Psalm 6 – New Beginning

• 1^st – New Beginning… vs. 1
  • 1^st – Introduction…
    • To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments… A Psalm of David!
    • PSALM of DAVID – Psalm written for the people to SING…
    • CHIEF Musician – the one who plays [piel] the music…
    • PSALM of CONFESSION – David wrote it crying out the LORD for help!
  • 2^nd – EIGHT strings…
    • On an eight-stringed harp.
    • EIGHT stringed – could speak of an OCTAVE…
    • In music there are SEVEN notes [A-G] – the EIGHTH note is a new OCTAVE!
    • We are NOT sure WHEN David wrote this – but presumably after he SINNED!
    • And he LONGS to start over [octave] – have a new beginning in the LORD!
    • Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a clean heart – O God – and renew a steadfast spirit within me!”

• 2^nd – To the LORD… vs. 1-5
  • 1^st – Do not REBUKE… vs. 1
    • O LORD – do not rebuke me in Your anger – nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
    • REBUKE [יָכַח] – do not let your ANGER cause you [hiphil] to JUDGE me…
    • CHASTEN [יָסַר] – to PUNISH me intensely [piel] because of your RAGE…
    • David is asking the LORD not to REACT to his SIN!
    • I can remember when I was a kid – my dad would send me to my room when I was BAD…
    • I thought that was PART of the PUNISHMENT – it was so he could CALM down!
    • But God NEVER reacts to us in ANGER – His punishment is ALWAYS from a heart of LOVE!
    • Hebrews 12:6 – “For whom the LORD loves He chastens…”
  • 2^nd – Have MERCY… vs. 2
    • Have mercy on me – O LORD – for I am weak!
    • MERCY [חָנַן] –78x in OT – this is the OT version of the NT concept of GRACE…
    • David BEGS [imperative] the LORD to give him GRACE – because he is WEAK…
    • WEAK – the context would seem to be morally – tendency to SIN!
    • God is NEVER surprised when we SIN – He knows how WEAK we are…
    • He does have GRACE – because he remembers we are just DUST!
    • Psalm 103:14 – “He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust.”
  • 3^rd – HEAL… vs. 2-3
    • O LORD – heal me – for my bones are troubled!
    • My soul also is greatly troubled – but You – O LORD – how long!
    • David BEGS [imperative] the LORD to heal [רָפָא] him SPIRITUALLY [context]
    • Because his SIN has caused [niphal] him to be troubled to the BONES [inner man]
    • As a RESULT – his SOUL [life] was VERY [מְאֹד] troubled!
    • Sin is like a CANCER – that can eat a person up from the inside out…
    • It spreads from our actions [bones] to our heart – threatening to consume us!
    • Proverbs 14:30 – “A sound heart is life to the body – but [sin] is rottenness to the bones.”
  • 4^th – DELIVER… vs. 4
    • Return – O LORD – deliver me! Oh – save me for Your mercies sake!
    • RETURN – David BEGS [imperative] the Lord to come BACK and DELIVER him…
    • DELIVER [חָלַץ]- to INTENSELY [piel] pull out or tear out the SIN from his life!
    • I imagine if someone has CANCER – threatening to END their life…
    • They BEG the doctor to pull it out – TEAR it out if needed – to SAVE them!
    • When we truly realize just how DEADLY sin is – the eternal CONSEQUENCE it brings…
    • We will BEG the Lord to get it out of our lives – TEAR it out of our hearts!
  • 5^th – In DEATH… vs. 4
    • For in death there is no remembrance of You – in the grave who will give You thanks!
    • The thought is – LORD spare me – so I can give THANKS in this life…
    • Because once he DIED [בִּשְׁאוֹל] – dead bodies do not PRAISE the LORD…
    • NO [אֵין] REMEMBRANCE in death – this is an ASSUMPTION of David!
    • The OT saints did not know what happened after the GRAVE [שְׁאוֹל] – HIDDEN from them!
    • This is a POWERFUL example of why we do NOT make doctrine out of POETIC books…
    • Because we KNOW the moment we DIE – we are worshiping before the LORD!
    • II Corinthians 5:8 – “To be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

