A Little Spring

It's a gloomy, cold winter day here in Colorado. I am aching for spring...so I went searching for it and this is what I found

Psalms To See Me Through Psalm 25: Protection From Enemies, Guidance to His Truth, and Forgiveness

A Psalm of David.

Few Psalms begin as personal prayer and for the community of believers; Psalm twenty-five is one of those sacred poems. This Psalms is an acrostic, meaning its verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This Psalm resembles wisdom literature; the psalmist seeks with learning and finding the right path, yet in this psalm, David is also concerned with forgiveness and deliverance from distress.  

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust, Do not let me be ashamed; Do not let my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed; Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed {vv. 1-3}.[1]

I lift up my soul to you. You are my God. I trust you. These words should be dripping from our tongues when we pray. They should be the first words we utter as we cry to the Lord for help. David serves as our example. Not just in this Psalm, but in many others. He always declared God’s faithfulness when in trouble. He is once again surrounded by his enemies, and doesn’t want his enemies to come out victorious over him and bring him to shame. He is asking for Yahweh to vindicate him in the face of his enemies. How often have we felt those same emotions when we have been betrayed or lied about? I have. Cry out to God. He may not vindicate us in the way we want or desire, but He is faithful to those who fear Him. If God will answer David, it gives hope to all who place their trust in Yahweh, not to waver in their faith and to be confident in His faithfulness. David turns from praying for vindication to seeking righteousness.

Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day {vv. 4-5}.

In the midst of his enemies who would triumph over him, is a prayer for direction and instruction. David is not merely seeking God’s will for his life. He is seeking far more; God’s Truth. ‘Ways” and ‘Paths’ speak to righteous living before the God of Heaven, and the place to find God’s truth is found in His Word—His Torah— which also demonstrate His character. “In the Psalms God’s law, or Torah, takes at least three forms: God’s ways, God’s works, and God’s words.”[2] The Torah is God’s will for human life divinely revealed and carried out in Israel’s story, and that of mankind.

Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; According to Your lovingkindness remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord {vv. 6-7}.

From the moment I was conceived, God’s Mercy and Goodness followed me without retreat. God’s mercies to mankind accompanied Adam the day he was created. Elohim’s first command to him was given in mercy; On the day you eat from the tree you shall surely die {Gen. 2:17}; A warning wrapped in Mercy. Remember The Psalm concerning our Great Shepherd? His Goodness and Mercy follow us all the days of our lives.  David is not perfect, and in light of God’s Torah, His Word, he pleads for mercy. I did the same just the other day. One cannot seek Yahweh’s Word for truth and not repent in dust and ashes. He pleads to the Lord for forgiveness and mercy in light of His Word, and His character.

Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way. All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great {vv. 8-11}.

These verses sing the very attributes and character of Yahweh—He is called by the Name good and forgiving. The Psalms demonstrate God’s action in history with “the ways of the Lord,” or his “paths” or “deeds,” which also teach His character.[3] He is worthy of all our praise. He has dealt wonderfully with His people, with me, even though I am rebellious, stubborn, and hard-headed. I don’t deserve His grace or mercy one ounce, yet He grants it freely and lovingly when I cry out to Him.

Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. His soul will abide in prosperity, And his descendants will inherit the land. The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant. My eyes are continually toward the Lord, For He will pluck my feet out of the net. {vv. 12-15}.

Some fear God’s judgments, but others fear God Himself. Those who fear God Himself know deep in their heart the Lord’s awesome power and their smallness in His sight. Those who fear the Lord love what He loves, and hates what He hates, they dare not sin; they do not want to break the Lord’s heart. When they do sin, they repent whole-heartedly as David repeatedly did when he fell into sin. For those who fear God, He is their great reward. Not only will their soul abide in prosperity (Shalom, peace), but the Lord will share secrets with them and reveal His covenant to them; He shares with them the intimacy of His counsel, and takes the believer into His confidence. Because of this, David keeps His eyes on the Lord, just as we should. His counsel will keep and deliver him. Yahweh indeed is a great reward.

