Tag: praises

Posted in Exposition

Psalm 18 – The Longest Psalm of David: Reflections on a Lifetime of Deliverance

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 18

Psalm 18 is the longest of the more than seventy psalms specifically attributed to David and is the fourth longest (only 78, 89 and 119 are longer) in the Psalter. This psalm is also found in 2 Samuel chapter 22 where it is set near the end of David’s life. The psalm’s length is therefore appropriate to its content since David is reflecting upon a lifetime of deliverance.

THE GENRE AND THEME OF PSALM 18

Psalm 18 is usually categorised as both a Royal Psalm and a Psalm of Thanksgiving. As well as the superscription and 2 Samuel 22 which associate the psalm with David there are some internal hints that it was written by a king (vv. 43b, 44 and 47).

Psalm 18 is a personal testimony (notice the use of ‘I’ and ‘My’) addressed to the psalmist’s audience/readers and also to the Lord. In the poem, using symbolic imagery, David views his life as one big, decisive event, and reflects upon it and upon his relationship with God. The main theme of Psalm 18 is the faithfulness of YHWH who has intervened at key moments in David’s life to deliver him from his enemies. As is typical of songs of thanksgiving Psalm 18 progresses from an opening declaration of praise to a description of the distress to a record of divine deliverance to a closing doxology.

THE SUPERSCRIPTION OF PSALM 18

The psalm itself is long and the superscription also is notable for its length.

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spoke unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,

The chief Musician – the choir director or precentor in the Temple.

Of David – the psalm has been composed by David.

The servant of the Lord – This is a title of distinction used elsewhere in the Old Testament of Moses, of Joshua (Josh 24:29; Judg 2:8) and of the suffering Servant in Isaiah (Isa 42:19). The term ‘servant of the Lord’ occurs also in the title of Psalm 36. Throughout the Psalter David often describes himself as ‘servant’ (e.g. 35:17; 86:4; 116:16).

Who spoke unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul – In this psalm David looks back over his life, having experienced deliverance from all his enemies, especially from King Saul.

This superscription is unusual. Generally speaking, psalm titles refer to David asking for help in the midst of stressful and dangerous situations. In Psalm 18, however, David’s problems are over and done with; he has been delivered from trouble and reflecting on his experiences can raise a hymn of praise to YHWH for divine intervention.

OUTLINE OF PSALM 18

1-3 INTRODUCTION

4-6 DISTRESS

7-15 THEOPHANY

16-19 SALVATION

20-24 RIGHTEOUSNESS

25-29 FAITHFULNESS

30-45 THANKSGIVING

46-50 DOXOLOGY

EXPOSITION

1-3 INTRODUCTION

(1) In the opening verses David claims to have a personal relationship with the Lord and declares his confidence in YHWH as protector. The psalm commences with a passionate declaration of love for the Lord, using an intimate and tender but uncommon word for ‘love.’ This is missing from the version of the psalm found in 2 Samuel chapter 22.

(1b-2) David emphasises the personal nature of their relationship with epithets for YHWH that signify strength or protection. These are preceded by ‘my’. Some of them, for example; ‘rock’ v.31, 46 and ‘shield’ v.30, 35 – are taken up again later in the psalm.

my strength – i.e. stronghold

my rock – (sela‘) a crag or cliff, i.e. refuge

my fortress – inaccessible stronghold

my deliverer – one who helps to escape

my God – (’ēl) mighty one

my strength – (ṣûr) large rock or boulder

my buckler – shield

the horn of my salvation – one with superior strength to deliver (cf. Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11).

my high tower – stronghold, place of refuge

(3) We now learn the reason for this song of praise: In praise I call to the Lord, for I was delivered from my enemies OR It has been my habit to cry out to YHWH, and he has saved me.

4-6 DISTRESS

(4-5) Using poetic images the psalmist now describes his past experiences of distress and deliverance in dramatic cosmic language. Viewing death as the enemy, he uses four parallel phrases to describe his near death experiences. All four phrases are plural and therefore likely describe multiple events over David’s lifetime.

The cords of death – ropes used to bind and control – see Psa 116:3, cf. Acts 2:24

The torrents of destruction – 2 Sam 22:5 has ‘waves’ – he felt he was sinking – compare the language of Jonah 2:3-6

The cords of the grave – Sheol, the unseen world, grave

The snares of death – death is viewed as a mighty hunter.

(6) In the distressing situations during which David came face to face with death he cried out to the Lord who heard his plea in the heavenly sanctuary and reacted to it. On v.6 Perowne (1898, p.211) observes:

All the verbs in this verse are imperfect, expressing habit. It might be rendered: “In my distress I would call upon Jehovah, and unto my God would I cry; He would hear my voice out of His temple; and my cry before Him would come unto His ears.”

7-15 THEOPHANY

In vv.7-15 David pictures YHWH as responding to his requests for help in a theophany (a word meaning: manifestation of a deity). He uses typical symbolic images to describe the majesty and might of YHWH; such as: the earth heaving, the foundations of the mountains trembling, thunder and lightning, darkness.

These phenomena did not literally occur when YHWH intervened on David’s behalf, the psalmist is expressing himself using theophanic language. For similar descriptions see: Judges 5:4-5; Psa 77:16-20; 97:2-5; 114:1-8; Isa 30:27-63; 63:1-6; Micah 1:3-4; Nahum 1:3-6; Hab 3:3-15; Zech 9:14.

(7) YHWH’s approach was heralded by an earthquake. He was angry.

