The Lord Reigns in Zion

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Chronicles 15:15) And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God upon their shoulders with its staves, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.

The ark had been in the home of Obed Edom for three months, during which time David learned the proper way to move it.  Now, according to the law the Lord gave through Moses, the Levites carried the ark upon their shoulders rather than in a common cart (2 Samuel 6:3).

(16) And David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

David spoke to the chief of the Levites and had him appoint singers with musical instruments that along with the singing would result in loud resounding joy.

(17) So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

The Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel, Asaph the son of Berechiah, and Ethan the son of Kushaiah, to be singers with instruments.

(18) And with them their brethren of the second, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed Edom, and Jeiel, the porters. 

Considered a second rank, or perhaps backup to the three main singers, were the fourteen above named men.  It seems they were also porters of the sanctuary when they were not singing.

(19) So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound with cymbals of brass; (20) And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth; (21) And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.

All the singers were appointed the instruments they should play when they sang.  The three lead singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to play brass cymbals.  Eight men of the second rank were appointed psalteries, which were stringed instruments similar to the lyre.  "Alamoth" was the Hebrew word for "maidens or young women," so perhaps these psalteries were tuned to imitate the sound of young women’s voices.  The other six second rank singers were to play harps on the "Sheminith."  That word meant "eight" so perhaps these were particular eight-stringed harps called lyre harps.  The original word "natsach" that was translated "to excel" meant also "to be eminent" or "set forward."  Perhaps the harps were to be the most prominent or they led the other musicians.

The names of the second rank singers in verses 20-21 are slightly different than first named in verse 18.  Aziel is probably the same as Jaaziel, but Ben is left out and Azaziah added.  Either Ben went by both names or he was replaced soon after being appointed.

(22) And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, for song; he instructed about the song because he was skillful.

Chenaniah, the chief of the Levites, seems to have been appointed the music conductor because he was skillful in that.

(23) And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

Berechiah, the father of one of the lead singers, Asaph (verse 17), and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

(24) And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethanel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

Shebaniah, Jehoshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew trumpets before the ark of God.  These may be the same silver trumpets which were to be blown when the camps and the ark of the Lord moved (Numbers 10:5).

(2 Samuel 6:12) And it was told King David, saying, "The Lord has blessed the house of Obed Edom and all that pertains to him because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed Edom into the city of David with gladness.

When the Lord had struck Uzzah dead for touching the ark, David was afraid to move it any further, and he put it aside in the house of Obed Edom for a time.  David had since learned the proper way to move the ark, and when he had been told that having the ark actually blessed the house of Obed Edom, he was confident he could then move it to the city of David, and that he did with gladness.

(13) And it was that when they who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

When the Levites had carried the ark six paces, apparently successfully, denoting God's acceptance, they stopped and David sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep (1 Chronicles 15:26) to the Lord.

(14) And David danced before the Lord with all his might, and David was girded with a linen ephod.

David was so glad, in fact, that he danced before the Lord with all his might.  The original word "karar" that was translated as "danced" was only used in the Bible twice and was not the usual word used for dance.  It means specifically "whirl" which implies dancing.  David was whirling with all his might.  He wore a linen ephod like the priests wore.  Perhaps he had laid aside his royal robes because it was lighter and he was better able to dance, and maybe to demonstrate that although he was king, he was willing to be the Lord's minister and servant.

(15) So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

David and all the representatives of the people of Israel brought the ark of the Lord to the city of David with joyful and triumphant shouting, with the trumpets, and surely with all the singers and musicians.

(1 Chronicles 15:25) So David and the elders of Israel and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed Edom with joy.

1 Chronicles 15 also told of David and the elders and captains of the people bringing the ark of God out of the house of Obed Edom with much joy.

(26) And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

This version gives the glory to God who helped the Levites who carried the ark.  This time it was acceptable to Him, and they carried the ark without stumbling.  They offered a sacrifice of seven young bulls and seven rams.

(27) And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites who bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers; David also had upon him an ephod of linen.

David, the Levites who bore the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the conductor, all wore robes of fine linen.  David also wore an ephod.

(28) Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.

All the leaders representing all of Israel brought the ark of God to the city of David with shouting and loud music.

(Psalm 97:1) The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad!

My chronological Bible study takes me now to Psalm 97, a song of joy about the reign of the Lord.  It is possible the people could have sung such a song as they brought the ark to Zion.  Because the Lord reigns, the entire earth with all its lands can rejoice and be glad.

(2) Clouds and darkness round about Him, righteousness and judgment the habitation of His throne.

The clouds and darkness all around Him may refer to the darkness of the world, but it also might mean that He is covered by clouds and darkness as no man can see Him and live (Exodus 33:20), and often the Lord was described as being in a cloud.  He is a righteous God who executes just judgment because it is His very nature.

(3) A fire goes before Him and burns up His enemies round about.

The very being of God is power consuming all opposition.  Lies, superstitions, and sins cannot stand in His presence.  When He comes to judge, the unrighteous will be as chaff before the flame (Isaiah 5:24).

(4) His lightnings enlightened the world; the earth saw and trembled.

This may be literal in that God's lightnings indeed light up the sky with blazes that make the sun appear dim compared to them.  The inhabitants of the earth see such power and tremble.  

(5) The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

Nothing is able to stand against the Lord of the whole earth and the universe beyond it.

(6) The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the people see His glory.

The heavens declare the Lord's righteousness.  Whether by angels and messengers from heaven, or by the vastness and awesomeness of the sky and the universe, the people see the glory of God.

(7) Confounded be all they who serve graven images, who boast themselves of idols; worship Him, all gods.

Let those who serve false gods of engraved images and carved idols, and who boast of their ability to save them, be disappointed, confused, and ashamed.  Let all the false gods bow before the one true God of the universe.

(8) Zion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of Your judgments, O Lord.

In the context of this post, perhaps Zion heard that the Lord God of the universe represented by His ark was coming to rest there.  They were very glad, as were all the surrounding villages, that the Lord and His righteous judgments reigned.

(9) For You, Lord, are high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.

The Lord is infinitely exalted above all men, kings, gods, and angels.

(10) You who love the Lord, hate evil; He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

Those who love the Lord must hate evil, as evil cannot stand in the presence of God.  God preserves the souls of His saints and delivers them out of the hands of the wicked.  Although He may choose to preserve their lives and deliver them, this pertains more completely to their souls that no man is able to pluck out of His hand (John 10:29).

(11) Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

Light is sown and laid up in store for the righteous.  Even if they are not immediately delivered from their circumstances, they know the light is coming and they are very glad for that.  "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

(12) Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.

The righteous rejoice in the Lord and give thanks that He is a holy God.  The holy righteous and just God can be nothing but that, and that is a reason to rejoice and be thankful.  We need not fear any man or any situation when we know that our God is all holy, all good, and all just, all the time.

