A few reflections on each of the Psalms. Since we are reading chronologically these Psalms mostly likely were penned by David while he was on the run from Saul.
I don’t know about you, but when I think about a revolutionary fighter, or a rebel warrior or even a terrorist…I don’t envision them penning lines to songs like this. I know, some do. It just seems odd to me for a man of violence to also be a tender poet. And, apparently God had no problem with either of those pursuits.
Psalm 7 – On the surface I read it like this: David believes himself to be innocent, and God to be either asleep or seated. Either way, from his perspective he needs God’s help for justice, and he doesn’t seem to be getting it. I want to remember this for those days when I feel like I am unjustly accused, or pursued without cause. For David, this went on for years with brief interludes of peace between constant battles and periods of betrayal. How he doesn’t become callous and mean can only be attributed to his constant soaking in God. Sponges are rough and abrasive organisms until they are immersed. I suspect that we are the same.
In verse 12 the tone shifts toward praise, and the Psalm concludes with a new insight: the construction of the wicked will collapse on top of them, they will not escape punishment. How did David conclude this? There’s no way for him to know that, unless it was revealed to him.
I think that as David is praying/writing/praising, God reveals His plan to him. He reveals Himself, as David sits and calls for help.
Psalm 27 – Even though he is pursued, David’s focus is on the Lord. Verses 8 and 11 jump out at me today. “I have heard you say ‘come and talk with me’, Lord, I am coming”. I love that. I love knowing that David heard the still small voice of God that said “put down whatever it is that you are doing and come over here for a minute”.
I tend to develop tunnel vision when I get involved in a task…especially if it’s something that I enjoy doing. So when I am happily puttering away at whatever it is, and someone says “could I talk with you?” a small part of me doesn’t want to. I don’t like stopping. Is that bad? Stop signs and red lights are for other people. I skipped getting a hair cut for two weeks because every time I went in there was more than one person ahead of me in line. I could have waited for 40 minutes for an appointment…but come on now, does a person who can’t sit and finish a cup of coffee wait 40 minutes for anything? I think not.
And yet, David had trained himself to stop whatever he was doing when God called. I don’t think God was calling David in this moment. I think David was simply remembering it, or making his decision now for when the opportunity came around again. “When you call, my heart will say ‘I am coming'”. That’s simply how it’s going to be.
Verse 11 says “teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along a right path…” I remind myself that is hard to do if you don’t stop and sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to what he has to say. So, take that…..Martha. Luke 10:38-42
Psalm 31 – So, I was just about to say “this post is too long already” and be done with writing for the day when something caught my eye. It must have happened just now when I decided to stop and wait….(ahem..).
I don’t get the sense that this Psalm belongs here. I know, I know, smarter people than me have already made that decision, and honestly in really doesn’t matter. But in verse 21 he says “you kept me safe when my city was under attack”. While he is running from Saul, David doesn’t have a city. Jerusalem becomes the “City of David”. Maybe they are referring to another city, from an earlier time.
Also, David talks about his years being “cut short” which would mean a premature death. That sort of language is occasionally used by older people. It’s true at various points in David’s life, people were often trying to kill him. In this passage verse 9-10 he speaks of tears and grief (which could be the separation from his wife and close friend Jonathan), but what sin has David committed that has caused him to rot away from within? David’s is a fugitive, on the run from the king…but many of the common people adore him. He is too young to have many enemies. But an older king, who has made some mistakes and is now on the run for his life, and is being pelted by insults and accusations along the way might feel exactly like this. I wonder if this Psalm wasn’t written around the time that Absalom betrayed his father and took the kingdom from him. 2 Samuel 15
Psalm 34 – Apparently it was a very wise thing to appear like crazy before the king, David had done this before….but that was with king Achish of Gath in 1 Samuel 21. I wonder what this Abimelech account refers to? There was a king named Abimilech in Abraham’s time, and an unrighteous judge named Abimelech…but no further mention of him in the text here.
It’s easy to miss an important part of this psalm in the first two stanzas. David’s goal is to focus on God at all times, every day. David must have been in a tough situation to be faking insanity, and yet here he is praising God and celebrating God’s goodness because he has been delivered. It’s easy to celebrate when you are “on the throne”, but David is still hard pressed, and is celebrating “as he goes”.
Have you noticed that often as David writes he begins with a lament or a question, and during his discourse the focus turns to praise…and often to words of insight after that. There might be a sermon in there somewhere: When times are difficult (or appear impossible) we should stop whatever we are doing and spend time with God. Spend time praising, specifically…because that’s where insight comes from.
Psalm 52 is great as well, but I think that’s enough for today…
Faithfully,
PR