A Psalm of David. A Contemplation.
1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
7 You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
a contemplation (introduction) — Considering the etymology of this term (conveying the basic notion of “imparting or expressing wisdom”) as well as it’s usage in the Psalms (14:2; 53:2; 41:1) and elsewhere (e.g., Proverbs 10:19; 16:20; 17:2; 21:12), it may be reasonably deduced that a maskil is a type of psalm focusing specifically on instruction in practical wisdom, based on the revelation and unchanging character of God. — Wechsler, page 97
blessed (v.1) = lit. “Oh, how very happy!” — The Hebrew is plural. This isn’t material or circumstantial blessing but an enduring blessing of peace with God and life with Him for eternity.
forgiven (v.1) = lifted up, used to express forgiveness when used in conjunction with a word denoting sin
Paul quotes verses 1 and 2 in Romans 4:6-8: Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
The three words for sin in the first two verses are not, I believe, designating separate categories of sin. I believe David was using poetic repetition while choosing words that described various, overlapping, aspects of sin.
transgression ( v.1) = passing over a boundary — an act of rebellion and disloyalty
sin (v.1) = missing a mark — missing God’s revealed will, often intentionally
iniquity (v.2) = something turned out of its proper course and perverted — a crooked or wrong act — a conscious intent to do wrong
As with David’s poetic repetitions and choice of various words for sin in verses 1 and 2, so, I believe, is the case in verse 5 where he uses various terms for the act of “coming clean” about his sin before God — acknowledge, stop hiding, confess.
confess (v.5) = cast out — The Hebrew word isn’t always associated with sin. It can be said of praise or thanksgiving.
great waters (v.6) — a figurative depiction of extreme distress (see Psalm 18:16; Isaiah 8:7-8), tied specifically to God’s first expression of collective punishment for human sin by means of the Flood (Genesis 6:9-9:19). — Wechsler, page 98
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Verses 6 and 7 assure the safety of the forgiven man in the coming day of God’s wrath. The term “godly” means one to whom God shows mercy. It expresses the attitude of God toward the repentant sinner, rather than the moral worthiness of the repentant sinner toward God. “In a time when Thou mayest be found” should read, “In the time of the finding out of sin.” — Williams, page 321
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Divine forgiveness … fosters more definitive moral clarity — i.e., a greater ability to perceive and appreciate the distinction between right and wrong as determined by God and revealed in His Word — as indicated by the expression “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go” (v.8), in which the expression “I will instruct” more precisely signifies the imparting (or modeling) of wisdom as likewise expressed, together with the same surrounding phraseology, by Joshua (1:8) in specific connection with the Law of God: “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it …, for then you will make your way successful (in living godly, whatever the circumstances) and act wisely.” — Wechsler, page 99
The Lord is the speaker in verse 8.
I think verse 9 and 10 cast a great deal of light on the subject of confession. It isn’t a listing of specific wrongdoings, but a determination not to pretend our actions aren’t wrong or attempt to deal with them on our own. Instead, agree (to use the New Testament term) with God that we have sinned and trust that our sins are forgiven based on the promises (for Old Testament believers), or trust that He has already forgiven them in Christ (for New Testament believers). We will suffer guilt as long as we try to pretend our sin isn’t sin or attempt to control it with our own will.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1 In You, O Lord, I put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Deliver me in Your righteousness.
2 Bow down Your ear to me,
Deliver me speedily;
Be my rock of refuge,
A fortress of defense to save me.
3 For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.
4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.
5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
6 I have hated those who regard useless idols;
But I trust in the Lord.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,
For You have considered my trouble;
You have known my soul in adversities,
8 And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a wide place.
9 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;
My eye wastes away with grief,
Yes, my soul and my body!
10 For my life is spent with grief,
And my years with sighing;
My strength fails because of my iniquity,
And my bones waste away.
11 I am a reproach among all my enemies,
But especially among my neighbors,
And am repulsive to my acquaintances;
Those who see me outside flee from me.
12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the slander of many;
Fear is on every side;
While they take counsel together against me,
They scheme to take away my life.
