Praying Psalm 11

“Don’t Fly Away”

What is the title of Psalm 11?

To the choirmaster. Of David.

Read Psalm 11:1-3

¹ In YHWH I take refuge; how can you (all) say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your(all) mountain,
² for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
³ if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

How does the psalmist begin?

Take refuge in YHWH – first thing is FIRST

What do the “y’all” say?

Who are the “y’all”? 2^nd person plural in v.1
Flee to THEIR mountain – They say, "it’s scary out there! They’re going to destroy you." It could be genuine concern.The wicked are like snipers, set to kill.
But David is NOT CONVINCED this is the right thing to do,  where is his hope & trust?

Notice the Bird imagery – fly away to your mountain…

Read Psalm 11:4-5

⁴ YHWH is in his holy temple; YHWH’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
⁵ YHWH tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

Where is YHWH & what is he doing?

Where? Temple, heaven on throne. He's even HIGHER than a bird can fly...

What? Testing/refining Righteous – Hating wicked. Which would you rather be?

*Testing the righteous?? That sounds harsh - Read Hebrews 12:3-11

Read 11:6

⁶ Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

What prayer does David offer?

Wicked- Rain! Bird traps (a translation for the Hebrew "coals") fire & brimstone (like Sodom & Gomorrah) – It's what they deserve.

This is the prayer for “birds” that are flying away in v.1!

Read Psalm 11:7

⁷ For YHWH is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.

What does David remind us about YHWH?

YHWH is Right and benefits righteous ones. These are the ones who Hope and trust in HIM. (Not the birds.)

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?

What is the purpose of this Psalm/prayer?

Examine our own hope and trust. Is it in YHWH? OR in “your mountain?”

Describes YHWH testing righteous and hating wicked.

Warning to those who “flee” OR "fly away".

How does Christ fulfill this psalm?

Christ warns his disciples NOT to flee from his death:

Mark 8:33-35

³³ But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” ³⁴ And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever would save his life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

How can we pray this?

Hope and trust in YHWH’s righteousness – Christ crucified, not our own mountains!!

1 Corinthians 1:22-24

²² For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

WE PRAY:

And lead us not into temptation.

What does this mean? God, indeed, tempts no one; but we pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us, nor seduce us into misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice; and though we be assailed by them, that still we may finally overcome and gain the victory.

Praying Psalm 10

“You WILL remember!”

What is the title of this Psalm 10?

Trick Question! There is no title. The Septuagent( Greek OT) & Vulgate (Latin OT) continues from Psalm 9:21 – 38. This is any early commentary that Psalm 9 & 10 go together! They have similar themes and words.

So, What is Psalm 9 about? Where did we leave off...

Read Psalm 10:1

¹ Why, YHWH, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

How does this opening verse contrast Psalm 9?

In 9:10 YHWH was a refuge in “times of trouble”. Everything was so clear!

Now he’s far – WHY? This is Faith (Ps.9) versus Sight (10:1) Sometimes our visible reality looks very different than what we believe.

Read Psalm 10:2-11

² In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor/needy; let them be caught in the schemes/thoughts/plans that they have devised.
³ For the wicked boasts of the desires/cravings of his soul/nephesh, and the one greedy for gain curses/blesses and renounces YHWH.
⁴ In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek; all his schemes/thoughts/plans are, “There is no God/elohim.”
⁵ His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
⁶ He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
⁷ His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and sin/iniquity.

⁸ He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
⁹ he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
¹⁰ The helpless are crushed, sink down/humbled, and fall by his might.
¹¹ He says in his heart, “God/elohim has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

Describe the wicked in relation to:

God – renounces God, Lives as if god doesn’t exist or care – believes God forgot

Himself - Arrogant – prideful – prosperous?? (The wicked actually prosper! Now this looks something like our reality) – his own desires come first– believes “in himself” (see Ps.9: 2-3)

Others - pursuer the needy/oppressed, kills and crushes poor, His WORDS show his sin!!

**A broken relationship with God leads to this wrong relationship with others – Notice the 10 commandments, 1,2,&3 have to do with right relationship with God, then 4-10 deal with relationships with others! Also check out Genesis 2-3 (fall away from God) and  Genesis 4 (The first murder! Cain & Abel).

