Contents
II. Psalms Seven Commentary Verses
7:6- Awake, Awake Thou for Me, Even in Judgment Lord God
7:7-16- Judge the Peoples Lord God, End the Evil of the Wicked, Establish the Righteous
7:17- I Thank Jehovah the Righteous Judge, I Praise the Name of Jehovah Most High
Figure 1. The Righteous Judge Jehovah
In this Psalm we find foreshadowed one of the most striking instances of New Testament Salvation as anywhere else in the Old Testament—David, a type of the Savior Jesus Christ, and at the same time a type of the sinner in need of Salvation by the Savior Jesus. David foreshadows both sides of the Salvation Struggle in this inspired Psalm sung by him ( sung by the Spirit of Jesus Christ through David).
We will follow this format:
Verse of Scripture utilizing the YLT text followed by an NASB mouse over of that verse. Key words in the YLT text will be footnoted with a link to a word study based on the Hebrew text, and/or a general discussion relative to the given word (we are not biblical Greek or Hebrew scholars, please consider our grammatical constructions with a critical eye).
Commentary We shall always be commenting on this passage keeping before us the crucial fact that every jot and every tittle comprising these verses came forth under the inspiration of the blessed Holy Spirit. We pray that He, by His grace, helps us along the way.
YLT TEXT: [Shiggaion[1] of David[2], which he sang[3] unto the LORD[4], concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite[5].] O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust[6]: save[7] me from all them that persecute[8] me, and deliver[9] me: Lest he tear as a lion[10] my soul[11], rending[12], and there is no deliverer[13]. (Psalms 7:1-2, Psalms 7:1-2, NLT).
COMMENTARY: Shiggaion of_______, unto the LORD, God Most High:
O save me LORD, be attentive to my cry,
Save me LORD, from my Cush, the Benjamite.
By my side, draw nigh, bare thy sword on thine thigh,
wield it high, up high, and deliver me, the roaring lion defy.
Thee alone I trust—O my, none other I dare try,
for thou art Jehovah, the LORD, God Most High, Most High.
Words. Threatening words. Is there not oftentimes but a small space betwixt them and manifest trouble? Where can one find refuge in such a small space where there is not found many hiding places? Wherever one tries to hide in small spaces such as that one part or another always seems to conspicuously” stick out” as it were. And so, David finds himself conspicuously “sticking out” in such a small space in this blessed psalm:
[Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.]
But David knows where to find refuge—he is no novice at it. He knows to flee straightaway to Jehovah, whom he trusts; Jehovah, God Most High—here is a large space, where is found many hiding places (Psalms 17:8, 27:5,64:2, 143:9):
O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: Lest he tear as a lion my soul, rending, and there is no deliverer.
David speaks of a human persecutor/s, but notice the spiritual overtones coming through in reference to a “lion” (1Peter 5:8). It can hardly be otherwise that the persecutor Satan is in view as well here. Aptly, David says, there is no deliverer from that lion, none contemporary with David that is. But how might his soul, indeed, any a soul, be rent?
Lest he tear as a lion my soul, rending.
A soul may be rent from its rightful owner Jehovah. And who but Jehovah God can reclaim, nay, redeem, such a lost soul, delivering it from the jaws of the lion? Indeed; consider Luke 19:10. There is no deliverer like unto the Deliverer, Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, the Deliverer of Man.
And then there is Saul and his cronies, no less seeking to rend David. But was not Saul a plaything of Satan just mentioned? And no less so Absalom, David’s narcissist son, another one of Satan’s playthings, coached just so by Satan to rend the Messianic line. Satan is the main enemy in view here—then, now, and always, let us never forget that. Satan’s flesh and blood stooges are but decoys—the real enemy is that unclean thing Satan—then, now, and always. And is not rending souls his main thrust, this defeated-at-Calvary enemy of David, and of God’s people, and of most specifically God? And now the battle plan put forth by David. Please notice:
O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me…
Trust. Trusting God. It sounds like such a passive battle plan; how ever can that save one’s hide? The question reflects the same tongue-wagging sort of mindset put forth by the “God of-the gaps” unbelievers who say: ‘…Irresponsibly and superstitiously you say, God will take care of it…’. They completely miss what is going on here for sure[14]. The answer to the question “how can trusting God save one’s hide,” is, trusting God might or might not save one’s hide in this life—that is an aspect of the trust here put forth by God; that is, one trusts Him and His decision about saving one’s hide, and, of course, one believes up front that the decision rests entirely with God, and one is at peace with that—whatever He decides is good, is excellent, no problem—thus one trusts. But, said trust will certainly save one’s hide (soul) in the life to come—and that is what counts, for what is a long life down here in the land of sin and sorrow compared to an eternity of joy in the presence of Jehovah God? There is no comparison, it is a moot point. Moreover, let us not overlook the fact that Jehovah God valued David’s trust in Him and saved David, and, importantly, the Messianic line, ending with Messiah Jesus’ manifest appearance and ministry. The precedent of Scripture is that Trust in God is an important cog in the wheel of salvation (the mundane variety in which God saves per se) and, again, in the wheel of Salvation (the spiritual variety in which God saves a soul for eternal fellowship with Himself).
