S3E148 – Psalms 63-65: Safe In God’s Strong Hand

Transcript

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 63 HCSB; Ch. 64 NLT; Ch. 65 ERV

Podcast Introduction

It’s Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 63-65. I’m calling this episode “Safe In God’s Strong Hand.” As always with the Psalms, I’ll give you a brief introduction before reading each chapter, and I’ll end the reading with some comments.

Comments on Psalms 63-65

Introduction to Psalm 63

The title of this psalm is A Davidic psalm. When he was in the Wilderness of Judah.” Commentators have two primary ideas as to when David wrote this psalm. Many believe that it was before he became king of Israel. Others believe it was when David was fleeing Absalom. Other commentators thing the psalm was written when King Saul was pursuing David.

Charles Spurgeon said that the very early church father, John Chrysostom (kri-SOSS-tum), who lived from a.d. 347 to a.d. 407, “tells us that among the primitive Christians it was decreed and ordained that no day should pass without the public singing of this psalm.”

Introduction to Psalms 64

The title of Psalm 64 is “For the choir director: A psalm of David.”

David is pleading with God in the psalm. We have no information as to when the psalm was written.

Introduction to Psalms 65

The title is “For the choir director. A Davidic psalm. A song.” It’s rare for a psalm to have both Psalm and Song in the title. Charles Spurgeon had this to say, “The Hebrew calls it a Shur and Mizmor, a combination of psalm and song, which may be best described by the term, ‘A Lyrical Poem.’ In this case the psalm may be said or sung, and be equally suitable.”

This psalm does not tell us when or why it was written, but with its message of thanksgiving and praise and referencing flocks and grains, some think the psalm was written for a harvest festival.

Thoughts on Psalm 63

Psalm 63 begins with a declaration of devotion. “God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.”

Scholars believe that this was written by David during the time that Absalom was pursuing him. This is a time when David had been betrayed by those he trusted, he feared for his life, and he felt all alone. 

And yet, this is a beautiful psalm of devotion and praise. 

God, you are MY God! I will have no other.

God, YOU are my God! 

God, you are my GOD!

I much prefer verses 3 and 4 in the KJV, because in 1974, Calvary Chapel’s Maranatha! Singers had a song called Thy Loving Kindness, based on these verses. I can’t read these verses without hearing the song in my head. Thy loving kindness is better than life. My lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee. I will lift up my hands unto Thy name.

This was the first album of the worship music of the Jesus movement, and the songs from this album were sung for years and years by churches and youth groups around the world. I still have my copy of the vinyl album from 1974.

But I digress. We were talking about David’s psalm, weren’t we?

He says that at night as he lies on his bed, he meditates on the Lord. Remember, this is during the time that Absalom is after him, to kill him. But instead of worrying about that, David meditates on the Lord. How many of us lie in bed and worry about the bills, whether we’ll be able to keep our jobs, or if our kids will be okay, or on and on and on? 

1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” Easier said than done, I know, but when we put this in context with the way we started… God, you are my God…the focus shifts from us to Him. And then, we can, like David, meditate on the Lord.

Dropping down to verse 8, David says, “Your right hand holds on to me.” The right hand, in Scripture, represents the hand of strength. And so David is saying that God’s strong hand holds on to him. He is safe, and nothing can take him from God’s strong grip. That’s security, beloved.

He talks about how his enemies will be destroyed, but the king (David himself) will rejoice in God, and all who swear by Him, or who believe in Him, will boast for the mouths of the liars will be shut. 

Those who trust in God will be vindicated, while their enemies will be shown to be liars, and they will be silenced.

When God is on your side, what is there to worry about? Or as Paul said in Romans 8:31, “…If God be for us, who can be against us?”

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Transcript

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Steve Webb 0:00
That’s security, beloved.

Steve Webb 0:09
It’s a Wednesday edition of the Lifespring one year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I’m your og Godcaster. Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. How’s your week going? Since it is Wednesday, this is the day we read from the songs. Today’s reading is chapters 63 through 65. I’m calling the episode safe in God’s strong hand. As always with the Psalms. I’ll give you a brief introduction before reading each chapter and I’ll end the reading with some comments. Also, as you know, Wednesday is the day we have a time of prayer together. And now let’s begin our reading with a prayer. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the songs and we ask that You would bless our time of reading today. pray this in Jesus name, amen. Okay, time to get started.

Steve Webb 1:05
The title of Psalm 63 is a Davidic song when he was in the wilderness of Judah. Commentators have two primary ideas as to when David wrote this song Many believe that it was before he became king of Israel. Others believe it was when he was fleeing Absalon and still other commentators think that the Psalm was written when King Saul was pursuing David Charles Spurgeon said that the very early church Father John Chrysostom, tells us that among the primitive Christians it was decreed and ordained that no day should pass without the public singing of this song. John, Chris Austin was a very early church father, he lived from ad 347, to ad 407.

Steve Webb 1:47
Psalms chapter 63. God, you are my God, I eagerly seek you. I thirst for you. My body faints for you in the land that is dry, desolate and without water. So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. My lips will glorify you because your faithful love is better than life. So I will praise you as long as I live at your name, I will lift my hands. You satisfy me is with rich food. My mouth will praise you with joyful lips. When I think of you as I lie on my bed, I meditate on you during the night watches because you are my helper. I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings. I follow close to you. Your right hand holds on to me. But those who seek to destroy my life will go into the depths of the earth. They will be given over to the power of the sword. They will become the jackals pray. But the king will rejoice in God. All who swear by him will boast for the mouths of liars will be shut.

Steve Webb 2:54
The title of Psalm 64 is for the choir director of Psalm of David. In this Psalm David is pleading with God. And we have no information as to when the Psalm was written or the circumstances surrounding the Psalm.

