Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

III

SING A NEW SONG - 9-11

Weapon of Worship

“I will sing a new song to you, O God! I will sing your praises with a ten-stringed harp. For you grant victory to kings! You are the one who rescued your servant David.” (9, 10)

David repeats Psalm 33:3 where he resolves to sing and play a ‘new song’. This fresh music is birth in trying times. “O God”… is the last mention of ‘Elohim’, the creator sustainer God, in the Psalms. He is the God of the ‘new things’ that require fresh expressions of celebration and praise. Right in the mid- dle of his oppression David picks up his ‘Nabla’; the ten-stringed instrument that God had skilled his fin- gers to play. (v. 1) It seems that he is singing before the battle and is celebrating the victory that he is about to secure through the grace of God. David identifies himself as the writer of the psalm.

“Save me from the fatal sword! Rescue me from the power of my enemies. Their mouths are full of lies; they swear to tell the truth, but they lie.” (11)

The sword mentioned here is thought by many to be the sword of Goliath. ‘The Targum (Aramaic version of the Old Testament) interprets this of “the evil sword of Goliath.” And the LXX (Greek Version of the Old Testament) adds to the inscription of the Psalm, “against Goliath.”’ 5 ‘The psalm has grown out of this utterance of David’, 6 “And everyone will know that the Lord does not need weapons to res- cue his people. It is his battle, not ours. The Lord will give you to us!” (1 Sam. 17:47) After David stunned Goliath with the rock from his slingshot the scriptures say; “…he ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill the giant and cut off his head.” (1 Sam. 17:51) He then sings verse 8 again as the repeating chorus of the song. The scene of this psalm changes dramatically from one of warfare and conflict to peace and pros- perity. David is anticipating the benefits of a nation that has emerged victorious over their enemies both internal and external. He then offers six ‘may’ prayers that anticipate a bright and prosperous future. The worshiper can take courage in the middle of their battles knowing the Lord has a future plan of blessing and peace. • “May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants.” (12) The prayer is that our sons will live in an exceptional state, not just exist but also excel in all that they do. • “May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace.” (12) They are not just serving a functional purpose of supporting the house of God but they are beautifully feminine as they minister equally with their brothers. Pillars represent those who lead in the house of God and this verse foreshadowed the responsibilities that would be available to women in the New Testament era: “In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me (Paul)…” (Gal. 2:9) Jesus promises us: “All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it.” (Rev. 3:12) • “May our farms be filled with crops of every kind.” (13) This is referring to the incredible harvest first naturally then in the spiritual dimension. “Look around you! Vast fields are ripening all around us and are ready now for the harvest.” (Jn. 4:35) These are not just a single variety of crops but many different groups of people that the Lord wants to bring into his house. “’The time will come,’ says the Lord, ‘when the grain and grapes will grow faster than they can be harvested.’” (Amos 9:13) • “May the flocks in our fields multiply by the thousands, even tens of thousands,…” (13), The size of the flocks of the Lord will be measured by thousands and tens of thousands at the end of the New Testament era because of the victory of the Jesus, the Son of David. His flocks will not only come from the Jewish people, but from every nation of the earth: “I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheep- fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock with one shep- herd.” (Jn. 10:16) • “…and may our oxen be loaded down with produce.” (14) Oxen represent those who lead the people of God and work for the Lord. This is a picture of abundant prosperity that occurs after the spir- itual conflict (vs. 1-11) has been won. “Do you suppose God was thinking only about oxen when he said this? Wasn’t he also speaking to us? Of course he was. Just as farm workers who plow fields and thresh the grain expect a share of the harvest, Christian workers should be paid by those they serve.” (1 Cor. 9:9, 10) “…loaded down…” is a word occurring no where else in scripture, 7 and suggests a special IV SONS FLOURISHING - 12-15 Welfare of the Victorious Nation

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