Psalm 6, Drowning in Tears

Psalm 6 is a song of penitence.  In the previous psalms, a just and righteous David appeals to God to defend him.  After all, shouldn't a just Creator protect the just man?

But this psalm is different.  Here David admits that he has not been just and that he is deserving of anger and wrath.

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.  A psalm of David.

"Sheminith", like many of the strange Hebrew words which appear in David's songs, is presumably a musical term. It appears two other times in the Old Testament, in the heading of Psalm 12 and in 1 Chronicles 15: 21. Yamauchi (in his commentary of 1 Chronicles) claims that the root of the word is "eight". The Strong's concordance link above suggests that the word refers to an eight-string lyre.

Psalm 6: 1-7, My bones in agony

O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger 

or discipline me in your wrath.

Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; 

O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.

My soul is in anguish. 

How long, O LORD, how long?  

Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; 

save me because of your unfailing love.

No one remembers you when he is dead. 

Who praises you from the grave?

I am worn out from groaning;

 all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.  

My eyes grow weak with sorrow; 

they fail because of all my foes.

Notice the the synonymous parallelism in verse 1:
         Do not rebuke me in your anger/

          [Do not] discipline me in your wrath

It is possible that this psalm was written close to the time of Psalm 3, in the conflict and violence of Absalom's revolt.  If so, David's guilt goes back to his adultery and apathy regarding his own family. Whether because of his guilt or because of an illness, some of David's pain is physical.

The phrase "No one remembers" alludes to worship (Kidner), not just memory.  David makes the claim (repeated elsewhere), that from the grave ("Sheol") he cannot provide worship.  There is an aspect of negotiation here: "LORD, wouldn't you rather I return to leading worship?"  Even then, the negotiation is based on confidence that God has "unfailing love."

David's desperation and crying has led to exhaustion.  He is too tired to pray or call out.  But the psalm continues in verses 8 to 10 with a resolution:

Psalm 6: 8-10, My weeping heard!

Away from me, all you who do evil,

for the LORD has heard my weeping.  

The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;

the LORD accepts my prayer.  

All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed;

they will turn back in sudden disgrace.

This sudden confidence and praise is a characteristic of many of David's pleas for help.  Somehow David is suddenly reassured that God has heard David's cry and has responded.  

Notice the extended synthetic parallelism.  Verses 8 – 10 are really six lines of Hebrew poetry, in an ABBBAA format, each developing an deepening earlier lines.  In simple terms the six lines are:

•             Away from me, evil people
•             God heard my weeping
•             God heard my cry for mercy
•             God heard my prayer
•             My enemies are dismayed
•             My enemies are suddenly turned back

Do you see the elegant "thought rhyme" in David's song?

In the end, David expects to change places with his enemies (Alter); as David is healed, his enemies will be embarrassed, dismayed, disgraced.

This psalm is one of seven that are called "penitential psalms" (Kidner).  The other penitential psalms are 32, 38, 51, 102, 130 and 143.

Psalm 5, A Morning Song

Psalm 5 is a morning song, a song that might follow Psalm 4 of the previous evening.

For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.

Psalm 5: 1-3, My sighing

Give ear to my words, O LORD, 

consider my sighing.

Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, 

for to you I pray.

In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; 

in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

This psalm builds throughout on the technique of parallelism, the "rhyme" of parallel ideas, each line modifying the previous line.
     

The first verse is an example of synthetic  parallelism:  the phrase "Give ear to my words, O LORD," is extended, or enhanced by the second phrase.  In the first phrase, David asks God to hear him, so we know David is praying to God.  But in the second phrase we know more, for David asks God to listen to his sighing. (The Hebrew word translated "sighing" here could be translated "groaning", it indicates a "barely audible self-communing", says Kidner.)  The sigh progresses into a cry and then into a thoughtful clear prayer for help.

Notice, again the synthetic parallelism in verse three.  First we are told the timing of David's prayer (morning); in the second phrase we see David doing two things.  What are they?

Psalm 5: 4-6, No pleasure in evil

You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; 

with you the wicked cannot dwell.

The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; 

you hate all who do wrong.

You destroy those who tell lies;

 bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.

Verses 4-6 continues the poetic parallelism:

• You don't take pleasure in evil /  with you the wicked can't live
• The arrogant can't stand…./ you hate all who do wrong
• You destroy liars / you abhor deceitful men 

Notice the similarities with Psalm 4; again David is calling for help; again David reminds (!) God that David is relying on God's justice and righteousness.

This psalm "alternates in five stophes" (Kidner) with David going directly to God about his own plight, then instructing God on what others are doing and the injustice of their actions.  The simple thought structure here is "Help me/Destroy them/Lead me/Declare them guilty/Protect the righteous.

