David

Word Day 7 How’s Your Worship?: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out How’s Your Worship?!

The Questions

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

Psalm 103

My soul, bless the Lord,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 My soul, bless the Lord,
and do not forget all his benefits.

3 He forgives all your iniquity;
he heals all your diseases.
4 He redeems your life from the Pit;
he crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
5 He satisfies you with good things;
your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The Lord executes acts of righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He revealed his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
9 He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
14 For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass—
he blooms like a flower of the field;
16 when the wind passes over it, it vanishes,
and its place is no longer known.
17 But from eternity to eternity
the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him,
and his righteousness toward the grandchildren
18 of those who keep his covenant,
who remember to observe his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord,
all his angels of great strength,
who do his word,
obedient to his command.
21 Bless the Lord, all his armies,
his servants who do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works
in all the places where he rules.
My soul, bless the Lord!

Original Intent

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

In this psalm, David lists a multitude of benefits for following the Lord. Just because David was the one anointed to become king (1 Samuel 16:1-13), didn’t mean he was isolated and protected. He was hunted down to be killed by more than one person, including his own son, Absalom. (2 Samuel 17) He faced death often, and even before he was chosen as the next king, he was viewed as insignificant. (1 Samuel 17:33) He was also far from perfect. David murdered (2 Samuel 11:14-18), lied (1 Samuel 21:2-3), and committed adultery (2 Samuel 11:2-4). He still suffered the negative effects of those sins. Yet, he penned this psalm of praise, encouraging everyone to follow the Lord because His way is wise, best and overflowing with benefits. When he committed adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-15), David experienced the benefit of the Lord’s forgiveness. (verses 3, 9-10) David knew firsthand what it meant to have his life saved from destruction as he was pursued by enemies. (verses 6, 8, and 13) Because David had experienced the many, gracious benefits of the Lord throughout his life, he confidently proclaimed how the Lord would continue blessing future generations who committed to following the ways of the Lord. (verses 15-19) We see one evidence of God’s generational blessing specific to David and his son, Solomon, in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:6.

 

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

Fear in this case does not mean being afraid in the sense of terror, rather it means a humble recognition that God is all-powerful and the only One worthy of respect and glory. The fear of the Lord is reverential awe. David’s son, Solomon, would eventually write, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10) Fearing the Lord in the Old Testament looked like sacrifices, but it also was tightly connected to the posture of the heart. (Psalm 51:16-17, Isaiah 1:10-15) Brothers, Cain and Abel, both offered sacrifices, but only one brother’s offering was acceptable. (Genesis 4:4-5) Sacrifices were commanded by God because He wanted His people to understand that sinning against Him breaks His relationship with them. Sin pridefully asserts ourselves against God’s righteousness. Because God wanted His people to understand the seriousness of sin, and the reality that sin comes at a price, He instituted the Sacrificial System. Depending on the type of sin, sacrifices were required to pay the penalty of sin. Doves, grain, sheep, and bulls (yes, an entire cow!) were offered as atonement for sin when they stepped away from following God and His law. (Leviticus 19) All of this was designed to help Israel understand that fearing the Lord meant realizing God is righteous and holy while we are sinners, separated from Him. There were a lot of laws to remember, and along the way, Israel’s focus shifted from fearing the Lord to simply managing their behavior with ever-lengthening lists of “how to’s and don’t do’s”. David’s words were a reminder to Israel that fearing the Lord is a good thing; the best thing. Revering the Lord is the right way to live because only in this context, we enjoy a close relationship with the Lord. By walking in the fear of the Lord, God pours out His blessings on generations to come. (verses 13 and 17)

 

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

There are several types of psalms including lament, thanksgiving, and praise among others. While some psalms combine themes, Psalm 103 is full of praise as the psalmist, David, lists reasons to “bless the Lord, oh my soul” both individually and corporately with other believers. David knew how to praise the Lord because he had witnessed the Lord’s kindness in all aspects of life, whether difficult or easy and he wrote many psalms extolling God’s goodness. He literally danced in the street so great was his desire to bless the Lord. (2 Samuel 6:14-22) David’s “oh my soul” refrain springs from a desire to go deeper in his worshipful adoration of the Lord. In the midst of his praise, David speaks to himself. He isn’t content with merely singing, or even dancing or hand-raising as outward expressions of praise. David wants to praise the Lord from the depths of his being. He wants to be all in for blessing the Lord.   

