David's Prayer for Defense Against the Wicked

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 7:1) (Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite) O Lord my God, in You do I put my trust; save me from all them who persecute me, and deliver me.

David called this psalm a shiggaion, which meant an aberration, deviating from the normal, a rambling poem.  He sang it to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite.  We aren't told anything about Cush, but he was a Benjamite, and Saul was from the same tribe, so it is plausible he was a servant of Saul who was among those surrounding David's house whooping in the night.  David began his psalm by telling the Lord he put his faith in Him, and he asked that the Lord save him from those who persecuted him and deliver him from them.

(2) Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending in pieces, while none to deliver.

As the Lord was the only one who could deliver him, Cush would otherwise tear his body apart like a lion if the Lord did not deliver him.

(3) O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands, (4) If I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yea, I have delivered him who without cause is my enemy), (5) Let the enemy persecute my soul and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay my honor in the dust. Selah.

If David had done what Cush and Saul had accused him of, if he had sinned, if he had done evil to one who was only at peace with him, then let his enemy persecute him and kill him.  However, he had only delivered Saul from the Philistines and from the evil spirit that plagued him when he played his harp for him.  He had done good for him although he had become an enemy of Saul's through no fault of his own.  But if God had judged that he had done evil, then he accepted the punishment that should come to him.

(6) Arise, O Lord, in your anger; lift up Yourself because of the rage of my enemies and awake for me the judgment You have commanded.

David prayed that the Lord rise up in righteous anger to execute that righteous judgment which He had commanded by the prophet Samuel, to give David the kingdom.  Perhaps David wished for the Lord to make it known to Saul that David was His chosen king, so that Saul would not continue to pursue him as an enemy, when he himself had done nothing to take his throne from him.  

(7) So shall the congregation of the people surround you; for their sakes, therefore, return You on high.

I believe the sense is that David was saying that the Lord's people were gathered around Him, and for their sakes, he pleaded with the Lord to take His judgment seat on high and execute righteous judgment, vindicating the cause of all oppressed.  He wished to be delivered from his troubles and put into the peaceable possession of the kingdom, if not for his sake, for the sake of the Lord's church and His people, and for the sake of His glory.

(8) The Lord shall judge the people; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to my integrity in me.

The Lord as judge of all the earth judges all people.  David asked that the Lord judge him according to his righteous cause.  David surely did not mean righteousness in himself as he knew no one was righteous before God (Psalm 143:2), "For in Your sight no one living is righteous."  But David acted with integrity in all his actions with Saul, and he asked the Lord to judge him accordingly.

(9) Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just, for the righteous God tries the hearts and reins.

David prayed that the wickedness of the wicked come to an end and that the just be established.  The righteous God knows the hearts of men and can separate the wheat from the chaff, punishing the wicked and delivering the righteous.  God also knows the reins, the kidneys.  At first glance, that seems a strange statement, but our true feelings do seem to come from the gut.  A dictionary definition of "reins" said "(especially in Biblical use) the seat of the feelings or affections, formerly identified with the kidneys."

(10) My defense is of God who saves the upright in heart. (11) God judges the righteous, and God is angry every day.

The original word "magen" that was translated as "defense" literally meant "shield."  God was David's shield against all wickedness as He saved the upright in heart, those whose hearts followed God.  God judged the righteous as He judged all hearts of men and was angry every day because of the wickedness that abounded.

(12) If he turn not, He will whet His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready. (13) He has also prepared for Himself the instruments of death; He ordains His arrows against the persecutors.

If the wicked one does not turn from his wicked ways, God will prepare to bring judgment on him.  God has prepared beforehand the instruments of death which we are all deserving of if we don't turn from our sins and seek to follow God.  God is very patient and may give the wicked many chances to repent which may look as if He will not punish them, but that is because He truly wishes that none should perish and that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  However, in the end, all will be judged righteously as only a completely righteous, just, and holy God can do because that is His very nature.

(14) Behold, he travails with iniquity and has conceived mischief and brought forth falsehood.

As a pregnant woman in labor, the wicked one is full of iniquity and conceives mischief and falsehood.

(15) He made a pit and dug it and is fallen into the ditch he made. (16) His mischief shall return on his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down on his own pate.

The traps the wicked make will eventually ensnare him.  The evil schemes of the wicked may appear to be successful in the short term but eventually the evil comes back on him on the crown of his head.

(17) I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

Because the righteous Lord defended and vindicated the innocent and punished the wicked, David sang praises to His Lord.

Even though this may have been considered by David to be a shiggaion, an erratic, wandering ode, its purpose is pretty clear.  David prayed to God for deliverance from his enemy, professing his innocence and asking God to righteously judge him and his enemies, professing his faith in God to destroy his enemies, and giving God the glory for his deliverance.

C. H. Spurgeon wrote the following beautiful sentiment in his Treasury of David:

"What a blessing would it be if we could turn even the most disastrous event into a theme for song, and so turn the tables upon our great enemy. Let us learn a lesson from Luther, who once said, 'David made Psalms; we also will make Psalms, and sing them as well as we can to the honour of our Lord, and to spite and mock the devil.'"