Psalm 5: 7, My sighing

But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house;

in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple. 

Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—

make straight your way before me.

What does David, the author of this psalm, mean by the "holy temple"?  The temple in Jerusalem was built, not by David, but by his son, Solomon, after David's death.  Does the word "temple" refer to the old temporary tabernacle, where the ark rested?  Kidner suggests several possibilities: Yes, "temple" could be in the original psalm, an ancient phrase for the tabernacle of David's day.  Or the word "temple" could be a later editorial adaptation, as Jewish worshipers used the psalm in Solomon's time or later.

Psalm 5: 9-10, My sighing

Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;

their heart is filled with destruction.

Their throat is an open grave;

with their tongue they speak deceit. 

Declare them guilty, O God! 

Let their intrigues be their downfall.

Banish them for their many sins,

 for they have rebelled against you.

David is angry at the viciousness and deceitfulness of his enemies.  Nothing his enemies say has any truth.  David begs God to see this and to respond to the deceit and betrayal.  Note the different body parts involved in the deceit as the parallelism builds: mouth, heart, throat, tongue.

Dealing with deliberate, malicious lies, is, sadly, part of human experience.  ("If your lips are movin' then you're lyin', lyin', lyin'!")

Psalm 5: 11-12, My sighing

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; 

let them ever sing for joy.

            Spread your protection over them, 

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

            For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; 

you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

How does David expect people to express their joy?  (He is, after all, the Old Testament harpist!)

What metaphor is implied in verse 12?  (What animals "spread" their protection over their young?)

How does the psalm end?  How has David's mood changed from verse 1 through verse 12?  

Some questions motivated by this psalm:

Note David's mood and its transition as he prays.  There is a conflict between David's mood and his expectation.  (Is it natural  to expect God to answer your prayers when you are discouraged?)

     

What is the explanation for the abrupt  change in the psalm between verse 3 (in the first strophe) and verse 4 (in the next.)

     

How do we deal with enemies? with betrayal? deceit?  Is there a best guide for bringing these things to God?  In my experience, "bitterness is a poison", one has to find a way past it, one needs a healthy response.  Here David angrily takes the bitterness to God and then, trusting in God's righteousness, leaves it there.  We will explore this idea more in Psalm 7.

Psalm 4, An Evening Song

Psalms 4 and 5 form a pair, an evening song and then a morning song.  These fit together, modeling the Hebrew concept of the "day" beginning with evening.  In Psalm 4 we begin our evening with request and concerns, transitioning into trust and then in Psalm 5 we enter the morning in the same way.

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

"For stringed instruments" is based on a Hebrew word which might be translated "melodies" and might allude to "plucking" an instrument.  (The exact instrument is not clear but I'm certain an accurate translation should be "for the electric Gibson guitar." The instrument is certainly not an old church piano....  But then I'm not a Hebrew scholar.)

Psalm 4: 1-2, Relief, please!

Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. 

Give me relief from my distress; 

be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

  

How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?  

How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?  

Selah.

David calls on God, describing God as righteous and asks for mercy and aid.  Briefly there is an aside to the public, pleading for his personal prestige (glory) to be respected and not be tainted and shamed.  (This may coincide with the time of the previous psalm, where if David is fleeing Absalom, he has endured a political campaign against his character.) 

In verse 2 David accuses mankind of seeking delusions and going after false gods.  Replace "false gods" with idols, obsession, greed ... and he would be describing any age.  (See Tim Keller's book on modern false gods.)  If the psalm dates to Absalom's coup, the "delusions" in verse 2 are the lies of Absalom.  

The passage which the NIV translates as "Give release to my distress", Alter translates  as "in the straits You set me free".

Psalm 4: 3-5, Set apart

Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; 

the LORD will hear when I call to him.  

In your anger do not sin; 

when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. 

Selah.

Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD.

David presses on -- if the public will not defend him, if the people "love delusions and seek false gods", then David will turn to God who defends the righteous and has "set apart the godly for himself."  (The parallelism in verse 3 implies that David is one of the "righteous" set apart by God.)

David begins the psalm with a request.  Years ago, I recall someone saying that prayer should begin with praise.  But David's psalms tend to break any model one attempts to enforce on religious worship.

Psalm 4: 6-7, Joy

Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" 

Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.  

You have filled my heart with greater joy 

than when their grain and new wine abound.  

"Grain and new wine" speak to a good harvest and celebration.  But David's joy is in God.  Only because of God will David sleep peacefully.

Psalm 4: 8, Peace

I will lie down and sleep in peace, 

for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

In verse 8, David finally has peace and sleep.  The last word of the psalm is "safety"; David is resting in safety.