The Lord Has Chosen Zion

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Chronicles 15:1) And David made him houses in the city of David and prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched for it a tent.

David had been in the process of moving the ark of God to the city of David when Uzzah was struck dead for touching the ark.  David was afraid to move it further, and it stayed at the home of Obed Edom for three months.  During that time David continued to build up the City of David which probably meant the houses or apartments of the royal palace.  He also prepared a tent for the ark.

(2) Then David said, "None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them has the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever."

It seems David had learned from his former mistake of bringing the ark in a cart.  He had probably searched out the law or sought the Lord and then planned to follow the law regarding the ark and the things of God.  He declared that only the Levites should carry the ark of God because they were the ones God had chosen for that task and for ministering to Him (Deuteronomy 10:8).

(3) And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place which he had prepared for it.

David once again gathered all Israel together to bring the ark of God to the royal city (1 Chronicles 13:5) to the place David had now prepared for it.

(4) And David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites:

David then assembled the priests, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites who were the ministers of God.

(5) Of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twenty;

Kohath was a son of Levi who was long dead by this time, but his descendant Uriel was chief of his family tribe, and he had a hundred and twenty of his relations with him.

(6) Of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brethren, two hundred and twenty;

From Levi's son Merari, Asaiah was the chief of his family tribe, and he had two hundred and twenty with him.

(7) Of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brethren a hundred and thirty;

From Levi's son Gershom, Joel was the chief of his family tribe, and he had a hundred and thirty kinsmen with him.

(8) Of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred; (9) Of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brethren eighty; (10) Of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brethren a hundred and twelve.

Elizaphan was a son or grandson of Kohath, and Shemaiah was the chief of his family tribe, and he had 200; Kohath's son Hebron's posterity was led by Eliel, and he had eighty of his kindred with him; and Kohath's son Uzziel had posterity led by Amminadab their chief with 112 of his brethren.

(11) And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab, (12) And said to them "You the chief of the fathers of the Levites, sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it."

David then called together Zadok and Abiathar the priests and all the leaders of the family tribes aforementioned and told them to prepare and sanctify themselves so that they might bring the ark of the Lord to the place David had prepared for it.

(13) "For because you did not do it at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us for we did not seek Him after the due order."

David told the priests and the Levites that because they had not consulted God about the proper order of things regarding the bringing of the ark to the royal city, they had failed to do things correctly, and God had made a breach on them by striking Uzzah dead because he had touched the ark.

(14) So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.

So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves as David had told them to do so that they could bring the ark of the Lord to the City of David to its proper place.

(Psalm 132:1) (A Song of Degrees) Lord, remember David and all his afflictions,

My chronological study now takes me to Psalm 132, one of the fifteen psalms that were each called a Song of Degrees or a Song of Ascents.  According to some traditions, the Jewish priests sang some of these Songs of Ascent as they ascended up the steps to the temple in Jerusalem.  While perhaps they were not originally composed for this purpose, these psalms were later grouped together for use in traveling toward Jerusalem for the yearly Jewish festivals.  As David is spoken about in the third person, he may not have been the composer of this particular psalm, but then again, he could have written it in celebration of the day when he would bring the ark of the Lord to Zion.  That is why it is reasonable to place it here in a chronological Bible study.  

The psalmist began by asking God to remember David and all his afflictions, probably the difficulty he had even coming to the kingdom in the first place, but at this point, it might be the difficulty he was having bringing the ark to his city.

(2) How he swore to the Lord and vowed to the mighty God of Jacob, (3) "Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house nor go up into my bed, (4) I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, (5) Until I find out a place for the Lord, a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob."

Rather than a real vow that David swore to the Lord, since we know that David had already resided in his house in Zion, this demonstrated David's intense and immediate desire to make a place for the Lord.

(6) Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah; we found it in the fields of the wood.

The people had heard of the ark once at Ephratah in the tribe of Ephraim where the people were called Ephraimites or Ephrathites.  Then they found it in the fields of the wood at Kirjath Jearim, which literally meant "city of forests."

(7) We will go into His tabernacles; we will worship at His footstool.

This seems to denote ascent in this Psalm of Degrees:  "we heard...we found...we will go...we will worship."  You can see how they may have sung this Song of Ascent as they ascended up the steps to the temple in Jerusalem.  By what follows this verse seems to speak of the Lord's permanent place in Jerusalem.  It was here and there, but now it would be fixed, and the people would worship at His footstool, perhaps meant literally, as the ark of God sat under the mercy seat where God dwelt between the cherubim, so the ark could be considered His footstool.

(8) Arise, O Lord, into Your rest, You and the ark of Your strength.

Indeed, Lord, come into Your permanent resting place, You and the ark of Your law, Your strength.

(9) Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness and let Your saints shout for joy.

May the Lord's priests always be clothed with righteousness, and His saints will shout for joy in His holiness and salvation.  Joy and happiness will naturally follow righteousness and holiness.  The Lord was coming to His permanent place in Jerusalem to dwell among His people, and that was a joyous thing.

(10) For Your servant David's sake, do not turn away the face of Your anointed.

Because of the promises made to David, because the Lord had anointed David as king over His people, the request was that He not turn away from His anointed, David, but continue to be with him.

(11) The Lord has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it; of the fruit of your body will I set upon your throne.

May the Lord's promises continue to his posterity for His servant David's sake.  The Lord would not turn from His promises, and from David's lineage the Messiah would come, which seems to be the prophetic message here.

(12) If your children will keep My covenant and My testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon your throne forevermore.

If David's descendants would keep the Lord's covenant and commandments, they would continue to sit on David's throne forever, but of course, they ultimately did not hold up their end of the covenant to follow the teaching of the Lord.

(13) For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation.

The Lord Himself had chosen Zion to be the seat of His Church where He would dwell, and where He would place His Son to be the spiritual Head of His Church.

(14) This is My rest forever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it.

This was to be the Lord's resting place forever, where He would forever dwell.  This must be in the spiritual sense; He would dwell in Christ's Church forever.  The roots of His Church would be firmly planted in Zion where Christ would teach and offer salvation, and then His Church would continue in the spiritual sense with the Holy Spirit of God dwelling within His saints forever.

(15) I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread.

The Lord will abundantly bless His Church; He fully satisfies the poor in spirit with the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.

(16) I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

What was requested in verse 9 will come to fruition in Christ's salvation, and His Church's saints will shout for joy.

(17) There will I make the horn of David to bud; I have ordained a lamp for My anointed.

There in the Christian Church, the Lord would make David's power and prosperity to grow.  In his house and lineage would come one eminent and glorious light, the Messiah. 

(18) His enemies will I clothe with shame, but upon Himself shall His crown flourish.

Though this could be said of the person of David, as the Lord would put to shame his enemies and his kingdom would flourish, I think it more properly refers to the spiritual David and his posterity.  The Son of David's crown would flourish and spread worldwide and forevermore.

