Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

“Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless.” (11)

Not relying on our own abilities gives us access to God’s unlimited strength. Putting confidence in human resources greatly narrows our options.

“With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.” (12)

The final reaction to God’s word is to personalize it by repeating and putting it into action with confidence and expectation. Notice he does not say; ‘we will do mighty things’ but he qualifies his faith: “With God’s help we will do mighty things, for HE will trample down our foes.” (12) This is the mystery of divine co- operation; God helps our small efforts to be mighty. We are involved but the emphasis is always on him. We are not told ‘how’ David conquered the impregnable city but we know for certain ‘who’ helped him bounce back and defeat the treacherous Edomites.

1 Spurgeon 2 Spurgeon 3 Boyce

PSALM 109: HATRED FOR MY LOVE The Judas Psalm

Psalm 109 has been known for centuries by its Latin title, ‘Psalmus Ischarioticus’ meaning the ‘Psalm of (Judas) Ischariot’. It is the most severe of the three ‘Good Friday’ psalms (22, 69, 109) and centers upon the curses and judgments hurled upon a close friend who ruthlessly betrayed David. It is identified clearly by Peter in the New Testament as prophetic of Judas who betrayed Christ and lost his office as one of the Apostles: “Brothers, it was necessary for the Scriptures to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided the Temple police to arrest Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. Judas was one of us, chosen to share in the ministry with us…This was predicted in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ [Ps. 69:25] And again, ‘Let his position be given to someone else.’ [Ps. 109:8] (Acts 1:16, 17, 20) Although this psalm is written about events in the life of David, the Holy Spirit was reaching cen- turies forward to portray the terrible betrayal of Jesus. ‘The persecution of David was a sin not only against David himself, but also against the Christ in him; …this psalm is a typically prophetic psalm…(David) is carried by the Spirit of prophecy beyond himself 1 …’ It is divided into four sections:

I HATRED FOR MY LOVE - 1-5 II HIS NAME BE CUT OFF - 6-15 III HE LOVED TO CURSE - 16-20

The Prayer of the Betrayed Judgment on the Betrayer

The Betrayer’s Motivation IV HELP ME, O LORD MY GOD - 21-31 Grace for the Betrayed

The curses prayed in this psalm have caused concern and comment throughout the church age as they are so incompatible with the Christian concept of loving our enemies and praying for those who per- secute us. Most writers come to the conclusion that there is a distinction between the Old Testament and the New; “It is best to accept the fact that the Law is unlike the Gospel, and that the Jewish and Chris- tian views do not harmonize 2 .” But the judgments pronounced in this psalm in their ultimate form are not the revenge of one human being to another but are the judgments of a completely Holy God upon the person who has rejected the grace, love and friendship of Christ. They are in their largest sense, the judgments leveled at those who chose to betray God as Judas did in the garden of Gethsemane. The full wrath and curse of the law is now unleashed upon the person who refuses to turn from themselves and receive God’s blessing.

INTRODUCTION:

“For the choir director: A psalm of David.”

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