Prayer For You

we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks4 to the Father, who has qualified you5 to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

From Colossians 1

LONGING FOR GOD - PSALM 63

PSALM 63

This is a good psalm for us to study this week because the writer of this psalm was going through the same thing we are: he was unable to go to the place of worship. For the psalmist, that would have been the tabernacle. For us, it is our church.

Most of us are under some type of “stay at home” order. Groups are not allowed to meet, including churches, in an attempt to stop the spread of the corona virus. Missing church for weeks with no end in sight is a depressing thought. I already feel out of sync and we just started! It will be really difficult being home on Easter Sunday. And for my church, it would be the first Easter with our new teaching pastor.

Being absent from the gathering has made me reminisce about good times at church. I thought about our new pastor’s first Sunday, when so many people came down to the “altar” to pray for our church. I thought about times it seemed the Spirit really moved. The banners with the names of God came to mind also. There have been many wonderful moments. I miss being there.

63:1-2
Longing For God

The psalmist missed meeting with God at the Tabernacle.  The heading of the psalm said it was about David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. David was there quite a bit, so we are not sure of the exact time he was thinking about. It might have been when his son, Absalom, led a rebellion against him. 2 Samuel 15-16 tell the heartbreaking story of David walking bare footed out of Jerusalem while weeping after the people rejected him and chose Absalom.  

David described his longing in graphic terms. He earnestly sought God as if his soul was so thirsty he felt faint in a place where there was no water. The Hebrew word for “soul” means one’s whole being. He longed for God like he would long for water if he were walking through a hot desert.

This is interesting because he did not thirst to be back on the throne. He longed for the presence of God in the sanctuary. There he had seen the power and glory of God.

This is where we identify with him. We long to be gathered together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, seeing God’s glory and power as we worship him. Seeing people repent, watching baptisms, singing with all our hearts, hearing the Word preached, feeling the Holy Spirit bring us into the presence of God.

63:3-4
Worshipping in Difficult Times

Although the psalmist missed and longed for the sanctuary, he still looked to God and worshipped him. He said God’s steadfast love is better than life and he would praise God for it. (3) “Steadfast love” usually refers to God’s covenant love for Israel, always being faithful to do what he promised in that covenant. David praised God for his unfailing love.

David also blessed God, committing to blessing him forever. (4) he would lift up his hands to God in worship and prayer, and to God only. Lifting up hands to God while praying was the manner of the Jews, focusing their attention only on God. This tradition endured to New Testament times. In 1 Timothy 2:8, Paul told Timothy “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands…” .

As David committed to life long worship, even while separated from the sanitary, we need to do the same. We may be housebound for a short time or a long time. We do not know. But we must not let this separation from our gathering separate us from God. Commit and re-commit yourself to continual, life long worship no matter where you are.

63:5-8
Staying in Fellowship with God

David’s relationship with God was the main thing in his life. Therefore, he could say he would be satisfied with God as he might be if he ate rich and fat food. All of us know what he means. We have eaten a meal of our favorite food that was prepared perfectly and at the end of the meal were satisfied and happy.

So David was satisfied and happy in his relationship with God. It overflowed in vocal praise. (5) This happened as he went to bed, remembering God, meditating on Him in the night, remembering that God helped him and protected him.

And knowing that God was the only source of spiritual satisfaction, David said he would cling to God, knowing God held him up. (8)

David clung to God by praying and meditating on God. He talked to God and he thought about God with intention and deliberation.

You can cling to God in this time of isolation or you can wander off into apathy, dissatisfaction, and fear. You cling to God by spending time in the Word, praying, expressing thankfulness. You wander from God by neglecting all of these things while you watch television or sleep and get depressed.

63:9-11
The Failure of David’s Enemies

David said those who sought to destroy him would die, be separated permanently from God, and their bodies eaten by jackals. For the Jews, the desecration of a body was the ultimate humiliation and degradation. This would happen to David’s enemies because David was God’s man. God chose him to be king. Opposition to David was opposition to God.

