Tag Archives: Deliverance

Jul 31 2013

Psalm 83 – Most High Over All the Earth

After murdering an Egyptian, Moses escaped into Midian. There he married Zipporah and became a shepherd.

After murdering an Egyptian, Moses escaped into Midian. There he married Zipporah and became a shepherd.

When reading this chapter of Psalms, one could feel as if it were written about the Israel of today. Speaking of the enemies of the nation, the psalmist allows how they would gladly wipe out God’s people:

They say, “Come,let us wipe them out as a nation;
let the name of Israel be remembered no more

Among the conspirators mentioned are such as the Amelikites, the Moabites and Ammonites who are referred to correctly here as the children of Lot (Genesis 19:36-38), the Edomites, the Philistines, and the inhabitants of Tyre. All are Gentile persecutors of God’s people. Today, there are those people who would take joy in the persecution of Christians – a phenomenon that many would argue is beginning to make a somewhat surprising comeback in North America, as well as other parts of the world. The prayer of the chapter which glorifies the Lord is relevant today:

…that they may know that you alone,
whose name is the Lord,
are the Most High over all the earth.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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May 17 2013

Psalm 69 – Deliver Me

depression_002This psalm is another of those that apply both to David and to Jesus.  Whether from a time when David was on the run from Saul, we do not know, nor does it matter.  He is crying out to God, clearly suffering and just as clearly afraid.  Many appeals contained in this psalm are appropriate for prayer today at times when life is bleak:

Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.

But the psalm is indicative of the Messiah’s plight in places as well.  Verse 4 (“They hated me without a cause”) is quoted by Jesus in John 15:25.  Verse 9 (zeal for your house has consumed me) is quoted in John 2:17.  And verse 21 (“They gave me poison for food,and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink”) is referred to in all four gospels (such as Luke 23:36).   Indeed, this psalm is quoted by Paul in Romans 15:3 (69:9b), Romans 11:9 (69:22), Romans 11:10 (69:23), and Acts 1:20 (69:25).

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Apr 17 2013

Psalms 54 and 56 – The Lord Upholds My Life

The superscription of Psalm 54 denotes a time when the Ziphites determined to betray David to Saul in order to gain his favor (1 Samuel 23:15-24).  It is a song of prayer to God for deliverance and praise to Him for being that one on whom we can depend in times of need.  David had just fled Keilah after he and his men had saved them from the Philistines.  The Lord had confirmed to him that even after saving them, they would give him up to Saul (1 Samuel 23:1-14).

woods-001The superscription in Psalm 56 directs the chief musician that the song is performed according to one called “the Dove.”  Adam Clarke translates the Teribinths as the “remote woods.”  We do not know what a “Michtam” is, but many suppose that it means this is “a golden psalm of David,” – golden equating to “precious.”

It also refers to the Philistines seizing him in Gath.  The scriptures do speak of David going to Gath.  One of those times was in 1 Samuel 21, but there is no record of the Philistines seizing him.  But that should not be considered cause to doubt the superscription’s accuracy.  We can be certain that there are many events in David’s life that are not chronicled in the scriptures, just as in the lives of other Biblical patriarchs.  The psalm itself is a song about trust in the Lord, even through times of great trouble and fear, and of maintaining one’s faith throughout it all.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.