Everyday Application

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

Because the Lord doesn’t change, the benefits of following Him are the same for us as they were for King David and the generations who followed him. (Numbers 23:19, James 1:17) When Jesus came to earth as God incarnate (in human flesh), those who followed God experienced a fuller manifestation of His benefits. After Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He poured out the Holy Spirit to dwell within those who trusted Him. (Acts 2:4) His presence brought a radical abundance of blessing to God’s people. For us today, His benefit may not look like a leper being cleansed (Mark 1:40-45), but it could look like a different diagnosis, being healed completely, or having minimal side effects from a treatment. (verse 3) The benefits in the 21st century may be evidenced as the exact provision we need precisely at the time we need it. Deliverance may not be a physical “parting of the Red Sea”, but it could look like your plans suddenly changing, later realizing the shift ended up being better than the original plan. Even running late could be the Lord’s protection and deliverance from a potential accident. The Lord’s benefits are as simple as a flower’s bloom or as grand as healing, but the most significant benefit from the Lord is forgiveness from sin and redemption from our past. These benefits didn’t end when Jesus died on the cross, they only started there. The price Jesus paid to cover our unrighteousness was for all time. Repent from your sin, believe on the Lord Jesus, and your sins will be washed away just as David wrote, “…as far as the east is from the west.” (verse 12)

 

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

Even today many view God as angry and vengeful when His “rules” aren’t followed. We tend to miss God’s heart’s desire to have a relationship with us. Still, our sin separates us from Him. This is why Jesus came as God in the flesh! Christ came to earth, sacrificing Himself as the full payment for all sin, demonstrating once and for all that God is merciful and gracious. He loves each person. In the Old Testament, sin had a sliding scale of “value”. Different sins mandated different types of sacrifices, some more costly than others. There may have been instances of people not being able to provide the sacrifice required, which meant they were still under the burden of unremitted, unforgiven sin. But Jesus! Jesus paid for all sin, whether large or small, past or present. All sin is sin. There are still consequences to our sins, but if we trust Jesus as our Savior to make payment for our sin and we repent, we are forgiven. The effects of sin remain as long as we are on earth, but the eternal price has been paid at Calvary with Jesus’ blood sacrifice. In our modern age, fearing the Lord should still be the focal point of our everyday lives. His love for us leaves us awestruck! Even when we are deep in sin, we are still loved and can be rescued! A lifestyle drenched in iniquity, a vice we can’t seem to overcome, even a bad attitude can become like mire and keep us trapped in the pit of sin. When we repent and believe in Christ, choosing to follow Him and His ways, we are rescued from the Pit of Hell! (verse 12) We are no longer separated from God! In Jesus, God in the flesh mercifully gave Himself for us. Instead of angry judgement, He gives compassion, love and mercy. We should stand in reverential awe of this divine, selfless grace as He wraps us in His love.

 

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

We know how to bless others, like family and friends, with kind gestures of generosity or a thoughtful phone call, but how do we, mere humans, bless the Lord God Almighty? In our modern culture we use “bless” and “blessing” to mean bestowing gifts or as a description for receiving good things. But blessing the Lord can stem from nothing less than a true heart of worship. The Lord owns all things and has authority over all things, but He has given us free will to choose whether we will worship Him or worship ourselves. Even as finite human beings, we can indeed bless the Lord by surrendering our hearts in adoring worship to Him. While outward gestures bless people, the Lord looks at our hearts. We can raise our hands, bow our heads, and sing vibrantly, but unless our hearts are humbled before the King of Kings, we aren’t truly blessing Him. David wanted to praise God from his innermost being, to be completely in for blessing the God who rescued him. Psalm 103 lists a whole slew of reasons (if we needed some help) to give the Lord worship and praise. Let’s tap into the very deep core of our spirit, turning ourselves over in genuine worship to give God the praise and blessing due His name!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with How’s Your Worship?!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Word Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Questions 2 Day 2 Let’s Party: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Let’s Party!

