back to them (Deuteronomy 5:23–27). They promised to comply with everything God would say to them. But they insisted that God speak through a mediator and they would listen secondhand. The tragic result was that the commandments were given to them on tablets of stone instead of being written in their souls and in their hearts. The Israelites failed to realize that only those who have a direct relationship with God are privy to the power of his grace and presence. While Moses was on the mountain receiving the stone tablets, they made a golden calf, descended into pagan perversion, and had serially broken most of the commandments before Moses could even return to their camp.48
Psalm 10
1 Why dost thou stand afar off, O LORD? Why dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble?
By refusing to hear the voice of God, the children of Israel repeatedly entered into idolatry and perversion. Only after being overrun and afflicted by their enemies would they call upon the Lord. Then they wondered why he appeared to be standing so far off, and why he seemed to be hiding himself from them in times of trouble.
To make matters even worse, the prophets God kept raising up to proclaim his word and set a righteous example were frequently persecuted by the majority of those who were supposed to be the people of God. In all likelihood, this had been the fate of the righteous person who wrote this inspired psalm.
2 The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire and blesses the covetous, whom the LORD abhors.
4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, does not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
By the time the Lord Jesus arrived on the scene, the children of Israel had spent fifteen hundred years under the old covenant of the law. The above description of the wicked perfectly fit the behavior of the average scribe, Pharisee, priest, or legalistic Jew who had convinced one another that they were complying with the law of God down to the very last detail. Reality was that their religious pride prevented them from truly seeking after God; therefore, God was not in all their thoughts. We can find many contemporary parallels to this situation. How many religious people nowadays boast of the desires of their own hearts and bless the covetous? How many do not truly seek after God with all their heart and all their soul and all their might? How many are not willing to submit all their thoughts unto God?49
5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight; as for all his enemies, he puffs at them.
6 He has said in his heart, I shall not be moved, for I shall never be in adversity.
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
The wicked do not give up easily, and when they lose, they tend to be very bad losers.
8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places he murders the innocent: his eyes are secretly set against the poor.
Today, as in the psalmist’s day, if the wicked are unable to murder an innocent man, they will be partially satisfied by destroying his reputation.
Why are the eyes of the wicked secretly set against the poor? Because they perceive the poor have little or no means of defending themselves.
9 He lies in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lies in wait to catch the poor: he catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
10 He crouches and hides himself, and many are those who fall under his power.
It is very easy to fall into the trap of a wicked person who has no respect for the commandments and Word of God. These people, like tares among the wheat, wait secretly for the opportunity to take advantage of some poor person who is weaker than they are. Such a person is first drawn into the wicked one’s net and then falls under his power. This is how Satan and his followers operate. It is how Satan forms entire networks of people who become addicted to that which turns out to be (intellectually or materially) dishonest, unchaste, violent, or ungodly in some other way. Nor does this happen only to individuals. Entire student movements, business groups, political associations, or even so-called Christian organizations may fall under Satan’s power and become corrupted.50
11 He has said in his heart, God has forgotten; he hides his face; he will never see it.
12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand; forget not the humble.
The humble are included among those to whom Jesus referred when he said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). The meek and humble followers of God seem to have been in the minority throughout the past six thousand or so years of history. This, however, will soon change. When Jesus returns, he will not forget the humble. God will soon see to it that the meek inherit the earth.
13 In what does the wicked irritate God? He has said in his heart, Thou wilt not require accountability.
14 Thou hast seen it, for thou dost behold mischief and spite to requite it with thy hand: the poor commits himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man; seek out his wickedness until thou find none.
When Jesus returns, he and those who form part of his government will rule with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:9; Revelation 2:26–27). Jesus’s kingdom will have law, order, and accountability. Wickedness will be tracked down and dealt with until there is none left, and the power (or arm) of the wicked and evil man is broken.
Jesus proclaimed, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 5:3), and he taught us to pray, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Jesus’s prophetic word, along with our prayer according to the will of God, will certainly come to fruition very soon. The exciting news will go forth that the prophetic and creative word of God – including all of his commandments (as symbolized by the number ten) – has become reality on the earth.
Listen to the psalmist’s wonderful declaration of what is about to happen:
16 The LORD is King for ever and ever; the Gentiles are perished out of his land.
17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart; thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
18 to judge the fatherless and the oppressed that the man of the earth may no longer oppress.
Who is the man of the earth?
The man of the earth is a person who desires and stores up the temporal things of this world by any means, instead of striving for the heavenly treasure that will never be corrupted, destroyed, or stolen (Matthew 6:19–21). The man of the earth has his citizenship here below. The true sons and daughters of God, however, are citizens of heaven even while they walk here on this earth.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we place our hearts upon your altar so that they may remain clean and pure. May we receive the fullness of your mercy and grace so that we may truly be blessed as we continue to invest our time and talents and resources to obtain lasting heavenly treasure. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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48 The situation was so bad that when he saw the extent of the perversion, Moses threw down the two tablets of stone hard enough that they broke. After dealing with the rebellion and making intense intercession so that God would not destroy the people, Moses made two more tablets like the first ones. He put them inside the ark of the covenant, which was in the holy of holies and out of the reach of the people. He realized that the future tense of the commandments (“Thou shalt not…”) implied a promise and a prophecy that God would eventually have a people who would comply with his Word, through the coming of the Messiah.
49 Scripture states: as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:37). What was life like in Noah’s day? And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5). Since then, has anything fundamentally changed regarding the natural man who continually rejects God? I am convinced that Noah found grace because he decided to cease and desist from what the others were doing and instead seek God with all his heart.
50 During a recent spate of church scandals, the leader of a prominent clerical organization lamented to me that there are Christians with good intentions to evangelize, but unfortunately, they are poorly organized. However, I found myself thinking, “It seems that in many places we have people with very bad intentions who are extremely well organized.”
Chapter 11.
Eleven is a prime number (a number that may only be divided by itself and by one). It is used forty-five times in Scripture, almost always in a positive sense. Eleven has to do with those who are called to follow God and be upright, which began with Joseph in Egypt and his eleven brothers (Genesis 32:22, 37:9). Thus, eleven is a number associated throughout Scripture with the Messiah51 and with those he has called and chosen.
Jesus had eleven faithful disciples (Matthew 28:16). There were eleven curtains covering the tabernacle of Moses (Exodus 26:7). It was an eleven-day journey from Egypt to the promised land, and the children of Israel finally got to Kadeshbarnea (near the border) after forty years and eleven months (Deuteronomy 1:2). Moreover, Jesus spoke of eleventh-hour workers who were sent out into the harvest one hour before sundown and yet were paid just as much as those who had toiled all day long in the hot sun (Matthew 20:6–9).
It is also worth noting that fifty-five psalms (eleven times five) are dedicated to the Overcomer. We are called to follow God and be upright, but the only way to truly overcome is by the mercy and grace of God.
Psalm 11
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.
1 I put my trust in the LORD: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
Even as a young boy, David knew that he had been anointed king of Israel, and was called to be an overcomer. His early success in killing the giant Goliath confirmed this, and soon he was leading the armies of Israel. Then, even though his trust in the Lord never wavered, he found himself compelled to flee as a bird to the mountains on the advice of his good friend Jonathan, whose father, King Saul, had become insanely jealous and was attempting to kill David.
2 For, behold, the wicked bend their bow; they make ready their arrow upon the string that they may secretly shoot at the upright in heart.
3 The foundations shall be destroyed. What has the righteous done?
King Saul had spent the first part of his reign cleansing Israel from witchcraft. However, things finally got so twisted and the foundations of the people of God so utterly destroyed by Saul himself that (unable to communicate with God by any accepted means) he consulted the witch (or spiritist) of Endor.52 David, on the other hand, was finally forced to take refuge among the Philistines, who were his mortal enemies and deadly foes of Israel. Near the end of Saul’s reign, David and his men even found themselves conscripted into the Philistine army that was marching against Israel, and they barely avoided being part of the attack on their countrymen. In and through it all, David’s righteous heart for God never faltered, although he must have asked over and over: What has the righteous done?
4 The LORD is in the temple of his holiness, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of men.53
Saul did well for the first two or so years that he was king, while he was small in his own eyes.54 After that, he became so filled with pride and arrogance that he destroyed the foundations of the people of God. David went through many trials, tribulations, and persecutions as a result of Saul’s unreasoning hatred, but the Lord used this hard time to continually evaluate David’s heart. The Lord was ensuring that when David finally became king, he would not go down the carnal path marked out by Saul, who tragically demonstrated that he loved wickedness and violence more than he loved God. God even allowed David two opportunities to kill Saul if he chose to take the law into his own hands, but each time, David passed the test by choosing to leave Saul’s fate in his Creator’s hands.
5 The LORD tries the righteous, but the wicked and he that loves violence his soul hates.
Saul was one of the most gifted men in Israel. Even in his youth he stood head and shoulders above all the rest. Conversely, David was not chosen for his gifts or his stature but for his heart. As a young shepherd, he had been willing to risk his own life for his sheep if a lion or bear went after them. His courage and selflessness did not escape God’s notice.
6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, with winds of whirlwinds: this shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the righteous LORD loves righteousness; his countenance beholds the upright. In this life, God allows everyone to have a season that will demonstrate what type of fruit they will produce. Everyone will eventually face the judgment of the Lord, which the wicked will not survive. On the other hand, when the righteous see Jesus, his presence will transform us and we will be like him (1 John 3:2). This is all part of the spiritual value of the number eleven. Jesus put it like this: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8).
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, I pray that Jesus Christ will become very clear to all of us. May you reveal unto us to the full meaning of the number eleven, and how it relates to you and your light coming forth in and through people like David and like us. May everyone with a right heart receive the revelation of the mystery of the ages described by Paul as “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” I ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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51 “Messiah” means “Christ” in Greek, who is the Lord from heaven.
52 1 Chronicles 10:13–14; 1 Samuel 28:7
53 The Lord´s eyelids try the children of men because he looks favorably only upon those whom he approves (“eyelids” imply choice to behold or not behold). This marked the difference between Cain and Abel and also between Saul and David.
Chapter 12.
In Scripture, the number twelve is introduced in a very curious manner. After the tragedy of wicked Cain killing his righteous brother Abel, another son was born to Adam and Eve. His name was Seth (meaning “substitute” or “compensation”). Seth was God’s provision to continue the righteous bloodline of the promised seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). Seth’s firstborn was named Enos (meaning “mortal”),55 and he had many other sons and daughters before dying at the ripe old age of nine hundred and twelve (Genesis 5:4–8).
The years of Seth’s life (and remember he is the substitute for righteous Abel) can be broken down into three interesting numbers. Nine is three squared and has to do with the consequences of the fruit that is being cultivated in our hearts (and things are not looking good for the natural race of Adam). One hundred is ten squared, which signifies that God’s word will be fulfilled; the word that seems to be dominating, however, is the curse rather than the blessing.
Twelve can be factored two different ways. Two times six could mean a decision to continue according to the ways of man and beast (which are all fallen); alternately, three times four could mean coming back into the wholesome fruitfulness of God’s heavenly plans and ways, which will ultimately lead to redemption and restoration. Therefore, the number twelve can relate either to man’s order and control or to God’s order, which would include bringing things back under God’s control. God founded the nation of Israel with the twelve sons of Jacob. Likewise, Jesus selected twelve apostles (one of whom had to be replaced) to begin the Christian church. Throughout the long history of the people of God (of Israel and the church), there has been a continuous battle between man’s order and God’s.
Psalm 12
To the Overcomer upon Sheminith,56 A Psalm of David.
1 Help, LORD; for the merciful man ceases, for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
2 Each one speaks vanity with his neighbour: they speak with flattering lips and with a double heart.
This is what happens when man’s order dominates the people of God.
3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks proud things:
4 Who have said, With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
There are many who claim to be God’s representatives but who are nevertheless very loose with their tongues. Flattering lips are linked to a double (and deceitful) heart. Jesus told the Pharisees that everyone shall give account for every idle word they have spoken.57
5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise, saith the LORD; I will set in safety the one whom the wicked one has ensnared.
6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Silver is symbolic of redemption, and purified seven times means that it is completely pure. This is why God allows his chosen representatives like David to pass through the intense fire of rejection, persecution, and tribulation. David was not only selected as king of Israel (and as a
forerunner to the Messiah), but he was also picked to write and compile these beautiful psalms and set them to music.58
Why? Because God could count on him to speak and to sing the pure words of the Lord. This is all part of God’s plan to redeem and to set in safety the one whom the wicked one has ensnared.
7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
8 The wicked press in on every side when the vilest men are exalted.
Man’s order tends to exalt the vilest people, and when this happens, the wicked press in on every side. Satan has flattered mankind with the lie that they can exalt themselves and ignore God. This is how he has ensnared so many people for such a long time. If we are to be kept and preserved forever, the people of God must come back under the direct government and order of God. This is the significance of the number twelve.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, deliver us from those with flattering lips and a double heart. Keep us and preserve us from this generation forever. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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55 By this point, well over a hundred years after the fall, Seth would have realized that mankind was no longer immortal. Since it would have been clear to him that death had set in with a vengeance, we can understand why he named his firstborn son Enos (or “mortal”).
56 “Sheminith” refers to an octave or an eight-stringed instrument, and that eight is the number linked to new beginnings. In order to be an overcomer, we must have a new beginning by being born again into the life of Christ so that we may be governed by the Holy Spirit and come under God’s divine order.
57 Here is the full quote: O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things, and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (Matthew 12:34–37).
58 For the past several years, we have been working on a project to set to music and record all one hundred and fifty psalms using replicas of David’s instruments, some of which have eight strings. Many talented and inspired craftsmen, composers, musicians, and singers are participating.
Chapter 13.
Thirteen is a prime number that, in its positive sense, has to do with the kingdom of God (1 Kings 7:1). For instance, when Jesus walked through Judea and Galilee preaching the kingdom of God, there were thirteen people in the group (that is, Jesus and his twelve disciples).59 In its negative sense, however, thirteen can represent rebellion (Genesis 14:4). In the carnal world, numerous people consider thirteen a number that brings bad luck. In fact, there are so many people who are superstitious about the number thirteen that some hotels do not even have a thirteenth floor; the floor numbers simply jump from twelve to fourteen.
Psalm 13
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.
1 How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
David had been anointed king over the people of God at a very young age. Even though many years had passed since then, rebellious King Saul continued to be exalted over him.
3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
Time and time again, God had enabled David to escape from Saul’s intense persection
5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
6 I will sing unto the LORD because he has dealt bountifully with me.
For about thirteen years,60 David was persecuted by Saul and eventually left Israel and moved from place to place in the wilderness, fleeing from Saul. Yet even in the midst of this long trial, he could look back and say of the Lord: But I have trusted in thy mercy. Anticipating the future, he could prophesy that my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
David was thankful to the Lord in the midst of his long trial because he knew that God was making him into an overcomer. Therefore, he was able to truthfully say, I will sing unto the LORD because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we identify with David’s prayer to the Overcomer and repeat the question he poses. How long shall it be until Jesus Christ returns and puts down all of our enemies who are continually exalted against us? In the midst of all our trials and tribulations, we give you thanks and sing your praise because you have dealt so bountifully with us. Amen.
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59 According to God’s reckoning, there were actually thirteen tribes of Israel, due to the fact that Joseph was given a double portion. Each of his two sons were counted as sons of Jacob and as full-fledged tribes of Israel (Genesis 48:5). The early church also had thirteen original apostles: the eleven who were faithful after the betrayal and suicide of Judas, plus Matthias, who replaced Judas (Acts 1:26), and the Apostle Paul, who God added a few years later (Galatians 1:1). 60 Interestingly, Joseph was seventeen when he was sold into slavery (Genesis 37:2). Thirteen years later (many of which were spent in prison), he was made ruler over all the kingdom of Egypt when he was thirty years old (Genesis 41:39–46).
Chapter 14.
In its negative sense, fourteen can be factored as two times negative seven, symbolizing those who decide to reject the presence and peace of God. In its positive sense, two times seven can depict the moment when God decides to act and deliver his people. And in its highest sense, fourteen is the number depicting salvation, in which Jesus decides to reach out to us with his presence and his peace, and we decide to receive him. The number fourteen is used forty-nine times (seven times seven) in Scripture.
The Passover is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the first month (Exodus 12:6) and is symbolic of how Jesus, as the Lamb of God, died and shed his blood for us in order to save us in a once-and-for-all sacrifice. It is also symbolic of how we are to respond.
Psalm 14
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.
1 The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is no one that does good.
In his fallen, natural state, man is not basically good. Corruption has set in, and the human race is getting worse, not better.
2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God.
3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is no one that does good, no, not one.
This is why everyone, everywhere, needs to be saved. This is why God the Father sent his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the world (John 3:16) so that we can be saved and reconciled to God.
4 The workers of iniquity certainly know this; those who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD. Satan and the principalities and powers that work iniquity know that the human race has fallen because Satan orchestrated their fall (from which he and his followers benefit). Because they were the ones who were bent on having him killed, they also know that Jesus died to save us. Yet they continue to oppress God’s people. Even so, by the Spirit, David was able to see what would develop:
5 There they were in great fear: for God is with the nation of the righteous.
Jesus redeemed us. By making provision to free us from the net and power of the wicked, he spoiled the principalities and powers61 of evil (by freeing us from the net and power of the wicked). They now live in a state of great fear that is increasing as the time of Jesus’s second coming draws near. The workers of iniquity ruling this world continue to persecute the people of God and prohibit many things, often under the guise of “protecting” us or those around us. But they can never prohibit our direct, two-way communication with God, they can never forbid him from reigning within our hearts, and they will never be able to prevent the fullness of God’s plans for the nation of the righteous from coming to fruition. Behind all of their wickedness and bluster, their fear is steadily growing.
6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor because the LORD is his hope.
The workers of iniquity have shamed the counsel of the poor. The poor in spirit (such as David) depend upon the Lord.
They know they have his blessing, even though they are shamed and ridiculed by the world due to their decision (or counsel) to place their hope and trust in God, no matter what.
7 Oh that the saving health of Israel were come out of Zion! When the LORD turns back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we look forward with great excitement and anticipation to the day when your saving health comes out of Zion and you turn back the captivity of your people. This will truly be a day of great rejoicing and gladness for all of us. Amen.
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61 The full quote reads: And you, being dead in sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the bill of the decrees that was against us, which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross and having spoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:13–15).
Chapter 15.
The number fifteen can be factored as five times three. If five represents God’s mercy and grace and three is fruitfulness, then fifteen denotes bearing the fruit of God’s mercy and grace. As with any number, fifteen can be used in a positive or negative sense. One example of its positive use is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which took place at the time of the firstfruits of the winter wheat harvest. This feast was held on the fifteenth day of the first month immediately after the Passover (Leviticus 23:6). Similarly, the Feast of Tabernacles, which celebrated the fullness of the harvest (including summer wheat, grapes, and olives), began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:34).
Psalm 15
A Psalm of David.
1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in the mountain of thy holiness?
The tabernacle of the Lord is his dwelling place. The mountain of God’s holiness is sanctified, set apart exclusively for God and for those who meet the following conditions:
2 He that walks in integrity and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.
Integrity means having the single goal of pleasing God instead of possessing a double heart. “Righteousness” is the same word as “justice” in Hebrew. Those who speak the truth in their heart have no wish to fool themselves or God. The only way we can meet these criteria in our lives is for our hearts to be dominated by the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the truth.
3 He that does not backbite with his tongue nor do evil to his neighbour nor take up a reproach against his neighbour.
To backbite is to speak ill of someone behind their back when they are not present. To do evil to our neighbor is to do something that will cause them harm. To take up a reproach against a neighbor is to discredit them and bring shame upon them.
4 In whose eyes the vile person is not esteemed; but he honours those that fear the LORD. He that swears to his own hurt and does not change.
Who is the vile person? A vile person is contrasted with those that fear the LORD. A vile person is someone who is morally base or evil. Such a person has no respect for God’s laws.
5 He that does not put out his money to usury nor take a bribe against the innocent. He that does these things shall never be moved.
Under the law, the Israelites were prohibited from charging usury (unjust gain) or taking an increase on any goods they lent their brethren (Leviticus 25:36). To take a bribe against the innocent is to receive a gift in such a manner as to become biased and partial against someone who has done no wrong.
Those who do the things set forth in this psalm shall never be moved because they will dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord in the mountain of his holiness. If we dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord, we are dwelling in his presence because the mountain of the Lord is synonymous with the kingdom of God. Those who shall never be moved belong to what the NT describes as the new man in Christ.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, may your word and your truth dominate our hearts. May we have discernment so that we will never be inclined to esteem a vile person. May our entire being be so transformed by your power and presence that we may dwell with you and with your Father and never be moved. Amen.
Chapter 16.
The number sixteen can be factored as four squared and relates to the consequences of God’s heavenly plans, which unfold according to his appointed times and seasons. Included in all of this is the theme of resurrection, which is prominent here in Psalm 16. Sixteen may also be factored as two times eight, which is God’s decision (and ours if we are willing) to provide us with a new beginning. The ultimate new beginning, of course, is resurrection from the dead.
Sixteen is used in a negative manner to portray the exact opposite of all the above for those who reject God’s heavenly love and consign themselves to eternal perdition. The number sixteen occurs twenty-two62 times in Scripture.
Psalm 16
Michtam63 of David.
1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee I have put my trust.
2 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my goodness: I have no goodness apart from thee;
None of us has any goodness in ourselves apart from God.
3 to the saints that are in the earth and to the excellent: all my delight is towards them.
John, the beloved, wrote: We know that we are passed from death unto life, in that we love the brethren. He that does not love his brother abides in death (1 John 3:14). This was the case with David. Those of us who have put our trust in God should be delighted with the excellence that God is bringing forth in his saints that are in the earth. The excellent are those who seek and attain God’s best.
4 The sorrows of those that hasten after another god shall be multiplied; their drink offerings of blood64 I will not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
We are seeing what happens to the significance of scriptural numbers when they are multiplied in either a positive or a negative sense. When we decide to follow God and enter into his plan for us to have a new beginning in Christ, the blessing continues to compound. On the other hand, David points out that the sorrows of those that hasten after another god shall be multiplied. That is, those who follow another god will end up in eternal perdition.
5 The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup; thou dost maintain my lot.
6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a beautiful inheritance.
David was the forerunner of what Peter describes as a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). John writes that Jesus Christ has made us kings and priests unto God (Revelation 1:6). The priests and Levites of Israel had no inheritance in the promised land because the Lord was (and is) their inheritance (Numbers 18:20). David draws a parallel between the priestly inheritance and his own experience, saying: the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a beautiful inheritance. If we are part of the royal priesthood of all believers in Christ, we will be able to say the same. If we follow David’s example and seek the Lord as our inheritance instead of earthly things here below, we will inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:29). In Christ, we become part of the family of God.
7 I will bless the LORD, who gives me counsel: my kidneys also instruct me in the night seasons.
David seems to equate his “kidneys” with what the NT calls our “conscience.”
8 I have set the LORD always before me: because when he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
David says that he has always put the Lord first. The right hand is the place of power and authority. If we always put God first, relying on his power and authority, we too will not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest secure.
10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in Sheol; neither wilt thou suffer thy Merciful One to see corruption.
There is a two-fold meaning to this passage. Prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the souls of virtually everyone who had died were held by death.65 “Sheol” (linked to death, the grave, and the pit or abyss) is the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek word “Hades.” According to Scripture, when Jesus died, he descended first into the lower parts of the earth, and then he ascended and led captivity captive (Ephesians 4:8–10). That is, he took with him his own (such as David and Abraham) rather than leaving their souls in Sheol.
The next part of the verse, neither wilt thou suffer thy Merciful One to see corruption, did not directly apply to David, who definitely saw corruption in the grave66 for a thousand years before Jesus broke the power of death and ascended. David was a type and shadow of the Messiah, but the real Merciful One is Jesus Christ. Acts 2:22–36 records the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the early Christians. On Pentecost, Peter quoted David and gave an explanation of this verse’s meaning, indicating that it was fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; in thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
The path of life (which only God can reveal to us) leads to his presence. The fleeting pleasures of this world can never truly satisfy anyone, but in the presence of God, there is fullness of joy.
Let us pray.
Dear Lord, we desire for you to always have first place in our lives. May we always trust in your power and authority instead of taking matters into our own hands. May you show us the path of life so that we may find fullness of joy in your presence. Amen.
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62 There are twenty-two letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and this is the original language God chose to express his Word.
63 A michtam is a poem or writing of profound significance.
64 Drinking blood is prohibited under the law of God (Leviticus 3:17), and to abstain from blood is one of only four things that the Holy Spirit, apostles, and elders in Jerusalem required of the converted Gentiles when they exempted them from circumcision and from keeping the ceremonial law and Jewish tradition (Acts 15:28–29).
65 For very special reasons (explained in other writings) there are only three known exceptions in Scripture: Enoch, Moses, and Elijah.
66 When Jesus returns, David’s corruption will be undone when he is resurrected from the dead. Because Jesus has been raised from the dead, we who are in him will also be raised (John 14:19).
Chapter 17.
Seventeen is a prime number that occurs in fifteen Scriptures. The first usage is when the great flood began on the seventeenth day of the second month.67 The second is when, after one hundred and fifty days, the ark rested on Mount Ararat on the seventeenth day of the seventh month (Genesis 8:4). The third usage is when Joseph was seventeen years old and his brothers sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:2). The fourth usage is when Jacob spent the last seventeen years of his life in Egypt reunited with his favorite son, Joseph (Genesis 47:28). All of these occasions have to do with deep dealings and judgments allowed or brought about by God that were undoubtedly accompanied by some very serious and extended prayer.
As previously noted, it appears that David was about seventeen years old when he began to be persecuted. Therefore, it is fitting that Psalm 17 is entitled A Prayer of David. This prayer was undoubtedly deeply engraved on David’s heart, and it should also be inscribed on ours. In its positive sense, seventeen has to do with intimate, sincere prayer and dependence upon God during or after great trials and tribulations.68
Psalm 17
A Prayer of David.
1 Hear righteousness, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that does not go out of feigned lips.
2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold uprightness.
David cried out to the Lord because he desired God to declare him righteous. He petitioned God to hand down an official judgment from his throne. David believed that when God’s eyes looked down upon him, the Lord would behold righteousness.69
3 Thou hast proved my heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast refined me and hast found no iniquity; that which I thought did not pass through my mouth.
Wrong thoughts can fleetingly enter our minds as the devil hurls his fiery darts at us (Ephesians 6:16), but David was able to declare: that which I thought did not pass through my mouth. He could say this truthfully because God had refined him, and the result was that there was no iniquity (no hidden, consciously retained sin) in his heart.
4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have observed the ways of the violent.
Who are the violent? They are those lawless individuals who take the law into their own hands, believing that the end justifies the means. God had been speaking to David concerning this, and David had been carefully observing the ways of the violent.
5 Sustain my steps in thy ways that my footsteps not slip.
David realized that unless God sustained him, his footsteps could easily slip into violence. We are all subject to the shortcomings of humanity, and it is not possible for any of us to faithfully walk in God’s ways unless he sustains our steps.
6 I have called upon thee, because thou dost hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me and hear my speech.
God had consistently heard David’s prayers and supplications since he was a child, and David was confident that God heard him still. This is why he was praying to him now in his time of need.
7 Show thy mercy to be marvellous, O Saviour of those who put their trust in thee, from those that rise up against thy right hand.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me with the shadow of thy wings,
9 from the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
David was completely surrounded and outnumbered by wicked, deadly enemies, but instead of resigning himself in despair to this hopeless situation, he addressed God as the Saviour of those who put their trust in thee. David encouraged God to Show thy mercy to be marvelous.
And what happened? God really considered David to be the apple of his eye. He really did hide David under his wings – frequently. God is no respecter of persons. He will do the same for any righteous person who cries out to him – even for someone who is struggling but fervently desires to be righteous. This has repeatedly been the case in my own experience, and it can also be true in yours.
10 They are closed in with their own fat; with their mouth they speak proudly.
11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes upon throwing us down to the earth
12 like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.
David’s enemies thought they were closing in on him and his small band of warriors, but they were actually closed in with their own fat. Satan never learns from his mistakes, you see. He and his followers always overplay their hand. They have a fixation and have set their eyes upon throwing us down to the earth like a lion that is greedy of his prey, yet with all this, they are like a young (inexperienced) lion lurking in secret places. When God in tervenes, they will never know what hit them until it is too late.
13 Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, with thy sword;
14 from men, with thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, who have their portion in this life and whose belly thou dost fill with thy provision: they satisfy their sons and leave the rest to their family.
God’s sword is his word that comes forth out of his mouth (Revelation 1:16). When the Lord disappoints our adversary and casts him down, he will do it with the two-edged sword of his living word. In this way, the hand of the Lord will deliver us from men of the world, who have their portion in this life. They operate in the realm of the belly, but God fills it with his provision. They satisfy their “sons” and leave the rest to their “family” (when they die).
They leave behind entities such as corporate conglomerates, ecclesiastical structures, humanitarian foundations, political movements, and non-profit corporations that, after the death of their founders, tend to take on a life of their own.
Does this sound familiar? David, and many others before and after him, had a very different primary goal and perspective.70
15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.
John, the beloved, put it like this: Behold, what charity the Father has given us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world does not know us, because it does not know him. Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be; but we know that if he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every one that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure (1 John 3:1–3).
Let us pray.
Dear Lord, above all else, we identify with the fervent desire of David to behold your face in righteousness; we will finally be satisfied when we awake with your likeness. Amen.
****
67 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of the heavens were opened. And there was rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights (Genesis 7:11–12).
68 In a negative sense, seventeen signifies quite the opposite. For instance, there are seventeen works of the flesh. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; which I denounce, as I have also told you in time past that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19–21).
69 In Hebrew, “righteousness” and “justice” are the same word.
70 David’s outlook was similar to that of Abraham, who dwelled all his life in tents and built no continuing city (Hebrews 13:14), for he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10).
Chapter 18.
The number eighteen (used twenty-three times in Scripture) can be factored as three times six: man becoming mature enough to produce fruit (whether good or evil). It can also be factored as two times nine, which has two meanings: 1) our decision to submit to God’s judgments now instead of later or 2) God’s decision to impose chastisement and correction.
The first use of the number eighteen in Scripture occurs when the sons of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD strengthened Eglon, the king of Moab, against Israel because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. And he gathered unto him the sons of Ammon and of Amalek and went and smote Israel and took the city of palm trees. So the sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years (Judges 3:12–14). The second use is similar, but this time the sons of Israel were dashed in pieces and crushed by the Philistines and the sons of Ammon (Judges 10:7–8). In these two instances, the judgment that fell on the sons of Israel happened because they had been producing evil fruit.
The third use of the number eighteen in the Bible is when two pillars of brass eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference were constructed and placed at the entrance to the porch of Solomon’s Temple. The chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were in the form of lilies (symbolizing gifts of the Spirit), and the chapiters upon the two pillars had two hundred pomegranates in two orders round about in each chapiter (the pomegranate is the fruit of a palm tree and symbolizes the fruit of righteousness). The brass pillar on the right was named Jachin (“the LORD establishes”) and the pillar on the left was named Boaz (“only in him is there strength”). The priests who entered the temple between these two eighteen-cubit high brass pillars were submitting to God’s judgments.71
The last two uses of the number eighteen took place when, on the Sabbath day, Jesus healed a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bowed together and could in no wise lift herself up. The prince of the synagogue was indignant, but Jesus responded: And regarding this daughter of Abraham, who, behold, Satan had bound eighteen years, does it not behoove us to release her from this bond on the Sabbath day? (Luke 13:11, 16)
Under Jewish order, children were primarily under the law of their mother until they were twelve. They then had to make a public declaration of their faith and commitment, as Jesus did when he was “lost” for three days in the temple as a twelve-year-old boy and responded to his bewildered parents, who had looked all over for him, Knew ye not that it behooves me to be about my Father’s business? (Luke 2:49). Jesus meekly went home with them for the next eighteen years while he increased in wisdom and in age and in grace with God and men (Luke 2:52) until he began his public ministry at about thirty years of age (Luke 3:23). Priests from the tribe of Levi were not allowed to minister until age thirty. Jesus, like David72 his forerunner, was not a Levitical priest. However, there is another priesthood according to the order of Melchisedec that definitely applies to Jesus and to all of us, including David, who are in Christ (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6, 10).
Eighteen, therefore, has to do with the process of young people coming to maturity. There are only two options: we may come to maturity either in the life of Christ or in the fallen, corrupt life of Adam. Jesus foretold that by their fruits ye shall know them (Matthew 7:20).
Psalm 18
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David, the slave of the LORD, who spoke unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,
1 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies.
4 The pain of death compassed me, and the rivers of Belial73 made me afraid.
5 The pain of Sheol compassed me about: the snares of death came before me.
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD and cried unto my God; he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
Only a few days before David was placed on the throne of Judah, he found himself marching with the Philistine army that was on its way to do battle with Saul and all the host of Israel. As if this was not bad enough, the Philistine princes refused to let David accompany them to the battle, even though their king, Achish, found David acceptable. So David and his men were sent back to his assigned city, Ziklag. Upon arriving, he discovered that in his absence the Amalekites had attacked the town and plundered it. Ziklag had been burned, all the women and children taken hostage, and the possessions of David and his men stolen.
Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep (1 Samuel 30:4). But things got even worse. And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him because the soul of all the people was bitter, each one for his sons and for his daughters; but David encouraged himself in the LORD (1 Samuel 30:6).
This is when David cried out to God, saying: The pain of death compassed me, and the rivers of Belial made me afraid. The pain of Sheol compassed me about: the snares of death came before me.
Look what happened when the Lord heard David’s desperate plea:74
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the mountains collapsed and were removed because he was wroth.
The “earth” can be symbolic of the people of God (who sometimes are under bad administration by leaders aligned with the corrupt world). The nation of Israel, led by evil King Saul, shook and trembled under the sudden attack by their Philistine enemies (whose king was allied with David) even while the foundations of the mountains collapsed and were removed (this refers to the kingdoms of man imposed by those such as unfaithful Saul and his cohorts over what is legitimately the people of God). What happened with David is a prophetic example of what will happen at the end of the church age when Jesus returns with all power and glory.
8 Smoke went up out of his nostrils, and fire devoured out of his mouth; coals were kindled by it.
9 He lowered the heavens and came down; and darkness was under his feet.
When Jesus comes back, all the power of the heavens will be at his command, while his enemies will be swallowed up with darkness under his feet.
10 And he rode upon a cherub and flew: yea, he flew upon the wings of the wind.
“Cherub” is the singular of “cherubim,” which are extremely powerful angels associated with the throne of God. Cherubim are described as living creatures, or animals, having up to four faces. They apparently take whatever form they desire (Ezekiel 10:19–21). The book of Revelation describes Jesus riding a white horse and leading the armies of heaven (Revelation 19:11). Scripture also states that when he returns, we shall be caught up and meet him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).
11 He made darkness his hiding place; in his tabernacle round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the heavens.
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13 The LORD thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14 He sent out his arrows and scattered them; he shot out lightnings and destroyed them.
Many wicked principalities and powers in the unseen spiritual realm had been wreaking havoc by stirring up David’s enemies (including King Saul, most of the princes or cardinals of the Philistines, the Amalekites, and many others). But David was clean and innocent. God defended him, and a huge spiritual battle was won. Look what this victory exposed:
15 Then the depths of the waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
What was revealed when the depths of the waters were seen? What was discovered regarding the foundations of the world?
Simply, the depths of Satan’s lies were exposed. Satan is the one who founded the present world system, which is based on lies and deception. He is the father of lies, and lying is his native language (John 8:44). He deceived Eve in the garden, and Adam later went along with the deception. This brought death and corruption upon the human race, causing them to lose their standing with God. Satan has been a murderer from the beginning of his rebellion. Jesus repeatedly refers to Satan as the prince of this world (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11).
16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me, even though they were too strong for me.
Who, really, was David’s strong enemy?
Who were those who hated David?
Why did David say they were too strong for me?
The apostle Paul put it like this: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the lords of this age, rulers of this darkness, against spiritual wickedness in the heavens (Ephesians 6:12).
18 They were ready for me in the day of my calamity but the LORD was my staff.
David was a shepherd, and his staff was an indispensable tool of the trade. The crook was used to restrain the sheep around their neck or upper chest when the shepherd needed to minister to or comfort them. The straight end of the staff could be used to deal with wolves or other predators. The staff is a symbol of righteousness. When David says that the Lord was his staff, he means that the Lord was the instrument he used to comfort his own men when they became distressed and bitter, and also the instrument to beat off and subdue the enemy.
19 He brought me forth also into a wide place; he delivered me because he delighted in me.
Now that the spiritual battle involving heavenly forces was won, David could turn to the natural battle at hand.
20 The LORD will reward me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he shall recompense me.
David had the priest bring him the ephod and consulted with the Lord, and having been given a green light to pursue the Amalekites, he and his men ran after the enemy (who were much greater in number) because David knew prophetically that the LORD will reward me according to my righteousness. This promise is in the future tense, as is the next one: that according to the cleanness of my hands he shall recompense me.
21 Because I have kept the ways of the LORD and did not become wicked departing in apostasy from my God.
Ever since David had been anointed as a boy, he had never used the power of the anointing of God for personal gain or for any devious purpose. He had never taken the law into his own hands. He had faithfully followed God’s instructions for every battle. This had been the situation for almost eighteen years, and David was very close to thirty years old.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was perfect before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity
In Hebrew, “perfect” and “mature” are the same word. Those who are mature in Christ keep themselves from iniquity (they do not harbor hidden sin). This is a requirement for those who will reign and rule with Christ in the kingdom of God. God desires to bring all of his people to maturity in Christ because a certain level of maturity is required in order to bear fruit.
24 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes.
When the people demanded a king like all the other (pagan) nations had, God picked Saul, who stood head and shoulders above all the rest in terms of his natural stature and gifting. Saul was an ass herder who was capable of managing those who were carnal and stubborn. For the first two years of his kingship, Saul was small in his own eyes and seemed to do well. But as time went on, he became haughty, arrogant, and corrupted by power. The people who had rejected God by demanding a king got what they deserved for forty years. However, during the last eighteen years of Saul’s reign, God was training David, a shepherd after God’s own heart. By the time Saul committed suicide on his own sword, David understood God’s character, had been proven faithful under adversity, and was ready to undertake his kingly duties.
25 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with a perfect man thou wilt show thyself perfect;
26 with the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt show thyself adversary.
27 Therefore thou wilt save the humble people; but wilt bring down high looks.
28 For thou wilt light my fire: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
All of us need God to light our fire and enlighten our darkness. A direct encounter with Jesus can be very sobering, as Saul of Tarsus found out (Acts 9:3–9), and a direct encounter with the cloud and glory sur[1]rounding the presence of God the Father even more so (Matthew 17:1–6). If this happens to us – if we have been formed and trained as David was – we will give God all the glory for the wonderful things that he does in and through us. In David’s day of triumph and victory, he was very quick to point out everything that God had done to make him victorious.
29 For with thee I have scattered armies; and in my God I have overcome walled defenses.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is precise: a shield to all those that wait in him.
Prior to every battle, David got a precise word from the Lord so that he knew exactly what to do.
31 For who is God except the LORD? or who is a refuge except our God?
32 It is God that girds me with strength and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and sets me upon my high places.
The hind is like an antelope or deer that can bound over virtually any obstacle and easily climb up seemingly impossible rocky crags.
34 He trains my hands for the battle, so that a bow of bronze shall be broken by my arms.
35 In the same manner thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand will hold me up, and thy meekness shall multiply me.
God made David so strong that a bow of bronze shall be broken (future tense) by his arms. Bronze is a symbol of judgment, and a bow is a weapon of war. David would be strong enough to impose peace on the entire region (which is exactly what came to pass). In the meantime, he was protected because God had given him the shield of God’s salvation, and God’s right hand (God’s power) would hold him up.
We now come to a curious line: and thy meekness shall multiply me. What does this mean? Jesus said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). The meek are those who submit to the master (and only to their master).
Jesus, who is the Lord of heaven (1 Corinthians 15:47), meekly and continuously submitted to the will of God his Father. David, as a living parable or example of the Messiah, learned how this worked. Jesus wants to multiply his meekness in all of us who are his disciples, who follow him no matter what. His meekness was imparted to David because David was a man after God’s own heart. David was, therefore, able to prophesy that this meekness would be multiplied into the people of God through David’s ministry. What God had accomplished in David would operate through David and multiply.
36 Thou shall enlarge my steps under me, and my knees shall not tremble.
37 I shall pursue my enemies and overtake them: neither shall I turn again until they are consumed.
38 I shall smite them, and they will not be able to rise: they shall fall under my feet.
Note that the above three verses are all in the future tense; this is a prophesy made in faith in God. So David took off after the Amalekites. His pace was so fast that a third of his six hundred men were unable to keep up and were left behind with the baggage.
And David smote them from the morning twilight even unto the evening of the next day (1 Samuel 30:17). And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great neither sons nor daughters, of the robbery and of all the things that had been taken from them; David recovered it all. And David took all the sheep and the cows, and bringing them with all the other livestock, they said, This is David’s spoil (1 Samuel 30:19–20).
The following verses are in the past tense, giving God the glory for the miraculous victory.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued my enemies under me.
40 Thou hast also given me the necks of my enemies that I might destroy those that hate me.
41 They cried out, but there was no one to save them: even unto the LORD, but he did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them as small as the dust before the wind: I scattered them as the dirt in the streets.75
This was the fate of every enemy that God told David to destroy. No enemy was able to stand before David and his mighty men. These historical events are prophetic of what will happen when Jesus returns with his saints and topples all the kingdoms of this present world.
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the Gentiles: a people whom I did not know served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me: the sons of strangers submitted themselves unto me even against their will.
45 The strangers76 fell away and were afraid in their close places.
46 The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God that avenges me and subdues the peoples under me.
48 He delivers me from my enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the one who would betray me.
There was one who betrayed Jesus, just as there have been those who would betray the people of God all through history. But Jesus was delivered by resurrection. At his return, there will be a first resurrection of all those who have been selected throughout the ages to reign and rule with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4–6). I am confident that David will be included in their number. Look at the wonderful ending to this prophetic psalm:
49 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the Gentiles and sing praises unto thy name.
50 He gives great deliverance to his king and shows mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
Who is David’s seed (singular)? David’s seed is Jesus Christ. His kingdom is forever and ever, and it shall never be corrupted (Daniel 7:14).
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we are completely overwhelmed as we contemplate how you delivered David, his men, and all their families from their enemies, how you turned the tide at the darkest hour, and how within a very few days you placed David on the throne of Judah, and seven years later made him ruler over all Israel. It boggles our minds to think that this is a living parable that actually predicts events surrounding the return of our Lord Jesus Christ and the establishment of his millennial kingdom. We ask that you take us on as your sons and daughters to train, discipline, correct, and bless us so that, like David, we may be found clean and ready when the appointed time comes to reign and rule with Christ. Amen.
****
71 Now, under the new covenant, we are born again into a priesthood of all believers.
72 David began to reign over Judah when he was thirty years old (2 Samuel 5:4), which is when he wrote Psalm 18. This psalm is also recorded in 2 Samuel 22. It is likely that David was about twelve years old when Samuel anointed him king of Israel at the Lord’s command (1 Samuel 16:11–13). He probably spent about eighteen years in preparation, experiencing many trials, until God decided that it was the appointed time for him to receive the throne.
73 Belial has to do with Satan. Sons of Belial are mature sons of Satan. Rivers of Belial are the words that flow from Satan. (For a parallel passage, see Revelation 12:15.)
74 David was called and anointed to be a king although his ministry also had prophetic and even some priestly implications, such as when he brought the ark back to Jerusalem and danced before the ark dressed in a linen ephod like a priest and then placed the ark in the tabernacle of David, (See Appendix A) where he entered frequently to commune with God (2 Samuel 12–18). David knew by prophetic vision that the time was ripe, that his eighteen years of training were almost over, that he could expect to receive the kingdom at a set time, and that the set time was likely to be when he was thirty years old. It is probable that the devil also feared what was about to happen and decided to nip David in the bud by sending in the Amalekites to steal and kill and destroy, even while wicked King Saul was over in Endor consulting a witch.
75 On the third day after David got back to Ziklag with all the spoils, he found out about the death of Saul (2 Samuel 1:2). A few days after that, he was anointed king of Judah (2 Samuel 2:4).
76 The word “Amalekite” means “stranger.”
Chapter 19.
Nineteen is a prime number used only six times in Scripture. This number has to do with God’s law, statutes, commandments, and rights (that completely mark out the path to peace and perfection). In a positive sense, nineteen depicts the innocent, and in a negative sense, the guilty. Multiples of nineteen are also significant. Psalm 38 (nineteen times two) is when David knew he was guilty and was repenting of his iniquity. Psalm 57 (nineteen times three) is when David passed the test of having had it within his power to kill Saul in the cave. Psalm 76 (nineteen times four) is a beautiful depiction of what happens when God judges in favor of the meek.
Psalm 19
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows the work of his hands.
2 One day provides a word for the next day, and one night declares wisdom unto the next night.
3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
The lessons we may draw from God’s creation have no limit. We may meditate on his wisdom, glory, and power by day and night. Each day God desires to speak a word into our life so that each night we may contemplate his wisdom. One day provides a word for the next day, and one night declares wisdom for the next night. God’s word and God’s wisdom are manifest in the natural creation around us, so we can be learning for twenty-four hours a day. Since this happens by direct observation and experience, the voice of God’s word and wisdom is heard and understood everywhere that speech or language exists, and mankind has no excuse for ignoring him (Romans 1:19–20).
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.77 In them he has set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoices as a strong man to run a race.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heavens, and his circuit unto the ends of it:78 and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
The tabernacle that God has set for the sun is in the heavens. The heavens define day and night on the earth, not the other way around. The heavens declare the glory of God, and it is their line – that is, the standard by which everything else is measured – that has gone out through the entire earth. It ought to be evident to everyone who has ever lived on this plan[1]et and experienced the world system that the glory of fallen man is vastly inferior to the glory of God. All they must do to discern this is to look up.
Did you ever ask yourself what would happen to mankind if the sun did not come up as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoice as a strong man to run a race? Believe me, if the sun were to become erratic and begin to fail, the human race on this planet would be doomed. There are both natural and spiritual laws, and spiritual laws are just as real as the law of gravity. After making this point regarding the heavenly laws governing the earth and world, David invites the reader to contemplate the following:
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony79 of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the rights of the LORD are true, they are all just.
In these three verses, six beautiful couplets establish immutable and foundational truth regarding the Lord.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy slave warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Hired servants are paid a salary and may resign, while slaves belong to their master. David makes it clear that he belongs to the Lord and does not want to ever offend him. The only way for any of us to understand our errors and be cleansed from secret faults (that is, faults we are not able to see on our own) is for us to come directly under the dealings of the Lord. If we acknowledge this and respond in meekness and good conscience to the intervention of God in our lives, as David did, God will take a very special interest in us.
David continues:
13 Keep back thy slave also from pride and arrogance; let them not have dominion over me; then I shall be perfect, and I shall be innocent of the great rebellion.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
The heart of the Lord is filled with joy when he hears prayers like this from those who belong to him. These are petitions to which he delights to give a response.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, like David, we belong to you. We desire to have greater knowledge, understanding, and revelation of you and your law, your testimony, your statutes, your commandments, your fear, and your rights. May the meditation of our hearts center on you. Deliver us from any trace of pride or arrogance so that we may also be innocent of the great rebellion. May everything we say and do be pleasing to you, and may we come to maturity in Christ. Amen.
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77 There is a big difference in Scripture between the significance of the “earth” (which can refer to the promised land, the people of God, or the entire planet) and what is described as the “world,” which is primarily a system. The system or order originally put in place by God is not what currently dominates, because we are still in the midst of the great rebellion instigated by Satan and Adam. The kingdoms of this world, however, will soon fall at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, and his kingdom will return the entire planet to God’s perfect order.
78 Some might pooh-pooh this by pointing out that it is really the rotation of the earth that causes the sun to appear to rise and set. However, for those who desire to be technical, the sun itself is hurtling through deep space with the planets and other objects of the solar system in tow, even as the earth continues its daily rotation and yearly orbit around the sun. From the perspective of the psalmist, the sun was rising in the east and going from one end of the heavens to the other until it set in the west.
79 The testimony of the Lord has to do with the direct presence of God. The ark of the testimony was kept in the holy of holies of the Tabernacle of the Testimony. The holy of holies represents God’s dwelling place.
Chapter 20.
Twenty can be factored as two times ten (the choice to be under God’s word and covering) or as four times five (the extension of God’s heavenly grace and mercy). Jacob, for example, left home and spent twenty years working for Laban because he wanted to marry a woman who was not a pagan.80 Similarly, those sons of Israel who were at least twenty years of age could be numbered among the army of the people of God if the half shekel of silver for each person (symbolizing their redemption) was paid (Exodus 38:25–26).
The number twenty features prominently in the measurements of Solomon’s Temple. For example, the porch was twenty cubits wide (1 Kings 6:3), and the wings of the cherubim covered the entire span of the twenty-cubit width of the holy of holies and were spread over the ark of the covenant (2 Chronicles 3:13). Twenty also denotes responsibility; all those children of Israel who were age twenty and up and rebelled against the word of the Lord died in the wilderness (Numbers 32:11).
Psalm 20
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.
1 Let the LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; let the name of the God of Jacob lift thee up
2 and send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion
3 and remember all thy offerings and reduce thy burnt sacrifice to the ashes of burnt fat, Selah.
Our commitment to the Lord (including our offerings and sacrifice) gives us standing before him so that he will hear us in the day of trouble and lift us up, send us help, and strengthen us out of Zion. The earnest recommendation of the apostle Paul is for us to present our bodies in living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing unto God (Romans 12:1). Paul then goes on to say that becoming a living sacrifice is our rational worship. In other words, if we appreciate the Lord Jesus Christ and desire to worship him for who he is and for what he has done, then we will continually offer him all that we have and are.
After the fire of God consumed a burnt sacrifice upon his altar,81 all that was left were the ashes of burnt fat (or oil). With this in mind, Isaiah wrote that the Lord desires to give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3). This is a prerequisite, but what will God do in return?
4 Grant thee according to thine heart and fulfil all thy counsel.
If our heart desires heavenly treasure and the things from above, if we long to be effective and productive for God, if our hearts are in line with God’s heart, then we can expect God to be very enthusiastic in granting our request.
5 We will rejoice in thy saving health, and in the name of our God we will be standard-bearers: let the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
In ancient times, the standard-bearers carried the “colors” or flag. These individuals were of extreme importance in battle because they (and the trumpeters) conveyed the orders of the king or commander to the entire army. If the standard-bearers went forward, the entire army went forward into battle. So it is good for us to bear the standard of the Lord and not the standard of any given sect, denomination, or party. Some want to fly the standard of their own organization in a higher position than God’s flag. If God entrusts us to bear his standard, let’s be faithful to him and not confuse his flag with any other project, program, movement, or ideal. In this way, we can rejoice in the saving health of the Lord and let him fulfill all our petitions.
6 Now know I that the LORD has kept his anointed; he will hear him from the heavens of his holiness with the saving valour of his right hand.
David’s priorities were clear. God had anointed him for a very specific purpose, and he would not deviate to the right or to the left. God honored David’s wholehearted petitions with a phenomenal response.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
8 They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright.
Most battles do not end in a draw. There are the victors and the vanquished. Chariots represent the organizations and religious machinery built by men, and horses represent the power of man in the flesh. David, however, did not trust either one. He and his mighty men remembered the name (nature) of the Lord their God and were always careful to operate according to his ways.
David, with the voice of experience, was able to declare that those who trusted in chariots and horses are brought down and fallen. On the other hand, David and his mighty men could point out that they themselves are risen and stand upright. Soon, the first resurrection will take place, and all of those who have been called, chosen, and faithful throughout the ages will be able to join with David and proclaim: we are risen and stand upright.82 Entrance into the army of God requires a maturity level symbolized by twenty years (Numbers 1:3).
9 The LORD saves the king; let him hear us on the day when we call.
Sooner or later, all of us will desperately call out to the Lord. At that time, he will choose either to respond or to ignore us, depending on whether he considers us to be among the “wheat” or among the “tares” (Matthew 7:21–23).
Let us pray.
Dear Lord, may all our selfish plans and ambitions be reduced to burnt fat upon your altar. May we be granted beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning. May you lift the spirit of heaviness from our shoulders and replace it with the garment of praise as you cover us by your Spirit. May you hear us and respond quickly on the day when we call. Amen.
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80 Jacob (prior to encountering God face to face at Penuel) decided to make restitution to his brother Esau, hoping to be reconciled for having stolen his blessing. Among the gifts he sent Esau were twenty he goats, twenty rams, and twenty she asses (Genesis 32:13–15).
81 The altar measured twenty cubits by twenty cubits (2 Chronicles 4:1).
82 Meditate on this in the light of Revelation 17:14, 20:4–6.
Chapter 21.
The number twenty-one can be factored as three (having to do with fruit) times seven (having to do with peace). Twenty-one, therefore, may symbolize the fruit of peace (or the lack thereof). This number is used only four times in the text of the Scriptures, one occurrence being the time Daniel made a special request to God. God heard Daniel immediately, and sent the angel Gabriel with his reply. However, it took Gabriel twenty-one days to battle through an intense conflict in the heavens until finally, with the help of the archangel Michael, he was able to reach Daniel with God’s revelation of what will befall the people of God “in the latter days” (Daniel 10:13–15).
Psalm 21
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.
1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy saving health how greatly shall he rejoice!
2 Thou hast given him his heart’s desire and hast not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.
Similarities can be found in the records of Daniel’s and David’s respective requests. David rejoiced because God answered his special request – indeed, he joyfully proclaimed that God had given him his heart’s desire!
I have a sneaking suspicion that David received a revelation of what God had in store for him: eternal life. This psalm is messianic because it is dedicated to the Overcomer, and the true Overcomer is Jesus Christ, through whom we have eternal life.
3 For thou givest him beforehand the blessings of goodness; thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.
Even before Jesus began his public ministry, when he was being baptized by John the Baptist, the Father spoke from heaven and said: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17). Pure gold is symbolic of the nature of God, and the crown of pure gold on Jesus’s head depicts him as the head of the universal body of Christ (to which David and every true believer belongs).
4 He asked life of thee, and thou didst give him length of days for ever and ever.
David knew that this petition could only be fulfilled in and through Jesus Christ, our new high priest who is established by God as the mediator of the new covenant. This appointment is not made according to the law of a carnal commandment, but by the virtue of an indissoluble life; for the testimony is of this manner, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec83 (Hebrews 7:16–17; also see Psalm 110:4).
5 His glory is great in thy saving health; honour and beauty hast thou laid upon him.
6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever; thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.
Jesus is the one who is the most blessed for ever.
7 For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.
David, anointed by God as king of Israel, knew his place in God. His utter trust in the Lord would ensure that because of the mercy of the Most High, he would not be moved. Likewise, Jesus Christ, the anointed of the Father, will never be moved. If we are in Christ, then like David, we shall never be moved.84 Under strong anointing, David continued to prophesy:
8 Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies; thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger; the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
10 Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth and their seed from among the children of men.
God, through Jesus Christ the Messiah, will not only destroy the wicked85 but will also eliminate their fruit from the earth and their seed from among the children of men.
11 For they intended evil against thee; they imagined a wicked device, but they did not prevail.
God’s enemies thought that if their wicked device succeeded and they could kill Jesus Christ, then they would prevail. Ironically, the crucifixion of Jesus ensured their defeat.
12 Therefore shalt thou separate them; thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.
Now, as the redeemed of the Lord, we are the arrows upon his strings against the face of them.
13 Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy valour.
David’s song is one hundred percent focused on exalting the Lord and making sure he is the object of our honor and praise.
Let us pray.
Lord, with David, may we sing of your glory and praise. May we depend upon your grace and valor and not on any of our own devices. Amen.
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83 Melchisedec (or Melchizedec, as it is spelled in the OT) means “king of righteousness”
84 To “never be moved” means that our place, position, and future will be secure. The Scriptures also mention the “sure mercies” promised to David (Isaiah 55:3), and this promise also applies to Jesus Christ (Acts 15:34) and to us if we are in Christ.
85 The wicked are also known as “tares” planted by the devil in and among the wheat (Matthew 13:38–39).
Chapter 22.
Twenty-two is two times eleven. Eleven has to do with Christ, and twenty-two is a number associated with God’s decision to exalt Jesus Christ above everyone else in heaven and on earth. We can join God in this decision.
There are twenty-two letters in the Hebrew alphabet, which is the language God chose to express his Word. Jesus Christ is the living word of God.
Psalm 22
To the Overcomer upon Aijeleth Shahar,86 A Psalm of David.
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my cry?
Just before Jesus gave up his spirit and died on the cross, he cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46; also see Mark 15:34). Jesus’s enemies may have thought he was going down in defeat. Over the centuries, theologians have speculated that God the Father turned his back on his Son at that desperate moment. There is, however, another very simple explanation: Jesus, who was always inclined to cite Scripture, died quoting Psalm 22:1.
2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
This psalm begins with David pouring out his heart to God in the midst of one of his own desperate situations.
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest in the midst of the praises of Israel.
God dwells in heaven, of course, but he also lives in the hearts of those who belong to him. Israel typifies the people of God, and God loves to dwell in and among his people. In ancient Israel, under the old covenant, God inhabited the holy of holies, which was the inner sanctum of the temple. When Jesus died for us, provision was made to send us the Holy Spirit so that Jesus and the Father could dwell in every believer. Now, we are the temple (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19).
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee and were delivered: they trusted in thee and were not confounded.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men and despised of the people.
David’s statement, I am a worm,87 means he is sensitive to his mortality. Jesus was also fully aware of the same.
7 All those that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 Turn him over to the LORD, let him deliver him, let him save him, seeing he delighted in him.
David, like Jesus, was mocked and scorned by many.
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb; thou hast made me wait upon thee since I was upon my mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb; thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
The ancestors of David and of Jesus (Matthew 1:1) are carefully spelled out in Scripture and include very unlikely and special women such as Rahab and Ruth (Matthew 1:5). It is clear that God had his hand on David from the womb. How much more so with Jesus!
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round about.
13 They opened their mouth upon me as a ravening and a roaring lion.
“Bashan,” meaning “soft and fertile land,” was part of the inheritance given to the half tribe of Manasseh. They had decided that they wanted their inheritance on the opposite side of the Jordan River (technically outside of the promised land) because it looked like a great place to pasture their livestock. The strong bulls of Bashan are similar to religious leaders today who desire to shepherd large flocks, seeking the prosperity of this world instead of storing up heavenly treasure. These types of religious leaders (including many scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and priests) were Jesus’s primary enemies. David had trouble with these types on more than one occasion.
There is no record in Scripture of David ever experiencing the affliction described in the next verses. Instead, what follows is a very clear description of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Psalm transitions from David crying out unto the Lord to the Lord speaking prophetically through psalmist.88
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
The “dogs” (or Gentiles) that surrounded Jesus and pierced his hands and feet were Roman soldiers.
17 I may count all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture.
The Roman soldiers divided up Jesus’s garments and cast lots for his coat.89 David wrote these words about a thousand years before Jesus Christ was even born and when crucifixion as capital punishment was virtually unheard of.
19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my life from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth and from the horns of the unicorns.90
In prophetic language, Deliver my soul from the sword means “Deliver my soul from death.” The power of the dog is the power of unclean enemies who are not in covenant with God. The lion’s mouth91 refers to the ferociousness of Satan and his principalities and powers of wickedness. The horns of the unicorns represent the singular and united purpose of those who condemned Jesus: the priests, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Jews; even Pilate and Herod became friends that day. They were all being urged on by the devil.
Jesus’s crucifixion soon turned into a stunning defeat for the powers of darkness. God’s secret plan, which had been a complete mystery to almost everyone,92 was that through death he might destroy him that had the empire of death, that is, the devil (Hebrews 2:14b).93
The rest of this psalm is like a sermon:
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren;94 in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee.
How will Jesus declare the name or nature of the Father to his brethren? He has accomplished this by redeeming us, making it possible for us to be born again into the family of God. He has also declared the Father by sending us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit,95 to lead us into all truth.
23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob,96 glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
There are hints in Scripture of what happened immediately after Jesus’s death, prior to his resurrection. We know that when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive (Ephesians 4:8), and we are aware that Paul is quoting David’s words from Psalm 68:18. Paul goes on to say that Jesus descended first into the lower parts of the earth (Ephesians 4:9).
When he descended first into the lower parts of the earth, Jesus won a major confrontation. Peter goes so far as to say: For the Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in spirit, in which he also went and preached unto the imprisoned spirits (1 Peter 3:18–19).97
If this descent into the lower parts of the earth is the occasion to which Peter refers when he describes Jesus preaching to the imprisoned spirits (and I believe that it is), then what was the text for Jesus’s sermon?
Could it have been (at least in part) the latter half of Psalm 22? Jesus died with the first verse of this psalm on his lips, and he observed and experienced the entire sequence of verses as he came out on the other side.
24 For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the poor in spirit; neither has he hid his face from him, but when he cried unto him, he heard.
Jesus is the One who is poor in spirit.98 God the Father did not turn his back when his Son cried out to him. He responded in the fullness of his authority, and the power of death was broken not only for Jesus but the way is also opened for us.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before those that fear him.
What vows are in view? Jesus promised his Father that he would always do the Father’s will, even if this meant dying on the cross to save us (Luke 22:42).
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied: those that seek him shall praise the LORD; your heart shall live for ever.
Jesus, our high priest and only mediator of the new covenant, by his own blood entered once into the sanctuary designed for eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12b). Our glorious, resurrected Savior will live forever. So will we if we are part of the many-membered, redeemed body of Christ.
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the LORD; and all the families of the Gentiles shall worship before thee.
The stage was now set for the gospel to be preached unto the ends of the earth and for all the families of the Gentiles to worship before God. John records that a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with long white robes and palms in their hands (Revelation 7:9).
28 For the kingdom is the LORD’s, and he shall have dominion over the Gentiles.
29 All those that are fat upon earth shall eat and worship; all those that go down to the dust shall bow before him; and no one can keep his own soul alive.
This sums up the significance of the number twenty-two. Jesus the Messiah has been highly exalted and has been given a name which is above every name (Philippians 2:5–11). Every knee will bow before him, and the only way for anyone to keep their soul alive is to believe in him (Acts 16:29–31).
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
The seed that shall serve him and that shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation is the generation of the body of Christ, the generation of the Morning Star.99
31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he has done this.
Today, the generation of the body of Christ continues to declare his righteousness to everyone far and wide, proclaiming that he has done this. Jesus Christ has died for us, overcoming death so that we might be forgiven and born again, re-generated by the Holy Spirit, and able to share in his eternal life.
Let us Pray.
Dear Lord Jesus, we thank you so much for all you have done for us. May we also be willing to lay down our lives in your service and for your brethren. Amen.
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86 “Aijeleth Shahar” means “the morning star.” Jesus said, I AM the root and offspring of David and the bright and morning star (Revelation 22:16b).
87 A worm or caterpillar can spin a cocoon and appear to be dormant or dead until, at the proper time, it comes forth as a glorious, colorful butterfly that can soar into the heavens over all other worms that crawl upon the earth. In some ways, this metamorphosis is similar to the transformation and resurrection that God has in store for those of us who follow Jesus Christ, the first man to overcome death.
88 This happens in a number of Psalms particularly in those having to do with praise and worship and intercession in the Tabernacle of David.
89 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts (to each soldier a part); and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled, which says, They parted my garments among them, and for my raiment they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did (John 19:23–24).
90 In Scripture it seems that the unicorn (meaning “one horn”) is the rhinoceros, a symbol of those who are solely focused on their own purposes.
91 Daniel’s experience in the lion’s den is a type and shadow of what Jesus would accomplish.
92 For we speak perfect wisdom of God, and not the wisdom of this age nor of the princes of this age, that come to nought, but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages unto our glory, which none of the princes of this age knew (for had they known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory) (1 Corinthians 2:6–8).
93 Here is another quote directed to believers like us regarding what happened that day: And you, being dead in sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the bill of the decrees that was against us, which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross and having spoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:13–15).
94 Jesus called his disciples to follow him and obey him as their master (Lord). Prior to his death, he said that those who keep his commandments are his friends and that he would reveal his intimate plans to his friends. After his resurrection, he called them his brethren (John 20:17).
95 John 14:26, 15:26.
96 Who is Jacob? After a personal, face-to-face struggle with God, Jacob’s name (nature) was changed to Israel, the name that from then on would identify the people of God. Jacob limped away from that intense encounter bearing a new name and God’s blessing (Genesis 32:24–32). This is symbolic of what Jesus would do for us. He would take our name (our sin) upon himself, putting it to death on the cross so that he could then place his name (his nature) into every believer by the Holy Spirit. This would have the effect of crippling our fleshly walk (impeding ungodly behavior by developing the character of God in us).
97 1 Peter 4:6 is a verse that, although shrouded in mystery, may possibly apply to this situation.
98 In the Hebrew and also in the NT Greek, the phrase “poor in spirit” denotes those who are not proud and arrogant.
99 Job 38:7; Proverbs 4:18; 2 Peter 1:19; Revelation 2:26–28, 22:16–17.
Chapter 23.
Twenty-three is a prime number associated with shepherds, which in Hebrew is the same word as “pastors.” As continues to be the case today, some of these people were good and some were evil. Psalm 23 is about the Good Shepherd.
After the children of Israel entered the promised land under Joshua (the same name in Hebrew as “Jesus” in Greek), the Levites who were one month and older numbered twenty-three thousand. Who were the Levites? They were the spiritual shepherds or pastors of Israel, descendants of the house of Levi. God had raised up, trained, and purified a clean generation of them in the wilderness, while those who had been disobedient and unfaithful died off without being permitted to enter the land of Canaan.100
There were bad shepherds, such as wicked Abimelech101 (meaning “my father, the king”) who killed his seventy brothers with help from evil men of Shechem (meaning “back” or “shoulder” – terms that symbolize government). Abimelech dominated over Israel for three years, but God ensured that a man named Tola102 arose to save Israel. …And he judged Israel twenty-three years (Judges 10:1a, 2a). Beginning with Tola, the number twenty-three is used seven times in Scripture. It is also used ten times as part of a larger number.103
Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
David was pastored directly by the Lord, and God met all his needs.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters.
The Lord is gentle with his sheep and is careful to provide peace and rest in the midst of the lush green pastures of his Word. He leads the way, and we follow. No matter what trial or trouble we have been going through, if we follow his lead, before we know it we are beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
We know everyone has a soul that needs to be saved. Yet sometimes we fail to realize that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, not only saves our souls, but also wishes to restore them. Jesus knows exactly what it feels like to suffer hurt and scorn and rejection because he came here as the Lamb of God, fully human, to give his life for us. He is an excellent Shepherd because although he is God he is also a sheep.
Out in the world, in the midst of the enemy’s kingdom of darkness, souls can be horribly wounded and scarred as a result of continual injustice. But never forget that even if you have suffered what seems like lasting hurt in your soul, Jesus can heal your broken heart and restore you into exactly what he desires for you to be.
However, you must be willing, no matter what the cost, to follow him in the paths of righteousness (justice). The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and he delights in his way (Psalm 37:23). The Good Shepherd restores souls and leads them in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Restoration to righteousness flows from the very nature of God. His ways make no sense to the natural man, but as we follow him, his ways will become second nature to us, and eventually they will completely dominate our heart.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,104 I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me.
The natural man continually fears the shadow of death, knowing that he will eventually die. In the OT, most people did not seem to know for sure what would happen to them when they died. Knowing they had not lived perfect lives, they believed they would go down to Sheol, not up to heaven. In fact, at the time of Jesus a very strong sect of highly placed Jewish intellectuals, called the Sadducees, said that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit (Acts 23:8).
David, however, was privy to special revelation from God and knew that he need not fear the shadow of death or any other evil, for the Messiah would redeem him forever. He knew the Lord was with him.
David also understood the purpose of a shepherd’s rod and staff. The rod end is not used on the sheep, except possibly in a moment of dire necessity; instead, it is used to protect the sheep from predators.
5 Thou shalt prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup is running over.
I sometimes wonder – how old was David when he wrote this psalm? You see, when he was a young boy, the rest of the family went to meet Samuel, the famous prophet, and they left him home alone to tend the sheep. Samuel had come to visit the family on the pretext of offering a sacrifice in the small town of Bethlehem (which would be followed by a big meal). The reality is that he had been sent by the Lord to seek David’s father, Jesse. God wanted to anoint a son of Jesse to be king over Israel instead of Saul.
David had many gifted and handsome older brothers who may have maneuvered things so that they got to go to the feast while David was assigned to watch the sheep. Be that as it may, you can imagine everyone’s surprise when Samuel refused to inaugurate the proceedings until someone went and brought young David. This may have been the first time – though likely not the last – that God prepared a table before David in the presence of his “enemies.” Certainly this was the time when Samuel anointed David’s head with oil, indicating that God had chosen the shepherd boy to be king of all of Israel. David’s cup was truly running over.105
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will rest in the house of the LORD for ever.
The kingship was reserved for a future day. In the meantime, David returned to life as a shepherd, where he soon learned that he was anointed to kill bears and lions that were after his sheep. Then still a young man, he discovered that he was anointed to kill giants who were threatening God’s people. God eventually used David to deliver his people from all their enemies and inaugurate a golden age of peace.
I believe that after Samuel anointed him, David (who was about twelve years old at the time) went home from the feast knowing this above all else: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will rest in the house of the LORD for ever. He would not have to strive to obtain goodness and mercy. They would follow him all the days of his life, much as he followed the Good Shepherd, and David would rest in the house of the Lord forever.
Let us pray.
Lord, may your goodness and your mercy follow us all the days of our lives as we follow you. May we rest in your house forever. Amen.
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100 The Levites (or spiritual shepherds) were not numbered among the sons of Israel because no inheritance was to be given them among the sons of Israel (Numbers 26:62b). This is because the Lord was their inheritance.
101 The name “Abimelech” was also the title of multiple kings of the Philistines.
102 “Tola” (meaning “warm, crimson”), “the son of Puah” (meaning “splendor”), “the son of Dodo” (meaning “loving”), “a man of Issachar” (meaning “he brings recompense, or gain”).
103 There were twenty-three thousand Levites who entered the promised land (Numbers 26:62), and Aaron, the first high priest, died at age one hundred and twenty-three (Numbers 33:39).
104 There are twenty instances of the phrase “shadow of death” in Scripture. This is the eleventh. The first ten are in Job.
105 A close friend and mentor of mine, now with the Lord, told me the formula described in Exodus 30:22–25 makes exactly two gallons of holy anointing oil, (after careful study and measure of the ingredients). The practice seems to have been for the prophet to dump the entire portion over the head of the one that God ordered to be anointed as prophet, priest, or king (See Psalm 133). (The Messiah, Jesus Christ, represents all three, and David was a forerunner.) There is no record, however, of Jesus ever being anointed with oil. He was anointed directly by the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16).
Chapter 24.
Twenty-four can be factored as two times twelve, or four times six. The positive significance of two times twelve is to double down on God’s order (or government). Four times six106 depicts man bowing in response to God’s sovereignty so that we may receive his charity and be restored and cleansed.
The first use of the number twenty-four in Scripture was when Moses set up and sanctified the tabernacle and all of its utensils. After twelve days of dedication, involving extensive offerings and sacrifices by each of the twelve leaders over the twelve tribes of Israel, the last thing to be dedicated was the altar. Two bullocks were given by each prince of the twelve tribes (two times twelve). And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace were twenty-four bullocks (Numbers 7:88a).
The number twenty-four is mentioned seven times in the book of Revelation, in which twenty-four elders who are seated on twenty-four thrones around the throne of God repeatedly fall on their faces in worship before the throne.
Psalm 24
A Psalm of David.
1 The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.
Everyone really belongs to the Lord, as indeed does everything – first because God is the Creator, and second because Jesus died to redeem us (and all of creation). The great rebellion has raged for almost six thousand years, and the present world system is still under the control of Satan and his minions, but there will be a great jubilee when Jesus returns. In that day, everything will be restored to its rightful owner.
2 For he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
The earth (in a spiritual sense) represents the people of God who have been rescued and redeemed out of the seas of lost humanity as they have responded to the Word of God. The rivers of the word of God flow through each believer, establish God’s authority (John 7:38), and they bring healing to the waters of the sea of lost humanity (Ezekiel 47:8). When God’s plan is fully in place, there will be no more sea (Revelation 21:1). In his vision, John saw a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1).
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in the place of his holiness?
4 He that has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not taken my name in vain, nor sworn deceitfully.
The hill of the LORD is the equivalent of Zion and has a heavenly counterpart. The place of his holiness is separated exclusively for him and for those who, like David, belong to him completely.
The only way that any of us can have clean hands and a pure heart is if God works in us and through us by his grace.
Jesus, the root and offspring of David (Revelation 22:16), is the one who ascended high above all heavens. He has rescued and redeemed those who trust in him so that we may be forgiven, be cleansed, and share in his victory. Those who take the name of the Lord in vain (or swear deceitfully) are those who attempt to use him to accomplish their own carnal, selfish desires.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his saving health.
6 This is the generation of those that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
The generation of those that seek him is the generation of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). Jacob started out as a “heel catcher” or “supplanter” who tripped up his brother for personal gain, but the Lord (in the form of a man) eventually brought crafty Jacob to repentance. After a face-to-face struggle at Penuel,107 God broke Jacob and changed his name to “Israel,” which means “God prevails.” Likewise, Jesus turned every thing around. He operates as “Jacob,” (who pretended to be his brother, Esau and deceived his blind father into giving him his brother’s blessing) to supplant (or replace) the Adamic nature in us with the nature of Christ. This is why David, under prophetic anointing from the Spirit of God, could write and sing, This is the generation of those that seek him (referring to God), that seek thy face, O Jacob (using “Jacob” as a name for God). Selah.
Yes, we should definitely stop and meditate on this.
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and lift yourselves up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.
Who are the gates that are to lift up their heads? We are. Now we are the temple of God, where he may dwell by the Holy Spirit. But there is much more to this. We are also living stones (1 Peter 2:5) that will soon be assembled into a corporate temple as the bride of Christ without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27).
8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; lift your-selves up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of the hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
Let us stop and meditate on this.
The phrase “lift up your heads” only occurs three times in Scripture (twice here in Psalm 24, and once in the Gospel of Luke when Jesus was explaining to his disciples what would happen in the future). As he described it: And they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captive into all nations,108 and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Luke 21:24).
Over the past two thousand years, there has been extensive persecution of Christians and Jews, which has produced numerous martyrs. But there are many signs that the times of the Gentiles are winding down or perhaps, have even been fulfilled. Israel became a nation once again in 1948. Jerusalem returned to the control of the Jews in the six-day war in 1967. In 2018, several countries, including the United States, have at last moved their embassies to Jerusalem.
Then there shall be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars, and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring…(Luke 21:25). There have been many signs in the sun and the moon and the stars – eclipses, blood moons, and unique configurations of the stars – coupled with a great deal of distress in various nations upon the earth. “Perplexity” is a word that describes the state of the present world situation. The sea (the unconverted people) and the waves are roaring. And it could get much worse for those who do not really know God.
Scripture talks about men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken (Luke 21:26). Men’s hearts (including lukewarm sectors of the church or Israel) are already failing them for fear with what is beginning to happen now upon the earth. Wait until the powers of heaven shall be shaken! This could be imminent. And then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near (Luke 21:27–28, emphasis added). This is a great time for us to lift up our heads and look up. We must keep our focus on one thing: the LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Remember the words of Psalm 24:9–10: Lift up your109 heads, O ye gates; lift yourselves up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of the hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
The corporate people of God (that is, those who are clean and pure through Christ) are the gates; we are the everlasting doors.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we ask for the wisdom and understanding that goes along with clean hands and a pure heart. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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106 Some would invert this, attempting to impose man’s order on God by using God to get what they want. This is symbolized by the giant with six fingers and six toes (a total of twenty-four) who was killed by David’s nephew (2 Samuel 21:20).
107 God crippled Jacob’s walk in the flesh by touching the hollow of his thigh. Jacob, now Israel, limped away from this encounter, but he had God’s blessing (Genesis 32:24–32).
108 Many have been led away captive into all nations (or even into all denomi-nations).
109 The pronouns “you” and “ye” are always plural in Old English.
Chapter 25.
Twenty-five is five squared (five times five) and is used twenty-one times in Scripture. The number five has to do with God’s mercy and grace. Therefore, twenty-five is the effect and consequences of God’s mercy and grace (or in a negative sense, the consequences of rejecting these things).
This number first appears in Scripture110 when the Levites had to be twenty-five years old to serve in the ministry (Numbers 8:24). Four kings of Judah were twenty-five years old when they began to reign (three were righteous and one was evil).111 The number twenty-five also figures extensively among the many dimensions and intricacies of the temple that Ezekiel saw, which is a numerical depiction of the corporate body of Christ.
Psalm 25
A Psalm of David.
1 Aleph112 Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
David lifted up his soul and placed himself into God’s hands.
2 Beth O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me.
Anyone who, like David, is walking with God will definitely have enemies.
3 Gimel Yea, none that wait on thee shall be ashamed; those which rebel without cause shall be ashamed.
None of those who walk with God will be ashamed, because his mercy and grace will uphold them. But those who reject God’s mercy and grace without cause shall be ashamed.
4 Daleth Show me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
Unless the ways of the Lord are revealed to us, we will not find them. Only the Lord can teach us his paths.
5 He Cause me to walk in thy truth and teach me: for thou art the God of my saving health; I have waited for thee all the day.
Waiting upon God also means waiting for God.
6 Vau Remember, O LORD, thy compassion and thy mercies, for they have been ever of old.
God does not change. Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, today, and for the ages (Hebrews 13:8). His compassion and mercies have always existed.
7 Zain Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my rebellions; according to thy mercy remember me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.
What was David referring to as the sins of my youth? What were his rebellions? All of us at one time or another, especially when young, have taken stubborn control and done something that we knew for certain God did not approve of. David has now repented of these behaviors and is counting on the mercy and grace of the Lord.
8 Cheth Good and upright is the LORD: therefore he will teach sinners in the way.
Jesus announced: I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He also declared: No one can come to me unless the Father who has sent me draws him (John 6:44).
9 Teth He will cause the humble to pass through the judgment, and the meek he will teach his way.
The humble are the poor in spirit (without pride or arrogance), and the meek are those who submit to the master.
10 Jod All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Never forget that in order to remain in the paths of God’s mercy and truth, we must keep his covenant and his testimonies (we must keep our word to him and also follow the prompting of the witness or testimony of the Holy Spirit in our hearts).
11 Caph For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity; for it is great.
Iniquity is hidden sin. If we desire to be pardoned from iniquity, we must be hon[1]est with God.
12 Lamed Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Those who are wise are teachable.
13 Mem His soul shall rest in that which is good; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
David knew that his soul would rest in what is good ,and his seed (the Messiah) would inherit the earth. We can participate in this inheritance if we are in Christ.
14 Nun The secret of the LORD is for those that fear him, and he will show them his covenant.
The psalms demonstrate that David had phenomenal revelation regarding what would be called the new covenant.
15 Samech Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
What net is David referring to? He is speaking of the trap laid by his enemies. Keeping our eyes turned toward the Lord at all times is good for our wellbeing.
16 Ain Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me, for I am desolate and afflicted.
Have you ever felt desolate and afflicted? When this happens, our only way out of the enemy’s net is for God to have mercy on us.
17 Tzaddi The troubles of my heart are enlarged; O bring thou me out of my distresses.
David is talking about troubles and distresses (plural). Time after time when problems surrounded him, he immediately turned to the Lord as his only solution.
18 Resh Look upon my affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins.
While experiencing intense affliction and pain, instead of becoming bitter, David wanted to make sure all his sins were forgiven. What a great attitude! For David, it was not enough just to confess his sins. He wanted positive assurance from God that he had, indeed, been forgiven.
19 Resh Consider my enemies, for they are multiplied; and they hate me with cruel hatred.
David had many enemies, and there was a time when his enemies multiplied. The irrational hatred of our enemies is cruel, and David wanted God to consider his enemies (and take steps to change their attitude or to thwart them). I know how this situation feels, and I have had the same thought on several occasions.
20 Schin O keep my soul and deliver me; let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in thee.
I have been in many predicaments when I knew with absolute certainty that if God did not intervene on my behalf, I would not survive. Fortunately, as with David, God has not ever allowed me to be ashamed in public of my trust in him.
21 Tau Integrity and uprightness shall preserve me, for I have waited for thee.
God has proven this to me over and over. I have meditated intensively on the psalms for most of my life and particularly ever since I was kidnapped by terrorists and tied to a tree for five months. During that time, I read a psalm every day, and I completely identified with the psalmist.
I was miraculously released before I got to the end of the psalms. That was thirty-five years ago, and I have been through many more trials since then, but the Lord has delivered me every time.
22 Pe Ransom Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
This psalm ends on a beautiful note. David was not only concerned with his own trials and tribulations; pouring out what was in his heart, he begged God to ransom his people out of all their troubles. And God did so by sending his only begotten Son to die for and ransom all of us about a thousand years after David wrote these words.
Let us pray.
Dear God, as we cry out to you in moments of intense pain and affliction, let us also remember to intercede for all of your people everywhere. Amen.
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110 For the purposes of this treatise when I refer to first use, second use, etc. of each key term or phrase in Scripture I am going by the established or traditional order of the books of the Bible. It may be that going by strict chronology that some differences would occur. For instance, the book of Job was likely written before the book of Exodus and parts of Chronicles were written before parts of Kings and so on. Plus the Psalms are not in chronological order and so on.
111 2 Kings 14:2, 15:33, 18:2, 23:36
112 Psalm 25 is in a style of Hebrew poetry in which each couplet (or verse) begins with a specific letter of the alphabet, beginning with aleph and going through all twenty-two letters.
Chapter 26.
Twenty-six is two times thirteen. In a positive sense, the spiritual significance of the number twenty-six means doubling down on the kingdom and sovereignty of God and being careful who we associate with. In a negative sense, it means doubling down on rebellion, as did Elah, the son of Baasha (1 Kings 16:8).
Psalm 26
A Psalm of David.
1 Judge me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity; I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.
A hypocrite would never say this, but David was centered on the Lord, not on himself.
2 Examine me, O LORD and prove me; melt my kidneys and my heart.
David wanted to be a worthy representative of God. He fervently desired the Lord to judge, examine, and prove him so that any flaw or defect in his life would be detected and dealt with. David wanted God’s wholehearted approval.
Most people are not aware of physical problems with their heart or kidneys until trouble sets in. Anyone who has had a heart attack or a kidney stone, however, will suddenly smarten up, and will be highly motivated to change any unhealthy habits that may have crept in. So it is in the spiritual realm. David wanted to make sure that his metaphorical and spiritual “kidneys” and his “heart” were not resisting God, even subconsciously.113
3 For thy mercy is before my eyes, and I walk in thy truth.
This is one of twelve verses in Scripture that link mercy and truth. If we need God’s mercy (and who doesn’t?), then we also need to ask him to show us the truth about ourselves.
4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with hypocrites.
Vain persons are those whose words and actions serve no good purpose. Hypocrites are those who pretend to be righteous and just when they are not.
5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the wicked.
Evildoers tend to congregate together, but David refused to participate in their wickedness.
6 I will wash my hands in innocency, so I will walk near unto thine altar, O LORD: The way to have clean hands is to make sure we not only are innocent, but that we also stay innocent. The only way for David to maintain his innocence was to walk near the altar of the Lord. Under the old covenant, prior to Jesus’s work of redemption, the altar held the place that the gospel occupies under the new covenant. The person’s sin and guilt were identified, and animals were symbolically substituted; the animals bled to death and burned on the altar (ensuring the complete eradication of sin and guilt). Under the new covenant, we must ex[1]pose our sin and guilt to Jesus. With the fire of the Holy Spirit, he will help us kill anything in our lives of which God does not approve. David knew that both sin and guilt must be dealt with in order to maintain innocence.
7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.
The desire of David’s heart was to give thanksgiving and tell of the wondrous works of God. He did not promote himself or inflate any of the remarkable things he had done.
8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place of the tabernacle of thy glory.
David retrieved the ark of the covenant (which represented and accompanied the presence of the Lord) and brought it to Jerusalem. Instead of restoring it to the tabernacle of Moses (which was still functioning in Shiloh), he pitched a tent for it in his back yard (2 Samuel 6:17). This was called the tabernacle of David.114 In the tabernacle of Moses and later in Solomon’s Temple, only the high priest was allowed to enter the holy of holies (where the ark rested), and even he could only do so once a year on the Day of Reconciliation (or Atonement), on pain of death. David, however, went in and out of the tabernacle of David freely and without restriction. Later, Jesus Christ would open up this type of intimate fellowship and make it available for every believer.
9 Gather not my soul with the sinners, nor my life with those who have blood on their hands:
Sinners are equated with those who have blood on their hands.
Why? The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a). Sin has to do with lusting after wrong goals and desires, but God wants to circumcise the lust of the flesh out of our hearts. When lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death (James 1:15). Therefore, everyone who continues to practice sin will eventually have blood on their hands.115
10 In whose hands are wicked devices, and their right hand is full of bribes.
Those who have blood on their hands also handle and manipulate wicked devices. One way or another, they use their right hand (their source of power and authority) to bribe others into tolerating and going along with their unjust behavior.
11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; ransom116 me and be merciful unto me. David knew by the Spirit of God that even if he walked in integrity, he still needed to be “ransomed,” and only the Lord could do this (Mark 10:45; 1 Timothy 2:6).
12 I have walked uprightly; in the congregations I will bless the LORD.
Those who walk uprightly will, like Da[1]vid, bless the Lord. They will also be a blessing to their congregation.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, may we have wisdom, understanding, discernment, and integrity like David. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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113 The heart pumps our blood and circulates it throughout our body. This is essential to life. If the heart stops beating, we will lose consciousness and die almost immediately. The kidneys purify the blood. If they cease to function, the person may last a few days, but our kidneys are essential organs, and we cannot live long without them. Similarly, we will die spiritually if the life of Jesus does not flow within us and if God does not continually provide his discipline and correction to cleanse us whenever we need it. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Some wonder about how this works out practically. Would “spiritual death” mean a loss of fellowship with our Father? Or even discipline to the point of “falling asleep?” Or could there be an actual loss of salvation? There is also the possibility that whatever case in question really had to do with a “tare” that had been planted by the devil in the midst of the people of God. It is clear, however, that we are to leave all matters of judgment in the capable hands of God and that we are to take all of his warnings seriously.
114 Isaiah 16:5; Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16.
115 David had experienced this in a most literal sense when he sinned in adultery with Bathsheba, and then, looking for an easy way out, he ended up ordering the death of her lawful husband, Uriah the Hittite.
116 The word “ransom” or “ransomed” is used twelve times in the psalms.
Chapter 27.
Twenty-seven is three times nine, or three cubed. This indicates the fruit (or out-come) of judgment. The first usage of twenty-seven in Scripture is when Noah’s ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (meaning “holy land”). A few weeks later, in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried. And God spoke unto Noah, saying, Go forth from the ark, thou and thy wife and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every animal that is with thee (Genesis 8:14–17a). The number twenty-seven is used six times in Scripture.
Psalm 27
A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
David went through the judgment of God and came out clean. Yes, there were severe consequences for his sin on several occasions, but he always threw himself upon the mercy of God. The fruit (or outcome) of God’s judgment of David is readily apparent in this psalm.
There were two records kept of each king of Israel and Judah. These records are found in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel (of which 1 and 2 Kings are a continuation) and the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles. Samuel and Kings include all the gory details of exactly what happened, while Chronicles records how things end up in God’s eternal perception. Interestingly, even though David’s sins are recorded in Samuel, they are completely absent from Chronicles, but the sins of King Saul are carefully recorded in both accounts. David came out of God’s judgment clean and innocent in God’s eyes. No wonder David’s opening line is: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
David came out of all of his trials and tribulations grounded rock-solid in the Lord, and he prevailed against all his enemies no matter what the odds.
4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the LORD and to enquire in his temple.
This psalm (or song) appears to have been written after David pitched the tent for
the ark of the covenant in Jerusalem.117 Now David could enter and behold the beauty of the LORD. He had direct access to the realm represented by the holy of holies without an intermediary priesthood or clergy, without religious rites or rituals, and without any restrictions. At this point, there was only one thing that David craved above all else: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life. David demonstrated an overwhelming desire to never again let anything happen that would corrode his access to and fellowship with the Lord.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle; in the secret of his tent shall he hide me; he shall set me high upon a rock.
6 And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tabernacle; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
In the tabernacle of David,118 instead of sheep and bullocks and goats being killed, sacrifices of joy were offered up. At least part of this joy came from David’s gratitude for being protected, defended, and delivered from so many enemies. He was also full of joy and thanksgiving for being forgiven and cleansed. God kept filling David’s heart with prose and song, and David poured it all out to the Lord. He wrote no epic poetry about his own prowess.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me.
8 My heart has spoken unto me from thee, Seek my face. Thy face, O LORD, will I seek. God was speaking to David through David’s heart.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy slave away in anger: thou hast been my help; do not leave me or forsake me, O God of my saving health.
10 For my father and my mother have left me, and the LORD has taken me up.
This seems to indicate that David’s father and mother had now passed away; it is further confirmation that this psalm was written after David pitched the tent for the ark.
11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a right path because of my enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of my enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me and such as breathe out cruelty.
I wonder what some of the religious people were saying behind David’s back after he took the extremely unprecedented and unorthodox step of setting up the tabernacle of David. Some of them must have been going wild against him, stirring up false witnesses and breathing out cruelty.119 In fact, history bears out that virtually anyone who enters into direct fellowship and communication with God will be persecuted (Matthew 5:10–11).
13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
David would have collapsed if he had not maintained faith that he would in deed see the goodness of the Lord. To believe is to have faith. Salvation is always linked to faith and grace. David had faith enough to see this in the land of the living. The land where we live our natural lives is veiled off from the presence of God, and in order to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, we must walk by faith.120
14 Wait for the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, for the LORD.
David was trained to wait for the Lord before he went into battle. Now he could also go into the tabernacle of David and sit with his harp before the ark of the testimony and wait for the Lord to come and meet him. This prefigures the intimate fellowship that every true believer can have with God under the new covenant. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well: Woman, believe me, the hour comes when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem shall ye worship the Father (John 4:21). Then he went on to say: But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such to worship him. God is a Spirit and those that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24).
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, may all of us be delivered from dead religious ritual so that we may become true worshippers who will worship you in spirit and in truth and seek your face. May your people experience the reality of redemption and offer sacrifices of joy. Amen.
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117 We do not know for sure whether this psalm was written before or after David’s sin with Bathsheba, but I think it was likely written after. The psalms are not in chronological order.
118 David calls it “his tabernacle” (that is, God’s tabernacle).
119 When the apostle Paul took the unprecedented and unorthodox step of not circumcising the Gentile believers, all hell broke out against him. His enemies were religious Jews and Pharisees, some of whom were believers (Acts 15:5).
120 The phrase “the land of the living” is a quote from Job 28:13 that has found its way into common use in the English language. This phrase occurs fifteen times in Scripture, four of them in the psalms. The full quote reads: But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man never knew its price; neither is it found in the land of the living (Job 28:12–13). The place of understanding that Job and David found is not in the natural realm and, therefore, carnal man never knew its price. Rather, the place of understanding (for those of us in the land of the living) is in the spiritual realm, represented by the holy of holies. There, like David, we may contemplate the beauty of the Lord and enquire of him.
Chapter 28.
Twenty-eight may be factored as two times fourteen (doubling down on the salvation and redemption of God’s people) or four times seven (having to do with the complete covering or security provided by the Spirit of God). The first use of this number in Scripture refers to ten curtains that cover the tabernacle of Moses. They are each twenty-eight cubits long by four wide. Two sets of five curtains each (representing God’s mercy and grace) were coupled together using fifty loops sewn into the curtains and fifty hooks made of gold. The ten curtains made one tabernacle (Exodus 26:1–6). This was done because God was going to dwell in the tabernacle. Now, however, we are the temple (1 Corinthians 3:16).
And everyone with a wise heart among those that wrought the work made the tabernacle of ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet, which they made of cunning work, with cherubim (Exodus 36:8). This paints a beautiful picture. Fine linen represents the righteousness of the saints (Revelation 19:8). Blue and purple are the colors of kings and priests. Scarlet stands for redemption by the blood of Jesus Christ. Ten represents the Word or commandments of God, and the fifty loops and fifty gold hooks represent the fact that the curtains measuring twenty-eight cubits long are all joined together by the nature of God through the Holy Spirit. Everyone with a wise heart among the people of God united to make the ten curtains with embroidered cherubim. (Also note that the holy of holies in the tabernacle Moses and in Solomon’s Temple was covered by the wings of two cherubim.)
Psalm 28
A Psalm of David.
1 Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent unto me lest, if thou be silent unto me, I become like those that go down into the grave.
We are all dead in trespasses and sin until the Word of the Lord enters into us. As Jesus told us, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour shall come, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live (John 5:25).
2 Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward the oracle of thy holiness.
The oracle to which David refers is the holy of holies containing the ark (1 Kings 6:16b).
3 Do not catch me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbours, but evil is in their hearts.
4 Give them according to their deeds and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render unto them their desert.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them and not build them up.
What are the works of the LORD? What is the operation of his hands? God desires to work in us to cleanse and circumcise our hearts. Then he will also work through us, as he did when everyone with a wise heart wrought the tabernacle curtains. No one will ever have a wise heart, however, unless God does a work inside of them.
6 Blessed be the LORD because he has heard the voice of my supplications.
How did David know that the Lord had heard the voice of his supplications? He knew in his heart.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song I will praise him.
God put the assurance of salvation deep within David’s heart (and he can do the same for us). As a result, David’s heart began to rejoice, bubbling over with song and praise.
8 The LORD is the strength of his people, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
David was the Lord’s anointed, but this verse also has messianic implications.121 Jesus Christ is the ultimate Anointed One, and in Christ we may be anointed with the Holy Spirit.
9 Save thy people and bless thine inheritance; feed them also and lift them up for ever.
This line sums up the meaning behind God’s use of the number twenty-eight.
Let us pray.
Dear Lord, may the voice of our supplication be heard on high. May we hear your Word and live. May you work in our hearts and make us wise. May you work in and through us so that you may inhabit the praises of those who are your people. Amen.
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121 “Messiah” means “anointed” in Hebrew, and “Christ” means “anointed” in Greek.
Chapter 29.
Twenty-nine is a prime number that occurs only eight times in Scripture122 (other than as the title to Psalm 29). Multiples of twenty-nine are almost non-existent,123 with the only exception being twenty-nine times eight, which occurs only once (1 Kings 20:15). The meaning represented by the number twenty-nine is, therefore, shrouded in mystery. Psalm 29 has to do with the voice of the LORD (the phrase is repeated six times in this psalm out of a total fifty times in all of Scripture). The voice of the Lord cannot be heard by simply reading Scripture according to our natural human understanding. We must absorb the Word of God in the light of the Holy Spirit (symbolized by the number fifty) in order to truly hear the voice of the Lord in and through Scripture. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6b). 124
Psalm 29
A Psalm of David.
1 Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
David gave himself completely to the Lord and was willingly received. He had spent periods of time crying out to the Lord in distress as he was persecuted, surrounded, and outnumbered by wicked and seemingly stronger enemies. David waited to know if his petitions were being heard, but the time finally came when he was invited into the realm represented by the holy of holies; then he could enter into the tabernacle of David and worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness before the ark of the testimony (of his presence).125 Now the voice of the Lord became a direct reality, and David was no longer limited to hearing God through prophets or the priest wearing the ephod. Sadly, there are many today who cannot hear the voice of the Lord for themselves and, therefore, rely on a secondhand revelation from their pastor, priest, counselor, elder, or spiritual director (who may or may not be outstanding men or women of God).126
3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thunders: the LORD is upon many waters.
In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was without order; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2). The waters can represent peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15b). Now the voice of the LORD is upon the waters, bringing forth the new creation of which we, the redeemed in Christ, are the firstfruits (2 Corinthians 5:17; Revelation 14:4).
As David entered in to worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness, his reaction was to exclaim: the Glory of God thunders! 127
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
David, like most of us, had spent long periods of time straining to hear the voice of the Lord. True communication began with the Lord speaking softly into his heart. Now God’s voice was coming through like thunder, powerful and full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; yea, the LORD broke the cedars of Lebanon.128
What do the cedars of Lebanon represent? The cedars represent the pride and arrogance of man. God must break us and convert us into the poor in spirit if we are to be useful in his kingdom.
The furniture of the tabernacle was made of cedar, and this included the ark of the covenant, which was overlaid with gold inside and out (Exodus 25:10–11). The ark of the covenant is a representation of Jesus Christ, of whom David was an example and forerunner. David was a cedar of Lebanon broken by the voice of the Lord, and now he was before the ark in the tabernacle of David, worshipping the Lord in the beauty of holiness while the glory of God thundered all around him, completely overwhelming him.
6 And He made them skip like a calves; Lebanon and Sirion like the sons of the unicorns.
The “cedars” who, like David, have been broken by the Lord will skip like calves. This theme is further developed at the end of the OT: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness be born, and in his wings he shall bring saving health; and ye shall go forth and jump like calves of the herd. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, said the LORD of the hosts (Malachi 4:2–3, emphasis added).
This theme (the voice of the Lord) is linked to Lebanon, which symbolizes the dwelling place of the Lord. It is also tied to Sirion,129 which means “coat of mail,” and symbolizes the “breastplate” of righteousness that protects the believer (Ephesians 6:14b). “Unicorn” means “one horn.” The sons of the unicorns are those who have only one purpose and one source of power. Like David, their only purpose is to serve God, on whose power and strength they depend.
7 The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.
Another Scriptural reference to flames of fire is made by Isaiah: And ye shall see, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like grass; and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his slaves and his indignation toward his enemies. For, behold, the LORD will come with fire and with his chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire (Isaiah 66:14–15, emphasis added).
Flames of fire, therefore, are linked to the judgment of the Lord. David was now able to see that the voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.130 God’s judgment, as David experienced for himself, will purify those who belong to him (his slaves) and devastate his enemies.
8 The voice of the LORD that shall shake the wilderness; the LORD shall shake the wilderness of Kadesh.
The wilderness is where God purified the nation of Israel prior to giving them their inheritance in the promised land. It is symbolic of the church (and of the current age of grace), as God purifies his people so that we may reign and rule with Christ at his return. “Kadesh” means “consecrated” or “holy.” The wilderness of Kadesh131 went up to the Jordan River. This is where, right after the death of Moses, God told Joshua what the priests were to do: Take up the ark of the covenant and pass before the people (Joshua 3:6).132
Now God had a clean, pure nation that could stand like David before the ark of his testimony (or presence). The people followed the ark through the river and into the promised land. When the feet of the priests who bore the ark touched the river, the flood waters (symbolic of death) parted, and everyone crossed on dry land (Joshua 3:15–17). This is a picture of how we will enter into our inheritance in Christ.
When David prophesies that the Lord shall shake the wilderness of Kadesh, he is referring to the fact that prior to the return of Jesus Christ, the voice of the LORD will shake the church until all his people are clean and holy.
9 The voice of the LORD shall make the hinds to calve and shall uncover the forests: and in his temple every one speaks to his glory.
Hinds, which can bound over almost any obstacle, are symbolic of overcomers (Habakkuk 3:19). Many times, God’s special people seem to be sterile, like Sarah, Hannah, and Elizabeth. Yet each one of these three heard the voice of the Lord and conceived and gave birth to great men of God. This is what will happen as God’s clean, victorious people are multiplied at the end of time, as each one directly hears the voice of the Lord.
The forests are where dangerous beasts live133, and when the voice of the Lord shall uncover the forests, he will expose the enemies of the people of God so that they may be identified and dealt with. The temple God will assemble is made up of living stones that he has carefully been preparing for almost six thousand years. David foresaw the day when in his temple every one speaks to his glory. This is not presently the case in some of our churches and religious institutions, but it soon will be.
10 The LORD sits upon the flood; yea, the LORD sat down as King for ever.
The flood refers to judgment. The word “flood” appears in forty Scriptures, seventeen of which refer to the great flood that occurred in Noah’s day. That the LORD sits upon the flood means that all judgment is in his hands. The LORD sat down as King for ever. This is all clearly messianic.134
11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people in peace.
Let us pray.
Lord, we desire to submit to your judgments and request that you do anything and everything necessary to ensure that there is nothing hidden in our hearts that is displeasing to you. May we enter into your presence with clean hands and pure hearts so that we may worship you in the beauty of holiness. Amen.135
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122 The first seven of these eight references at first glance do not seem all that significant, but the eighth is very interesting, referring to twenty-nine knives that were among the vessels of the Lord’s house. Cyrus returned these vessels, including the knives, to the priests of Israel when they returned from captivity. Circumcision was performed on the eighth day after birth, and the knives may have been used for that task among others (such as killing the sacrifices). The number twenty-nine is linked to the number eight, the number of new beginnings, and circumcision is part of the new beginning. This is also the case in a spiritual sense, when we are born again and the Lord circumcises our hearts (by cutting the control of the sinful desires of the flesh).
123 Multiples of twenty-nine are extremely scarce in Scripture. For example, the number fifty-eight (two times twenty-nine) is not found (except in the title of Psalm 58 and in two other references as part of a larger number). The numbers eighty-seven (twenty-nine times three), 116 (twenty-nine times four), and 145 (twenty-nine times five) only occur in the titles of their respective psalms. One hundred and seventy-four (twenty-nine times six), 203 (twenty-nine times seven), and 261 (twenty-nine times nine) are not mentioned. Two hundred and ninety (twenty-nine times ten) occurs once as part of a larger number in Daniel 12:11.
124 It is also worth noting that the cycle of a lunar month is between twenty-nine and thirty days (it is approximately 29.53 days if observed from our vantage point here upon the earth). Since the Hebrew calendar was lunar based, some months were twenty-nine days long and some were thirty. Even so, they had to interject a thirteenth month every few years to keep the seasons in line (modern calendars compensate for this with a leap year every so often). The moon (reflecting the light of the sun) can also represent the congregation of the people of God who are to reflect the light of Jesus Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. The corporate people of God are typed in Scripture as a clean woman (the bride of Christ without spot or wrinkle or any such thing), and the monthly cycle of most women is of similar length to that of the moon.
125 Holiness is not a dress code (2 Samuel 6:20) or an acquired religious vocabulary. Holiness is being separated exclusively unto the Lord.
126 In early August of 1983, I was in this situation. I was crying out to God for wisdom and direction, and I complained to my mother that I was frustrated because I could not clearly hear the voice of the Lord. I was struggling with guilt over seemingly careless mistakes of the past (similar to what David called the sins of his youth) that had led to some serious sin. Now I wanted to know if God had heard me and if I was truly forgiven. On August 14, 1983, everything changed when I was kidnapped by terrorists and tied to a tree in the jungle for about five months. The most amazing thing, however, was that after three days of being a hostage (with armed men and women pointing their guns at me twenty-four hours a day), I began to clearly and continually hear the voice of the Lord. He told me that I was in this situation because I had been fervently praying for months that the gospel be sent to the FARC guerrillas (I was now in the middle of one of their camps with a golden opportunity to share the gospel), and he reassured me that I was innocent and clean in his sight. (This was the first time in my life that I was in major trouble without it having been at least partially my fault.) This filled me with great joy, and I began to reach out to my captors with the love of God, even though by all human reasoning it looked as though I would never make it out of there alive. Before it was over and I was miraculously released on the 143rd day of my captivity, I could heartily say, with David, the God of glory thunders! Through this experience, I was most wonderfully introduced to worshipping the Lord in the beauty of holiness. If you count from the last day I was secure at home (complaining that I could not plainly hear the voice of the Lord) until the first day I was safely back with my wife and family (hearing clearly from God), it adds up to 145 days, or twenty-nine times five!
127 The voice of God the Father is linked to thunder in John 12:28–29.
128 “Lebanon” means “white mountain,” referring to Mount Hermon or Mount Sion (Deuteronomy 4:48).
129 Sirion is another name for Mount Hermon or Mount Shenir and was the northern boundary of the promised land (Deuteronomy 3:9). In ancient times, a snow-covered mountain was referred to as having a metaphorical “coat of mail.”
130 John the Baptist prophesied that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). On the day of Pentecost cloven tongues like as of fire appeared over the believers who were being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3).
131 Kadesh-Barnea (the meaning of “Barnea” is unknown), right across from Jericho, was only an eleven-day journey from Egypt, but it took forty years and eleven months until an entire disobedient, unbelieving generation of the children of Israel died off (Deuteronomy 1:2) and the rest could enter the promised land. This happened almost five hundred years before David was born.
132 They were instructed: Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure; do not come near unto it that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way before now (Joshua 3:4). I believe that this refers to the fact that Jesus (the real Ark) would experience resurrection about two thousand years before the rest of the body of Christ comes forth in the first resurrection described in Revelation 20:4–6. If so, the time is almost up.
133 2 Kings 2:24; Isaiah 56:9.
134 The sacred name of God, which is literally I AM (Exodus 3:13–14), is considered too sacred to pronounce; instead, it was written in Hebrew with four consonants (YHWH), so whenever they came to this name (which occurs close to seven thousand times in the OT), they pronounced it as “Adonai,” meaning “Lord.” Jesus and the apostles pronounced it like this in close to four hundred quotes in the NT. The sacred name is translated into most English Bibles as LORD (in caps) to distinguish it from the word “Adonai,” which is spelled as lord or Lord (when referring to God). Bear in mind that Jesus has always been God, and now, ever since he was born in Bethlehem as the Messiah, or Christ, he is also a man. He has declared himself to be both the root (as God) and the offspring (as man) of David (Revelation 22:16b). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and is referred to in numerous Scriptures with a personal pronoun. (Bear in mind that the Holy Spirit can operate in and through people like us, bringing us into close communion with the Father and the Son). The main charge that the Jews had against Jesus, which lead to their attempts to put him to death, was that he kept applying the sacred name of God to himself (John 8:58; Luke 22:70). Whenever Jesus pronounced the sacred name, the Jubilee Bible translation renders it I AM in caps. This happens at least thirty-six times in the NT.
135 Now, if you are so inclined, and if your heart witnesses to this prayer, stop and meditate on Psalm 29 and ask the Lord to reveal to you why the derivatives of twenty-nine (except twenty-nine times eight) do not occur in Scripture except in the titles of their respective psalms.
Chapter 30.
Thirty is three times ten (the fruitfulness of complying with the Word or commandments of God) or five times six (the mercy and grace of God bringing us to maturity in Christ).136 The first use of the number thirty137 in Scripture is when God told Noah to build the ark with a length of three hundred cubits, a width of fifty cubits, and a height of thirty cubits (Genesis 6:15). The ark is symbolic of salvation. The dimensions paint a picture of God’s plan (one hundred) coming to fruition (three) by the Holy Spirit (fifty) unto maturity or perfection (thirty).
When Joseph was thirty, he was put in charge of all Egypt (Genesis 41:46). Significantly, Jesus was about thirty years of age when he began his public ministry (Luke 3:23). There are three levels of fruitfulness described in Scripture: bearing thirty, sixty, and one hundred-fold. Thirty is the entry level, and maturity is essential for fruit bearing. Those who come to maturity in Christ bear good fruit, whereas those who come to maturity in the corrupt human nature of Adam bear evil fruit.
Under the law, the price of redemption138 was fifty shekels of silver for a male, and thirty shekels for a female (Leviticus 27:2–4). Jesus was sold by Judas for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15, 27:9)139 because he was giving his life for his bride (for us, the body of Christ). The priests and Levites who worked on Solomon’s Temple had to be at least thirty years old (1 Chronicles 23:2–3). The number thirty also figures in the tabernacle of Moses, the temple of Solomon, and the temple that Ezekiel saw.
Psalm 30
A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.140
1 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
The success of the house of David is that it has been sustained by the Lord. This is why its foes have never been able to destroy it. David knew that his enemies were also God’s enemies and that God would not allow those enemies to rejoice over him.
2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol; thou gavest me life from my descent into the grave.
David had been dead in trespasses and sin, and he knew it. But when he cried out to the Lord, God not only heard him, but also healed him! David thought he would be forever trapped in Sheol by death. Instead, he was ransomed, redeemed, and given life because Jesus would come and break the power of death and Sheol forever (Revelation 1:18). God lifted David up, and David’s foes were not able to rejoice over him. Now we have all these beautiful, uplifting psalms to help and encourage us.
4 Let his merciful ones sing unto the LORD, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
Those who belong to the Lord are his merciful ones. Jesus said, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7). David is proof of this. The remembrance of his holiness refers to keeping the will, purpose, and plans of the Lord foremost in our thoughts and allowing these to be the motivation behind our thanks and worship.
5 For his anger endures but a moment; in his will is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
David discovered a key truth: We can know in our hearts if God is pleased with us (instead of displeased with us) and live to please him. Then, in his will is life. We may weep in moments of adversity or times when we need to repent, and our weeping may endure for a night. But if we are among his merciful ones, if we are among those who sing unto the LORD, and we give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness, then we will eventually enter into a new day in God. Joy comes in the morning. This new day is symbolized by the dedication of the house of David.141
6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.
David found his prosperity in the Lord. This is the prosperity that shall never be moved.
7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong; thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.
David’s mountain is another way of referring to his house or kingdom, and David knew for sure that his “mountain”142 was standing strong by the grace of the Lord. If God ever “hid his face,” then David was troubled. Contrast this with the outlook of his predecessor, Saul, who did not even seem to notice when God lifted his Spirit from him.143
8 I will cry unto thee, O GOD; and unto the Lord will I make supplication.144
9 What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? Shall it declare thy truth?
If David ever had even the slightest indication that the Lord was not happy with him, he would immediately cry to God and make supplication to him. “Supplication” is based on a word that means “to plead humbly.”
10 Hear, O LORD and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.
David knew that he was in desperate need of the mercy of the Lord. The future of his house would depend on the Lord’s mercy. At this most important dedication, David did not ask the Lord for money or for any material thing; he asked for mercy. All of us need to take this to heart.
11 Thou hast turned my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness;
12 to the end that I may sing glory unto thee and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
Let us pray.
Lord, we ask for open doors in heaven, that we may always receive your mercy and grace. May we not get sidetracked by worldly considerations, but may we focus on seeking your kingdom, your righteousness, and your mercy above all else. Amen.
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134 The sacred name of God, which is literally I AM (Exodus 3:13–14), is considered too sacred to pronounce; instead, it was written in Hebrew with four consonants (YHWH), so whenever they came to this name (which occurs close to seven thousand times in the OT), they pronounced it as “Adonai,” meaning “Lord.” Jesus and the apostles pronounced it like this in close to four hundred quotes in the NT. The sacred name is translated into most English Bibles as LORD (in caps) to distinguish it from the word “Adonai,” which is spelled as lord or Lord (when referring to God). Bear in mind that Jesus has always been God, and now, ever since he was born in Bethlehem as the Messiah, or Christ, he is also a man. He has declared himself to be both the root (as God) and the offspring (as man) of David (Revelation 22:16b). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and is referred to in numerous Scriptures with a personal pronoun. (Bear in mind that the Holy Spirit can operate in and through people like us, bringing us into close communion with the Father and the Son). The main charge that the Jews had against Jesus, which lead to their attempts to put him to death, was that he kept applying the sacred name of God to himself (John 8:58; Luke 22:70). Whenever Jesus pronounced the sacred name, the Jubilee Bible translation renders it I AM in caps. This happens at least thirty-six times in the NT.
135 Now, if you are so inclined, and if your heart witnesses to this prayer, stop and meditate on Psalm 29 and ask the Lord to reveal to you why the derivatives of twenty-nine (except twenty-nine times eight) do not occur in Scripture except in the titles of their respective psalms.
136 The number thirty is prevalent in Scripture and may also be used in a negative sense (referring to maturity in the fallen nature of Adam), which is the opposite of all the above.
137 This is the first Scriptural use of the number thirty that is not part of a larger number.
138 That is, when a man made a vow consecrating himself or a member of his family, the priest would accept a specified amount of money for the temple treasury in place of the actual person.
139 This had been prophesied (Zechariah 11:12–13).
140 Note that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is of the house of David (Luke 1:26–27).
141 The dedication of the real house of David is the result of both salvation and sanctification, which both have to do with faith and grace. This is when self-works give way to the work of God by the Holy Spirit in us and through us. For only his work is eternal.
142 David and his men had literally captured Mount Zion and rebuilt the citadel. This is where David built his physical house of cedar that was historically dedicated with this psalm.
143 Incidentally, the phrase “Spirit of the LORD” appears in thirty Scripture passages.
144 When David cries “O GOD” (“God” in capital letters) the Jubilee Bible translation uses this to denote the sacred name YHWH. YHWH is normally rendered as “LORD” (in caps) and pronounced “Adonai” (Hebrew for “Lord”). What makes the orthography of this line different is the fact that the actual word “Adonai” (translated above as “Lord”) appears in the next phrase. This indicates to me that David may have been consciously praying to both the Father and the Son.
Chapter 31.
The Scriptures clearly state that for the Lord, a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years are as a day.145 The Lord is creating a new heaven and a new earth (described in Isaiah 66 and also in Revelation 21 and 22). God formed the old creation in seven days, and it looks as though he will make the new one in seven days – each prophetic day lasting one thousand years. The last, or seventh day (millennium), is called the day of the Lord.
In the day of the Lord, everything changes. In that day, we will not have the same concerns. In the day of the Lord, people will reap the consequences of their actions (good or evil) in a much more rapid and intense manner than we are currently accustomed to.
In the world, things are getting worse rather than better. In the day of the Lord, not only will the earth be severely shaken, but the powers of the heavens will be shaken as well. Psalm 31 speaks of the transition into the day of the Lord, and with our indispensable need for God’s mercy. The psalm is a word of encouragement to the Overcomer as six thousand years of history (six days in which man has done his own work) that have been contaminated by rebellion are drawing to a close.146
The number thirty-one occurs only four times in Scripture. It first appears in the record of God’s merciful intervention during Joshua’s defeat of thirty-one kings on the west side of the Jordan River. This attack took place while the people of Israel were consolidating their claim to the promised land (Joshua 12:7–24).
Even though the nations are increasingly troubled, and it seems that Satan and his followers are gaining ground wherever we turn, the truth is that the devil has run out of time. His kingdom will soon fall. His followers have never been able to get along with one another, and as Jesus pointed out, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation (Matthew 12:25). Therefore, Satan is not about to gain everything; in fact, he is about to lose everything. Not only has Satan passed off many lies about Israel and the church regarding the end times, but it seems that he and his followers have been believing their own lies. This will help lead to their demise.147 And when Satan goes down, his followers will go down with him.
Psalm 31
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.
1 In thee, O LORD, have I waited; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in thy righteousness.
2 Incline thine ear unto me; deliver me speedily; be thou my strong rock, for a house of defence to save me.
When God’s people enter into maturity and begin to produce great quality and quantity of the fruit of righteousness, the Enemy will come against them with everything he has. The number thirty has to do with coming to maturity and fruitfulness, and the number thirty-one (a prime number) symbolizes what happens after maturation. In the face of the Enemy’s onslaught, our only hope is to cry out to the Lord for deliverance.
3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake thou shalt lead me and guide me.
Our only hope for making it through the dangerous and troublesome times ahead is for the Lord to be our rock and fortress and for him, according to his nature, to lead us and guide us.
4 Thou shalt pull me out of the net that they have laid in secret for me; for thou art my strength.
The net that the enemy has laid in secret for us is so subtle and deadly that only the Lord can pull us out of it. The “net” can take many forms as the enemy attempts to lure us out of the straight and narrow path that God has set before us. Fortunately, God is very faithful and even if we make honest mistakes he will pull us out of the net that the enemy has laid in secret to trap us.
5 Into thy hand shall I commit my spirit;148 thou shalt ransom me, O LORD God of truth.
6 I have hated those that regard lying vanities; but I wait in the LORD.
When we are in trouble, it is best for us to not struggle on our own against the Enemy. We must place everything in God’s hands and wait in the Lord. It is necessary for us to be prompted by him every time we make a move.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities
8 and hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; thou hast set my feet in a wide place.
David knew what it was to repeatedly land in serious trouble, to face the danger of being shut up into the hand of his enemies. Yet he had also experienced what happens when God sets our feet in a “wide place” where we are no longer hemmed in, where we can see the enemy coming in time to prepare defenses, and where the enemy is no longer able to ambush us by surprise. Even so, David recognized he was still in trouble and needed God’s mercy.
9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: my eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
10 For my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing: my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
Our “eye” has to do with our outlook, plans, and ambitions. Our “soul” in our natural state represents our life, and our “belly” signifies our appetites. God wants us to be willing to give up our own life, for only when we reach that point can he change our natural appetites from the inside so that we can live his life with appetites that are in line with his will. Our own life is spent with grief and [our] years with sighing. Iniquity (hidden sin, including selfish goals and ambitions) causes our strength to fail and consumes our “bones” (our basic structure and foundation).
When God changes our heart, we find that we are open to receiving his desires, and we begin to feel the way he does about sin and iniquity. This will soon cause a radical change in our behavior. David continues:
11 I was a reproach among all my enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to my acquaintances: those that see me without flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I have become like a lost vessel.
For those whom the Lord leads along the way of the cross, there will undoubtedly be many times when we will identify with David’s words: I was a reproach among all my enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to my acquaintances. In such times, God uses adversity to deal profoundly with the old man and the old nature. We often seem to become isolated from everyone we know. This process will continue as we yield to the Holy Spirit until we are completely dead to sin (Romans 6:1–8). Soon even our neighbors and acquaintances may hold us in reproach and distance themselves from us because they fear that if they continue to associate with us, this type of adversity will hit them next. Despite such trials, we are commanded not only to love our neighbor like our own self, but also to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.149
13 For I have heard the slander of many; fear was on every side; while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
In charity [which is the type of love exemplified by God] there is no fear; but charity that is perfect casts out fear; because fear has torment; from which he that fears is not complete in charity (1 John 4:18).
14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD; I said, Thou art my God.
15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those that persecute me.
When we place our trust in the Lord instead of in anything or anyone else, then our times are in his hand. God has special appointed times at which certain events will take place (Genesis 1:14).150
16 Make thy face to shine upon thy slave; save me for thy mercies’ sake.
By calling himself God’s slave, David makes it clear that he belongs to God. Hired servants are paid a salary and can quit, while slaves have an owner who provides for their needs. David is counting on the sure mercies of God for his provision and to make his house secure.151
17 Let me not be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon thee; let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be cut off for Sheol.
In the end, it is the wicked and not the righteous who will be ashamed. When the wicked are cut off and die, they go to Sheol (Psalm 9:17) until the time of final judgment (Revelation 20:13–15). At that time, Sheol152 will deliver up her dead, and anyone not found written in the Book of Life shall be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
Satan is a liar and the father of it (John 8:44). In the end, all liars will find their place in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8), and whoever loves lies and tells them shall be excluded from the City of God (Revelation 22:15). Therefore, all lying lips will eventually be put to silence.
19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for those that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for those that wait in thee before the sons of men!
20 Thou shalt keep them in the secret place of thy face from the pride of man; thou shalt keep them in the tabernacle protected from the strife of tongues.
The secret place of God’s face is the realm represented by the holy of holies and the tabernacle of David. In the secret place of direct dealings of God, he will keep us from the pride of man and protect us from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD, for he has shown me his marvellous mercy in a strong city.
22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes; nevertheless thou hast heard the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
This is the fourth time that the word “mercy” is used in this psalm. The Lord has shown David his marvellous mercy.
23 O love the LORD, all ye his merciful ones, for the LORD preserves the faithful and plentifully rewards the proud doer.
Jesus promised, Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7).
24 Be of good courage and strengthen your hearts, all ye that wait in the LORD.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, may we become more and more conscious of the historic moment in which we live and of our desperate need for your mercy while we wait and trust in you. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
****
145 Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8.
146 It is probable that the six thousand years began when Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden. If this is truly the case, none of us knows exactly when 6000 years will be up. However, the serpent knows because he was there. Satan is getting increasingly paranoid, knowing that he is running out of time and has not been able to consolidate his kingdoms due to the basic fact that all his minions tend to hate one another.
147 For further encouragement, read Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28.
148 In Luke 23:46, it appears that Jesus died quoting this phrase from David’s psalm.
149 When David returned from the wilderness as king of Judah (and then of all Israel), many of his mighty men were actually Gentiles who had responded to David’s love and upright character and had gone on to become mighty warriors in the army of God (2 Samuel 23:8–39; 1 Chronicles 11:26–37).
150 The phrase “appointed time(s)” occurs thirteen times in Scripture. The number thirteen has to do with the kingdom of God. For example, David received the kingdom at the set time (Psalm 102:13), and Jesus Christ will return in power and glory at a set time known only to the Father (Matthew 24:36).
151 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an eternal covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David (Isaiah 55:3). I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thy handmaid, for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house because my lord fights the battles of the LORD, and evil has not been found in thee all thy days (1 Samuel 25:28).
152 Hades in Greek.
Chapter 32.
Thirty-two may be factored as two times sixteen (doubling down on God’s plans for us or rejecting them), as four times eight (whether God imputes iniquity or righteousness to us), or as two to the fourth power (symbolic of the life-or-death consequences of choices). The number thirty-two is used eight times in Scripture.
The first use is when Reu (meaning “friend of God”), after living for thirty-two years, begat Serug (“shoot”), who was the great-grandfather of Abraham (Genesis 11:20– 26). This happened after the confusion of languages at the tower of Babel.
The second use is found in the record of the children of Israel’s miraculous defeat of the Midianites without losing a man. They took a great spoil, including thirty-two thousand virginal women. The tribute for the Lord from this spoil was thirty-two persons (Numbers 31:40).
The third and fourth usages occur when Benhadad, the king of Syria, accompanied by thirty-two other kings, attacked Ahab, the king of Israel. God delivered Israel (1 Kings 20:1, 16). Benhadad subsequently replaced the thirty-two kings with professional captains, but God delivered Israel again.
The fifth use is when the king of Syria made war against Israel and ordered those thirty-two captains to target only the king of Israel (1 Kings 22:31). During this battle, Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, miraculously escaped death, but King Ahab was killed, and Israel defeated.
Finally, there are three references to the fact that wicked Jehoram (married to Ahab’s daughter), the son of righteous Jehoshaphat, was thirty-two years old when he began to reign in Jerusalem.153 Jehoram reigned eight years and then died, God having smitten his bowels with an incurable disease.
Psalm 32
A Psalm of David, Maschil.154
1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile.
To sin is to transgress or go against the word of the Lord. Iniquity is when the person knows they have sinned but attempts to hide it. If there is no guile in our spirit, if we are perfectly honest with God, then he will forgive our sin and not impute iniquity155 to us (1 John 1:9).
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my green growth is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
Anyone with a functional conscience who belongs to God and keeps silent about sin will come under extreme conviction. They will feel the heavy hand of God on them continually, to such an extent that it affects their very foundation and structure. As David put it, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. David also knew that sin would virtually annul or dry up anything new that he attempted to do for God: my green growth is turned into the drought of summer.
The word “selah” is believed to be an instruction to the reader to stop and contemplate what has just been said. It also may have been an indication to the music leader to repeat the stanza.
5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and I have not hid my iniquity. I said, I will confess (against myself) my rebellions unto the LORD, and thou shalt forgive the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Note that sin is going against the Word of the Lord (whether we are aware of what the Lord has said or not), and iniquity is known sin that is being hidden. Rebellion is when a person fights against God and blatantly continues in sin.
6 For this shall every one that is merciful pray unto thee in the time when thou may be found; surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come near unto him. When God forgives us and shows us mercy, he expects us to learn that we are to forgive others and show them mercy as well (Matthew 6:14–15). This will ensure that in the floods of great waters (that is, in the time of judgment), we will be safe.
7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
The only safe place for any of us is to be hidden in the life of God. Therefore, it is wise to place our own life on the altar, since God alone can preserve us from trouble and surround us with songs of deliverance. The songs or psalms with which God surrounded David are not about David or David’s great exploits; they are about God, and about how we can be safe and secure in him.
The power and presence of God were so strong in and upon David that God’s answer to his prayer immediately tumbles out of his mouth:
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will fix mine eyes upon thee.
To be instructed and taught directly from the Lord is grace. If he fixes his eyes upon us, this is grace. Here is the path to wisdom and understanding. In order for us to be able to repent and turn from sin in any of its forms, grace is a necessity.
9 Be ye not as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in subjection with bit and bridle, or they will not come near unto thee.
The iron bit and bridle represent law, which applies to those who are as the horse or mule; in comparison to humans, they have no understanding.
10 There are many sorrows for the wicked; but he that waits in the LORD, mercy shall compass him round about.
Those who wait in the Lord allow him to order their steps. They will be surrounded with mercy, and will escape the many sorrows that are in store for the wicked.
11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, ye righteous, and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
Those who desire to be upright in heart must begin by being honest with God, approaching him without guile. It is only as God purifies our hearts that we will experience true joy.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, may we learn from the experiences of others such as David. May we come to you in sincerity, and yield our hearts to your commands. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
****
153 2 Kings 8:17; 2 Chronicles 21:5, 20.
154 “Masquil” means “for understanding.”
155 Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness (James 2:23).
Chapter 33.
Thirty-three is eleven (which signifies Christ) times three (which relates to fruitfulness). Therefore, thirty-three has to do with the fruitfulness of the resurrection life of Christ. Jesus Christ was about thirty-three years of age when he was about to face his own physical death, and he said at that time: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit (John 12:24).
The number thirty-three is used seven times in Scripture. When Jacob arrived in Egypt to live with his favorite son, Joseph, who had become the prince of Egypt (and is a type of Jesus Christ), the number of the sons of Israel who accompanied him to Egypt was sixty-six. Thirty-three of these were children of Leah – her sons, daughters, and grandchildren (Genesis 46:15, 26).156 Later, David reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem over all Israel. In the temple described by Ezekiel, which is larger inside than outside, the chambers were one over another, and thirty-three by order (Ezekiel 41:6). Ezekiel’s temple points to us as the temple and house of God. We are the body of Christ, which expands according to the fruitfulness of the life of Christ.
Psalm 33
1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous, for to the upright praise is beautiful.
2 Celebrate unto the LORD with harp; sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
In many places today, some think that praise and worship are done with excellent musicians and a powerful sound system, regardless of where they obtain the musicians.157 The writer of this psalm, however, specifies that to the upright praise is beautiful.
3 Sing unto him a new song; play unto excellence with joy.
Those who are unclean and who have not been redeemed cannot sing the new song. Only those who have been redeemed from the earth may learn this song (Revelation 14:3), for the redeemed operate in the fruitfulness of the life of Christ.
Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Therefore, the new song played unto excellence with joy will not come forth in places reeking of human control, even though to the undiscerning the music may seem mesmerizing and contagious.158
4 For the word of the LORD is right, and all his works are done in truth.
5 He loves righteousness and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the LORD.
In order for the word of the Lord to flow unhindered, ensuring that all his works in and through us are done in truth, we must have discernment from the Holy Spirit. This will enable us to stay clean and avoid the error of legalism on one hand and the error of licentiousness on the other. Fortunately, even though God loves righteousness and judgment, the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord. In other words, God will not allow us to sink due to an ingenuous or perhaps even foolish mistake, although the results of our error may turn out to be extremely painful.
6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
Some people seem to take the universe’s miraculous creation for granted, but when you think about it, the psalmist has made a pretty amazing statement.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; he lays up the deeps for treasures.
When the Lord gathers the waters of the sea together, he exposes the dry land or earth. He did this at the beginning of creation and again when the children of Israel went through the Red Sea on dry land. God has deep treasures that are past finding out, but he may reveal these things to us when he chooses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
In our day, all the earth does not seem to fear the Lord. Nor do all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. This may be due to many factors, such as the basic selfishness of mankind, and the fact that he has never really commissioned many of those who claim to be his representatives. The present state of affairs, however, is about to change – radically.
9 For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it came into being.
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the Gentiles to nought; he makes the devices of the peoples of no effect.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Jesus said, Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away (Mark 13:31). The counsel of the Gentiles and the devices of the peoples fail to comprehend God’s plans for the future, which culminate in new heavens and a new earth, in which dwells righteousness (2 Peter 3:13). There will also be a new man – a new kind of human – to inhabit the new heavens and the new earth. The new man begins with Jesus Christ. He is the firstfruits of the new creation and the firstborn among many brethren who share his life (Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:23).
12 Blessed is the people whose God is the LORD; the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.
God makes sovereign choices, but he has also given us the ability to make decisions. Thus, it is possible for us to choose the Lord as our God;159 and for him to choose us as his own inheritance.
13 The LORD looked from heaven; he saw all the sons of Adam.
14 From the place of his habitation he looked upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15 He fashioned all of their hearts; he considers all their works.
God, our creator, sees everything about all the inhabitants of the earth. But in our natural state, the presence of God is veiled from us.
16 The king is not saved by the multitude of the army; the mighty man does not escape by much strength.
17 A horse is a vain thing for salvation; neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those that fear him, upon those that wait for his mercy
19 to deliver their souls from death and to keep them alive in the famine.
No matter how strong, gifted, or capable we may be, salvation and deliverance only come from the Lord. If we fear him and wait for his mercy, he will deliver our souls from death and keep them alive in the coming famine. Behold, the days come, said the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine to the earth, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD (Amos 8:11).
This prophesied famine has already begun. Those who fear God and remain connected to the life of Jesus Christ will have nothing to fear. On the other hand, those who are not connected to the proper source will find that their “lamps soon go out” when they run out of “oil”, just as the unprepared virgins did while waiting for the bridegroom in Jesus’s parable (Matthew 25:8).
20 Our soul waited for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
21 Therefore our heart shall rejoice in him because we have trusted in the name of his holiness.
22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we have waited upon thee.
Let us pray.
Lord, this message is clear and unforgettable. We long for the moment when your word is fulfilled. Grant us patience to wait for you, and may your mercy be upon us. Amen.
****
156 Under the law, if a woman gave birth to a male child, she was unclean for seven days. On the eighth day, the child was to be circumcised. After that, the woman was to continue in her purification for thirty-three days. If a woman gave birth to a female child, she was unclean for fourteen days, followed by sixty-six days of purification (Leviticus 12:2–5). Under the law, everything having to do with natural reproduction is unclean (since we are born into spiritual darkness and soon discover that we are slaves to the flesh and sin and are subject to death). Therefore, the only way for us to be truly clean is in the life of Jesus Christ, the living Word of God.
157 Some of whom are paid and who leave before the preaching begins, since they were only contracted to play and sing at the Sunday morning worship service after having other unclean gigs during the rest of the week.
158 Planning ahead is wise. However, implementing organizational growth strategies, management styles, or personal goals that require the Spirit to conform his work to our predetermined ideas of what he should be doing is a bad idea. When we do this, we hinder the joy and liberty that should characterize individuals and communities whose life is in Christ. We stifle the creativity – the new song – of the Spirit, who wishes to manifest his presence and power in the world through his people. The Spirit’s life and work are ones of joyful, artistic excellence. We participate in this divine artistry when we allow God to shape our lives and efforts, instead of trying to force God to conform himself to our plans.
159 Deuteronomy 28:2, 30:19; Matthew 5:3–12.
Chapter 34.
Thirty-four is two times seventeen (which has to do with intimate and sincere prayer, or communion with God in times of serious trouble or judgment). The number thirty-four is only used once in Scripture,160 when Eber161 (meaning “the region beyond”) lived thirty-four years and begat Peleg (meaning “division,” for in his days the earth was divided). Eber was the last of the long-lived patriarchs.162
Psalm 34
A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech;163 who drove him away, and he departed.
1 Aleph I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Many of us have sung this without realizing that David wrote this couplet after pretending to be insane when he was taken to the court of King Achish (meaning “serpent charmer”), his arch enemy (1 Samuel 21:10–15).
2 Beth My soul shall glory in the LORD; the meek shall hear of this, and be glad.
After David feigned himself a fool by scrabbling on the doors of the gate and letting his spittle fall down into his beard, King Achish drove him away. David was able to escape to the cave of Adullam, which means “place of rest or justice of the people” (1 Samuel 22:1). David, however, did not care if his enemies thought he was a fool. He said, My soul shall glory in the LORD. Jesus also did some rather strange things with his spittle, and on at least one occasion he scribbled on the ground. Satan had to have thought that Jesus was a fool, and this belief caused Satan to underestimate him.
David continues by saying that the meek shall hear of this and be glad. The meek are those who can be relied on to submit to their master no matter what the circumstances. David goes on to make it clear that it was really God who got him out of such a dangerous predicament; his escape was not due to any remarkable astuteness on his own part.
3 Gimel O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4 Daleth I sought the LORD, and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears.
David was not alone when this happened. Young men were with him (1 Samuel 21:5). David addressed his companions: O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together (emphasis added). He was not only delivered from his enemies but was also delivered from all of his fears.
5 He They looked unto him and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed.
This would not be the last remarkable escape that David and his men would have over the next twelve or thirteen years. Even in the midst of severe persecution and tribulation, God can ensure that the faces of his special people are never ashamed (that in the long run our enemies are never able to triumph over us).
6 Vau This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
Note that the number seventeen has to do with intimate and sincere prayer in the midst of great difficulty, and the number thirty-four doubles down on this. David likely wrote this psalm after having escaped from the court of Achish into the cave of Adullam, where he saw that the Lord had delivered him from all his fears and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 Zain The angel of the LORD encamps round about those that fear him and delivers them.
As you may remember, Elisha was also confident of the Lord’s care. However, his servant was unable to see the supernatural army of God until Elisha prayed for his eyes to be opened (2 Kings 6:17). May God open our spiritual eyes.
8 Cheth O taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man that shall trust in him.
In order to taste and see that the LORD is good, we must be in direct communion with him like what happened with David in the tabernacle that he pitched for the ark. This is in a realm far beyond that of hearing about him from other people. In fact, there are many who claim to hear the voice of the Lord yet are unable to actually taste and see.
9 Teth O fear the LORD, ye his saints; for those that fear him lack nothing.
Fear, in this context, means the highest degree of respect.
10 Jod The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but those that seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Young lions are swift and powerful and seem majestic, but they are not mature (same word as “perfect” in Hebrew). Young lions lack food and are hungry; in fact, their entire life is focused on appeasing their hunger. On the other hand, those who seek the Lord instead of relying on their own capacity shall not lack any good thing. Quite a promise!
11 Caph Come, ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Early in life, our children need to be taught the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. The best way to teach this is by example.
12 Lamed Who is the man that desires life and loves many days that he may see good?
13 Mem Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14 Nun Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Written at the beginning of David’s many years in the wilderness, this psalm reflects deep knowledge of Scripture (particularly the book of Job) and of the character of God. David would now practice these truths over and over, even as his enemies did everything possible to bring him down.
15 Samech The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
The Lord loves the righteous and delights in communing with them. He watches over them continually, and his ears are always tuned in to hear when they cry to him.
16 Ain The anger of the LORD is against those that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 Pe The righteous cried out, and the LORD heard and delivered them out of all their troubles.
Not only does the Lord watch over the righteous and hear when they cry to him, but the anger of the LORD is against those that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. One of the reasons why it seems that we must wait so long for deliverance is because in his judgments, God goes by the fruit (good or evil) that each person produces. This fruit may take time to develop.
18 Tzaddi The LORD is near unto those that are of a broken heart and saves such as are of a contrite spirit.
David escaped to the cave of Abdullam; and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And every one that was in distress and every one that was in debt and all whose souls were bitter gathered themselves unto him, and he became the captain over them (1 Samuel 22:1–2).
David had the heart of a shepherd, and he is described as a man after God’s own heart. It seems that quite a few “black sheep” gathered to him along with his “brethren.” David excelled in ministering to the down-and-out because he was in communion with God’s heart. This was all part of the training God put him through before giving him the kingdom. We should be aware that if we are to reign and rule with Christ, God may see fit to give us similar training.
19 Koph Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD shall deliver him out of them all,
20 Resh keeping all his bones;164 not one of them shall be broken.
This beautiful psalm David wrote to inspire his men is also messianic because it applies to Jesus and the body of Christ. The apostle John (who was apparently the only disciple to stand at the foot of the cross and witness Jesus’s death) wrote: For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken (John 19:36).
21 Schin Evil shall slay the wicked; and those that hate the righteous shall be declared guilty.
The wicked, who all thought it was a good idea to kill Jesus, did themselves in. Those who hate the righteous continue to rage against the members of the body of Christ, as they have done for millennia. However, we are rapidly approaching the time when all the prophecies of this psalm will be fulfilled.
22 Tau The LORD ransoms the soul of his slaves, and none of those that trust in him shall be declared guilty.
The slaves of the Lord belong to him. We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren (1 John 3:14). If we belong to God and live in close trust and fellowship with Jesus, and if we love our siblings in Christ, we will never be declared guilty (that is, we will not be condemned in the judgment).
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we pray that by the Holy Spirit we may understand the times in which we are living, and that we might receive continual instruction and guidance from you. When Jesus returns, may we be found faithful with whatever you have entrusted to us. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
****
160 Thirty-four is also a component of a larger number, which sums up the 22,034 descendants of Bela (meaning “destruction,” such as the total destruction of an enemy), son of Benjamin (meaning “son of the right hand,” i.e., the hand of power and authority). The number of these descendants was recorded when they received their inheritance by Joshua in the promised land (1 Chronicles 7:6–7). They are described as being mighty men of valor. Notably, Psalm 34 consists of twenty-two couplets, each beginning with one of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. These are the letters used to write the Word of God. Since in Scripture one thousand is symbolic of perfection, the number thirty-four is linked to the perfect Word of God (twenty-two times one thousand) as well as to mighty men of valor who live in communion with God.
161 Shem is known in Scripture as the father of all the sons of Eber and as the elder brother of Japheth (Genesis 10:21). This is another confirmation that the godly line of the seed of the woman who would bruise the head of the serpent went from Noah, to Shem, and on down the line through Eber.
162 Eber lived a total of 464 years, but his son Peleg only lived to the age of 239. Eber died thirty years after Shem, who lived 600 years and died 502 years after the flood. Shem was 390 years old when Abram (later Abraham) was born, 490 when Isaac was born, and 550 when Jacob was born. (Isaac died at age 180 and was sixty when Esau and Jacob were born.) Therefore, Shem died when Jacob was fifty (and Isaac was 110), and Eber died when Jacob was eighty (and Isaac was 140). Peleg died when Abram was forty-eight (fifty-two years before the birth of Isaac).
163 Abimelech (meaning “my father is king”) was the title of the Philistine kings in Gath. It was not the king’s personal name.
164 The term “bones,” in a spiritual sense, refers to foundation and structure. None of the “bones” of the foundation or structure that God has designed for his righteous people will ever be broken.
Chapter 35.
Thirty-five is five times seven. Five is linked to mercy and grace, while seven is linked to rest, completion, and peace. Thirty-five, therefore, symbolizes the full or complete effect of mercy and grace, an effect that has to do with peace. The number thirty-five is used five times in Scripture,165 beginning with Arphaxad166 (one of Shem’s sons), who, after living for thirty-five years, begat Salah (meaning “sprout”) (Gene sis 11:12). There are two references to righteous King Jehoshaphat being thirty-five years old when he began to reign over Judah (1 Kings 22:42; 2 Chronicles 20:31). At the entrance to the temple, Solomon made two pillars named Boaz (“only in him is strength”) and Jachin (“the LORD establishes”) respectively, and each pillar was thirty-five cubits tall (2 Chronicles 3:15). Finally, King Asa of Judah had some good years up until year thirty-five of his reign when he began to cool off toward the Lord (2 Chronicles 15:19).
Psalm 35
A Psalm of David.
1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with those that strive with me; fight against those that fight against me.
In his plea to the Lord for grace and mercy, David does not name his natural enemies. Yet God knew who they were, and – to a certain extent – so do we. On a spiritual level, we know that the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other (Galatians 5:17). However, we also know that all things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28).
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up in my help.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against those that persecute me; say unto my soul; I am thy saving health.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul; let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
In the end, God vanquished all David’s enemies. The process took more than fifty years, and the enemy that proved to be the most subtle, tenacious, and dangerous was David’s own flesh. But when David died, he left a legacy of peace.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7 For without cause they have hid their net for me in a pit, which without cause they have dug for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares, and let his net that he has hid catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall.
After many years spent persecuting David with the sword, Saul died – ironically enough – upon his own sword. Something similar is about to happen to Satan and all his cohorts.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; it shall rejoice in his saving health.
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, who delivers the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoils him?
Note the future tense in the above two verses: my soul shall be joyful; it shall rejoice; all my bones shall say. David had prophetic vision that enabled him to see ahead to the promised day of victory. It is also possible for us to be encouraged by seeing things from God’s perspective.
11 False witnesses rose up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good until my soul was alone.
Among the false witnesses was Doeg, the Edomite (the administrator of Saul’s slaves) who caused all the priests but one to be murdered in the priestly city of Nob along with their entire families (1 Samuel 22:18–23).
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer rose up in my bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns for his mother.
David was genuinely concerned for all his former friends who had turned on him. Even when he learned Saul was dead, David did not rejoice. Instead, he mourned and sought to give Saul a decent burial.
15 But in my adversity they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; yea, the smiters gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they tore me apart and did not cease:
16 With immature hypocritical mockers, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Restore my soul from their destructions, my life from the lions.
The adversity David faced went on for what seemed to him to be a very long time. Thus it has been over the lengthy history of God’s people. There have always been and continue to be many who would smite and tear us apart while mocking and gnashing at us with their teeth.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise thee among many people.
Note again the future tense. Even in the midst of serious trials and tribulations, David anticipates the day when God’s grace and mercy will be complete. Therefore, he announces: I will give thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise thee among many people.
19 Let not those that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those that hate me wink with the eye without a cause.
20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful matters against those that are meek in the land.
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me and said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.
If our enemies are also God’s enemies, he has a powerful incentive to get directly involved. He will not let them wrongfully rejoice over us.
22 This thou hast seen, O LORD; do not keep silence; O Lord, do not be far from me.
23 Stir up thyself and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
David is not afraid of being judged by God. In asking God to intervene and judge his enemies, David is willing to be held to the same standard.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it; let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at my hurt; let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
David did not take the law into his own hands against Saul or against any of those who bore false witness against him. He did not even gossip about them. He did, however, make some very specific requests to the Lord about what he desired the results of God’s intervention to be.
27 Let them shout for joy and be glad that favour my righteous cause; let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the peace of his slave.
28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. Many, if not most, of the subjects of King Saul were undoubtedly cheering David on. Similarly, Scripture mentions a great cloud of witnesses encouraging us as we press in to the fullness of the call of God upon our lives (Hebrews 12:1–2). When we are persecuted and oppressed and go through trials and tribulations, or when we pray and intercede for someone who is going through this type of trouble, let’s meditate on David’s advice: Let them shout for joy and be glad that favour my righteous cause; let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the peace of his slave.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, may your mercy and grace lead us to your peace so that you may be magnified. Amen.
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165 It also occurs five times as a component of a larger number (Numbers 1:37, 2:23; Ezra 2:67; Nehemiah 7:69; Daniel 12:12).
166 “Arphaxad” is of uncertain meaning, but the first part of this name may have to do with a secure place of rest. Arphaxad was born two years after the flood when his righteous father, Shem, was a hundred years old. One hundred is symbolic of the plan of God. Arphaxad was the first generation born after the flood, and I would expect that Noah, Shem, and their wives would have given him a name that showed their gratitude to God for his grace and mercy in sparing their families.
Chapter 36.
Thirty-six is two times eighteen (the judgments of God and the responsibility of man). It is also six times six, or six squared. Although six in the positive sense can relate to mankind’s good choices (such as desiring to become part of the new man in Christ), in the negative sense it can symbolize the pride or depravity of the natural man. Thirty-six is also three times twelve, and twelve is linked to the fruitfulness of divine order (which we can find only when God directs our steps) or to continuing along the natural way of man and beast. The first part of this psalm lines up with the negative meaning of six squared, and then the theme switches to the positive meaning of twelve times three. There is, however, another possibility: thirty-six may also be factored as four times nine (symbolic of divine judgment). This is how the chapter ends. The number thirty-six only occurs twice in Scripture.167 When Achan sinned at Jericho and caused a breach to come upon Israel, thirty-six men were slain at Ai when Israel was defeated (Joshua 7:5). Also, it was in the year thirty-six of the reign of King Asa that circumstances took a serious turn for the worse (2 Chronicles 16:1).
Psalm 36
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David the slave of the LORD.
1 The rebellion of the wicked saith to my heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes until his iniquity is found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit; he has left off to be wise and to do good.
4 He devises iniquity upon his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not abhor evil.
Who do you think are the wicked to whom David is referring? Could he be referring to those who belonged to the pagan Gentile nations surrounding Israel? Is he referring to rebellious, wicked people within Israel who were doing everything they could to slander him, track him down, and destroy him? Or are both of the above true?
I think David is speaking of anyone who rejects God and refuses to allow the Lord to order their steps. For the steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and he delights in his way (Psalm 37:23).
5 Thy mercy, O LORD, reaches unto the heavens, and thy truth reaches unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God; thy judgments are a great deep; O LORD, thou dost preserve man and beast.
7 How excellent is thy mercy, O God! therefore the sons of Adam cover themselves in the shadow of thy wings.
In order to cover ourselves in the shadow of God’s wings, we must allow him to order our steps and submit to his authority and government.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9 For with thee is the fountain of life; in thy light shall we see light.
There is no fountain of life outside of God.
There is no light but his light. Everything else is darkness and leads to death. David was obviously experiencing the realm of the direct presence of the glory of God while writing this psalm.
10 Extend thy mercy unto those that know thee and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
If we know God, we can ask with confidence that he extend his mercy to us. If we are upright in heart, we can ask him to extend his righteousness. If he extends his mercy and righteousness to us, his wings will cover us. Then, our hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied by the fatness of his house, and we will drink from the river of his pleasures, which flows from his throne.
11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen; they are cast down and shall not be able to rise.
Pride is a terrible thing. Almost all those who are caught up in pride are unaware that they are snared in this way. Religious or spiritual pride is most dangerous. When the foot of pride creeps in, we are susceptible to being removed by the hand of the wicked. It is pride that brings down the workers of iniquity, and when they are cast down (and revealed for what they really are), they will not be able to rise, either in man’s eyes or in God’s.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we join with David in his request: Extend thy mercy unto those that know thee and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Let not the foot of pride come against me and let not the hand of the wicked remove me. Amen.
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167 Thirty-six also occurs five times as a component of a larger number (Numbers 31:38, 44; 1 Chronicles 7:4; Ezra 2:66; Nehemiah 7:68).
Chapter 37.
Thirty-seven is a prime number occurring in four Scriptures.168 The first usage is when David’s mighty men were thirty-seven in all (2 Samuel 23:39), many of whom were not native Israelites. Thirty-seven seems to be used in a negative sense when evil King Jehoash began to reign over Israel in the thirty-seventh year of Joash, King of Judah (2 Kings 13:10). The number also appears twice in reference to the captivity of Jehoiachin, another king of Judah.
The central theme of Psalm 37 and, therefore, of the number thirty-seven, has to do with who will inherit the earth and who will be cut off. The phrase inherit the earth occurs in seven Scriptures, five of which are in this psalm. The phrase cut off also occurs five times in this psalm.
Psalm 37
A Psalm of David.
1 Aleph Do not be angry with the evildoers, neither be thou envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb.
Instead of being angry with the evildoers or envious of the workers of iniquity, we should be anxious to evangelize them before it is too late. This attitude inspires evangelism.
3 Beth Wait in the LORD and do good; live in the land and uphold the truth.
4 In the same manner delight thyself in the LORD, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart.
5 Gimel Turn thy way unto the LORD and wait in him, and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy uprightness as the noonday.
The certainty of divine vindication is why we have maintained our presence in some extremely turbulent places and refused to evacuate, even when repeatedly threatened, because the Lord has publicly certified our character.
7 Daleth Be silent before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not be angry with him who prospers in his way, with the man who brings wicked devices to pass.
8 He Cease from anger and forsake wrath: let not thy wrath in any wise cause you to become evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off; but those that wait for the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
This is an extremely important lesson for any of us to learn. In the psalms of David, we find many quotes from the book of Job. It seems that David picked up on the circumstances and consequences of Elihu’s wrath in Job 32 to 37.
David, under the inspiration of God’s Spirit, strongly cautions us against ever continuing in anger or wrath. Cease from anger and forsake wrath is a very forceful command with an equally vigorous follow-up line: let not thy wrath in any wise cause you to become evil. Wrath, like vengeance, is extremely dangerous and best left entirely in the hands of the Lord. This Scriptural warning would not be so clear if there were not the distinct possibility that unchecked anger and wrath could make us evil. James would put it like this: Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God (James 1:19–20). David understood this perfectly.
10 Vau For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be; thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth169 and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Over three thousand years ago, David, by the Spirit, had clear understanding of the future kingdom of God.
12 Zain The wicked plots against the just and gnashes upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.
It might not be wise for us to laugh at the wicked too soon (and when we are in trouble, we may not feel like laughing), but the day of the Lord is coming, and on that day, the Lord is definitely going to laugh at the wicked. What is more, verses such as Psalm 52:6 indicate that the righteous will join in this laughter.
14 He The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as are of upright conversation.170
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bow shall be broken.
King Saul experienced the literal meaning of these words, which are prophetic of what happens (and will happen) to those who follow his bad example.
16 Tet A little that a righteous man has is better than the many riches of the sinners.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18 Jod The LORD knows the days of the perfect,171 and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
What is the evil time, and when are the days of famine? There have been “evil times” and “days of famine” throughout history. Yet at the time of the end there will be a grand finale – an all-out conflict between good and evil and between light and darkness – that will be on a scale far greater than anything anyone has experienced until now. The righteous, however, shall never be moved (Psalm 15).
20 Caph But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD as the fattest of rams shall be consumed; as smoke they shall fade away.
“The wicked” and “the enemies of the Lord” are synonymous.
21 Lamed The wicked borrows and does not repay: but the righteous shows mercy and gives.
22 For such as are blessed of him shall inherit the earth, and those that are cursed of him shall be cut off.
Being blessed by the righteous is not optional if we are to inherit the earth, but the only man who is truly righteous is Jesus Christ, who is also God. If we are considered to be righteous, it is because our righteousness is in him, and his life dominates our being by the Holy Spirit.
23 Mem The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and he delights in his way.
24 Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the LORD upholds him with his hand
It is not possible for us to be good unless the Lord orders our steps. If we allow him to do so, then we will at least be pointed in the right direction. The basic orientation of our heart will be right before God, even if we stumble into a trap and fall. David, unlike Saul,172 was promised “sure mercies;”173 for him and for his descendants, which was up to and including the everlasting kingdom and throne of Jesus Christ.174
25 Nun I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful and lends, and his seed is a blessing.
27 Samech Depart from evil, and do good, and thou shalt live for evermore.
28 For the LORD loves uprightness and does not forsake his merciful ones; they are preserved for ever, but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
David was one of God’s merciful ones. Jesus himself declared: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7). In this psalm, mercy is linked to David’s messianic “seed” being a blessing and is connected to eternal life. Mercifulness – or the lack of it – was probably one of the most crucial differences between Saul and David. David spent his life showing mercy. Even as a lad, he was merciful to his sheep, being willing to risk his life to kill a lion or bear that threatened his flock. When he grew older, David was merciful to his men, and the most competent and qualified fighting men flocked to his side (some of whom were considered black sheep, outcasts, or even Gentiles by politically correct society). David was merciful even to his enemies, and avoided putting them down in public. (He did, however, ask God to deal with them, and God did.) Yet despite his abundant mercy, David was not weak. He loved to defend the underdog. Consider how he stood up to Goliath, who mocked the entire nation of Israel and, therefore, mocked God.