14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.
16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
Save me for Your mercies’ sake.
17 Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You;
Let the wicked be ashamed;
Let them be silent in the grave.
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence,
Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
19 Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!
20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion
From the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord,
For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!
22 For I said in my haste,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried out to You.
23 Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
24 Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.
Your righteousness (v.1) — David is confident that God, in His righteousness, will do what is best for David, for God’s righteousness, which is perfect, requires that He stay true to His promises (righteousness and truthfulness being, in the Bible, coordinate, inseparable qualities). And God had promised to establish David’s kingdom (see 2 Samuel 7:16) as well as to give him rest. Not surprisingly, therefore, David employs the same phraseology in v.3b (“Thou will lead me and guide me”) as he does in Psalm 23:2-3, in connection with the same notion of God providing what is best for His child: “He leads me beside waters of rest (plural for emphasis) … He guides me.” That God’s best does not necessarily include immediate deliverance from physical distress or persecution is evident from the quotation of 5b (“Into Thy hand I commit My spirit”) by Jesus Himself on the cross (Luke 23:46) — which, for the sake of God’s greater glory and achieving what was truly best for man, it was the Father’s will that He endure. — Wechsler, pages 95-96
rock (v.3) = a massive rock formation, such as a cliff or the side of a mountain, that is humanly impossible to move.
fortress (v.3) = an inaccessible place (mesuda — related to “Masada” the Jewish fortress on the Dead Sea)
The first part of verse 5 was quoted by Jesus Christ on the cross as recorded in Luke 23:46: And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last.
useless idols (v.6) = lying, empty vanities — I think this can refer not just to carved images, but anything that replaces God as a passion or purpose in life
You have set my feet in a wide place (v.8) — the thought here being that the Lord placed David in a place where there was no fear of falling
The sense of verse 11 seems, to me, to be that when David’s neighbors saw how much he was attacked by his enemies, they assumed that he must have been in the wrong.
I am like a broken vessel (v.12) — I think the meaning here is that he had become incapable of performing the task for which he was created.
fear is on every side (v.13) — This phrase occurs in Jeremiah 6:25; 20:3; 46:5; 49:29, and in Jeremiah 20:10, it is quoted and the pattern of the entire verse is repeated. The simile of a broken vessel (v.12) was also used frequently by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 18:4; 19:10-11; 22:28).
Verse 14 would be a powerful response to any affliction.
Make Your face shine upon (v.16) = show favor to
in a strong city (v.21) = in a besieged city, in a city under attack
be of good courage (v.24) — David ends his psalm with an appeal to Israel, using a term employed in Joshua 1:9, at the very beginning of Israel’s national existence.
Both Williams and Pettingill consider this a Messianic psalm, Pettingill because Christ quoted part of verse 5 on the cross, and Williams because he so considers all Davidic psalms. When the psalmist speaks of his “iniquity” in verse 10, Pettingill says that this refers to our iniquities that the Savior took upon Himself. Williams changes the meaning of the word to “affliction,” but I can find nowhere else that this word is translated that way.
A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the house of David.
1 I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried out to You,
And You healed me.
3 O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave;
You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4 Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
5 For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.
6 Now in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
You hid Your face, and I was troubled.
8 I cried out to You, O Lord;
And to the Lord I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?
10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me;
Lord, be my helper!”
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Perhaps written on the occasion of the events recorded in 2 Samuel 5:11-12, immediately following the capture of Jerusalem. Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters and masons. And they built David a house. So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.
Or …
It would seem more than likely that the Temple is intended, seeing that the vast majority (viz. hundreds) of references to a specific “house” in the Old Testament are to the Temple … That the intended reference is to the dedication of the Temple is also supported by early Jewish tradition, according to which this psalm was recited in the Temple on the eight days of Hanukkah, which feast commemorates the (re)dedication of the Temple. David’s wording in vs. 6-7 also suggest a time when he was well established in the “security” of his Jerusalem palace … This psalm would have been written by David, on the basis of God’s assurance in 2 Samuel 7:13, in anticipation of Solomon’s building and dedication of the Temple. The theme of chastisement is quite apropos in this regard, since David was denied the privilege of building the Temple in chastisement for his bloodthirstiness (1 Chronicles 28:3), and in the same breath that God declares that Solomon will build the Temple He emphasizes chastisement as a primary expression of His paternal solicitude (2 Samuel 7:14). — Wechsler, page 92.