The Questions

1) Who is speaking in this passage and why would they test themselves with pleasure? (verse 1)

2) What is significant about the author’s pleasures he chose to indulge in? (verses 3-8)

3) What was the author’s conclusion of pursuing pleasure? (verses 9-11)

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile. 2 I said about laughter, “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 I explored with my mind the pull of wine on my body—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—and how to grasp folly, until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

4 I increased my achievements. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them. 6 I constructed reservoirs for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house. I also owned livestock—large herds and flocks—more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered male and female singers for myself, and many concubines, the delights of men. 9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom also remained with me. 10 All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. 11 When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Original Intent

1) Who is speaking in this passage and why would they test themselves with pleasure? (verse 1)
Often, the beginning of a biblical book provides us with its place in the timeline of history, which is extremely important to correctly understanding it in its cultural setting, as well as stating the author’s name along with, generally, some idea of their career or place in society. Ecclesiastes 1:1 does not disappoint and reveals this book contains “The words of the Teacher, son of David, King of Jerusalem.” While David had multiple sons, the fact the author noted himself as “King of Jerusalem” narrows the possible authors down to 1, Solomon. (1 Kings 1:15-30) Solomon, the son of King David, was given the throne on David’s death, but was also given vast wisdom, keen understanding, and riches beyond measure by the Lord. (1 Kings 3:5-14) This gift from God’s wisdom granted Solomon insight into all manner of areas including kingly reign, justice, human relationships, and even scientific exploration that was radically advanced for his day. However, God didn’t give Solomon all wisdom, rather He allowed Solomon’s wisdom to pair with curiosity, which gave him the gift of exploring life in deeper ways. When Solomon “said to (himself), “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good” (verse 1), it comes on the heels of the closing of chapter 1:12-18, where we find Solomon had deeply explored wisdom and understanding to find the purpose and fullest satisfaction of life. Having explored book learning and human interaction and hard work and finding them all “a pursuit of the wind” (verse 17), he turns his attention to pleasure to find the source of lasting satisfaction.

2) What is significant about the author’s pleasures he chose to indulge in? (verses 3-8)
Self-seeking. Every single one of Solomon’s pleasures he chose to envelope himself within hinged upon himself. What could make him happy, or happiest? This was his pursuit, and the list is quite lengthy. Wine and the alluring pull of alcohol, he tried it. (verse 3) Hard work and accomplishment, he invested long hours and much money. (verses 4-5) He tried his hand at civil engineering and architecture. (verse 6) He lived in the lap of luxury to the nth degree, nothing was out of his reach. He wanted for nothing and acquired so many slaves that his every wish was their command. (verses 7-8) The finest entertainment was available at his demand whether it was the arts or sexual fulfillment. (verse 8) Solomon created an environment where he was the center. Not one thing on his lengthy list of impressive wealth accumulations, status, power, and access to pleasure was earmarked for the disposal of anyone but himself. Pleasure, with its attractive power, exclusively tugs one person into its gravitational pull, leaving all others out. Pleasure is about one person, self, and Solomon certainly experienced this reality as he explored the source of true and lasting satisfaction.

3) What was the author’s conclusion of pursuing pleasure? (verses 9-11)
Literally everything was accessible to Solomon as he stated, “I did not refuse myself any pleasure” (verse 10), with the exception of one. Satisfaction. In the end, all of his years of pleasure seeking were summed up by his own words, “When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.” (verse 11) The only reward was the momentary pleasure his pursuits brought him at that time, but nothing that lasted. “I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles.” (verse 10) Permanent pleasure was not compatible with the ever-elusive satisfaction Solomon sought. The king observed everyone around him pursuing pleasure, yet, once he did the same, he walked away with the wise understanding that nothing satisfied for everything was fleeting like “pursuing the wind”. (verse 11)

Everyday Application

1) Who is speaking in this passage and why would they test themselves with pleasure? (verse 1)
One of the most common questions every human heart asks is, “What is my purpose?”. Solomon, even with all of his wisdom, asked the same question and explored many avenues to discover true, lasting happiness and purpose. While he had studied wisdom and book learning and how people live out their lives, he found it all to be repetitive and, in the end, meaningless. What things have you pursued in order to find true satisfaction? Maybe you’ve invested time, energy, and resources, all with the hope of finally being happy and finding a purpose that doesn’t fade away. I know I have, many times in many ways. I’ve spent the majority of my married years placing my identity and focused energy in my kids and in working to manage (err, manipulate, actually) my husband into loving me and responding to me in the way that makes me the happiest and most satisfied. Not only did my attempt to find lasting happiness in my marriage and kids prove to be utterly unsuccessful by my own manipulation, it also was (yes, caught me again, still is) incredibly un-loving. No relationship will ever be able to satisfy me. No amount of pleasure found through any source will have the endurance to sustain my unquenchable desire to be perfectly and continuously happy. Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes to lay out his research and his conclusion was that only in God do we find out greatest delight. Jesus reiterated this truth when He said, “I have come so they may have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10) For me, I’ve found this to be abundantly true as well. Only when I shift my eyes off trying to wring pleasure out of my relationships and onto Jesus, have I found long-lasting and sweetly satisfying delight in both Jesus and my human relationships. Only Jesus offers satisfaction that lasts, truly everything else is meaningless in comparison.