Read 10:12-15

¹² Arise, YHWH; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.
¹³ Why does the wicked renounce God/elohim and say in his heart, “You will not call to account/not seek”?
¹⁴ But YOU do see, for you note/regard/look on mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless commits/forsakes himself; YOU have been the helper of the fatherless.
¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call/seek his wickedness to account till you find none.

 What is David’s prayer?

ACT – remember - do something about this injustice. Show this evildoer he's got it all wrong!

The Psalmist is recalling the Right and Just God from a confident Psalm 9. His prayer is for the worlds of "faith" and "sight" to collide.

Read Psalm 10:16-18
¹⁶ YHWH is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land.
¹⁷ O YHWH, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
¹⁸ to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

What does David confidently confess?

YHWH hears poor/needy/afflicted – He WILL do justice.
Even though man does stike terror now, YHWH will have the final word

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?

What is the purpose of this Psalm/prayer?
Describe wicked in more detail - broken relationship with God and man.
Longing for RIGHT judgment in the midst of scary times
Confidence that YHWH will judge/ The wicked WILL be called to account. (Whether they believe it or not!)

 How did Christ fulfill this psalm?

We recognize the wicked according to words against God's word.
Christ's suffering and death was the result of the wicked. And NOT FAIR!
God did not forget afflicted Jesus- we saw the proof in the in resurrection! God remembered.

How can we pray this?

Sin and death and evil Words haunt us like lions – crush and kill us.

But God will not forget. We confidently hope in HIS justice – no more terror from the evil foes! Resurrection like Christ!

WE PRAY:

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.

How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow the name of God nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.

Praying Psalm 9

"Don't Forget!"

 

What is the title of Psalm 9?

To the choirmaster: according to The Muth-laben. A Psalm of David.

Muth-laben means “death for a son” Maybe it's the title of a tune?

OR it means young women voice – for a son? (Boy soprano)

This is the only psalm heading with this phrase.

Read Psalm 9:1-2
¹ I will give thanks to YHWH with my whole heart/mind; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
² I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

How does David begin?

Thanks and praise
How does he praise? God's NAME = recalls God's deeds (YHWH is a God of History - his actions are remembered with his name.)

 Read Psalm 9:3-6

³ When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before your presence.
⁴ For you have maintained/ have done my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.
⁵ You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish/destroyed; you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
⁶ The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins; their cities you rooted out; the very memory/remembrance of them has perished.

How does YHWH’s judgment look?

FOR WICKED – It's Righteous – the enemies get what they deserve, God acts, rebukes, Blots out remembrance.

**To be remembered is a big deal! Reflect on your "legacy".

Read 9:7-8

⁷ But YHWH sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice,
⁸ and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.

Describe YHWH.
Just & righteous, forever.

Read 9:9-12
⁹ YHWH is a stronghold/refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold/secure height/retreat in times of trouble/destitution.
¹⁰ And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, YHWH, have not forsaken those who seek you.
¹¹ Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!
¹² For he who avenges/seeks blood is mindful/remembers of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

How does YHWH’s judgment look?
FOR RIGHTEOUS - (They are the Oppressed & afflicted, ones who trust in YHWH)
He is a stronghold for weak, refuge, He is there for his people, He REMEMBERS = acts

 **See Magnificat in Vespers (LSB pg.231) from Luke 1:46. This is the great song of Mary, that God had acted favorably for the weak and oppressed! These are the righteous ones!

Read Psalm 9:13-14
¹³ Be gracious to me, YHWH! See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
¹⁴ that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter Zion I may rejoice in your salvation.

What is David’s cry?

Grace – SAVE ME – so I can praise you.

**It's interesting that the Psalmist again and again tells us how weak and afflicted he is. All of his hope and trust is firmly focused on YHWH's salvation. God does ALL the saving and God gets ALL the glory. Notice the descriptions of the "righteous" and "wicked"... compare their distinctions to Popular Christianity today. Too many often focus on righteous and wicked WORKS, and all trust ultimately rests in one's own actions.

Read Psalm 9:15-16
¹⁵ The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
¹⁶ YHWH has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.

Higgaion. Selah

How is YHWH’s judgement carried out?
The wicked’s own deeds catch them. This is how YHWH righteously judges.

**Higgaion – from “meditate” in ps.1 means resounding music… Selah pause….Dwell here a moment and take it all in...

 Read Psalm 9:17-18

¹⁷ The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God.
¹⁸ For the needy shall not always/forever be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

 What is the hope?

