Text: Psa 68:1-35

GOD SHALL ARISE

Most commentators believe this psalm is about the coming of the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem (see 2 Samuel 6). It was a celebration not only for that event but also for God’s faithfulness to give Israel victory over her enemies, making Jerusalem secure enough to bring the ark into the city.

Thus, the psalmist began by imploring God to scatter the enemies as a smoke and wax melting.[v.1-2] In contrast, the righteous should rejoice,

“ But the righteous shall be glad;

they shall exult before God;

they shall be jubilant with joy!”[v.3]

There is a call to celebrate the compassion of God. His greatness isn’t only in His military triumphs but in His compassion for the weak, needy, and vulnerable like the widows and orphans. See v.4-6. He went out before His people through the wilderness, such as providing abundant rain. They also experienced the protection of God in the wilderness, even prospering them, pictured poetically by a dove with wings covered with silver and gold. [v.7-14]

The presence of God in Zion is the key of blessing. God chose Zion not the towering Bashan to mark His presence.

O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;

O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!

16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,

at the mount that God desired for his abode,

yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?

17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,

thousands upon thousands;

the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.

18 You ascended on high,

leading a host of captives in your train

and receiving gifts among men.

even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there. [v.15-18]

What did God do after the battle was over? God dealt with His enemies (led captivity captive) and He received gifts of tribute and submission from them. This was an even greater confirmation of God’s ownership of the land (that the LORD God might dwell there).

Moreover, in v.19-23, the psalmist for His rescue in battle and victory over the enemy. God daily has given benefits to His people apparently. Yet this verse [v.19] could accurately be translated as, Blessed be the Lord, who daily beareth our burden (RSV).

There is a triumphant procession of the ark.[v.24-27] After the great triumph over their enemies, David and Israel could bring the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6). This was not David’s parade, was it? However, he acknowledged, “Your procession, O God.” Honor is unto God alone.

David was confident that in the end, God and His covenant people would survive and thrive despite their enemies among the nations. In the end, others would come in to pay tribute to the temple in Israel, not the other way around.[v.28-31]

Knowing the ultimate victory of God, David invited the nations to worship Him now. It was far better for them to do it now, out of a willing, surrendered heart than to do it later as conquered enemies of God.

All the kingdoms of the earth should praise the God of Israel.

O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;

sing praises to the Lord, Selah

33 to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;

behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.

34 Ascribe power to God,

whose majesty is over Israel,

and whose power is in the skies.

35 Awesome is God from his sanctuary;

the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.

Blessed be God! [v.32-35]

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Text: Psalm 67:1-7 (ESV)

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us

and make his face to shine upon us, Selah

2 that your way may be known on earth,

your saving power among all nations.

3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you!

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for you judge the peoples with equity

and guide the nations upon earth. Selah

5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you!

6 The earth has yielded its increase;

God, our God, shall bless us.

7 God shall bless us;

let all the ends of the earth fear him!

LET THE PEOPLES PRAISE YOU, O GOD

The key expressions stated in v.1, such as, ‘be gracious’, ‘bless’, and ‘make his face to shine upon us’ are to signify both physical and spiritual provision regardless of external circumstances. And, God’s covenant faithfulness in His redemption is intended that ‘His way may be known on the earth.’ In addition, His saving works among all nations be known in fulfillment to God’s promise to Abraham., to bless the world through his seed, the Messiah. [see Gen 22:18]

As a result of the Lord’s salvation being known on the earth, the peoples of the earth will praise God, As the psalmist articulated,

“3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you!

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.”[v.3,4a]

Our goal is to magnify God by making others glad when they will know the Lord. The completion of this may happen when Christ reigns physically here on earth ‘judging’ the peoples with equity[uprightness] and ‘guide’ the nations as the shepherd.

In v.6 and 7, the psalmist affirmed the material blessings., in the sense that ‘the earth has yielded its increase.’ This is corroborated by Psa 85:12, that is,

“Yes, the Lord will give what is good,

and our land will yield its increase.”

His provision and protection are two inseparable blessings. God sees to it that His own will never cease from being His people, reiterating His unconditional promise to Abraham. [Jer 31:37; Gen 12:2,3] In Psa 105:8-10, the psalmist assures by saying,

“He is the Lord our God;

his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He remembers his covenant forever,

the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,

9 the covenant that he made with Abraham,

his sworn promise to Isaac,

10 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute.”