YLT TEXT O Jehovah, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity[15] in my hands, if I have done my well-wisher evil, and draw[16] mine adversary[17] without cause, an enemy pursueth my soul, and overtaketh, and treadeth down to the earth my life, and my honour[18] placeth in the dust. Selah. (Psalms 7:3-5, Psalms 7:3-5, NLT).
COMMENTARY: Hard to say exactly who or what David is referencing here, or if he just speaks in generalities: ’… If have done this, done my well-wisher evil, draw mine adversary without cause…’, and so on. Anyway, it is terrific how David now looks inside himself; he searches his conscience; nay, he lets his conscience accuse him—before God is the important takeaway: ‘…O Jehovah, if I have done thus and so, chastise me and fast straiten me…’. Why does he do things in this order? Namely, he petitions God for salvation from his enemies first as in the previous verse set, then he looks deep inside for traces of wickedness in himself and offers himself up for chastisement should there be found the same? Maybe it has to do with David’s emotions. The Shiggaion of the previous verse set was, by definition, steeped in emotion. There, he bares his soul in song, and betrays his exceeding fear, and throws His arms around Jehovah his Helper’s neck, thus embracing Hm to help, to straightaway help. This is an excellent display of faith and trust in Jehovah, his God. No problem that would come first, it is almost to be expected given the danger which we can be sure he was in given what we know of Saul’s and/or Absalom’s intentions, and no less Satan’s intentions regarding the Messianic line, to which David was central (besides Jesus, who is central). In any case, upon this pleading catharsis, he immediately turns to introspection and bares his soul before God and does so in a way that queries his character as over against the character of his enemies—that is important. For how can one plead for God’s help against this or that, or against such a one or another, if one is as bad or worse than such? One cannot is the clear message from the Word of God in this context:
O Jehovah, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands, if I have done my well-wisher evil, and draw mine adversary without cause, an enemy pursueth my soul, and overtaketh, and treadeth down to the earth my life, and my honour placeth in the dust. (Emphasis added.)
Soul, life, and honor, even mine, let the loss of the same be my just reward if you find me guilty of iniquity, evil, and inciting violence, great Jehovah my God, my only Deliverer. Notice how David proposes his own punishment should he be found guilty. What does one have left if one loses their soul, their life, their honor? Nothing, nothing is left, thus serious is the punishment he proposes be imputed upon himself. That is austere punishment to say the very least. What does this reveal about David’s sincerity before God? For starters, David is not a phony before God, he is not a hypocrite. He would rather lose everything than put a cheat on God. Here is a genuine lover of God, one who honors Him; it is a display of manifest reverence. And of course, David distances himself here from these devilish things, namely, iniquity, evil, inciting violence; he, even he, voluntarily on trial by conscience before God, thus introspecting, and clearly considering himself innocent (the inference is that he finds it not in his heart to do such things for he opens/bares his heart for God’s inspection)[19].
YLT TEXT: Rise[20], O Jehovah, in Thine anger[21], be lifted up[22] at the wrath[23] of mine adversaries[24], and awake[25] Thou for me: Judgment [26]Thou hast commanded[27] (Psalms 7:6, Psalms 7:6, NLT).
COMMENTARY: Jehovah God sits as it were; it is His normative posture as Sovereign God, thus reigning, a Dignitary, a King, nay, the King; the King of kings. Yea, He sits (Psalms 29:10, Isaiah 6:1). It is not a light thing when He rises, rises in His anger—the picture portrayed by the Word of God is vivid:
Rise, O Jehovah, in Thine anger…
it is all about action, this picture, from sitting, to rising, that act; moreover, on the cusp of action is our God, thus risen. It is to that cusp, and beyond, to which David calls his God Jehovah:
Rise, O Jehovah, in Thine anger, be lifted up at the wrath of mine adversaries and awake thou for me…
Arisen in anger, in His Spirit awoken, at the wrath of David’s adversaries. Anger, for wrath. A sore, grievous, plethora of heat directed at misguided and misplaced heat. Right here we see David as a type of Jesus Christ, against which Holy Standard (Jesus) the wicked vent their petty wrath, but for whom (Jesus) Father God arises in fierce anger against Jesus’ wicked adversaries, commanding (Piel, perfect, no less) due and just and consummate Judgment upon them (cf. Psalms 2:1-6, “Psalms Two Commentary”). But how does this Judgment work itself out in shoe leather? For starters, it was shown to be in force by the deliverance of David—the Messianic line has held fast to the day, our day. Israel, of all peoples, is a nation again too by the way—this all fits together and makes some dandy shoe leather. But there is more to show here because that Messianic line, Yea David, was delivered for a reason, and it need not be said, this bespeaks purpose. What purpose? That through David, Messiah may in fact come (Matthew 1:1-6). Yet beyond that Visitation, the Judgment rolls on, for Christ (Messiah) lives, not just as the resurrected Messiah Jesus, which He certainly is, but specifically in His people, His Church, a significant force against said wicked, even their evil—a people, a Church, animated by precisely Him—and a force to be reckoned with, not just by its staggering numbers, but spiritually, carrying forward said Judgment of Jehovah God by its Testimony. And as long as the Christian Church stands, stands tall as today, said Judgment is walking tall in some dandy shoe leather. And drilling down a little bit more, what are we to say of the myriad Judgment-rooted changed lives across the centuries at the scale of the world’s population no less! What mere mortal can predict and then pull off such things, or what random process can come together in sanctifying Judgment like that across space and time? No mortal can, no random process can. But God can and did—He arose, in anger, He awoke, He commanded Judgement, and David survived, the Messianic Line survived, and Messiah Jesus lives, as do His people through whom His Judgment lives. How so? By their witness, their testimony, their ministry of Salvation. (Surely Jesus speaks here as well through David, speaks of sanctifying Judgment for His people [the demise of His enemies] and through His people [the ministering Saints, His Inheritance no less, for whom He tasted very Judgment determined and ordered in eternity past].):
Rise, O Jehovah, in Thine anger, be lifted up at the wrath of mine adversaries, and awake Thou for me: Judgment Thou hast commanded…
YLT TEXT: and a company[28] of peoples[29] compass[30] Thee, and over it on high turn Thou back[31], Jehovah doth judge[32] the peoples; judge me, O Jehovah, according to my righteousness[33], and according to mine integrity[34] on me, let, I pray Thee be ended the evil of the wicked[35], and establish[36] Thou the righteous, and a trier[37] of hearts and reins[38] is the righteous God. My shield[39] is on God, Saviour of the upright in heart! God is a righteous judge, and He is not angry[40] at all times. if one turn not, His sword he sharpeneth, His bow he hath trodden -- He prepareth it, yea, for him He hath prepared Instruments of death, His arrows for burning pursuers[41] He maketh. Lo, he travaileth[42] with iniquity, and he hath conceived perverseness[43], and hath brought forth falsehood[44]. A pit he hath prepared, and he diggeth it, and he falleth into a ditch he maketh. Return doth his perverseness on his head, and on his crown his violence cometh down. (Psalms 7:7-16, Psalms 7:7-16, NLT).
COMMENTARY: The theme of Judgment continues; here follow now some specifics. We have a gathering—an assembly of peoples—round about Judge Jehovah God at the Bench, He, in His rightful place, overseeing the proceedings:
And a company of peoples compass Thee, and over it on high turn Thou back.
In keeping with the “Try Me Lord God” section above, David quite willingly places himself amid the peoples here under judgment: ‘…as for them, so for me; judge me O Jehovah…’. (Thus too did Jesus for the peoples.) He asks God to judge him according to the righteousness that is in his heart, be that as it may (in Jesus’ heart was perfect righteousness of course). Though that righteousness in David be not perfect, far from it, nevertheless, he understands his inner person, his heart, which he knows is filled with God-like righteousness, even though in practice it is far from it. (Thus Jesus in His heart and by His walk accomplished what David could not, for David, for His people.) David knows the will is there to live it out, the desire, strong desire is there, and hardly would he press the issue of transparency before God if this desire and will were not there. Repeatedly, he bares his heart for Spirit-guided introspection per his conscience’s accusations (the Spirit of Christ of whom David is a type is talking to him about this and that consistent with his transparency), and he displays a willingness to make changes, for he is prepared to lose honor, life, and soul to be right before God. (Thus he is a type of the repentant sinner converted; through David in this context the Spirit of God foreshadows both sides of the Salvation struggle—David is a type of the Savior Jesus who wrought Salvation, and a type of the sinner who aright receives Salvation). And therefore, he asks God to judge that righteousness according to that desire, that will to be righteous, to live out what is in his heart—to be God-like—which in the aggregate is an excellent integrity on display before God. (David needs the Savior Jesus Christ who had not yet manifestly redeemed David and the rest of humankind past, present, and future. He is therefore judged differently, and it is a matter of the heart for David, which he feels is right before God [Acts 13:22]). David is Christ-like in his heart—that is his righteousness—and he wants to live out that righteousness before God:
Jehovah doth judge the peoples; judge me, O Jehovah, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity on me.
Let us dissect this matter of an upright heart a little more. Of his own, David had no righteousness, besides what he graded, as said, yet he offered the same up for judgment, which he did in the confidence of an upright heart:
Saviour of the upright in heart! God is a righteous judge…
It behooves us to understand what an upright heart is from God’s perspective. In the negative, it is not:
evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders (Matthew 15:19). In the positive, it is to love the Lord God Jehovah with all of one’s heart, soul, and mind, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:37-38; cf. “The Beatitudes”). Thus Jesus’ heart, amid the peoples, and for the peoples, accomplished what David’s could not (for himself; he typifies the sinner here).
But did not David murder Uriah, and was he not an adulterer in the matter? His upright heart, be that as it may—no doubt sincere given Jehovah’s estimation of it—was not enough to save him from the judgment he submits himself to here given the precedent of Scripture. David needed the righteousness of Jesus Christ to save him from sore Judgment, and the righteousness and integrity that is “on him” as he says is in fact Jesus’. Scripture here segues to New Testament Salvation in Jesus Christ, and precisely David is that segue, for he is amid the peoples alike in the same predicament, and thus he foreshadows New Testament Salvation (escaping Judgment unto Life Eternal in Jehovah’s presence through Jesus) as a personal experience (specifically David here), and a public one (generally, Jews, Gentiles, everybody) in keeping with the peoples before Judge Jehovah in these verses. He as much as says so when he asks this public to be sifted such that the righteous and righteousness are established (=Salvation) and the evil of the wicked be ended (=Damnation, ever separated from Jehovah and His people on into eternity). Perhaps even more telling in this regard is David’s understanding that Jehovah’s anger, quenched only by the Divine Justice, is not forever, so he is foreshadowing a time when said anger shall be quenched by the Divine Justice that Jesus satisfied:
God is a righteous judge, and He is not angry at all times…
And so, the big picture shows David a type of the very Savior he is pleading for, a Savior of humankind (peoples in this context), much as the immediate picture shows him pleading for his personal Savior as a sinner (a human being in grave peril in context), of which too he is a type (i.e., a sinner). One can almost hear quintessentially righteous Jesus Himself speaking here, taking Judgment upon Himself in satisfaction of His requests:
Jehovah doth judge the peoples; judge me, O Jehovah, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity on me, let, I pray Thee be ended the evil of the wicked, and establish Thou the righteous.
It is worth repeating that it is the righteousness and integrity of his Savior, Jesus Christ, upon which, unbeknownst to him (?), he David leans for his personal and public wishes, entirely under inspiration:
My shield is on God, Saviour of the upright in heart! God is a righteous judge.
Consistent with the previous discussion about an upright heart, we see that the righteous Judge tries the hearts and reins. Nothing is hidden from His scrutiny. If we may understand hearts and reins as heart and will, we find David and ourselves lacking, for while the heart is willing for many, the will is heartless in its unholy carnal pursuits and satisfactions for too many more—hardly the picture of a righteous unity said hearts and reins—thus is humankind ever under scrutiny saddled, saddled with sin from birth, in sore need of a Savior, the Savior here presaged ( “Righteous Faith”):
and a trier of hearts and reins is the righteous God.
In defiance, in turning not from unrighteousness, in turning not to righteousness, to God, to Jesus and the Righteousness He offers, one is found without His literally precious righteousness, and then follows sore judgment. Then follow instruments of Death (Death is eternal death), the hounds of heaven, pursuing the unrighteous; instruments of death from the Righteous God, as the balance of the verses in this verse set describe. Importantly, David speaks entirely spiritually now, his own enemies are not in view—this is hands down inspiration as it chimes singularly New Testament Salvation:
if one turn not, His sword he sharpeneth, His bow he hath trodden -- He prepareth it, yea, for him He hath prepared Instruments of death, His arrows for burning pursuers He maketh.
Defiant, turning rather to perverseness and falsehood, iniquity aplenty, hearts and reins thus in hot pursuit, engaging the same with painful and laborious effort no problem, turning not to God. And what of it? it is Death in the long haul as just said, but please notice that it is a painful backfiring in the short haul (Job 20:24, Galatians 6:7-8; consider Saul 1Samuel 31:4, Absalom 2Samuel 18:14-15, Satan Revelation 20:10):
Lo, he travaileth with iniquity, and he hath conceived perverseness, and hath brought forth falsehood. A pit he hath prepared, and he diggeth it, and he falleth into a ditch he maketh. Return doth his perverseness on his head, and on his crown his violence cometh down.
Thus are the defiant Godless-wicked a loser, a loser times two (contrast the trusting Godly, a winner, a winner times two, Isaiah 57:13—here we come full circle back to trusting Jehovah God as in the opening section).
YLT TEXT: I thank[45] Jehovah, according to His righteousness, and praise[46] the name of Jehovah Most High! (Psalms 7:17, Psalms 7:17, NLT)).