David's Prayer for Deliverance from His Enemies

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 59:1) (To the chief musician, Altaschith, michtam of David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.) Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from them who rise up against me.

In the last post, in 1 Samuel 19, Saul had indeed sent messengers to watch David's house at night and to kill him the next morning (1 Samuel 19:11).  Whereas other psalms have been placed within this chronological study before this one, this is actually the earliest of David's psalms.  Apparently, as he had all night to contemplate his predicament, he had time to write a psalm even as he was in danger.  He wrote it to the chief musician, and it appears he entitled his psalm Altaschith, which Strong's defines as "Thou must not destroy; probably the opening words of a popular song: - Al-taschith."  Interestingly, there is no consensus on what the term "michtam" meant.  Strong's defines it as from a root meaning "an engraving, that is, (technically) a poem."  Only six psalms were called michtams.  Perhaps they were meant to be engraved for long-term preservation.  

David began his psalm asking the Lord to deliver him from his enemies and defend him from those who rose up against him.

(2) Deliver me from the workers of iniquity and save me from bloody men. (3) For lo, they lie in wait for my soul; the mighty are gathered against me, not my transgression, nor my sin, O Lord.

He asked the Lord to deliver him from sinful and murderous men.  At that time, David knew that such men had gathered around his house and lay in wait to kill him.  And this was not because he had sinned against them or the king.

(4) They run and prepare themselves without fault; awake to help me, and behold!

His enemies ran about preparing to come against him without any fault of his being the reason for their actions.  It's not as if the Lord had to be awakened to help David.  The original word "ur" translated as "awake" also meant "rise up" and that is more appropriate here.  Behold!  Please see the distress and danger David was in.

(5) You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen; do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.

David called on the Lord of all heavenly and earthly hosts to rise up and visit all heathen, not just the ones after him at the time.  While the Lord visiting someone often meant bringing punishment upon them, it doesn't always mean that.  Strong's defines the original word "paqad" as "to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)."  The Lord visiting someone should certainly not be always considered a bad thing.  When praying for our enemies, the most important thing is to turn them from their wicked plans, let them be drawn to the Lord, and repent.  So we should not be praying to punish our enemies, not when Jesus said to turn the other cheek and love your enemies, but we pray for God to turn them from their wicked plans or have their plans fail, so yes, God, please visit them.  

"Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors" is a little more difficult to interpret in a Christ-like manner.  David had already prayed for all transgressors, as all heathens are, as all of us are, so I believe the point is that if they will not repent and turn away from their wicked schemes but continue as deliberately wicked transgressors, then please do not have mercy on them and let their evil schemes prosper.  A holy God would not continue in fellowship and mercy to hearts hardened against Him, and He knows the heart of each man, whether or not he would ever be turned toward God.  We can certainly pray that God is not merciful toward such men to allow their evil schemes to proceed.  In fact, those who sin willfully and knowingly, after they have received the knowledge of the truth, which would have been the case for all the Israelites at that time, who stubbornly and wickedly persist in their evil, sin against the Holy Spirit of God, whom they have known, and that is the one sin unto death which is not to be prayed for: 

Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. (Matthew 12:31)

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.  (1 John 5:16)

It should be added that we all sin, and we will continue to sin after we receive the Holy Spirit, and we may even backslide for a while like the prodigal son, but we will feel the tugging of the Holy Spirit to draw us back.  It's when one totally rejects the Holy Spirit, blasphemes the Holy Spirit, and chooses to follow another spirit after having known the truth, that is an unforgiveable sin.  And then God turns such a one over to a reprobate mind, and all they can do is sin:

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting. (Romans 1:28)

Back to verse 5 of Psalm 59, above:  another definition of the word that was translated as "visit" is "to number."  As a matter of fact, the word "paqad" is translated as "numbered" more often in the Bible than "visit."  I believe the sense of that in relation to verse 5, would be judging all the heathen hearts as to who is righteous and who is not, and don't be merciful to the ones who are not.  And finally, "selah" just meant pause.

(6) They return at evening; they make a noise like a dog and go round about the city.

Those heathen wicked transgressors from verse 5, whom David perceived were his enemies, came to his house in the evening, making much noise, perhaps war whoops, making their presence known as a threat.  They had likely looked all over the city for him until they found him at his house.

(7) Behold, they belch out with their mouth; swords are in their lips, for "Who," they say, "does hear?"

His enemies gushed out words of abuse; their words were as sharp swords, and they were shameless and unabashed as they feared no one; no one who heard them could stop them.

(8) But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the heathen in derision.

God would have the last laugh, so to speak; He would turn them and their schemes into ridicule and contempt.  He had all heathen in derision, objects of ridicule.

(9) My Strength, I will wait on You, for God is my defense. (10) The God of my mercy shall precede me; God shall let me see upon my enemies.

The Lord was David's strength; He would defend him.  He would go before him, and David would see what He would do to his enemies.