Turn to me and be gracious to me, For I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses. Look upon my affliction and my trouble, And forgive all my sins. Look upon my enemies, for they are many, And they hate me with violent hatred.  Guard my soul and deliver me; Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You {vv.16-21}.

God please pay attention to me. Pour your grace on me like rain. I feel so alone right now; the trial is too hard. Please deliver me from this mess! Can’t you see I am in trouble? I know I don’t deserve it, Merciful God, but please forgive me! Forgive me yet again for sinning against you. I can’t seem to get this area of my life right, I can’t get the victory. Look at all my so-called friends and those at church who judge me, mock me, and make me their table talk. They all hope that I will fail. They don’t think I will amount to much or that I am as good as they are. God guard my soul, deliver me from their words which seek to hurt and tear me down. Deliver me from their grasp. Please don’t let them shame me anymore, God I run to you where I am safe. God I am not perfect, but I seek to follow you every day, God I wait on you, I know you will help me.

My week grasp of David’s plea to God; I have been there. I have been the subject of ridicule, and sadly, I have been the perpetrator of ridicule. I know we can all relate to David’s plea and cry to God; we have cried out to God in a similar fashion. God let your grace fall like rain.

Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all his troubles {v.22}.

David steps out of himself for a moment to remember to pray for others. He prays for himself, and then prays for Israel. In the midst of trying circumstances, God powerfully uses our intercession for others in our own deliverance. When we have a heart for others who are facing life’s trial—just as we are—our intercession raises to Him as a sweet-smelling fragrance. Abraham, Moses, Aaron, and many others interceded on behalf of people, often before or instead of themselves. They sought God’s mercy, even for those who did not seem to deserve it. Pray for those who ridicule you and persecute you, in doing so, you will be counted righteous.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” {Matt. 5:43-48}.

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[1] Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the New American Standard Version (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).

[2]C. Hassell Bullock, Encountering The Book Of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001), 216. 

[3] Ibid. 

Psalms To See Me Through Psalm 24: Who Is This King Of Glory?

The King of Glory Entering Zion.

A Psalm of David.

The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers. Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord And righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah.  Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of Glory. Selah {Ps. 24: 1-10}*.

This twenty-fourth Psalm is the third in a trinity of poems known as the shepherd psalms. In Psalm 22 we see Christ, the Lord’s tender shoot, the shoot from the stem of Jesse, the suffering Servant; the Good Shepherd who lays His life down for the sheep {Jn. 10:11}. In Psalm 23, He is Roeh, Yahweh Roi—the Great Shepherd {Heb. 13: 20-21}, and in Psalm 24 He is the Chief Shepherd {1 Pet. 5:4}. 

Our Beloved Savior came the first time as the Good Shepherd and gave His life for humanity—the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world {Jn. 1:29}. He now reigns in heaven as our Great Shepherd; perfecting us in every good work {Heb. 13: 20-21}. One day He shall appear again as the Chief Shepherd to rule and reign on the earth as the King of Glory.

The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers {vv.1-2}.

The great prophet Jeremiah reaffirms this truth: 

It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens {Jer. 10:12}.

God designed and brought into being this big, beautiful, amazing earth, and every creature which makes earth their home, so that He can share His will and His love. God sent His Son to earth to redeem humanity; a redemption that baffles the angels {1 Pet. 1:11-13}.

David intended this Psalm to be recited on the day the Temple was dedicated, the place where God’s glory would rest in the holiest of places. It is believed that he composed this poem the day he purchased the threshing floor of Araunah {see II Sam. 24: 18-25}. This threshing floor served as the site in which the temple would be constructed; this is no ordinary plot of land. Traditionally, the place is Mt. Moriah; no ordinary mount. This holy place is where Abraham sacrificed Isaac, the Temple rested, and according to rabbinical tradition, God formed Adam and breathed His holy, life-giving breath into his lungs on this sacred land; holy ground. The sacrifice of sheep offered at this Temple year after year represented a prophetic picture of the day when the Shepherd Himself would lay down His perfect life for His sheep. 

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord And righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah {vv. 3-6}. 

