Psalm 7
God, the Righteous Judge
Background:
This Psalm is a mixture of
Imprecatory
- Calls for judgement to be passed on the dispute between David and Cush, a Benjamite
- Cush is not recorded specifically in the Bible, but he is likely to be a follower of either Saul or Absalom when then tried to kill David.
- David names his foe Cush, perhaps ironically, as the people known as the Cushites are enemies of the state of Israel, however, this man is a Benjamite, part of Israel itself, sadly working against his rightful king.
Lament
- David calls out to God to help him deal with this Cush
Testimonial
- As David testifies to the righteousness of God and his acts against sin
Summary:
v1-2 David prays to God for help
v3-5 David calls for judgement to be passed between himself and Cush, calling for judgement on himself should he be guilty
v6-9 David calls on God
v10-13 God's war against sin
v14-16 God's judgement against the wicked
v17 Praise and thanksgiving
David prays for help
In verse 1, David claims to take refuge in God, asking of God to save and deliver him from those who pursue him. He entrusts his life fully to God once again, not trusting in his own human abilities.
In verse 2, he complements this further with the fear that his enemies will tear him like a lion and rip him to pieces, feeling that no human will be able to rescue him from Cush.
David calls for judgement to be passed
David begins verse 3 and 4 with declaring his innocence, claiming he has no guilt on his hands, claiming that he has done no evil to Cush who was previously at peace with him, saying he did not provoke any of these events going on. He then goes on to declare judgement upon himself should he be guilty of these sin - that Cush should trample his life to the ground and make him sleep in the dust. He is confident in his own innocence in this event.
David calls on God
David makes several appeals to God in these 4 verses.
1. Arise in your anger against the rage of my enemies
- A Jewish poetry habit to put contradictions in their poetry. David calls for God to display His righteous wrath (v11)
2. Decree justice
3. Rule over the assembled people
4. Judge the peoples
- Point 2, 3 and 4 point to the advance of God's Kingdom, where God is the ultimate Ruler and Judge. David seeks earnestly for God's Kingdom to be established (even though now, on hindsight, we know that God's Kingdom will not be established without Jesus Christ)
5. Judge David's righteousness and integrity
- As part of God's Kingdom, David calls for himself to be judged as well, also to prove his innocence.
6. Search hearts and minds
7. Bring and end to the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure
Basically, David calls for God to establish His rule on earth. More on this later!
God's war on sin
David describes God as his shield, who saves the upright in heart.
He declares God the righteous judge, who expresses His wrath every day, and destroys sinners with His sharpened sword and bow, prepared with flaming arrows. A sight to behold, God at war against sin.
God's judgement against the wicked
David points out that the wicked will produce nothing but disillusionment, and will fall in their own traps. It seems to link up with Psalm 6 where David says his enemies will be ashamed and disgraced, for God is against them, and they can do nothing.
Praise and thanksgiving
David ends off the Psalm with thanksgiving to the Lord for His righteousness and praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
So what does that mean for us?
I guess this post is a little short on content, but here's the real takeaway I have from this lesson. Remember the Lord's Prayer?
"Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one."
- Matthew 6:9-13
David's Psalm mirrors components of the Lord's Prayer.
Hallowed be your name - Praise and Thanksgiving in verse 17
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven- Calling on God in verses 6-9
Give us today our daily bread - Trusting God with his life in verses 1 and 2
Forgive us our debts - (seeking justification) in verses 3-5
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one - All over!
David prays a complete prayer, encompassing the key components - Glorification of God's name, Prayer for God's Kingdom to be established, entrusting his life to God, seeking justification and prayer for God to deliver him from the evil one.
Other key lessons:
We know David has had ample opportunities to strike back at the foes who plagued him throughout his life. He was given opportunities to kill Saul, but refused to touch the Lord's anointed. When he met Shimei (a Benjamite who cursed David. Read 2 Sam 16), his men offered to cut off Shimei's head, but he refused to kill him as well. (On a side note, Shimei is a likely identity for this "Cush" that David is praying about). However, David entrusted judgement to God and refused to take action himself.