Wicked are judged.
Needy remembered – God's ACTION (even though it seems like forever!!)

Read Psalm 9:19-20

¹⁹ Arise, YHWH! Let not man prevail/be a strong man; let the nations be judged before you!
²⁰ Put them in fear (a terror), YHWH! Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah

 What is David’s prayer?

Act – judge – DO IT! Cause fear in the "nations". Nations are usually those outside of God's people.

Make them realize their place before God. In this psalm, the "righteous" already know their place, oppressed & humble.

"For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all."( Romans 11:32)

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?

What is the purpose of this Psalm/prayer?

Describe judgment – 2 sides = Righteous (needy & oppressed) and Wicked.

Call YHWH to action = causes fear.

Expect comfort from God.

How did Christ fulfill this psalm?

He took this judgment – remembers v.9-10 God will NOT forsake knowers of name!! If anyone knew/trusted this it was Christ. So, He crys

Judgment is not yet complete, sin and death still exist. The last enemy is not yet put away. But we know the payment is made, proof of God's good judgement is in Christ's resurrection. We are waiting for God's remembrance to be our final reality - when Christ returns.

How can we pray this?

God’s judgment is good stuff – be done to us!

We are OK with being needy & oppressed – in Christ. (Law of God does this! It makes us realize we sin and no good thing in us. We need saving.)

We pray," Be gracious to me, YHWH." We can trust only in YHWH, that he sees Christ & remembers us.

WE PRAY:

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

What does this mean? We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor deny such petitions on account of them; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much, and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we verily, on our part, also heartily forgive and also readily do good to those who sin against us.

Praying Psalm 8

"Created for Me!"

What is the title of this Psalm 8?
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.

The Gittith may be an instrument. A nice reminder of the diversity of musical praise!

Read Psalm 8:1-2

¹ YHWH, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
² Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still/destroy the enemy and the avenger.

What “refrain” begins this psalm?
^"YHWH, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

Majestic/Mighty NAME of God. This refers to the God of history - His name is the action He has done for His people. (The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob DID these things for this people.)

Notice the contrast - great glory & strength that destroys enemies... proclaimed by weak little babies. God love to work under opposites. Consider how he did his greatest work of salvation - a shameful bloody death on a cross.

Read Psalm 8:3-4
³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
⁴ what is man that you are mindful of/ remember him, and the son of man that you care for/visit/attend to him?

 What does the psalmist contemplate?

Creation – WORK of God's hands. That's big impressive stuff!
BUT, He also cares for mankind - it reminds us how important we are to God in His creation.

**“Remember” – So does God have a faulty memory and is forgetful - and then remembers? No, rather this is when he acts. (See Gen 8:1 – God remembered Noah… Gen 30:22 God remembered Rachel) God's ACTION is when he remembers (does) his promises!

Read 8:5-8
⁵ Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
⁶ You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,
⁷ all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
⁸ the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

What is God’s great work for mankind?
Mankind was made to rule over creation ("dominion") – This is a reminder of Genesis 1.
Don't you just LOVE the created order God set up?

 Read Psalm 8:9

⁹ YHWH, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

 Why is the NAME of God so great?

He is Creator – He did these great works that we can observe today!
Even better, this good creation is FOR us. Mankind is special to God. He made it, He gave it.

**Read Bonhoeffer Psalms The Prayer Book of the Bible, “The Creation”. These Psalms teach us that our Creator loves us so much that He gave us a Redeemer.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?

What is the purpose of this Psalm/prayer?

Praise for God's work

Description of  creation and man's place in it.

How did Christ fulfill this psalm?

God cares for His created people and wants His world to be good.

Christ entered Creation (Incarnation) as a weak little baby in order to restore mankind's special relationship with God. Christ makes all things new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

How can we pray this?

Praise God for our place in creation – amazing that he has cared for us so much!
Praise God for the lengths he went to restore our place in creation - reconciliation through Christ.

WE PRAY:

(1) Our Father who art in heaven.

What does this mean? God would thereby [with this little introduction] tenderly urge us to believe that He is our true Father, and that we are His true children, so that we may ask Him confidently with all assurance, as dear children ask their dear father.

(2) Give us this day our daily bread.