Pilgrims are ascending to the Temple to await the Lord’s appearance in the holiest place, to march with the Lord in victory. But before Yahweh’s victory procession can begin, a divine test; who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?  Those whose heart belongs to the Lord.  Those whose actions and motives are pure—these will receive Yahweh’s righteousness. It is not our own self-righteousness that we seek and long for, but His righteousness is a gift He freely gives when our hearts are seeking Him. One whose heart belongs to the Lord does not simply believe in God and obey Him, but they long for Him like the deer pants for water {Ps. 42:1}. Belief and obedience express to God that He has our will; it does not mean He has our heart. Our theology must turn into praise and worship that comes from the heart. One must not claim moral perfection to be considered for entry.  To receive righteousness from God his Savior, one must worship. 

But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth {Jn. 4: 23-24}.

Those who seek God are the true worshipers, those who seek Yahweh are not claiming perfection, but willingness.  The original Hebrew in these verses indicates that seekers of Yahweh does not mean merely in a general spiritual sense, but to make the pilgrimage to worship Yahweh in His Temple.  The Temple is beautiful, but it is not the Temple that we worship, our object is Yahweh, and our objective is to see the face of the God of Jacob. 

As Heaven’s gate opens to reveal Him, only those with clean hands and a pure heart will behold Him when He appears. We need only humble ourselves, receive the redemption He so mercifully offers, and seek after Him with our whole heart. It is only by the blood of Christ that we may see Him at His arrival.

 Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in!  Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah {vv. 7-10}.

Now the great victory march may commence, and the procession takes us through the Temple gates.  The gate swings open for the king of Glory; who is this king of Glory?  He is Yahweh of Hosts—the Warrior[1]—El Gibhor, the Name of God that reveals Him as the Mighty Warrior and Champion. He always prevails, has great strength and authority over all. It is He who spoke all of creation into existence. This poem employs the ancient near eastern motif of the divine warrior who becomes king by virtue of his victory over chaotic waters.[2]  Oh that we would allow Him to conquer our stormy waters {Mark 4:39}.

David intended this poem for the dedication of the Temple, but this Psalm was also incorporated into Old Testament Advent liturgy; waiting for the Lord to enter His temple {Mal. 3:1}[3]. The cry, lift up, ye gates, your heads, is seen in the voice of Isaiah the prophet, the two voices collude in Advent hope:

A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God” {Is. 40:3}.

In the New Testament, the Second Advent takes the place of the His first, for He is coming to His spiritual temple, the Church, and this Psalm calls us to prepare Him a reception worthy of the Lord of Glory.

The King of Glory was the Lord of Glory, who cruel men crucified {1 Cor. 2:8}, but who at His ascension found the everlasting doors open to receive Him, is clearly evident from the language of this glory Psalm.[4]

He is Jahve, the God of Hosts; His throne of grace is set upon Zion. His dominion is not limited. His right to sovereignty embraces the earth and its fullness {see Ps. 50:12; 89:12}, i.e., everything that is to be found upon it and in it.[5] He is the owner of the world because He created it by His hand. All created agencies and forces are under the leadership and dominion of Yahweh who created and sustains them (Genesis 2:1; Isaiah 45:12). Jahve is used to express Yahweh's great power.

What circumstance are you facing? What trial are you walking through? Nothing can overtake you when you put your trust in God. Jesus is our High Priest, and we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses {Heb. 4:15}. In Psalm 22, He is the Good Shepherd who carried our sorrows {Is. 53:4}; in Psalm 23 He leads us into rest as our Great Shepherd in the calm vision, and in Psalm 24 He leads us to the victory procession with the Chief Shepherd, the King of Glory. Who is this King of Glory? He is the Lord of Host our Warrior and Champion.

* Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the New American Standard Version (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).

[1] Craig C. Broyles, Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999), 126.

[2] Ibid., 128. 

[3] C.F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary On The Old Testament: The Psalms Vol. 5 (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 2011), 211.

[4] Herbert Lockyer, All The Divine Names In The Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979), 183.

[5] Keil and Delitzsch, 211.

Psalms To See Me Through Psalm 23: The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever {Psalm 23}.

