Year 1, Week 33, Day 4 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 33, Day 4

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Psalm 6; 8-10; 14; 16.

Today’s reading covers six Psalms. While all six Psalms are Davidic (actually Psalm 9 is not explicitly attributed to David, is it commonly assumed to be Davidic), there is not any specific ascription or title that provides a historical placement to any of them. Considering the themes expressed in the Psalms that comprise today’s reading, we can see some indications to suggest that these Psalms could have correlation to our readings in 1 and 2 Samuel. Therefore, these Psalms could coincide with David’s ascendancy to the throne as king over Israel.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is the humble gratitude and praise that David expresses to the LORD: “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens…When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:1,3-4). David now reigns as king. David’s kingship reminiscences about the very creation of Adam, who was made in the image and likeness of God and charged with ruling responsibilities by God over creation: “You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas” (Psalm 8:6-8). David marveled; David worshipped: “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:9).

But David’s words from Psalm 8 do not merely reach backward to Adam and his failure to carry out his ruling responsibilities, they also reach forward to Christ as they preview His faithfulness in carrying out all that the Father assigned to Him: “It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:6-9). Christ will come from the line of David and be the final fulfillment to God’s will of all that God intended for the first Adam, so that, as the last Adam, all things will truly be under the dominion of Jesus.

Just as David’s experiences of ruling as king, looks backwards and forward, so David’s experiences with affliction and against evil are but glimpses of the past and future. The establishment of David as king occurred in the context of suffering: “Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD—how long?” (Psalms 6:2-3); “Be gracious to me, O LORD! See my affliction from those who hate me” (Psalm 9:13); and “Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1). Jesus would experience these same troubles and afflictions that David walked through. At present, the kingdom of Jesus is a kingdom that does not exempt its citizens from troubles and afflictions that its King faced.

Furthermore, the establishment of David’s kingship occurred with opposition from evil: “Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer. All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment” (Psalm 6:8-10). And yet David witnessed the LORD give him victory over evil: "I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before your presence. For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment” (Psalm 9:1-4); and “They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD?” (Psalm 14:3-4). Jesus would face these same evil enemies that David was up against. At present, the kingdom of Jesus is a kingdom that does not fully shelter its citizens from the evil enemies that its King faced.

Finally, David’s godward orientation as he experienced affliction and faced opposition, would also be fully seen in the life of Jesus: “I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken” (Psalm 16:7-8). At present, the kingdom of Jesus provides full access to the presence of God as a counter to troubles and afflictions as well as the evil enemies of the kingdom. And what still awaits us is a fuller dimension to the presence of God that will entail absolutely no troubles, afflictions and evil enemies: “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:10-11). These things that Adam forfeited, David would graciously receive on the account of Christ.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe