Psalm 59
David is once again facing his enemies. It's amazing just how strong David's faith was in the midst of his trials. And following the psalms, especially from 52-59, it is easy to see how David was strengthened through the Holy Spirit. He comes away from every cry of despair with a renewed sense of hope.
In this psalm, David is again asking for deliverance from his enemies. They have risen up against him. They are bloodthirsty. They are waiting to attack David, planning to do him in even though he has done nothing to offend either these men or King Saul, whom they represent. David asks that God arise to punish the "wicked traitors." He describes them as dogs -- not gentle pets, but howling scavengers, looking for something or someone to tear apart. His enemies are all about violence against David, but his God laughs at those who look to destroy him.
At verse 5, David pulls out a list of God's names. Lord, God Almighty, God of Israel.
David calls them "nations" instead of simply men. Boice suggests that David actually wrote this later in life, as times when nations were threatening Israel may have reminded King David of the times when he was on the run from Saul and his men. It could be that these men represented far more than simply a soldier of Saul to David. It's hard to say. But David regarded them as enemies.
The psalm's refrain is found in verse 9, then slightly altered in verse 17. David gets through these tough spots emotionally and spiritually because he is taking refuge in God. As he writes in Psalm 57, David is taking comfort in the shadow of God's wings.
In verse 10, again David addresses the Almighty asking Him to bring down his enemies, but not to kill them. Rather he wants those men to live in defeat. Killing them is too good for them, he seems to be saying. Then he asks God to make an example of them so that the world will know the power of David's God -- "that God rules over Jacob."
The dogs return every evening and howl and shriek until they can be satisfied. But David will lift his voice to God in the morning. His enemies will not win. Praises are reserved for God, as David knows He will deliver him.
The refrain in verse 17 is changed so that instead of watching for God, David now is singing praises to Him. According to Boice, the Hebrew word for watch and for sing have only one letter difference. For David it is a progression to the point of singing praises to the One whom he watched for all night.
In this psalm, David is again asking for deliverance from his enemies. They have risen up against him. They are bloodthirsty. They are waiting to attack David, planning to do him in even though he has done nothing to offend either these men or King Saul, whom they represent. David asks that God arise to punish the "wicked traitors." He describes them as dogs -- not gentle pets, but howling scavengers, looking for something or someone to tear apart. His enemies are all about violence against David, but his God laughs at those who look to destroy him.
At verse 5, David pulls out a list of God's names. Lord, God Almighty, God of Israel.
David calls them "nations" instead of simply men. Boice suggests that David actually wrote this later in life, as times when nations were threatening Israel may have reminded King David of the times when he was on the run from Saul and his men. It could be that these men represented far more than simply a soldier of Saul to David. It's hard to say. But David regarded them as enemies.
The psalm's refrain is found in verse 9, then slightly altered in verse 17. David gets through these tough spots emotionally and spiritually because he is taking refuge in God. As he writes in Psalm 57, David is taking comfort in the shadow of God's wings.
In verse 10, again David addresses the Almighty asking Him to bring down his enemies, but not to kill them. Rather he wants those men to live in defeat. Killing them is too good for them, he seems to be saying. Then he asks God to make an example of them so that the world will know the power of David's God -- "that God rules over Jacob."
The dogs return every evening and howl and shriek until they can be satisfied. But David will lift his voice to God in the morning. His enemies will not win. Praises are reserved for God, as David knows He will deliver him.
The refrain in verse 17 is changed so that instead of watching for God, David now is singing praises to Him. According to Boice, the Hebrew word for watch and for sing have only one letter difference. For David it is a progression to the point of singing praises to the One whom he watched for all night.
posted by rev-ed @ 11:59 PM
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