(11) Do not slay them, lest my people forget; scatter them by Your power and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.

David did not wish for his enemies to be slain, as they were part of his people, and he didn't want them totally forgotten.  He prayed the Lord scatter them and humble them, showing them they had no power against God, David's shield.

(12) For the sin of their mouth, the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for cursing and lying they speak.

Those enemies of God sinned with their mouths, spouting words of insolence and atheism, and they sinned against David with their curses and lies, which was a sin against God.  David prayed that they be taken down in their pride, entangled in their own nets.

(13) Consume them in wrath, consume, that they not be, and let them know that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah.

Had David changed his mind about God slaying them?  Or did David mean for God to consume them as they were that they no longer be in honor and dignity that they once were?  To let them know that God ruled in Israel (Jacob) would seem they should still be alive but no longer in a position to do the evil they had done.  Consume them and make them as if they no longer were, that is, no longer as they once were.

(14) And at evening let them return; let them make a noise like a dog and go round about the city. (15) Let them wander up and down for meat and grudge if they be not satisfied.

So yes, let them live, but let them return not as they were.  Now when they made a noise like a dog and went round about the city, they weren't to be feared, as they wandered about looking for food, dissatisfied, as they prowled around seeking a prey that they would never find.

(16) But I will sing of Your power, yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning, for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.

David would sing of God's power, mercy, and protection, as He had always been there to defend him in times of trouble.

(17) To You, O my Strength, I will sing for God my defense, the God of my mercy.

David would sing with full assurance that his merciful and loving God was his strength and defense against his enemies.

This psalm of David demonstrates perfectly how the mind might pass from one thing to another, first uttering fervent prayer, then describing the enemy and his plans, perhaps wishing harm for his enemies, then just wanting God to prevent them from doing harm, finally expressing the confident hope of deliverance, and praising God for that deliverance.

Saul Tries to Kill David

Continuing a chronological Bible study after a brief interlude of psalms:

(1 Samuel 19:1) And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants that they should kill David.

When we last left Saul in chapter 18, he had become so jealous of David that he hated him and wanted him to die.  He kept putting him out front in battles with the Philistines, hoping they would kill him.  He even tried once to kill him himself, but the more he tried, the more the Lord protected David, and the more the people grew to love David.  David had now married Saul's daughter Michal and as son-in-law to the king, he was next in line for Saul's throne, which of course, the Lord had already given him, but Saul didn't know that part yet, though he suspected it would eventually happen.  After so many failed attempts at trying to kill David, Saul now told his son and his servants to kill him.

(2) But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David, and Jonathan told David, saying, "Saul my father seeks to kill you; now therefore, I pray you, take heed to yourself until the morning, and abide in a secret place and hide yourself."

However, Saul did not realize how much even his son Jonathan loved David, and Jonathan told David Saul's plan to kill him.  He pleaded with David to be on guard and hide in a secret place until the morning.

(3) "And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you, and what I see, that I will tell you."

Jonathan continued talking to David.  He said that the next day he would stand with his father near the place David was, and he would talk to his father about David and then report back to him what Saul had to say.

(4) And Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, "Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you and because his works toward you are very good. (5) For he did put his life in his hand and killed the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and did rejoice. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?"

Jonathan did speak to his father about David.  He reminded him of how David put his life on the line to kill Goliath, and the Lord had brought a great victory and deliverance for Israel.  He reminded his father how he himself had rejoiced.  He urged him not to sin against David who had done nothing wrong to him, and not to spill innocent blood, killing David without a cause.

(6) And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, "As the Lord lives, he shall not be slain."

Saul listened to Jonathan and seemed to be affected by the truth of what he had to say and was convicted, at least at the present time, that he was wrong in seeking the life of David, and he would stop trying to kill him.

(7) And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.

Jonathan told David all that Saul had said and brought him back into the palace to Saul where he had been formerly.

(8) And there was war again, and David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him.

Then there was war again with the Philistines, and David went out and fought against them, striking them with a mighty blow and great slaughter that they fled from him.

(9) And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand, and David played with his hand.

The evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul again.  David played the harp with his hands to sooth Saul's spirit.  Saul had his javelin in his hand.

(10) And Saul sought to strike David even to the wall with the javelin, but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he struck the javelin into the wall, and David fled and escaped that night.

Forgetting his vow in verse 6 not to harm David, again Saul tried to pin David to the wall with his javelin, but David slipped away and fled, escaping that night.

(11) Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him and to kill him in the morning, and Michal David's wife told him, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you shall be slain."

Saul sent his messengers to David's house, which surely was very near or even a part of the palace as David had married the king's daughter, to watch him and to kill him in the morning.  Michal, David's wife, warned him to do something to save his life that night or else he would be killed the next day.

(12) So Michal let David down through a window, and he went and fled and escaped.

Michal let David down through a window, probably on a cord or some such makeshift cord, and David was able to escape in the night without Saul's messengers' knowledge.

(13) And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster and covered it with a cloth. (14) And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick."