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Text: Psalm 66:1-20

1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth;

2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!

3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.

4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah

5 Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him,

7 who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations—let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,

9 who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip.

10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.

11 You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs;

12 you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you,

14 that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.

15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

17 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.

18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

-Psa 66:1-20 ESV

HOW AWESOME ARE YOUR DEEDS!

There’s a call for every human being to sing praise unto God. The psalmist writes,

Shout for joy to God, all the earth; 2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! 3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. 4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah

The reason? The salvific deeds of God. His work of redemption is recognized by everyone. Turning the bottom of the Red Sea into a dry land is always awe-inspiring, is it not? One day all the earth will worship God. [see Phil 2:9-11]

Moreover, the psalmist thanked God for His purifying work. He says,

“8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, 9 who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip. 10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. 11 You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; 12 you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.[v.8-12]

God will test His people not to destroy but to develop our faith.[v.9,10] What seemed to be oppressive[v11] turned into an experience of abuundance[v.12]. Divine correction is an endearment of a father to his kids.[Heb 12:4-13, Prov 3:11-1]. Later, James pointed out a similar truth that trials are for our own good.[Jas 1:2-4]

For all these blessings, the psalmist resolves to worship God, by saying,

“13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you, 14 that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. 15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah[v.13-15]

It's important really to ascertain why we do what we do. Because of God’s salvation, we will sacrifice unto God freely from our hearts.

He further resolved to encouraged others to continue their ‘fear of God’. He exhorted,

Text: Psalm 65:1-13

1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.

2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.

3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.

4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!

5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;

6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;

7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,

8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.

10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.

11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.

12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,

13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

-Psa 65:1-13 ESV

GOD IS GOOD

This is a song of David set in Zion, where God's presence is [see v.1] He expressed God’s goodness in three ways God blesses mankind. Firstly, it’s God’s forgiveness. David says,

“Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. 2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.

3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. 4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!”[v.1-4]

In verse 2, it's not that ‘all flesh’ is automatically forgiven. But, all flesh are given the opportunity to be forgiven. Whether Jew or Gentile, anybody is offered forgiveness [Gen 6:19,Isa 49:26,Jer 32:27,Joel 2:28] Forgiveness is from God’s own initiative not by the striving of man.[Eph 2:8,9]

Secondly, God shows His goodness by His righteous deeds. David writes,

“5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; 6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; 7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, 8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.”[v.5-8]

This alluded to the great miracle God did at the Red Sea. Psa 106:22 has the same account, that is, “..wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.”

Third and last, God’s goodness is demonstrated by His providence. David expressed how God has provided man his needs by saying,

“9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.”[v.9-13]

God blesses the earth with rain and sunshine for all mankind to enjoy and thrive. [Matt 5:45] Theologians call this the common grace of God. Like Naomi who experiences losses, we may be encouraged to know that ‘the Lord had visited his people and given them food.’[Ruth 1:6].

Text: Psalm 64:1-10 (ESV)

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;

preserve my life from dread of the enemy.

2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,

from the throng of evildoers,

3 who whet their tongues like swords,

who aim bitter words like arrows,

4 shooting from ambush at the blameless,

shooting at him suddenly and without fear.

5 They hold fast to their evil purpose;

they talk of laying snares secretly,

thinking, “Who can see them?”

6 They search out injustice,

saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.”

For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.

7 But God shoots his arrow at them;

they are wounded suddenly.

8 They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them;

all who see them will wag their heads.

9 Then all mankind fears;

they tell what God has brought about

and ponder what he has done.

10 Let the righteous one rejoice in the LORD

and take refuge in him!

Let all the upright in heart exult!

LET THE RIGHTEOUS ONE REJOICE IN THE LORD

David files his complaint before the Lord.[v.1] Why? The enemies are relentless in destroying his life. He describes the ruthless deeds of his enemies by saying,

“Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,

from the throng of evildoers,

3 who whet their tongues like swords,

who aim bitter words like arrows,

4 shooting from ambush at the blameless,

shooting at him suddenly and without fear.

5 They hold fast to their evil purpose;

they talk of laying snares secretly,

thinking, “Who can see them?”

