Bible Study with Fred, #779: Ephesians 5:21: submitting

Bible Study with Fred, #778: Ephesians 5:17-20: filled with the Spirit

Bible Study with Fred, #777: Ephesians 5:11-16: evil days

Bible Study with Fred, #776: Ephesians 5:6-10: prove what is acceptable ...

Bible Study with Fred, #775: Ephesians 5:3-5: let it not be once named a...

Bible Study with Fred, #774: Ephesians 5:1,2: followers of God

Bible Study with Fred, #773: Ephesians 4:31,32: put away bitterness and ...

Psalm 64 comments

 

Psalm 64:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.» Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. 2  Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: 3  Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: 4  That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. 5  They encouragethemselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? 6  They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

 

This Psalm can be applied in context to David when he was being harassed by King Saul or when Absalom rebelled against him and to Christ who faced the wicked counsel of the Jewish leadership who wanted to eliminate their Messiah from the scene.

 

David makes similar pleas in earlier Psalms.

 

Psalm 27:7 ¶  Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

 

Psalm 55:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David.» Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

 

David will make similar pleas again and so will Jeremiah in his Lamentations.

 

Lamentations 3:55 ¶  I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. 56  Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.

 

Verse 2 suggests that this was a Psalm regarding the insurrection of Absalom but particularly to those traitors who followed him.  In any event, look at the contrast between verse 3 and two verses in Proverbs as well as a Psalm we have reviewed.

 

Proverbs 12:18 ¶  There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

 

Proverbs 30:14  There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

 

Psalm 57:4  My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

 

The rest of his remarks in this passage suggest the intent and diligence of those who wish to do evil. We can easily see how this not only applies to Christ’s struggle but also to our own. There are many enemies in this country who are very clever and sharp with their words and the control of language that we have foolishly allowed them to have. Their tongues are as sharp as knives. We see them almost every day on the news.

 

We pray for mercy from God as we oppose these people.

 

Psalm 64:7 ¶  But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. 8  So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away. 9  And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. 10  The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

 

The wicked have shot with their arrows, bitter words, in verse 3 and God will shoot with his arrow, as explained frequently in His Bible, judgment. The wicked’s words will turn back on them and they will run. Men will consider the judgment of God, if they are sane, and consider their own doing. But the righteous shall be glad in God and trust Him with all of those are right in their heart glorying in God.

 

Verse 7 has some cross-references from earlier Psalms 7 and 18. Please read the entire Psalm to see the context but look at the imagery in these verses.

 

Psalm 7:11  God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

12  If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. 13  He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

 

Psalm 18:14  Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

 

Notice these cross-references for verse 8.

 

Proverbs 12:13 ¶  The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

 

Proverbs 18:7  A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

 

For verse 9 I thought this was interesting to consider, that all men have the capacity to see the judgment of God and think on it even though many are struck blind by their own sin nature. See how God’s judgment at the end of human history does and doesn’t elicit this response in Psalm 64:9.

 

Revelation 16:9  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory…11  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

 

But later in Revelation;

 

Revelation 11:13  And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

 

Other times it is mentioned that those who are righteous and upright will glory in God for verse 10.

 

Psalm 32:11  Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

 

Psalm 33:1 ¶  Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

 

No matter what our enemies do our praise should be in God.

Bible Study with Fred, #772: Ephesians 4:30: sealed unto the day of rede...

Bible Study with Fred, #771: Ephesians 4:29: corrupt communications

2Samuel 1 comments

 

2Samuel 1:1 ¶  Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 2  It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 3  And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 4  And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 5  And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? 6  And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7  And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. 8  And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 9  He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. 10  So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

 

Here is a clear example of a battlefield scavenger who took the items from the fallen king thinking that by claiming that it was he who had killed Saul he would be rewarded by David. He was mistaken in his assumption. We already know how Saul died. He killed himself.

 

2Samuel 1:11 ¶  Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 12  And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. 13  And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 14  And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed? 15  And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. 16  And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’S anointed.