(8) smoke, fire and burning coals – this may be a continuation of the seismic imagery of v.7 and denote volcanic activity or, more likely, signify an approaching storm with clouds, and lightning. YHWH’s nostrils, denoting anger, are mentioned again in v.15.

(9) The low-hanging clouds made it look as if YHWH had tilted the heavens in order to come down. Whenever God comes down he is surrounded by darkness or thick gloom, for example, at Sinai – And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. Exodus 20:21 (see also, Deut 4:11; 1 Kgs 8:12; Psa 97:2).

(10) On his way down to help David YHWH rode on a cherub and soared on the wings of the wind. Cherubim were composite living creatures (man, bull, lion, eagle, see Ezek chps 1 and 10)) that acted as the Lord’s chariot. The word here is singular but Perowne (1898, p.212) suggests that it may be ‘rather a collective noun, and so used for the plural.’

(11) The idea of darkness continues. YHWH was cloaked in the darkness of watery clouds.

(12) At the brightness (of his glory?) the clouds parted and rained hail and burning coals (lightning?).

(13-15) These verses contain more storm imagery;

The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

The Lord Most High (‘elyôn, Highest) sounded his terrifying voice which is described as being like thunder (for the voice of YHWH see Psa 29). Again, signifying destructive force, there is repetition of ‘hail stones and coals of fire’ from the previous verse.

YHWH caused havoc with the lightening bolts he shot out and, ‘then’, i.e. ‘as a result of his anger and rebuke, ‘the channels of water’ (stream channels) of the earth were exposed and the foundations of the world revealed. 2 Samuel 22:16 says ‘channels of the sea.’ The idea of waters representing hostile forces occurs in v.4, here in v.15 and again in v.16.

16-19 SALVATION

The above display of power by means of threatening and violent phenomena was for the purpose of rescuing David. In vv.16-19 David testifies to his experience of deliverance.

Verse 16 is the key verse and is a lovely description of salvation.

  • He sent from on high,
  • he took me,
  • he pulled me from the many waters

(17)

  • he delivered me. – The Lord delivered David from an enemy that hated him and was too strong for him.

(18) The enemies advanced against David in the day of disaster but the Lord supported him. They ‘went before him’ i.e. they anticipated his every move and wherever he went were already waiting for him.

(19) The Lord brought David to a ‘large place’ – a broad space where he was safe and secure. Why did YHWH do this for David? It was because he delighted in me.

20-24 RIGHTEOUSNESS

The section vv.20-24 expands on the last phrase of v.19  (because he delighted in me). The Lord delivered David because David was loyal to the Lord. David reckons that he deserved the Lord’s help and maintains that the Lord dealt with him by merit. The Lord reciprocated:

  • his righteousness. v.20
  • the purity of his hands v.20
  • his guarding of the Lord’s ways v.21
  • his not wickedly departing from his God v.21
  • his respect for the Lord’s judgments and statutes v.22
  • his innocence v.23
  • his singlemindedness in keeping himself from iniquity v.23

Verse 24 repeats v.20. The Lord repaid him according to his righteousness (justice) and according to the purity of his hands in God’s sight.

25-29 FAITHFULNESS

(25-26) The psalmist now shifts from personal experience to a general principle. God deals faithfully with people according to their conduct: showing mercy to the merciful and working against the perverted, resisting the proud and lifting up the humble (cf. Lk 1:52).

With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward.

Here the word ‘froward’ appears twice in KJV but translates two different Hebrew words. That referring to humans means ‘twisted’ or ‘perverse’ and the one used for God means ‘wrestling’ or ‘contending.’ God acts shrewdly against the crooked person.

(27-29) The next three verses, all beginning with ‘for’, demonstrate God’s faithful dealings.

For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. – The Lord resists the proud but delivers the humble.

For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. – The Lord lights the psalmist’s lamp. God as the source of light is usually interpreted as indicating happiness or prosperity. However, the expression may have to do with granting a dynasty for in 2 Sam 21:17 the quenching of a light refers to the dying out of a dynasty; But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.

For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. – Using hyperbolic language (he did not literally perform superhuman feats) David declares his confidence in God who enabled him to achieve the unthinkable. He pictures himself in dangerous positions while leading his men into battle, fighting on foot (vv.29, 33) and able to run against a band of enemy soldiers and scale barriers.

30-45 THANKSGIVING

(30) David affirms YHWH’s perfection. Moving from his own empowerment to to YHWH’s character he says; As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

HIS WAY IS PERFECT – God’s dealings are blameless, complete.

HIS WORD IS PURE – Like refined metal, God’s word has been tested and found reliable.

HIS WORK IS POWERFUL – To David, and to everyone else who trusts him, he is a protective shield.

(31) David affirms YHWH’s uniqueness using two rhetorical questions to which the expected answer is ‘No-one!’ – see also Exod 15:11.

Who is God save the LORD? Who is a rock save our God? There is no true God or ‘rock’ (cf. Deut 32:4, 15, 18) – a reliable place of security and stability – besides YHWH. He alone can be trusted.

In vv.32-36, using military terminology and imagery, David describes his personal experience of help from this reliable God who equipped him for war.

(32) It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. – God bound strength around him like a belt, this is repeated in v.39 (cf. 1 Sam 2:4;). The God whose way is perfect (v.30) made David’s way perfect (i.e. safe) also – all obstacles were removed.

(33) He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. – God made David alert, active, sure-footed and agile like a female deer. God made sure that David occupied strategic and elevated positions.

(34) He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. – God trained his hands for battle and gave him the strength and ability to use heavy weaponry.