COMMENTARY: Thanks, and praise. These two belong together. Thanking God is lacking when not at the same time He is exceedingly praised. Praising when it is genuine lends credence to thanking. Here David thanks Jehovah, his Righteous Judge, for His righteous judgment (Figure 1), which is for Him a Name, and which for David is rest from his quite unrighteous enemies, an unrighteousness that is their undoing. David knows he may appeal to Jehovah for help and gain His help against his enemies only if he is set apart from his enemies’ unrighteousness—that is why all throughout he was introspecting and laid bare his heart for Jehovah’s heart-scrutiny—so that he might not be caught up in the same Judgment or miss out on His sought-after justice. But more than that motivates him. David knows that judgment follows hard on the heels of resolute unrighteousness and he wants no part of it, neither the Judgment, nor, particularly, the attendant odium directed to God and His exceedingly precious Name by it (cf. Jesus’ concern for that precious Name, John 12:28; why is God’s Name precious? “O, That Name!” barely gets at the Worth). And please notice the nature of David’s praise upon thanking God for His sought-after justice—he invokes the Name of Jehovah which he so conscientiously reverences via introspection and ever so decorates it as best as humanly possible with a blessed superlative, namely, he addresses Jehovah as Jehovah Most High. Thou Most High, he says to his Lord—in his heart (there where he invites Jehovah’s scrutiny; no mere flattering words here we may reckon). It is Jehovah’s righteousness, to which David had appealed for justice regarding his enemies, and which justice he was granted, that David here decorates. Yea, Jehovah’s righteousness, and attendant justice, driven by His holiness, that, is most high, it is surpassing; indeed, it sets Him apart from everything else. Way on up, up, up high, thus is Jehovah Most High (Isaiah 55:7-9):
I thank Jehovah, according to His righteousness, and praise the name of Jehovah Most High!
Yea David, even Jehovah Most High, Most Exceedingly High,
whose righteousness decorated a Cross, upon which He hung Most High,
which precious, adorning righteousness, He extends to you and I,
to escape the Judgment we deserve, and live, ever live, and not die.
Praised be your Name great savior God, Righteous Judge, Jehovah Most High, Most Exceedingly High…
“A Letter of Invitation.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/aletterofinvitation.html >
Wikimedia Commons.
File: Legal Gavel.
< https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Legal_Gavel_(27571702173).jpg >
Attribution: Blogtrepreneur, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Henry, Matthew.
Commentary on Psalms Seven.
“John Chapter Three Commentary.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentaryjohn3.html >
McGee, J.V.
Commentary on Psalms Seven.
“O, That Name!”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/othatname.html >
“Psalms Two Commentary.”
Jesus, Amen.
Http://jesusamen.org/commentarypsa2.html >
“Righteous Faith.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/righteousfaith.html >
“The Beatitudes.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/thebeatitudes.html >
The YLT is in the public domain.
[1] Shiggaion—Strong’s H7692 [of David]. Easton’s Bible Dictionary has it so: a lyrical poem composed under strong mental emotion. See also.
[3] [Shiggaion of David, which he] sang-Strong’s H7891 [unto the LORD]. Verbal usage is Qal (the unnuanced form of the verb), perfect (completed action). Why the perfect here? We reckon it conveys the consummate passion inferred by the Shiggaion David here sings. He bares his soul in prayerful singing. Songs convey passions well, and no less convey passionate prayers well, nay, very well. Sometimes it just “comes out” of one’s soul better in a song. Such must resound pleasantly in Jehovah’s ears. When the heat is on, when the soul is heavy, when danger is all about, or, when the soul must needs praise God, it is good to, shall we say, “Shiggaion.”
[5] [Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of] Cush the Benjamite. It is not clear who this is exactly. Maybe Saul is inferred, or perhaps a kinsman of Saul named Cush (so Matthew Henry). Dr. McGee sees a connection to antiChrist | the man of Sin (2thessalonians 2:3, KJV). See also.
[6] [O LORD my God, in thee do I put my] trust-Strong’s H2620. Verbal usage is Qal, perfect. Note the perfect. He trusts not in a little something here and a little something else there, and then a little bit in Jehovah too just for good measure, nay, no way, it is all squarely put on Jehovah.
[7] Save-Strong’s H3467 [me from all them that persecute me]. Save, literally save. Verbal usage is Hiphil (causative action is apt here), imperative (direct address command). Probably he means for God to command his salvation. ‘…order it, yea, cause it to be so great Jehovah God…’.
[8] [save me from all them that] persecute-Strong’s H7291 [me, and deliver me]. The sense is that of being hunted, chased, pursued. Verbal usage is Qal, active participle (ongoing action in the present). David is being “hounded” by someone/s meaning him grave, no doubt, harm.
[9] [save me from all them that persecute me, and] deliver-Strong’s H5337 [me]. In this context it is clear he wants Jehovah his God to snatch him out of harm’s way somewheres completely safe. Verbal usage is again the Hiphil, imperative construction as before with respect to his pleading to be saved—excellent grammatical and semantic consistency as we find again and again in the spoken, divine Word, the Word of God.
[10] [Lest he tear as a] lion-Strong’s H738 [my soul]. Here in the negative we think of that roaring lion Satan who goes about seeking what souls he may devour (1Peter 5:8). See also.
[11] [Lest he tear as a lion my] soul-Strong’s H5315.Please see the following Bible dictionaries for this complicated term. Maybe ‘that which animates a human being,’ as in person, personhood, but it is more profound than that. (Compare spirit.)