We should also keep in mind that God wages a daily war against evil and His wrath is declared everyday. We too must actively guard against evil and not let it seep into our lives.
Similarly to David (and Jesus), we should also seek to consider praising God, establishing His Kingdom and His judgement in our prayers.
Questions:
Do we pray like David/Jesus did? Are our prayers simply "Dear God, give me this and that" or "Dear God, thank you for this and that"? Prayer is often taken lightly and sometimes we are even encouraged to take prayer as a casual conversation with God.
Do we forget that when we pray, we come before the Almighty God, the Righteous Judge? Do we often forget His majesty, His will, His judgement and His kingdom when we pray?
Would you go up to the president and talk to him without complimenting him, his work in Singapore and so on? What more God?
Can we count ourselves blameless before God? (The model answer is yes, because of Jesus Christ's atonement for us on the cross). Nevertheless, do we live in a way which will glorify God, treating sin as God does instead of repeatedly sinning and coming back unrepentant?
Do we entrust all judgement to God and not take our own action, even when we are capable of doing so?
- What are things that we should solve ourselves, and what are things that belong to God's judgement? Will God judge our small quarrels?
I believe there are two types of quarrels - of righteousness and of wisdom. Where matters of righteousness are concerned, God must be the judge. If we are wronged spiritually, let God be the judge instead of acting on our own accord. However, if we are in arguments over what to eat for lunch, I think we should just take our own initiative and clear up the mess our sinful nature produces. However, I do admit to often relying too much on my own ability. Being put in David's situation with Shimei, I may have allowed for the soldier to kill Shimei. I often harbor thoughts of how I am to solve relational problems with people, for reasons that are not as trivial as lunch. Something for myself to work on, as well as the prayer part.
On a side note:
Did my devotion this morning :) Woke up early to do devotion and go for a run. Fell asleep after devotion and ended up without the run though! There's always monday I guess..
God, the Righteous Judge
Background:
This Psalm is a mixture of
Imprecatory
- Calls for judgement to be passed on the dispute between David and Cush, a Benjamite
- Cush is not recorded specifically in the Bible, but he is likely to be a follower of either Saul or Absalom when then tried to kill David.
- David names his foe Cush, perhaps ironically, as the people known as the Cushites are enemies of the state of Israel, however, this man is a Benjamite, part of Israel itself, sadly working against his rightful king.
Lament
- David calls out to God to help him deal with this Cush
Testimonial
- As David testifies to the righteousness of God and his acts against sin
Summary:
v1-2 David prays to God for help
v3-5 David calls for judgement to be passed between himself and Cush, calling for judgement on himself should he be guilty
v6-9 David calls on God
v10-13 God's war against sin
v14-16 God's judgement against the wicked
v17 Praise and thanksgiving
David prays for help
In verse 1, David claims to take refuge in God, asking of God to save and deliver him from those who pursue him. He entrusts his life fully to God once again, not trusting in his own human abilities.
In verse 2, he complements this further with the fear that his enemies will tear him like a lion and rip him to pieces, feeling that no human will be able to rescue him from Cush.
David calls for judgement to be passed
David begins verse 3 and 4 with declaring his innocence, claiming he has no guilt on his hands, claiming that he has done no evil to Cush who was previously at peace with him, saying he did not provoke any of these events going on. He then goes on to declare judgement upon himself should he be guilty of these sin - that Cush should trample his life to the ground and make him sleep in the dust. He is confident in his own innocence in this event.
David calls on God
David makes several appeals to God in these 4 verses.
1. Arise in your anger against the rage of my enemies
- A Jewish poetry habit to put contradictions in their poetry. David calls for God to display His righteous wrath (v11)
2. Decree justice
3. Rule over the assembled people
4. Judge the peoples
- Point 2, 3 and 4 point to the advance of God's Kingdom, where God is the ultimate Ruler and Judge. David seeks earnestly for God's Kingdom to be established (even though now, on hindsight, we know that God's Kingdom will not be established without Jesus Christ)
5. Judge David's righteousness and integrity
- As part of God's Kingdom, David calls for himself to be judged as well, also to prove his innocence.