Summary: This is an evening song to follow Psalm 3.  It is a call for help and a reminder of God's protection, as the evening turns dark and one attempts to lie down and sleep.

David is angry and upset.  Night is falling, inviting gloom and depression.  But David will trust God, lie down and be silent.  (In my experience, this is not an easy process!)

David's practice at night of lying quietly on his bed and searching his heart has long been practiced by believers over the ages.

Psalm 3, Ten Thousand Enemies

A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.

The title of the psalm appears in the original Hebrew manuscripts.  According to the title, this psalm was written as David fled Absalom (see 2 Samuel 15 and following; read 2 Samuel 11-18 for the entire story.)  Although there is no account of this psalm (or something like it) in the historical passage regarding this event, it certainly fits such a desperate time, a time of despair and plea for help.

Psalm 3: 1-2, Fear

O LORD, how many are my foes! 

How many rise up against me!  

Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him."  

Selah.

The psalm opens with a description of the desperate situation -- everyone is rising up against David; all are saying that God has turned his back on David, leaving David isolated and alone.  But David repeats his claims of reliance on God, describing God as a "shield" and the one who gives "glory" and encouragement.

Psalm 3: 3-4, Decision

But you are a shield around me, O LORD; 

you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.  

To the LORD I cry aloud, 

and he answers me from his holy hill.  

Selah.

The first half ends with a calm statement: "To the Lord I cry... and the Lord answers."  Selah.

In his despair, David has made an important decision.  He had called on God and, somehow, now understands that God has answered.  His despair transitions into peace.  This sudden resolution is common in David's songs; he begins with frantic despair and pleading and ends with calm confidence and gratitude.

The Hebrew word "selah" is a strange one, unknown and untranslated.  Many suggest it is a musical term and suggests a musical interlude.  I can imagine that it plays a similar role as the Greek "amen" of later years, that at the statement of "selah" the psalmist says, "So be it", pauses and reflects as the music continues.  It is a time for meditation on the passage, amidst the music.    

Psalm 3: 5-6, Renewed

I lie down and sleep; 

I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.  

I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.

In the second half of the psalm, David explicitly states that he lay down and slept in peace and awoke in confidence.  Even "ten thousand" were not enough to create continued anxiety or fear.  This is an act of faith, a statement of trust.  At some point David has given everything over to God and no longer fights by himself.  ("Ten thousand" is surely hyperbole ... but is it possible Absalom's army numbered in the thousands?)

Psalm 3: 7-8, Arise!

Arise, O LORD! 

Deliver me, O my God! 

Strike all my enemies on the jaw; 

break the teeth of the wicked. 

Psalm 3: 8, Deliverance

From the LORD comes deliverance. 

May your blessing be on your people.  

Selah.

Some call this psalm an "evening prayer".  Luther's German translation, however, calls this psalm a "Morgenlied", a morning song.  Can you see it as both  an evening prayer and a morning song?

From where does God answer?  (What does this mean?  Is the holy hill Jerusalem?)  

Note that David is largely to blame for his problems!   Does David's guilt change things?  Apparently he can still call on God, even when his problems are his  fault.  (I find this very reassuring!)

What four actions does David ask of God in verse 7?  (What four verbs  appear in this verse?)

What is David's request regarding his enemies, in verse 7?  (Don't dodge this.  Allow the psalm to say what it says!)

Do you ever wake at 3 am, simultaneously frightened of the future, convinced there is a prowler in the house, or afraid one of the children is not breathing?  What did David do in those times? 

The final verse: The final verse shifts from a focus on David to a focus on the people of Israel. Alter's commentary considers this out of place, a "textual tag" from elsewhere.  But if this psalm is written as David flees Absalom, then confidence that God has answered David's plea would easy morph into renewed confidence that David's people, his nation, Israel, would also be protected.

Psalm 2, A King's Coronation

The second psalm is a strange one, distinct from the others.  It speaks of nations and kings, of some type of earthly and heavenly political battle.

Psalm 2: 1-3, Nations conspire

Why do the nations conspire

    and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth rise up

    and the rulers band together

against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,

``Let us break their chains

    and throw off their shackles.”

In verses 1-3 we see the empires of the earth conspiring against God.  This is a common theme in the Bible, both Old Testament and New Testament.  Those in power (the Pharaohs of Egypt, the Babylonian princes, even the Kings of Judah and Israel) have an agenda contrary to God's.  They seek to ``ascend the throne of heaven", to become premier, to become God (or a god.)  

What does it mean for the kings to "gather together"?  Is this literal?   How active is this opposition to God's rule?  What portion of the earth are involved in it?

According to my commentators, Kidner and Alter, the Hebrew word translated "plot" here is the same as "meditates" in Psalm 1:2.  Just as one is to meditate, chew, think seriously about God's principles, here one has an image where the rulers of the earth constantly ruminate on how to overthrow God.

