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Psalms 71-72

Thursday Evening Bible Study

September 29, 2016

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid to die?  Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved? Target 3300 words   Video = 75 wpm

The English word psalm comes from a Greek word that means “a poem sung to musical accompaniment”, or in particular, “stringed instruments”.

The Hebrew name is tehillim, which means “praises.”

In Two weeks we will have new classes: (Oct. 20 – Nov. 17)

David Cathers – using Chuck Smith’s book “Calvary Chapel Distinctives” – this is what Calvary Chapel is all about.

Dave Ritner – using Warren Wiersbe’s book “50 People Every Christian Should Know:  Learning from Spiritual Giants of the Faith”.  It’s about significant people in church history.

Video:  Psalms Intro

The book of Psalms is the hymnbook of God’s people.

It’s also the “Him” book as well. It’s all about Jesus.

The writer of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 40:8 when he writes,

(Hebrews 10:7 NKJV) Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ ”
The author was talking about Jesus.
We’re going to see a lot of Jesus in the Psalms.

Soul Music

Music touches the soul. It’s “soulish” in nature. It touches the emotions.

We’re going to find every kind of emotion possible expressed in the Psalms.

For every sigh there is a Psalm.

For most of us, this is what makes the Psalms so wonderful. We can identify. We can relate.

If we were honest, even darkest most depressing Psalms describe the very things we go through day by day.
It is my prayer that as we continue on this journey through the Psalms, we won’t just look at these songs academically, with our mind, but that we may also grow as worshippers.

Psalm 71 – Old Faith

This appears to be a song that David wrote in his old age:

(Psalm 71:9 NKJV) Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

(Psalm 71:18 NKJV) Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me…

It’s not fun to approach “old age”.  Your body breaks down, and people treat you differently.

Illustration

Seems an elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, “your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased you can hear again.” To which the gentleman said, “Oh, I haven’t told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I’ve changed my will three times!”

:1 In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame.

:2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline Your ear to me, and save me.

:3 Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress.

:3 Be my strong refuge

strongtsuwr – rock, cliff

Throughout David’s younger life, he spent a lot of time on the run from Saul, hiding in caves, hiding in the rocks.

Another word he uses here:

rockcela’– crag, cliff, rock
fortressmatsuwd – stronghold
The word “Masada” comes from this word.
We think he may have even hidden at places in the wilderness similar to Masada.
Here’s a view from the top of Masada:
Video:  Masada View

God is the one we can run to when we’re in trouble.  He’s unmovable.  He’s unchangeable.  We are safe with Him.

:4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

:4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked

When you watch commercials on TV about retirement, it looks like it’s so fun, just playing golf … or walking your pig…

Video:  Two Confident Retirees

For some people, retiring means saying goodbye to all those “haters”…

Video:  The Conductor – Kobe Retiring

David is old and he’s still having troubles.

A.W. Tozer: “This life is not a playground, it’s a battleground”
The battles don’t stop when you retire, they stop when you get to heaven.

:5 For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth.

:5 my trust from my youth

trustmibtach – trust, confidence, refuge

David lived into his seventies.

He has had his struggles and his doubts, but he’s trusted God throughout his life.

:6 By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall be continually of You.

:7 I have become as a wonder to many, But You are my strong refuge.

:7 I have become as a wonder to many

wondermowpheth – wonder, sign, miracle, portent; wonder (as a special display of God’s power)

In our passage, another translation …

(Psalm 71:7 NLT) My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection.

In the prophet Isaiah’s life, God used his family life as an illustration of things to come, even giving his children names that meant something to Israel’s future:

(Isaiah 8:18 NKJV) Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel

The prophet Ezekiel did some crazy things in his life, like laying on his side for a year, eating a strange kind of bread, and other things…

(Ezekiel 12:6b NKJV) …for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”

Lesson

Actions speak

What does my life show to others?
Paul wrote Timothy,
(1 Timothy 4:12 NLT) Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
What do others learn about God from my life?
Sometimes we are teaching the wrong lesson…

Video:  Values – Road Rage

Sometimes we are teaching the right lesson …

Video:  Values – Holding the Light

David’s life wasn’t perfect, but overall he was an example of the truth that God could be trusted.