6. Search hearts and minds
7. Bring and end to the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure
Basically, David calls for God to establish His rule on earth. More on this later!
God's war on sin
David describes God as his shield, who saves the upright in heart.
He declares God the righteous judge, who expresses His wrath every day, and destroys sinners with His sharpened sword and bow, prepared with flaming arrows. A sight to behold, God at war against sin.
God's judgement against the wicked
David points out that the wicked will produce nothing but disillusionment, and will fall in their own traps. It seems to link up with Psalm 6 where David says his enemies will be ashamed and disgraced, for God is against them, and they can do nothing.
Praise and thanksgiving
David ends off the Psalm with thanksgiving to the Lord for His righteousness and praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
So what does that mean for us?
I guess this post is a little short on content, but here's the real takeaway I have from this lesson. Remember the Lord's Prayer?
"Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one."
- Matthew 6:9-13
David's Psalm mirrors components of the Lord's Prayer.
Hallowed be your name - Praise and Thanksgiving in verse 17
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven- Calling on God in verses 6-9
Give us today our daily bread - Trusting God with his life in verses 1 and 2
Forgive us our debts - (seeking justification) in verses 3-5
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one - All over!
David prays a complete prayer, encompassing the key components - Glorification of God's name, Prayer for God's Kingdom to be established, entrusting his life to God, seeking justification and prayer for God to deliver him from the evil one.
Other key lessons:
We know David has had ample opportunities to strike back at the foes who plagued him throughout his life. He was given opportunities to kill Saul, but refused to touch the Lord's anointed. When he met Shimei (a Benjamite who cursed David. Read 2 Sam 16), his men offered to cut off Shimei's head, but he refused to kill him as well. (On a side note, Shimei is a likely identity for this "Cush" that David is praying about). However, David entrusted judgement to God and refused to take action himself.
We should also keep in mind that God wages a daily war against evil and His wrath is declared everyday. We too must actively guard against evil and not let it seep into our lives.
Similarly to David (and Jesus), we should also seek to consider praising God, establishing His Kingdom and His judgement in our prayers.
Questions:
Do we pray like David/Jesus did? Are our prayers simply "Dear God, give me this and that" or "Dear God, thank you for this and that"? Prayer is often taken lightly and sometimes we are even encouraged to take prayer as a casual conversation with God.
Do we forget that when we pray, we come before the Almighty God, the Righteous Judge? Do we often forget His majesty, His will, His judgement and His kingdom when we pray?
Would you go up to the president and talk to him without complimenting him, his work in Singapore and so on? What more God?
Can we count ourselves blameless before God? (The model answer is yes, because of Jesus Christ's atonement for us on the cross). Nevertheless, do we live in a way which will glorify God, treating sin as God does instead of repeatedly sinning and coming back unrepentant?
Do we entrust all judgement to God and not take our own action, even when we are capable of doing so?
- What are things that we should solve ourselves, and what are things that belong to God's judgement? Will God judge our small quarrels?
I believe there are two types of quarrels - of righteousness and of wisdom. Where matters of righteousness are concerned, God must be the judge. If we are wronged spiritually, let God be the judge instead of acting on our own accord. However, if we are in arguments over what to eat for lunch, I think we should just take our own initiative and clear up the mess our sinful nature produces. However, I do admit to often relying too much on my own ability. Being put in David's situation with Shimei, I may have allowed for the soldier to kill Shimei. I often harbor thoughts of how I am to solve relational problems with people, for reasons that are not as trivial as lunch. Something for myself to work on, as well as the prayer part.
On a side note:
Did my devotion this morning :) Woke up early to do devotion and go for a run. Fell asleep after devotion and ended up without the run though! There's always monday I guess..
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