Psalm 39:4 Life's brevity

Psalm 39:4 Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.

Psalm 39 seems to follow on in much the same vein as the previous psalm. Like many other psalms it is For the director of music. It is also A psalm of David. Between those phrases, however comes the almost unique For Jeduthun (see also Psalm 77). There was more than one Jeduthun but each of them appears to have been involved in the Temple worship. There are several things to consider in this psalm but if we focus just on verse 4 there is plenty to consider there. It is the first of three verses in the psalm that consider the brevity of life (see also verses 5 and 6). The words themselves are prompted by the situation David finds himself in - he is in deep anguish because of his enemies but eager not to say anything rash or unhelpful let alone blasphemous. He uses several metaphors to describe the brevity of life - it is a mere hand breadth in length, it is but a breath and in verse 6a he says Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro. Nevertheless, David's hope is in the Lord and he waits for deliverance from him. What he wants the Lord to do first, however, is to impress upon him the threefold fact that he will soon die, that his earthly life is limited and that life passes by very quickly. We should be praying such prayers too. It is too easy, especially when things are going well for us, to forget about death, to assume that life on earth goes on forever and to forget just how quickly it is all over. We must pray that the Lord will keep us from acting so foolishly and always give us a sense of the nearness and certainty of death, the brevity of life and how soon it will be over.

Psalm 38:31, 32 Come! Help!

Psalm 38: 21, 22 O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Saviour.

The threefold petition of the closing two verses of Psalm 38 sum up what we find in this psalm. It is A psalm of David and like only one other Psalm (the much briefer Psalm 70, which itself is based on the close of Psalm 40) it is labelled in the NIV A petition. Both Psalm 70 and 38 have similar content and tone that could be summed up as petition. The opening verse of Psalm 38 is the same as the first verse of Psalm 6 (O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath). David is fearful of God's wrath and complains of God's hand having come down on him. The sickness he complains of may be physical, psychosomatic or metaphorical. Certainly a sense of guilt overwhelms him and he puts down his sufferings to his own sins. At the same time (12) Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception. He is slandered too. He will not rise to it, however. He is like a deaf mute so far from retaliating is he (13, 14). No, he says (15) I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God. And so it is to the LORD that he is looking throughout this psalm. He prays that the LORD will not forsake him. Be not far from me, O my God he prays. He asks that God will come to him and help him as his Saviour. This is what we must all do when we are in any sort of trouble, whether we have brought it on ourselves or the fault lies with others. Pray earnestly for God's presence and help not to be removed but to become ever more real.

Psalm 37:10, 11 Future Peace

Psalm 37:10, 11 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.

Psalm 37 is a longer psalm than usual. Of David, it is a meditation on the need for the righteous not to fret but to patiently trust in the LORD until the wicked die away and the righteous are vindicated. The righteous and the wicked are contrasted. The former are generous, the latter borrow but do not repay. In verses 10 and 11 we have an epitomising couple of verses. Similar examples are found in verses 9, 17 and 22 - evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land ... the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous ... those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off. In verses 10 and 11 David asserts that a big change is coming in a little while (compare the soon in verses 2 and 36). At that time the wicked will be no more. To emphasise this he says though you look for them, they will not be found. This same point is made many times in the psalm - like the grass they will soon wither ... die away (2) ... be cut off (9) their day is coming (13) their swords will pierce their own hearts ... their bows ... broken (15) power ... broken (17) ... will perish: ... like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish ... like smoke (20) those he curses will be cut off (22) offspring ... will be cut off (28) ... the wicked ... cut off ... (34) ... destroyed; ... future ... cut off (38). As for the promise, that is of a piece with other great promises here for God's people - he will give you the desires of your heart (4) ... make your righteousness shine like the dawn ... (6) The days of the blameless are known to the LORD ... their inheritance will endure ... they will not wither ... will enjoy plenty (18, 19) though he stumble, he will not fall ... the LORD upholds him ... (24) their children will be blessed (26) ... you will dwell in the land for ever ... the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected ... (27, 28) the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it for ever (29) the LORD will not leave them ... or let them be condemned ... (33) He will exalt you to inherit the land (34) there is a future ... (37) The LORD helps ... delivers them ... from the wicked ... saves ... (40). Let's heed the warning and believe the promise.

