Colby and Lynne's Blog

Psalm 1

Notes

• Blessed is he who does not follow the advice, ways, or attitude of ungodly men. (1)


• Rather, his joy is in YHWH's commands, meditating on it. (2)


• These blessings are: well-watered, fruitfulness, timeliness, regular success. (3)


• Consequences otherwise: unanchored, they will fall in judgment and separation from the godly. (4-5)


• Summary: YHWH guards the way of the godly but the ungodly end up being destroyed. (6)

Thoughts

• Therefore, be godly.


• Ironically, there are blessings for those who distance themselves from the ungodly, and the punishment for the ungodly is separation from the godly.


• Wisdom is godliness, and godliness is wisdom.


• This is a rather proverbial psalm, and certainly there are exceptions to this.


• In essence, this is a poetic summary of the entire Law, and meditating on it is where joy is found (for the Old Covenant).


• Jesus is our OC obedience fulfillment, so we find our pleasure in his obedience to the Law. We obey as a response to where we are positionally.


• Is the psalmist teaching eternal salvation by godliness? The NET notes suggests otherwise - that this is a reference to the same kind of judgment we see throughout the Psalms.


• Since this psalm is clearly tied to the OT, what is the responsible hermeneutic for NT believers? Certainly, there are natural and supernatural blessings for obedience to the Word of Christ. Certainly meditating on the Word yields spiritual health and fruitfulness. But instead of looking to the Law as means of acceptance, we are already accepted and can now freely obey out of joy and love. We are no less expected to heed God's commands.


• This is not to suggest that there was no joy in OT obedience. See v. 2 (and Psa 119).


• Central to this psalm is godliness by means of adherence to God's revealed will.

Psalm 2

Notes

• Why do the nations plot against YHWH's Meshiach, trying to shed their rightful authority? (1-3)
  
  


• God is derisive of this, proclaiming that he himself installed his king over Israel. (4-6)
  
  


• God told the king: You are my son, and I am your father. Ask, and I will give you the nations - you will defeat them. (7-9)


• So, plotting kings, do what is wise, show discernment and take warning: serve YHWH, repent, give homage, lest God be angry and bring punishment. (10-12a)


• All who take shelter in him are blessed.
  
  

Thoughts

• Cf. 2 Sam 7; Heb 1-2. This first applies to David, and then is completed in Christ.


• If God has anointed something or someone, why would you ever choose to oppose it? Instead, you should submit to YHWH.


• Note that the submission is not to God's anointed man David, but to God himself. In Christ, it is both - we submit to God in the Messiah.


• Our evangelism should focus on urging people to serve, repent, pay homage to the Messiah - to stop plotting against the one who God has anointed.


• Jesus' fulfillment of this is as the perfect son. The goal all along was for God to have a people and for him to be their God. Man never fulfilled that. Jesus, then, becomes the perfect son, and therefore the fulfillment of the people of God as their representative. Now we can become the people of God, but only in Christ, the one perfect son.


• The son inherits the father's entire creation.


• This inheritance will include destruction of all that oppose him.


• Therefore, there is a need for the appeal: Don't oppose the anointed one who will destroy all his enemies.
  
  


• Why do we ever do anything that "plots against" the Lord's anointed? Disobedience, rebellion, lack of submission are all plots against the anointed one of God.
  
  

Father, thank you for your Spirit who enables me to live begin to live up to the position we have in Christ of being your people. The more I submit to you, the more I fulfill that position.

Psalm 3

Notes

• YHWH, many are those who attack me, claiming that you won't deliver me. (1-2)


• But, you are my protective shield, my glory, and my restorer. (3)


• I cried out to YHWH and he answered me from holy mountain, and then I had peace. (4-5)


• I am not afraid of those who rise up against me. (6)


• Rise up against them, YHWH my Elohim - strike them. (7)


• To YHWH is yeshua; you bless your people. (8)
  
  

Thoughts

• David wrote this fleeing from Absalom. (Was Absolam among those saying that YHWH would not deliver David?)


• Imagine this situation that David is in, and that he can also sleep at night (on the run) because he knows his God.