Steve Webb 3:09
Psalm chapter 64. Oh God, listen to my complaint. Protect my life from my enemies threats. Hide me from the plots of this evil mob from this gang of wrongdoers. They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly. They encourage each other to do evil than plan how to set their traps in secret. Who will ever notice they ask? As they plot their crimes they say we have devised the perfect plan. Yes, the human heart in mind are cunning. But God Himself will shoot them with his arrows suddenly striking them down. Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn, then everyone will be afraid. They will proclaim the mighty acts of God and realize all the amazing things he does. The godly will rejoice in the Lord and find shelter in him, and those who do what is right will praise Him.

Steve Webb 4:15
The title of Psalm 65 is for the choir director, a Davidic Psalm, a song it’s rare for a psalm to have both Psalm and song in the title. Charles Spurgeon had this to say, the Hebrew calls it assure in images more a combination of Psalm and song, which may best be described by the term, a lyrical poem. In this case, the psalm may be said or sung, and be equally suitable. Beloved, this psalm does not tell us when or why it was written, but with its message of thanksgiving and praise and referencing flocks and grains. Some think this Psalm was written for a harvest festival.

Steve Webb 4:56
Psalms chapter 65. God in Zion We praise you and give you what we promised. Anyone can come to you and you will listen to their prayers. When our sins become too heavy for us, you wipe them away. Oh how wonderful it is to be the people you chose to come and stay in your temple. And we are so Happy to have the wonderful things that are in your temple, your holy palace. God, you answer our prayers and do what is right. You do amazing things to save us. People all over the world know they can trust in you, even those who live across the sea. You made the mountains, we see your power all around us. You can come the roughest seas or the nations raging around us. People all around the world are amazed at the wonderful things you do. You make all people east and west sing with joy. You take care of the land, you water it and make it fertile. Your streams are always filled with water. That’s how you make the crops grow. You pour rain on the plowed fields, you soak the fields with water. You make the ground soft with rain and you make the young plants grow. You start the new year with a good harvest. You end the year with many crops. The desert and the hills are covered with grass. The pastures are covered with sheep. The valleys are filled with grain. Everything is singing and shouting for joy.

Steve Webb 6:26
Alright, beloved, let’s back up all the way to Psalm 63. It begins with a declaration of devotion. It says God, you are my God, I eagerly seek you. Many scholars believe that this was written by David during the time that Absalon was pursuing him. This is a time when David had been betrayed by those who trusted Of course, and he feared for his life and he felt all alone. And yet, this is a beautiful psalm of devotion and praise. It’s as if David said, God, you are my God, I will have no other God. You are my God, God, you are my God. The translation I read from today was the Holman Christian Standard Bible but I have to be honest, I much prefer verses three and four in the King James because in 1974, Calvary Chapel’s Maranatha singers had a song called thy loving kindness. Based on these verses, I can’t read these verses without hearing the song in my head…

Maranatha! Singers 7:26
Thy loving kindness is better than life. Thy loving kindness is better than life. My lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee. I will lift up my hands unto thy name.

Maranatha! Singers 7:59
Ths song was from the very first album of the worship music of the Jesus movement. And the songs from this album were sung for many, many years by churches and youth groups around the world. Matter of fact, I still have my copy of the vinyl album from 1974. But I digress. We were talking about David’s Psalm weren’t way. He says that night as he lies in his bed, he meditates on the Lord. Remember, this is during the time that Absalom is after him to kill him. But instead of worrying about that David meditates on the Lord, how many of us lie in bed and worry about the bills, whether we’ll be able to keep our jobs or if our kids will be okay and on and on and on? First Peter five seven says, Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Easier said than done. I know. But when we put this in context with the way we started, God, you are my God. The focus shifts from us to him. And then we can like David meditate on the Lord. And then dropping down to verse eight. David says, Your right hand holds on to me. The right hand in Scripture represents the hand of strength. And so David is saying that God’s strong hand holds on to him, he is safe, and nothing can take him from God’s strong grip, that security beloved, he talks about how his enemies will be destroyed. But the King David himself will rejoice in God and all who swear by him or who believe in Him will boast for the mouths of the liars will be shut. Those who trust in God will be vindicated, while their enemies will be shown to be liars, and they will be silenced. Beloved, when God is on your side, what is there to worry about? Or as Paul said in Romans 831, if God before us who can be against us? Is it hard for you to leave problems with the Lord do you have tendency once you pray and say, Lord, take this from me. Oh, like so many of us do tend to take it right back as soon as you close your prayer, tell me about it. Call the Lifespring family Hotline at plus 1-951-732-8511. Or you can comment at comment.lifespringmedia.com or do it like the cool kids do and then your comment via boostagram. Tomorrow is poetry Thursday and we’ll begin the book of Proverbs by reading chapter one.

Steve Webb 10:32
Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, you are holy, righteous and faithful. You’ve given us your word so that we can know you. You want us to know you, which is an awesome privilege. Thank you for that, Lord. You’re loving a merciful God who delights not in judgment, but in forgiveness when we accept Jesus as our Savior. I pray Lord, that today you would bless the Lifespring family. Thank you for bringing each one here. Be with them today. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. Send your prayer requests and praises in at prayer.lifespringmedia.com.

Steve Webb 11:23
Today’s show art is by Scott Snider. Thank you, Scott. And also Thanks to Sister Denise Michael Haner. Jason Paschall and Brittaney You know who they are? They’re the Lifespring Media Team. Thanks, guys. God bless you. And beloved thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day until tomorrow may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye.

Jingle 11:47
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Adam Curry 11:50
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