 

Psalm 2: 4-6, Laughter

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;

    the Lord scoffs at them.

He rebukes them in his anger

    and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

``I have installed my king

    on Zion, my holy mountain.”

God is described as laughing, scoffing, angry. Each of these emotions is different and rather human. Does God experience these?  (Don't some of these emotions require elements like surprise or weakness, attributes which God does not have?)

In verse 4, we see God's reaction to the conspiracies of kings -- a shrug, a laugh.  In the end, the empires are not a threat to God.  (But they are a threat to God-followers, I presume.)

However, God's eventual response (verse 5) is more than a shrug. God wearies of the trivial boasts of the emperors.  Finally God stands up and "terrifies" the nations and appoints His representative, the Messiah, the Chosen One.

Psalm 2: 7-9, The nations an inheritance

 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;

    today I have become your father.

 Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance,

    the ends of the earth your possession.

 You will break them with a rod of iron

    you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

From verses 6 through 9 we see the coronation of God's Chosen One, installed on the holy mountain of Zion (apparently a rather small hill!), adopted as God's son and heir, inheriting all the nations of the earth. In the New Testament, in the vision of Revelation 12: 5, a woman (representing Israel) gives birth to a child who is the One Who will break up the kingdoms of the world with a "rod of iron".

Psalm 2: 10-12, A warning to kings ("Kiss the son!")

Therefore, you kings, be wise;

    be warned, you rulers of the earth.

 Serve the Lord with fear

    and celebrate his rule with trembling.

 Kiss his son, or he will be angry

    and your way will lead to your destruction,

for his wrath can flare up in a moment.

    Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

The conclusion comes in verses 10-12, in which the kings (and all the rest of us) are told to follow the true King, to take refuge in God, to live in God's country.

The Hebrew in verse 12 appears to be corrupted.  Both Kidner and Alter analyze the possible original meanings.  Kidner argues that the most natural interpretation of the string of letters at the beginning of the verse is "Pay homage to" with "the son" implied.   Alter suggests that "with purity be armed," changing bar to bor and giving an alternate meaning ("bear arms")  to the Hebrew word that Kidner and the NIV translate as ``kiss".

Reactions to the text
Does this psalm describe a specific historical coronation?  (Of David?  Solomon?)  Or is it a more universal, timeless statement, about the the Kingdom of God and the eternal throne of David? The Bible Project study in Psalms views this psalm, like the one before it, as part of the introduction to the entire psalter. As Psalm 1 reminds the reader that they have two choices in life, this psalms is inserted at the beginning of the book to remind the Hebrew reader of the anticipated future king in the David line.

In Acts 4:25, Peter attributes this psalm to David and explicitly lists rulers Herod and Pontius Pilate. This psalm is also mentioned in Acts 13:33 where Paul speaks of Jesus as the recipient of the divine anointing of verse 7.  In the both cases, the early church interprets this ancient Davidic promise as messianic, as really speaking to the Messiah, not just David.

God's covenant with David appears in 2 Samuel 7: 8-16 and this psalm echoes parts of that promise.

The opposition of the Earth's emperors to God's rule is a major theme of the book of Revelation.
And so verse 9 is quoted three times in Revelation – in Revelation 2:27, Revelation 12:5, and Revelation 19:15.

In Europe and America, since the Middle Ages, people seeking power claimed some divine right to rule, that God supported their kingdom and its administration.  We want to believe that "our" king (or president) is the one anointed by God in verse 6, instead of one of the many kings conspiring against God in verse 1.  But I think the biblical view has all the rulers of the earth opposed to God; they do not want God's interference.

The Ruling Messiah of David's reign is not merely a temporary local political phenomenon.  When He appeared the first time, he treated Caesar with a true shrug. (See Matt 22:15-22 where Jesus is not interested in Caesar and is unwilling to be drawn into the political debate of the time.)

In the New Testament we see Paul being drawn before rulers and the book of Revelation portrays a world system opposed to God.  This is part of a larger struggle between good and evil, between power-hungry dictators and a supreme Creator. Whether in Germany in 1935 or in the USA in 80+ years later, it would be good for Christians to remember that nationalism is generally opposed to God. Ultimately, like the first psalm, the reader is invited to choose citizenship in God's kingdom.

Psalm 1, Two Roads

The book of Psalms opens with this short six verse poem:

Psalm 1: 1-2, Delight in the law of the Lord!

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and who meditates on his law day and night.

This poem has been deliberately placed here at the front of the psalms as an introduction, as a guide. The one who delights in the "law" of the Lord and meditates on God's words is "blessed" (happy.) Implied in this introduction is a principal for life: "Keep reading here, in these songs, if you wish to prosper." (The Bible Project has a single video on this one psalm.)