[12] [Lest he tear as a lion my soul] rending-Strong’s H6561. Tear into pieces, rend. Verbal usage is Qal, active participle. Note the participle, it bespeaks an unending misery save Jehovah’s intervention. Lions kill their prey by breaking its neck or by strangulation via their jaws around the prey’s neck. Once killed, that prey is ripped open and consumed, and it is the latter grisly scene to which David refers and from which he seeks deliverance. It is also noteworthy that lions stalk their prey attempting to get close enough to pounce on it and kill and consume it as said. (Does not Sin contrive similarly?) So David is painting a picture of being hounded and stalked and is wary of being suddenly pounced upon and killed in a horrific way. The picture lends considerable gravity to his plight and quite qualifies the sincerity of his trust in Jehovah to deliver and save him. He turned to none other than Jehovah because none other could deliver and save him as he well knew experientially.
[13] [and there is no] deliverer-Strong’s H5337. A deliverer, one who can rescue him from the lion’s jaws should it get to that point, one who can help him avert those jaws. Jesus is a (the) Deliverer.
[14] A key word in the term” God of the gaps” is gaps; gaps, as in “voids in understanding” of some aspect or another of nature—“God of the gaps” is tantamount to saying “we do not know how, but God did it” in those instances where some aspect of nature is not rigorously understood. Imagine drawing a line on a piece of paper with a pencil. Now take an eraser and every now and then erase part of the line. You end up with a line that has gaps in it. The parts of the line that has gaps represents phenomena in nature that are not rigorously understood by science, and the believer is accused of “sticking” God into those gaps as a lazy, unthinking, sort of hand-waving explanation. Hundreds of years ago, there were many such gaps, and then, as science closed more and more of the gaps (by God’s grace by the way), there were less gaps in the line, and so the (foolish) idea is that science will eventually “squeeze” God out of the line completely when it ultimately fills in all the gaps that the “ignorant and naïve and superstitious” believer attributes to God. Science’s quest for a theory of Everything in no small part seeks to do just that, though that is not necessarily the stated goal. Modern science operates on the largely pompous notion that, given enough time, it will eventually, of its own, rigorously figure out everything in and about nature (FUSIKOS, physics), thus rendering God as “unnecessary,” not least as an explanation for nature’s processes. It even takes this notion into the realm of human consciousness these days, which is a move from the concrete (nature and its processes) to the abstract (consciousness; also, emotion, and reason [as an artificial intelligence template; notice that everything they do has God’s design or energy at the root of it, and they hijack it and gloat in it], etc.). Modern science puts a lot of faith into its beloved fuzzy player, quantum mechanics, to accomplish its goals by the way (quantum mechanics can give proven results, but some of its conclusions and inferences are fuzzy to be sure; what concerns us is that, to date, those conclusions in the aggregate presume to obviate Jehovah God, which is decidedly errant, not least on procedural grounds. Why? Let the scientists stick to science, which understanding thereof they are particularly good at, and let them leave the matter of the existence of God to the theologians, which understanding thereof they are particularly good at, better yet, let them leave the matter to the theologian-scientist, that is, those experienced and schooled and versed in both disciplines). But of course, Jehovah God is not just a “God of the gaps”, He is God of the whole line from first to last. The astute scientist rigorously goes about their work under the guidance of the Word of Jehovah God—that is the only way that the line will fill in aright—and notice, thus God is in fact seen to manifestly fill in the gaps. (From God the Creator’s perspective, there are no gaps.) But nature’s animating Word, Jesus Christ, will long have returned before that so-called line ever gets filled is a better reckoning.
[15] [if there is] iniquity-Strong’s H5766 [in my hands]. Crookedness, perverseness, lawlessness. See also.
[16] [and] draw-Strong’s H2502 [mine adversary without cause]. Maybe this means to provoke unto conflict and consequent engagement; in everyday terms: “to start a fight.” Verbal usage is Piel (intentionality in this context), imperfect (we think this refers to a repeated action in the past in this instance—the imperfect is loaded with possibility).
[17] [And draw mine] adversary-Strong’s H6887 [without cause]. Adversary, enemy. In the broader sense, God does not contend with His enemies without cause.
[19] This psalm was probably penned before David’s murder of Uriah, but whatever the timing, notice in consideration of his murder of Uriah, he is not innocent, not always (here is iniquity, evil, and inciting violence, in the extreme). The upshot? David in fact needed a Deliverer (for reasons beyond what he thought), even Jesus Christ, otherwise, by his own words (notwithstanding God’s Word, of course), he is quite undone. Not a soul since the dawn of humankind is any better off, we all need that Deliverer, Jesus Christ.
[20] Rise-Strong’s H6965 [O Jehovah, in Thine anger]. Assume a posture of action in context. Verbal usage is Qal, imperative. Let us note the imperative and be guided by its usage in this context. How can David order this of the Lord God Jehovah? He is given space to use the imperative because he is a legitimate son of that great God Jehovah (cf. the High Priest and Intercessor Jesus and John 1:12 in our day), whom, accordingly, he loves (Psalms 27:8, 42:1), even with a heart like unto God’s (1Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). ‘…Papa God do thus and so for thy needy son…’ (he is boldly before the throne of grace Hebrews 4:14-16; in the Name of Jesus Christ these days). Bottom line: he is not “bossing” God here; just later in continuation of the thought/petition he says “…I pray Thee…”.
