* David wrote this psalm for the dedication of the temple. The illustration by an unknown author is now in public domain.
>1. Who is the author? What did he decided to do? Why?
* Psalm 30:1-2 "I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me."
* The title of the psalm is "A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David."
* "I will exalt you, O LORD"
* "for you lifted me out of the depths"
* "did not let my enemies gloat over me. "
* "O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me."
>What is the grave that he was brought up from? And the pit he almost went down in?
* Psalm 30:3 "LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit."
* "you brought me up from the grave"
* "you spared me from going down into the pit."
* The author of the praise psalm, David had been sick and his enemies were happy. They knew he had faith in the Lord and despised him for it. Like Cain who wanted his brother dead, they so wanted David dead. Hate is from the same evil cells as murder. (Matthew 5:21, 15:9)
David did not have a mere cold. His illness was life-threatening. He was only a cough away from the grave. If David were to die, his enemies would gloat like Jesus' enemies gloated. "He trusts in God. Yet, he hangs here dying."
David did not die. The Lord healed him. The Lord brought him up from the grave (Sheol in Hebrew). He was spared from going down to the pit (bor in Hebrew). So David praised the Lord. He exalted the Lord. The Hebrew word "ramam" (a transliteration) is translated into English as "exalt" and "extol", a poetic way to say he emotionally held God in reverence and fear. Some believe it means singing praise songs, which is generally true. Yet, the emotional state makes exaltation meaningful to God. Without awe, there is no love in exaltation. If I do not believe God healed me I keep my mouth shut. If I do believe God healed me why do I keep my mouth shut?
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 30:1-3.
>2. What is commanded in verse 4? Why? What does it mean by the Lord's anger? Why does God get angry with us? Is it permanent? What can it lead to?
* Psalm 30:4-5 "Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
* "Sing to the LORD... praise his holy name"
* "you saints of his"
* "For his anger lasts only a moment"
* "his favor lasts a lifetime"
* "weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
* The call goes forth for the saints ("hasid" in Hebrew) to praise the holy name of the Lord. "Hasid" is an additive that means loving-kindness, good, godly, and pious. The call is rational because a fraud or someone who hates the Lord is not a saint. Degenerates and the perverse have little desire to praise God. Nor do they desire to be at a religious event that announces the time for praising God's holy name.
The reason for the saints to gather and worship the Lord is stated in verse 5. All who are saints experienced a time when they were not "hasid" worshipers and thus under the anger and wrath of the Lord. (John 3:36; Romans 1:18, 2:5,8) They changed their heart and ways. They accepted the forgiveness found in the Son of God. The time of wrath ended. It was only for a moment. The time of the Lord's favor began.
The saints had wept momentarily when they accepted their sins, were sorry for what they had done, and asked for forgiveness. This is the way for all to become saints. Jesus promised, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:3-4) The woman who stood behind Jesus at his feet wetting his feet with her tears heard Jesus tell her, "Your sins are forgiven." (Luke 7:38, 48) Her weeping stopped and she rejoiced. She had passed from sinner to saint at the Master's command. The call goes to her and me, "Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name."
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 30:4-5.
>3. When David considered his past before his troubles what did he have to admit he was in err of? (6) Who else lead to a similar conclusion? (Luke 3:7-9)
* Psalm 30:6 "When I felt secure, I said, 'I will never be shaken.'"
* "When I felt secure"
* "I will never be shaken."
* Luke 3:7-9 "John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
>What lead him to his false conclusion in those days? Did that make God's favor a bad thing? What did the Lord mean for David? What happened that destroyed that idea? What does it mean that the Lord favor's someone from God's perspective? Consider the lives of Jesus, the apostles and the prophets.
* Psalm 30:7 "O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed."
* "when you favored me"
* "you made my mountain stand firm"
* "when you hid your face, I was dismayed."
>Even though his mountain was shaken what did David do? What is mercy? What did he present to the Lord would not happen if he died?
* Psalm 30:8-9 "To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: "What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?"
* "to the Lord I cried for mercy"
* "What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit?"
* "Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?"
