A Psalm for Sunday, Psalm 69, verses 22 to 29, the book of the living

 

Psalm 69:22 ¶  Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. 23  Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. 24  Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. 25  Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents. 26  For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. 27  Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. 28  Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. 29  But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

 

Paul refers to the first verse in this passage.

 

Romans 11:9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

 

That which should have been for the benefit of David’s enemies, he prays that it go against them. By Paul’s allusion to the verse we see that trap is a recompence by word substitution as I have previously explained. The Holy Spirit uses this method in quoting Old Testament verses in the New to show us the intent of the passage.

 

Paul follows on with an allusion or free reference to the next verse.

 

Romans 11:10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

 

See how the Holy Spirit directs us through fluid meanings as a contrast with bow down their back always and make their loins continually to shake.

 

For verse 24 see a similar sentiment in Psalms.

 

Psalms 79:6 ¶  Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

 

Verse 25 can be also applied to Judas, the betrayer of Christ.

 

Acts 1:20  For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

 

From verse 26 we can see a reference to the Messiah, the torment of the Lord Jesus Christ. For 27 note this verse in a future Psalm

 

Psalms 81:12  So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

I should think that prophetically the book of the living and the book of life are synonymous in a clear double-reference to the end times with the immediate context being David wanting his enemies to die. In Revelation 3:5 Christ promises not to blot a person’s name out of the Book of Life. All human beings’ names are in the book when their soul was created but based on God’s foreknowledge and if we reject Him our name is removed.

Exodus 32:32  Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin — ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. 33  And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Philippians 4:3  And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Revelation 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Revelation 17:8  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Revelation 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works…15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

When we are saved we are said to be sealed and the Holy Spirit is given to us as a deposit, earnest money, so to speak.

2Corinthians 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Ephesians 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

So, it is consistent to believe that God’s Book of Life contains all our names and when we die physically the name is either left there or taken out based on what we have done regarding Christ…

Hebrews 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

If that is not the case then your salvation is not sure, that is, if you can have your name put in and then taken out.

For verse 29 consider;

 

 Psalms 40:17  But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

 

Psalms 109:22  For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

 

Remember for us what we are told in the New Testament.

¹ Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: ⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.