:8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise And with Your glory all the day.

:8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise

Not complaining but praising.

When some people get older, all they do is complain and criticize.
Illustration
A small town prosecuting attorney called his first witness to the stand in a trial-a grandmotherly, elderly woman. He approached her and asked, “Mrs. Jones, do you know me?” She responded, “Why, yes, I do know you Mr. Williams. I’ve known you since you were a young boy. And frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a rising big shot when you haven’t the brains to realize you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you.” The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do he pointed across the room and asked, “Mrs. Williams, do you know the defense attorney?” She again replied, “Why, yes I do. I’ve known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. I used to baby-sit him for his parents. And he, too, has been a real disappointment to me. He’s lazy, bigoted, he has a drinking problem. The man can’t build a normal relationship with anyone and his law practice is one of the shoddiest in the entire state. Yes, I know him.” At this point, the judge rapped the courtroom to silence and called both counselors to the bench. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, “If either of you asks her if she knows me, you’ll be jailed for contempt!

In contrast, David is asking that his life would be filled with praise to God.

:9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

:9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age

It’s a scary prospect to be getting old and wondering if anyone is going to be caring for you.

I visited with a couple in the hospital this week.

He is the one in the hospital with huge, serious health problems that have gone on for five years now.  He’s been on death’s door several times, including this week.
The wife has been at his side through the entire ordeal.
A while ago he was talking to a friend about what has been happening in his life, and the subject came up of what it would be like to be married to someone with his health problems, and the friend said, “I’d have been gone a long time ago”.

It’s a rare thing to see a couple actually taking their vows seriously, “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health…”

And now to top it all off, she’s got cancer and is going through her own chemo therapy.

Will you be alone when you go through difficulty?

David is trusting that God will be with him to the end.

:10 For my enemies speak against me; And those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together,

:11 Saying, “God has forsaken him; Pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.”

:11 God has forsaken him

Some people will come to this conclusion when you go through difficulty.

It’s not true.

(Hebrews 13:5b NKJV) …For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

:12 O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!

:13 Let them be confounded and consumed Who are adversaries of my life; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor Who seek my hurt.

:13 Let them be confounded

confoundedbuwsh – to put to shame, be ashamed

This is a word used frequently by David and the other Psalmists.  It’s used 34 times in the Psalms.

(Psalm 35:4 NKJV) Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life…
(Psalm 40:14 NKJV) Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who seek to destroy my life…
(Psalm 70:2 NKJV) Let them be ashamed and confounded Who seek my life…

David is asking for God to deal with this people.

:14 But I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more.

:14 I will hope continually

David was looking forward, not backward.

Lot’s wife had a problem because she looked back.
David is looking forward.
Illustration
“On Winston Churchill’s seventy-fifth birthday, a photographer said, ‘I hope sir, that I will shoot your picture on your hundredth birthday.’ Churchill answered: ‘I don’t see why not, young man. You look reasonably fit and healthy’.”

-- William Manchester, The Last Lion: Visions of Glory

:15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day, For I do not know their limits.

:15 For I do not know their limits

(Psalm 71:15 NASB95) …For I do not know the sum of them.

(Psalm 71:15 ESV) My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.

(Psalm 71:15 NIV) …though I know not how to relate them all.

Though David is talking about the number of times that God has saved him, I can’t help but think of that song,

“I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon the cross”
What God has done for our salvation is absolutely amazing.

:16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.

:16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God

Some people seem to quit life after a certain age.

Even when he’s old, David will still go forward.

When John Wesley was in his eighties,

He complained that he was sleeping too late, sleeping until 4:30am.
He complained that he could only preach twice a day.
He learned 10 new languages after the age of sixty.

:17 O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.

:17 You have taught me from my youth

Lesson

What has God taught you lately?

David has been taught by God from his youth.
Now that David is old, he is still being taught by God.
Sometimes we can fall into the trap of thinking that “old ways” are the best, and there’s not much new to learn…
Video:  Quilted Northern Rustic Weave

Aren’t you glad you can enjoy 100 years of toilet paper progress?