* Security is an erroneous perception of reality. What is security but the idea or feeling that I will be free from risk, danger, doubt, anxiety, illness, and fear knowing everything that every tomorrow after and all days forever will be peace, happiness, and goodness? Absolute security is a fallacious reality that the blessed Christ, apostles, prophets, and King David never experienced. What precept exists to convince me that I will be different than anyone else in the eternity of human existence?
"When I felt secure, I said, 'I will never be shaken.'" Oh, what a fool that believed that! David remembers his presumptuous life belief. Even though the Lord God creator of all established his Moun Zion throne it never meant he was secure in the happily forever after. As he wrote in previous psalms the Lord hid his face and he was dismayed. Inward trembling was his new reality. Mercy (hanan in Hebrew) cries consumed his day and night.
Worrying is as erroneous a perception of reality as security. "...do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ... Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:25, 27)
Is living in the moment a possible escape from remaining in the unchangeable past or focused on the vague uncontrollable future? Only if the moment is in the one who said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) So no matter what is now and will be next the only thing that is unchanging it the light of life and that light is Christ Jesus, the light of man. (John 1) May he be my true reality forever more.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 30:6-10.
>When he prayed and did not loose faith what happened? What is sackcloth? What did he do?
* Psalm 30:10-12 "Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help."
11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever."
* "You turned my wailing into dancing"
* "you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy"
* "that my heart may sing to you and not be silent"
* "O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever."
* Turning wailing beds into dancing floors and morning sackcloth into clothing of joy is the often ending to David's psalms. A repeating theme of David's life was tragedy tears to triumph jubilation. He was no different from everyone, except his life was on public display when he was king of Israel by no self-design. The religious leaders of Jesus' day, however, designed their lives to be public displays of religious piety. Jesus rejected this practice.
"Be careful," Jesus said to his disciples. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which is hypocrisy." (Matthew 16:6; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1) They wanted everyone to revere them because of their devotion to God. They were the subject of worship, not God. Their status was the work of their worship, not the Lord. Their prayers were to themselves, not Jesus. What other people thought of them was their reward, not what God thought of them.
David, however, ends this psalm with, "...that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." Examine my heart. Why do I do what I do? What are the motivations of my heart?
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 30:11-12.
II. In the LORD I Take Refuge (31:1-13)
* David and Goliath. The illustration found in a Coptic church by an unknown author is now in public domain.
>4. Considering verse 1 what can we determine is the reason for this psalm? What has happened and seems about to happen?
* Psalm 31:1 "In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness."
* The title of this psalm is "For the director of music. A psalm of David.
* "In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge"
* "let me never be put to shame"
* "deliver me in your righteousness."
* The plead psalm is requesting deliverance because the condemned is confronted by a conspiracy so powerful and open that even the closest of friends not only abandon but will strongly deny having allegiance with the attacked. David, the author states that he has taken refuge in the Lord (1) and then asks the Lord to be his rock of refuge (2). The Lord is all that he has left. No matter where he turned he was denied, rejected, and despised.
Those claiming this psalm are asking the Lord to never be put to shame and to be delivered in God's righteousness. To be abandoned by close friends is one thing, but worse still is to experience a life event where their name is openly mocked and spit upon. Evil publically laughs at them and purposely mispronounces their name. Salvation is the plea, asking the Lord God to be like a rock fortress that saves those on the run from malefactors. An hourly request goes forth to be led and guided by the Lord for there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The one pressed on every side will not abandon his mission. "In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge... Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue."
>Why might David ask the Lord to turn his ear to him? Was is necessary to ask this? Why or why not? What is his request?
* Psalm 31:2-3 "Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me."
* "Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue"
* "be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. "
* "Since you are my rock and my fortress"
* "for the sake of your name lead and guide me."
* The plead psalm is requesting deliverance because the condemned is confronted by a conspiracy so powerful and open that even the closest of friends not only abandon but will strongly deny having allegiance with the attacked. David, the author states that he has taken refuge in the Lord (1) and then asks the Lord to be his rock of refuge (2). The Lord is all that he has left. No matter where he turned he was denied, rejected, and despised.
