Author: Nick Booth

Psalm 35

For many there is a genuine conflict between what is seen as ‘Old Testament’ values of appealing to God for victory in war and Jesus’ ‘New Testament’ statement to love your enemies. ^{Mathew 5.44} The appeals to God for the destruction of one’s enemies, ‘Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.’ ^v1are know as curses.  Curses are not limited to the Old Testament.  They are rephrased as ‘woes’ when Jesus criticizes scribes and Pharisees. ^{Matt 23} Passages such as Psalm 35.4-10 have been so uncomfortable that the Church of England marked them as not suitable to be read aloud in services between 1980 and 2000.  Do we share that problem?

How then can we understand a psalm like Psalm 35? It can be read literally or metaphorically in its original setting.  Can it then be applied to modern life?  How do we understand it spiritually?  I am sure it was written from the experience of life threatening and life taking conflict.  This psalm reflects the truth about Israel’s internal conflict during David’s life time when Saul sought to unjustly kill David and during civil war with the forces backing Absalom.  Internal malicious plotting was rife. ‘They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.’ ^v20 David is not claiming to be faultless but he was chosen by God to fulfil his will and in that sense was living in his will.  He could therefore justifiably pray, ‘Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God; do not let them gloat over me.’ ^v24 He appeals to God that his enemies would fall into their own trap. ^v8

David was right to first of all appeal to God rather than his own prowess and then give thanks to him when he was rescued. ‘Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor and needy from those who rob them.’ ^v10 As disciples our first appeal is to God, ‘may they always say, “The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well being of his servant.” ^v27 Where there are those who persistently remain enemies of the Lord the New Testament does teach that there will be judgement and the forces against God will be appropriately punished. Revelation shows us worship of the Lamb for his ultimate victory over evil.

Is there a place now for this literal understanding of praying for physical victory over the political, military, criminal and religious forces of evil?  I would say yes in this week of remembering V.E. day. The nation prayed at Dunkirk.  The forces of fascist evil attacked not only the Christian church but the whole of society.  Such oppressive forces are still very active in the world and through the life experiences of refugees within the church there is ample evidence that Christian opposition to such forces is not only justified it is part of our obedience to God.

There is also a spiritual battle that Christians are expected to engage in.  Paul informs us, ‘We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. ^{Ephesians 6.12} He then echoes David’s call to put on God’s armour and weaponry. ‘Take up shield and armour; arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to me, I am your salvation.’ ^{vv 2,3}

Great in Power –

Psalm 34 and 1 Samuel 20.30 – 21.14

Terrified, David, having been tipped off by Jonathan his best friend, fled from Saul’s court with Saul in his jealous rage promising his death.  He first went to Ahimelek a trusted friend and priest, lying to him he gained food and a weapon, Goliath’s own sword.  He then sought refuge in the city of Israel’s persistent enemy who he had defeated on many occasions, the Philistines.  When exposed before the Philistine king, Achish, he feigned madness with comic stereotypical behaviour, foaming at the mouth and clawing at the gate leaving deep gash marks before Achish dismissed him as worthless.

The consequences of this dishonest and faithless conduct was that Ahimelek, his family, 85 priests and the whole town Ahimelek lived in were murdered for his supposed treachery.  David himself from being God’s anointed one reduced himself to a pathetic fool to save his life.  David later looks back at these actions sees not his cleverness at his deceptions but God’s protection of his anointed even when his actions caused such injustice and reduced state.

David’s reflection divides into two broad sections: his thanks and praise for the Lord’s mercy when he was at his most helpless and faithless time, ^vv1-10 he then moves on to sharing lessons learnt in bitter experience. ^vv11-22 Perhaps unwittingly, but divinely inspired, he concludes prophesying redemption through Jesus’ death on the cross for those who, ‘seek refuge in him.’ ^v22

A brief summary of these experiences are in these verses, ‘My soul makes its boast in the Lord, let the humble hear and be glad, ^v2 and ‘This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.’ ^v6 David here gives credit where credit is due.

David also wanted others to grasp, ‘The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.’ ^v18

John draws on David’s prophesy, ‘He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken’ ^v20 to testify that Jesus is the redeemer. ^{John 19.36}

I invite you to reflect with me on how God in our deepest failures and greatest rejection of him, he has remained near and is still our redeemer.