The degrees or ascents are very visible in this psalm.  It moves from afflictions to promise to fulfillment to a crown forever.  Amen!

The Majesty of God

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(2 Samuel 6:6) And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it for the oxen shook it.

After an intermission of parts of Psalm 78, we return to the story of moving the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim to Jerusalem.  The people had put the ark into a new cart, and the sons of Abinadab, Uzzah and Ahio, drove the cart.  When they came to a certain place, Nachon's threshing floor, the oxen shook the cart and the ark, and Uzzah put forth his hand and took hold of the ark to steady it.

(7) And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error, and there he died by the ark of God.

The Levites were forbidden to touch the ark upon pain of death according to the law in Numbers 4:15.  This was the last straw, if you will, for the Lord.  His ark was being carried in a common cart which was against the law, as it should have been borne on the shoulders of the priests (Numbers 7:9), but it had gone too far when Uzzah touched the holy ark.  God struck him dead at that point.

(8) And David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah, and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day.

David was upset that the Lord had struck down Uzzah.  After all, he had only been trying to save the ark from falling.  The Lord judges the heart of man, so if Uzzah's heart was for his Lord, then he surely is with the Lord now.  However, it was a slippery slope that David's kingdom was on, and the Lord needed to teach David the sacredness of His law if he was to lead God's people.  When little things are permitted to slide, it becomes easier to commit bigger transgressions, but it appears that David did not understand that at this point.  The Lord had made a breach or a breaking forth upon Uzzah, so David called the place Perez Uzzah, which literally meant "the breach or break of Uzzah."

(9) And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, "How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?"

David was then afraid of the Lord, afraid of again offending the Lord in his attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem.

(10) So David would not remove the ark of the Lord to him into the city of David, but David carried it aside into the house of Obed Edom, the Gittite.

David would not at that time move the ark to the city of David, not until he fully understood the Lord's actions regarding it.  He turned aside and carried it into the house of Obed Edom, called a Gittite only because he was from Gath Rimmon, a Levitical city (Joshua 21:24), not because he was from Gath, a Philistine city.  Obed Edom was a Levite as is made known to us later in scripture, so it was an appropriate place in which the ark be held.

(11) And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed Edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed Edom and all his household.

The ark of the Lord stayed in the house of Obed Edom for three months.  Obed Edom had surely known the destruction the ark had made among the Philistines (1 Samuel 5:9) and had seen Uzzah struck dead, but he invited it into his house apparently without fear, surely knowing how to treat it, and the Lord greatly blessed him and all his household.  The historian Josephus said that Obed Edom was very poor before but came into affluent circumstances, being blessed by the Lord.

(1 Chronicles 13:9) And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put forth his hand to hold the ark for the oxen stumbled.

1 Chronicles 13 told of the same event, except that a different name is used for the owner of the threshing floor.  He probably answered to two different names as was often the case with people at this time.  The oxen stumbled, and Uzzah put forth his hand to steady the ark.

(10) And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark, and there he died before God. (11) And David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah; therefore that place is called Perez Uzzah to this day.

The Lord struck Uzzah dead for touching the ark which upset David.  He named the place after Uzzah, specifically Perez Uzzah, meaning "break or breach of Uzzah."

(12) And David was afraid of God that day, saying, "How shall I bring the ark of God to me?" (13) So David did not bring the ark to himself, to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed Edom, the Gittite. (14) And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed Edom and all that he had.

David was afraid of what the Lord might do if he continued to try to bring the ark back to the city of David, so he turned aside and carried it into the house of Obed Edom where it remained for three months, and the Lord greatly blessed Obed Edom and his family.

The chronological Bible study structured by Skip Andrews now takes me to Psalm 68:

(Psalm 68:1) (To the Chief Musician, A Psalm or Song of David) Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let them also who hate Him flee before Him.

It is feasible that David could have written this psalm during the three months the ark was with Obed Edom, as he surely reflected on the incident and why God would be so angry.  These were the same words used by Moses when the Levites took up the ark upon their shoulders (Numbers 10:35).  As they raised up the ark, they proclaimed their Lord to be rising up and scattering all His enemies as those who hated Him fled from before Him.

(2) As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, let the wicked perish at the presence of God. 

As smoke is so easily moved by the slightest wind, David wished for the enemies of God to be as easily removed.  As wax cannot withstand fire, so let the enemies of God melt away as easily.

(3) But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

The very same God who is a terror to His enemies is a source of joy for the people who follow Him, and they exceedingly rejoice in His goodness and mercy.

(4) Sing unto God, sing praises to His name, extol Him who rides upon the heavens by His name JAH, and rejoice before Him.

David called on people to sing praises to God, their Lord, to extol God who was exalted above the heavens.  They were to extol Him by His Name, JAH, the abbreviated name for Jehovah, the self-existent eternal One, "I AM."  

(5) A father of the fatherless and a judge of the widows, is God in His holy habitation.

From His holy habitation in heaven, God is the defender and protector of orphans and widows.

(6) God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound with chains, but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

God brings the solitary, the ones who are alone as with orphans and widows, into families.  All those lonely ones can be brought into the Christian family, into Christ's church.  He brings out all who are bound with chains, oppressed, and slaves to their own sins.  However, the rebellious, who will not hear His call, remain in a dry land devoid of God's blessings.

(7) O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You did march through the wilderness, Selah; (8) The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God; Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

I am struck by the realization that even when His people were faithless and sinful, and God made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, He never left them.  Any perceived punishments by God upon His people were always intended to bring them back to Him, their only hope for salvation in a fallen world.  Their God continued to go forth before His people in the wilderness.  Selah meant a pause for effect, for the buildup to the grandeur of God who could make the earth itself shake and make the heavens drop at His command, whether it was rain and hailstones or manna from heaven.  Even Mount Sinai quaked greatly at the presence of God (Exodus 19:18).

(9) You, O God, did send a plentiful rain, whereby You did confirm Your inheritance, when it was weary.

God sent plentiful rain in the desert, water leaped forward from rocks, manna fell from heaven, and His people were showered with blessings and refreshed when they were weary.  They were His chosen heritage, and although for their good He allowed them to be weary, He watchfully tended to their needs.

(10) Your congregation has dwelt in it; You, O God, have prepared of Your goodness for the poor.

The Lord's congregation had dwelt in His inheritance in their promised land.  The Lord had provided for His poor people when they had no resources of their own.

(11) The Lord gave the word; great was the company of those who published it.

The Lord gave the word, His command, and His people, His prophets, carried it forth.  This sounds like prophecy of Jesus Christ, the Word, whom the Lord gave to the world, and there was certainly a great company of those who proclaimed the news of the Messiah and His good news.

(12) Kings of armies did flee, and she who tarried at home divided the spoil. (13) Though you have lain among the pots, you will be as the wings of a dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold. 