 

This Amalekite, who may have been part of Saul’s army, is killed for killing a king even though we know he didn’t do it. This shows us the importance of the chief executive of a country, its king, and how the office was held as sacred. Even though Saul had tried so often to kill David, he could not let this affront to Israel and Israel’s God go unpunished. This is also a warning against bragging and taking credit for something you didn’t do.

 

See 1Samuel 24:6 and 1Samuel 26:9,11 about the loathing of killing the Lord’s Anointed even if he is a paranoid narcissist.

 

Another thing this guy apparently wasn’t aware of was that David had just had a battle where he killed many Amalekites and retrieved his possessions and wives. Bad luck for this lying braggart, indeed.

 

2Samuel 1:17 ¶  And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: 18  (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) 19  The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! 20  Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 21  Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. 22  From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 23  Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24  Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 25  How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 26  I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 27  How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

 

David and Jonathan were very close.

 

1Samuel 18:1 ¶  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

 

The book of Jasher is also mentioned in Joshua.

 

Joshua 10:13  And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

 

However, it was not deemed by the Holy Spirit as necessary for inclusion in the Bible. It is known in some sources as meaning the Book of the Upright or the Book of the Just Man. Other sources say it is a reference to the first five books of Moses, as put out there by Rashi, the medieval Jewish rabbi whose commentary forms the basis for a popular Hebrew Bible today.

 

However, numerous forgeries have resulted from these beliefs in its veracity and it is widely regarded as a non-canonical book. In other words, it did not include enough that was given by inspiration of God to warrant the Holy Spirit operating through the Jews or the church to have it for us to use.

 

David mourns heavily over the deaths of Saul and Jonathan.

 

One thing of note that I might add is that it is said that Saul clothed the daughters of Israel in scarlet. We think of dyed clothing as a wealthier person’s prerogative but history tells us that even poor Hebrew women used vegetable dyes to color clothing and scarlet specifically came from an insect’s body which is a long story not necessary for our study. Scarlet, however, was something that important people wore (2 Samuel 1:24; Daniel 5:7; Matthew 27:28). This color was also found in the tabernacle as Exodus 26:31 shows and the ephod had scarlet in it (Exodus 28:6.)

 

 

Bible Study with Fred, #770: Ephesians 4:27, 28: theft contrasted with h...

Bible Study with Fred, #769: Ephesians 4:25, 26: against lying and anger

Bible Study with Fred, #768: Ephesians 4:24: the new man

Bible Study with Fred, #767: Ephesians 4:23: And be renewed in the spiri...

Bible Study with Fred, #766: Ephesians 4:22: our corrupt former self

Bible Study with Fred, #765: Ephesians 4:20: the truth is in Jesus

Psalm 63 comments

 

Psalm 63:1 ¶  «A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.» O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2  To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

 

Commentators are not sure if this Psalm is about when David was fleeing Saul or during the rebellion of his son, Absalom. Whatever the case, I am inclined to believe this was referring to a time he was fleeing Saul for see this cross-reference during his ordeal with King Saul.

 

1Samuel 22:5  And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.

 

David expressed a similar sentiment previously.

 

 

Psalm 42:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah.» As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2  My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

 

For verse 2 David wants to see God’s power and glory in life events just as he has seen him in the sanctuary or as we might see God’s power and glory in His Bible we would long to see it in the events of our lives.

 

Psalm 27:4  One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

 

Psalm 105:4  Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

 

2Corinthians 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 

Psalm 63:3 ¶  Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4  Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5  My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: 6  When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

 

David longs to see God’s power and glory because to experience God’s mercy is the best thing in life, particularly in David’s violent life. God’s care, His lovingkindness is mentioned many times previously in the Psalms and it is linked to God’s tender mercies.

 

Psalm 51:1  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.» Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

 

God’s mercy, king and gentle, is better than life and food to David. It encourages David to praise God with joyful lips and to reflect on God in the night when so many of us have anxiety and worry about things we can do nothing about. We would be better thinking about and praying to God, particularly in those times.