• People attack me, BUT YOU ARE... Who God is makes a real difference in our life situations. If we would just believe that God is who he says he is, we would have far less confusion and anxiety.


• But God still has not yet risen up at this point in time - David still asks for it to occur.


• The enemies "rise up against" David, and he specifically asks for God to "rise up against" them.
  
  


• This is a more subtle form of a common element in the psalms: may the bad guys be punished with the very thing they're trying to do to others (sort of an inverse Golden Rule).
  
  


• The Lord delivers / saves - root word for the name Yeshua / Jesus.


• From an NT perspective: our enemies are numerous (self, world, Satan), these enemies claim that God will not deliver (and so I should turn somewhere else for deliverance), but Jesus is the shield that protects me, he is my glory and my restorer, to him I cried out and he answered me from the right hand of the Father, now I can enter his sabbath rest because he sustains me; I am not afraid of my enemies who rise up against me (self, world, Satan); rise up Jesus and deliver me from these enemies, you will smash them; Jesus saves and blesses.

Father, you are our protector, and therefore we need to fear our enemies. We can, in fact, enjoy sabbath rest in you.

Psalm 4

Notes

• YHWH, I am hemmed in now, but you will lead me to a secure place, so I'm calling out to you for help - have mercy and answer. (1)


• Men, how long will you love evil? (2)


• You should know that God separates his godly ones and hears their prayer; so you should: tremble, stop sinning, meditate, repent, sacrifice, and trust. (3-5)


• Some question God's ability to show us good - "lift us up as the light of your face!" (6)


• You give me more joy than the rich; I will have peace and safety because you make me secure. (7-8)
  

Thoughts

• Very similar to the following psalm in its flow.


• The bookends are a request for help coupled with a confidence to receive help.


• The middle part is addressed to the oppressors, that because God protects his children, they should repent before God moves.


• However, the oppressors are not likely to read David's psalm, and we can safely assume David would understand that. So, it would appear that he has an alternate purpose than really warning these particular oppressors. What is he really trying to accomplish? Several are possible, and possibly a combination:
  
  
  
  • Praising God by proxy: Giving God credit with a wink and a nod, showing his confidence in God's ability to deliver.
  
  
  • Warning people who would read the psalm now and consider oppressing others in the future.
  
  
  • Soothing his own soul by putting things in perspective.
  
  
  • Comforting others who are oppressed or will be oppressed.
  
  
  • Teaching theology and confidence in general to his people.
  
  


• The joy that God gives is greater than material wealth.


• God provides special care for his children. So, if you're an oppressor, be warned that you're only going to make the protective giant angry. And if you're a follower, be comforted and confident in the Lord's protection of what's his.


• See the cry of the saints in Rev 5 - how long will it be before you avenge our martyrdom? Our ultimate fulfillment of this psalm will not necessarily come in our lifetimes (cf. Heb 11). But it will come. Not because we merit it by being such godly people, but only because God protects what belongs to him.
  


• First, God protectus us in that even if someone kills us, they can't kill us. Second, he protects us in that all wrongs will one day be righted and avenged.
  

Father, give us so much confidence in your protection that we have pity and compassion on those who do us wrong, so that we can truly love our enemies and be instruments of salvation to them.

Psalm 5

Notes

• YHWH - my God and king, hear my request for help. (1-2)


• In the morning, you will hear my case and I will wait for your answer. (3)


• You do not approve of evil, arrogant people, not accept them into your presence; you oppose deceivers and violent people. (4-6)


• On the other hand, I will enter your house and worship you because of your hesed. (7)


• YHWH, lead me in your righteousness because people want to take me down - they lie and they are bent on destruction, so condemn them and trip them up with their own schemes because it's you they are opposing. (8-10)


• May all who wait on you for protection rejoice - protect them that they may rejoice. (11)


• You reward and protect the godly. (12)
  
  

Thoughts

• This psalm is quite similar to the one that follows, and to several others: hear my prayer, you're the only one I'm turning to, save me from the evil people who want to hurt me, you'll judge them and reward us.


• Another common element: may the evil people be tripped up specifically by the traps they have laid for others.


• Presence of God: evil people cannot enter.


• Presence of God: I will enter your house.
  