(35) Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. – David directly addresses God who gave him salvation, support and sympathy. There are differences of opinion on how to translate the word translated ‘gentleness’ in the KJV. It means humility, mildness or tenderness and could be translated as graciousness. Alter (2009), however, takes it as ‘battle-cry’:

‘Your battle-cry made me many. The version here has anwatkha (“Your humility”?), which does not make evident sense. The text in 2 Samuel has anotkha; one of the meanings of anot is a crying out. (The consonantal text is the same in both readings.) The likely sense is that the warrior’s use of a battle-cry, probably incorporating the name YHWH, terrified the enemy and made his own force seem many even if it may have been outnumbered. In sequence, then, God gives his protected warrior three formidable implements of war—a bow, a shield, and a battle-cry incorporating the divine name.’

Ross (2011, p.436, footnote #10) lists other possibilities;

‘The Hebrew text has “your meekness (or lowliness)”. . . The use of this word for the LORD is unusual, but it can be explained in terms of the LORD’s stooping down to help him (NIV), meaning his gracious intervention. The word would be a metonymy of adjunct then. . . On the other hand, there are different readings for the word. The Greek (with some variations) translated this as “discipline” . . .—your discipline has upheld me. That would reflect a Hebrew piel. . .M. Dahood suggests the root. . . “to conquer,” and translates it as “your triumph” (Psalms, 1:116). More plausible is the suggestion of “your answering” . . ., which is found in the parallel poem of 2 Samuel 22:36; it would form a contrast with verse 41. This could also signify “your hearing, your oracle, your encouragement” . . .’

(36) Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. – God enlarged the path (made room for his steps) so that David’s ankles did not wobble or waver. He did not slip while crossing difficult terrain.

In vv.37-42 David acknowledges that he owes his military success to God, who gave him victory over his enemies.

(37) With God’s help David was able to relentlessly pursue, overtake and destroy his enemies.

(38) David trampled his enemies and killed them.

(39) The Lord equipped him with strength for battle (see v.32) and made those who rose up against him bow before him.

(40) The Lord caused David’s opponents to turn their backs on him in flight (Lit. ‘gave to me their neck’), those who hated David have been destroyed.

(41) David’s enemies prayed (cried in terror) – even to the Lord (cf. 1 Sam 28:5-6) – but their prayers went unanswered. This verse contrasts with v.6 where David cried to the Lord and his prayer was heard.

(42) David speaks disparagingly of his defeated foes, comparing them to dust and mud. Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. – This poetic, hyperbolic language indicates that David won decisive victories which utterly humiliated his enemies.

In verses 43-45 David acknowledges that God helped him to conquer the surrounding nations.

(43) Once more David directly addresses the Lord. Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. The Lord rescued David from internal conflict (quarrels within his kingdom) and made him head of the nations.

(44) As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. Foreigners who only knew about David by reputation (‘at the hearing of the ear’ – i.e. at a distance without seeing him) obeyed his commands.

(45) The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. – The foreigners faded away before David’s might and trembled in their forts (places in which they had shut themselves up).

46-50 DOXOLOGY

The psalm ends with praise to the Lord.

PRIVATE PRAISE (46-48)

The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.

David praises YHWH whose demonstration of power is evidence that he is the living God (in contrast to dead idols). In this doxology David harks back to v.2 where he emphasises his personal relationship with YHWH and again describes the Lord as ‘my rock’ and ‘the God of my salvation.’ God deserves praise because:

  • God avenged David – The Lord executed vengeance on David’s enemies. The idea behind ‘vengeance’ is just retribution, the correcting of a wrong that has been committed (Gen 4:15; Exod 21:20-21; Judg 15:7; 16:28; Isa 1:24; Ezek 24:8).
  • God subdued David’s enemies.
  • God delivered the psalmist from his enemies.
  • God exalted David above all those who rose up against him.
  • God rescued him from men of violence.

PUBLIC PRAISE (49-50)

Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and showeth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed forevermore.

(49) Therefore – because of YHWH’s acts on his behalf David intends to proclaim God’s praise beyond the borders of Israel and sing to his name. In the New Testament the apostle Paul, having stated in Romans 15:7 that Jewish and Gentile believers in Jesus Christ ought to receive one another, gives Psalm 18:49 a Messianic dimension by citing it in Romans 15:9 in support of his teaching that Gentiles are included in God’s plan of redemption. He views this verse as ultimately fulfilled by Christ praising God among and through Gentiles who have received mercy.

(50) God guarantees deliverance and mercy (ḥeseḏ: covenant love) to the anointed king. Psalm 18:50 applies this not only to David but to his ‘seed’ (descendants – the Davidic line) forever. Notice that the Lord loves David(v.50) and David loves the Lord (v.1).

SUMMATION

Psalm 18 is a royal psalm of thanksgiving composed by David as he looked back upon his life and deliverance from all his enemies, especially King Saul. In it he celebrates the Lord as his rock, fortress, shield and deliverer who heard his cry of distress and came in a theophany to rescue him. He reflects on God’s faithfulness to the righteous and describes how the Lord equipped and enabled him for battle and gave him victory over his enemies. This calls for fervent praise.

PRACTICAL LESSONS

  • When a believer cries out to the Lord in distress he hears and responds powerfully and with compassion.
  • God is trustworthy – His way is perfect, his word is pure, his work is powerful (v.30).
  • We ought to recognise that any victory we experience is from God, and give him the glory.
  • Remembering past deliverances encourages present faith and future praise.
  • Knowing that God deals with individuals according to their conduct we need to live with integrity (vv.25-26).
  • Personal stories of salvation can point people to the Lord (v.49).
  • The ultimate expression of God’s love and salvation for all kinds of people may be seen in David’s greater descendant – Jesus Christ (v.49, Romans 15)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

Alter, R. (2009). The Book of Psalms: a Translation with Commentary. New York ; London: W.W. Norton.

