Psalm 108-110

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Psalm 108

This song/psalm of trust is pieced together sections of other Davidic psalms for the Israelites to use in public worship.

• Verses 1-5 are very similar to 57:7-11,
• and verses 6-13 are identical to 60:5-12.
• The theme of this psalm is trust in God because of His promises.

David was relying on God as Israel’s Warrior, not his army, to defeat the enemy. He realized and confessed that if victory depended on the sinful people, they would fall in defeat. We should face our spiritual enemies with the same humility and confidence.

verse 13: With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies.

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For those who have been read through the Bible several times, you may be able to put this into context:

⁷ God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
⁸ Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah is my scepter.
⁹ Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

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Psalm 109

Ummmmm I wasn’t expecting that!!!  We know David had a HARD life, but I am thinking this prayer was at the LOWEST point in his life.  This is called an Imprecatory Psalm.  Imprecatory means: to invoke evil upon or curse.

This is ROUGH stuff:

6 Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
    let an accuser stand at his right hand.
⁷ When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
    and may his prayers condemn him.
⁸ May his days be few;
    may another take his place of leadership.
⁹ May his children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow.
¹⁰ May his children be wandering beggars;
    may they be driven^[b] from their ruined homes.
¹¹ May a creditor seize all he has;
    may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
¹² May no one extend kindness to him
    or take pity on his fatherless children.
¹³ May his descendants be cut off,
    their names blotted out from the next generation.
¹⁴ May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord;
    may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
¹⁵ May their sins always remain before the Lord,
    that he may blot out their name from the earth.

Knowing this was going to be the reading today I tried to read or listen to as many commentators as possible on this Psalm last night.  We always have to remember:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God  may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16-17

David’s feelings were real, and God understands what we feel, and always gives us freedom in prayer  BUT that does not mean He “approves” our feelings.  Is it ok to have these feelings and talk to God about them, of course.  Should we pray for evil to come over our enemies?  No.  God is Just.

It’s not his first rodeo!  He’s got it.

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Psalm 110

Oh my stars!  I wasn’t expecting that either!!  Psalm 110  is a conversation between God and Jesus!  Could this day be any better??

The New Testament contains more references to this psalm than to any other chapter in the Old Testament :

• Matt. 22:44; 26:64;
• Mark 12:36; 14:62; 16:19;
• Luke 20:42-44; 22:69;
• Acts 2:34-35;
• Rom. 8:34;
• 1 Cor. 15:25;
• Eph. 1:20;
• Col. 3:1;
• Heb. 1:3, 13; 5:6; 7:17, 21; 8:1; 10:12-13; 12:2.
• And roughly 33 quotations or paraphrases to the first four verses.

I know we have been in the Old Testament a long time, so here is a little New Testament to make you feel great on this Monday:

Mark 12:35: While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? ³⁶ David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

If you know me I cannot pass up an opportunity to talk about Melchizadek!

“You are a priest forever,
    in the order of Melchizedek.”

You may not remember: Read Genesis 14:17-24.   Here is the post if you missed it the first time: January 16, click here.