  


• By what means does David think that people are not evil and can enter God's presence? Of course, he is probably thinking of the tabernacle, at least in part.


• David clearly feels the disparity between the situation and the righteousness of the parties involved.


• This appears in other psalms, but it is so crucial: "But as for me..." (Heb: "But I, in the abundant hesed of you, I will enter..."). These other guys may be doing all these things (and they may even be succeeding), but I will enter your presence and worship you. David sets his face toward one thing - the presence of God, no matter what's going on around him, no matter whether he's having good days or bad days.


• His appeal for help is almost secondary to this. Yeah, I really want your help because you're the righteous judge, but I'm fixed on one thing - entering your presence and enjoying you there.
  
  

Father, I'm easily distracted from the one pursuit of your presence. As David prayed for deliverance from his enemies who lie and deceive, I pray for deliverance from my enemies who lie and deceive: my pride, my desire, my self-life. These enemies seek to destract me from the one goal.

Psalm 6

Notes

• YHWH, have mercy on me for my sin because I'm weak and I'm scared. (1-3)


• Instead of rebuking me for my sin, please deliver me for your hesed. (4)


• If one is dead, he cannot worship you. (5)


• I'm exhausted, I groan, I weep, I suffer. (6-7)


• Warning all wicked people, turn away from me because YHWH has heard me and has accepted my prayer - may you all be humiliated and terrified. (8-10)

Thoughts

• What actually does this psalm reveal about David's view of life after death? We said he expected to see his infant son again, so it would seem that he's not advocating annihilationism here.


• David cries out for mercy, even though he seems to know his sin deserves worse, and that God would be perfectly just to mete out discipline.


• Repentance seems to be underneath David's appeal.


• The attribute of God he appeals to is his hesed. He can ask for mercy instead of deserved discipline because of God's attributes.


• He is terrified, but he prays that his tormentors would end up terrified. (He doesn't say it as explicitly here as he does elsewhere [e.g. Psa 7], but he's asking that the victimization these perpetrators caused would be what their experience is.


• God's hesed is not equally dispersed; otherwise, David would not be able to ask for it to be applied to him while rebuke is applied to his tormentors. His hesed is covenantally directed to his people. He has it for all mankind, but his covenant people means that he has particular regard for them with his hesed. In the New Covenant, we can expect the same, although that does not necessarily manifest in the same ways.


• He tries to reason with God and say that if God spares him, he will be more able to praise him, which is what we should be doing instead of doing stuff that deserves discipline.


• David is so confident that God will answer this prayer that he gives fair warning to his antagonists. "You'd better run, 'cuz my dad's coming and he's gonna tan your hides."


• Where does David's confidence come from? He's in despair, and then he has so much confidence that God will respond that he acts as if the deed is already done. It  can only come from history, and he's certainly had a lot of history with the Lord. James 1 concurs that trials build a deeper faith, because in those trials we see God's hand instead of our own.
  
  

Father, may your Spirit bring to mind my history with you in those times when I feel attacked, weak, and even deserving of discipline, so that I may have the confidence in you that you warrant. Help my faulty memory which would rather mope about my suffering than recall your hesed and be still knowing that you are God.

 

Psalm 7

Notes

• YHWH my Elohim, I've taken shelter in you - deliver me, or else I'll be ripped to shreds. (1-2)
  
• If I'm guilty like they claim, let them after me, kill me, and dishonor me. (3-5)
  
• YHWH, be angry and act against them with your justice for my sake. (6)
  
• Return on high over the assembly; YHWH is the judge over all. (7-8a)
  
• YHWH, vindicate me according to my innocence, but may the deeds of the wicked also be judged. (8b-9)
  
• Elohim, who delivers the upright and judges justly, is my shield. (10-11)
  
• If someone does not repent, he prepares to judge him, becoming the victim of his own trap. (12-16)
  
• I will thank and praise YHWH for his justice. (17)
  

Thoughts

• Two parts: my problem and universal statements about God as perfect judge. The facts of the second part is first celebrated for its goodness, and second provides the basis for the request in the first part (because God is perfectly just, I request justice in my situation).
  