In contrast, the king would rejoice in God. So would all the people who swore by God. This swearing is not cursing as we know it, but acknowledging God as the sole God and the ultimate power. For example, Deuteronomy 6:13 says “It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.”

David longed for the sanctuary because the was where worship was conducted. The sacrifices were offered there. The priests served there. David had bought the ark back from Philistia and installed it in Israel. (2 Samuel 6) Thirty thousand people went with him to bring it up to Jerusalem. They sang and played instruments “before the Lord” in great joy. (2 Samuel 6:5)

David sacrificed an ox and danced with all his might. He offered the burnt offerings and peace offerings. There was a great feast. Maybe we should do something like this when we can return to the church building. David was compelled by the law to worship in one place.

We have a tremendous advantage and gift. We know that God does not dwell in a temple made with hands. (Acts 7:48) He dwells with us through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23) To those who love and believe in Jesus, the Father sends the Holy Spirit to teach us and to give us peace. (John 14:26-27)

Since the Holy Spirit dwells within each one of us, each one of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19)   Additionally, no matter where we are, when two or more of us meet together in Jesus name, he promised to be among us. Today, we meet together electronically, through the Internet. We are together and Jesus is with us.

I believe the word for us today is to be like David. Long for the sanctuary and corporate worship. But, more so, long for fellowship with God. Fulfill that longing by reading and studying the Bible. Spend time in prayer. Pray for the spiritual welfare of all of us in Koinonia and at Travis, pray for the defeat of this virus, pray for us to return to church soon. Meditate on God’s word. Fellowship by contacting other believers. Do not let yourself drift away and do not succumb to fear and depression.

God empowered David to defeat his enemies and return to the throne. God can conquer the corona virus. David depended on God and gave him glory. So can we and so we should.

God gave Aaron, the high priest, a blessing to give the people of Israel. I would like to bless you with it today:

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
(Numbers 6:24-26)

Godspeed.

WAIT ON THE LORD - PSALM 62

PSALM 62

This psalm teaches us to look only to God in times of trouble. We see this emphasis in the use of the words “alone” and “only” applied to God 4 times in the first six verses.

62:1-2
The Declaration

The psalmist declared that he waited only for God, because God is the only source of salvation and the only one who is a rock that will not be moved.

God is the only one big enough that no one can move him or defeat him. He is called the rock to declare his permanence and power, as a giant rock that no one can move.

When you think of a rock, you might think of the Rock of Gibraltar, that 1,400 foot tall limestone outcrop at the southern tip of the nation of Gibraltar. It has always been a symbol of strength and something that cannot be moved.




The psalmist was thinking of some rock, so big it was impossible to contemplate moving, giving protection to those who hid behind it. God is even bigger, and cannot be moved by people, or events, or other powers.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, declared that “all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand…”. (Daniel 4:35)

Nebuchadnezzar learned that lesson the hard way, after God made him live like a beast until he acknowledged God’s power over him.

Therefore, you can rest in him, and he will guard your faith and give you strength.  The psalmist said he waited in silence. His faith was strong, he made his pleas to God, and he did not whine or cry about it. That is a strong faith.

In fact, the psalmist said he would not be greatly shaken. This is a timely word for us today, as the virus spreads around the world. Most places are closed to gatherings, many people are sick, and many more are worried. The psalmist would tell you to wait for the Lord and you will not be shaken. God is in control.

62:3-4
The Attack

These verses describe the attacks faced by the psalmist. He was battered and tottering on his feat like a leaning fence or wall. This is a person who has suffered many blows. His enemies plan to remove him from his position. (4) They speak lies. They act like they are blessing him to his face, but, behind his back, or silently, they are cursing him. The enemies are hypocrites and liars. And they enjoy it.

I am not minimizing the difficulty of having such enemies. I personally have and have had enemies who told lies about me to remove me from my position, while acting like friends to my face. It hurts. And it is scary. Only by waiting for the Lord’s salvation and having faith in him can we avoid being destroyed by such people.