• 3^rd – To my ENEMIES… vs. 6-10
  • 1^st – MANY tears… vs. 6-7
    • I am weary with my groaning – All night I make my bed swim…
    • I drench my couch with my tears! 
    • My eye wastes away because of grief – it grows old because of all my enemies!
    • David cried a LOT – he was filling his bed / couch with TEARS…
    • Because he had a LOT of ENEMIES – people who wanted him DEAD…
    • Now – David ALWAYS had ENEMIES – King Saul tried to kill him many times…
    • But presumably – ALL of these ENEMIES are as a RESULT of his SIN [Bathsheba]!
    • Often people ask why life has to be so hard – why so MANY problems…
    • The answer is CONSEQUENCES – that God uses to get our attention – turn us back to Him!
    • Hosea 8:7 – “[If we] sow the wind – [we will] reap the whirlwind.”
  • 2^nd – The LORD hears… vs. 8
    • Depart from me – all you workers of iniquity…
    • For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping!
    • DEPART – David commands [imperative] his enemies to GO away…
    • Because God HEARD [perfect] his weeping!
    • We might think the LORD is not listening when we are CRYING out to Him…
    • But He always LISTENS [perfect] and He even counts EVERY tear!
    • Psalms 56:8 – “You have collected all my tears… recorded each one in your book.”
  • 3^rd – ASHAMED… vs. 9-10
    • The LORD has heard my supplication. The LORD will receive my prayer!
    • Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled…
    • Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly!
    • SUPPLICATION [תְּחִנָּה] – from the ROOT verb for GRACE [חָנַן]
    • Because of GRACE the LORD HEARS [perfect] all of our PRAYERS…
    • Therefore ALL of our enemies will be ASHAMED and in TROUBLE!
    • God does not SAVE us from our enemies – because we are BETTER than they are…
    • He HEARS our prayers – and RESCUES us – because of His GRACE…
    • And if we HUMBLED by our CONSEQUENCES – and see our NEED for Jesus…
    • He will come and TEAR out the sin from our lives – and give us the VICTORY!

Psalm 7 – Need for Humility

• 1^st – Trust the Lord… vs. 1-2
  • 1^st – Introduction… vs. 1
    • A Meditation of David – which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush – a Benjamite! 
    • WHO wrote the PSALM – PSALM of DAVID…
    • WHY David wrote it – a MEDITATION – which David sang to the LORD
      • MEDITATION [שִׁגָּיוֹן]- 2x in OT – from the ROOT word meaning to go ASTRAY [sin]
      • Perhaps meaning David sang to the Lord about one of his SINS!
    • WHEN – concerning the words of CUSH the BENJAMITE…
      • Some say this MAY be another name for SHIMEI the Benjamite – II Samuel 16:5
      • But there is no DIRECT reference to a person by this name in the OT…
      • Whomever it was – they viciously came after David to destroy him!
  • 2^nd – Like a LION… vs. 1-2
    • O LORD my God – in You I put my trust…
    • Save me from all those who persecute me – and deliver me…
    • Lest they tear me like a lion – rending me in pieces – while there is none to deliver!
    • TRUST [חָסָה] – to seek REFUGE or PROTECTION from danger…
    • DELIVERED – to be snatched away – from ALL who PERSECUTED him…
    • Men who – like a LION – tear the soul into pieces – with NO ONE [אֵין] to stop them!
    • The picture is graphic – imagine a LION – mercilessly devouring its live PREY…
    • This is what MEN were doing with their HURTFUL words to David…
    • But David KNEW God would SAVE him – because he KNEW the LORD [יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי]!
    • A lot of people CRY out to the LORD in their hour of NEED…
    • The problem is they do not KNOW they LORD – they are a STRANGER to God…
    • As a RESULT – there is NO ONE to DELIVER them – and they are DEVOURED!
    • Matthew 7:21 – “Many will say to Me… – Lord Lord…  I will declare to them I never knew you…”

• 2^nd – Check the heart… vs. 3-5
  • 1^st – Innocent… vs. 3-4
    • O LORD my God – if I have done this – if there is iniquity in my hands…
    • If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me…
    • Or have plundered my enemy without cause!
    • David asks THREE questions – IF – I have done THIS [accusations of CUSH the Benjamite]
    • Or I have iniquity in my hands – Or repaid EVIL to the one at PEACE with me [שֽׁוֹלְמִי]
    • The suggestion is that David is INNOCENT – of the insults hurled at him!
    • This leads me to believe this is NOT talking about SHIMEI…
    • Because David recognized SHIMEI was a JUDGEMENT – because of his GUILT [Bathsheba]!
    • II Samuel 16:11 – “Let him alone – and let him curse – for so the LORD has ordered him.”
  • 2^nd – Just judgement… vs. 5
    • Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me. Yes – let him trample my life to the earth…
      • And lay my honor in the dust! Selah!
      • If David was GUILTY – he WANTED [jussive] his enemies to overcome him…
      • TRAMPLE his life – let his DISHONOR be exposed – trampled in the DUST!
      • This leads many to believe this was written in the time of King Saul…
      • David was FALSELY accused – and hunted – because God has ORDAINED him to be King!
      • I Samuel 20:1 – “What have I done? What is my iniquity – and what is my sin before [Saul] that he seeks my life?”
    • SELAH – a BREAK in the WORDS – SILENCE – a REST in the SONG…
      • No matter where we are at – mocked by a SHIMEI – because we are guilty…
      • Are chased by a SAUL – because we are standing up for the LORD…
      • Like David it is wise to say SELAH – stop and take a moment to EXAMINE our hearts…
      • See if there is something we need to CONFESS – TEST our motives!
      • II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you.”