Brueggemann, W. and W. H. Bellinger, Jr. (2014). Psalms. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Oesterley, W. O. E. (1955). The Psalms: Translated, with Text-critical and Exegetical Notes, London: S.P.C.K

Perowne, S. (1898). The Book of Psalms : a New Translation, with Introduction and Notes Explanatory and Critical. Andover, W. F. Draper.

Ross, A.P. (2011). A Commentary on the Psalms: Volume 1 (1—41). Kregel Academic, Grand Rapids

Posted in Exposition

Psalm 100 – A Psalm Of Thanksgiving

Posted on by writtenexposition

A PSALM OF PRAISE.
​1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

INTRODUCTION

This short but well-known psalm has a superscription that is usually translated ‘A psalm of praise’ or ‘A psalm of/for thanksgiving.’ People who may not be fully familiar with Psalm 100 would, nevertheless, probably recognise the words of some old Christian hymns that its content has inspired. The two most famous are Thomas Ken’s doxology ‘Praise God from whom all blessings flow’ and the sixteenth century ‘All people that on earth do dwell’ – composed by John Calvin’s friend Louis Bourgeois and translated from French to English by William Kethe. Unfortunately neither of these hymns specifically mentions thanksgiving; however, ‘praise’ and ‘thanksgiving’ are more or less synonymous. This is explained by W. S. Plumer (1867, p.895) in his ‘Studies in the Book of Psalms:’

In our version the word rendered praise is elsewhere twice rendered praise, once sacrifice of praise, twice confession, about twenty times thanksgiving, once in the plural sacrifices of praise, thrice thanks, thrice thank offerings. The English version does not nicely discriminate between praise and thanksgiving. It is doubtful whether the Hebrew does, though some think differently. In v. 4 of this Psalm the word, rendered Praise in the title, is rendered thanksgiving. Many notice that no other Psalm has the same title as this.

The psalm is anonymous – its author is unknown – nor do we know when it was written or how it was used in Israelite liturgy. Some think that it was written by Moses, or is a psalm of David, others speculate that it was composed after the return from Babylonian exile for use in the restored temple worship.

Many scholars class it as a processional hymn sung by pilgrims at the entrance to the Temple (cf. v.4), others suggest that it was sung to accompany a thank-offering (cf. Lev 7:12) – but there is no mention of sacrifice in the psalm. Many things about the psalm are unknown but we do know from its title that Psalm 100 is a song of thanksgiving.

STRUCTURE AND CONTENT

Psalm 100 has a bipartite structure.

1-3 An Invitation to Worship the Lord
4-5 An Invitation to Thank and Praise the Lord

Each of these two sections contains an invitation expressed in 3 lines which is then followed by 3 reasons to comply (i.e. 3 calls followed by 3 causes).

1-3
Calls – make a joyful noise. . .; Serve the Lord. . .: Come before his presence. . .
Causes – the Lord he is God; he hath made us. . .; we are his people. . .

4-5
Calls – enter into his gates. . .; be thankful unto him; bless his name
Causes – the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; his truth endureth. . .

Notice:
Psalm 100 contains seven imperatives: make a noise; serve; come; know; enter; be thankful; bless.

References to the one who is the focus of Psalm 100: the Lord; him; he; his (people, sheep, pasture, gates, courts, name, mercy, truth).

EXPOSITION

1-3 An Invitation to Worship the Lord

(1)
Audible – the emphasis is on the loudness of the shout – like a fanfare acclaiming the Lord as king.

Joyful – worshipping the Lord should be a joyful act.

Global – this shout rings out across the world calling upon every person in every nation, not just Israel, to worship the one true God.

(2) The word ‘serve’ can refer to any type of work but here in the religious sense it equates to worship. This ought to be performed with an attitude of delight. The happiness and exuberance will express itself in ‘singing’ – a joyful shout – when they ‘come before his presence.’ The same word translated ‘come’ is translated ‘enter’ in v.4. ‘His presence’ is a reference to the Jerusalem temple which was regarded as the dwelling place of the Lord. This idea is developed further in v. 4.

(3) ‘He’ and ‘We’

He is God

The fourth imperative ‘know’ that follows on from the invitation to worship is very important because, in a world that has a wide variety of deities, it makes the exclusive claim that the Lord (YHWH) – Israel’s God – is the true God whose authority and sovereignty must be recognised and acknowledged. ‘The Lord, he is God’ – YHWH, the God of the Exodus, is Elohim – the true God.

The person who worships the Lord must be convinced in his/her own mind as to who he is – the one true God- and, having reached that verdict, celebrate him and renounce allegiance to all other deities.

He made us

If the Lord is the one true God then he is the creator (‘he hath made us’). He is all-powerful and we are dependent on him. The KJV reads ‘and not we ourselves’ but other versions translate this as ‘we are his.’ Alternatively, some scholars view this as an asseverative (earnest declaration) and translate it as ‘indeed;’ linking it with the next statement ‘we are his people.’ The Oxford Bible Commentary (2007, p.393) provides the following succinct explanation:

The Hebrew words ‘his’ (lit. ‘to him’) and ‘not’ are identical in sound but differ in spelling. Aquila, the Targum, and Jerome have ‘his’, as do all the most recent English translations, while the LXX, Symmachus, and the Syriac follow the alternative meaning, ‘and not we ourselves’, made familiar through the AV. . . A modern proposal is to take the word as a note of emphasis, producing: ‘and we are indeed his people’.

