98. The Bulls of Bashan

Psalm 22

Some Bible scholars insist that this psalm in no way applies to David but, rather, that David, when he wrote it, was speaking prophetically of Christ's crucifixion.  If it does apply to David, some of the situations mentioned could be taken literally, but if the whole psalm applies only to Christ this psalm must be seen as being loaded down with similes and metaphors.  Can we imagine Christ uttering this, hard to accept, statement, But I am a worm, and no man; 22:6.

Many bulls have circled around Me; strong bulls Of Bashan have surrounded Me. 22:12.  Who will hear the soft calling of "The Lamb" among the roaring clamour of the bulls Of Bashan, for example, North America's world of entertainment?

They opened wide their mouths on Me, like a ripping and a roaring lion. 22:13.

I am poured out like water, and all My bones are spread apart; My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of My bowels. 22:14.  Totally, physically exhausted.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; v.15.  Some apply this to the time when Christ while hanging on the cross, said, I thirst. John 19:28   

For dogs have circled around Me. Psalm 22:16.   The Jews had this "endearing way" of calling non-Jews, "dogs".   This phrase is sometimes referenced to the crucifixion when Christ was encircled by Gentiles. 

Deliver My soul (life) from the sword, My only one from the dog's hand. 22:20.  Deliver my soul, my only life.  Holy Father, please protect my soul from those that would seek my eternal destruction!

Save Me from the lion's mouth. 22:21.  This is certainly a prayer for all of us, but, at the same time, not forgetting that St. Peter put the onus on us.  Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour.  1 Peter 5:8.

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? 

Even if this whole psalm was written as a prayer by David, for himself, it is not surprising that Christ, on the cross, used these words in His hour of deepest need.  He knew the Jewish Bible, which, of course, includes the psalms; He had preached from it for about three and a half years and we should not wonder that He, while He was on the cross, having trusted for, a last moment, miraculous rescue from death, would cry out, My God, my God, why have You forsaken me.

Still, There is Hope for Deliverance

Why are You far from my deliverance, and from the words of my groaning?  Now that everything looks lost he cries out, Why have You closed your ears to by earnest prayers?

But You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them.  

Whatever happens to me now, Lord, You are holy, You are uplifted by the praises of your children.  But, could I remind You that in the past our fathers trusted, and You delivered them.  Why doesn't that deliverance work for me now?  Psalm 22:1-3.

All who see Me (at Calvary) mock me; they shoot out the lip (open wide their mouths); they shake the head, saying, He trusted on Jehovah; let Him deliver Him; let Him rescue Him, since He delights in Him! Psalm 22:7-8.  This psalm continues to fit the horrendous emotional situation of Christ while he was suspended on the cross.

The Jewish elders tauntingly repeated the words of the psalmist, He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him. Mat. 27:43.

It is one of the most remarkable instances of blindness and infatuation that has ever occurred in the world, that the Jews should have used this language in taunting the dying Redeemer, without even suspecting that they were fulfilling the prophecies, ... at the very time when they were reviling him that he was the true Messiah. Barnes.

We end the 22 Psalm with this prayer:

Dearest Lord, give me so to meditate on these things, until I feel my whole soul going forth in all that love and affection which thy people participate, who know thee in the power of thy resurrection, and in the fellowship of thy sufferings. Hawker's Commentary.

97. The Righteous Will Be Resurrected

Psalm 15

In Psalm 12, the writer was looking at the negative viewpoint but now he focuses on the positive.

This Psalm starts by asking two questions.

1. Jehovah, who shall dwell in Your tabernacle? Psalm 15:1.

The first time, in this verse, that the psalmist uses the word, dwell, the word, in the Hebrew text is sojourn.  Translated it reads, Lord, who shall sojourn in your holy temple in Jerusalem?  This is what the question meant to the psalmist, but, of course, the Christian Bible is now a worldwide book and so we apply this psalm to ourselves and make the word, tabernacle, mean God's presence. Lord, who may sojourn in Your presence?

     2. Who shall dwell on Your holy hill?

Here the word, dwell, has the meaning of being settled down.  Who are those that feel comfortable enough in Jehovah's presence to settle down there?  Psalm 15 tells us who those are:

• He who walks uprightly, the one going flawlessly (in Hebrew)
• and works righteousness, the one contriving righteousness (in Hebrew)
• and speaks the truth in his heart; not just with the lips, but from the heart.
• he does not backbite with his tongue, 
• nor does evil to his neighbor, 
• nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; 
• but he honors those who fear Jehovah; 
• he has sworn to his hurt, and does not change it; if you make a promise you do your very best to keep it even if it is determental to you.
• he has not put out his money at interest, (credit card companies and financial institutions should pay attention to these words and quit gouging their customers).
• nor has he taken a bribe against the innocent. Psalm 15:2-5.

Christ summed that list up with these words, Therefore all things, whatever you desire that men should do to you, do even so to them; Mat. 7:12.