Michal took an "image," not merely a picture, but something with substance like a statue, and laid it in David's bed.  She put a pillow of goats' hair under it and covered it with a cloth.  Then when Saul's messengers came into their house in the morning looking for David, she told them he was sick in bed.

(15) And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed that I may kill him."

Saul sent his messengers back to David's house and told them to bring him back to him, bed and all, if he wasn't able to rise, so that Saul could kill him.

(16) And when the messengers had come in, behold, an image in the bed with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.

When the messengers went into David's house, they found that all that lay in the bed was a statue with a pillow of goats' hair propping it up.

(17) And Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me so? And sent away my enemy that he has escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go; why should I kill you?'"

Saul asked his daughter why she had deceived him and let his enemy escape, as if she owed more to the wicked passion of her father than she did for her beloved husband.  But rather than telling him that she couldn't allow her husband to be killed, she lied and told her father that David had threatened her if she did not let him go.

(18) So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel, to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

David fled to Samuel in Ramah, Samuel being the one who had anointed him king.  He told Samuel all that Saul had done to him, and David and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth, a place within Ramah, Samuel's home.

(19) And it was told Saul, saying, "Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah." (20) And Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

It was told to Saul that David was in Naioth, so he sent messengers to take David.  However, when they came to David and Samuel, they saw a whole company of prophets prophesying by inspiration of God with Samuel standing over them.  The Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul's messengers, and they, too, began prophesying, forgetting their mission.  "Prophesying" does not always mean foretelling the future; it most often meant telling the Lord's truths, but sometimes those meant telling the future outcome.  In this case, all the prophets and Saul's messengers also, were probably praising God and declaring His truths.

(21) And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

When that was told to Saul, he sent more messengers to take David, but they wound up prophesying also, forgetting their mission.  Saul sent messengers a third time, and they, too, wound up prophesying and not bringing David back to Saul.

(22) Then he also went to Ramah and came to a great well in Sechu, and he asked and said, "Where are Samuel and David?" And one said, "Behold, at Naioth in Ramah."

Therefore, Saul went himself to find David but evidently did not know exactly where to go.  He stopped at a well and enquired about the whereabouts of David and Samuel and was told they were at Naioth.

(23) And he went there to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

So Saul went toward Naioth, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, too, and he went onward, prophesying, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

(24) And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

When he came to Samuel, Saul stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel.  He may not have been completely naked, but enough so to be completely humbled before the Lord.  He lay there like that all day and all night.  That "proverb" that came about in 1 Samuel 10:12, when Saul prophesied in a company of prophets, was revived, as people wondered again if Saul was a prophet.

There is no doubt now, that Saul was David's enemy, not because of anything David had done, but because of Saul's jealousy.  The Lord continued to protect David through his loved ones, Jonathan and Michal, and even by His own arm as he turned all David's enemies into prophets, possibly even prophesying that David would become king!

The Lord, Our Refuge and Defense

Within a chronological Bible study, this interlude of psalms:

(Psalm 11:1) (To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David) In the Lord I put my trust; how can you say to my soul, "Flee as a bird to your mountain"?

David put his trust in the Lord.  Therefore, how could anyone say to him, whether it be enemies, companions, or even thoughts within himself, that he should run away to a mountain for safety, when it was the Lord who was his safety and protection.

2) For lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow on the string, that they may secretly shoot at the upright in heart.

The reason behind the suggestion that David should flee was that the wicked were making ready to attack, to secretly shoot upright men.

(3) If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

If the very foundations of law and justice are destroyed, what can the righteous people do?  That is perhaps still the suggestions of the opposition or the weak in faith, even a temptation of oneself, that there's nothing one can do when evil is all around and the very foundations have been destroyed.  That is, if one puts his trust in man and government...

(4) The Lord in His holy temple, the Lord's throne in heaven, His eyes behold, His eyelids try the children of men.

The Lord is in His church, with His people.  His throne is in heaven where He sees all and searches the hearts of all.  The Lord knows all, and all is in His control.

(5) The Lord tries the righteous, but the wicked and him who loves violence, His soul hates.

When the righteous go through trying times, the Lord is allowing that for our growth and refinement.  Oh, that we should remember that and still hold fast to faith in Him, for we know that He hates the wicked and those who commit violence, and His righteous judgment will prevail.

(6) Upon the wicked He will rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest, the portion of their cup.

The Lord will rain snares upon the wicked, sometimes in their own traps they are caught.  He will send His judgment upon them as a terrible storm, if not in this world, definitely in hellfire and brimstone in the next.  Their portion which will be measured out to them in proportion to their sins, God, in righteous judgment, has appointed for them to drink.

(7) For the righteous Lord loves righteousness; His countenance does behold the upright.

The Lord Himself is completely righteous, and therefore righteousness, as it lies both in punishing the wicked and in maintaining the righteous cause of His people, is loved by Him as it is agreeable to His nature.  God's countenance beholds the upright; He looks with pleasure on them, takes delight in them, takes care of them, and protects and defends them, which was an encouragement to David to trust in the Lord.

Whether from outside sources or from thoughts within himself, this short psalm shows David's struggle with, and triumph over, a strong temptation to distrust God.  That is a struggle we all find ourselves in from time to time, so the feelings are normal.  However, like David, we must triumph over those feelings and put our trust in our only salvation, the Lord God.

David's Cry for Protection Against Falsehood

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 12:1) (To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David) Help, Lord, for the Godly man ceases, for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

This is a psalm of David which he may have written during his times of fighting the Philistines.  Saul kept putting David out front in the battles in hopes that the Philistines would kill him.  At this point, I don't think David realized that Saul was his enemy.  David wrote it to the chief musician on "Sheminith."  As that word comes from a root word meaning "eight," Strong's defines it as "probably an eight stringed lyre."  David often wrote his psalms to the musicians he wished to play them.

He began by asking the Lord to help.  It seemed to him that there were no Godly men, that they had ceased from living.  He believed the faithful had failed and had fallen away when things got hard, or perhaps he just meant they had died and were no longer among men.  Or maybe they had just failed in what they were trying to do.  He surely had seen no good men standing up for God and against Goliath.  It sort of resembles the times we live in now, where it seems evil has taken over, and we wonder where the good men are who will stand up against it?

(2) They speak vanity everyone with his neighbor; with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

It seemed men only spoke vanity, or uselessness, or even deceit.  They might flatter to draw you in, but they are double minded, saying one thing and doing another, not to be trusted.

(3) The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks proud things.

This may have been spoken by David as a prayer, "May the Lord cut off all flattering lips..." or he may have meant it as a fact that the Lord will always judge and cut off the wicked eventually.  The tongue that speaks proud things might be one who says great things in deceit, or maybe literally prideful things, and the Lord hates pride and a proud heart (Proverbs 16:5).

(4) Who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; our lips our own; who is lord over us?"

The wicked men believed they would prevail, knowing they purposely spoke flattery and deceit as a way to prevail.  Their lips were their own; they would speak what they pleased, and they saw no one as lord over them who had a right to control them or prevent them from speaking what they wanted to speak.  So the wicked think, but so little do they know...

(5) "For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise," says the Lord, "I will set in safety from him who puffs at him."

However, the Lord will rise up for the oppressed poor and the groaning needy and will put them in safety from the one who puffs at them.  "Puff" is an interesting choice of words, and David used it in another psalm (Psalm 10:5).  It puts one in mind of the big bad wolf who huffs and puffs and blows away.  Strong's defines the original word "puach" as "blow with the breath or air; hence to fan (as a breeze), to utter, to kindle (a fire), to scoff: - blow (upon), break, puff, bring into a snare, speak, utter."  It has a wide range of meanings, but we can safely assume that David meant someone who breathed contempt, deceit, and maybe even threats, definitely evil, as he had been talking about their tongues.

(6) The words of the Lord pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

In contrast to the wicked and their wicked tongues, the words of the Lord are pure and holy and true, pure as the purest refined silver that had been purified seven times.  The number seven in the Bible was symbolic of completion or perfection.  The words of the Lord are perfect!

(7) You shall keep them, O Lord; You shall preserve them from this generation forever.

The Lord shall keep and preserve the poor and the needy, saving them from an oppressive and perverse generation forever.  Or perhaps it means the Lord would keep His words and promises and save His people from perverse generations forever.  Either one is true of the Lord.

(8) The wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted.

When the vilest men are exalted to high places and offices, the wicked walk boldly all over.  I can't help but relate this to our present time when it seems that wickedness abounds, and the perpetrators of it are now so open and bold and in your face.

In this psalm, David complains of the decrease of God’s faithful servants and of the prevalence of falsehood and treachery in the world.  He foretells the destruction of the wicked, especially of the deceitful and proud, and assures himself and others that no matter how corrupt the times were, God would deliver and preserve His people and fulfill His promises to them.

David Marries Saul's Daughter Michal While Saul's Jealousy Grows

Continuing a chronological Bible study after a brief interlude of psalms:

(1 Samuel 18:1) And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

At the end of 1 Samuel 17, David had reacquainted himself to Saul after killing Goliath when Saul had not recognized him.  Then after speaking to Saul, he won the heart of Saul's son Jonathan who saw in David qualities that he loved and was attracted to, probably because they were much like his own, and Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.  This is the love that God commanded for all His people in Leviticus 19:18, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

(2) And Saul took him that day and would let him go no more home to his father's house.

Formerly, David had been Saul's musician to calm his demons and must have been little noticed by the king, but now Saul brought him into his palace to stay.  He didn't allow David to go back and forth to his father's house as he had done before.

(3) Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. (4) And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

Jonathan made a covenant of friendship with David because he had a great love for him.  He stripped himself of his princely garments as he was the son of the king and gave them to David.  He even gave him his sword, his bow, and his belt.  This was due to the great kinship he felt for David and probably to have David look the part of a prince rather than a shepherd.