• 3^rd – Judgement… vs. 6-17
  • 1^st – For the people… vs. 6-7
    • Arise – O LORD – in Your anger. Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies.
    • Rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded! So the congregation of the peoples…
    • Shall surround You. For their sakes – therefore – return on high!
    • In response to the ACCUSATIONS of his enemies – David had THREE commands…
    • STAND up [imperative] – because sin makes God ANGRY…
    • LIFT up [imperative] – in response to the RAGE of his enemies…
    • WAKE up [imperative] – and JUDGE as your word COMMANDS…
    • BECAUSE of the NATIONS [לְאֻמִּים] – so they will [jussive] GATHER around YOU…
    • The point David is making – God needed to be SEEN – His JUDGEMENT displayed!
    • When Moses first came to Pharoah – the king asked – WHO is the LORD – Exodus 5:2
    • Even the Jews doubted if God cared about them – Exodus 5:21
    • But AFTER God STOOD up – brought the TEN plagues – EVERYONE saw the LORD!
    • When WICKED people are allowed to SIN without penalty – people question the LORD…
    • People think there are no consequences – and questions if God cares – or if He is even real…
    • But when SIN is JUDGED – God is LIFTED UP – and people SEE Jesus!
  • 2^nd – The TEST… … vs. 8-10
    • The LORD shall judge the peoples. Judge me – O LORD – according to my righteousness…
    • And according to my integrity within me!
    • Oh – let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end – but establish the just…
    • For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds…
    • My defense is of God – who saves the upright in heart!
    • The LORD [יְהוָה] – Jesus – is the JUDGE of ALL people – John 5:22
    • David wanted [jussive] wickedness to come to an END…
    • For God to powerfully ESTABLISH [poel] those who are RIGHTEOUS [צַדִּיק]
    • And David ASSUMED – the RIGHTEOUS God – who TESTS the hearts and MINDS of men…
    • Would find him RIGHTEOUS – so he commands [imperative] the LORD to JUDGE him!
    • What David could not see – was that his heart was also WICKED…
    • He would go on to commit adultery [Bathsheba] and murder…
    • Not because of circumstances that led him to SIN – looking at a naked woman…
    • Circumstances just gave the opportunity for what was ALREADY in his HEART to come out!
    • It is EASY to see SIN in the lives of others – it is often much HARDER to see our own…
    • More often than not we are convinced we are RIGHTEOUS…
    • That is because even we cannot SEE – what is really in our hearts – Jeremiah 17:9
    • That is UNTIL we make a very OBVIOUS mistake – that REVEALS our heart [Bathsheba]
    • Only then do we really appreciate – that we are SAVED by GRACE!
    • Romans 3:12 – “There is none who does good – no – not [even] ONE…”
  • 3^rd – Know the LORD… vs. 11-13
    • God is a just judge – and God is angry [with the wicked every day] – not in Hebrew text
      • If [the wicked] does not turn back – [God] will sharpen His sword…
      • He bends His bow and makes it ready. He also prepares for Himself instruments of death…
      • He makes His arrows into fiery shafts!
      • God [אֱלֹהִים] is a RIGHTEOUS judge – God [אֵל] is ANGRY every day…
      • David goes on to describe God in terms of WAR – swords and arrows…
      • NOTE – we have LOST the use of the proper name of the LORD [יְהוָה]
      • Instead falling back to GENERIC titles for a God – whom David did not FULLY know!
    • Peter thought he KNEW himself – and KNEW Jesus…
      • When the Lord told him he would DENY – Peter DENIED the DENIAL…
      • He told Jesus – he would go to PRISON – DIE for him – and he believed it…
      • But just a few hours later – the rooster would crow THREE times!
      • Not that Jesus was surprised – He did KNOW Peter – John 14:1-2
      • If Peter had NOT failed – he would have pointed people to HIMSELF – be like ME…
      • After his failure – he did NOT point people to himself – he pointed them to Jesus!
      • Luke 22:32 – “When you have returned to Me – strengthen your brethren.”
      • The closer we get to God – the more we are going to see WHO we really are…
      • And we may not like what we find – we are NOT good – we are SINNERS…
      • That is the point of the Gospel – not GOOD people pointing SINNERS to an angry GOD…
      • But SINNERS pointing other SINNERS to a gracious LORD – who came to DIE to save us!
  • 4^th – Avoid the PIT… vs. 14-16
    • Behold – the wicked brings forth iniquity. Yes – he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
    • He made a pit and dug it out – and has fallen into the ditch which he made.
    • His trouble shall return upon his own head…
    • And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown!
    • BEHOLD – pay attention – this will be an ironic statement…
    • David wanted us to see the how the LIES of the WICKED – become the PIT they fall into…
    • But ultimately DAVID – was the one who fell into the PIT!
    • A famous PREACHER once said – Spurgeon – step out of the pulpit and I can commit ANY sin…
    • Because the moment we forget we are a SINNER – we stop depending on the SAVIOR!
    • There is always a danger of forgetting we are no better than anyone else…
    • Becoming judgmental of others – HOLIER than others – super spiritual…
    • But if we FORGET – we will likely FALL – to remind us we need Jesus!
    • Luke 6:27 – “Judge not, and you shall not be judged…”
  • 5^th – The PRAISE… vs. 17
    • I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness…
    • And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High!
    • PRAISE – literally to give THANKS for the LORD because He is RIGHTEOUSNESS…
    • SING – DESIRE [cohortative] to INTENSELY [piel] sing to the name of the LORD who is HIGHER!
    • Let us put it ALL together – people are going to ATTACK us…
    • It might be because we are ANOINTED by the LORD – John 15:18
    • Or it might be because we have made MISTAKES – and deserve it – Galatians 6:7
    • Either way if we are willing to EXAMINE ourselves – be HONEST with who we are…
    • We will see we are SINNERS – who are in constant need of a SAVIOR who LOVE us…
    • Causing us to want to THANK Him – because He ALONE is RIGHTEOUS…
    • He is the ONLY one who is HIGH and lifted up – worthy of all our PRAISE!