62:5-7
The Declaration Restated

In these verses, the psalmist restated his faith in words very nearly the same as verses 1 and 2. He repeated that he waited only for God, who is the only rock, salvation, and fortress. These are all metaphors for God’s protection. The psalmist would look nowhere else. As a result, he would not be shaken. Calvin wrote “Never, as he had said, will he frustrate the patient waiting of his saints”.

62:8
The Plea

The psalmist urged the congregation to trust God at all times. The implication is to trust, not just in good times, but also in bad times. Trusting during bad times is really the manifestation of faith.

The psalmist told them to pour our their hearts to God who is their refuge. Do you have worries and anxieties? Pour our your heart to God and ask for his help, believing he hears and cares. The God of the psalmist is your God; he is the same God the psalmist trusted. This message is repeated over and over throughout the Bible.

62:9-10
Do Not Trust in Other Things

In these verses, the psalmist goes to the negative. He lists things we should not trust. In verse 9, he said that it did not matter if we are rich or poor, we have no power in ourselves apart from God. We are “lighter than a breath”. (9) Riches will not save us and neither will extortion or robbery to obtain them. Even if your riches increase, you should not set your heart on them.

62:11-12
God is the Sovereign

The psalmist said God had spoken to say he can and will carry out his will in the world. He said that “power belongs to God”.

One of God’s attributes is omnipotence. He has unlimited power. No one is more powerful.

God identified himself to Abraham saying “I am God Almighty”. (Genesis 17:1) The Old Testament repeatedly refers to God as almighty. So, power belongs to God.

This stands to reason as well. If God created the universe, including our planet, and everything in it, he has to be more powerful than the universe. The creator is more powerful than the creation.

In our time, it is common to reduce our perception of God’s power. Many people want to see God as a buddy, a big brother, or a Santa-like figure. Everyone wants to see God as loving, but not necessarily powerful. Powerful is scary.

Although God has been gracious to condescend to a relationship with those who believe in him, he has not lost his power.  Yes, God keeps his promises, his covenants, with steadfast love. He gives believers eternal life, his presence, and his everlasting love. But he does these things, not just in love, but in power. So, in love and in unlimited power, he gives us salvation and eternal life.

Also, because God is omnipotent, he has the power and authority to judge men and women. That is one reason people want to think only of God’s love. They think it means he will not judge.

Verse 12 says “for you (God) will render to a man according to his work”. A person’s work shows what his faith is and who the object is.

These who attacked the psalmist had faith in their riches and their manipulations. The implication is that God will judge them and they will be punished.

In contrast, the psalmist believes God and shows it by his unshaken faith and ability to wait on God. God will judge him and save him out of the steadfast love he has for those who believe in him.

Take some time this week to reflect on who God is. Be consoled by the fact that God is sufficient. He can quiet your heart and mind and give you rest.

He is sovereign and in control, even now. He wants you to trust him and wait for him.

PSALM 61 - HEAR MY CRY

 

PSALM 61 - HEAR MY CRY

This psalm has two stanzas: verses 1-4 and 6-8. We see the psalmist facing difficulties, but not overcome by them.

61:1-4
Stanza 1

This psalm is a personal plea to God for help. It is written by one is away from Jerusalem fighting a battle. The psalmist said he called to God from the ends of the earth, so he was evidently away from the place of the Tabernacle, where God’s presence dwelt.

It is good for us to remember that God is not confined to any particular place. He is omnipresent. He is everywhere at all times. All things are before him at any time.

Psalm 139:7-12 says:

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me
and your right hand shall hold me. (Jonah learned this!)
If I say “surely the darkness hall cover me,
and the light about me be night”
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is a light to you.

Jeremiah 23:24 says:

Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth?

