Thoughts on the Old Testament
When God is present, the world will know He is there. Does the world take notice when we are there? Do they see Him in us?
Psalm 114 (Cf. Exodus 14.1-31 with Joshua 3.17 and Exodus 17.6 with Numbers 20.1-13)
The second of the Hallel Psalms.
All nature trembles at the presence of its Creator. Shouldn’t we? If man were to stop praising God, the rocks would shout forth His praise (Luke 19.40). Why are we silent?
When God is present, the world will know He is there. Does the world take notice when we are there? Do they see Him in us?
To whom do you go when people are against you? What does this psalm instruct us to do? Are you?
Psalm 4 (see our study of Psalm 3 and 2 Samuel 15)
This is the evening psalm (8) of the pair of psalms (see Psalm 3.5, for the morning psalm). This was written by David on the same occasion of Psalm 3, which is Absalom’s treason and rebellion.
As with Psalm 3, this psalm will be considered in light of the pauses (Selah).
Selah: Are there people in your life who have hurt you? If you are living, the answer is yes. Are you in prayer for them? Specifically, are you praying for God to work in their lives? Or, are you letting your bitterness fester?
Selah: If you are allowing anger to fester into bitterness and beyond, you are setting yourself out of fellowship with God. He will not hear your prayers (see our study of Psalm 51).
To whom do you go when people are against you? What does this psalm instruct us to do? Are you?
Does your life draw men to God? Read Zechariah 8.20-23. Is this what people do in light of what God is doing through you? If so, praise Him; if not, ask yourself why not (Selah).
Verse 1-As with Psalm 66 (see our study), this psalm calls all people to see that the Lord is good and that the Lord is God. This psalm is a psalm of God’s blessing. The prayer is much like the priestly blessing of Numbers 6.24-26, wherein God will look graciously upon us and not turn His back to us (a sign of judgement). Each verse expresses the same thought using different terms to help the reader focus on the blessing and the protection. He states that He will bless you, and keep you; that He will make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; and that He will turn his face toward you and give you peace. When God faces us, we receive His greatest blessing which is to see Him (Matthew 5.8). The greatest curse we can receive from God is when He turns His back to us. Think of Jesus on the cross, utter darkness and complete wrath were His lot as God the Father judged our sins upon Him (Matthew 27.45-46).
There is one major difference which we have seen in many of the psalms (see our study of Psalm 53). That difference is in Numbers the word used for God in the Hebrew is the word for the God of Israel which is Jehovah (יְֽהוָה). The word here is Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) which is the God above all other gods, the triune Godhead.
With all this going on, the psalmist calls us to pause and consider these truths for ourselves (Selah).
Is God your blessing because you stand in right relationship with Him as His child or is God your cursing because you stand in wrong relationship with Him as a child of the devil. Sounds harsh, doesn’t it? Read John 8.31-47.
Does your life draw men to God? Read Zechariah 8.20-23. Is this what people do in light of what God is doing through you? If so, praise Him; if not, ask yourself why not (Selah).
Interesting numbers in this psalm:
All this in seven verses.
When looking through this psalm, we need to ask if people see and know who our God is and how great He is.
Psalm 68 (cf. Judges 5–see our study)
This is another psalm written in response to the Ark being moved into Jerusalem (see our study of Psalm 47). Numbers 10.35–36 and 2 Chronicles 6.41–42 (see our study) both describe the words to be said when the Ark is to be moved and laid to rest. It is describing the movement from Obed-edom into Jerusalem with the pomp given it. The psalm calls us to praise the God who cares for the needy with a pause )Selah( for us to ponder whether we do the same.
History unfolds placing the Ark in its proper place with another pause for us to reflect on the God who saves us.
The procession is marked with various peoples participating in the festivities. David then gives two short songs proclaiming God’s deliverance and God’s rule over all the earth.
Paul quotes this verse in Ephesians 4.8.
What is of interest are the varied names God is called in this one psalm. He is called Elohim (1-אֱלֹהִים), Yah (4-יָהּ), Shaddai (14-שַׁדַּי), Yah Elohim (18-יָהּ אֱלֹהִֽים ), Adonai (19-אֲדֹנָי), and Jehovah Adonai (20-יהוִה אֲדֹנָי). El (אֵל) is also found throughout this psalm.
The psalm is neatly outlined this way:
When looking through this psalm, we need to ask if people see and know who our God is and how great He is.
When we try to do God’s work our way, we may succeed for a moment, but we are destined for failure. When we do things God’s way, despite what some may think, He will bless us. Sometime our closest friends will turn on us when we decide to praise God properly. This should never detract us from rejoicing in Him. When was the last time you sang for God in such a way that it didn’t matter who was there?