We are his

‘We are his people’ follows logically from the fact that he is our creator. He has made us and we are his by right therefore we owe allegiance to him. Some commentators interpret v.3 strictly as referring to Israel. They take ‘He has made us’ as a reference to YHWH making Israel a nation (e.g. Deut 32:6, 15: Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? . . .But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.). They view ‘we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture’ as referring to the redemption of the nation by the Exodus, freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and bringing them into a covenant relationship with himself and leading and guiding them to The Promised Land.

For Christians this points to the greater, ultimate redemption accomplished by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross. By it we are saved, rescued from the slavery of sin and death, brought into a relationship with God and guided through life’s wilderness until we reach heaven, our permanent dwelling place.

The pastoral metaphor of sheep and their shepherd(s) is a common one in the Bible (Psalm 23 ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ and Jesus as the Good Shepherd in Jn 10:1-30 are well-known). See also Psa 74:1; 78:70-72; 79:13; 80:1; Isa 40:11; 44:28; Jer 10:21; Ezek 34:1-24; Zech 10:3; 11:4-17. Those who are shepherded by the one true God do not recognise the authority of false shepherds – false deities – lifeless idols that cannot guide and care for their worshippers.

Thus far the psalmist has made it clear that in order to worship God there are certain things we must acknowledge (‘know’). The three things are: 1. that he is the one, true God; 2. that he has made us therefore we are dependent upon and accountable to him; 3. that as the people (‘his people’) of the Lord we have a privileged relationship with him; enjoying his ongoing care, protection and provision like sheep from a shepherd.

4-5 An Invitation to Thank and Praise the Lord

This second part of the psalm moves to the very substance of worship; thanksgiving and praise rendered to the Lord by his people. The scene shifts to the outer gate of the Jerusalem temple – the building where God’s presence dwells. The last three of the psalm’s seven imperative verbs are in this section and they invite believers to enter the Lord’s presence, in his courts give thanks to him and bless his name. These detail the attitude of entry into God’s presence, a believer does not come to God reluctantly in fear or out of a sense of obligation but with a heart that overflows with thanksgiving and adoration – an attitude of gratitude.

In v.4 (enter into his gates with thanksgiving) we have another occurrence of tôḏāh, translated ‘praise’ or ‘thanksgiving’ in the title of the psalm. One can imagine pilgrims entering the temple gates and processing jubilantly into the courts – a movement from the outside world into the serenity of a sacred zone. Thankful for redemption, a relationship with the Lord God and the blessings of salvation they joyfully enter the courts ‘with praise'(tehillāh, a song of praise’) and bless the name of the Lord.

Thanksgiving and praise are almost indistinguishable but perhaps we could say that thanksgiving is primarily our response to what the Lord has done. It is gratitude for his blessings, gifts, guidance and activities in our lives and acknowledgment of the benefits those have brought us. Thanksgiving says: ‘Thank you, Lord, for. . .’

Praise, however, is primarily our response to who the Lord is. Praise is exalting God for his attributes like power, love, holiness, justice and faithfulness; independent of anything he does for us. Praise says: ‘You are worthy, Lord, because you are. . .’

Interestingly, ‘bless his name’ seems to bring those two aspects, thanksgiving and praise, together. To ‘bless his name’ is to express thanksgiving and praise by acknowledging and declaring both who God is and what he has done.

Verse 5 begins with ‘For;’ thus giving the reasons why we ought to thank and praise the Lord.

a) ‘The Lord is good’ – verse 3 affirms that the Lord is God; now v.5 states that the Lord is good. The word ‘good’ carries meanings like: well-pleasing, fruitful, morally correct, proper. As such, the Lord is the source of all blessings.

b) ‘his mercy is everlasting’ – ḥeseḏ: ‘Mercy’ is a popular word in the Old Testament and signifies God’s kindness, lovingkindness, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, love, acts of kindness. It is sometimes translated as ‘steadfast love’ or ‘covenant love.’ It is the basis of God’s acts of kindness towards his people and is said to be ‘everlasting’ (from eternity). The Lord is dependable because having shown lovingkindness in the past he will continue to show it in the future. Thinking about this prompts the believer to worship and praise the Lord even more.

Note: goodness and mercy are often linked together, see 1 Chron 16:34; 2 Chron 5:13; Ezra 3:11; Psa 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 136:1.

c) ‘his truth endureth to all generations’ – ‘Truth’ has the idea of faithfulness. In Deut 32:4 it is used to describe God’s character. The Lord keeps his promises, he can never fail for his faithfulness extends from one generation to another.

SUMMATION

Psalm 100 summons not just Israel but all people everywhere to worship God alone; the one, true God. The psalm focuses on the Lord and makes it clear that worshipping him is not a sombre duty but a happy response to who he is and what he has done. The believer is to enter God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise.