Psalm 8 – Plan of God

• 1^st – In Creation… vs. 1
  • 1^st – Introduction…
    • To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David! 
    • PSALM of DAVID – Psalm written for the people to SING…
    • CHIEF Musician – the one who plays [piel] the music…
    • Instrument of GATH – either referring to the TUNE or the kind of instrument
  • 2^nd – All the EARTH…
    • O LORD – our Lord – how excellent is Your name in all the earth…
      • LORD [יְהוָה] – You are our Lord [אֲדֹנֵינו] – a word that means MASTER…
      • The reason He is our MASTER – His NAME is in ALL the EARTH – Psalms 19:1
      • As we look at the incredible CREATION around us – it testifies to how GREAT our God is!
    • Going back to the beginning – when God created the earth – Genesis 1:1
      • In a universe with 200 BILLION galaxies – each with BILLIONS of stars…
      • And more than likely each of those STARS having numerous PLANETS [ours has EIGHT]
      • Only our little blue green spec in the cosmos gets the honor of being NAMED – the EARTH!
      • Because the EARTH is UNIQUE – nothing else like it – 12,742km wide…
      • With a 23.5° tilt – allowing for 85% of the earth to be HABITABLE…
      • Perfectly placed – 149 million km from the sun – in the GOLDILOCKS zone [liquid water]
      • Everything about the earth is perfectly DESIGNED to sustain life!
  • 3^rd – Above the HEAVENS…
    • Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
      • HEAVENS [הַשָּׁמַיִם] – used 420x in OT – it is the plural of the root word [שָׁמֶה]
      • Meaning to be lofty – perhaps alluding to space above / as well as the dwelling place of God!
      • Paul would do on to tell us in that there are THREE heavens – II Corinthians 12:2
      • FIRST heaven – is the sky above us – SECOND heaven is outer space…
      • THIRD heaven – is the dwelling place of God [Paul tells us it is indescribable] 
    • Yet the GLORY of God is ABOVE even the THIRD heaven!
      • Meaning the most AMAZING place in all of CREATION – HEAVEN – I Corinthians 2:9
      • Is still not even close to being able to contain the GLORY [הוֹד] of God!
      • God is so AMAZING it will take an ETERNITY [αἰών] for us to know His GLORY!
      • Ephesians 2:7 – “In the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace…”