Are you still being taught by God?
We go through periods where we seem to stop learning. We know all the stories. We know all the Bible verses. We don’t think there’s anything new to learn.
There is so much more to learn about the Lord.
Not so much things that are “new”, but things that are deeper. Having a fresh and deeper understanding of things that are old.
I was thinking today about something the pastor said last Sunday about stewards.
(1 Corinthians 4:1–2 NKJV) —1 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

I was thinking about how I want to be careful to be a faithful steward of God’s Word as I teach you.

This morning I was also thinking about:
(Isaiah 55:10–11 NKJV) —10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

:18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.

:18 I declare Your strength to this generation

declarenagad – (Hiphil) to tell, declare; report; make known, expound

Lesson

Pass it on

David wants to teach the next generation about God’s power.
The Levites were supposed to serve the congregation from the ages of 30-50. When you got to fifty, you stepped into a different role to take those that were 25 years old and mentor them to serve in the ministry.
Jesus’ ministry wasn’t just one of speaking to the large crowds. He had his twelve disciples around him. He had the inner three that spent the most time with Him. He poured His life into them.
Paul too was constantly discipling others around him.
(Acts 20:4 NKJV) And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia—also Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.

Just about wherever he went, Paul was taking men with him, training them to be the next generation of disciples.

Paul wrote to Timothy to continue this practice,
(2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV) And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
Who are you passing it on to?
Don’t make “discipling” into some hard to accomplish task.
Just spend time with someone younger.  Build relationships.

:19 Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You?

:20 You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

:20 bring me up again from the depths of the earth

David is expressing his hope in the resurrection, 1,000 years before Jesus.

God will bring him back from the dead.

Lesson

Hope

Our hope is based on the fact that Jesus rose from the dead.
Our sins have been paid for
(1 Corinthians 15:17 NKJV) And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
We can face difficulty
Paul wrote,

(1 Corinthians 15:30–32 NKJV) —30 And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? 31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

We can face difficult times in this life because we know that this life isn’t all there is.  There is more.  There is something on the other side to live for.
We too will rise from the dead.
(1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NKJV) —13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Whether we are already dead when the Rapture occurs, or if we are still alive, we will receive new bodies and be with the Lord.

:21 You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side.

Perhaps David is still talking about after the resurrection.

:22 Also with the lute I will praise You— And Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.

:22 I will sing with the harp

Though David might be talking about praising God with instruments in his old age, he could also be talking about praising God in heaven.

John wrote about harps in heaven:

(Revelation 14:2 NKJV) And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.

:23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed.

:24 My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long; For they are confounded, For they are brought to shame Who seek my hurt.

:24 they are brought to shame

David had prayed for this (vs. 13), and now David says that God has done it.

Psalm 72 – The Good King

: A Psalm Of Solomon.

Some translations say “of Solomon”

It certainly describes the reign of Solomon.

It also describes the reign of Jesus when He comes back.

Note:  For next time – look at the parallel in Isaiah 60.  It mentions Tarshish and Sheba.  It mentions gifts for the king.  It talks about the Messiah’s reign.

:1 Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.

:1 Give the king Your judgments, O God

This is Solomon’s prayer for God to guide him in the business of making wise decisions and judgments over the people.

The king was the supreme court in the land, the final judgment.

When Solomon first became king, he was still young.  God appeared to him in a dream and said He would give Solomon whatever he asked.  Solomon asked…

(1 Kings 3:9 NKJV) Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
That’s exactly what God gave Solomon.

Shortly after this, Solomon was faced with an impossible court case where two women were arguing over who was the mother of a baby.  After Solomon made his decision…

(1 Kings 3:28 NKJV) And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
What you don’t know is that there was another difficult court case shortly after that, a story not found in the Bible…
The Wisdom of Solomon
Two women came before wise King Solomon, dragging between them a young man in a three-piece suit. “This young CPA agreed to marry my daughter,” said one. “No! He agreed to marry MY daughter,” said the other. And so they haggled before the King, until he called for silence. “Bring me my biggest sword,” said Solomon,” and I shall hew the young accountant in half. Each of you shall receive a half.” “Sounds good to me,” said the first lady. But the other woman said, “Oh Sire, do not spill innocent blood. Let the other woman’s daughter marry him.” The wise king did not hesitate a moment. “The accountant must marry the first lady’s daughter,” he proclaimed. “But she was willing to hew him in two!” exclaimed the king’s court. “Indeed,” said wise King Solomon. “That shows she is the TRUE mother-in-law.”