[21] [in Thine] anger-Strong’s H639 [be lifted up at the wrath of mine adversaries]. This is graphic in the Hebrew—the picture is like unto flames and smoke shooting out of the nostrils, even thus hot. Note that this is not mere indignation, no way.
[22] [Rise, O Jehovah, in Thine anger] be lifted up-Strong’s H5375 [at the wrath of mine adversaries]. This complements the rise imperative and is a continuation of it. Verbal usage is Niphal (Qal, passive—the object receives the action), imperative.
[23] [O, Jehovah, in Thine anger, be lifted up at the] wrath-Strong’s H5678 [of mine adversaries]. We have God’s anger on the one hand, directed at the wrath of David’s (Jesus’) adversaries on the other. Anger over against wrath. A lot of Heat over against misplaced heat.
[24] [O Jehovah, in Thine anger, be lifted up at the wrath of mine] adversaries-Strong’s H6887. We had this before in note fifteen. Adversary, enemy. We think that the enemies of Jesus and thus God are in view in the big picture.
[25] [be lifted up at the wrath of mine adversaries, and] awake-Strong’s H5782 [thou for me]. Verbal usage is Qal, imperative. The chain of imperatives continues, a thread which in its redundancy bespeaks the urgency of God stirring Himself to act on behalf of David’s (the incarnate Jesus’ Matthew 26:36ff) pleas. An urgency qualified by the foe’s ferocious fury, ‘…O Jehovah, stir thyself, rise up against mine enemies lest they tear me into pieces and devour me; direct thine anger against the fury they direct against me…’. Yet it is not so much that Jehovah is asked to stir Himself as rather a call for His Judgment to “awake,” as it were; for His judgment to be executed (=awakened).
[26] [and awake Thou for me] judgment-Strong’s H4941. Probably justice is the intended meaning (Psalms 94:1, Nahum 1:2, et al.).
[27] [and awake Thou for me judgment Thou hast] commanded-Strong’s H6680. Verbal usage is Piel (intentionality here), perfect (what door God has closed here none can open, and what door God has opened none can close relates the perfect). God commanded it by His immutable Word and here David avails himself of it. How did David know judgment was thus consummately commanded against his enemies, for his good even? He petitioned the very God of Justice. Compare Jesus: ‘…O Thou awakest for Thy people the Justice Thou hast commanded Thine Suffering Servant Jesus to be for them: that He bear Thine wrath kindled by their Sin…’ (Zechariah 13:7, Romans 5:8-9).
[28] [and a] company-Strong’s H5712 [of peoples compass Thee, and over it on high turn Thou back]. We like assembly, congregation—here the peoples are gathered before Jehovah in the spiritual sense and He as the consummate Judge judges them according to His Holiness Standard, which is Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God. That Word is Law, and said Law is the basis upon which Judgment proceeds here.
[29] [and a company of] peoples-Strong’s H3816. [compass Thee, and over it on high turn Thou back]. It stems from the root “to gather,} which has wide applications. Nations is good in context. See also.
[30] [and a company of peoples]-compass-Strong’s H5437. [Thee]. Surround, all about. Verbal usage is Piel (Probably intentionality), imperfect. Why the imperfect? Round and round and round and round, and again, all around…it is the nature of a circle—that sort of encompassing is driven home here. (After all, it is a company of peoples thus round about Jehovah.)
[31] And over it on high turn Thou back. The Judge is seated at the Bench, He rules over the peoples round about and all about, and is that not His rightful place? David here reminds us that He sits at the highest Bench, and rules precisely over the peoples, all peoples. As such an Authority He is petitioned by David: “…turn Thou back…” to, it follows, incontestably administer, and arbitrate, the Justice David cries out for. So, who exactly is this Judge David petitions? It is Judge Jesus, of course (John 5:22).
[32] [Jehovah doth] judge-Strong’s H1777 [the peoples]. Jehovah acts as a judge. Verbal usage is Qal, imperfect. He judged yesterday, He judges today, He judges tomorrow; He shall judge until the Final Judgement. How so? He is writing things down in some books He tells us in His Word (Revelation 20:12).
[33] [judge me, O Jehovah, according to my] righteousness-Strong’s H6664. “Rightness” (before God in this context). We think David is not claiming perfect teighteousness here, rather, he wants to be judged according to the manifest righteousness within him, be that as it may. Just later he says do so according to my integrity that is on me by which we think he means sincerity of effort, desire to be righteous. See also.
[34] [judge me, O Jehovah, according to my righteousness, and according to mine] integrity-H8537 [on me]. We think David means genuineness, sincerity of effort in living righteously (he is trying hard, giving it his best), maybe transparency is inferred as well, for repeatedly he lays himself bare for judgment. See also.
