Day 169: Psalms 71-75

(The previous post covered five psalms that were either of unknown authorship or unknown circumstances in David's life, all of which spoke to being released from captivity.)

Psalm 71
¹ In thee, O Jehovah, do I take refuge: Let me never be put to shame.

(The psalmist put his trust in God and asked to never be put to shame. Shame was also translated as confusion.)

² Deliver me in thy righteousness, and rescue me: Bow down thine ear unto me, and save me.
³ Be thou to me a rock of habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: Thou hast given commandment to save me; For thou art my rock and my fortress.

(More words that showed the psalmist trusted in God. God was his rock and fortress so he asked for rescuing and Salvation. Psalm 31 covered David's flight from Saul (2 Samuel 16). This psalm covered his flight from Absalom. In both psalms he stated, "thou are my rock and my fortress." In Psalm 31 he looked for personal safety. In this psalm, the "sheltering rock" meant "a rock of a palace"...which showed David's concern was for Israel.)

⁴ Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
⁵ For thou art my hope, O Lord Jehovah: Thou art my trust from my youth.

(The psalmist wanted deliverance from his enemies. He stated he trusted God (had faith in God) since his youth.)

⁶ By thee have I been holden up from the womb; Thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: My praise shall be continually of thee.
⁷ I am as a wonder unto many; But thou art my strong refuge.
⁸ My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, And with thy honor all the day.
⁹ Cast me not off in the time of old age; Forsake me not when my strength faileth.

(The psalmist wanted God to stay with him through his old age.)

¹⁰ For mine enemies speak concerning me; And they that watch for my soul take counsel together,
¹¹ Saying, God hath forsaken him: Pursue and take him; for there is none to deliver.

(The psalmist’s enemies were watching for a time they thought he was weak to strike.)

¹² O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me.
¹³ Let them be put to shame and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor that seek my hurt.
¹⁴ But I will hope continually, And will praise thee yet more and more.

(The psalmist wanted God to stay close to him and to consume his enemies. Regardless, the psalmist stated he would continually hope in God.)

¹⁵ My mouth shall tell of thy righteousness, And of thy salvation all the day; For I know not the numbers thereof.
¹⁶ I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Jehovah: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
¹⁷ O God, thou hast taught me from my youth; And hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
¹⁸ Yea, even when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not, Until I have declared thy strength unto the next generation, Thy might to every one that is to come.

(The psalmist wanted to not be forsaken by God, even in his old age, so that he could proclaim God to the next generation.)

¹⁹ Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high; Thou who hast done great things, O God, who is like unto thee?
²⁰ Thou, who hast showed us many and sore troubles, Wilt quicken us again, And wilt bring us up again from the depths of the earth.
²¹ Increase thou my greatness, And turn again and comfort me.

(Have you ever asked God to increase your greatness?)

²² I will also praise thee with the psaltery, Even thy truth, O my God: Unto thee will I sing praises with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
²³ My lips shall shout for joy when I sing praises unto thee; And my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
²⁴ My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long; For they are put to shame, for they are confounded, that seek my hurt.

(The psalmist’s enemies were put to shame, so he would continue to speak of God’s Righteousness.)




Psalm 72

A Psalm of Solomon.

(This was a psalm by David, for Solomon. In 1 Kings 1, David was relinquishing the throne to Solomon. This psalm looked to the future ultimate ruler: Messiah.)

¹ Give the king thy judgments, O God, And thy righteousness unto the king's son.
² He will judge thy people with righteousness, And thy poor with justice.

(David stated Solomon would judge with righteousness and justice.)

³ The mountains shall bring peace to the people, And the hills, in righteousness.
⁴ He will judge the poor of the people, He will save the children of the needy, And will break in pieces the oppressor.
⁵ They shall fear thee while the sun endureth, And so long as the moon, throughout all generations.
⁶ He will come down like rain upon the mown grass, As showers that water the earth.