The main reason why there ought to be this response is the character of God himself. He is our God, our Creator and our Shepherd who is unchanging and fully dependable. He is good, his love endures forever and his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The superscription of the psalm identifies it as a psalm of thanksgiving. When thanksgiving is mentioned our minds immediately turn to temporal blessings such as family, friends, finances and the like. However, in just a few short verses, Psalm 100 digs deeper. It doesn’t just tell us to give thanks but points to the how, the why and the who behind true thanksgiving.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2007). The Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Plumer, W.S. (1867). Studies in the Book of Psalms: Being a Critical and Expository Commentary : with Doctrinal and Practical Remarks on the Entire Psalter. Edinburgh: A. & C. Black

JOURNAL ARTICLES

‌Amzallag, N. (2014). The Meaning of todah in the Title of Psalm 100. Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, 126(4). pp.535-545

‌DIGITAL RESOURCES

Hymnary.org. (2023). All People That on Earth Do Dwell. [online] Available at: https://hymnary.org/text/all_people_that_on_earth_do_dwell. accessed 26 November, 2025

Hymnary.org. (n.d.). Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow. [online] Available at: https://hymnary.org/text/praise_god_from_whom_all_blessings_ken. accessed 26 November, 2025

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Posted in Exposition

Psalm 134 – A Song for the Night Shift

Posted on by writtenexposition

A SONG OF DEGREES.
​1 Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
3 The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever spent time in hospital overnight? If so, you will recall that the corridors which bustle with people during the day grow quiet. Visiting hours and supper over, the lights are dimmed. Many of the patients lie asleep but the work does not stop. A dedicated team of the night shift – doctors, nurses, porters, cleaners, security officers – go about their tasks. Often their work is unseen but it is essential.

In ancient times work never stopped at the Jerusalem temple. Once the evening sacrifice was offered (Psa 141:2) the priests and their assistants, the Levites, had plenty to keep them occupied (Num 3:7-8). 1 Chron 9:17-32 gives an account of the practical duties the Levities performed both day and night – looking after the sacred vessels, portering, baking, allocating oil, wine and spices. The priests were responsible for ensuring that the perpetual fire on the altar of burnt offering never went out (Lev 6:12-13) and that the lamps on the Menorah (lampstand) in the Holy Place burned brightly ‘from evening to morning’ (Exod 27:20-21). Some priests and Levites functioned as temple police. The priests also engaged in spiritual activities (prayer and praise) during the night. A high-ranking official known as the Captain of the Temple (Lk 22:4; Acts 4:1; 5:24) was in overall charge. Psalm 134 acknowledges the vital contribution of those who serve the Lord through the long hours of the night. This psalm is a song for the night shift.

Psalm 134 is the 15th and final poem of a collection (120-134) known as the ‘songs of degrees’ (or ascents). They are called this because they were sung by pilgrims as they travelled up to Jerusalem to celebrate the major Jewish religious festivals – Passover, Weeks (Pentecost) and Tabernacles.

It is also thought that the visitors sung them as they made their way round the city of Jerusalem. It is appropriate that this psalm has been placed at the end of the collection of songs of ascents for it seems to sum up the whole point of pilgrimage to Jerusalem – to bless the Lord and to be blessed by him.

Although mainly directed at a specific group of people – the priests and Levites working night shift at the Jerusalem temple – this psalm contains lessons that we can apply to ourselves, especially those of us who feel that we are on the night shift of life.

The psalm is structured as a call and response. It divides as follows:

1-2 The call – The festival pilgrims encourage the temple night shift to bless the Lord.

3 The response – The priests pronounce a blessing upon the pilgrims.

VERSES 1-2 – THE CALL

The pilgrims directly address the priests and Levites who work overnight in the temple and call on them to worship the Lord with uplifted hands .

‘Behold’ – expresses strong feeling so in this context could be translated ‘Come!’ or ‘Oh!

Bless’ – appears 3 times in the psalm – once in each verse. In vv. 1 and 2 it is an imperative giving a command, advice, or encouragement to worship the Lord. The word ‘bless’ means ‘pay homage to.’

‘the Lord’ – YHWH – the proper name of Israel’s national deity. The name occurs 5 times in these three verses.

‘all’ – all those working in the temple during the night.

‘servants of the Lord’ – this term is used to describe worshippers in general (Psa 135:1; Isa 54:17), also prophets (2 Kgs 9:7). The use of the word ‘stand’ following this phrase suggests that in Psa 134 it refers specifically to the temple personnel.

‘stand’ – a term used for the service of the priests and Levites (Deut 18:7; 1 Chron 2:30; 2 Chron 29:11).

‘by night’ – ‘during the nights’ – i.e. night after night.

‘the house of the Lord’ – the Temple – this term equates to ‘the sanctuary’ of v.2.

(2) ‘Lift up your hands’ – this displayed an attitude of surrender, reverence, worship and expectation while praying (cf. Psa 28:2; 1 Tim 2:8).

‘In the sanctuary’ – ‘sanctuary’ refers to the entire tabernacle (Exod 36:1, 3, 4; 38:27) and Temple.

‘bless the Lord’ – our praise and worship is an active response to who God is.

VERSE 3 – THE RESPONSE

In response to the exhortation from pilgrims to continue their praise and worship of the Lord throughout the night the priests invoke God’s blessing upon them.

‘The Lord…bless thee’ – This is not only a prayer but also a benediction. Some commentators view this as referring to the Priestly Blessing of Num 6:22-26. For a detailed consideration of that see my post THE AARONIC BLESSING. ‘To bless’ was one of the priestly functions (Deut 10:8; 21:5).

‘that made heaven and earth’ – (cf. Psa 121:2) – ‘heaven and earth’ is a merism (use of opposite extremes to express totality) – this figure of speech means the whole creation. It emphasises the power and sovereignty of YHWH the Creator.

‘thee’ – This singular may be taken as referring to the psalmist or interpreted as a collective singular referring to the group of pilgrims.

‘out of Zion’ – The blessing comes from the Lord, not the priests. Zion was where YHWH’s presence dwelt at that time.

LESSONS

Worship of the Lord is not restricted to certain days or times but continues 24/7 – all day and all night, every day of the week. The psalm encourages worshippers to serve and bless God during the night. The following psalms mention praising God at night: Psa 42:8; 63:5-7; 92:1-2; 119:62.