2) What is significant about the author’s pleasures he chose to indulge in? (verses 3-8)
Solomon explored many different types of pleasure. Perhaps some of them are specifically tempting to you, or maybe none of them, but every human being longs to find delight and be satisfied in something. Solomon’s list of delights was lengthy and specific. I wonder what might fill your list if you were to specifically name them. I challenged myself to do this and was surprised at how easy it was to not only create a very specific list, but also how defensive and quick to justify my choices I became as I called them out by name.  A clean house. No wait. A clean house that someone else cleans. My internal voice continued with a decently good justification for this desire, “I actually pretty much deserve someone else to clean my house. I’ve maintained our home for 19 years, without a break. And my husband never seems to jump in and help me anyways. In fact, I need someone to clean for me. Think of all the other things I could do! Like, nap instead of pick up after others. Maybe someone else could cook for me too….” How quickly my focus became myself to the exclusion, and even demeaning of others, as I thought of how to please myself. One self-serving desire led straight to another without any hinderance at all. The whole practice was a little disconcerting, honestly. This pursuit of self-seeking pleasure runs in direct contradiction to the call of Jesus. He says that to follow Him, we must deny ourselves. (Luke 9:23) Just as there isn’t one thing in Solomon’s list that lent itself to sacrifice for another, neither did my list, and I’m guessing your honest list, if given free reign, wouldn’t include others either. Self-seeking pleasure and sacrifice live in constant opposition.

3) What was the author’s conclusion of pursuing pleasure? (verses 9-11)
If you take the challenge to read through the relatively short book of Ecclesiastes, you’ll find King Solomon’s concluding refrain of “nothing to be gained under the sun” repeated often as he studies the intricacies of life, relationships, work, academics, and pursuits of all kinds. The whole book can feel melancholy and a bit dismal, which should be taken to heart by all of us. At the beginning of his reign, King Solomon submitted himself to the wisdom of God, recognizing his own human failings and weaknesses, especially in light of the vast endlessness of the Almighty. (1 Kings 3:7-9) This position, Solomon later wrote, is the beginning of wisdom. True wisdom. (Proverbs 1:7) Wisdom that says only the Lord can bring lasting delight. Solomon was right, there really is nothing new under the sun. If we look at our possessions and our pursuits, and even our relationships, and then cast our eyes to eternity, we should shudder in our shoes. Nothing new under the sun. Everything will fade away except the Word of the Lord. (Isaiah 40:8) What will actually last forever? What is worth giving ourselves for? Jesus. Pursuing Jesus. When we surrender the whole of our everything to Him, and Him alone, He fills us with good things. (Matthew 7:11) Delightful things. Satisfyingly sweet things. Things that won’t entangle our hearts, tempting us to love ourselves more than our Savior as long as we fix our eyes on Christ alone. So, Sister, having studied this wise, ancient king, I’m thinking about the things I can start dethroning from my must-have-pleasure-list so I can give my everything to the Only King worthy of my everything. What about you?

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Let’s Party!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Questions 2 Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Follow Day 9 Whole Surrender: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Whole Surrender!

The Questions

1) What literal circumstances did David need saved from? (verse 1)

2) Why does David say, “Though I did not steal, I must repay?” (verse 4)

3) How has zeal for God’s house consumed David? (verse 9)

Psalm 69:1-12

1 Save me, God,
for the water has risen to my neck.
2 I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing;
I have come into deep water,
and a flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary from my crying;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail, looking for my God.
4 Those who hate me without cause
are more numerous than the hairs of my head;
my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me,
are powerful.
Though I did not steal, I must repay.