Kings of the Canaanites and other pagan nations fled from before the Lord, and even those at home who did not go out to battle against those nations, shared in the bounty.  Even those women at home toiling among the pots would be arrayed in silver and gold.

(14) When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was as snow in Salmon.

I believe the meaning is that when the Lord scattered the pagan kings, the land was pure as the driven snow.  The meaning of "Salmon" is "shady," so perhaps as Salmon went from dark to white when it snowed, so the promised land went from darkness to light when the Lord scattered the kings from it.

(15) The hill of God, the hill of Bashan, a high hill the hill of Bashan.

This is a rather difficult verse.  I don't believe David was calling the hill of Bashan the hill of God.  I believe he meant the hill of God, Zion, was high and grand as the Bashan Mountains that were said to be grand, majestic, and imposing.

(16) Why do you leap, you high hills? The hill God desires to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell forever.

I purposely left out all the words the KJV added for context to try to determine the meaning of this verse.  Why did the higher hills boast of superiority?  I believe it represents the larger kingdoms that boasted of superiority.  But the hill of God, the one He, the eternal God, chose in which to dwell, was out of the reach of those leaping high hills.  They could not compare with the grandeur and majesty of the hill of God, His church.

(17) The chariots of God, twenty thousand, thousands of angels, the Lord is among them, Sinai, in the holy place.

The armies of God were an infinite number, as the original word "ribbo" that was translated as "twenty thousand" meant exactly "a myriad, a very great or indefinitely great number."  The Lord's armies and angels are infinite, and He is among them no less gloriously than he was in Sinai, when He, attended with thousands of His angels, solemnly appeared to deliver the law (Deuteronomy 33:2).

(18) You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts for men, yea, the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell there.

This appears to be a prophetic statement about Jesus Christ.  Paul quoted this about Jesus in Ephesians 4:8.  Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven and bound captivity.  No longer did people have to be held captive by their sins.  Once Jesus defeated death and rose to heaven, He sent the gift of the Holy Spirit.  He gave this gift even to the rebellious, as most all people are, as we are all sinners.  "But God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)  Because of Jesus and His gift of salvation and of the Holy Spirit, God is able to dwell among us.

(19) Blessed the Lord who daily loads us, the God of our salvation. Selah

The KJV translators added the words "with benefits" after "loads us."  While it is true that the Lord gives His people daily blessings and benefits, David's meaning might have been that the Lord carries us as the original word "amas" translated as "load" also means "carry a load."  Either way, the Lord is certainly the God of our salvation.  "Selah" means a pause.

(20) Our God is the God of salvation, and to God the Lord belong the issues from death.

The Lord is the God of our salvation, and only He is the author of life and death.  And if it's not your time, meaning God's time, then He will make escapes and deliverances from death.

(21) But God shall wound the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of such a one as goes on still in his trespasses.

God shall wound the head of His enemies, seemingly a reference to God putting enmity between Eve's posterity and the serpent Satan whereby it would bruise his head (Genesis 3:15), that hairy head, or disheveled head, as it also means.  That disheveled messed-up sinner who persists in his sins, God will wound.  Note it doesn't say "kill."  Although God could certainly kill at any instant anyone He wishes as He is the only author of life and death, I believe He wounds to give sinners a chance to repent.

(22) The Lord said, "I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring again from the depths of the sea, (23) That your foot may be dipped in the blood of enemies, the tongue of your dogs in the same."

The KJV translators added the words "My people" after "bring," and as the Lord definitely delivers His people from the highest heights and the lowest depths, from wherever and whatever their situation, I tend to think of it as originally written and still speaking of His enemies.  He will bring His enemies from wherever they might be hiding.  It is similar to what God said in Amos 9:  "Though they dig into hell...though they climb up to heaven...though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel...though they be hid from My sight in the bottom of the sea..." they would not escape His judgment.  Such imagery as from verse 23 always makes me uncomfortable, but the sense is that vengeance shall be awarded to the oppressed people, and so overwhelming should be the defeat of the enemy that they would have to wade in their blood and dogs would lick it.

(24) They have seen Your goings, O God, the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.

The enemies of God had seen His actions in the destruction of enemies and the deliverance of His people, and in His procession to the sanctuary, which might allude to His permanent place in His people's promised land.

(25) The singers went before, the players on instruments after, among the damsels playing with timbrels.

This seems to refer to a procession after a victory over their enemies, or perhaps to the eventual procession of the ark to the sanctuary.  It was or would be a joyous procession of singers, musicians, and dancers.

(26) Bless you God in the congregations, the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.

David exhorted people to praise the Lord in congregations, not only as individuals, but in public assemblies and processions.  They praised the Lord who would come from the patriarch Jacob, called Israel (Isaiah 48:1), and that was their coming Messiah.

(27) There little Benjamin, their ruler, the princes of Judah, their council, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

This again seems to allude to a victorious procession where little Benjamin, the smallest of all the tribes, led the congregation.  The princes of Judah, the largest of the tribes, and their company, as well as princes from Zebulun and Naphtali, two tribes of the ones farthest away, also participated.  I believe the sense is that all of Israel, now united, came together to praise the Lord.  Perhaps the more pertinent purpose was to bring them all together for the procession to bring the ark to Zion.

(28) Your God has commanded your strength; strengthen, O God, that which You have wrought for us.

Israel's God had ordained their nation strong.  May He continue to strengthen them to fulfill what He had purposed for them.

(29) Because of Your temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents to You.

David may have been looking forward to the Lord's temple being built in Jerusalem where kings would bring presents to Him to honor Him and His religion.  Indeed, when David's son Solomon built the temple, this was so.

(30) Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, everyone submit himself with pieces of silver; scatter you the people who delight in war.

Spearmen and bulls appear to represent fierce and warlike enemies of God; they, with their nations of people, would eventually come into submission to God and offer gifts or tribute and become subject to Him.  

(31) Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God.

This appears to be prophecy about Jesus Christ when salvation would be available to all Gentiles from the farthest reaches of the world.  All people would come to know God, from princes to slaves.

(32) Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises to the Lord; Selah.

All kingdoms of the world would sing praises to the Lord for their redemption and salvation, "which shall be to all people" (Luke 2:10).

(33) To Him who rides upon the heavens of heavens of old, lo, He does send out His voice, a mighty voice.

Sing praises to the One who dwells in the highest heavens that have existed since the beginning of time!  The Lord sends out His mighty voice as a mighty thunder, but perhaps the meaning is rather that He sends out His gospel of salvation to the world, and that is a very mighty voice that has the power to change and save lives.

(34) Ascribe you strength to God, His excellency over Israel and His strength in the clouds.

Acknowledge that the Lord is all powerful and able to do whatever He pleases, and it pleased Him to make Israel His people (1 Samuel 12:22).  His power sustained and protected His people but was not confined to men on earth.  His excellent, infinite, omnipresent, omniscient, power was over the entire universe.