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song (introduction) — Used in the heading of 30 psalms … Beyond indicating a certain type of song — possibly with a certain kind of musical accompaniment — the precise meaning of this term is unclear. — Wechsler, page 131.
grave (v.3) = Sheol
This statement which, as characteristic of David, is expressed from an eternal perspective — i.e., though he will still die and, like everyone, go to Sheol, he has the present assurance of knowing that God will raise him therefrom to a life of eternal “incorruptibility” in His presence; thus God will bring to completion the process of renewal that he already began in David by having given him spiritual life (as indicated by his statement “Thou hast give me life”) that he should not go down to the pit (meaning either that he should not remain in Sheol, or, perhaps, that he should not descend to the “lowest” part of Sheol reserved for unbelievers, the residents of which are never given spiritual life by God. — Wechsler, page 93
you have kept me alive (v.3) = should be ” You have given me life”
life (v.5) — including eternity
for a night (v.5) = lit. “in the evening”
The first line of verse 7 properly belongs at the end of verse 6. God had given David prosperity (v.6) and, as a result, David became proud and stopped relying on God.
You hid your face (v.7) — used frequently to describe God’s chastisement (not judgment)
troubled (v.7) — the Hebrew word here means “a shattering terror”
be my Helper (v. 10) — alludes to God’s promise and self-disclosure of His name to Moses in Exodus 3:12 (“I will be with you”), which in turn implies that David, like Moses, is here affirming his own fundamental inability to undertake God’s charge of ruling Israel (cf. Exodus 3:11: “Who am I … that I should lead the sons of Israel …?) as well as his consequent dependence on God to help him in doing so. — Wechsler, page 94
my glory (v.12) — my song of glory
Williams, as usual, takes a Messianic approach:
The superscription states that this song is “of David” i.e., it concerns the Messiah, and that it is to be sung at the dedication of the House, that is, at the dedication of the future millennial temple.
The figure of a sick man at the point of death, but brought back from the very mouth of the grave, is used to express the past and future history of the nation [of Israel].
David and Israel could, with limitation, sing this song, but the ear of God waits to hear it sung in perfect tune and fullness by David’s Son and Lord. — Williams, page 319.
I find it very easy to accept that Israel will sing a psalm of praise at the dedication of the millennial temple, and even that it will be this psalm. But as to whether the Messiah Himself will sing it, and whether that is it’s primary purpose and meaning — rather than a direct application to David and Israel in David’s time — I remain unconvinced but curious.
A Psalm of David.
1 Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
2 Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the Lord sits as King forever.
11 The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.
According to early Jewish tradition, this psalm, which concerns God’s transcendent power and its ultimate application to the full restoration of His people, was recited by the Levites on the Feast of Tabernacles, which festival likewise commemorates God’s power and ability to supply His people’s needs in the desert (see Leviticus 23:34-43) as well as His ultimate application of that power to fully restore Israel and establish His Tabernacle over all Creation (see Zechariah 14:16-18; Revelation 21:3). — Wechsler, page 89
Lord (v.1) — Jehovah — the name appears 18 times in the Psalm
mighty ones (v.1) — most commentaries say that this is the assembly of heavenly beings who surround the throne of God. Wechsler has a different view (below).