5 God, you know my foolishness,
and my guilty acts are not hidden from you.
6 Do not let those who put their hope in you
be disgraced because of me,
Lord God of Armies;
do not let those who seek you
be humiliated because of me,
God of Israel.
7 For I have endured insults because of you,
and shame has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers
and a foreigner to my mother’s sons
9 because zeal for your house has consumed me,
and the insults of those who insult you
have fallen on me.
10 I mourned and fasted,
but it brought me insults.
11 I wore sackcloth as my clothing,
and I was a joke to them.
12 Those who sit at the city gate talk about me,
and drunkards make up songs about me..

Original Intent

1) What literal circumstances did David need saved from? (verse 1)
Psalm 69 was most likely written by David as he fled from murderous King Saul. According to Coffman’s Commentary on the Bible, “It fits that period better than any other with which we are familiar in the life of David. His foes were ‘mighty,’ able to compel him to restore things he had not taken, and who were determined to `cut him off.’ Even the ribald singing against him in the city gates mentioned a little later fits that period better than any other.” When God was displeased with King Saul, He told the prophet Samuel to anoint David, the son of Jesse, to be the next king of Israel. (1 Samuel 16:1-13) It didn’t take long before God’s favor over David resulted in Saul’s fierce jealousy. David was forced to hide from those who hated him though he had done no wrong.  Saul wanted him dead because he was a threat to the crown, and Saul’s followers hunted him in support of King Saul. David tried to serve and obey God but was dismayed at the unjust attacks. Author G. Campbell Morgan suggests, “Perhaps in no other psalm is the sense of sorrow profounder or more intense than in this. The soul of the singer pours itself out in unrestrained abandonment to the overwhelming and terrible grief which consumes it.” David felt like he was drowning and mired in despair, and he called on God to save him. Even though serving God had placed him in this situation, he knew his salvation would only come by trusting in God.

2) Why does David say, “Though I did not steal, I must repay?” (verse 4)
In Psalm 69:4, King Saul is trying to kill David. David laments, “those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head; my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me, are powerful. Though I did not steal, I must repay.”  David is not talking about theft here, but about being falsely accused and having to pay the penalty. Author Charles Spurgeon explains, “Though David had no share in plots against Saul, yet he was held accountable for them.” This idea of paying a debt not one’s own is also true of Jesus, who quotes Psalm 69:4 in John 15:25, when He tells His followers the world will hate them as it hates Him. He says, “But this happened so the statement written in their law might be fulfilled: They hated me for no reason.” We do know “David was indeed a type of Christ, and many of the things in the life of David find their echo and fulfillment in David’s Greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Coffman’s Commentary on the Bible.) David understood what it was like to be treated unfairly, yet he still praised the Lord. He trusted in God’s salvation so much that, while waiting for rescue, he declared, “I will praise God’s name with song and exalt him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30) He could even tell others who seek God to “take heart!”. (Psalm 69:32) Of course, nothing is better than knowing Jesus paid the debt for our sins when He, though blameless, died on the cross to save us. (I Peter 2:24) Even though we are guilty, we do not have to pay the price if we accept the free gift of salvation offered to us by Jesus.

3) How has zeal for God’s house consumed David? (verse 9)
The Greek word for zeal, zelos, and the Hebrew word, qinah, both have the same root meaning, jealousy. (turningtogodsword.com) David uses the word zeal in Psalm 69:8-9 when he is crying out to the Lord, lamenting his situation, “I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons because zeal for your house has consumed me. . .” David is being pursued by King Saul, who wants to kill him. David has done nothing to deserve Saul’s wrath, but his life of zeal for God has brought David into favor with God, who chooses David to be the new king. David has a furious passion for the things of God. He is jealous over God’s ways and commands. As author John W. Rittenbaughnotes, “David put his whole heart into obedience to God, into talking about God, into trying to get people to turn to God, setting a right example for God. So, instead of winning people over, they told sarcastic and dirty stories about him. Because of his zeal for God, He became a reproach.”  David is consumed by worshipping God and living for God, and this zeal has ostracized him from his family and friends and brought ridicule and attack on himself. It is David’s passion for God’s house that the disciples think of when Jesus is driving out the money changers and overturning their tables in John 2:14-17. Jesus is jealous over God’s house being respected, just as David, Jesus’ human ancestor, was jealous that God’s house be recognized as holy.