(35) O God, terrible out of Your holy places, the God of Israel, He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God.

In this day and age, we always think of terrible as bad, but in Biblical context, it meant awesome, and yes, it was terrible to those enemies of God.  The God of Israel inspired awe and fear; His saints to whom He gave strength and power, obeyed with fear and trembling, and His enemies fled in horror.  Blessed be our God!  Amen!

I must say this was one of the hardest chapters of the Bible I've ever attempted to study.  I am ashamed to say that it even brought dread every time I read a complicated verse.  Now I am delighted to read that Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, wrote:

I know not how to undertake a comment on this Psalm: it is the most difficult in the whole Psalter; and I cannot help adopting the opinion of Simon De Muis...“In this Psalm there are as many precipices and labyrinths as there are verses or words. It may not be improperly termed, the torture of critics, and the reproach of commentators.” To attempt any thing new on it would be dangerous; and to say what has been so often said would be unsatisfactory. I am truly afraid to fall over one of those precipices, or be endlessly entangled and lost in one of these labyrinths. There are customs here referred to which I do not fully understand; there are words whose meaning I cannot, to my own satisfaction, ascertain; and allusions which are to me inexplicable. Yet of the composition itself I have the highest opinion: it is sublime beyond all comparison; it is constructed with an art truly admirable; it possesses all the dignity of the sacred language; none but David could have composed it; and, at this lapse of time, it would require no small influence of the Spirit that was upon him, to give its true interpretation.

I see that I am in good company!  And I trust that the Holy Spirit will illuminate the mind and spirit of those who read this psalm with whatever He deems pertinent at the time.  

In The Treasury of David by C. H. Spurgeon, he quoted R. H. Ryland, British clergyman and antiquarian, who pointed out something I had not seen in the psalm, perhaps because my mind was somewhat closed because of the difficulty of it all.  The psalm speaks of God and the Lord all through it.  However, David, undoubtedly by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, actually spoke of Elohim (verse 2), Adonai (verse 11), Shaddai (verse 14), Jehovah (verse 16), Jah (verse 18), and AI (verse 19).  

All these Hebrew names of God have distinct meanings; no one name could encompass all that the Lord God is, except perhaps for "I AM" which is what God Himself told Moses was His name (Exodus 3:14).  Elohim meant "ruler, god;" Adonai, "lord;" Shaddai, "almighty, most powerful;" Jehovah, "self-existent, eternal;" Jah, short for Jehovah; and AI short for Ayil meaning "strong, mighty, almighty."  The eye-opening name for me was AI.  AI was a shortened name of Ayil as Jah was for Jehovah.  AI being a name for God is quite interesting as men are now trying to create an AI god.

Moving the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(2 Samuel 6:1) Again David gathered together all the chosen of Israel, thirty thousand.

David had become established as king of all Israel.  He had just defeated the Philistines in and around Jerusalem.  He had proposed to all the people that they should bring the ark of the covenant to them in Jerusalem.  He now gathered thirty thousand of the choicest men of Israel.

(2) And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who dwells between the cherubim.

David went with the thirty thousand men he had gathered to him to Baale of Judah to bring the ark from there.  This was the same as Baalah in Judah that was also known as Kirjath Jearim according to Joshua 15:9.  God's name is Jehovah which is the original Hebrew for Lord.  He dwelt between the cherubim that overshadowed the mercy seat which was above the ark.

(1 Chronicles 13:5) So David gathered all Israel together from Shihor of Egypt to the entering of Hamath to bring the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim.

1 Chronicles 13 also told of the event.  Rather than all the people, it was likely the thirty thousand representatives of them whom David gathered together from the southern border at Egypt to the northern border at Hamath as seen on this map borrowed from JesusWalk:

Shihor is believed to be the Brook of Egypt.  David had gathered the thirty thousand men from all over Israel for the purpose of bringing the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim, which was said to be located about 7–9 miles west-northwest of Jerusalem.

(6) And David went up and all Israel to Baalah, to Kirjath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord who dwells between the cherubim whose name is proclaimed.

David and the 30,000 representatives of all Israel went to Kirjath Jearim in Judah to the ark of God the Lord, Jehovah, whose name was proclaimed there where He dwelt between the cherubim above the mercy seat.

(2 Samuel 6:3) And they set the ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah, and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

The people brought the ark out of the house of Abinadab in Gibeah, which was a prominent hill in Kirjath Jearim.  They set the ark of God on a new cart, thinking to honor the ark of God by placing it on a cart never before used for anything else.  However, the priests were to have carried it on their shoulders, according to Numbers 7:9.  They should not have put it in a cart, even new, like any common thing.  Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the cart.

(4) And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.

They brought the cart out of the house of Abinadab which had held the ark of God, and it appears that Ahio actually went before the ark while Uzzah drove the cart.

(5) And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

David and all the house of Israel with him played before the Lord on musical instruments made of fir wood, on harps, on other stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cornets, and on cymbals. Once again, they thought they were honoring God, but even David who would seem was well versed in the law of God, had failed to properly honor the ark.  

(1 Chronicles 13:7) And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio drove the cart. (8) And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

1 Chronicles 13 told of the same incident.  Rather than finishing the story, my chronological study takes me to Psalm 78:

(Psalm 78:1) (Maschil of Asaph) Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

This psalm was already studied in full in this chronological study by Skip Andrews, so I'm not sure why it would be repeated now.  Asaph was a Levite, appointed by David as one of the chief musicians responsible for leading worship before the Ark of the Covenant.  I suppose that is why it might be relevant at this chronological time.  Asaph wrote a few of the psalms, and he wrote this maschil, an instructive psalm.  He called on the people to listen to the doctrine he was about to deliver.

(2) I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, (3) Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

Asaph would speak freely and openly with analogies, metaphors, and examples.  When you think about it, the entire Old Testament was purposefully analogous to the lives of believers after the coming of Jesus.  "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness..." (2 Timothy 3:16).  Those who want to discard the Old Testament because it is not relevant anymore are very much in error as God intended it to be used for teaching us.  

This scripture actually was prophecy referring to Jesus and why He spoke in parables as it says in Matthew 13:34-35, "All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 'I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.'"  Asaph would speak of dark sayings, or perplexing things, of old, from the foundation of the world, things they had only heard of, such as the fall of man by means of Satan, and how he continued to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).  Perhaps he would speak prophetically of the Gospel which was kept secret until the Messiah came but had been ordained even before the world (1 Corinthians 2:7). 

(4) We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He has done.

The people of that present time would not hide those mysteries from their children and from their children's children but would pass on their knowledge of such things to future generations.  They would demonstrate to them how praiseworthy their Lord was, how strong He was, and all the wonderful things He had done for His people.

(5) For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children.

The Lord had established a testimony in the house of Jacob, or Israel, as Jacob was the patriarch.  He had appointed a law in Israel which He commanded fathers to teach their children (Deuteronomy 6:7).