David begins by affirming the absolute sovereignty and preeminence of God, both in glory and in strength, not just over all men, but over all other gods. This is indicated by the phrase bene elim, which, though sometimes translated “sons of the mighty” and explained as referring to the angels, properly means “sons of gods,” since the term elim (as opposed to el or elohim), which occurs only three times elsewhere (Exodus 15:11; Psalm 89:6; Daniel 11:36), refers to pagan gods — the existence of whom Scripture accepts apologetically (i.e., for the sake of argument), as a matter of course (see Genesis 31:19; 35:2; Exodus 23:32, Numbers 33:4, Deuteronomy 6:14, Joshua 24:16; Ruth 1:15; etc.). The word “sons” in this expression does not denote descendancy, but rather — as the term “son(s)” is also commonly used in Hebrew — to denote association or characterization, the reference being here to anything (i.e., idols, supposed living embodiments or representatives, conceptions) associated with or characterized by pagan deity. — Wechsler, pages 89-90
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A perfect specimen of Hebrew poetry, giving a magnificent description of a thunderstorm, marching from north to south of Palestine. We hear first the low distant muttering of thunder. The “many waters” may refer to the Mediterranean, from which the storm arose. Coming nearer, the tempest breaks on Lebanon and Sirion, the Sidonian name for Hermon; the cedars of which sway to and fro before the wild fury of the storm. And each thunder peal is accompanied by the zig-zag of lightning. The storm passes southwards to the desert Kadesh, and to the rock-hewn cities of Petra. The very beasts are stricken with terror, and the forests are stripped of their leafy dress, so that their ground and floor is discovered. — Meyer, page 40.
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flood (v.10) — The Hebrew word for “flood” occurs twelve times in the Bible — eleven times in Genesis and once in this Psalm. The argument of the verse is that even the Flood — nature’s mightiest convulsion — was controlled by this mightier Power; and that that is the mighty God who gives His own strength and His own peace to His people (v.11) — Williams, page 319.
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David concludes by affirming God’s glory and sovereign power as manifest even before the Exodus at the Flood, the first historical event of divine deliverance and judgment. The fact that the Lord sat (i.e., exercised full authority and control) at that event, which was worldwide in scope, leaves no doubt that it is He who has sat as king over all human affairs ever since then, and that He will continue to sit over all Creation as King forever. As such, He is certainly able to control all mattes relating to the welfare of His people, ultimately and fulfilling all that He promised them by blessing His people — both the remnant of ethnic Israel and those joined to them by faith — with peace (literally signifying ‘completeness” in every sense, both physically/circumstantially and spiritually). — Wechsler, page 91.
A Psalm of David.
1 To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock:
Do not be silent to me,
Lest, if You are silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my supplications
When I cry to You,
When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.
3 Do not take me away with the wicked
And with the workers of iniquity,
Who speak peace to their neighbors,
But evil is in their hearts.
4 Give them according to their deeds,
And according to the wickedness of their endeavors;
Give them according to the work of their hands;
Render to them what they deserve.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the Lord,
Nor the operation of His hands,
He shall destroy them
And not build them up.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.
8 The Lord is their strength,
And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.
9 Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever.
A cursory reading might seem to suggest that his [David’s] appeal for help herein is based on his own merit, a closer reading and consideration of how key phrases are used elsewhere in the Old Testament reveals instead that it is based on God’s mercy, grace, and covenant faithfulness — in short, on His love. Accordingly, in its overall structure and thematic progression this psalm parallels God’s own description in Malachi 1:2-5 of the three ways in which His love for Israel is demonstrated — to wit: (1) in His accomplished gift of unmerited intimacy (Psalm 28:1-2; Malachi 1:2), (2) in His ongoing judgment of their enemies (Psalm 28:3-5; Malachi 1:3-4), and (3) in His future restoration and blessing of the nation (Psalm 28:6-9; Malachi 1:5). — Wechsler, page 87.
hear (v.2) = hear intelligently, generally used with the implication of response or obedience
supplications (vs.2 and 6) = pleas for grace — which demonstrates that David knew that he did not deserve what God had given him but could expect it because of his relationship with God
them (v.4) — the wicked — repeated three times for emphasis and contrast with the psalmist, who does have faith
they do not regard the works of the Lord (v.5) — The wicked are without excuse. They deliberately ignore or deny the evidence for a Creator God. — Isaiah 5:12, 18-19; Romans 1:18-20
strength (v.8) = a fortified place, a fort, defense
forever (v.9) — The salvation David has in mind here is Israel’s final, complete salvation and restoration.