• 2^nd – In Gospel… vs. 2
  • 1^st – Simple Message…
    • Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength!
    • When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday – the people cried out HOSANA…
    • The Pharisees were NOT happy – they told Jesus to SILENCE the crowd…
    • Matthew 21:16 – “Jesus said to them… Have you never read – Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise!”
    • Jesus was NOT talking about the people – they were NOT infants…
    • He was TALKING about the MESSAGE they were giving – Jesus SAVES – the Gospel…
    • The GOSPEL is not hard to UNDERSTAND – even little kids get it – Matthew 11:25
  • 2^nd – Overcome Satan…
    • Because of Your enemies – that You may silence the enemy and the avenger!
    • God wants to SILENCE the ENEMY – the avenger who seeks to ACCUSE us…
    • Satan who would like nothing more than CONDEMN us to HELL – Revelation 12:10
    • But our ENEMY is SILENCES through the work of the cross – he has nothing left to accuse us…
    • Because of the simple GOSPEL – ANYONE can be SAVED – I Peter 3:9

• 3^rd – For man… vs. 3-9
  • 1^st – What is Man… vs. 3-4
    • When I consider Your heavens – the work of Your fingers…
    • The moon and the stars – which You have ordained…
    • What is man that You are mindful [imperfect] of him – and the son of man that You visit him!
    • As David PONDERED the incredible CREATION of God – STARS – MOON…
    • He had ONE question – what is MAN [אֱנוֹשׁ] – generic name for MANKIND…
    • What is the SON of MAN [אָדָם] – ADAM – the one who first REBELLED against God!
    • God who is so FAR above us – so much GREATER than us – HOLIER than we will ever be…
    • Why does He bother with us – a bunch of SINNERS – Good question!
  • 2^nd – The purpose for man… vs. 5-8
    • You have made him a little lower than the angels…
      • ANGELS [אֱלֹהִים] – the word ELOHIM translated here in context as ANGELS…
      • Both ANGELS and MEN are created by God – Colossians 1:16 / John 1:3
      • But ANGELS are certainly more POWERFUL than MEN – Isaiah 37:36
    • You have crowned [piel] him with glory and honor!
      • Although MEN are LOWER than ANGELS – God CROWNED men with glory and honor…
      • Speaking of the position God gave men – created in His IMAGE!
      • Genesis 1:27 – “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
    • You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands…
      • You have put all things under his feet – all sheep and oxen – even the beasts of the field…
      • The birds of the air – and the fish of the sea – that pass through the paths of the seas!
      • When God created Adam and Eve – He gave them DOMINION over ALL [כֹּל] the world!
      • God put EVERYTHING under SUBJECTION to MEN – nothing was left out!
      • Genesis 1:26 – “Let them have dominion… over ALL the earth and over EVERY creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
    • But we FAILED…
      • Hebrews 2:8 – “But now we do not yet see all things put under him.”
      • When you buy a house – you are given a DEED to show you are the owner…
      • But if give someone else the DEED – you no longer have authority over the house!
      • God created the world – gave the DEED to Adam and Eve – Genesis 1:28-30
      • When Adam and Eve choose to sin in the garden – rebel against God – Genesis 3
      • They sold the DEED of the world to satan – he had the rights to this world…
      • Satan is called the god of this world – II Corinthians 4:4 / John 14:30
  • 3^rd – The plan of God… vs. 9
    • O LORD – our Lord – how excellent is Your name in all the earth!
    • It almost seems like the PSALM is incomplete – the question unanswered…
    • What is MAN that God that causes God to CONSTANTLY [imperfect] think about him…
    • God had a PLAN for us – but we FAILED – we did not fulfill our PURPOSE…
    • But the MISSING piece – what we SEE as the answer to the question – is found in Jesus!
    • Hebrews 2:9 – “We see Jesus – who was made a little lower than the angels – for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor – that He – by the grace of God – might taste death for everyone!”
    • Jesus came to redeem the DEED that had been lost…
    • The price Jesus had to pay to redeem the world – was the cross!
    • Revelation 5:2-5 – we are told the no one could open the scroll – the DEED…
    • John wept – no one was able to REDEEM the world that had been lost to satan…
    • But the Angel said do not weep – behold the LION of the Tribe of Judah – Jesus!
    • Jesus redeemed the world – He purchased back WORLD that had been lost…
    • Because in ALL of CREATION – the ONLY thing that God LOVES – is us!