Note that in the time of the psalmists, the "law of the Lord" was the Torah, the five book of Moses. One was to think carefully about the law in Deuteronomy and delight in it!

This psalm has the classic rhyming of Hebrew poetry, parallelism, the repetition of thoughts.  Instead of the English tradition of repeating the sound of the last syllable, the Hebrew writers repeat and modify a phrase or concept.  We will see this technique throughout the psalms.  In the first verse, we see a repeated theme, each phrase building on the last.  One should not walk with the wicked ... nor stand with them either ... and especially not sit down and join them.  The parallelism is used to build the theme, each repetition of the idea stronger than the last.

The meaning of "company" is elaborated in a series of steps, each changing slightly from the previous. Our anti-model walks alongside sinners then stops and stands with them, finally joining them and sitting amongst them, breathing in their counsel and advice, mocking God. At some point our community begins to shape our allegiances and our moral choices.

Psalm 1: 3, Healthy tree

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

    which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

    whatever they do prospers.

Instead of mocking God, one should delight in God's "law".  In a dry hot desert land, we all wish to be healthy, growing by a fresh cool river stream, fruitful and prospering.  In contrast, the person who turns from God and ignores Him/Her dries up, turning to dust, blowing away.  This simile very closely echoes Jeremiah 17:5-8.  There the imagery of cool waters in contrast to dry, dusty desert is expanded.

Psalm 1: 4, Not so, the wicked!

Not so the wicked!

    They are like chaff

    that the wind blows away.

Throughout Psalms and Proverb, there will be a deliberately binary set of choices given the reader.  They can seek YHWH, virtue, wisdom... or they can turn away.

The imagery here is deliberately simplistic.  The good follow God's "law" (principles) and delight in them.  The wicked scoff at God's principles.  There is no in between.  This is typical of Old Testament wisdom literature.  One is offered a brief "bead" of wisdom -- "You can do this ... or you can do that." Two simple choices.  "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood," write Frost.  At some point our choices are simplistic; there are really only two, with splintery secondary choices that reflect the primary one.  In this song, we are told to meditate on God's principles or to join a group of scoffers.  No intermediate choice is offered.

Psalm 1: 5-6, Two roads

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

The theme "The wicked do this... and the righteous do that..." in the first three verses forms a bookend pair with the last verse, in which the concepts are reflected, "The Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but..."

Robert Alter translates "watches over" in verse 6 as "embraces". It implies some intimacy; it is the same Hebrew word (says Alter) that is often translated "to know", as in "Adam knew Eve and she became pregnant...." (Genesis 4:1).

Caroline Cobb has an album on the psalms. (You can find Caroline Cobb on Spotify here.) Her rendition of Psalm 1 is Like a Tree. I especially enjoy that composition.

At one level the words of this psalm are comforting; on another level they seem simplistic.  I know good friends and family who have sought to follow God's principles and have certainly struggled through pain and suffering; they did not appear "prosperous" to me.  I also have friends who are not Christians but who seem to delight in good and in caring for others.  Do they have a (productive) place in this simple psalm?

Ultimately I want to be on God's side, growing by a cool stream, fed by His/Her guidance and love. Like those of Hebrews 11:16, I look for a better country. And so I will study the psalms....

Fall Into the Psalter

In the summer of 2015, I wrote a blog, "A Summer in the Psalms." (Note the alliteration? 😁) In that blog, I worked through the first 41 psalms. This autumn I will return to this topic. Since the word "Psalter" is used to describe the entire book of psalms, then this fall we will "Fall into the Psalter". (Sorry -- that's the best I can do with the word play!)

I have spent more than 50 years reading the Bible, thinking seriously about being a Christian and making a variety of attempts at being a "Jesus follower." Amidst the pleasure of reading and learning, I have focused on processing knowledge and information.  (I have been, after all, a university professor.)

I have tended to ignore -- or make weak attempts at -- worship and prayer.

To address this shortcoming, I spent the summer of 2015 studying (again) the Old Testament Psalms. Yes, this was a study, so that, yes, I did get to read and learn -- but the subject of the study was to be the texts of David (and others) on worship.  If I could study and learn from David, maybe I could use my strength (love of learning) to address a weakness (my random, weak attempts at worship.)

During that summer I used three books (commentaries) in the Psalms. An old favorite was the monograph Psalms 1-72, by Derek Kidner (Tyndale Press, 1973.)  A second text was the delightful The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary, by Robert Alter (2007.) In that book, Alter offers his own careful and loving translation of the ancient Hebrew, with an emphasis on the most reasonable meanings and interpretations of the text.