Psalm 16

For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol, neither wilt thou allow thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt make known to me the path of life: thy countenance is fulness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. 16:10-11.

It is agreed, almost universally in Christendom, that these words, thy Holy One, refer to Christ.  That is not at all surprising since twice, in the Book of Acts: ch. 2+13, Saint Peter made that connection.  Following St. Peters lead modern Bible scholars say things like, How peculiarly this belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Hawker's Bible Commentary.  It is peculiar to Christ, to be called the holy one of God. John Wesley.

We must not press that thought though.  Considering the next part of the verse: neither wilt thou allow thy Holy One to see corruption.  This is in the plural number, חסידיך  chasideycha, thy Holy Ones; but none of the versions translate it in the plural. Clarke.  The reading here in the text is in the plural form, “thy holy ones". Barnes.  Obviously, if thy Holy One, is in the plural it cannot refer only to Christ, but it must refer to those about whom the psalmist was writing in the first part of this psalm; those who are righteous.

David expresses his faith in the resurrection of the just in the last verse of the next psalm, As for me, I shall behold Thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness. Psalm 17:15 JPS.

He was agreeing with the teachings of Christ's Church that the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption,  and when this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the word that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. 1 Cor. 15:52-54.

96. High Morals Are Not Automatic

Psalm 8

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:4-5.  There is no place in the Old Testament where Elohim (God) means "angels;" and, though the LXX (Septuagint version) so translate in the present passage, and the rendering has passed from them into the New Testament (Heb. 2:7), it cannot be regarded as critically correct. Pulpit Commentary.

The way some translations now have it, it is actually correct.   Namely: For You have made him lack a little from God (not angels as the KJV and many others have it), and have crowned him (mankind) with glory and honor. 8:5.   This corresponds very well with the statement made by God Let us make men in our image. Gen. 1:26.

1. Some theologians say that the, him, refers to Christ.  This interpretation should be a real problem for Bible students who accept the doctrine of the Trinity.  If him refers to Christ, what the Bible is saying is that Christ was made, therefore He is not eternal, and that He lacks a little from God; in others words, He is not really God; but Trinitarians insist that Christ is "God of very God".

2. Correctly translated, some commentaries say that the him refers to humankind and that in the original, sinless state, humans were crowned with glory and honor and that Jehovah made him (mankind) rule over the works of His hands; You (Jehovah) have put all things under his feet. Psalm 8:6.  God said to them, ... subdue it (the earth), rule over the fish of the seas, and over birds of the heavens, and over all beasts creeping on the earth. Gen 1:28.

Psalm 11+12

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? Psalm 11:3.

The reference is to a destruction of those things in a community, when truth is no longer respected; when justice is no longer practiced; when fraud and violence have taken the place of honesty and honor; when error prevails; when a character for integrity and virtue affords no longer any security. Barnes Commentary.

The moral and spiritual foundations of our society are being destroyed by the leaders of our educational system.  I recall my older brother telling me that when he was in elementary school the stories in "The Reader" were based on Bible stories.  By the time I got to grade one the stories had been downgraded to the "Dick and Jane" series.  When the righteous precepts of the books of the great religions of the world are ignored, fraud and violence become the new accepted rules as we see in our society today.

However, education alone is not the answer!  Leaders are supposing they can fix the problems of society with band-aid solutions without first laying a foundation on a rock.  There is much talk about curing humanity's moral ailments by education.  If that was successful surely all doctors, professors and lawyers would be morally upright because they have so much education.

In a University in Eastern Canada, there was a situation where some male students were, by deceit, forcing themselves on some female students.  The counsellors are devising courses and "plans of action" to keep such things from happening again.  Nothing, of that nature, will curb the evil intentions of those thus inclined.  That is because, unless, and until, children are brought up on the solid foundation of the teachings of the holy books of the world's religions there is nothing in their moral fibre that will stop them from acting wickedly.

Help, O Jehovah, for the godly ceases to be; for the faithful fail from among the sons of men. They speak vanity, each man with his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart (or forked tongue) they speak. Psalm 12:1-2.

what can the righteous do?  Sure, they can hold peaceful gatherings and demand action but basically, those meetings accomplish next to nothing.  This we see repeatedly in the "anti-gun" meetings held, time and again, in the USA.  The righteous are unable to do anything because if we try we are accused of being narrow-minded and religious bigots.  Some are even physically attacked or killed because they make their viewpoints known.

Unless parents teach their children the fundamental rules of decency and honesty, from their birth and onward, the children do not even know what high moral standards look like or that it is expected of them.

However, we in Canada are not yet in a position in which we should despair.  We may still worship as we wish to.  We are still free to read and write anything we want to unless it is blatantly anti-Canadian or anti-racial.  Our lawmakers, for the most part, are still enacting fair and just laws and, for the most part, our police forces are reputable and most will do their best to defend the innocent.