David implores God to demonstrate His love by “requiting” (i.e., judging, both militarily [by defeat] and spiritually) his enemies. In this case those enemies are the Gentile nations around Israel, as indicated by (1) David’s description of them as those who “do not regard (lit. “discern”) the deeds of the Lord, nor the work of His hands” (v.5a), employing the same phraseology used to describe these nations in Deuteronomy 32:27, and (2) his expectation that the Lord “will tear them down and not build them up” (v.5b), which parallels the phraseology of God’s declaration concerning Edom (a biblical prototype of Israel’s enemies in general) in Malachi 1:4: “They may build, but I will tear (them) down.” It should be noted, moreover, that David’s reason for imploring God to requite his/Israel’s enemies is not that they are his/Israel’s enemies per se — or even that they are more intrinsically depraved than the Israelites — but that, as reflected by their opposition to Israel, they are opposed to the person, standards, and work of God Himself. — Wechsler, page 88
Again, Williams sees this Psalm as a prayer by the Messiah on behalf of Israel. He considers “His Anointed” in verse 8 to be the proof of this. His translation of that verse is “Jehovah is His strength; yea, He is a stronghold of salvation to His Messiah.”
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.
4 One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
This psalm parallels the same three-fold approach to its central theme as Psalm 26 — i.e., both psalms begin by focusing on God as the Foundation (both the establisher and determiner) of the central concept, then present God as its Goal, and conclude by affirming God as its ongoing Enabler-Developer. This parallel approach serves to emphasize the inseparability and interrelationship between the central theme of this psalm (i.e., personal confidence) and that of the previous (i.e., personal integrity). — Wechsler, pages 82-83
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light (v.1) — The term “light” here, as elsewhere in the Old Testament, is employed as a metaphor for comprehensive (i.e., spiritual and physical — both present and, ultimately, eternal) salvation, hearkening back to God’s creation of light in Genesis 1:3 as His first action in the Bible undertaken for the specific benefit of man. This metaphor of God as light also contains the notion of God illumining David’s darkness (as he employs the same phraseology in 2 Samuel 22:29) — i.e., enabling him to emerge from the spiritual darkness of insecurity, fostered by ignorance of God’s word, into the light of confidence in God and His gift of salvation, as announced in His word (cf. Psalm 119:105) and manifest in the person of Jesus (see John 1:4-9). — Wechsler, page 85.
strength (v.1) = a fortified place, a fort
fear … afraid (v.1) — see Deuteronomy 2:25, where God promises Israel that He, not their power, will make their enemies fear and dread them.
David emphasizes [in verses 4-6] that the goal of such divinely-grounded, personal confidence is not ultimately to enable a better, more “victorious” life for himself, but rather — regardless of any success or trouble (v.4) that he may experience — to enable a better expression of worship for God. Personal confidence, in other words, is not an end, but a means to the greater — indeed, the greatest — end of enabling David to offer … sacrifices and sing praises to the Lord (v.6) in manner characterized by greater intimacy (i.e., per v.4: “to behold the beauty of the Lord”; likewise v.8: “They face … I shall seek,”), greater frequency (per v.4: “that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the day s of my life” — ultimately referring to the eternal state), and greater focus (i.e., undistractedness; per v. 4: “to meditate in His temple”) — Wechsler, page 86
inquire (v.4) = meditate — giving careful, close and absorbed attention and consideration
take care of (v.10) = lit. “gather in,” adopt — a one-way, irreversible process
good courage (v.14) — see Deuteronomy 31:7; Joshua 1:7
Williams sees this entire Psalm as the prayer of Jesus Christ from the time of His arrest to His appearance before Pilate. I don’t see any direct connection, but I can certainly see the application.
A Psalm of David.
1 Vindicate me, O Lord,
For I have walked in my integrity.
I have also trusted in the Lord;
I shall not slip.