Those claiming this psalm are asking the Lord to never be put to shame and to be delivered in God's righteousness. To be abandoned by close friends is one thing, but worse still is to experience a life event where their name is openly mocked and spit upon. Evil publically laughs at them and purposely mispronounces their name. Salvation is the plea, asking the Lord God to be like a rock fortress that saves those on the run from malefactors. An hourly request goes forth to be led and guided by the Lord for there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The one pressed on every side will not abandon his mission. "In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge... Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue."
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 31:1-3.
>5. What is set before? What does it mean to commit the spirit to God? Who else professed this? (Luke 23:46) What did it mean to him? Who personally accepted Jesus' interpretation and use of this prayer? (Acts 7:54-60)
* Psalm 31:4-5 "Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth."
* "the trap that is set for me" -Someone set a trap to capture and control. Being "before" means that the person has not stepped into and has no choice for it will eventually capture.
* "Into your hands I commit my spirit" -The climactic expression of trust in the Lord. "Commit" literally means "deposit" (Jeremiah 36:20). This is an expression of trusting God the very existing of self.
* Luke 23:46 "Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.'"
* Acts 7:54-60 "When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep."
* David's plea for delivery from a trap that has ensnared him contains a prayer that was repeated by Jesus while on the cross. The last words before Jesus gave up his spirit were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he said this he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)
This simple and direct prayer was rooted in faith in the God of truth. Those who share in Jesus' sufferings and persecution at the hands of anti-Christian forces are encouraged to pray and sing this psalm as David and Jesus did.
Stephen boldly witnessed to others about Jesus and his gospel in the temple, was arrested, and then witnessed the truth to the Sanhedrin. "Your fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt... You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!.. They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. and now you have betrayed and murdered him..." (Acts 6 & 7)
"When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:54-60)
Since then many others prayed, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." One does not need to be on the cross or be pelted by stones to pray this in faith.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 31:4-5.
>Why after the confession of faith would the author make the proclamation in verses 6 thru 8? Considering these verse show the author escaped the trap what did they learn? What can be learned about faith?
* Psalm 31:6-8 "I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD. I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place."
* "I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD."
* "for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul"
* "You have not handed me over to the enemy" -Implying it was possible. God was in control of the circumstances. The author knew that his situation could go either way.
* "set my feet in a spacious place." -The Lord took hold of him, lifted him out of the trap, and placed in in a new open space. This is an analogy of what happens to the spirit and soul when the body dies, a perfect pointed to the suffering Christ.
* David claims four facts. He knows them to be true. First, he does not associate with those who cling to worthless idols. He even goes as far as to say he hates them for they lead people astray into vanity. They are excessively proud of their accomplishments and appearance. They worship themselves. As Jonah sang in the belly of the whale, "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." (Jonah 2:8)
Second, David trusts in the Lord. Though traps were set for him and everyone abandoned him, David trusted in the deliverance of the Lord. All was bleak, but he knew God was with him. Even in death, he trusted the Lord would not abandon him to a grave. He trusted God would raise him from the dead.
Third, opposing the first claim he states, "I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul." The love of God is made real for David because God identifies with and knows the affliction and anguish of his soul. Several previous psalms go into detail. David waited on God. His faith was not in vain because he was rescued. Faith is revealed through patient trust in God.
Lastly, for much of David's life, he was pursued by men who hated him and wanted him dead. Several times there was no escape visible. He was boxed in. Yet, every time David escaped and ended up in open spaces. He could breathe relief. Remembering God's interaction in my life gives me hope for the future.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 31:6-8.
>6. What does the psalm switch back to? (9-11) What as his condition while in the trap? What did everyone do when he was in the trap?
* Psalm 31:9-11 "Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief.
My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.
Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends-- those who see me on the street flee from me."
*
*
*
* "Be merciful to me, O LORD," David requests. "Mercy," is a common plea to the Lord. Mercy is compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power. Mercy is a disposition to be kind and forgiving. Care for others, especially the disfortunate is a practice found in Biblical mercy.
