Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms
The deepest friendships are formed around the Lord. He has called us his friends: “I no longer call you servants,…now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.”(Jn. 15:15) We are to love other believers in the same way that Jesus shows love to us: “I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you.” (Jn. 15:12)
“O Lord, the earth is full of your unfailing love; teach me your principles.” (64)
Spurgeon writes; ‘David had been exiled, but he had never been driven beyond the range of mercy, for he found the world to be everywhere filled with it. He had wandered in deserts and hidden in caves, and there he had seen and felt the loving kindness of the Lord.’ 9 There are two words that are trans- lated ‘teach’ 9 different times in this psalm (12, 26, 33, 64, 66, 68, 108, 124, 135) One means ‘to goad with a rod’ and the other is ‘to point out with the finger’. The second is the friendly, discovery method used in this verse.
Teth f
“You have done many good things for me, Lord, just as you promised.” (65)
Although he has suffered persecution and difficulties, the psalmist holds on to the core belief that God has been good to him and he anticipates his continued goodness in the future: “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, promising not to stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me…I will do all the good I have promised them.”(Jer. 32:40, 42)
“I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge.” (66)
The author prays from an open, believing heart for ‘good judgment’ . This is ‘ethically the capacity of distinguishing between good and evil, and of discovering the latter as it were by touch.’ 10 He desires that the spiritual knowledge he has gained will be converted into practical decisions. He desires to live with the ‘touch of God’ upon his life.
“I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word.” (67)
The prodigal son had wandered far from his father’s house; When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! I will go home to my father…” (Lk. 15:17) Difficulties often come to make corrections in the direction of our lives.
“You are good and do only good; teach me your principles.” (68)
‘The goodness of God means that God is the final standard of good, and that all that God is and does is worthy of approval.’ 11 God’s goodness is known as a ‘communicable’ attribute of his nature; it can be shared with mankind. The psalmist understands this and asks for God to be his personal teacher on the subject of the law.
“Arrogant people have made up lies about me, but in truth I obey your commandments with all my heart.’ (69)
Spurgeon says of this passage: ‘if we keep (obey) the precepts, the precepts will keep us in the day of …. slander.’ This is one of the “all my heart” verses that permeate this psalm. 12 It is the only attitude that will survive the difficult spiritual challenges of life. “Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Fol- low in his steps. He never sinned, and he never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was in- sulted.”(1 Pet. 2:21-23) Their hearts are dull and stupid, but I delight in your law.” (70)
The NKV version reads: “Their hearts are as fat as grease…” ‘covered as it were with thick fat, a figure of insensibility…’ 13 The graphic image is that of a person who no longer has feelings or delights
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