God is not confined to our church buildings and was not confined to the Tabernacle or Temple in Old Testament times. He does not dwell in temples made by human hands. (Acts 7:48; 17:24) That is a comfort to us today, since many of our churches are not open due to the coronal virus. Yet, as we meet in homes and other places, God is there and he hears our prayers. And Jesus is with us. He said “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20)

The psalmist took comfort in God’s omnipresence and so do we.

The psalmist’ heart was faint, meaning weary of suffering, close to despair. The psalmist looked to God for protection. He used three metaphors:
the rock higher than I;
a refuge (safe place); and
strong tower.

When are hearts are faint, when we feel weak or inadequate, we must remember that God is the rock that cannot be moved, and is in an exalted position,  he is our refuge, or place of safety, and he is a strong tower of defense against our enemies.



It is this last image that makes us think the psalmist was in a battle and seeking God’s help to win it. We may not be in a war with guns, but we constantly face spiritual battles and physical battles in our daily lives.

The first stanza ends with the psalmist wanting to be in God’s presence forever. The image of “dwell in your tent” probably is a reference to the tabernacle as the place of God’s presence.




The shelter of God’s wings, in this context, likely refers to the wings of the cherubim that stretched out over the mercy seat on top of the ark.




That was the place God promised his presence would dwell with Israel.

We want to be in God’s presence forever also. But we have a greater promise than the Tabernacle or Temple. We have God dwelling in us through the presence of the Holy Spirit. He dwells in us such that we are a temple, a place where the presence of God dwells forever. Paul wrote: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)

The psalmist emphasized that he had kept his vows to God and knew God gave him a heritage, the heritage of those who fear God’s name. In the case of the psalmist, this would show the psalmist’s faith in God to keep his covenant to give the psalmist a place in Israel to live under God’s protection. For us, it would mean God’s presence in this life and eternal life in the presence of God.

61:6-8
Stanza 2

The psalmist asked God to prolong the life of the king. This is a way of asking for God to preserve the line of the king. The king of Israel was responsible to keep the people in obedience to the covenant and to be God’s representative to lead the people. A good king meant prosperity and safety for the kingdom. David was that king, a man after God’s heart. So, the psalmist prayed for him to live a long time to govern Israel.

God did keep the promise to enthrone the king forever before God by sending his son, Jesus, as a descendant of David, to rule over God’s kingdom. The Jews in Jesus’ time longed for a king that would restore their kingdom. Many of them looked for the wrong kind of king. But Jesus proclaimed his kingship and the coming of the kingdom. His first words recorded by Mark are: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15)

The psalm ends with the faithful psalmist pledging to continue performing his vows and singing praises to God. These are the elements of the Christian life also: obedience and worship. These please the Lord and give us confidence and peace, even in difficult times.

We live in a difficult time. Some have it much worse than others. This psalm reminds us that God is here with us, in every country on this planet, with every church and every believer, even while this epidemic rages. We will trust in him and we will endure in the faith.

Godspeed.

Pray For Italy

Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Italy as the country suffers a massive virus outbreak. Many are unable to go to church. May the Lord protect them. 

PSALM 60 - GOD DEFEATS OUR ENEMIES

PSALM 60

This psalm was meant to be sung by the congregation or nation. We see this from the instruction to the choirmaster. The purpose of the psalm is instruction. The occasion of its writing is a war between Israel, led by King David, and two regions of Syria, Aram-Naharayim and Aram-Zobah. Aram is a name for Syria.

These battles are mentioned in 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18. David is now the king. He has re-captured the ark of the covenant and returned it to Israel. (2 Samuel 6) God has made covenant with David. (2 Samuel 7) Part of that covenant was God’s promise that David would conquer the enemies of Israel and bring peace.

David conquered the Philistines and Moab. Philistia was on the coast. Moab was east of the Jordan and south of the land Moses slotted to the tribes of Israel on that side of the river. The Moabites were descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew.




Then he turned his attention to Zobah and defeated it while Zobah was trying to extend its kingdom. The Syrian alliance brought a large army with chariots to help Zobah, but David defeated them also. That group would have been the “Aram-Naharaim” mention in the instructions to the psalm.