:2 He will judge Your people with righteousness, And Your poor with justice.

:3 The mountains will bring peace to the people, And the little hills, by righteousness.

:4 He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, And will break in pieces the oppressor.

:4 save the children of the needy

A righteous king cares for the poor.

:5 They shall fear You As long as the sun and moon endure, Throughout all generations.

:6 He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, Like showers that water the earth.

:6 like rain upon the grass before mowing

In California, we don’t actually know what this means…

A good ruler is refreshing for the people.

:7 In His days the righteous shall flourish, And abundance of peace, Until the moon is no more.

:7 Until the moon is no more

In other words, for a very long time.

This wasn’t Solomon.
When Jesus returns, He will reign for 1,000 years.

:8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.

:8 dominion also from sea to sea

This is talking first of the extent of Solomon’s reign.

From the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea.
Extending as far as the Euphrates River (modern Iraq)

It’s talking ultimately about Jesus’ reign (not about us taking dominion)

(Daniel 2:44 NKJV) And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
(Daniel 7:14 NKJV) Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

:9 Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him, And His enemies will lick the dust.

:10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles Will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba Will offer gifts.

:10 The kings of Tarshish … presents

Solomon sent ships to Tarshish (possibly located in southern Spain).

(2 Chronicles 9:21 NKJV) For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.

:10 Sheba and Seba … gifts

The Queen of Sheba visited Solomon (Sheba may have been in present day Yemen, in southwestern Arabia)

(1 Kings 10:1–2 NKJV) —1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.

:11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him.

:11 all kings shall fall down before Him

Even though Solomon was a great king, ultimately this is speaking of Jesus.

(Philippians 2:10–11 NKJV) —10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

:12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper.

:13 He will spare the poor and needy, And will save the souls of the needy.

:14 He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; And precious shall be their blood in His sight.

:12 He will deliver the needy

God’s idea of a “good king” was one who would treat all people fairly and not just those who were wealthy.

Lesson

Impartial Decisions

Part of a king’s job was to be a judge, sort of a Supreme Court.
One of God’s main rules for judges –
A king or judge wasn’t supposed to be influenced by who gave him the biggest bribe.

(Deuteronomy 16:18–20 NLT) —18 “Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly. 19 You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly. 20 Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Today we are concerned about politicians and special interest groups that sway political decisions with their “gifts”.

Just like a king, we need to be careful that our decisions aren’t based on the wrong kinds of motives.

(James 2:1–9 NLT) —1 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? 2 For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. 3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, 4 doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? 5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? 6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? 8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

This doesn’t mean we can’t ever do anything nice for someone we like. But it means that we need to be making decisions based on what’s right, not what pleases people we want to gain influence with.

With our upcoming elections – we need to pray that God would be merciful and help us elect people who will be impartial and people who would make right decisions.
Because of the spin and bias in various media outlets, it’s hard to know what to believe about our candidates.

:15 And He shall live; And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; Prayer also will be made for Him continually, And daily He shall be praised.

:15 And He shall live

livechayah – to live, have life, remain alive, live for ever, be restored to life or health

This might simply be the old saying, “Long Live the King”.

It might mean that if they do justice, the king’s life will be longer, but there could be more.

I can’t help but think of how this describes Jesus.

Our King lives.

:16 There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, On the top of the mountains; Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon; And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

:17 His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed.

:17 All nations shall call Him blessed

Ultimately, this is talking about Jesus.

:18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things!

:19 And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.

:18 Blessed be the Lord God

vss. 18-19 are a “doxology”, praise to God.

:20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

:20 The prayers of David … are ended

We are now at the end of one of the “books” of Psalms.

The Psalms are divided into five books:

Book I: Ps. 1-41
Book II: Ps. 42-72
Book III: Ps. 73-89
Book IV: Ps. 90-106
Book V: Ps. 107-150

Each “Book” ends with a “doxology” similar to the one in vs. 18-19.

(Psalm 41:13 NKJV) Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.

This is actually not all the songs that David wrote. There will be 18 more Psalms that have David’s name on them. It may be that this phrase was put on an early collection of David’s songs, and the rest were added later.