(These verses may have spoken to the Messiah as well as Solomon. The next two verses spoke of the Messiah...)

⁷ In his days shall the righteous flourish, And abundance of peace, till the moon be no more.
⁸ He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the River unto the ends of the earth.

(The righteous would flourish in Solomon’s days. Flourish meant "to bud, sprout, shoot, bloom." The righteous would grow.)

⁹ They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; And his enemies shall lick the dust.

(Dust represented flesh.)

¹⁰ The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall render tribute: The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
¹¹ Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; All nations shall serve him.
¹² For he will deliver the needy when he crieth, And the poor, that hath no helper.
¹³ He will have pity on the poor and needy, And the souls of the needy he will save.

(Did Solomon help the poor and needy? Were these verses concerning the Messiah?)

¹⁴ He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence; And precious will their blood be in his sight:
¹⁵ And they shall live; and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: And men shall pray for him continually; They shall bless him all the day long.
¹⁶ There shall be abundance of grain in the earth upon the top of the mountains; The fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: And they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
¹⁷ His name shall endure for ever; His name shall be continued as long as the sun: And men shall be blessed in him; All nations shall call him happy.
¹⁸ Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things:
¹⁹ And blessed be his glorious name for ever; And let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen.
²⁰ The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

(The "Exodus" section of the Book of Psalms was completed. Not only did it end with "Amen, and Amen" like the "Genesis" section, the last verse stated the prayers of David had ended. The "Exodus" section presented psalms that documented Israel's journey out of captivity as well as David's times in exile. This section concluded with David relinquishing the kingdom to a ruler who had understanding and wisdom to rule the people correctly. The next section of the Book of Psalms was the "Leviticus" section. Its themes alluded to the development of the priesthood and temple worship, like Solomon did when he built the temple. Solomon compiled the psalms of both the "Exodus" and "Leviticus" sections.)

(The "Leviticus" section began with eleven psalms from Asaph. We saw in Psalm 50, Asaph was the leader of the choir. Asaph also was in the procession of the Ark of the Covenant. We saw the "Exodus" section began with eight psalms (Psalm 42-Psalm 49) written by the sons of Korah who were responsible for carrying the Ark of the Covenant.)




Psalm 73

A Psalm of Asaph.

¹ Surely God is good to Israel, Even to such as are pure in heart.
² But as for me, my feet were almost gone; My steps had well nigh slipped.
³ For I was envious at the arrogant, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

(Although Asaph experienced the prosperity of wicked people, Justice will be equaled out in the Long Term.)

⁴ For there are no pangs in their death; But their strength is firm.
⁵ They are not in trouble as other men; Neither are they plagued like other men.
⁶ Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck; Violence covereth them as a garment.
⁷ Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish.
⁸ They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: They speak loftily.
⁹ They have set their mouth in the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore his people return hither: And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
¹¹ And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
¹² Behold, these are the wicked; And, being alway at ease, they increase in riches.

(The ungodly in the world that prospered in riches. It was all physical and short term.)

¹³ Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, And washed my hands in innocency;
¹⁴ For all the day long have I been plagued, And chastened every morning.
¹⁵ If I had said, I will speak thus; Behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children.
¹⁶ When I thought how I might know this, It was too painful for me;
¹⁷ Until I went into the sanctuary of God, And considered their latter end.
¹⁸ Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction.
¹⁹ How are they become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.

(Verse 17 mentioned the sanctuary of God, which was the focus of the "Leviticus" section. In 1973, on Yom Kippur (the Jewish Day of Atonement), the Egyptians and Syrians attacked Israel. Few soldiers were guarding the borders because Israel's attention was towards God and His sanctuary. The Israeli's rallied and won the Yom Kippur War, but not until after 3,000 soldiers died.)

²⁰ As a dream when one awaketh, So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou wilt despise their image.
²¹ For my soul was grieved, And I was pricked in my heart:
²² So brutish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee.
²³ Nevertheless I am continually with thee: Thou hast holden my right hand.
²⁴ Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.