This psalm encourages us to continue serving and worshipping the Lord even when what we are doing seems insignificant and goes unnoticed by others.

The posture of lifted hands in the psalm reminds us that in praise and prayer we ought to have an attitude of surrender to God’s will and one of expectation of his blessing.

The priests are called on to bless the Lord and they in turn bless the people. Praise for the Lord results in blessing for the people of God.

The psalm is a reminder that it is God and not others who is the source of spiritual blessing and enrichment.

The Lord, the maker of heaven and earth, is well able to sustain us throughout the circumstances of our night; times of hardship when we are weary and all around seems dark. He is not a small god who is confined to a temple but is the Creator of all that exists.

Let us faithfully serve and praise God during our night shift, confident that blessing will flow out from his presence and enrich us while we wait for the dawn.

Posted in General

Overcoming Fear: Lessons from David in Psalm 27

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

In this modern world things can change very quickly. Take, for example, the international political scene which has seen big changes recently. Suddenly nothing is as it has been for the past seventy years. Allies who could once be trusted are now at best unpredictable and at worst treacherous. New power blocs are forming. During the past week I have even heard some (non-Christian) people say that a new world order has arrived.

In world economics tit-for-tat tariffs, we are told, are likely to result in global shortages, price increases, job losses and higher inflation. Such possibilities can make us fearful. We may begin to worry about things like the threat of nuclear war or the possibility of environmental disaster. Closer to home, and at a more personal level, Christians are not exempt from anxiety and fear. Some worry about the stability of their marriage, the well-being of their children and grandchildren or about their own state of health. Some, perhaps, wonder just how they are going to face the future without a loved one who has passed away. In addition to the cares of everyday life, of course, the Christian also has to contend with ongoing opposition from the world, the flesh and the Devil.

At times our faith is strong. We are full of confidence, secure in our beliefs and living a contented Christian life. Then trouble comes along and in comes fear and doubt. We see that in this psalm. Notice an abrupt change at v.7. The one who at the beginning of the psalm has made a strong declaration of confidence then starts to waver.

PSALM 27

Let me briefly introduce Psalm 27. According to its Hebrew title it is a psalm of David. The title in the Septuagint (LXX) Greek translation of 3rd century BCE adds the words ‘before he was anointed.’ Assuming that David was the author, then he may have drawn upon his experience of being hunted by King Saul.

Psalm 27 is one of a group of sanctuary Psalms (22-29, excluding 25), so called because they are linked by the theme of the ‘house of the Lord.’ At that time this would still have been the tabernacle, later it was the temple.

I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Psalms 22:22

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. Psalms 22:25

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalms 23:6

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? Psalms 24:3

LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Psalms 26:8

One thing have I desired 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 behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. Psalms 27:4

Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. Psalms 28:2

The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. Psalms 29:9

I am sure that much could be gained from a study of just those references but let us now focus on Psalm 27 – a psalm of confidence in the face of adversity.

It falls into 2 main sections: In vv.1-6 David talks about the Lord – in the third person – ‘he’, ‘him,’ ‘his.’ In vv.7-14 David talks to the Lord – second person – addressing him directly as ‘you.’ The psalm lends itself to further subdivision; I’ll use the following 4 headings:

1-3 David’s confidence in the Lord’s protection.

4-6 David’s desire for the Lord’s presence.

7-12 David’s prayer for the Lord’s deliverance.

13-14 David’s trust in the Lord’s goodness.

DAVID’S CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD’S PROTECTION (1-3)

In these three verses David makes a bold declaration of trust in the Lord amid trying circumstances. Verse 1 is introspective – he looks inward. Verse 2 is retrospective – he looks back. Verse 3 is prospective – he looks forward. In v.1 he speaks about the present, in v.2 he speaks about the past and in v.3 he talks about the future.

The Present

(1) David starts his psalm with ‘the Lord’ before mentioning men. That is the best place to begin when encountering difficulties – focus your attention on the Lord and keep it focused. The divine name YHWH (the Lord) occurs 12 times in these 14 verses. ‘The Lord is’ – he is sovereign. ‘The Lord is my’ – he is personal.

In this verse David uses various metaphors for God.

The Lord is my light – He guides me. In the New Testament this metaphor is taken up in the writings of the apostle John: Jn 1:4-9; 8:12; 1 Jn 1:5-7; Rev 21:23.

The Lord is my salvation – He saves me – whatever my circumstances, victory is certain.

The LORD is the strength of my life – He keeps me safe – a stronghold – a safe haven -a place of refuge such as a fortified city. There I am shielded from the enemy.

The Past

(2) David looks back to times when violent enemies attacked him suddenly like wild beasts, wanting to eat him up (this can refer to slander, or perhaps false testimony in a court of law). Thanks to intervention by the Lord these ‘cannibals’ ‘stumbled and fell’ (i.e. were vanquished). Like David, we too have no idea what tactics the enemy will employ in order to bring about our downfall.

The Future

(3) In the previous verse the attacks by his foes were swift and sudden. Now David foresees the possibility of a sustained assault. An army of enemies may besiege him (all around) or declare a long war but he will still be confident. He trusts God to handle his enemies.

What ‘enemies’ are you facing today? You may not be facing literal physical violence but fear, anxiety, sickness, financial problems or relationship problems could be your enemy. Draw comfort from David’s response to adversity. He considers the present, reviews the past and anticipates the future. In them he sees God’s power and greatness and this realisation gives him confidence and courage. The Lord is his light, his salvation and his stronghold, therefore he has no reason to be afraid.