 

Isaiah 26:3  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

 

Philippians 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

Psalm 63:7 ¶  Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8  My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. 9  But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. 10  They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes. 11  But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

 

The shadow of thy wings is an interesting phrase. Notice its usage four more times in the Psalms.

 

Psalm 17:8 ¶  Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

 

Psalm 36:7  How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

 

Psalm 57:1  «To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.» Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

 

Psalm 91:4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

 

Notice how God’s deliverance is likened to being carried on eagles’ wings elsewhere;

 

Exodus 19:4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.

 

Isaiah 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

Revelation 12:14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

 

This is metaphorical language and in no way suggests that God has wings. We have seen what God looks like in the form of Jesus Christ. God the Father is a being of Spirit and no man has seen Him at any time except through seeing Christ.

 

John 1:18  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

 

John 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

 

God’s protection and shelter is something that David rejoices in and the innermost part of David’s being, the seat of his will and self-identity or his soul, is focused on God.

 

Then David prophecies the fate of his enemies who seek to destroy him. He knows by whose hand this will be accomplished and he clings closely to God. We should do this when we are oppressed by those who hate us.

The lower parts of the earth is clearly more than a reference to the grave.

 

Isaiah 44:23  Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.

 

Ephesians 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

 

Without going off on a long side trip Paradise was alongside of Hell with a great impassable gulf between the two until Christ preached to them after his Crucifixion and Paradise ascended to Heaven. Even the Greeks in the concept of Hades knew that the lower parts of the earth were not just a place of punishment but of reward. They did not know Christ however, or what he would do. See my comments on Luke 16:19-31.

 

 

Bible Study with Fred, #764: Ephesians 4:17-19: the darkness of the mind

Bible Study with Fred, #763: Ephesians 4:15,16: the body of Christ worki...

Bible Study with Fred, #762: Ephesians 4:14: beware of the deceivers

Bible Study with Fred, #761: Ephesians 4:13: the unity of the faith

Bible Study with Fred, #760: Ephesians 4:11,12: apostles, prophets, evan...

Bible Study with Fred, #759: Ephesians 4:10: above all heavens

Bible Study with Fred, #758: Ephesians 4:9: immediately after the Crucif...

1Samuel, chapter 31, comments

 

1Samuel 31:1 ¶  Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2  And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons. 3  And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 4  Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5  And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. 6  So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together. 7  And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

 

As Samuel had told Saul the battle went against him and he and his sons would not survive it. Saul died by his own hand as his armor-bearer refused to kill the king. The Philistines achieved a complete rout of the Israelites and conquered territory. The fact that Saul fell on his own sword will be important as 2Samuel opens up.

 

1Samuel 31:8 ¶  And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 9  And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people. 10  And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan. 11  And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul; 12  All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. 13  And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

 

As we saw in the episode with David and Goliath the way fallen warriors were treated could be horrific. One only need to read about Achilles’ treatment of the Trojan hero, Hector, in The Illiad after he had killed him to see that a warrior in those days could expect that if he was killed in battle unless his friends grabbed his body quickly his corpse might be treated in a grisly fashion.

 

Ashtaroth is a derivation of the goddess Astarte who is the Canaanite version of the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, patron goddess of immigrants and prostitutes, who it is said by some had her great temple in Babylon called the Shining House or the White House. A version of Ishtar stands in New York Harbor welcoming the “troubled masses” to the United States.

 

The inhabitants of Jabeshgilead owed Saul mercy. Go to 1Samuel, chapter 11, to see how Saul had come to their rescue. They now showed him mercy by their respectful regard for his remains.

 

 

Bible Study with Fred, #757: Ephesians 4:8: when he ascended on high

Bible Study with Fred, #756: Ephesians 4:7: the measure of the gift of C...

Bible Study with Fred, #755: Ephesians 4:6: One God and Father of all

Bible Study with Fred, #754: Ephesians 4:4,5: one body, one Spirit, one ...