(6) That the generation to come might know them, even the children who should be born who should arise and declare them to their children.

Then the next generation would know those mysteries of old and would pass them on to any children they would have who would, in turn, pass them on to their children.  I believe that is what has become lost in this world; so many people do not know the real truth of God because they have never heard the truth.

(7) That they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep His commandments.

By teaching every generation, they would continue to set their hope in God and never forget His wondrous works, and they would keep His commandments.  Once again, I can't help but think how this has become lost, and that is the reason why so many people are without hope in our day and age.

(8) And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set their heart aright and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.

If the future generations were taught the wonders of their Lord, they would not have to be like their forefathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation like those Israelites in the wilderness and those who rejected Christ, those who did not set their hearts to seek after their Lord to walk in faithfulness with Him.

(9) The children of Ephraim, armed, carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. (10) They kept not the covenant of God and refused to walk in His law. (11) And forgot His works and His wonders that He had showed them.

The children of the tribe of Ephraim, although armed and well equipped with the best weapons of the time, failed in faith and courage and retreated before the enemy, possibly referring to the failure of Ephraim to drive out the Canaanites from their promised land (Judges 1:29).  It may be that Ephraim here means all of Israel just as Jacob did.  In that case, it might refer to the time the Israelites fled before the Philistines and the ark of the Lord was taken.  That might be the most appropriate meaning here.  They had failed in their faith and did not keep the covenant of the Lord, forgetting all His wondrous works that proved He would always be there for them.

(67) Moreover, He refused the tabernacle of Joseph and chose not the tribe of Ephraim, (68) But chose the tribe of Judah, the Mount Zion which He loved.

The chronological study then skips forward to verse 67.  If this refers to the ark, the Lord refused the tribe of Ephraim, the son of Joseph, therefore also refusing him, where the ark had formerly been in Shiloh.  He now chose the tribe of Judah, specifically Mount Zion, the city of David, for His ark to dwell.

(69) And He built His sanctuary like high, like the earth which He has established forever.

The Lord built His sanctuary exalted, as if it were on a high hill, prominent and permanent, not to be moved from place to place as the tabernacle had been but established as firmly as the earth itself.

(70) He chose David also His servant and took him from the sheepfolds, (71) From following the ewes great with young He brought him, to feed Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance.

The Lord had chosen David out of the sheep fields; from tending to pregnant ewes, the Lord brought him to rather tend to His people Israel.

(72) So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

David led the people according to the integrity of his heart, striving to be upright and pure in the administration of his government, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands, which represented his power and actions.

Once again, I feel like this chronological order is rather disjointed and even disruptive of the historical event unfolding here.  While David led the people according to the integrity of his heart, in this case, he had forgotten the law of the Lord as we will soon understand in the coming study.

Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 139:1) (To the Chief Musician, a Psalm of David) O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

David was now the established king of Israel in Jerusalem, and he had just defeated the Philistines.  It was generally believed that David wrote this psalm when he was made king of Israel.  He began by declaring that he knew the Lord had searched his heart and knew him.  

(2) You know my downsitting and my uprising, You understand my thought afar off.

The Lord knew him when he sat down and when he rose up, in all circumstances, in his actions throughout the day.  Even from far off in heaven, David understood the Lord knew his every thought.

(3) You compass my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

That word "compass" or "zarah" in the original meant to turn over and over, in other words, winnow or sift.  God sifted out all the worthless chaff and saw the real David in everything he did.

(4) For not a word in my tongue, lo, O Lord, You know it altogether.

The Lord knew David's heart behind every word he spoke, even before he spoke it.

(5) You have beset me behind and before and laid Your hand upon me.

The Lord was on every side of David.  There was nothing he could think, say, or do, that the Lord didn't know.  The Lord's hand was on him to preserve, protect, and defend him.

(6) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.

Such knowledge as the Lord had of him was beyond anything he could ever attain.  The Lord knew him better than he knew himself.

(7) Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?

It was a rhetorical question as David knew there was nowhere he could go that would be out of the presence of the Lord and His Holy Spirit.

(8) If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

Whether David ascended to the farthest heights or descended into the farthest depths, the Lord would always be there.

(9) If I take the wings of the morning, dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, (10) Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.

If David could fly as swiftly as the morning light to the east, to the extremity of it, or dwell in the deepest parts of the sea, even there the Lord would be there to lead, guide, and protect him.

(11) If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me," even the night shall be light about me.

Even if David entertained the thought that he could hide in darkness from the Lord, even the night would be as light all around him.  Although darkness might be a hinderance to man's sight, it served the Lord's sight as well as the light. 

(12) Yea, the darkness hides not from you, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.

The darkness could not hide from the Lord, and nothing done in the dark escaped His sight.  There was no difference between light and dark in the Lord's eyes.

(13) For you have possessed my reins; you have covered me in my mother's womb.

The Lord owned even David's most inward parts; it was He who created him and protected him in his mother's womb.

(14) I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and my soul knows it right well.

David would praise the Lord for His wonderful work in creating him while he simultaneously feared such awesome power.  The Lord's works were positively marvelous, and he knew that through and through, even in his soul.

(15) My substance was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

David's entire body was never hidden from the Lord.  When David was created and in his mother's womb, hidden from the eyes of man, he was never hidden from the Lord.

(16) Your eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect, and in Your book all were written, in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

The Lord's eyes saw what David would be even while he was yet unformed.  All things pertaining to David throughout his life were known by God even before any of them came to fruition.

(17) How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! (18) If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.

The fact that the Lord had all those ongoing thoughts about him was a precious thing to David.  It was mind-boggling to him how much the Lord had thought about him from before he was born and would continue way past his death.  The Lord was with David when he closed his eyes to sleep at the end of the day with full confidence that He would be there when he awoke the next day.

(19) Surely You will slay the wicked, O God; depart from me therefore, you bloody men. (20) For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take your name in vain.

David had full confidence that the Lord would righteously judge the wicked.  He wanted no part of them because they spoke against his Lord wickedly and took His name in vain.

(21) Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And am I not grieved with those who rise up against You? (22) I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.

David could not help but hate those who hated the Lord.  The original word translated as "grieved" was "qut" and rather meant "cut off" or "detested."  David hated those who would rise up against his Lord.  He hated them with a pure and total hatred and counted them as enemies.  It's understandable that David would hate any enemies of his Lord, but Jesus taught us to love our enemies and pray for them.  We hate their actions, but as Jesus came to cover all the sins of any who would come to Him, we should pray that they turn from their wicked ways and become new creations in Christ.  To be cast into hell for eternity is a very horrible thing, and there but by the grace of God, go I.  Any of us could suffer the same fate if God's Holy Spirit had not called us to repent and follow Jesus, our only means of salvation.