(5) And David went out wherever Saul sent him and behaved himself wisely, and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

David went wherever Saul sent him, and he was made a leader over the men of war.  He always behaved wisely, so that he was accepted by all the people and by Saul's own servants, as well. 

(6) And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines with joy and with instruments of music.

At that time, when Saul and David had returned from the killing of Goliath and their victory over the Philistines, the women came out as they usually did after great victories, singing and dancing with tambourines and other musical instruments, to meet King Saul returning from battle.

(7) And the women sang as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." (8) And Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him, and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands. And what can he have more but the kingdom?" (9) And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

Although they were supposed to be greeting their king, the women began singing that Saul had killed his thousands, but David had killed his ten thousands.  That made Saul angry with jealousy.  The way Saul saw it, as he had already bestowed great honor on David, and now the people saw him as greater in battle than he was, the only thing left for David to accomplish was to have the kingdom, and Saul watched David carefully from that day forward.

(10) And it came to pass on the next day, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played with his hand, as at other times, and a javelin was in Saul's hand.

The next day that evil spirit from God that had tormented him before came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house.  We aren't told what he prophesied, so it may have been the rantings of a mad man since the evil spirit had come upon him.  David was playing music with his hand, probably the harp, as he had done other times when the evil spirit had come upon Saul.  Saul held a javelin in his hand.

(11) And Saul cast the javelin, for he said, "I will strike David to the wall." And David avoided out of his presence twice.

Saul cast the javelin at David, saying that he would pin him to the wall.  However, David escaped Saul twice, as it appears Saul tried twice to pin David.

(12) And Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him and was departed from Saul.

Then was Saul afraid of David because he could see that the Lord was with him, protecting him, and that He had departed from Saul.

(13) Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand, and he went out and came in before the people.

Saul then removed David from his court, but probably because he did fear David and God's hand on him, he did not completely dismiss him, but he made him captain over a troop of one thousand, perhaps hoping he would be slain by the enemy at the head of his troop.  However, David went out and came back again before the people, probably with great honor and respect, which was the opposite of what Saul desired.  It reminds me of the psalm David wrote that I studied in the last chapter, which may have been better placed chronologically after this chapter, "Let them fall by their own counsels..." (Psalm 5:10).  That is, let his enemies' plans fail; let their plots work against them and expose their guilt.  But then again, it may have been perfectly placed as an answer to David's prayer.

(14) And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. (15) Therefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

David always behaved himself wisely, and the Lord was with him.  That made Saul fear him even more as he was gaining favor more and more because of his wise conduct, and that was further proof that the Lord was surely with David.

(16) But all Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them.

All of Israel and David's own tribe, Judah, loved him as he went before the people.

(17) And Saul said to David, "Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give you as wife, only be valiant for me and fight the Lord's battles." For Saul said, "Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him."

As Saul had promised to the one who killed Goliath, he offered his daughter Merab to David as his wife on the condition that he remain valiant for him and fight the Lord's battles.  Saul still hated David, but rather than him trying to kill him, he would put David out there against his enemies so that the Philistines would kill him.

(18) And David said to Saul, "Who am I? And what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"

David seemed surprised at Saul's offer, although that had been promised to the one who killed Goliath.  However, David had not killed Goliath to get all the rewards.  He did it to defend God's honor and that of His people Israel.  You see David's humility here, as he asked Saul why such a lowly man as he was, a shepherd, from a family that was not particularly greatly esteemed or upper-class, should become son-in-law to the king.

(19) But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.

However, Saul did not follow through with his word.  When it came time for Merab to marry David, Saul gave her instead to Adriel, a Meholathite, probably one from Abel-Meholath (Judges 7:22).  Although that could be seen as a great injustice to David, in his modesty before displayed, David showed no signs of resentment.

(20) And Michal Saul's daughter loved David, and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

A younger daughter of Saul, Michal, loved David, and when it was told to Saul, he was pleased with the idea, probably because it gave him a chance to save face with the people after his breach of promise and perhaps another chance to put David in harm's way.

(21) And Saul said, "I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David, "You shall this day be my son-in-law in the twain."

Saul decided he would give Micah to David as his wife so that he could use her as a trap for David, that the Philistines would come against him.  He told David that he would be his son-in-law "in the twain."  As the word means "two," he either meant David would have a second chance to become his son-in-law, or perhaps it referred to the second of his two daughters.  Actually, Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, suggested it meant he would have both daughters, as Merab had actually been betrothed to David, although she never married him.

(22) And Saul commanded his servants, "Commune with David secretly and say, 'Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore be the king's son-in-law." (23) And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, "Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?"

It appears that David needed some persuasion to take the deal, and Saul sent his servants to flatter David and encourage him to become the king's son-in-law, by telling him that the king had delight in him, and all his servants loved him.  However, David told them that this was no trifling matter, that a poor shepherd, such as he was, should up and become the king's son-in-law.