2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me;
Try my mind and my heart.
3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have walked in Your truth.
4 I have not sat with idolatrous mortals,
Nor will I go in with hypocrites.
5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers,
And will not sit with the wicked.
6 I will wash my hands in innocence;
So I will go about Your altar, O Lord,
7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
And tell of all Your wondrous works.
8 Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house,
And the place where Your glory dwells.
9 Do not gather my soul with sinners,
Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme,
And whose right hand is full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;
Redeem me and be merciful to me.
12 My foot stands in an even place;
In the congregations I will bless the Lord.
This psalm parallels the same three-fold approach to its central theme as Psalm 27 — i.e., both psalms begin by focusing on God as the Foundation (both the establisher and determiner) of the central concept, then present God as its Goal, and conclude by affirming God as its ongoing Enabler-Developer. This parallel approach serves to emphasize the inseparability and interrelationship between the central theme of this psalm (i.e., personal integrity) and that of the next (i.e., personal confidence). — Wechsler, pages 82-83
This seems to be David’s cry to God when he found himself in the midst of a society that had rejected God.
Williams believes that Jesus Christ is the speaker here, pleading for His people, Israel, and that failure to understand this makes David seem conceited. I think he has a point.
vindicate (v.1) — should be “judge,” indicating that David will accept God’s assessment even if David comes out lacking.
my integrity (v.1) — The possessive pronoun indicates his adherence to integrity as he understood it, yet which was still not unadulterated by sin. — Wechsler, page 83
trusted (v.1) = lit. “ran for refuge”
try (v.2) — as in purifying metal (1 Peter 1:7)
heart (v.2) — Not just the emotions, but the active inner person
walked (v.3) — David refers to having walked (here employed idiomatically for “lived” — which Old Testament usage carries over into the New Testament, as in Galatians 5:16) in God’s truth, the imperfections of which walk he again intimates by his juxtaposed reference to not sitting with deceitful (lit. “without (spiritual) worth”; see also v.5b) men — i.e., while his depravity may occasionally have led him to “walk” and even “stand” in the path of the wicked, he never descended to the point of “sitting” (i.e., identifying wholeheartedly) with them. (See Psalm 1.) — Wechsler, page 84.
hypocrites (v.4) = those whose ways and motives are hidden
Verse 7 teaches that a major component of praise to God is telling others what He has done.
thanksgiving (v.7) — The goal of his lifelong endeavor to walk in integrity and truth is not to promote his own merit or worth, but to express his thanksgiving for what God has done — i.e., His wonders of deliverance both personally for David and for His people throughout history (in connection with which the same phraseology is employed in Psalm 9:1). — Wechsler, page 84.
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redeem (v.11) — Rather than succumbing to despair, David appeals to God’s mercy (v.11: “redeem me” — implying forgiveness — i.e., not requiting the full penalty that his sins do merit; see Ezra 9:13) and grace (“be gracious to me” — i.e., continuing to grant him the help that he does not merit) as that which will enable him to continue his endeavor to walk in integrity. — Wechsler, page 84.
even (v.12) — level, straight, righteous
congregations (v.12) — the faithful in contrast with “assembly of evildoers” (v.5).
A Psalm of David.
1 To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.
3 Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.
4 Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
9 The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
11 For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
12 Who is the man that fears the Lord?
Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity,
And his descendants shall inherit the earth.
14 The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
18 Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.
19 Consider my enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
20 Keep my soul, and deliver me;
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all their troubles!
An acrostic psalm, with each verse starting with a letter of the alphabet.
This psalm closely parallels Psalm 34.
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul (v.1) — David begins by appealing to God on the basis of their relationship. The opening verse is an idiom used elsewhere to express deep longing, desire and need, as in Deuteronomy 24:15 and Jeremiah 22:27. The first reference (Deuteronomy 24:15) is an especially significant parallel, since David refers to himself in v.16 of this psalm by the same term, as a “poor man” — referring primarily to his psychological-emotional state (see vs. 16-17) and socially humble origin (cf. also 1 Samuel 18:23). — Wechsler, pages 80-81.
his descendants shall inherit the earth (v.13) — anticipating God’s covenant promises to Israel — see Psalm 37
David goes on to specify precisely what he desires God to provide for him, which provision includes not only deliverance from his enemies (vs. 2-3, 15, 19-20), but also emotional=psychological relief from his loneliness and the troubles of his heart (vs. 16-17) as well as — and most emphatically of all — the spiritual triumvirate of forgiveness (vs. 7, 11, 18), instruction in the ways/paths of the Lord (vs. 4-5, 8-10, 12, 14), and a sense of proximity, or intimacy to God (vs. 14 — the meaning of the Hebrew here rather than “secret”). — Wechsler, page 81.
covenant (v.10) — the first time this word is used in Psalms
prosperity (v.13) = that which is fundamentally good, not material prosperity.
show (v.14) = cause to know
David’s concern was ultimately for the provision of what was best for his people, and in his petition David therefore emphasized that which he needed most to do his part in leading them along that path of what was best (hence his repeated reference to God’s “path(s)” and “way(s)” in vs. 4, 8-10 and 12). Yet in order for anyone to even begin along that path, God must provide that which is the most fundamental of all needs — to wit: redemption from sin, the penalty for which can only by paid by God. Hence David implores God to redeem Israel, employing the verb that specifically denotes the paying of an outstanding debt — and which elsewhere denotes the work of complete spiritual-physical redemption from which man is disqualified and which only God, in His grace, can supply (see Psalm 49:7-8; Isaiah 1:27; Jeremiah 31:11). — Wechsler, page 82.
A Psalm of David.
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters.
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah
Seen as a Messianic Psalm by most commentaries, referring to the time when Christ shall take the throne in Jerusalem at the beginning of the Millennium. Many believe it was written by David at the time that the Ark of the Covenant was brought from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem, recently captured from the Jebusites. (2 Samuel 5; 1 Chronicles 15:16-23) but the psalm itself doesn’t specify a time.
The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness (v.1) — quoted in 1 Corinthians 10:26.
David affirms that the earth (more precisely “the land,” denoting that part of the planet intended for human habitation: see Genesis 1:10) and its fullness are the Lord’s, the phraseology of which recalls God’s statement to Moses in Numbers 14:21: “all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord” (see also Psalm 72:19; Isaiah 6:3). The implication of the parallel phraseology is that, in addition to the denoting the extent of the Lord’s dominion, the present statement also implies that the fullness of (i.e., everything within) that dominion attests to the glory of God. — Wechsler, pages 78-79.
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The second verse is in harmony with Genesis 1:9. This was the third day of the reconstruction of the earth. The earth had been inhabited by angels in the prehistoric ages, who were led by Lucifer. Genesis 1:1 tells of a perfect creation by the God of heaven and earth. The second verse shows the result of a judgment. God Himself drove off Lucifer and his fallen angels and threw the earth into chaotic night for ages untold. These things can be seen in Isaiah 14:12-17; Jeremiah 4:23-28; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 24:1. It should be said that Isaiah 24:1 and Jeremiah 4:23-28 have had two fulfillments in the past and will also have another one at the end of the kingdom age. But in the prehistoric age God threw the earth into chaotic night and for ages the earth was in darkness and covered with water. From that condition God let the dry land appear; therefore He founded the world upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. — Phillips, pages 85-86.
I know that the gap theory isn’t popular these days, in part because some try to force evolution into the gap. But there was a time when a lot of people believed that earth was originally created by God for Satan and that, after his fall, the earth was reduced to chaos. Then, in Genesis 1, God reformed it for man. Many passages in Scripture seem to point in this direction. Personally, I will only say that if, upon further study or when I get to heaven, I find out that this was the case, it won’t rock my theology.