(23) Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, (24) And see if any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

David ended his psalm by asking the Lord to continue to search him and his heart, to test him and his thoughts to see if there was any wickedness in them, as he wished for the Lord to continue to lead him in the way that led to everlasting life with Him.

Some of the old Biblical commentators I study suggested that as the verses starting with verse 19 took such an abrupt turn, they surely were part of a separate psalm.  However, I think they fit very well here.  Part of David's desire to have the Lord to search him was for his Lord to also know that he hated any enemies of Him.  He desired what the Lord desired, and he wanted the Lord to test his heart that that was true.  He then ended his psalm by continuing with the same thought with which he started it, for the Lord to continue to search him and his thoughts and to know him through and through.

David Defeats the Philistines

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Chronicles 12:8) And of the Gadites there separated themselves to David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, men of war fit for the battle, who could handle shield and buckler, whose faces the faces of lions and as swift as the roes on the mountains.

David had overtaken Jerusalem.  The Philistines heard that David had been made king over all of Israel and came looking for him.  This passage in 1 Chronicles 12 does not belong here chronologically.  I have been following a chronological study created by Skip Andrews and can't change now or I would surely miss something.  This passage refers to a time when David was still hiding out from Saul long before he was king and residing in Jerusalem.  It was obviously missed earlier and perhaps placed here to name the men who had previously joined David.  Men from the tribe of Gad on the other side of the Jordan River had joined with David.  They were valiant and courageous men of war, who were skilled in the instruments of war, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, bold, stern, and fierce.  Additionally, they were very swift.

(9) Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, (10) Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, (11) Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, (12) Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, (13) Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh.

Those eleven warriors named above from the tribe of Gad joined with David.  

(14) These were the sons of Gad, captains of the host, one of the least over a hundred and the greatest over a thousand.

Those Gadites who joined David were captains of large numbers of men in their own tribe, or perhaps the meaning is that David made them captains.

(15) These are they who went over Jordan in the first month when it had overflowed all its banks, and they put to flight all in the valleys, toward the east and toward the west.

These men had come over to David at a time when the Jordan River had overflowed its banks, at a time when it was probably so deep they had to swim over it, another sign of their fearless boldness.  It seems this band of warriors had put to flight all in the valleys on their way over.

(2 Samuel 5:18) The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.  (1 Chronicles 14:9) And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

Meanwhile, back to David and the Philistines at Jerusalem, the Philistines came and spread themselves out in the Valley of Rephaim, which this map borrowed from Precept Austin shows to be just west of Jerusalem.

(2 Samuel 23:13) And three of the thirty chief went down and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

Three of David's chief men went to him in the cave of Adullam where he had apparently gone when the Philistines came and pitched in the Valley of Rephaim.

(14) And David was then in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

This map borrowed from BibleWalks shows in more detail the Valley of Rephaim in the upper right quadrant of the map with Jerusalem in the far right and Bethlehem about six miles south which is where the Philistines were then while David was in the cave of Adullam in the lower left quadrant of the map:

(15) And David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate."

David longingly said he wished he could have a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem which is said to be about three-quarters of a mile to the north of Bethlehem, subsequently called David's well.

(16) And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink of it but poured it out to the Lord.

The three mighty men took it upon themselves to break through the army of the Philistines to go to the well of Bethlehem and bring water back to David.  However, David did not drink it but poured it out before the Lord.

(17) And he said, "Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

Evidently David had not expected anyone to actually go get him water from the well.  He had just meant to express that it would have been welcome at that time.  He felt he could not drink the water because it represented the blood of the men who had risked their lives just to bring him water.  This was one of the exploits of those three mighty men.  

(1 Chronicles 11:15) Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim. (16) And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem. (17) And David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!" (18) And the three broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David, but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD, (19) And said, "My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing. Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it." Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.

1 Chronicles 11 told of the same incident, almost verbatim.

(2 Samuel 5:19) And David enquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up to the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the Lord said to David, "Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand."

Then David asked the Lord if he should go out to the Philistines and if He would deliver them into his hands.  The Lord answered David that he should go forth for He would certainly deliver them into his hands.

(20) And David came to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there, and said, "The Lord has broken forth upon my enemies before me as the breach of waters." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

It seems the Philistines, at least some of them, had moved to a place later called Baal Perazim which was said to be in between Bethlehem and Jerusalem.  David struck them there, and said that the Lord had broken forth on the Philistines as floods or rivers of waters overflow a land and overturn all that stands in their way.  He called the place Baal Perazim which literally meant "possessor of breaches" or "lord of the breaks."

(21) And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

The Philistines had left their images, their false gods, which they had no doubt brought with them to protect and defend them and give them victory over the Israelites.  David and his men burned all their images.

(1 Chronicles 14:10) And David enquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You deliver them into my hand?" And the LORD said to him, "Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand." (11) So they came up to Baal Perazim; and David struck them there. Then David said, "God has broken in on my enemies by my hand like the breaking forth of waters." Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. (12) And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

1 Chronicles 14 told of the same incident with only a little added detail that David commanded the pagan gods to be burned which they then were.

(2 Samuel 5:22) And the Philistines came up yet again and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

More Philistines came forth and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

(23) And when David enquired of the Lord, He said, "You shall not go up, but circle around behind them and come upon them over against the mulberry trees."

David wisely consulted his Lord before each of his advances, for the Lord told him this time not to go forth against the Philistines, but to encircle them from behind specifically in an area across from mulberry trees.

(24) "And let it be when you hear the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall stir yourself, for then shall the Lord go out before you to strike the host of the Philistines."

The Lord went on to instruct David that when he heard the rustling of the trees indicating the advancement of the Philistines, he was then to move toward the Philistines for the Lord would go out before him to strike them.  The Lord purposely used different methods to keep David dependent on Him.  If He struck His enemies the same way every time, David could become complacent and believe it was of himself that his enemies were overcome.

(25) And David did so as the Lord had commanded him and struck the Philistines from Gibeon until you come to Gezer.

David did as the Lord instructed and struck the Philistines all across the valley of Rephaim from Gibeon to Gezer, as seen on the first map above.

(1 Chronicles 14:13) And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley. (14) Therefore David enquired again of God, and God said to him, "Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. (15) And it shall be, when you shall hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God is gone forth before you to strike the host of the Philistines." (16) David therefore did as God commanded him, and they struck the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer.

1 Chronicles 14 told of the same incident.

(17) And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.

Because of his exploits, David became famous throughout the surrounding lands, and the Lord caused the nations to fear him.

(1 Chronicles 13:1) And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, with every leader.

Then David consulted with all the captains of his troops of varying numbers.

(2) And David said to all the congregation of Israel, "If it seems good to you and of the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our brethren everywhere left in all the land of Israel and with them to the priests and Levites in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us."

David spoke to the representatives of all the congregation of Israel and suggested that if it seemed good to them and was in accord with the will of God, they should send word to all their brethren left in Israel who had not yet come there and to all the priests and Levites, that they all might gather there to them.