[35] [let, I pray Thee be ended the evil of the] wicked-Strong’s H7563 [and establish Thou the righteous]. Who are the wicked? They are, hands down, the Godless in our midst; precisely the Godless are wicked. That definition does not sit well with the Godless humanists and secularists to be sure, but the truth hurts oftentimes. See also, and also.
[36] [let, I pray Thee be ended the evil of the wicked, and] establish-Strong’s H3559 [Thou the righteous]. Verbal usage is Polel (it is like the Piel; the Hiphil/causative is not utilized here, so the emphasis must be another sort of intentionality, more passionate perhaps), imperfect. Note the imperfect—when God establishes, it is enduring; or, perhaps to be understood that He ever establishes the righteous in their generation.
[37] [and a] trier-Strong’s H974 [of hearts and reins is the righteous God]. Try, prove. God tries/proves over against His righteousness; it is not an accident that He is referred to as the righteous God here. Verbal usage is Qal, active participle (unbroken action ever in the present).
[38] [and a trier of] hearts and reins [is the righteous God]. Inner person/spirit and license/will, respectively.
[39] [My] shield-Strong’s H4043 [is on God, Savior of the upright in heart]. David is saying that God is his shield. What is a shield? It is preeminently a means of defense. See also.
[40] God is a righteous judge, and He is not] angry-H2194 [at all times]. The Hebrew connotes intense anger—a foaming at the mouth sort of anger, quite graphic. Let us not miss the communique—thus is God predisposed toward Sin. Thanks be to this same God for our Savior, Jesus Christ, who bore said anger, amen? (Therefore, God is not angry at all times, precisely for Jesus’ sake, and thus only.) Verbal usage is Qal, active participle—note the participle, which bespeaks unbroken action.
[41] [His arrows for burning] pursuers-Strong’s H1814 [He maketh]. Flaming arrows that chase the wicked (flaming hound dogs if you will). Verbal usage is Qal, participle. Note again the unbroken action the participle relates. These flaming arrows from God chase the wicked like unto their own shadow chases them. David’s enemies chased and hounded him, here God’s arrows chase and hound David’s (and God’s) enemies. (God is not mocked, not ever, nor are His people, not really, certainly not in the long haul.)
[42] [he] travaileth-Strong’s H2254 [with iniquity]. Note this apt descriptor of the wicked—they travail with iniquity, that is, they go to the extent of laboriously and painfully engaging iniquity, thus persevering if necessary (the wicked, at the root of it, are the Godless). Who but God can bring Salvation to such a seared conscience and bullheaded mind? These sorts are the worst kind of enemy to God and certainly to His people; they are very injurious. But we are told that our God Jehovah has prepared a sword and some hound dog, flaming arrows for them, instruments of death, and lays them waste. These words do not simply apply to tenth-century BC David (because God’s Word is timeless). For example, we are reminded of a contemporary talking-mouth atheist recently deceased that brazenly blasphemed God at every turn, mocked Him, taunted Him, tested Him, with His slick and cunning promotion of atheism (i.e., publicly presuming to slap God in the face as it were), but he is gone, laid waste in his prime, now engaging eternity with nothing, nothing but that atheistic talking-mouth, forever separated from God and any semblance of Life. Of course, it does not have to end like that for the wicked, but what hope is there for them when they travail with iniquity, as the aforementioned staunch promoter of atheism, thus travailing, notwithstanding, now deceased? There is always hope for them in Jesus Christ, who holds out His hand to them all the day long, and a few of them have enough sense to kiss that pierced hand and embrace Him, but most do not.
[43] [and he hath conceived] perverseness-Strong’s H5999. contrariness, cussedness, lawlessness, meanspirited, orneriness, unruliness, willfulness. Calling cards of the Godless wicked.
[44] [and hath brought forth] falsehood-Strong’s H8267. Lies. like unto that unclean thing Satan, a murderer, and the father of lies (john 8:44). Another telling identifier of the Godless wicked is their lies, lying, falsehood—you know them and can sniff them out from afar by this rotten “fruit.”
[45] [I] thank-Strong’s H3034 [Jehovah, according to His righteousness]. Thank. Verbal usage is Hiphil (thus the “thank” rendering and not “praise”), imperfect. Note the imperfect. ‘…I thank Jehovah for shining His face upon me in times past and cannot stop thanking Him today and going forward…’.
[46] [I thank Jehovah, according to His righteousness, and] praise-Strong’s H2167 [the name of Jehovah Most High!]. It means to sing praise—thus it comes from the heart does it not? The vocal cords of (true) praise (to Righteous Jehovah Most High) lie not in the throat, rather, they lie in the chest with the heart; yea, over yonder with the heart. We have here a Shiggaion after all. Verbal usage is Piel (!), imperfect (!). Note the Piel, the imperfect! (Ever the sweetest heart notes unto you beloved Papa God Jehovah Most High).
JESUS,AMEN