Everyday Application

1) What literal circumstances did David need saved from? (verse 1)
The psalmist David used poetic language to describe his deep despair in Psalm 69:1-3. He cried out, “Save me, God, for the water has risen to my neck. I have sunk in deep mud and there is no footing. I have come into deep water and a flood sweeps over me. I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.”  Although he was not actually being overtaken by water or mired in mud, his words conveyed to God that he felt he was drowning in his desperate circumstances. He was so weary of crying and looking for God to save him that his eyes were giving out. David was hiding out in caves and being hunted by King Saul, who wanted to kill him. David’s need for salvation was paramount. If God didn’t come through, David would die. I have never been in such dire straits as David, but I do recognize that feeling of barely keeping my head above water and the weariness that comes from waiting on rescue.  This is such a hard place to be in . . . looking for God while you feel like floods are rolling over you. But David knew the right thing to do. He called out to God for salvation, knowing He “listens to the needy and does not despise his own who are prisoners.” (Psalm 69:33) David believed God could save him as he wrote in Psalm 68:20, “Our God is a God of salvation, and escape from death belongs to the Lord my Lord.”  Whenever I feel that sinking sensation of despair, I want to remember what David did in desperate times. He called on God and believed the Lord would prevail in his circumstances.

2) Why does David say, “Though I did not steal, I must repay?” (verse 4)
Anyone who has a younger sibling knows what it means to have to pay for something you did not do. I knew of a child who would bite her own arm and blame her brother for the injury just to get in trouble! This type of injustice plays out in the narrative of David’s life, but on a much grander scale. He is accused of plotting against the King, though he is innocent. Complicating things for David is the fact that God has chosen David to be the new King over His people. David has a heart after God, the zeal to serve God, and he even has God’s anointing to rule as king, but so far, David is on the run, hiding in caves and trying to stay alive. If I were David, I would be tempted to act like a kid being unfairly blamed by his little brother. I would complain and rail and demand justice! Waiting for God’s timing to fulfill His promises can be grueling! David does pour his heart out to God, asking Him to save him and telling Him how unfairly he is being treated while he waits (Psalm 69:4), but he doesn’t pout and wail. He simply tells God he trusts Him while he waits for salvation to come. (Psalm 69:16-18) He does not demand equity, but instead he seeks rescue. He would like to see his accusers come to justice (Psalm 69:22-28), but his focus is on trusting in God’s deliverance, not forcing his own. This is hard to do when someone wrongs you. I want to focus on how God is going to pay others back, but I should take a cue from David and focus on trusting that God will indeed come through in His time and His way.

3) How has zeal for God’s house consumed David? (verse 9)
If you know me for even five minutes, you realize I am generally quiet and reserved. You wouldn’t guess I was a cheerleader in junior high school. Or perhaps you could guess what a woeful cheerleader I was, roped into the deal by my extroverted friends in a tiny school where everyone who signed up made the cut. I did love my team, but you couldn’t tell by my lackluster cheering. It is cheerleaders I think of (the proper ones!) when I hear the word zeal. It is their demonstrative, excited, visceral expression of passion for something they love that helps me define zeal. No one questions their allegiance or opinion about their team. I think David is like that in Psalm 69:9. He writes how he is consumed by zeal for God’s house. He is God’s biggest cheerleader by writing and singing about God’s love and His perfect ways. (Psalm 69:30) He is passionate about sharing his God with everyone. (Psalm 71:7) He believes everything God says, even when it seems impossible. (1 Samuel 17:36-37) That is zeal! Sometimes I feel like I am the same type of Christian that I was a cheerleader. I love God and I want to share Him with others, but my expression of that love falls a bit flat. Author Jon Bloom asserts, “In God’s mind, fervency, zeal, or passion aren’t descriptions of how emotive we are. They’re gauges that display what our heart treasures, and therefore what fuels our lives.” I want to let the love I have for God fuel my everyday life. I want to treasure His Word, His promises, and His ways so I can be consumed by zeal for God’s house like David was. Join me in praying this today!

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Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Samuel 16:1-13
1 Samuel 17:20-54
Psalm 69:1-12
Jeremiah 24:4-10
Luke 1:26-33

Follow, Day 8

Rejection. 

The experience of being turned away, excluded, dismissed, or unwanted.