(The psalmist was humble and God guided him.)

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.

(The psalmist put God before any man.)

²⁶ My flesh and my heart faileth; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.
²⁷ For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: Thou hast destroyed all them that play the harlot, departing from thee.
²⁸ But it is good for me to draw near unto God: I have made the Lord Jehovah my refuge, That I may tell of all thy works.




Psalm 74

Maschil of Asaph.

¹ O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?
² Remember thy congregation, which thou hast gotten of old, Which thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of thine inheritance; And mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

(The psalmist felt as if God had cast them off forever. He requested that God remember His congregation.)

³ Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual ruins, All the evil that the enemy hath done in the sanctuary.
⁴ Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of thine assembly; They have set up their ensigns for signs.
⁵ They seemed as men that lifted up Axes upon a thicket of trees.
⁶ And now all the carved work thereof They break down with hatchet and hammers.

(The enemy had destroyed God’s sanctuary.)

⁷ They have set thy sanctuary on fire; They have profaned the dwelling-place of thy name by casting it to the ground.
⁸ They said in their heart, Let us make havoc of them altogether: They have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

(All of the synagogues were burned. Synagogues were places of teaching.)

⁹ We see not our signs: There is no more any prophet; Neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.
¹⁰ How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

(The psalmist was wondering how long the enemy would prevail.)

¹¹ Why drawest thou back thy hand, even thy right hand? Pluck it out of thy bosom and consume them.
¹² Yet God is my King of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
¹³ Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: Thou brakest the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters.
¹⁴ Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces; Thou gavest him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

(This was one of the mentions in the Bible of "leviathan." This mention referred to the Egyptians who were destroyed in the Red Sea. Again, "leviathan" was an enemy of the righteous.)

¹⁵ Thou didst cleave fountain and flood: Thou driedst up mighty rivers.
¹⁶ The day is thine, the night also is thine: Thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
¹⁷ Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: Thou hast made summer and winter.

(God was the Creator and Ruler over all the earth.)

¹⁸ Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Jehovah, And that a foolish people hath blasphemed thy name.
¹⁹ Oh deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast: Forget not the life of thy poor for ever.
²⁰ Have respect unto the covenant; For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of violence.

(The psalmist reminded God of His covenant.)

²¹ Oh let not the oppressed return ashamed: Let the poor and needy praise thy name.
²² Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee all the day.
²³ Forget not the voice of thine adversaries: The tumult of those that rise up against thee ascendeth continually.

(The psalmist wanted God to judge His adversaries.)




Psalm 75

For the Chief Musician; set to Al-tash-heth. A Psalm of Asaph; a song.

¹ We give thanks unto thee, O God; We give thanks, for thy name is near: Men tell of thy wondrous works.
² When I shall find the set time, I will judge uprightly.

(The "set time" was God’s time. When the set time was found, He would judge uprightly.)

³ The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I have set up the pillars of it. Selah

(Selah meant "pause and think about what you just read." The author wanted the reader to pause and become conscious of what was read.)

⁴ I said unto the arrogant, Deal not arrogantly; And to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:
⁵ Lift not up your horn on high; Speak not with a stiff neck.
⁶ For neither from the east, nor from the west, Nor yet from the south, cometh lifting up.
⁷ But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and lifteth up another.

(The "lifting up" of us was from God. He "promotes" or "demotes" us as the Right and Just Judge.)

⁸ For in the hand of Jehovah there is a cup, and the wine foameth; It is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the same: Surely the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall drain them, and drink them.
⁹ But I will declare for ever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
¹⁰ All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; But the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

(The wicked would be cut off, the righteous would be lifted up. God’s "promotions" and "demotions" were based on Righteousness.)

(This post covered the conclusion of the "Exodus" section and the beginning of the "Leviticus" section of the Book of Psalms.)

Day 170