A third book was Reflections on the Psalms, by C. S. Lewis.  The first two texts, above, are written by Hebrew scholars but the book by Lewis, in contrast, is described by the author as the work of an "amateur", one who wants to meditate on the psalms and learn of them, while admitting that he knows little of Hebrew.  Lewis's motive resonates with me.  I too am an amateur, stimulated by Lewis while educated, at least a little, by Alter and Kidner.

For the English text of the various psalms, I will use the New International Version (NIV) translation of the ancient Hebrew texts.

The book of Psalms is broken into five parts, each part also called a "book". Book I consists of Psalms 1-41.  In this three year study of the Old Testament, we will spend almost 27 weeks in the psalms, more than half a year.  For this reason, I will break up the study by these five "books", inserting a study of a book of psalms between studies of other Old Testament books.  We will look at Book I of the psalms from September 25 through November 11, 2023 and then return to Old Testament history, picking up the books of 1 and 2 Kings. After 1 and 2 Kings, in early January, we will pick up Book II of the psalms. And so on, spreading out our study of the psalms across parts of several different years.

Manuscripts on the Psalms

The book of Psalms comes to us as a collection of (roughly) 150 psalms, arranged in five books.  Many of the psalms have an editorial comment at the beginning, ascribing an author to the psalm or linking the psalm with a specific historical event.  Several psalms are repeated; Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 are essentially the same; Psalm 70 is repeated within Psalm 40.  Book I (Psalms 1-41) are supposedly "of David" but other psalms of David occur outside Book I.  Clearly, some type of collecting and editing of the entire "book" of Psalms occurred at some point (probably after the Babylonian captivity.)

The original writings of the psalms aged and decayed over time and were repeatedly copied and recopied.  There are a number of ancient texts from which we can recover most of the original writings.

I will say more about the structure of the psalms in the next Sunday essay.

II Samuel 24, Census and Plague

We are summarizing various events in the reign of David. The last four chapters of the scroll of Samuel have:

• a famine and its resolution (2 Samuel 21)
• a song of David (2 Samuel 22)
• the last words of David and a list of heroes (2 Samuel 23)
• a plague and its resolution (2 Samuel 24)

Here the plague is apparently caused by David taking a census of the people.

2 Samuel 24: 1-3, Census

Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah."

So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, "Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are."

But Joab replied to the king, "May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?"

A parallel passage, 1 Chronicles 21, has Satan inciting David to take the census. Here, the Hebrew of 2 Samuel 24: 1 is not clear on how David was "incited", as the critical verb, way-ya-set, apparently means "he/it incited" with a vague pronoun as subject. Some reconcile all of this by suggesting that God allowed Satan to seduce David into taking the census. The eventual result of this census and plague is the identification of the location of the future temple.

A census is apparently prohibited because the king of Israel is to rely on YHWH. (See Deuteronomy 17: 14-20 which, although saying nothing of a census, orders a king to rely on YHWH, not horses or armies.) Even Joab is opposed to the census. As a census was often a prelude to further taxation, and so Joab may expect rebellion from the people during this process. We will see that the census is done by soldiers who are counting the number of fighting men.

2 Samuel 24: 4-9, Overruled

The king's word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel. After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer. They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon. Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.

After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.

Joab completes the census.  There are some natural questions about these numbers, just as in the numbers of the Exodus.

2 Samuel 24: 10-12, Guilty

David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."

Before David got up the next morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David's seer: "Go and tell David, `This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.'"

David feels guilty about what has been done and prays for forgiveness.  The prophet, Gad, brings a choice of penance.

2 Samuel 24: 13-14, 

So Gad went to David and said to him, "Shall there come upon you three years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me."
 

David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men."
 

David has already spent months fleeing from enemies.  He chooses a three day plague.

2 Samuel 24: 15-17, A plague

So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand." The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the LORD, "I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall upon me and my family."

 

The plague kills thousands.  (We do not know what it is.)

2 Samuel 24: 18-25, An altar on a threshing floor

On that day Gad went to David and said to him, "Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." So David went up, as the LORD had commanded through Gad.
 

When Araunah looked and saw the king and his men coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" 

"To buy your threshing floor," David answered, "so I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped."

Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. O king, Araunah gives all this to the king." Araunah also said to him, "May the LORD your God accept you."

But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." 

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

David builds an altar on the threshing floor and the plague stops. Although this event is certainly not the last act of David, the book of Samuel ends here. David's death and the inauguration of Solomon will be covered in 1 Kings 1-2.

We have finished the scroll of Samuel, the story of David. Although the Christian Bible continues with the books of first and second Kings, we will take a break to look at some of David's songs and will spend the next two months in the psalter of Israel, working through Psalms 1 to 41, Book 1 of the five books of Psalms.