6 They search out injustice,

saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.””[v.2-6]

As hunters set an ambush and pursued their prey, they whet and fire their darts at him. David marveled the depths of their intentions by saying,

“For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.”[v.6b]

However, God knows and is on top of every situation. As David says,

“7 But God shoots his arrow at them;

they are wounded suddenly.

8 They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them;

all who see them will wag their heads.

9 Then all mankind fears;

they tell what God has brought about

and ponder what he has done.”[v.7-9]

Nothing is hidden before God. [Heb 4:13, Psa 139]

Since God is our refuge, we can be secured and rejoice in Him, despite the dangers the enemies are doing.

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Text: Psalm 63:1-11 (ESV)

1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,

beholding your power and glory.

3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise you.

4 So I will bless you as long as I live;

in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,

and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

6 when I remember you upon my bed,

and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

7 for you have been my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

8 My soul clings to you;

your right hand upholds me.

9 But those who seek to destroy my life

shall go down into the depths of the earth;

10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword;

they shall be a portion for jackals.

11 But the king shall rejoice in God;

all who swear by him shall exult,

for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

YOUR STEADFAST LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE

The background of this psalm is the time when David was in the wilderness of Judah, either when he was a fugitive from Saul or from his son Absalom.

He claimed that ‘God, you are my God.’ It’s one thing to know about God and another thing to know God personally. This relationship involves the ‘hungering and thirsting’ of our soul. Where there is life there is a physiological need of food and water, is it not? Thus, he expressed,

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”[v.1]

Although he was removed from the presence of God at the temple, he was filled with optimism, to say,

“So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,

beholding your power and glory.

3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise you.”[v.2,3]

God’s steadfast love has guaranteed him complete joy and satisfaction in the next life It is better than anything in this life. In his circumstances, his resolve is to be satisfied by God alone. He says,

“So I will bless you as long as I live;

in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,

and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips.”

In his circumstances, his hope makes his soul be ‘satisfied with marrow and fatness.’[v.5] God has been David’s focus the whole time in his wakeful hours, to say,

“when I remember you upon my bed,

and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

7 for you have been my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

8 My soul clings to you;

your right hand upholds me.[v.6-8]

The whole time he was awake, he’d been ‘meditating’ upon God. He was always in the ‘shadow of God’s wings ’ so that he felt secure. He felt so intimately close to God through his statement, “my soul clings unto you’, an expression of intimacy between husband and wife.[Gen 2:24]

Since “God’s right hand upholds him”, David’s enemies won’t succeed. He ended this psalm with such confidence to say,

“But those who seek to destroy my life

shall go down into the depths of the earth;

10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword;

they shall be a portion for jackals.

11 But the king shall rejoice in God;

all who swear by him shall exult,

for the mouths of liars will be stopped.”[v.9-11]

In a prophetic sense, there is a mention of this king coming from Judah who would rule the nations.[Gen 4:8-12; Num 24:7,17]

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God’s Word for Today

19 Sep 2023

For God alone my soul waits in silence;

    from him comes my salvation.

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,

    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

3 How long will all of you attack a man

    to batter him,

    like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.

    They take pleasure in falsehood.

They bless with their mouths,

    but inwardly they curse. Selah

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

    for my hope is from him.

6 He only is my rock and my salvation,

    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;

    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;

    pour out your heart before him;

    God is a refuge for us. Selah

9 Those of low estate are but a breath;

    those of high estate are a delusion;

in the balances they go up;

    they are together lighter than a breath.

10 Put no trust in extortion;

    set no vain hopes on robbery;

    if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

11 Once God has spoken;

    twice have I heard this:

that power belongs to God,

12     and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.

For you will render to a man

    according to his work.

-Psa 62:1-12 ESV

FOR GOD ALONE MY SOUL WAITS IN SILENCE

It’s one thing to wait. It’s another thing to wait in silence.[v.1,5] It’s a surrendered silence. Amidst the temptation to trust in other things, God alone is his salvation, his glory, his rock, his strength, fortress, and his refuge. The description is of a man completely focused upon God for His help, firmly resolved to look nowhere else. Isaiah testified that “in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”[Isa 30:15]

He expressed this twice in this psalm, namely in verses 1 and 5.

