Psalms of trust and declarations of confidence:
“Express confidence in God’s fidelity”, despite “looming threats” (23:6; 13:5).[1]
Completely give themselves over to God’s loving fidelity. Like prayers for
help, trust psalms are prayed in the midst of a situation of crisis. But
instead of dwelling in the questions, trust psalms have a mood of trust.[2]
[1] Jacobson, ““The faithfulness of the Lord Endures Forever”,” 115.
[2] Jacobson and Jacobson. Invitation
to the Psalms, 161.
The opening of this
psalm can be an appeal for deliverance from a crisis or an expression of the
desire for continuing divine protection in the future.[1]
It might not even be an appeal but a confession of trust in God’s providential
guidance.[2]
V2 “I say to the Lord, “You are my lord” is an emphatic element to the confession.[3]
The psalmist wants us to not look elsewhere and place all trust in Yahweh.
Yahweh is blessing and the source of blessing.
V7 The psalmist
praises God for God’s counsel and subsequently we see in V11 “you show me the
path of life”. Counsel here refers to having been guided by God’s law about how
to live. This counsel helps the psalmist develop a sense of conscience.[4]
V9: The deliverance
involves the “heart” and the “body”, which represents not merely the
intellectual aspect but the totality of the psalmist’s life.[5]
V10: Many see this
bit of Psalm as a prediction of the resurrection, because David obviously died
and rotted. Jesus’ resurrection as the ultimate demonstration of Yahweh’s
dependability.
Make people realise
the confidence we have does not depend on our circumstances, but the
dependability of Yahweh.
V11: there is a sense
of a restoration to a full life in God’s presence.[6]
Circumstances of
distress proves relationship with God in the sense of testing it. God has
proven God’s fidelity to the psalmist: When the psalmist runs to Yahweh for
refuge, in Yahweh he finds refuge.
It's about confidence, distress and relationship with God.
Yahweh, as the protector, the one whom we can rely, Yahweh is dependable.
Yahweh, as the protector, the one whom we can rely, Yahweh is dependable.
Life with Yahweh: secure, joy, complete, perfect, blessing, shalom. Yahweh is both our good and giver of good gifts.
Causes of anxiety: success, financial security, careers, health, political stability, fear of missing out.
Look at how these anxieties are tied to false trust. Eg. Our insecure borders to be protected. Driven but anxieties and false trust.
It is a confidence Psalm: “In this, we can have security.” Confidence in the face of death and disaster. Our God comes through in the end, even if everything goes to hell and in handcuffs. Make people realise the confidence we have doesn’t depend on our circumstances, but the dependability of Yahweh.
Look at how these anxieties are tied to false trust. Eg. Our insecure borders to be protected. Driven but anxieties and false trust.
It is a confidence Psalm: “In this, we can have security.” Confidence in the face of death and disaster. Our God comes through in the end, even if everything goes to hell and in handcuffs. Make people realise the confidence we have doesn’t depend on our circumstances, but the dependability of Yahweh.
[1]
Craigie, Psalms 1-50, 156.
[2] DeClaisse-Walford,
Jacobson, and LaNeel Tanner. The Book of
Psalms, 178.
[3] DeClaisse-Walford,
Jacobson, and LaNeel Tanner. The Book of
Psalms, 178.
[4] DeClaisse-Walford,
Jacobson, and LaNeel Tanner. The Book of
Psalms, 181.
[5] DeClaisse-Walford,
Jacobson, and LaNeel Tanner. The Book of
Psalms, 181.
[6]
Craigie, Psalms 1-50, 158.
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