The reference to Joab and the Valley of Salt is David’s defeat of Edom in that valley, with Joab as the leader of the military.

The Lament
60:1-3

The psalmist lamented the fact that God had rejected them in his anger. He had made the land itself hostile, having earthquakes that made the people stagger and fear.

This may refer to the end of Saul’s reign, after God rejected Saul. Since God rejected Saul, he would not bless him with military victories. The Philistines often raided Israel. Eventually, the Philistines defeated the army of Israel and killed all of Saul’s sons, causing Saul to commit suicide rather than fall into their hands.The Amalekites also raided parts of Israel, burning towns and taking captives.

Since the Israelites were God’s people and they were being defeated by Gentiles, they saw themselves as rejected by God, treated as if they were not his people. He had wine that made them stagger, which is a metaphor for God’s wrath. You can see this in Jeremiah 25:15, where the Lord tells Jeremiah to take from God’s hand the cup of the wine of wrath which will the nations will drink and be caused to stagger because of God’s judgment on them.

Rally To The Lord
60:4-5

The psalmist said the Lord set up a banner for those who fear him. This is the image of a flag raised in battle and the soldiers rally to the flag to renew the fight.

In the movie “The Patriot”, the Americans rally to the flag carried by Mel Gibson’s character and win the final battle with the British. That is an example of the banner raised in battle.

Here the psalmist says it will provide protection from the bow, meaning the enemy, and bring deliverance and salvation. In this context, salvation means success in military battles.

Saul, without the power of God behind him, led the nation to defeat. But David, anointed by God, and empowered by him, defeated Israel’s enemies. The Psalmist here asked for God’s divine intervention to save Israel. He asked in terms of the covenant, referring to Israel as God’s beloved ones.

God Declared Victory
60:6-8

These verses recite a declaration of God to claim the land of Canaan for himself and his people. He mentions Shechem, Succoth, Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah. These are all places in the land God promised to Israel. Shechem was the place where Abraham built an altar after God promised him the land. Jacob later bought a field there after returning from working for Laban. Succoth was one of the places Jacob stayed on his return to Canaan with his wives and flocks. Gilead was east of the Jordan and awarded to the tribes that settled there instead of on the other side of the river. Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah refer to the parts of the land allotted to those tribes. All of that land was claimed by God for his people.

Moab was a country east of the Jordan that was often an enemy of Israel. Edom and Philistia were also enemies. God said he would triumph over them all. He declared victory over them.

When God said Moab was his wash basin, he referred to a lowly servant coming to wash the feet of the warrior. Similarly, the Lord would cast his shoe on Edom, a sign of contempt and degradation. All of these nations would be required to submit to the authority of the Lord’s rule. Judah, as the scepter, is emblematic of the king’s rule.


A Cry to God for Help
60:9-12

The psalmist recognized that no man, without God’s help, could lead them to defeat Edom, a powerful enemy. So, the psalmist asked God to help, saying that, with God, they would fight valiantly and win, because God actually won the battles for them.

Israel’s mission was to spread the knowledge and glory of God over the earth. In the Old Testament, that was done primarily by military conquest. The king was a type of Christ, who will one day rule the nations.

This is the picture of Palm 2:7-9. The Son will have the nations as a heritage and possession. He will break the nations with a rod of Iron.

So, the mission for us has not changed. The goal is still to spread the knowledge and glory of the Lord over all the earth. That is why Jesus have us the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

It is why Jesus answered the question of the disciples “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel” with “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth”. (Acts 1:8)

Jesus will eventually reign over all. Philippians 2:10 tells us every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is lord, to the glory of the father.

PSALM 59 - GOD OF STRENGTH

PSALM 59

After David was anointed to be king, he killed Goliath, the Philistine giant and became famous and admired. The people began to admire him more than King Saul.

Saul’s son, Jonathan, became David’s great friend. Saul gave his daughter, Michal, to David as his wife. Yet, as Saul realized the Lord was with David, Saul became afraid of David and became his enemy. So, Saul sought to kill David.