DAVID’S DESIRE FOR THE LORD’S PRESENCE. (4-6)

This declaration of confidence in the Lord (vv.1-3) leads David to say that his priority in life, his greatest wish, in fact the only thing he craves, is intimacy with the Lord. He wants to have fellowship with the Lord and experience his presence. He expresses this in terms that are poetic and not meant to be taken literally, e.g. David could never see the splendour of the Lord in the Holy of Holies – unauthorised entry of that sacred space meant instant death.

He envisages himself living, serving and praying to the Lord in the Tabernacle (also called a temple in 1 Sam 1:9; 3:3) for an extended period (‘all the days of my life’). While there he could hide from all his cares and troubles, sheltered in the Lord’s pavilion. In these verses he uses several words to refer to the sanctuary: House of the Lord – the place where God lives; Temple – a palace or royal building; Pavilion – a cover, hiding place; Tabernacle – tent.

Verses 4-5 convey the thought that David yearns to experience the glorious and protective presence of God, not just as a one-off, but throughout his life. His primary aim is to live a life characterised by worship and prayer. As a result he will not only be hidden and protected but later exalted (‘set up upon a rock’ and lifted up above his enemies). When that happens he will publicly sacrifice (possibly a thank offering, Lev 22:28) at the Tabernacle and sing praises to the Lord.

What a great attitude to have in ‘the time of trouble!’ How do we compare? In adversity do I seek God above all else, longing for his presence more than approval, success or personal comfort? Do I pray that I might, by faith, get a sight of his person and his power? Is worship a feature of my daily life, or is it restricted to Sunday morning only?

This Old Testament ‘one thing’ that David desires in Psalm 27 reminds me of the apostle Paul’s ‘one thing’ in the New Testament: But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13-14 (ESV)

DAVID’S PRAYER FOR THE LORD’S DELIVERANCE. (7-12)

What is happening here? As already mentioned, there is a striking and an abrupt change of tone at v.7. Notice the many references to ‘me’ and ‘my’ in these verses. It seems that David has taken his eye off the Lord and now focuses on himself. The one who has declared that he has nothing to fear is now extremely worried. The person whose only priority is the Lord’s presence now fears his absence. The one who announced his confidence in God is now in distress.

In this David is being honest and realistic. Isn’t it true that amid trials fear and doubt can torment us. We feel abandoned. God can at times seem silent; even believers who are strong in the faith can think this. In v.7 David articulates this struggle: Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! (ESV). David has spoken about God in the third person, now he talks to him in the second person.

In David’s heart he recalls a command from the Lord for people (‘ye’ in v.8 is plural) to seek his face and so he responds with prayer; bringing his problems and requests to the Lord – hoping, since the Lord has always been his helper (v.9), that even should those nearest and dearest to him let him down the Lord will take him up (v.10).

Expressing his feelings of isolation David in vv.7-12 implores the Lord using a series of imperatives, 5 positive and 5 negative.

  • v.7 hear, have mercy, answer.
  • v.9 hide not, put not, leave me not, forsake me not
  • v.11 teach, lead,
  • v.12 deliver me not

Notice that in v. 11 he commits himself to going God’s way and asks the Lord for guidance (‘teach me’) and asks that he might be led along a level path; one without bumps and obstacles that might cause him to trip and fall, because his enemies are out to get him.

David has already mentioned his enemies in vv.2, 6, and 11. Now in v.12 he provides more details about them. They are cruel and corrupt; they bear false witness against him. This may recall verse 2 where he said that his enemies and his foes came upon him to eat his flesh (slander him). This idea may also be present in the first phrase of v.12 (‘deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies’). The word ‘will’ may also be translated ‘appetite’ – i.e. Don’t feed me to my enemies.

This prayer in vv.7-12 reminds us that when fear or doubt arises we can bring all our anxieties to God, crying out to him honestly while holding on to his promises.

I’ll just mention in passing that some words which occur in the first part of the psalm appear again in the second, giving a kind of symmetry:

salvation – v.1 and v.9

enemies – v.2, v.6 and v.11 and v.12

heart – v.3, v.8 and v.14

rise – v.3 and v.12

seek – v.4 and v.8

life – v.1, v.4 and v.13

DAVID’S TRUST IN THE LORD’S GOODNESS (13-14)

David is overcome with emotion when, with renewed faith, he expects that he will see the Lord’s goodness deliver him from his problems while he is still alive. In v.13 that emotion is conveyed by means of a figure of speech known as aposiopesis. This is a literary device where a sentence is deliberately left unfinished, leaving the rest implied and thus creating an effect of suspense or strong emotion. David writes: ‘unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living…’ That is an unfinished sentence so, for it to make sense, the KJV translators have supplied the words ‘I had fainted’ in italics. In other words when he says: ‘If it were not for the fact that I had faith that I would see the Lord’s goodness while still alive….,’ we must supply the missing thought – something like: ‘I would have utterly despaired’ This is an expression of confidence, but David is so emotional that he can’t quite get it out.

He ends the psalm by encouraging himself, and others, to believe in the goodness of God despite adverse circumstances and to wait on God with patience, trusting him to act at the right time. In v.14 there is repetition for emphasis: ‘wait on the Lord….wait, I say, on the Lord.’

SUMMATION

Psalm 27 takes us on a journey from faith, through fear and doubt, to hope. It encourages us to trust God to be our protector, guide, and refuge. It reminds us that where faith thrives fear has no place. The psalm ends with good advice: ‘Rise above your fears, be strong, take heart and wait with expectancy for the Lord to act on your behalf.’

As you meditate further on this psalm, may it inspire you to enter God’s presence and seek his face daily, to cry out to him in times of need, and wait patiently for his perfect timing.