(24) And the servants of Saul told him, saying, "In this manner spoke David." (25) And Saul said, "Thus shall you say to David, 'The king desires not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies.'" But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

Saul's servants told him what David had said.  He sent his servants back to David to tell him, since it seemed to him that David mentioned his poverty as a reason why he could not afford a proper dowry to become the king's son-in-law, that Saul did not desire a dowry, but he wanted a hundred foreskins of the Philistines to be avenged of his enemies.  Of course, his real desire was that David be killed by the Philistines.

(26) And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not expired, (27) When David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two hundred men, and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.

When Saul's servants told David what Saul said, it pleased him to consent to being Saul's son-in-law.  After all, David willingly went out wherever Saul sent him (verse 5).  David wasted no time, and he and his men killed two hundred Philistines, double what Saul had asked for, and brought all their foreskins back to Saul.  It seems David felt satisfied then that he was worthy to accept the position of the king's son-in-law.  Saul, realizing he could not refuse, gave Michal his daughter to David as his wife.

(28) And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. (29) And Saul was yet the more afraid of David, and Saul became David's enemy continually.

Saul could tell that the Lord was with David and now he was married to his daughter, whom he realized loved David very much.  Their marriage, which Saul had hoped would destroy David before it ever happened, would now pave the way for his ascending to Saul's throne.  That made him even more afraid of David, and he became David's constant enemy.

(30) Then the princes of the Philistines went forth, and it came to pass after they went forth, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much set by.

Then the princes of the Philistines went to war against the Israelites, being provoked by their loss after David killed Goliath.  So much for Goliath's word that if an Israelite killed him, the Philistines would become the servants of Israel (1 Samuel 17:9).  David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, probably showing himself to be more expert in the art of war and more successful in his attacks on the Philistines than all the others.  His name came to be prized, valuable, as was the original meaning of the word "yaqar" that was translated as "set by."  He was held in high esteem by the people.

It is very noteworthy that David's prayer in Psalm 5 that his enemies fall by their own counsels was continually answered by God in that all Saul's schemes to destroy David only served to make him greater and more well esteemed by all the people.  Once a mere shepherd boy, he was now a prince next in line for the king's throne.

Prayer for Guidance and Protection

My chronological Bible study structured by Skip Andrews has taken a short intermission with psalms that David may have written at the time of the events in the study.  David had just defeated Goliath and had given the glory to the Lord.

(Psalm 5:1) (To the chief musician upon Nehiloth, a psalm of David) Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

David wrote this psalm to the chief musician on the flute, which is what most early Bible commentators believe is meant by Nehiloth.  He began by asking the Lord to hear his words and consider his thoughts.

(2) Hearken to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray.

The fact that David was crying out to the Lord and pleading with Him to really hear and pay attention to his prayer, seems to place this psalm at a time when David was more distressed than he would have been at this time.  However, since there are 150 psalms, and David wrote at least half of them, Mr. Andrews did the best he could at placing them chronologically during David's time.  Although David had been anointed by God to be king of Israel on earth, He acknowledged that he was subject to the King of the universe.

(3) My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You and will look up.

I believe David's point was that he prayed to the Lord every morning.  Every morning the Lord heard from David, and he would look up to the Lord for guidance.

(4) For You are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness; neither shall evil dwell with You. (5) The foolish shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.

David knew that he could go to the Lord with his complaints or requests for help regarding the wicked because the Lord took no pleasure in wickedness.  He did not allow the wicked to stand in His sight as He hated all workers of sin and wickedness.  Every one of us, including David, sin at one time or another, some more often than others.  But David spoke of the workers of iniquity, those who made it their mission to do evil.  The God of love and mercy who will forgive all who come to Him and repent, has no such love for the ones who purposely do evil in His sight.

(6) You shall destroy them who speak falsehood; the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

David knew that the Lord would bring to destruction liars as He hated bloodthirsty men of fraud.  A man might lie without danger of the law of man, but he will not escape the law of God.  Again, this pertains to the workers of deceit and fraud.  While we all may occasionally experience the chastisement of the Lord because of lying or some such sin of fraud, that is because God loves us and wants to teach us.  It is the workers of deceit and fraud who have no fear of the Lord that He abhors.

(7) But as for me, I will come to Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; in Your fear I will worship toward Your holy temple.

But as for David, he would go to the Lord daily, every morning, in the midst of His great love and mercy.  In reverential fear of the Almighty God, he would worship before the temple of God, if not before the physical temple, he looked toward and forward to that temple of God's holiness, which may have meant the Messiah, as David often prophesied about the coming Messiah.

(8) Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face.

But as for David who would sin in his lifetime, unlike a worker of iniquity, he would come to the Lord daily asking Him to lead him in the righteous way of the Lord, not in David's imperfect way against his enemies, but in the Lord's perfect will and way.  He asked the Lord to make His way straight or plain so that he might clearly discern it.