Merely reading the description brings a swell of emotion, doesn’t it? We’ve all felt the sharp wounds of rejection sometime in our lives. We have experienced it at the hands of our peers, friends, and classmates. Worse, we’ve felt it from those we expect to love us best, our parents, siblings, our children, even our spouse. The closer the relationship, the more extensive the damage tends to be.

And it’s a double edged sword, isn’t it? Because when we are rejected, our deepest need to be approved and accepted is brought into sharper relief. The very thing we desire most is withheld from us, which leaves us feeling even smaller and needier, if possible. We waver between hurt that another could make us feel this way, and anger that we allowed ourselves to be so vulnerable. We’re left with an overwhelming urge to run and hide.

I remember it well. The defensive pull to withdraw from relationships and close ourselves off is powerful.   

David, the shepherd boy-turned-king, was well acquainted with rejection. When Samuel came to his father’s home in search of the Lord’s next anointed king, David was literally the last to come to Jesse’s mind. As time went by, God made space for him in King Saul’s court to play his lyre when Saul was troubled, and he became Saul’s armor bearer.

However, when Saul’s army was camped out, hiding from the threats of the Philistine Goliath, David faced rejection again. His oldest brother, Eliab, grew angry at David’s bold words. He mistook the Holy Spirit’s stirring in David for arrogance, and threw his lowly status of shepherd in David’s face. Saul heard about David’s words and summoned him, only to serve yet another helping of rejection by pointing out David’s youth and inexperience.

But David persisted. Goliath fell, and God was glorified.

Those weren’t David’s only experiences with rejection. Repeatedly, he faced rejection from those he loved and led. Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage, following his defeat of Goliath, but later did everything in his power to kill him. David’s men grew tired of running and hiding, and blamed him for the situation. They, too, wanted to kill him. He faced discouragement and isolation. David literally spent time hiding in caves from those who rejected him and wanted to murder him.

But still, he pressed on.

When we think about the rejection we have faced in our lives, it pales by comparison, doesn’t it? Few, if any of us, have experienced such significant rejection.

Yet, when we do face rejection, do we allow God to heal those places and persist in following His call? Or do we turn away from the illuminating light of revelation and attempt to nurse our wounds in the dark?

I know what my answer has been. I’m betting yours has been pretty similar, too.

So, what’s the difference between us and David?
“I’m no hero of the faith!”
We’re all thinking it.

And yet.

Scripture tells us from the time David was anointed, the Spirit of God rested powerfully on him. Throughout David’s life, he wrestled with sin; he was a man, just like anyone else. But he was a wholly surrendered man. His heart posture was positioned to follow God, wherever He might lead. When confronted with his mistakes and sin, David was grieved. He acknowledged his sins against God, and he turned from his ways. Many times, David could have taken the reins and done what he thought was right. There were several opportunities when he could have simply killed Saul and taken the throne. He knew God had anointed him as the next king of Israel. No one would have blamed him; King Saul was murderous and deranged.

But David didn’t expect his God to serve and follow him. He served and followed his God.

Woo. The conviction cuts deep, doesn’t it? Same.

Because regardless of the pretty words we use to talk about our faith, and regardless of anyone else’s perception of us, our response in the face of rejection reveals our heart posture, doesn’t it? If we do not press in to follow our Father in the face of rejection, we are seeking the approval and acceptance of others over our King.
When we try to fill our need with anything other than God, we aren’t following God at all.

Think about it. Think about the time you give to the Lord. Time in prayer, in relationship with Him. I’m not talking about what you “do” for Him. Do you give your time to the Lord? Do you serve and follow your God? Or do you do what makes you happy, and expect Him to fit in somewhere around the edges?

Do we really know what it means to be wholly surrendered, Love? Perhaps the greater question: do we even think it possible in this day and age?

Love, it is! But it’s not something we can manufacture in our own strength or willpower. It is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. The truth? It’s not something our human nature even wants. God Himself must instill the desire within us.

In the same way God turned David’s heart toward Himself, He can and will do the same for us, Love!

The real question is . . . do we want Him to?

Heavenly Father, You are my King. I confess that I haven’t lived like it, but I want to change. Lord, change my heart, and give me a desire to live fully surrendered to Your will. I can’t do it on my own, but I know You can and will. Show me how to respond to You, every day. I love and praise You, only. In Jesus’ name, amen.


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