This Psalm is a favorite for many because it illustrates the intimate relationship David has with the Lord; this same intimacy is available to you and me. God provides protection and providence. This is a Psalm of trust.

David was most likely singing about the pilgrimage to celebrate the festivals of the Lord. There were three main Feasts of the Lord that were required for the Jews to go up and worship; The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Pesach/Passover) found in Exodus 12-15; The Feast of Weeks Shavout/Pentecost) or also known as the Feast of Ingathering (Exod. 34:22); The Feast of Booths (Sukkoth) or also known as the The Day of Assembly (Azaret) found in Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16. Though the Temple was not built until years later by his son Solomon, this Psalm was definitely among the liturgy as pilgrims ascended up to Jerusalem to celebrate. Many scholars agree that this Psalm also suggests that David is pinning for the eternal rest promised by God. For we are pilgrims traveling through this world and we, along with David, will enter the final Rest of God. Traveling to the temple carried the idea of Yahweh gathering His sheep. This is a common theme in other Psalms in which the shepherd-sheep motif is yoked to that of the temple {Ps. 28:2; 74:1; 79:13; 95:7; 100: 3-4}. The Lord as our Shepherd is found in later prophecy announcing the visible appearing of this Shepherd {see. Is. 40:11 and Ezek. 34, 37}. Remember that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and He is our Shepherd—the Shepherd of our soul.  

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake {vv. 1-3}.

In this season of new things, a new year, with our lists and resolutions, let’s lay aside seeking after things—riches and possessions {not that these are bad in and of themselves}, but the Lord warned that moth and rust destroy these things; let’s desire the rest of God. Let us long for Him alone and we will not want for anything.

I am breathless when I learn that David is declaring the goodness of God while being chased down and hunted by his own son, Absalom. David was not lying around the palace to experience the rest of God, but was entrenched in tribulation. This is a weighty lesson for us; in dark times, declare the goodness of God, and it will bring us rest. When we spend our time abiding in Him—in silent noise, He will restore and fill our souls and spirits; He will fill us up to overflow to walk through the tribulations that we will face.

Fresh green pastures are promised, a place where one lies at ease, and rest and enjoyment. The beauty of the original Hebrew language here indicates an oasis. David was not meditating on returning to the Temple after the threat to his life and throne ceased, but a resting place, an oasis that only God can provide. It will be like nothing we have never experienced before.

Though this Psalm promises peace, it promises something else as well; tribulation. This beautiful worship song of David praises God for His protection and provision, but it is through hard roads and deep, dark valleys, that the Shepherd of Israel walked with him, and He will walk with us as well.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me {v.4}.

Words of trust pour from the mouth of a hunted man, a throne compromised, to a God of faithfulness and victory. The rod and staff is not that of a pilgrim, but that of the Shepherd. The rod and staff of protection of Yahweh is what brings this weary king comfort.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever {vv.5-6}.

God has a glorious celebration meal prepared for us. It is not to enjoy when we come out of the dark valley, but right in the middle of the darkness, while our enemies watch with disdain and disgust. He is calling us to rejoice in the middle of our tribulation and not wait till the end. If we wait until we come out of the darkness, have we really trusted Him as David did? Praising Him in the midst of our dark valley, shows that we have put our trust fully in Him. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who understands our pain {Heb. 4:15}, and will walk with us every step of the dark place; He trudged that lonely, painful path, before us.

There is a shift here from the Shepherd to the Lord of Hosts, literally the Lord of Angel Armies, who fights for us, protects us, and gives us the victory.

But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today”{Ex. 14:13}.

God is not only the Good Shepherd who looks after us in both good and bad times, and the Lord who fights on our behalf, but He also invites us to live in His house, which is both beautiful and a refuge.

The Lord of Hosts is the Host who feeds us while our enemies watch and keep silent. He provides bountifully for us His guests. He anoints our head with oil—fragrant perfume of joy. He serves us a magnificent banquet and fills our cups to overflow. David trusts that the Lord will give Him these things, while his enemies watch, in the midst of his trial. When we worship and abide in Him, we will find peace from our enemies. He also has a future banquet planned for us, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and we will feast with Him in eternal rest.

* Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the New American Standard Version (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).