29 Ain The righteous shall inherit the earth and live upon it for ever.
David was aware, by the Spirit, that there would be a resurrection and that the righteous shall inherit the earth and live upon it for ever. What a revelation!
30 Pe The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue brings forth judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; therefore none of his steps shall slide.
David knew by experience that if the law of our God is firmly in our heart, and if out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34–35), then the mouth of the righteous will speak wisdom and his tongue will bring forth judgment. This is ultimately speaking of Jesus Christ and of all those whose lives are hid in him.
32 Tzaddi The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to slay him.
33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Koph Wait on the LORD and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the earth; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
This is the fifth and final occurrence of the phrase inherit the earth in this psalm. We will see the wicked…cut off.
When will the wicked be cut off? When will the meek inherit the earth? In the day of the Lord.
When is the day of the Lord? The day of the Lord is the seventh day (but to the Lord a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years are as a day).175 We are getting closer and closer to entering the seventh millennium since the fall of man. What will happen at the beginning of the day of the Lord? The first resurrection will take place, and those whom God chooses will reign with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4–6).
35 Resh I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, behold, he was not: I sought him, but he could not be found.
Have you seen the wicked in great power? Have you seen him spreading himself like a green bay tree? I have. Yet I have also noticed that evil men and women do not seem to last very long. Vicious mafia figures, terrorists, powerful and corrupt politicians, evil business people (and celebrities) who are filthy rich, and even petty criminals and dishonest neighbors seem to come and go.
37 Schin Mark the perfect, and behold the upright, for the end of each one of them is peace.
38 But the rebels were destroyed all together; the wicked were cut off in the end.
This statement is both amazing and true.176 And yes, we believe that in the end, the rebels will be destroyed and the wicked cut off, even though we continue to face serious trouble.
39 Tau But the salvation of the righteous is the LORD; he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the LORD helped them and delivers them; he shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they wait in him.
This was David’s experience, and it has also been ours.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we desire to be among the meek that will inherit the earth, even while those who are evil will be cut off. We ask that you will deal with any blemish that may be in our hearts, so we will qualify for the fullness of our inheritance in Christ. Amen.
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168 Thirty-seven also occurs eight times as a component of a larger number.
169 The phrase “the meek” is found in seven Scriptures, as is the phrase “inherit the earth.” The two phrases appear together only twice in Scripture – here, and when Jesus quotes David in his famous beatitude: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).
170 “Upright conversation” in Old English means “upright behavior.”
171 As previously noted, “perfect” and “mature” are translations of the same Hebrew word. Perfect fruit in an agricultural context means the fruit has come to maturity and the seeds in the fruit are viable (they may be planted and will reproduce the fruit). In a spiritual sense, the word pertains to the status, intent, and condition of our heart (in relation to bearing the fruit of the Spirit). In this sense, it is possible to have a perfect heart even in our frail human condition. Many people in Scripture are described as having a perfect heart to follow God, while others are chided for not having such a heart. (See Matthew 5:48.)
172 When they were anointed to be king, Saul was herding asses, but David was shepherding sheep. Quite a difference between the two vocations!
173 Isaiah 55:3; Acts 13:34.
174 2 Samuel 7:8–17; 2 Chronicles 21:7.
175 Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8
176 The first time I seriously contemplated this psalm was in the fall of 1983. I had been kidnapped by FARC guerrillas in eastern Colombia on August 14, 1983 and tied to a tree for five months. Eventually, the ropes around my neck and shoulders were lengthened a bit, and I was allowed to write a book (see Rescue the Captors, Ransom Press International, Hollywood, FL). I also received a Bible, and to keep track of the time, I began to read a psalm each day (according to the number of days that I had been held hostage). I read this psalm in late September 1983 and have been reflecting on it ever since. The only two extended families I know who are living in the war zone of eastern Colombia but have not suffered any fatalities are my family and my wife’s family. I attribute this to the fact that we are, to the best of my knowledge, the only two families who have refused to have our enemies assassinated, preferring to leave this in God’s hands. We have refused to convert economic issues into blood feuds, even though much of our property, possessions, and finances have been forfeited. We are still engaged in managing several Christian radio stations in these critical areas, even though our enemies (without and within) bluster, threaten, and then stumble and disappear.
Chapter 38.
Thirty-eight is nineteen times two. Nineteen has to do with God’s law, statutes, commandments, and rights (that completely mark out the path to peace and perfection). In a positive sense, this number depicts the innocent; in a negative sense, it depicts the guilty. The number thirty-eight doubles down on all of this and occurs only four times in Scripture.
The first usage is found in the record of the children of Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness: And the days in which we came from Kadeshbarnea until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty-eight years until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the camp, as the LORD swore unto them. For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the camp until they were consumed (Deuteronomy 2:14–15).
The next two usages are merely references to the fact that two kings (Ahab and Zachariah) each began their rule over Israel after the respective contemporaneous kings of Judah had reigned for thirty-eight years.
The last usage is in the NT: Now in Jerusalem there is a pool by the sheep gate, which in Hebrew is called, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and troubled the water; whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatever disease he had. And a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years (John 5:2–5). When Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath day, the Jews sought to kill him.
Psalm 38
A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.
1 O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presses me sore.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.
David knew he had done something wrong. In this psalm, we do not know if the wrongdoing was the Bathsheba affair or something else. Whatever it was, David knew for sure that he had done something contrary to God’s wishes.
Have you ever been in this position? Many of us have, and I confess that I am no exception. Almost forty years ago, I had a problem that I never want to happen again. Because of this, I have never ceased to be grateful that the words of 1 John 1:9 are true: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
4 For my iniquities are gone over my head; as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.
6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease, and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and sore broken; I roar by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Anyone who has a sensitive conscience will feel this way if they have done something that they have known to be even slightly wrong, and if we consider the thing to be wrong, how does it appear in God’s eyes?
9 Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10 My heart pants, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also is gone from me.
11 My friends and my companions stand aloof from my sore, and my kinsmen stand afar off.
Whatever this wrong action was, even David’s friends, companions, and kinsmen were horrified.
12 Those that seek after my life lay snares for me, and those that seek my hurt speak calamities and imagine deceits all the day long.
Somehow, I do not feel that this psalm is about the Bathsheba-Uriah situation, but rather about some lesser evil (such as Absalom) that David’s enemies tried to magnify.
13 But I, as a deaf man, that heard not, and as a dumb man that did not open his mouth.
14 Thus I was as a man that does not hear, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For thee, O LORD, do I wait; thou wilt respond, O Lord my God.
When we are in leadership, there are times when, if God does not justify us, there is nothing we can do on our own to resolve the situation.
16 For I said, Let them not rejoice over me; let them not magnify themselves against me when my foot slips.
17 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.
18 Therefore I will declare my iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
There was unquestionably a serious reason why David needed to come clean and repent. Fortunately, he did.
David goes on to say:
19 For my enemies are alive, and they are strong, and those that hate me wrongfully are multiplied;
20 rendering evil for good they are against me because I follow that which is good.
Even though David had slipped up in a minor way, or maybe even in a major way, his moral compass was still pointed at that which is good. His enemies were still out there, alive and strong, and those who wrongfully hated him were still multiplying.
Does this sound familiar?
21 Forsake me not, O LORD; O my God, be not far from me.
22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we greatly appreciate the security you provide for us in Christ. Please deal with us as you see fit and bring to light anything in our lives that does not meet with your wholehearted approval. Amen.
Chapter 39.
Thirty-nine is three times thirteen and can symbolize two very different possibilities: 1) the fruit of rebellion, or 2) the fruit of the kingdom of God. The number thirty-nine is used in three Scriptures. The first use is when Shallum,177 a wicked king of Israel, began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of righteous king Uzziah of Judah (2 Kings 15:13). The second use is similar, when wicked king Menahem of Israel began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of righteous king Azariah178 of Judah (2 Kings 15:17). The third and final use is when King Asa of Judah started out well with the Lord but then cooled off in his old age. This decay continued until, in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, he was diseased from his feet up, yet he sought physicians instead of the Lord (2 Chronicles 16:12).
Psalm 39
To the Overcomer, even to Jeduthun,179 A Psalm of David.
1 I said, I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bit while the wicked is against me.
2 I was dumb with silence; I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue,
David refused to shoot off his mouth while under pressure. He did not want to say anything in the heat of the moment that he might regret later. When he did speak, it was to ask the Lord:
4 LORD, make me to know my end and the measure of my days, what it is that I may know how long I am to be of this world.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days as a handbreadth, and my age is as nothing before thee; verily every man that lives is altogether vanity. Selah.
Instead of wasting time in unproductive verbal spats with his enemies, David wanted the Lord to make known to him the overall plan and purpose for his life. Even from a human perspective our time on earth is very short. Apart from God, it will serve no lasting purpose.
6 Surely man walks in darkness; surely they are disquieted in vain; they heap up riches not knowing who shall gather them.
Apart from God, man walks in darkness. When people are stressed out over earthly things, their anxiety is in vain. Many people spend all their energy heaping up temporal riches when they do not even have the vaguest idea who will benefit from them in the end.
7 And now, Lord, what shall I wait for? My hope is in thee.
8 Deliver me from all my rebellions; do not make me the reproach of the foolish.
9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth because thou didst it
If our hope is truly in the Lord, then we will eventually become convinced that he can make us fruitful and productive in his kingdom. However, this will require being delivered from all our rebellions (that is, from any and all of our tendencies to go against God). David did not want to be made the reproach of the foolish. He did not wish his life to bear the fruit of rebellion.
10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.
11 When thou with chastening dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his greatness to consume away like a moth; surely every man is vanity. Selah.
If we are to be delivered from all of our rebellions and amount to anything of eternal value for the kingdom of God, then we must submit to the correction and chastening of God our Father.
12 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
13 O spare me, that I may recover strength before I go from here and be no more.
David knew that he was a stranger and sojourner in this corrupt world, as were all his godly forefathers.180 When he said I am a stranger with thee, I think he meant that he identified with God, who is also a stranger to the world and to its corrupt system. When David, who was apparently being persecuted and hounded from all sides, cried out to God for mercy, his prayer was answered. But it was not answered before God used the trials, tribulations, and persecutions to remove every trace of rebellion from his heart.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, like David, we desire to be delivered from all our rebellions, and corrected so that even the most minute trace of iniquity is completely eradicated from our lives, in order that we might produce the wholesome fruit of righteousness in your kingdom. Amen.
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177 Shallum reigned for one month.
178 Azariah and Uzziah are apparently different names for the same king of Judah.
179 “Jeduthun” means “designated for praise, friendship.
180 David’s great-great-grandfather Salmon (apparently one of the two spies Joshua sent into Jericho) was very likely a godly man. Scripture also extols the virtues of David’s great-grandfather Boaz. From the blessing pronounced upon little Obed (David’s grandfather) when he was born to Ruth and Boaz (with Naomi as his nurse), we can surmise that God had great plans for him as well, and that he rose to the occasion. The godly line continued to Jesse, about whom there is nothing negative in Scripture. So there were at least four godly generations leading up to David, who was known as a man after God’s own heart. David, therefore, was well qualified for the sure mercies of God, which we may also inherit in Christ (Isaiah 55:3–5; Acts 13:32–34).
Chapter 40.
Forty is two times twenty (depicting our responsibility when we embrace or reject the grace of God), or four times ten (God’s Word, or judgments181 from a heavenly perspective), or five times eight (entrance into a higher realm of blessing by the grace and mercy of God). The number forty is used extensively in Scripture in both a positive and a negative sense.182 The first use is when God told Noah: For yet in seven days, I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every substance that I have made I will destroy from off the face of the earth (Genesis 7:4).
Likewise, Moses was in the mount for forty days and forty nights while receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:18).
Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife (Genesis 25:20).
Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri, the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon, the Hittite: Who were bitterness of spirit unto Isaac and to Rebekah (Genesis 26:34–35).
The sons of Israel ate manna forty years (Exodus 16:35).
The tabernacle of Moses was constructed with twenty boards on the south side, which were set in forty sockets of silver (two per board), and another twenty boards on the north side (a total of forty boards) set in another forty sockets of silver (Exodus 26:19–21). This shows how redemption (symbolized by the sockets of silver) relates to human responsibility (symbolized by the two sets of twenty boards) in the light of the number forty (which has to do with the trial of our faith).
The twelve spies Moses sent into Canaan spied out the land for forty days; when the children of Israel failed to enter the promised land due to unbelief, they were sentenced by God to spend forty years wandering in the wilderness until the unbelieving generation (those aged twenty and older) died off (Numbers 14:34).
Joshua was forty years old when Moses sent him to spy out the land (Joshua 14:7).
Goliath challenged Israel for forty days, Samuel judged Israel for forty years, and David reigned for forty years.
The holy place of Solomon’s Temple was forty cubits long (1 Kings 6:17). Elijah fasted for forty days and forty nights when he went to Horeb, the mount of God (1 Kings 19:8). The temple that Ezekiel saw was forty cubits long (Ezekiel 41:2). Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights and was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1–2). Jesus appeared to the apostles for forty days after his resurrection (Acts 1:3).
In the end, God says that he was the one whose patience was tested by the children of Israel in the wilderness for forty years while they tempted him, proved him, and saw his works (Hebrews 3:9). For forty years, the Lord was indignant with those who sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness (at an estimated rate of about sixty funerals per day) (Hebrews 3:17).
Psalm 40
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.
1 I waited patiently for the LORD, and he inclined unto me and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of the pit of hopelessness, out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and straightened my steps.
3 And he has put a new song183 in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see it and fear and shall wait on the LORD.
The new song may only be learned by the redeemed (Revelation 14:3).
4 Blessed is that man that makes the LORD his trust and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Thou hast increased, O LORD my God, thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts regarding us; they are beyond our ability to express, declare, or speak; they cannot be told.184
The grace of God may be embraced, or it may be rejected. Those who refuse to acknowledge the truth will become proud and vain and will turn aside after lies. On the other hand, the mercy and grace of God are dynamic and ever-increasing. The wonderful works of God and his thoughts about us are far beyond the ability of the finite mind of man to comprehend.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened; burnt offering and sin offering thou hast not required.
7 Then said I, Behold, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God; thy law is within my bowels.185
This is a messianic prophecy that refers to Jesus Christ and his once-for-all sacrifice for us.
9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation; behold, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy truth and thy salvation; I have not concealed thy mercy and thy truth from the great congregation. David is one of three major authors186 in Scripture (after Moses and Paul). Much of Scripture is prophetic, and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). David certainly did not hold back from preaching righteousness in the great congregation, and his psalms continue to declare the truth and salvation of the Lord to our generation.
11 Do not withhold thy tender mercies from me, O LORD; let thy mercy and thy truth continually preserve me.
Have you noticed that throughout his writings David consistently did not ask God for money, worldly possessions, or even power and stature? Instead, he repeatedly asked God for mercy and truth. David was convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that only God’s mercy and truth could continually preserve him. I wish that all of God’s people had this conviction today.
12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about; my iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to see; they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart fails me.
13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me.
The enemy agents operating in the world around us will scrutinize anyone who takes a public stand for righteousness and justice. Mistakes or iniquities from our past, whether real or imagined, will be found even if we have repented and been forgiven, and we will be persecuted without mercy. When this happens, let’s not despair. Jesus said: Blessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 5:10).
14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my life to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
Jesus told us: Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in the heavens; for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:11–12).
16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee; let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
17 When I am poor and needy; the Lord will remember me; thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
David knew that God will remember us when we are poor and needy, for this is when we are prime candidates for embracing his mercy and grace.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, let your mercy and your truth continually preserve us. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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181 The number four is linked to charity – i.e., the love of God (manifested in mercy and truth) and also to divine judgment.
182 The number forty occurs ninety-five times, plus another sixty-five times as a component of a larger number, for a total of one hundred and sixty times in Scripture.
183 The phrase “new song” occurs nine times in Scripture, with six of these being in the psalms.
184 This may be the Scripture (or one of the Scriptures) Paul is referring to in 1 Corinthians 2:9.
185 Verses six through eight are referenced in Hebrews 10:5–7.
186 There are seventy-five psalms of David (if you count Psalm 95, which is attributed to David in Hebrews 4:7), plus 2 Samuel 22, for a total of seventy-six chapters of the Bible known to have been written by David. In addition, it seems that he wrote or compiled the first nine chapters of Proverbs and could have been the author or co-author of some of the anonymous psalms. From a historical perspective, 1 Samuel 16 to 31, twenty-four chapters of 2 Samuel, two chapters of 1 Kings, and eighteen chapters of 1 Chronicles (for a total of sixty chapters) all have to do with David. To put this in perspective, Moses (the major author of the OT) wrote a total of one hundred and eighty-eight chapters of Scripture: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Psalm 90. The four Gospels of the NT contain eighty-nine chapters. The writings of the apostle Paul are ninety-nine chapters (if you count Hebrews), and twenty chapters in Acts have to do with him. Therefore, King David wrote almost as many chapters as the apostle Paul, the major author of the NT. If you add up the chapters we know for sure that David wrote (seventy-six), the parts of the Proverbs that appear to pertain to him (nine), and the chapters that have to do with him from a historical perspective (sixty), the total is 145 out of a total of 1189 complete chapters (without counting other references and quotes scattered through the Prophets and the NT).
Chapter 41.
Forty-one is a prime number used five times in Scripture. The first use involves Rehoboam (meaning “who enlarges the people”), son of Solomon. When he was forty-one years old, he began to reign in Jerusalem.187 Later, Asa reigned over Judah for forty-one years188 and Jeroboam, the son of Joash, likewise reigned over Israel for forty-one years (2 Kings 14:23). Rehoboam and Jeroboam were both evil kings, although on occasion they did receive some grace from God. Asa was a good king who cooled off toward the Lord near the end of his life.
Through a combination of pride, negligence, and apostasy, Rehoboam lost the gold shields (symbolic of righteousness) that his grandfather David had provided, and he replaced them with inferior shields of bronze (symbolic of judgment). Therefore, in a negative sense, the number forty-one has to do with failure to appreciate the grace and mercy of God and even signifies outright betrayal. In a positive sense, the meaning of forty-one is the exact opposite.
Psalm 41
To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.
1 Blessed is he that understands regarding the poor;189 the LORD will deliver him in the day of evil.
2 The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth, and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; thou wilt soften all his bed in his sickness.
What a wonderful promise! It behooves all of us to understand about the poor. There are people who are poor in spirit (or poor in pride), and there are people who may lack wealth yet are filled with pride and arrogance. Those who understand will be able to tell the difference.
4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me; heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
Whenever David realized that he had sinned, he immediately humbled himself, acknowledged the truth, and sought mercy and healing from God. Sometimes the consequences of his sin were extremely painful, but God always preserved him and did not deliver him into the will of his enemies. David loved and appreciated the grace and mercy of God.
5 My enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die and his name perish?
6 And if he came to see me, he spoke lies: his heart gathered iniquity to itself, and when he goes out, he tells it.
7 All that hate me congregate together and murmur against me; against me do they devise my hurt.
This sequence of events repeated itself on several occasions that involved David.
8 A disease of Belial, they say, cleaves fast unto him, and now that he lies he shall rise up no more.
A disease of Belial would be a disease from Satan. David’s enemies were hoping that Satan would kill him.
9 Even the man of my peace, in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
The man of David’s peace could have been his son Absalom (meaning “father of peace”). Jesus, on the other hand, quoted verse 9 and applied it to Judas (John 13:18). And Satan likewise lifted up his heel against God (Ezekiel 28:12–19).
10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me and raise me up that I may requite them.
11 In this I shall know that I have pleased thee, that my enemy does not triumph over me.
You may be wondering why this psalm moves through a promise of blessing to David when he repents from his sin, to the reaction of his enemies, and then into sublime verses that can only be messianic. The typology between David (who sinned) and Jesus (who never sinned) does not seem consistent, but there is an explanation. Paul states that in order for us to be reconciled, God has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, Jesus bore our sins (including those of David) in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness (1 Peter 2:24).
12 And as for me, thou sustained me in my integrity and hast seated me before thy face for ever.
Seated before the ark of the testimony (representing the face of the Lord) in the tabernacle of David and in the realm represented by the holy of holies, David knew for certain that God had sustained him in his integrity, for he had truthfully confessed his wrongdoing. The quality of the presence of God is eternal and, therefore, lasts for all time.
This line is also a messianic prophecy that Jesus Christ would overcome death and be seated at the right hand of the Father forever. His victory would include those of us who, like David, understand about the poor and respond to the truth in integrity.
13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.
In our sinful, fallen, rebellious state it is impossible for any of us to bless the Lord God of Israel, let alone bless him from everlasting and to everlasting. If, however, we join David in his integrity and confess our sin (including our wrong goals and ambitions), then we may embrace the grace and mercy of the Lord. He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). It is when we are forgiven, cleansed, redeemed, and restored to the presence of God in Christ (the Overcomer) that we may join David and declare: Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, grant us understanding regarding our attitude toward the poor. May we be sustained in integrity and see your face always. May we be among those who will bless your name from everlasting to everlasting. Amen.
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187 1 Kings 14:21; 2 Chronicles 12:13.
188 1 Kings 15:10; 2 Chronicles 16:13,
189 Jesus said, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 5:3).