This section (vs. 3-6) closely parallels the Psalm 15 — vs. 3 to 15:1; vs. 4 to 15:2-5a; vs. 5 to 15:5b.
hill of the Lord (v.3) — the hill in Jerusalem where the tabernacle was and where sacrifices were offered — see Psalm 2:6 (the holy hill of Zion)
clean hands (v.4) — Only the righteous can come into the presence of God, but their righteousness is not of their own doing or because of their own merit but is received from God (v.5)
Jacob (v.6) — intended to specify “those who seek Thy face” — i.e., Israel (the people), for which “Jacob” is a poetic alternative (see Psalm 14:7), and in this case especially appropriate since it was as “Jacob” that the patriarch struggled with and saw God “face to face,” only at the end of which “struggle” his name was changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28-30). — Wechsler, page 79.
mighty (v.8) — actually a noun used to designate warriors distinguished by military prowess (1 Samuel 16:18; 2 Samuel 1:19, 25, 27; 1 Chronicles 11:10, etc.) — David is making the point that the Lord of Hosts (Jesus Christ) is the greatest warrior of all.
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
Lord (v.1 and 6) = Jehovah
shepherd (v.1) — David metaphorically describes God as a shepherd — a profession with which David was intimately familiar (see 1 Samuel 16:11, 19; 17:20). This metaphor is employed frequently either by or for God throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Genesis 48:15; 49:24; Psalms 28:9; 80:1; Isaiah 40:11) as well as by Christ for Himself (hence another intimation of His deity, since this metaphor is predominantly applied to God in the Old Testament) in the New Testament (in Matthew 26:31; John 10:2ff.; as well as for Christ in Matthew 2:6; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:4, Revelation 7:17). — Wechsler, page 76.
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David begins by describing how God fully provides for the spiritual needs of His sheep, which need, in its most foundational aspect, is typically represented by the notion of “rest” or “being set (by God) at rest.” That such is intended here is indicated by the phrase typically translated “quiet (or ‘still’) waters,” yet which literally means “waters of rest” in which the Hebrew word for “rest” (in the plural for emphasis) is precisely that which is used elsewhere to denote spiritual rest (i.e., salvation, relationship with God; as in Psalm 95:11 with Hebrews 4:1-10) and the verbal form of which is used to denote the ideally intended state of man in to which He “put” Adam in Genesis 2:15. David is not asserting here that God always provides (in this lifetime, at least) for the believer’s physical need, but rather that He will always supply what is necessary fro the believer to move along in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake — i.e., for His glory and consistent with His plan, not necessarily our own. — Wechsler, pages 76-77
paths of righteousness (v.3) —could be translated “right paths”
His name’s sake (v.3) — in harmony with His revealed nature
rod (v.4) — for defense or correction
staff (v.4) — for support
a table … in the presence of my enemies (v.5) — This seems to indicate that God will care for us, even when surrounded by enemies, and they will be unable to prevent it or disturb it.
anoint (v.5) = lit. “make fat” — an indication of abundance
anoint with oil (v.5) — None of my commentaries explained this, so I looked it up on the Internet. I found several sites that state that shepherds would pour oil over sheep’s heads to keep flies from entering the nose and ears. Supposedly, flies could cause sheep so much distress that they would but their heads against rocks to rid themselves of the irritation and cause themselves injuries. In other places, this was said to refer to oils and perfumes that hosts would pour over the heads of honored guests at their table, which in the context of this particular verse seems to make more sense.
It is David’s confidence in the receipt of this future inheritance, guaranteed by God’s unshakable goodness and lovingkindness (v.6), that brings him comfort in this life, regardless of the situation.
lovingkindness (v.6) — specifically denotes the expression of God’s covenant love — i.e., His faithful and continual expression of what is best for those whom He views as His own under the promise of the Abrahamic covenant (see Genesis 12:1-3). — Wechsler, pages 32-33.
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follow (v.6) — The paternal aspect of the relationship between the Divine Shepherd and His sheep is underscored by the specific choice of the verb “pursue” (not “follow”) in the clause “goodness and lovingkindness will pursue me” — which is the same verb elsewhere used to describe the active pursuit of one army by another (as in 1 Samuel 17:52). — Wechsler, page 78