What does this mean? God gives daily bread, even without our prayer, to all wicked men; but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to KNOW IT, and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

What is meant by daily bread? Everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as meat, drink, clothing, shoes, house, homestead, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful magistrates, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

Praying Psalm 7

"Judged Righteous!"

What is the title of this Psalm 7?

 A Shiggaion (lament?) of David, which he sang to YHWH  concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.

We don’t really know the historical context here – A tribe of Benjamin gave David trouble (2 Sam. 20) It's no big deal that we don't know the exact context. Most of the time it is educated guesses, anyway. These prayers speak greater truths about God's Word, rather than only in a single historical situation.

Read Psalm 7:1-2

¹YHWH my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
²lest like a lion they tear my soul/nephesh apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.

What is the problem?

Pursuers are seeking David's life. Notice the image, they are like lions - SCARY!! It is a graphic fear that David paints, here.

Read Psalm 7:3-5

³YHWH my God, if I have done this, if there is (exists) wrong/injustice/evil in my hands,
⁴if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause/ in vain,
⁵let the enemy pursue my soul/nephesh and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. Selah

What does David pray concerning himself?

If I’ve sinned – let me be overtaken. If I deserve it, give it to me
Let JUSTICE be done to me. It's amazing that he love YHWH's justice more than his own life...

Read 7:6-8

⁶ Arise, YHWH, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have commanded a judgment.
⁷Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high.

⁸YHWH judges the peoples; judge me, YHWH, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in/on/over me. 

David calls YHWH to what action?

Arise = Act.
Judge – enemies and even ME.
Here he goes again, David is assuming his righteousness with confidence! How could he possibly be so sure that he has righteousness and integrity in him?? (Hint: David knows where his righteousness resides...not in himself...)

Read Psalm 7:9-11

⁹Behold/I pray, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous—you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!

¹⁰My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart/straight mind.
¹¹God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.

Why is the Psalmist confident of his righteousness?
Is David sinless? No, he trusts GOD his shield – the one who saves. He can be completely confident in this outside source of righteousness!!

**TANGENT...How did John the Baptist “make straight” the path in the wilderness? He lead the people of God in REPENTANCE. When they were completely crushed and sorry, only then could they receive Christ - the one who did it all. Here is the beauty of law and gospel.
The Psalmist is not confident because he is great sinless guy, It's all YHWH.

Read Psalm 7:12 - 16
¹²If he does not repent, he will whet his sword; he has bent and readied/fixed his bow;
¹³he has prepared for him his deadly weapons/utensil of death, making his arrows fiery shafts.
¹⁴Behold, he conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies.
¹⁵He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made.
¹⁶His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends.

How does judgment look for the wicked?
He does NOT REPENT. (hmmm... John the baptist? Repentance leads to total dependence, or NOT)
Their own wickedness happen to THEM. This is justice for the evil one.

**HE is who? Some English translations insert "God" as the subject in 12b & 13. However, it flows better to continue the subject as the evildoer. He continues to be evil, if he does not repent.

Read Psalm 7:17
¹⁷I will praise YHWH according to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of YHWH, the Most High.

How does this psalm end?
Praise - But according to YHWH’s righteousness. Remember how much David loved God's righteousness through this psalm? HIS justice is what is praised... (this includes what is done to the wicked)

**The NAME of YHWH is praised.The name is God's history of action. In the OT he recalled all of his wonderful works when He gave His name. He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - A very specific history for a specific people.
The NAME of YHWH continues to be praised among us as we tell more of the story. We recall Father, Son, Holy Spirit who all have done specific things for a specific people. Same God of history, but different name with more history.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?

What is the purpose of this Psalm/prayer?
Call for God's judgment - both on the wicked AND on the righteous. We get more of a description of the wicked's judgement.

**Read Bonhoeffer, Psalms The Prayer Book of the Bible, "The Enemies". Despite our tendency to default to forgiveness, we learn that our prayers for God's judgment on the wicked IS, in fact, God pleasing.

How did Christ fulfill this psalm?
John the Baptist made the way straight – REPENT. He prepared people to trust in Christ’s righteous integrity – TRUE righteousness. St. Paul reminds us, no one is righteous (Rom 3:10-26) we are justified by Christ.

How can we pray this?

Call for judgement – know we are saved/upright in heart THROUGH CHRIST

WE PRAY:
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.

How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow the name of God nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.