II Samuel 23, Mighty Men of David

Our story of David included a long praise song in the last chapter. Now we wrap up David's life by describing David's last words and listing the great warriors that served under him.

2 Samuel 23: 1-7, Last words of David
These are the last words of David: 

"The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel's singer of songs: 

"The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: 

`When one rules over men in righteousness, 

when he rules in the fear of God, 

he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, 

like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.'

"Is not my house right with God? Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part? Will he not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire? But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand. Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear; they are burned up where they lie."

 

David has sought (despite some obvious failures) to lead a house that serves God.

2 Samuel 23: 8-12, The Three

These are the names of David's mighty men: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. 

Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered [at Pas Dammim] for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated, but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.

We see here of three mighty men of David: Josheb-Basshebeth, Eleazar, and Shammah.  (NIV footnotes: In verses 8 and 9, ancient manuscripts have variants on a number of the names.)

2 Samuel 23: 13-17, David longs for water

During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!"

So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD.

"Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!" he said. "Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?" And David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

 

These three men broke into the Philistine camp, took water from a well, and brought it to David. David, out of respect for their escapade, poured the water out!

2 Samuel 23: 18-19, Abishai

Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
 

A fourth hero is Abishai, who became commander of the Three.

2 Samuel 23: 20-23, Benaiah

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.

And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.

Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty men. He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

A fifth hero, Benaiah, was in charge of David's bodyguards.

2 Samuel 23: 24-39, The thirty mighty men

Among the Thirty were: 

Asahel the brother of Joab, 

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, 

Shammah the Harodite, 

Elika the Harodite, 

Helez the Paltite, 

Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, 

Abiezer from Anathoth, 

Mebunnai the Hushathite, 

Zalmon the Ahohite, 

Maharai the Netophathite, 

Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

 Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, 

Benaiah the Pirathonite, 

Hiddai  from the ravines of Gaash, 

Abi-Albon the Arbathite, 

Azmaveth the Barhumite,  

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 

the sons of Jashen, 

Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite, 

Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, 

Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, 

Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 

Hezro the Carmelite, 

Paarai the Arbite, 

Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, 

the son of Hagri, 

Zelek the Ammonite, 

Naharai the Beerothite, 

the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

Ira the Ithrite, 

Gareb the Ithrite 

and Uriah the Hittite. 

There were thirty-seven in all.

In addition to the five listed previously, we have names of at least thirty mighty men. A final note says that there were 37 in all. We note Uriah, the Hittite, Bathsheba's husband, is on this list.

(NIV footnotes: In verses 24-39, ancient manuscripts have variants on a number of the names.)

II Samuel 22, Song of David

As we reach the end of the scroll of Samuel, we have a praise song of David. This song also occurs, with minor changes, as Psalm 18.

This song is ancient poetry and so, argues Robert Alter, like much poetry, it uses terms that were old and antiquated even in the day it was written. Modern Hebrew scholars struggle to translate some of these really old Hebrew terms, terms that do not appear elsewhere in ancient writings.

2 Samuel 22: 1-4, David's song of praise

David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: 

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, 

my shield and the horn of my salvation.

 He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior--

from violent men you save me.

I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, 

and I am saved from my enemies.

David identifies YHWH with a rock or fortress, something that does not break down.

This version of the song does not include the first burst of an expression of love that occurs in Psalm 18: 1, "I love you YHWH, my strength".  In contrast, Psalm 18 does not have the last half of verse 3, regarding refuge and savior from violence.

2 Samuel 22: 5-6, Waves of death

 "The waves of death swirled about me; 

the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

 The cords of the grave coiled around me; 

the snares of death confronted me.

The grave is pictured as overwhelming waves or as strong cords tying him down.

2 Samuel 22: 7-9, Response from the temple 

 In my distress I called to the LORD; 

I called out to my God. 

From his temple he heard my voice; 

my cry came to his ears.

 "The earth trembled and quaked, 

the foundations of the heavens shook;

 they trembled because he was angry.

 Smoke rose from his nostrils; 

consuming fire came from his mouth, 

burning coals blazed out of it.

Some manuscripts (and Psalm 18:7) have the foundations of the mountains shaking, instead of the foundations of the heavens.

YHWH is personified as shaking the earth and breathing out fire and smoke, like a dragon.

2 Samuel 22: 10-13, Riding on clouds

 He parted the heavens and came down; 

dark clouds were under his feet.

 He mounted the cherubim and flew;

he soared on the wings of the wind.

 He made darkness his canopy around him--

 the dark rain clouds of the sky.

 Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth.

YHWH responds, riding down from the heavens with clouds at his feet, riding on cherubim. Verses 11 and 12 differ slightly from Psalm 18: 10-11.  Some ancient Hebrew manuscripts reflect the texts of Psalm 18. 

