11 July

Bible In 365 Days

Psalms 140-145

Psalm 140

The previous five psalms have dealt with the absolute sufficiency of Jehovah. Their titles will indicate this, "Jehovah the Object of His people's praise, Jehovah the God of mercy, Jehovah the God of Judgement, Jehovah the Perfecter, Jehovah Omniscient and Omnipresent."

In the four which follow a different note is struck. They reveal the need of man, and his utter helplessness. Yet they stand over against the former five. The appeal of all of them is made out of dire necessity to absolute sufficiency. They lead up to another which thrills with thanksgiving as it expresses the consciousness of how perfectly the resources of Jehovah meet the need of man.

The present psalm deals with the subject of foes without. The singer is conscious that he is surrounded by enemies. The first movement (Psalms 140:1-5) describes the malice of the enemies, and ends with prayer for preservation. The second (Psalms 140:6-10) commences with earnest prayer, the confidence of which is based upon past experiences of deliverance; and it ends with a definite request for the discomfiture of his foes. The final movement (Psalms 140:11-13) is an affirmation of faith. The singer is confident that in the government of Jehovah evil men cannot continue. The afflicted will be delivered, and the righteous and upright will be perfectly vindicated.

Psalm 141

In this song the influence of the external troubles upon the inner life of the singer is revealed. Throughout it breathes the spirit of fear lest the soul should be seduced from the attitude of whole-hearted loyalty to God. The peril most evidently threatening arises from the enticements of the ungodly; and the psalmist earnestly prays that he may be protected by Jehovah in speech and thought and action.

Without in so many words declaring so, the song clearly reveals the fact that the singer has be sorely tempted to turn aside to ways of ungodly men, to share their hospitality, and so escape their hostility. This peril is more subtle than that of the active opposition of these men, and in this distress he turns to God. This is his safety.

That he is able to say, "Mine eyes are unto Thee, O God the Lord," is a revelation of the fact that his anchor still holds, not only against the fierce onslaught of enemies, but also against the insidious temptation to turn aside from path of rectitude in order to escape the vindictive opposition of his enemies. If the former psalm reveals the perils of foes without, this no less clearly deals with the danger of fears within.

Psalm 142

In this psalm human need is yet more vividly set forth. Here is seen the consciousness resulting from the difficulties described in the previous psalm. Here there is a combination of fighting and fears within and without.

The onslaught of the foe and the trembling heart constitute an experience which can only be described as that of a spirit overwhelmed. There are two notes running side by side throughout the song. The first is that of this terrible sense of helplessness and hopelessness so far as man is concerned. The other is that of the determined application of the helpless soul to Jehovah. There is the utmost urgency in this method. "I cry with my voice ... I pour out my complaint ... I show before Him my trouble." The whole need is gathered up into the tremendous statement, "Refuge hath failed me; no man careth for my soul." This is answered by triumphing faith in the words, "O Jehovah ... Thou art my refuge."  The song ends with an earnest cry for deliverance, and an affirmation of confidence that the cry will be heard and answered.

Psalm 143

This is the last of the four psalms, and both in respect of the sense of helplessness and of assurance in God, it is more vivid and striking than either of them. So far as human situation is concerned, it is a cry of despair, and a terrible one indeed. The life is smitten, the spirit is overwhelmed, and the whole complaint ends with a statement, "My heart within me is desolate." That final word "desolate" has in it the sob of an unillumined sea. Yet the psalm opens with an earnest cry to Jehovah, and after the declaration of need, it to the end a determined act of faith.

In the situation of complete helplessness the soul prepares for its prayer, and the words which indicate the method of preparation are interesting. "I remember ... I meditate ... I muse." The issue of this is immediately declared, "I spread forth my hands unto Thee." The earnestness of the soul is manifested in the urgent petitions which follow. "Make haste ... hide not Thy face ... cause me to hear ... cause me to know ... deliver me ... teach me ... quicken me." Personal consecration in this endeavour to lay hold upon the infinite resource is manifest in the affirmations. "In Thee do I trust ... I life up my soul unto Thee ... I flee unto Thee to hide me," and finally "I am Thy servant." Through all the urgency and the earnestness there is also manifest an unshaken confidence. "Thou art my God" is the central word around which all the others gather.

Psalm 144

This is a song of triumphant assurance. Its placing at this point in the book suggests the invincible experience of trusting souls. In order to appreciate all its value, the nine psalms immediately preceding must be borne in mind. Five of them celebrate the sufficiency of God. These are followed by four which declare the utter helplessness of man. The present one immediately follows, and in it the two facts are present; but the Divine sufficiency is seen encompassing the human helplessness until it is so lost sight of as hardly to be discoverable.

The opening affirmations thrill with the singer's confidence of ability in the might of Jehovah. There is a conflict, but fear is banished, because Jehovah teaches the hands to war and the fingers to fight; and He is all that the soul in conflict needs. This affirmation is followed by an exclamation of surprise that Jehovah so high, should take any account of man, who by comparison, is vanity. There is no shadow of doubt in the exclamation, for the song immediately becomes a prayer for the operation of Jehovah's might, for the rescue of the trusting soul. It then climbs to the higher level of praise in the new song of confidence which ends in a repetition of the prayer for rescue. Finally the singer describes the peace and prosperity of the people whose God is Jehovah.

Psalm 145

This is a great psalm of praise standing alone, and serving as an introduction to the last five, which constitute the final anthem of thanksgiving, the expression of perfected praise. It is a solo, but the singer is singing not for himself alone, but for others. The peoples are in mind.

It has three movements; an introduction (Psalms 145:1-4); a statement of theme (Psalms 145:5-9); and the full exercise of thanksgiving (Psalms 145:10-21). The introduction speaks of determination to praise (Psalms 145:1), of continuity in praise (Psalms 145:2), of reason for praise (Psalms 145:3), and of fellowship in praise (Psalms 145:4). The theme is a threefold one; first, the majesty of the Divine honour and works (Psalms 145:5). Second, the might of the acts of God (Psalms 145:6-7). Third and supremely, the mercy of God (Psalms 145:8-9). Then follows the exercise. First, the chorus of the works of Jehovah, and of His saints. This chorus celebrates His glory, His power, His mighty acts, and the majesty of His kingdom.

The rest of the psalm is a song carrying out the thoughts suggested in the statement of theme. The majesty of Jehovah is celebrated (Psalms 145:13). His might as operating in the uplifting of the fallen is declared (Psalms 145:14). Finally, the activity of His mercy is delighted in Psalms 145:15-20. Everything concludes with the affirmation of personal determination to praise, and the expression of desire that all flesh should join in the anthem.