• The psalmist celebrates God for being God so well, and then requests that his attributes of being God be displayed in his situation.
  
• Implied in vv. 1-2 is that if God does not deliver, the psalmist will be defeated. God is the only hope. My protection (shelter) now and in the future is only him (and it is specifically him - not just chance or skill).
  
• Repentance is the way to avoid God's judgment. Not just sorrow for your sin, but a submissively posture appealing to the grace of God and walking in obedience. It is a broken and contrite heart, not meritorious works.
  
• Even though the psalmist is in a pickle that needs God's action, his chosen attitude is not whining, criticizing, or cursing, but praise and thanksgiving. That's what he chooses to set his mind on - the great attributes of God, which will be the source of his deliverance.
  
• What a simple invitation: God, be God in my life. But, one dare not ask that question without expecting the fullness of God's character to be manifest - not just deliverer, but judge, disciplinarian, parent, loving friend, commander, and so on. The whole process of sanctification is the progress of a life where God is fully God in that life. Don't ask God to be "sorta God" in your life.
  
• We can ask this of a Trinitarian God, and we can ask it of each Person of the Trinity.
  

Father, be completely the Father in my life - the initiator, commander, parent. Jesus, be completely Jesus in my life - the savior, author, completer, fruitbearer. HS, be completely the HS in my life - convictor, paraclete, empowerer. O God, be fully God in my life.

Psalm 8

Notes

• YHWH, you are majestic over earth and heaven. (1)
  
• You have praise even from children and (strength / praise) because of your enemies to halt him. (2)
  
• In comparison to the universe, who are we that you wuold even notice and elevate us above all other creatures except angels? (3-5a)
  
• You have given us honor and majesty, authority over the rest of creation. (5b-8)
  
• YHWH, you are majestic over earth and heaven. (9)
  

Thoughts

• God is majestic over heaven and earth. We have been made majestic (different word) by God over earth, but not heaven.
  
• In fact, it is the vastness of the heavens and the comparison of man to it that causes the psalmist to marvel that man gets any of God's attention at all.
  
• And yet, we have been placed just a little below angels (the distance is specific).
  
• The psalmist is a little schizophrenic: we're nothing, but we're something. However, we're nothing in ourselves, but we're something because of God's sovereign choice to make us something.
  
• The primary thought is about God's majestic, considering the inclusio of vv. 1, 9.
  
• The secondary thought is the wonder that a little dot called man should be elevated above all earthly creation.
  
• The secondary thought is still marvel at what God has done - the psalmist is not impressed with mankind (in fact, it is because he's not impressed that he marvels at all).
  
• Clearly, the psalmist saw the heavens as soemthing vastly greater in scope than the earth. How does this compare to the prevailing cosmologies?
  
• Being honored by God has resulted in humility, because the psalmist saw everything in perspective. This is especially pertinent for David, the king, who lumped hmself with the rest of the human race in this marvel.
  
• Heb 2.7 quotes the LXX version of Psa 8.5 in reference to Christ. Ironically, of Christ, this describes his humiliation. Of man, it describes our exaltation.
  
• On verse 2, NET chooses to reject "strength" and go with the LXX "praise." It does make a little more sense, although that means we're rejecting the more difficult reading. However, considering that Hebrews follows the LXX for verse 5, vying for the LXX is not an unreasonable choice.
  
• How much more amazing will it be when we are elevated above the angels! Considering how amazed we should be that we've been made a little lower than angels by God's grace apart from any of our merit, we should be even more amazed that he will take us even higher.
  
• Hebrews 2 also tells us that even Christ did not at that time see everything submitting to his authority over all creation. It will be - every knee will bow. This also puts Psa 8 in perspective in its own context. God's action at creation was to put us in this authority, but that's not running so smoothly because God cursed our labor aod position. It is what we should be, it is what we partly are, but it is not fully realized. When we are exalted above the angels, then this right position of mankind will be fulflled.
  
• We are now "in Christ." He perfectly holds this role of humanity, and we are in him, and we are his ambassadors. We should exercise this responsibility. This impacts many areas of stewardship: earth, animal kingdom, society, business, government, neighborhood. OUr daily grind can be the exercise of those who are in Christ, who has all creation under his authority to manage well. Unless our jobs are superfluous, they can be a partial execution of the initial mandate - a supremely spiritual act.
  