He  rebuked his enemies, saying,

“3 How long will all of you attack a man

    to batter him,

    like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.

    They take pleasure in falsehood.

They bless with their mouths,

    but inwardly they curse. Selah’[v.3-4]

They only think through a matter if it involves bringing down a man of God. But they’re like a leaning wall, a tottering fence. They won’t succeed. 

David’s description of those who trust others and not God alone is futility,

“9 Those of low estate are but a breath;

    those of high estate are a delusion;

in the balances they go up;

    they are together lighter than a breath.

10 Put no trust in extortion;

    set no vain hopes on robbery;

    if riches increase, set not your heart on them.”[v.9-10]

That only God is his legitimate help and nothing else. Thus he said,

“Once God has spoken;

    twice have I heard this:

that power belongs to God,

12     and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.

For you will render to a man

    according to his work.”[v.11-12]

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God’s Word for Today

18 Sep 2023

Hear my cry, O God,

    listen to my prayer;

2 from the end of the earth I call to you

    when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock

    that is higher than I,

3 for you have been my refuge,

    a strong tower against the enemy.

4 Let me dwell in your tent forever!

    Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah

5 For you, O God, have heard my vows;

    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6 Prolong the life of the king;

    may his years endure to all generations!

7 May he be enthroned forever before God;

    appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!

8 So will I ever sing praises to your name,

    as I perform my vows day after day.

-Psa 61:1-8 ESV

THE ROCK HIGHER THAN I

Definitely, this psalm is marked with deep earnestness.[v.1] His image of being ‘from the end of the earth’ and ‘faint’ signify his feeling of vulnerability and desperation. Literally, his ‘’heart is overwhelmed.’ Most scholars believe this psalm was written while David was escaping for his life from his son Absalom (2 Sam 15:13-37). Absalom killed his brother Amnon for raping their sister Tamar (2 Sam 13:1-33). His feeling of being distant and having a family falling apart could be devastating to him. 

Yet, in his great desperation, he hung on to pray, 

“Lead me to the rock

    that is higher than I,

for you have been my refuge,

    a strong tower against the enemy.”[v.2,3]

It’s not for protection alone but for intimate fellowship. Hence he pleads,

“Let me dwell in your tent forever!

    Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!”[v.4]

In Psa 27:4, David says, 

“One thing have I asked of the Lord,

    that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

    all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

    and to inquire in his temple.”

For a relationship with God tested with time, he confidently says,

“For you, O God, have heard my vows;

    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.”[v.5]

God has already heard him. His prayer is based on God’s continual faithfulness. The present situation won’t affect and change the faithfulness of God. He is assured that his security is in the Lord. His prayer of preservation is an appeal to God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. He says

“Prolong the life of the king;

    may his years endure to all generations!

May he be enthroned forever before God;

    appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!”[v.6,7]

Clearly, this is prophetic alluding to Jesus, the eternal king whose throne endures forever. Those who trust Him should not doubt His unchanging love. [Rom 8:38,39]

David, though overwhelmed and desperate has ended this psalm with the hope of abounding joy. A perpetual time of singing and worship unto God.[see v.8] Similarly, we should hope that God would turn around our setbacks to a time of spiritual worship.

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Text: Psalm 60:1-12

1 O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us.

2 You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open; repair its breaches, for it totters.

3 You have made your people see hard things; you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger.

4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you, that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah

5 That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer us!

6 God has spoken in his holiness: “With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Vale of Succoth.

7 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet; Judah is my scepter.

8 Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

9 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

10 Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go forth, O God, with our armies.

11 Oh, grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!

12 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

-Psa 60:1-12 ESV

FOR YOU, O GOD, ARE MY FORTRESS

The background of this psalm is based on the account in 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18. While David was at war with the Ammonites and Arameans to the north, the Edomites had a surprise attack from the south. Hence, the tone of this psalm is a desperate prayer for God to help them in order to survive the onslaught. It ends with a confident declaration that the Lord will provide victory (v.12). In a decisive move, David sent both Abishai and Joab (1 Chron 11:6; 18:12) to counter the Edomites, resulting in a great victory. The encounter happened south of the Dead Sea, in a place called the Valley of Salt.