2 Samuel 6 (cf. 1 Chronicles 13.1-14 [read our study] and 15.25-16.6 [read our study]; 1 Samuel 7.1, 2 [read our study])
This chapter presents David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. It is a rather strange story though. After the Israelites received the Ark back from the Philistines, they placed it in Kirjath-Jearim (here it is called Baale-Judah) with Abinidab in order to make Jerusalem both the political and religious capital of Israel. The goal is admirable. It seems, however, the means was less than godly. David intended to transport the Ark via a cart and not using Kohathites (Levitical priests) to carry it as prescribe in Numbers 4.15.
As the party of more than 30,000 were celebrating the transport of the Ark, it began to fall. Uzzah, in an attempt to save the Ark from desecration by having it fall to the ground, stopped it from falling. For his attempts, God struck him dead. Why? Was God being too harsh with Uzzah for touching the Ark? If we are unaware of God’s character, we might trivialize this incident with such a response. However, knowing the holiness of God, we need to respond differently. Uzzah was attempting to “save” the Ark from desecration by desecrating the Ark with his hand (he broke the law in order to save the Ark). Now, some would say that his hand was less dirty than the ground, so it was the lesser of the two evils. I posit a query or two: Is God so incapable that He is unable to keep the Ark from falling without causing someone to sin? Do we really think our sinfulness is less dirty than the dirt? Dirt is dirt and sin is what brought Christ out of Heaven to die for us (it is filthy rags-Isaiah 64.5-7). God’s law demands that any who touch it, die; he did, and he did.
David is in fear and anger. I think he was fearful of whom God actually is and in anger over his mishandling of the situation.
He deposits the Ark at the home of a Levitical priest, a Kohathite, in the city of Gath-rimmon in Manasseh. This would be the proper place to leave it. After David sees that God is not mad at him but blesses the household of Obed-edom, David retrieves it properly and takes it to Jerusalem.
Along the way, the entourage continues their celebration. David celebrates with them. His first wife, Michal, becomes embarrassed by David’s dress and dancing and despises him. When he returns home, she blasts him for rejoicing in the manner he did. David defends himself. God judges her.
When we try to do God’s work our way, we may succeed for a moment, but we are destined for failure. When we do things God’s way, despite what some may think, He will bless us. Sometime our closest friends will turn on us when we decide to praise God properly. This should never detract us from rejoicing in Him. When was the last time you sang for God in such a way that it didn’t matter who was there?
In each case of the remembering, Moses or another leader pleads on behalf of the people for God to forgive them. They stand in the gap for those who have rebelled (Ezekiel 22.30). We are called to do the same thing (Galatians 6.1-3 and Matthew 18.15-17).
This is considered the first of the Hallelujah Psalms because it begins and ends with hallelujah (הלליה), which is “Praise the Lord.”
The key to this passage and the other historical psalms is to remember. In Psalm 105, remember because of the great things God has done; in Psalm 106, it is remembering that bad things we have done and turn from them. This psalm is a rehearsal of those things Israel did in rebellion to the good things God had done for them. Before we start pointing the finger, we need to remember that we do the same today. Think of God’s grace and forgiveness; then, ponder the things that we have done that abuse that grace and forgiveness. Paul summed it up in Romans 6 with an emphasis on our not sinning because of God’s grace.
Verses 1-3-The psalmist begins with praise and will end with praise as-well. He is calling us to observe what we have done and to pursue justice instead.
Verses 4-5-These verses are likened to Luke 23.42 where the repentant thief asks Jesus to remember him when He enters His kingdom.
Now we arrive at the reason for the repentance and petition.
Verse 47-This is a call to national repentance and a call to give God the glory due His name.
Verse 48-This doxology is what began the psalm. Whatever our lot in life, we need to remember to praise the Lord.
In each case of the remembering, Moses or another leader pleads on behalf of the people for God to forgive them. They stand in the gap for those who have rebelled (Ezekiel 22.30). We are called to do the same thing (Galatians 6.1-3 and Matthew 18.15-17).
This list ends with mighty men of valor. Would your name be placed here or would it be absent as Dan? Why?
1 Chronicles 7 (Genesis 46.13, 17, 21, 24)
Issachar-More research later
Benjamin-This tribe was almost reduced to naught. It grew and is listed here in detail due to the genealogy of King Saul.
Naphtali-This is quite short, probably due to the size of the tribe after returning from the Assyrian captivity. Tiglath-Pileser seems to have targeted this area (2 Kings 15.29).
Manasseh-Note the absence of the term “half-tribe” (1 Chronicles 5.23), implying that this portion of Manasseh was placed in higher regard than the portion east of the Jordan River. Zolophehad’s daughters required a change in the inheritance laws under Moses (Numbers 27.1-11 and Numbers 36.1-12).
Ephraim-This genealogy is detailed to display the heritage of Joshua. Sheerah is the only mention of a woman in the Bible who built cities.
Asher-More research later
The two tribes, Zebulun and Dan, are omitted from these genealogies. For Dan’s omission, a conjecture would be that his tribe began the idolatry of the nation with the calves set-up by Jeroboam. He is also not listed in Revelation 7.5-8. As for Zebulun, more research is needed.
This list ends with mighty men of valor. Would your name be placed here or would it be absent as Dan? Why?