The biblical concept of mercy always involves helping those in need or distress. Such help covers a broad range, from finding a bride to God's forgiveness of sin. A wide vocabulary is employed in the original Hebrew and Greek to express these concepts, and an even wider vocabulary is found in English translations.
David's need for mercy is great for his distress due to enemies makes his eyes grow weak with sorrow, and his soul and body with grief. God is indeed merciful. To Moses, he said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." (Exodus 33:19) The Lord, who has compassion promises his people, "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," (Isaiah 54:10)
Jesus embodies God's mercy, Matthew 9:36 records, "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." When his disciples grew weary they wanted to send the people away because no one had eaten. Jesus displayed mercy as he said to them, "I have compassion for these people.... They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." (Matthew 14:16, 15:32) Then through a miracle, he fed thousands with five loaves and two fish.
I am to be like Jesus. Colossians 3:12-14 instructs me, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 31:9.
>What does it mean by "I have become like broken pottery"? What does that say of his friends and neighbors regard for him before he was in the trap?
* Psalm 31:12-13 "I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life."
* "I am forgotten by them as though I were dead"
* "I have become like broken pottery." -As long as he was of use of them, his friends and neighbors remained close to him. Then, when he could not be used for their means, they left him.
* "For I hear the slander of many"
* "there is terror on every side"
* "they conspire against me and plot to take my life."
* Although the poetry is artistic light, the subject is bleak darkness. On an early blue sky spring morning with the promise of laughter and pleasing midday trices, I do not want to identify and personalize David's recap of anguish and groaning yet again.
Although modern society idealized David's accomplishments as a mythical genius, his words in the Psalms recap a much different reality. The beauty of David's life is not someone's stone carving or paint brush strokes. Rather, it is his faith and trust in the Lord his God in the middle of constant strength failing in affliction and bones growing weak because of his many enemies.
Yet, the subject of David's psalm is not himself. Rather, they are his thanksgiving praise of a God who never fails. Though surrounded by evil and enemies and rejected by neighbors and friends, God is always there with David and delivers him from all his troubles. The distress described: He is utterly drained physically and emotionally, all his friends have abandoned him like a piece of broken pottery, and all this because a conspiracy against him is so strong. Yet, David's God does not abandon him.
Though today is sunny blue laughter, tomorrow may be dingy dark sobs. Through it all, my God is with me. Though today may be relaxing, tomorrow may be strength-less afflictions. Therefore, I will be reminded of Hebrews 13:5-6. "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'"
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 31:10-13.
III. You are My God (31:14-23)
>7. What is trust? What does the confession "You are my God" supposed to imply?
* Psalm 31:14-15 "But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me."
* "I trust in you"
* "You are my God."
* "My times are in your hands"
* What does "I trust in the LORD" mean? When I say, "You are my God," what am I declaring? I suppose in part it depends on the circumstances. Like David's circumstances. A well-planned conspiracy seemed to be his dome. So when David said, "My times are in our hands..." he was declaring that the LORD, not the conspirators was in control of his life. If the Lord wanted to deliver him he would. If the Lord wanted the conspiracy to succeed and he end in ruin, then it would.
However, David trusted in the Lord. He asked the Lord to shine on his servant. He knew God loved him and so he asked to be saved. Though it may not have looked like it, David knew that the Lord could save him even now when all looked like failure. When I say to Jesus, "You are my God," I can cry out to him for help and deliverance. I know his will is the best, and I can trust in his unfailing love for me.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 31:14-18.
>What is shame and what is it's effect?
* Psalm 31:17-18 "Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous."
* "shame"
>8. What is goodness? (Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19)
* Psalm 31:19 "How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you."
* "How great is your goodness" -"Good" is the noun "tub" in Hebrew and almost always translated at "goodness" or "good".
* Mark 10:17-18 "As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone."
* Luke 18:18-19 "A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone."
* "which you have stored up" -Being that it can be stored up implies that the precipitant my might received it right away though they deserve it right away.
* "which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you." -Goodness, though a quality of a character, also has a subject.