He recognizes that God allowed this setback and only God could turn this in their favor. It is the Lord who has "rejected," "broken," and "been angry" at them so it is the Lord he implores for "restoration." See also v.10, which says “Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go forth, O God, with our armies.”

How did David describe the onslaught? As earthquakes split lands, so the Edomites’ invasion had divided their ranks.[v.2] As one intoxicated, the forces of Israel staggered in confusion, weakness, and chaos (Isa 19:14; Job 12:25).

However, God has given them a rallying point in which they are safe by a banner. Banners are large flag-like objects often used to issue signals on a battlefield (Isa 5:26) David credited God as being in control over these events. David says,

“4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you, that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah 5 That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer us!”[v.4,5]

Let us recall that during their war with the Amalekites, God gave Israel the victory. And Moses built an altar and called it, "The Lᴏʀᴅ is My Banner" (Ex 17:15).

God always assures His ownership to His own. David writes,

“6 God has spoken in his holiness: “With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Vale of Succoth.

7 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet; Judah is my scepter.”[v.6,7]

Shechem, Succoth, Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah were areas associated with a rich Israel's history and her tribes.

Conversely, God does humiliate Israel’s enemies. As David writes,

“8 Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”[v.8]

A washbasin was used in cleaning. This implies Moab’s dirty, humble role, and not a position of honor. Moreover, it describes unimportance, control, and subjugation. On the other hand, throwing a shoe could represent intense insult or taking possession in a hostile way. The Lord's purpose for Edom was harsh judgment.

David asked how God would help them?

9 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? 10 Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go forth, O God, with our armies.”[v.9.10]

Text: Psalm 59:1-17

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me;

2 deliver me from those who work evil, and save me from bloodthirsty men.

3 For behold, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men stir up strife against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD,

4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Awake, come to meet me, and see!

5 You, LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel. Rouse yourself to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah

6 Each evening they come back, howling like dogs and prowling about the city.

7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths with swords in their lips—for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”

8 But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you hold all the nations in derision.

9 O my Strength, I will watch for you, for you, O God, are my fortress.

10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

11 Kill them not, lest my people forget; make them totter by your power and bring them down, O Lord, our shield!

12 For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride. For the cursing and lies that they utter,

13 consume them in wrath; consume them till they are no more, that they may know that God rules over Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah

14 Each evening they come back, howling like dogs and prowling about the city.

15 They wander about for food and growl if they do not get their fill.

16 But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.

17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.

-Psa 59:1-17 ESV

FOR YOU, O GOD, ARE MY FORTRESS

This psalm has alluded to David’s experience when he escaped from Saul’s plot to kill him. Saul sent men to watch the house in which David lived with his first wife Michal in order to murder him. This story is found in 1 Sam 19:11-17. Saul was angry that he had been rejected by God and was jealous of David (1 Sam 15:11; 19:9–10). Though David had done nothing wrong, Saul was determined to have him killed (1 Sam 20:30–33). Years later, the Pharisees and Jewish leaders sought to kill Jesus for no evil He had done[Mat 27:23, Luke 23:2]. Jesus was as an innocent lamb [1 Pet 1:19;2:22]

Hence, David pleaded with God for protection.[v.1] He recognized the conspiracy against him (v.2–3). He referred to his enemies as "evil," "bloodthirsty," and "fierce." David will repeatedly depict them as a pack of savage wild dogs (v.6, 14–15).

He prayed with "imprecatory" statements”. That is, he was wishing harm, calamity, or judgment on someone. It was an appeal for the Lord to express His wrath against evil (Psa 5; 58; 137). A key point of these prayers is that they are not plans to enact revenge or excuses for reprisal. Instead, they appeal to God for His divine intervention.

The enemies are "howling" and "bellowing." Their words are as dangerous and violent as sharp weapons (Psa 58:1–6] Corrupt words hurt.[Eph 4:29,31] But, "He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. God will…terrify them in his fury…shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel" (Psa 2:4–9).

At the middle of this psalm, David shifts gear by focusing unto the Lord not to his enemies,

“O my Strength, I will watch for you, for you, O God, are my fortress. 10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies. [v9-10]

He look unto God who would give him victory. Simlarly, the apostle Paul writes, "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession" (2 Cor 2:14). That, "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us."[Rom 8:37]