1 Samuel 19 tells us that Saul sent men to watch the house where David lived with Saul’s daughter. He wanted to kill David when he came out of the house in the morning. But Michal found out and warned David.

Michal let David down out of a window during the night and he escaped. He then wrote this Psalm as a prayer to God for deliverance.

Structure

The Psalm has two sections, verses 1-10 and verses 11-17. Both sections speak of David’s enemies as howling dogs and both end with David addressing God as his “Strength”.

59:1-10

As in previous Psalms, David asked God to deliver him from his enemies. They were evil and bloodthirsty. They literally laid in wait to kill him.

Killing a man after “lying in wait” made the killing a murder and subjected the killer to the death penalty in the Old Testament law. (Numbers 35:20) We might call it an ambush today.

To make matters worse, David had done nothing wrong to cause this situation. He was innocent. God had chosen him to be the next king, but he had not plotted against Saul. In fact, he led Saul’s army to victories over the Philistines.

We all have problems. Sometimes we have problems because we have enemies who hate us. But imagine knowing the most powerful man in your country wants to kill you and has men to help him? That is real stress.

Regardless of the cause of our stresses and worries, David sets the example for us in turning to the Lord for help and deliverance. Sometimes there is no one who can protect you except the Lord, so to him you must go.

David asked God to “awake” and to “rouse himself” and come to his aid. David was speaking figuratively, or he is anthropomorphizing (giving human traits to non-humans). God was not asleep. God does not sleep. Psalm 121:4 says “Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep”. Mary Crowley once wrote: “Every evening I turn my worries over to God. He’s going to be up all night anyway.”

What we know about God, though, is that he acts according to his will and his time table. So David is just asking God to act immediately.

Notice that David referred to God as the “LORD God of hosts”.  “LORD” is the way most translations refer to the covenant name of God, YHWH. “God” here is “Elohim”, which conveys the idea of the powerful one, among other things. “Hosts” is the idea of armies. The Christian Standard Bible actually translates it as “armies” in this verse.

So, the God who is in covenant with Israel, who is the powerful head of a vast army, is asked to come to the aid of David, who is to be the king of Israel. David relied upon God’s commitment to the covenant as he prayed to God for relief.

The New Testament makes clear that those of us in the New Covenant also have the right to make requests to God. Jesus instructed us to pray, addressing God as “our Father”. (Matthew 6:9) He specifically said not to pray like the Gentiles, the pagans, who use lots of words. So, like Israel in the Old Covenant, believers in the new covenant have a special right to call upon the Lord and be heard. Jesus also said “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

Verses 6 and 7 are a refrain that is repeated in the second stanza in verses 14-15. David compared them to packs of dogs who come in the evening, howling and prowling. Remember that dogs at that time were not pets like today. They were wild and they were dangerous, hunting in packs. They were more like wolves or jackals. Going out at night alone and without a weapon could be dangerous.

Despite the dangerous nature of these dogs, David’s enemies, David believed in God’s power over them. He saw God as being so much more powerful than his enemies that he laughed at them and held them in derision. (8)

David referred to God as his Strength and his fortress. He declared that he would wait for God to come and lead David to triumph over his enemies. He wanted God to come now, but he waited in faith nonetheless. He had faith because of God’s steadfast, covenant love for him and Israel.

59:11-17

In verses 11-13, David puts the “imprecation” in the imprecatory psalm. He asked God to trap his enemies in their pride and to consume them in his wrath. He wanted God to wipe them out and show that he is God.

Verses 14-15 repeat the refrain that compares his enemies to packs of dogs.  But in 16-17, David ends the psalm with praise. He commits to singing of God’s strength and his steadfast love.

Looking back, now, what are the ways God is described in this Psalm? Here is a list:
*My God (personal)
*Lord God of hosts\Almighty
*Strength
*Steadfast in love
*shield
*fortress
*refuge

He is a God that we can trust, rely on, and ask for help.