* Goodness and good are words that have several meanings and uses, are understood when stated, and yet are hard to define. When David says, "How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you," what is he saying?
Having the quality of being good can be subjective. Like I may say a certain food is good and yet another person may not like it at all. Or perhaps a vendor may say a certain item has goodness packed into it, but when I try it I may totally disagree. The goodness they may be referring to might be nutrition despite taste. And for me having good nutritional values may not outweigh having an unpalatable taste.
David's claims in these two verses are stated as absolute truths. That is, through the Spirit, God is saying these things are true goodness for everyone who practices them. He is promising me that if I fear him and take refuge in him, then he will store up great goodness for me, and at the right time he will bestow that goodness to me in the sight of men. He also promises as I take refuge in him he will keep me safe in his dwelling from accusing tongues.
Previous Psalms stated, "For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD." (27:5-6) and, "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." (32:7)
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 31:19-20.
>Who or what has been kept safe?
* Psalm 31:20 "In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues."
* "In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men"
* "in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues."
>9. What is the besiege city David was referring in verse 21? What happened there?
* Psalm 31:21 "Praise be to the LORD, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city."
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*
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>What did David think was true? (22) Why was it not true? How can our perception be tainted? Though we are in error, what remains true?
* Psalm 31:22 "In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help."
*
*
*
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* The Lord had yet again shown his wonderful love to David. He praised the Lord. How had the Lord shown his love for David? David personally experienced the Lord's love in a real-life circumstance.
The well-planned-out conspiracy against David seemed to him like he was in a besieged city. There was nowhere to escape and nowhere to hide. The circle of enemies was slowly moving in. He wanted to approach God at his footstool, the ark, and in the tent of meeting. However, he was entangled in a spider's web. In his alarm, David said, "I am cut off from your sight!"
David did not say that the Lord sent his enemies to entrap him. He did not say, "God has brought these evil people into my life to entrap me and ruin me." Nor did he believe that his wits and good luck had enabled him to escape the trap the Lord had placed him in. Rather, David knew that the Lord had allowed his enemies to besiege him so that David could experience the power and love of God in a very personal way. David had known and experienced God and his love.
After teaching and feeding the five thousand Jesus made his disciples get into a boat and go on ahead of him to the other side of the lake. (Matthew 14:22, Mark 6:45) Jesus knew what he was doing and he knew what would happen in the middle of their lake journey. Jesus did not go with them. Violent waves suddenly encircled them. There was no way to escape. When the storm came they believed they were cut off the Jesus. If they cried out they believed he would not hear them. Jesus did not send his disciples into what would become a dangerous life event to physically die. Rather, he sent them in to emotionally and spiritually grow. He sent them to learn compassion they did not have for the crowd. Most importantly, he wanted them to experience his love in a very personal way.
When entrapped by life-threatening spider webs I can experience God's love and grow if I believe in his always reachable love.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 31:21-22.
>10. What is commanded? (23-24) Why?
* Psalm 31:23-24 "Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full.
24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD."
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* One proverb and two commands are how the psalm ends. The proverb is simple and direct, "The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full." The faithful, as laid out in this psalm adhere firmly and devotedly to the Lord Jesus. They have a steadfast adherence to God even though entrapped by the wicked. The faithful trust in God while the proud trust in themselves.
The proud refuse to live in humble reliance on the Lord. They arrogantly try to make their way in the world either as a law to themselves or by relying on false gods. Thus, the proud and the wicked are the same. When they see someone faithful to the Lord and the truth of God they resent and despise them. They entrap them to harm them. The Lord pays back in full the evil committed by the proud. The Lord keeps and protects his faithful.
A command is given, yet not needed, "Love the LORD, all His faithful ones." Still, when surrounded by the wicked sometimes I need to be reminded to love the Lord, be strong, and be courageous. Joshua was reminded by the Lord to be courageous when he was about to lead Israel into the land the Lord told him to go into. (Joshua 1)
Hezekiah reminded the people, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." (2 Chronicles 32:7-8) So I am reminded and I put my hope in the Lord Jesus.