Close to the broken hearted – Jill Phillips

Psalm 33

Have you felt eager anticipation to join in praise to God?  To join the company of God’s people in singing fresh songs to him.  David must be the epitome of a worship leader.  As we discover afresh some new aspect of God’s nature and salvation so our emotions can burst out and we understand David’s opening exclamation, ‘Sing joyfully to the Lord’ or as the ESV puts it ‘Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous.’ ^v1

The Lord God remains the same, it is our understanding that refreshes or we grasp some new aspect of his character. ‘Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.’ ^vv8,9 

All the reasons David found to praise God are perfected in Jesus.  Jesus’ words are right and true, ^v4  he perfected righteousness and justice in his death and resurrection. He is the Word of God and by his word all things were made. ^{v6, John 1.3}  Jesus has called to himself a people who are his inheritance. ^v12, ‘As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ^{1Peter 2.5}

The Lord sees all ^vv13,14 and, ‘the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,’ ^v18  or as Peter says, ‘For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’ ^1Peter 3.12  Our hope is in him, ^v20  as Peter again reminds us, ‘He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.’ ^{1Peter 3.3,4}

In the light of this whenever you feel the urge and want to join in a new song, do so with all your heart and skill giving a shout for joy. ^v3

New song in my heart – Rob Smith

Won my heart – Emu Youth

Psalm 32 and 1 John 1.5-10

Have you ever experienced someone who believed their persistent and rigid refusal to accept they are wrong was a sign of strength?   Where this occurs it not only harms those around them, it damages the person them self.  It exposes their own weakness and frailty and can lead to a warped perception of reality.  Internally great mental and spiritual stresses are set up.  Frequently lasting damage to relationships occur because the means to resolve the problem has been denied.

God counsels us in Psalm 32, ‘Do not be like the horse or the mule which has no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle.’ ^v9  The pressure of one’s deceit when one is in self denial eats away internally and can feel like a heavy weight upon you.  David describes this, ‘When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of the summer.’ ^vv3,4  This is highly destructive in our human relationships and also in our relationship with God.

What is the pressure relief valve in such a case?  It is the acknowledgement of the problem.  That opens up a pathway for resolution.  This is the case in our interpersonal reactions and also between ourselves and God.  David says, ‘I acknowledge my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.  The apostle John makes the same point that our relationship with God is restored through Jesus’ sacrifice. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ ^{1John 1.9}

David experienced the relief and joy of being forgiven and Psalm 32 was written to celebrate that and to guide others into what he had learnt from bitter experience.  So, he opened the psalm with, ‘Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit.’ ^vv2,3

Oh how I need you – Sons and Daughters

Psalm 31

The fear of shame or public humiliation has frequently controlled people’s lives.  It can be the fear of one’s actions becoming known, a sin revealed.  At other times it may involve not living up to the expectations of others or one’s own.   A broken promise can turn in to shame and broken relationships.  Shame has led to life changing, even life taking, abuse and now we are far more aware of self abuse arising from a sense of shame.  Shame can feel like a place that is impossible to escape from or survive.  How we need a God who understands and brings about restoration at times like these even if it is our actions that take us to the place of shame.  David twice utters the prayer in Psalm 31, ‘Let me never/not be put to shame.’ ^vv1,17

In Jesus we have a God who has experienced dreadful public shaming even though, in fact because, he was sinless.  As we read David’s cry to the Lord for mercy ^{vv 9-13} we can say it was like that for Jesus but worse.  Because of his enemies he became an object of contempt and dread even to his closest friends and family, stripped naked, beaten to near death, ridiculed, nailed to a cross and publicly taunted whilst in great pain until he died.  The crowds who had just days before hailed him as a hero now conspired against him and plotted to take his life.  It was in those last moments that Jesus used David’s words, ‘Into your hands I commit my spirit.’ ^v5  He did not go on as far as we know and add David’s words, ‘deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.’ ^v5  But that was what he did, trusting in a faithful Father to restore him through resurrection for his name’s sake. 

The grounds for David’s appeal was for the Lord’s ‘name’s sake,’ ^v3 referring to God’s promise to David in 2 Samuel 7.8-11 that he would cut off David’s enemies.  Similarly, we can also appeal to God’s promises however deep our feelings of despair.  David does not pretend that his sin has not contributed to his situation ^v10 but this does not prevent him from appealing to the character of God.  God is righteous, ^v1 a rock and a fortress, ^v3 a redeemer, ^v5 abundant in goodness, ^v19 and preserves the faithful. ^v23

At the end of the psalm David has passed through the trial and praised God for his mercy.  From his experience he urges others to trust in the Lord.  ‘Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.’   In God, through Jesus, we can find complete acceptance.

‘No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame’ – Graham Kendrick, Matt Redman