Psalm 36:9 Seeing Light

Psalm 36:9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

Headed (like Psalm 18) For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD, Psalm 36 begins with David announcing that An oracle is within his heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked. He then proceeds to anatomise the wicked, noting his eyes (no fear of God before them For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin) mouth (the words of which are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good) and the fact that Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong. In contrast, he speaks to God as one whose love reaches to the heavens, and whose faithfulness reaches to the skies. God's righteousness is like the mighty mountains and his justice like the great deep. He preserves and loves and provides refuge. What fullness people know For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. The psalm closes with a prayer that the LORD will continue his love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart and that the foot of the proud will not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. He concludes triumphantly See how the evildoers lie fallen - thrown down, not able to rise. Verse 9 is a little cryptic. To say For with you is the fountain of life is to confess that the source of all life is in God. It all flows from him. The second part is a reminder that we only understand anything in this world in him. Unless God casts light on it we cannot see that light. Light itself is seen only because he opens our eyes to it. Even to see the truth, therefore, we need him. We are entirely in his hands.

Psalm 35:18 Future Praise

Psalm 35:18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you

 

David's story is marked by opposition from a number of enemies. Once again, in Psalm 35, he is very much aware of these enemies and prays that God will help him and deal with them. No doubt his being a type of Christ necessitated a life where enemies often opposed him. The psalm comes in three waves of complaint and prayer followed by the promise of future praise. He begins (1) Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me and this leads to the future hope (9, 10) Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation. My whole being will exclaim, Who is like you, O LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them. In verse 11 he describes how Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about, etc and this leads to the prayer (17) O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions and the promise (18) I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you. Finally, we begin again (19) Let not those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause closing with (28) My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long. We focus here on verse 18, which is a promise but also an anticipation of something that was certain for David and for Christ and just as certain for us who believe. A great day is coming when all God's people will be gathered from the four winds to take their places in heaven and our hope is to be in that great assembly, among the throngs then, and to give thanks to God and praise him for all his goodness and kindness and the way he has rescued us from all our enemies.

Psalm 34:7 God's Angel

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

We can read about the background to Psalm 34 in 1 Samuel 21 as this next Psalm Of David is specifically said to have been written When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left. David, having decided to seek refuge in the Philistine court then thought better of it but could only get out by faining madness. Having said that, there is no obvious connection except the opening line I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips and the statements about God having delivered David. David seeks through his experience to encourage praise, faith and obedience in others. There are many verses that we could profitably take up to meditate on but to light just on verse 7 - here we are told that God does two things for those who fear him. Those who fear him are those (see verses 11-14) who, it is explained, keep their tongues from evil, do good and pursue peace. First, the angel of the LORD, which must refer ultimately to the Christ encamps around them. Just as an army encamps so does God's Angel or Messenger, his Christ. He is there to defend at any moment. More than that, he actually delivers. What a comfort there is in such a thought. We cannot see the angel of the LORD, of course, but we can know that he is there and we can be sure that he will deliver us at all times whatever the trouble. His way may not cover us in honour but we will escape nevertheless. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned but The LORD redeems his servants; no-one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 33:10, 11 God's Plans

Psalm 33:10, 11 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm for ever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

The providence of God is a great theme. It is touched on here in verses 10 and 11 of Psalm 33. The psalm is a song of joyful and exuberant praise to God. Several reasons are given for praise to him. There is his character (verses 4 and 5 - true, faithful, just, loving), his creation (verses 6-9) and his universal providence (verses 10 and 11) which we will focus on in a moment. After this, God's people, the people he chose, are declared blessed (verse 12) and there is an assertion of his omniscience (verses 13-15) and omnipotence (verses 16 and 17), on behalf of his those who fear him and hope in him (verses 18 and 19). Finally, the psalmist expresses joy and hope in the LORD by faith (verses 20 and 21) and there is a final prayer for blessing (verse 22). As for verses 10 and 11, one verse is negative and the other one positive. On the one hand, The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. On the other, his own plans stand firm for ever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. There is great comfort in this for God's people, knowing as they do that many are against them and that many devise plans intended to defeat them. Such plans are all thwarted and foiled by the LORD. At the same time, he has his own plans that cannot possibly be thwarted or foiled. They are firm forever and cannot fail. There is every reason then to wait in hope for the LORD who is our help and our shield. Such people say In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.