(3) "And let us bring again the ark of our God to us for we did not enquire at it in the days of Saul.

David proposed that they should bring the ark of the Lord, that symbol of God's divine presence, to the royal city, for they had not enquired of it in the days of Saul, him being rather indifferent to it.

(4) And all the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

All the congregation of Israel agreed that was what they should do as it seemed right to all of them.  One of David's first concerns as king was to restore religion which had been corrupted and neglected in the days of Saul.

David's Family is Enlarged in Jerusalem

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(2 Samuel 5:13) And David took more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem after he had come from Hebron, and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. 

David and his men had conquered the stronghold of Zion in the northern part of Jerusalem and built inward (2 Samuel 5:9).  It appears he had conquered all of Jerusalem by this time.  He took more wives and concubines out of Jerusalem and had more sons and daughters there.

(14) And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem, Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, (15) Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, (16) And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.

It appears that eleven sons were born to David in Jerusalem, and they are named here.

(1 Chronicles 3:5) And these were born to him in Jerusalem, Shimeah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel;

1 Chronicles 3 also told of the sons born to David in Jerusalem with a little more detail.  Shammua is called Shimeah here, and David's first four sons born to him in Jerusalem were borne of Bathsheba, called Bathshua here, the daughter of Ammiel.

(6) Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, (7) And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, (8) And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.  

Nine more sons were added to the list of sons of David, to the four born to Bathsheba, bringing the total to thirteen, whereas 2 Samuel 5 named only eleven.  Elishama and Eliphelet are named twice here.  It is possible that they died young and subsequently had brothers named after them.  However, one of the Elishamas might actually be Elishua from the list in 2 Samuel 5, as Elishua is not listed here.  Nogah is also listed here and not in 2 Samuel 5.  Again, he may have died young.

(9) These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.

These apparently were the sons of David born to his wives only, and do not include sons born to his concubines.  Here is added the name of a daughter, Tamar.

(1 Chronicles 14:3) And David took more wives at Jerusalem, and David begat more sons and daughters.

1 Chronicles 14 also tells of David's additional wives and children in Jerusalem.

(4) Now these are the names of his children which he had in Jerusalem, Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, (5) And Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpalet, (6) And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, (7) And Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphalet.

This list of thirteen sons agrees with the list in 1 Chronicles 3 with a little variance in spelling.  Although this reference purports to list the names of his "children" not just his sons, Tamar is not listed here.

(2 Samuel 5:17) But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David, and David heard and went down to the hold.

It might be that the Philistines had lain low while Israel was in the midst of a civil war, but now that they heard that that had been resolved and David was now king of all Israel, they went seeking David.  David heard about it and went down to a stronghold, surely to strategize.

(1 Chronicles 14:8) And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard and went out against them.

David then went out against the Philistines.

I'm going to end this short post here as the next passage takes me to a place I don't quite understand.  I am following a chronological Bible study created by Skip Andrews.  For now, we know that David had become king of all Israel, and his house grew as he married more wives and had many more sons.  When the Philistines heard that he was king, they came looking for him, and he went after them, more details to follow, I am sure.

David Vows to Be a Godly King

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(2 Samuel 5:11) And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons, and they built David a house.

David had become king over all Israel and had taken the castle Zion within the northern city limits of Jerusalem.  Hiram, king of Tyre, then sent messengers to David.  This map borrowed from Reading the Bible - 2021 shows the location of Tyre in relation to Israel.  Tyre was geographically part of the territory allotted to the tribe of Asher according to the Biblical division of Canaan but was never conquered or taken by Israel when they entered the Promised Land.  Hiram, the king of Tyre, was friendly with Israel, and he sent messengers to David, probably offering congratulations, and he also sent cedar logs, carpenters, and masons, who built a house for David.

(12) And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake.

David realized that the Lord Himself had established him as king of Israel as he saw how the Lord was blessing and enlarging him.  He perceived that it was for the Lord's people Israel's sake more than for his own benefit.

(1 Chronicles 14:1) Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and a timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house. (2) And David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel for his kingdom was lifted up on high because of His people Israel.

1 Chronicles 14:1-2 also told of how the king of Tyre sent materials and men to build David a house.  David understood these blessings to be confirmation from God that it was He who lifted up David's kingdom for the benefit of His people Israel.

(Psalm 101:1) (A Psalm of David) I will sing of mercy and judgment, unto You, O Lord, I will sing.

Although there is no Biblical proof that David wrote this psalm at this particular time, it fits here nicely, as he seems to consider what kind of king he will be.  He would be merciful and just for His Lord.

(2) I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

David determined to behave himself wisely in a perfect way.  Although no man is perfect, and we know that David would not always act perfectly, he would strive to walk in the Lord's way.  By asking when the Lord would come to him suggests that he would aim to walk within his house with a perfect heart until God called him to a particular objective.  It might mean that he called on God to walk with him as without God, he could not behave wisely in a perfect way.  However, more than likely, this psalm was actually written at a time before David was finally made king over all Israel.  He was ready to be king and contemplated what sort of king he would be whenever the Lord finally fulfilled His promise to him.

(3) I will set no wicked thing before my eyes; I hate the work of them who turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

As king, David would not allow wickedness in his sight for what fascinates the eye is very apt to gain admission into the heart, just as the fruit first pleased Eve's sight, and then prevailed over her mind and then her actions.  David hated the work of those who turned aside from God's law, and he would not allow their wickedness to cling to him.  He would have nothing to do with wickedness or the workers of it.

(4) A froward heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.

David might mean he would not allow himself to have a perverted heart and therefore would not know wickedness, or perhaps he meant he would not allow men with perverted hearts to be in his court.  He would not allow wickedness to be around him.

(5) Whoever privately slanders his neighbor, him will I cut off; he who has a high look and a proud heart, I will not suffer.

David vowed to cut off from him anyone who privately slandered another who had no opportunity to defend himself, in other words, a gossiper.  This was not someone who had a valid complaint against his neighbor that he expressed publicly looking for justice.  David would not tolerate prideful arrogant men around him.

(6) My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me. He who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

David would seek out and engage the services of only faithful upright followers of God.  Only those who walked in the way of the Lord would serve David in his court.

(7) He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not tarry in my sight.

Dishonest and deceitful men would not be allowed to dwell with David.  Anyone who told lies would not be permitted to stay in his court.

(8) I will early destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.

One of David's first actions as king would be to destroy all the wicked of the land so that there would remain no wickedness in the city of the Lord, where holiness only should dwell.  David had now been well established as king of all Israel, and he resolved to be a good and wise king.

Charles Spurgeon, in his Treasury of David, wrote that the 101st psalm was called "The Householder's Psalm," an ideal model for the head of every family.  It was also called "The Mirror for Magistrates" as a model for rulers and judges.  Indeed, if all followed the ideals set forth in this psalm, our world would be a much better place!