2 Samuel 22: 14-16, Bolts of lightning

 The LORD thundered from heaven; 

the voice of the Most High resounded.

 He shot arrows and scattered [the enemies], 

bolts of lightning and routed them.

 The valleys of the sea were exposed 

and the foundations of the earth laid bare at the rebuke of the LORD, 

at the blast of breath from his nostrils.

Again, we have the image of a blast from the nostrils of a gigantic being, One who can use bolts of lightning as arrows. YHWH has access to all things that might frighten us, including the foundations of the earth, the depths of the sea and the mighty storms.

2 Samuel 22: 17-21, Rescued

 "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; 

he drew me out of deep waters.

 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, 

from my foes, who were too strong for me.

 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, 

but the LORD was my support.

 He brought me out into a spacious place; 

he rescued me because he delighted in me.

 "The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;

 according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

David rejoices at rescue, a rescue given in regard to his own righteousness.  What is this righteousness?  The next passage says more.

2 Samuel 22: 22-25, Blameless

 For I have kept the ways of the LORD; 

I have not done evil by turning from my God.

 All his laws are before me; 

I have not turned away from his decrees.

 I have been blameless before him

 and have kept myself from sin.

 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, 

according to my cleanness in his sight.

David's righteousness comes from following all the decrees of YHWH. One might cynically ask, "What about adultery?" But David has earnestly sought to follow YHWH and even in his human brokeness, kept returning to seek refuge in Him.

(Psalm 18:24 and some old manuscripts replace "cleanness in his sight" with " cleanness of my hands in his sight.")

2 Samuel 22: 26-28, Faithful

 "To the faithful you show yourself faithful, 

to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

to the pure you show yourself pure, 

but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

 You save the humble, 

but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.

YHWH responds to the intent of His people, protecting the humble but bringing down the arrogant.

2 Samuel 22: 29-30, Lamp

 You are my lamp, O LORD; 

the LORD turns my darkness into light.

 With your help I can advance against a troop; 

with my God I can scale a wall.

With YHWH's help, David is guided in darkness, he can break through barriers and scale walls, assaulting an enemy's defenses.

(NIV footnotes: The translation in verse 30, "advance against a troop" is unclear and could be "run through a barricade".)

2 Samuel 22: 31-34, Flawless

 "As for God, his way is perfect; 

the word of the LORD is flawless. 

He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

 For who is God besides the LORD? 

And who is the Rock except our God?

 It is God who arms me with strength

 and makes my way perfect.

 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; 

he enables me to stand on the heights.

Apparently some ancient manuscripts, in place of the line "who arms with me strength", in verse 33, have "who is my strong refuge."

2 Samuel 22: 35-37, Stooping down

 He trains my hands for battle; 

my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

 You give me your shield of victory; 

you stoop down to make me great.

 You broaden the path beneath me, 

so that my ankles do not turn.

God stoops down to lift David up. He protects him as he runs and fights, so that David does not stumble or turn his ankle.

2 Samuel 22: 38-41, Victory

 "I pursued my enemies and crushed them; 

I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

 I crushed them completely, and they could not rise; 

they fell beneath my feet.

 You armed me with strength for battle; 

you made my adversaries bow at my feet.

 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, 

and I destroyed my foes.

The result of YHWH's protection of David is victory.

2 Samuel 22: 42-43, Trampled down

 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them--

to the LORD, but he did not answer.

 I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; 

I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.

At times, David's victory was brutal. 

2 Samuel 22: 44-46, Head of nations!  

 You have delivered me from the attacks of my people; 

you have preserved me as the head of nations. 

People I did not know are subject to me,

 and foreigners come cringing to me; 

as soon as they hear me, they obey me.

 

They all lose heart; 

they come trembling from their strongholds.

David has been saved and indeed, his dynasty is "head of nations", with foreigners bowing before him, foreigners trembling in their strongholds. One wonders if this passage is hyperbole, are predicting a future leader (the Messiah?) with these attributes.

(NIV footnote: Some manuscripts apparently say, in the last line, "they arm themselves...")

2 Samuel 22: 47-49, YHWH reigns

 "The LORD lives! 

Praise be to my Rock! 

Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!

 

He is the God who avenges me, 

who puts the nations under me,

 who sets me free from my enemies. 

You exalted me above my foes; 

from violent men you rescued me.

YHWH lives, avenging David, putting the nations under him. No one reigns but YHWH!

2 Samuel 22: 50-51, Reign forever

 Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; 

I will sing praises to your name.

 He gives his king great victories; 

he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, 

to David and his descendants forever."

David and his descendants will reign forever.  There is a strong Messianic feeling in these lines.