Day 163: Psalms 41-45

(The previous post covered five psalms from David that spoke of difficult times similar to what Job experienced.)

Psalm 41

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

¹ Blessed is he that considereth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.
² Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive, And he shall be blessed upon the earth; And deliver not thou him unto the will of his enemies.
³ Jehovah will support him upon the couch of languishing: Thou makest all his bed in his sickness.

(Blessings of the man who considered the poor. Could this also be the blessings the United States received as an effect of entering World War II in 1941 and defending the Jews?)

⁴ I said, O Jehovah, have mercy upon me: Heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
⁵ Mine enemies speak evil against me, saying, When will he die, and his name perish?

(Verse 5 could also be the perspective of the Jews in 1941 concerning Hitler.)

⁶ And if he come to see me, he speaketh falsehood; His heart gathereth iniquity to itself: When he goeth abroad, he telleth it.
⁷ All that hate me whisper together against me; Against me do they devise my hurt.

(World War II?)

⁸ An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him; And now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
⁹ Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, Who did eat of my bread, Hath lifted up his heel against me.

(David's own friend betrayed him.)

¹⁰ But thou, O Jehovah, have mercy upon me, and raise me up, That I may requite them.
¹¹ By this I know that thou delightest in me, Because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

(One reason David knew God delighted in him was because his enemy did not beat him.)

¹² And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, And settest me before thy face for ever.
¹³ Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

(This psalm ended in "Amen, and Amen" which had prophetic implications. Amen meant "so be it." This statement of "so be it, and so be it" brought this "Genesis" section of the Book of Psalms to conclusion that looked to the future with emphasis. We saw these first forty-one psalms focused on the blessing from God to those who were humble, as well as the punishment from God on those who were prideful. In fact, all of the psalms of this first section were written by David and even exemplified some of the concepts that Job covered in the first book of the poetic section of the Old Testament...which was only fitting since we placed Job chronologically prior to Israel's journey out of captivity from Egypt.)

(Next, the "Exodus" section of the Book of Psalms which focused on Israel's redemption from captivity. These psalms were compiled by Solomon and began with eight psalms from the sons of Korah. These were the people that were given the responsibility of carrying the Ark of the Covenant.)




Psalm 42

For the Chief Musician. Maschil of the sons of Korah.

¹ As the hart panteth after the water brooks, So panteth my soul after thee, O God.
² My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: When shall I come and appear before God?

(This psalmist’s soul thirsted (to desire eagerly) for the Living God. A "hart" was an animal that always thirsted. Even if the hart drank from a stream, with the first step away from the stream, they were panting from thirst.)

³ My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

(The Jews made the same statement during 1942.)

⁴ These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, How I went with the throng, and led them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday.
⁵ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him For the help of his countenance.

(The psalmist asked his own soul questions and then told himself what to do, hope (faith) in God.)

⁶ O my God, my soul is cast down within me: Therefore do I remember thee from the land of the Jordan, And the Hermons, from the hill Mizar.
⁷ Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterfalls: All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
⁸ Yet Jehovah will command his lovingkindness in the day-time; And in the night his song shall be with me, Even a prayer unto the God of my life.
⁹ I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
¹⁰ As with a sword in my bones, mine adversaries reproach me, While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

(Again, the Jews of 1942 could have stated verses 9 and 10.)

¹¹ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

(God was the help in time of trouble.)




Psalm 43
¹ Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: Oh deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

(The ultimate contrastive request was to ask God to judge you. This verse could also have been stated by Jews in 1943 about Hitler.)

² For thou art the God of my strength; why hast thou cast me off? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
³ Oh send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me: Let them bring me unto thy holy hill, And to thy tabernacles.

(Let God's Light and God's Truth lead: grace.)

⁴ Then will I go unto the altar of God, Unto God my exceeding joy; And upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God.
⁵ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

(Again, God was the help in time of trouble. This short psalm could have been stated by the Jews in 1943.)




Psalm 44

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Maschil.

¹ We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, What work thou didst in their days, In the days of old.

(The psalmist stated he had understanding of how God had worked in the lives of their ancestors.)

² Thou didst drive out the nations with thy hand; But them thou didst plant: Thou didst afflict the peoples; But them thou didst spread abroad.

(Psalm 1 referenced a tree that was planted. This verse could have been looking back over the history of the Jews and how they had been spread abroad, in hopes of being planted together again as a nation.)

³ For they gat not the land in possession by their own sword, Neither did their own arm save them; But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, Because thou wast favorable unto them.
⁴ Thou art my King, O God: Command deliverance for Jacob.