(9) For no faithfulness is in their mouth, their inward part very wickedness, their throat an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

David spoke of his enemies.  The original word "koon" translated as "faithfulness," meant more precisely "to be erect, set up," so when used figuratively, it meant "established, fixed, sure."  In that way, there was nothing fixed, established, sure, and trustworthy, in their mouths, nothing that could be trusted as faithful.  Their hearts were very wicked, and as their mouths flattered with deceitful words, their throats were as graves open to receive their victims.  The words of the wicked, from an abundance of wickedness in their hearts, are used to trick and lure victims to their destruction.

(10) Destroy them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.

The original word "asham" that was translated as "destroy" meant more precisely "to be guilty, by implication to be punished or perish."  I couldn't help but notice the similarity to our word "ashamed."  Let them become ashamed as their evil plots work against them and expose their guilt.  Cast them out in the multitude of their sins.  I don't believe David's prayer was to literally kill his enemies and cast them into hellfire, nor do I believe it would be Christian and proper to pray so, as we all have a multitude of sins.  However, the enemies of God, those who have rebelled against Him and His word, should be cast out from among God's people as their wickedness is exposed.  Maybe it's because I have not personally been tested by an enemy who wanted to kill me, and therefore have not desired vengeance, but my heart honestly hurts that such wickedness in the world today is against God.  And I have prayed that the wicked's schemes fall on their own heads and are exposed.  What is harder to do, and what I believe Jesus intended for us to do when He told us to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44), is to pray for their salvation and mercy for them because they are just lost to the devil, and that is a dreadful sorrowful thing.

(11) But let all who put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever shout for joy because You defended them; let them also who love Your name be joyful in You.

David prayed that all the people who put their trust in the Lord be able to rejoice and shout for joy because He had defended them.  It's easy to rejoice and shout for joy when we perceive our prayers have been answered positively to our liking, and our enemies have not succeeded, but we should always be joyful in the Lord just because of His name and Who He is.  After all, His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9), and we can't always see that what looks bad to us is actually good in the long run.  Additionally, we know that in the end, we win, that is Jesus Christ wins and takes us with Him to His eternal home.

(12) For You, Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor will You surround him as a shield.

David acknowledged that the Lord would ultimately bless the righteous, and that is not because of righteousness in themselves, but because they love and follow their Lord's guidance, they make Him the Lord of their lives, and because they do that, He surrounds and protects them with His favor because they are His.

The 23rd Psalm

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 23:1) (A Psalm of David) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

As David wrote half of the 150 psalms of the Bible, the chronological study I am following puts the psalms in places that seem to relate to what was going on with David at the time.  In the last chapter and post, David had just killed Goliath with only a sling and a stone, and he gave all the credit to the Lord.  The 23rd Psalm does seem like a fitting one at this time in David's life.  

Being a shepherd himself, David could see that the Lord was a shepherd to him, taking care of him, so that there was nothing else he needed or wanted that wasn't provided.  As the apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:19, God would supply all your need, and again as the Lord said to Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:9, His grace is sufficient for His strength is made perfect in weakness.  That was certainly the case with David confronting Goliath.

(2) He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

I look at this verse two ways.  The Lord makes him take a refreshing break, to lie down in the cool green grass.  We all need rest and refreshment to carry onward.  But probably what is meant is that the Lord provides for and feeds His sheep in the green pastures.  They are able to eat their fill and then lie down in contented rest and safety.  The Lord led David beside the still waters, not rapid torrents that would frighten His sheep, but still quiet waters for replenishment and rest.  Again it was Paul who said in 1 Corinthians 14:33, God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.

(3) He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

The Lord restored David's soul.  Whenever he was tired or disheartened, the Lord refreshed and restored his soul.  He led David in the paths of righteousness.  His Spirit was upon him to lead him in the right ways, and David acknowledged the fact that it was the Lord leading him, and that it was for God's own glory and because of His own grace and mercy, and not by anything David had done.

(4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Even though he might be in danger of death, as sheep who wander in a dark valley, and as when he confronted Goliath, he would not be afraid because he knew the Lord was with him to guide and protect him.  The shepherd guides his sheep with his staff but sometimes has to use the rod to keep wandering sheep in line for their own safety.  That's the way we should view the Lord's rod of chastisement; He wants to teach us in the way to go.  As Proverbs 13:24 says, "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him chastens him promptly."  The Lord loves us and that is why he chastens us, to teach us the way in which we shall prosper and grow, away from the way of destruction. 

(5) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

Not only does the Lord provide, but He provides abundantly, as if He prepared a feast.  Not only that, but He prepares the table, anoints with oil, and provides to overflowing, in the presence of enemies!  Again there is no confusion with the Lord.  Though the enemy may be at the door, we can partake of the Lord's peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7).

(6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The word "surely" is more like "assuredly, verily;" it's a truth.  Goodness and mercy will follow the one who looks to the Lord as his shepherd, all the days of his life, and beyond that in the house of the Lord forever.

The Lord is the pastor or shepherd of His people.  They shall want for nothing.  He guides, feeds, and protects them.  Even in the greatest dangers, they may be confident in His protection.  He provides abundantly, and they can be assured of His continual mercy and provision and eternal joy.