Psalm 9

Notes

• I will: thank YHWH, tell of his deeds, rejoice in him, sing to him. (1-2)
  
• You are the one who turns back my enemies, you defend me, you pronounce justice, you destroy the wicked. (3-6)
  
• YHWH (by contrast) rules over all, justly and forever, providing for those in need. (7-9)
  
• Those who know your name trust in you - do not abandon them. (10)
  
• Sing praises to YHWH the ruler; tell of his deeds - he rescued the oppressed who cried out to him. (11-13)
  
• I will tell of your deeds and rejoice - the nations fell into a trap of their own making; YHWH revealed himself and brought justice. (14-16)
  
• All wicked will end up in Sheol, and the oppressed will not suffer their lot permanently. (17-18)
  
• YHWH, rise up and judge the nations - let men know they're just men. (19-20)
  

Thoughts

• This might be combined with Psalm 10.
  
• This appears to be a response to a particular event in the life of the nation.
  
• The psalm contains some common elements: respond to God's deliverance by praise, song, thanksgiving, and evangelism; God is the reliable deliverer and champion of the (righteous) oppressed; judgment will come for all.
  
• What do we do after God does something on our behalf? We thank him, we sometimes give him public credit, and then we bask in the success. How often do we stop long enough to write a song or a poem? How often do we stop long enough to teach our people at length that this was the Lord's doing and what that means for us? How often do we tie a specific song that we sing as a response?
  

Father, forgive me for not be a very conscientious thanker. Please build in me a more intentional time of commemorating your deeds in our lives, and to lead my people in the same.

Psalm 10

Notes

• YHWH, why are you not there right away when trouble comes? (1)
  
• The arrogant wicked intentionally oppress, rejecting YHWH and thinking he'll escape God's notice, feeling secure that nothing bad will come his way, cursing, lying, injuring, ambushing the innocent and oppressed, beating, trapping. (2-11)
  
• YHWH, rise up, strike him down, raise up the oppressed! (12)
  
• Why does the wicked man reject God and think he won't act? (13)
  
• But ... you always take notice; we trust you and you deliver. (14)
  
• Deliver in this case, too - break the strength of the wicked oppressor, do what he claims you will not do. (15)
  
• YHWH rules forever, over all nations. (16)
  
• YHWH hears the requests of the oppressed and makes them feel secure, defending them so that no man can terrify them. (17)
  

Thoughts

• Perhaps this psalm goes with Psalm 9, according to some MSS.
  
• Two questions: 1) Why doesn't God show up in all cases of trouble? 2) Why do the wicked reject God?
  
• These questions are related. The psalmist also feels like God's not going to hold them accountable (until v. 14). Cf. Psa 73.
  
• The request is for God to do what the wicked arrogantly claim that he won't do: hold their feet to the fire.
  
• The psalmist aches for justice. The Fall has made the world lopsided, and the psalmist feels the pain of a lopsided world. This is part of the "groaning" in Rom 8 and 2 Cor 5.
  
• If there is no ultimate salvation, then surely we wait on God in vain. Not every injustice is righted during our lifetimes. (And from Heb 11, not every promise of God is fulfilled in our lifetimes.) Without a heavenly city to look forward to, we might as well follow in the footsteps of the oppressors. Only God's promise of ultimate deliverance allows us to walk righteously.
  
• By the same token, God's promise allows us to walk righteously at all times in every way (with the HS's help, of course). In other words, God's promise is so good and so reliable that we are able to completely let go of revenge, hatred, judgmentalism, selfishness, deceit, and so on. Not merely that we can live pretty good lives, but that the magnitude of God's promise allows us to give up all our wicked ways of demandingness.
  
• Furthermore, there is nothing man can ultimately do to us, so we can walk forward with total confidence and trust.
  
• Christ is the guarantor of this promise, and the HS is the guarantee.
  

Father, there are so many ungodly little ways that I try to demand to be treated justly by others and by life. Build my faith in your promise that I might abandon my selfish pursuits.