(Again, this psalm was written about Israel's captivity in Egypt and looked forward to deliverance so that they could form their nation. Likewise, in 1944 the Jews were looking forward to God's deliverance.)

⁵ Through thee will we push down our adversaries: Through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
⁶ For I will not trust in my bow, Neither shall my sword save me.

(The psalmist recognized that God was the cause of their victories. He did not put his trust in his physical weapons.)

⁷ But thou hast saved us from our adversaries, And hast put them to shame that hate us.
⁸ In God have we made our boast all the day long, And we will give thanks unto thy name for ever. Selah

(Again, take a moment and think about how these first eight verses could have been stated hopefully by the Jews in captivity in Egypt and during 1944. The next section of this psalm could be stated by both as a statement of the reality of their situation...)

⁹ But now thou hast cast us off, and brought us to dishonor, And goest not forth with our hosts.
¹⁰ Thou makest us to turn back from the adversary; And they that hate us take spoil for themselves.
¹¹ Thou hast made us like sheep appointed for food, And hast scattered us among the nations.
¹² Thou sellest thy people for nought, And hast not increased thy wealth by their price.
¹³ Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to them that are round about us.
¹⁴ Thou makest us a byword among the nations, A shaking of the head among the peoples.
¹⁵ All the day long is my dishonor before me, And the shame of my face hath covered me,
¹⁶ For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth, By reason of the enemy and the avenger.

(Next, the psalm focused on their attitude...)

¹⁷ All this is come upon us; Yet have we not forgotten thee, Neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
¹⁸ Our heart is not turned back, Neither have our steps declined from thy way,
¹⁹ That thou hast sore broken us in the place of jackals, And covered us with the shadow of death.
²⁰ If we have forgotten the name of our God, Or spread forth our hands to a strange god;
²¹ Will not God search this out? For he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
²² Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

(Paul referenced this verse in Romans 8:36, (suffering for the sake of Christ). Also, this verse could apply to the 12,000 Jews that were killed every day during the first nine months of 1944.)

²³ Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off for ever.
²⁴ Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
²⁵ For our soul is bowed down to the dust: Our body cleaveth unto the earth.
²⁶ Rise up for our help, And redeem us for thy lovingkindness' sake.

(This psalm ended with a plea directly to God to intercede. There was nothing more to say, like Job waiting for God to show up.)




Psalm 45

For the Chief Musician; set to Shoshannim. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Maschil. A Song of loves.

¹ My heart overfloweth with a goodly matter; I speak the things which I have made touching the king: My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

(The psalmist stated his tongue (words) was as a pen of a ready writer. Ready meant "prompt; skilled." This psalmist was skilled with his words. Also, this psalm began with exuberance and pointed towards a celebration.)

² Thou art fairer than the children of men; Grace is poured into thy lips: Therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

(The Hebrew word for "Grace" is the word chen. This word means "favor" and is not the same word and does not have the same meaning as the Greek word charis which is translated as "grace" in the New Testament. Hebrew and Greek are different languages translated into the same language (English). Just because the same English word is used as a translation does not mean these words are the same and does not mean they have the same definition.)

³ Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, Thy glory and thy majesty.
⁴ And in thy majesty ride on prosperously, Because of truth and meekness and righteousness: And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
⁵ Thine arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under thee; They are in the heart of the king's enemies.

(The enemies have been defeated!)

⁶ Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
⁷ Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
⁸ All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made thee glad.

(Re-read these first eight verses as if they are written from God the Father to Christ. Verses 6 and 7 were quoted in Hebrews 1:8-9.)

⁹ Kings' daughters are among thy honorable women: At thy right hand doth stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
¹⁰ Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; Forget also thine own people, and thy father's house:
¹¹ So will the king desire thy beauty; For he is thy lord; and reverence thou him.
¹² And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; The rich among the people shall entreat thy favor.
¹³ The king's daughter within the palace is all glorious: Her clothing is inwrought with gold.
¹⁴ She shall be led unto the king in broidered work: The virgins her companions that follow her Shall be brought unto thee.
¹⁵ With gladness and rejoicing shall they be led: They shall enter into the king's palace.

(Victory!)

¹⁶ Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, Whom thou shalt make princes in all the earth.
¹⁷ I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: Therefore shall the peoples give thee thanks for ever and ever.

(In 1945, after six million Jews were killed ("thy fathers"), Israel began to become repopulated by Jews ("thy children") because World War II was over.)

(This post covered the conclusion of the "Genesis" section and the beginning of the "Exodus" section. The "Exodus" section dealt with the Jews in captivity while the final psalm declared victory.)

Day 164