Bible Study with Fred, #753: Ephesians 4:1-3: the unity of the Spirit

Bible Study with Fred, #752: Ephesians 3:20-21: world without end

Psalm 62 comments

 

Psalm 62:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.» Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. 2  He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. 3  How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. 4  They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. 5  My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. 6  He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. 7  In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

 

In this passage of Psalm 62 David confirms that his deliverance comes only from God and that it is only in God’s power to save him from the liars, the cutthroats who plot against him. They are false friends and disloyal although they pretend to be faithful.

 

Here as in most places where salvation is used, it is a reference to temporal deliverance as the context makes clear although we may use it for our eternal salvation.

 

David has expressed his confidence many times.

 

Psalm 25:5  Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

 

Psalm 27:14  Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

 

Psalm 33:20  Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

 

Psalm 40:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.» I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

 

God is our strength and refuge, our consolation times of trouble and pain. It is only in Christ, who is God in the flesh, that we can have confidence in our future. He is the Rock on which the church is built, the cornerstone of the foundation.

 

1Corinthians 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

 

Ephesians 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

 

1Peter 2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

 

Psalm 62:8 ¶  Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. 9  Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. 10  Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. 11  God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. 12  Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

Here David tells the congregation, the Israelites and by extension us, to trust in God always and not to trust in dominating others, in riches, or in men regardless of their social status or power. We have been told who runs the world’s governments.

 

Daniel 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

 

We know who is behind the world system that rejects Christ’s rule.

 

2Corinthians 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

 

Luke 4:5  And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6  And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

 

In continuing with the thought of this Psalm David puts his trust in God and in God alone, as should we. Verse 12 shows two things; one that the religion of the Israelites was based on works in a way that ours is not. It can also be taken to mean that we will reap what we sow, which we know is often the case if not always. Or as the cartoon, Popeye the Sailorman, muttered, “ya gets what ya pays for.”

 

David understands that God is absolute in power over all reality and it is foolish to trust in anything or anyone else.

 

Bible Study with Fred, #751: Ephesians 3:16-19: that Christ may dwell i...

Bible Study with Fred, #750: Ephesians 3:11-15: the whole family in heav...

1Samuel chapter 30 comments

 

1Samuel 30:1 ¶  And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2  And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 3  So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4  Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5  And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6  And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

 

Achish had given Ziklag to David previously.

 

1Samuel 27:6  Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

We remember that Saul’s failure in destroying all of the Amalekites lost him the kingdom as Samuel had told Saul in 1Samuel 15 and repeated in 1Samuel 28.

 

As the Philistine campaign begins it is fortunate that it was God’s will that the Philistine kings rejected David’s alliance with Achish. Otherwise he would have been too late to save his and his men’s families. Here is mention of David’s wives.

 

1Samuel 25:39  And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 40  And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife. 41  And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 42  And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 43  David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.

 

This is such a disaster his followers talk of stoning him. But David’s faith in God allowed him to feel confident.

 

This confidence determined what he would do next.

 

1Samuel 30:7 ¶  And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. 8  And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. 9  So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed. 10  But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor. 11  And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water; 12  And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. 13  And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick. 14  We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire. 15  And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company. 16  And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 17  And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. 18  And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. 19  And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all. 20  And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil.

 

David consults God through the priest’s ephod and God responds. So, with his troop divided David is able to destroy the Amalekite band with the intelligence provided for him by the Egyptian slave captive. David recovers he and his men’s families and possessions and takes much spoil away from this encounter. David is very wise to divide those ready for battle from those too weakened by the fast, hard ride. God had promised David would recover all and he did just that.

 

1Samuel 30:21 ¶  And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them. 22  Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. 23  Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. 24  For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. 25  And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day. 26  And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD; 27  To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir, 28  And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa, 29  And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites, 30  And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chorashan, and to them which were in Athach, 31  And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.

 

David displays his leadership and kingly qualities here by including the men who were too weak to go with him to the battle in the spoil in spite of the protestations of a few troublemakers and by sending spoil to the elders of Judah who were loyal to him. These wise moves will create loyalty and a sense of devotion for him by the people of Israel.