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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
PSALM 7
LESSON #5
THE GOD OF JUSTICE
MEMORY VERSE: PSALM 7:17
PSALM 7 IS A CRY FOR REVENGE
READ GEN 18:25
THE END OF THIS VERSE IS A GOOD TITLE FOR THIS PSALM; SHALL NOT THE JUDGE OF THE EARTH DORIGHT?
THE PSALM HAS AN INSCRIPTION THAT SAYS:
“SHIGGAION OF DAVID WHICH HE SANG UNTO THE LORD CONCERNING THE WORDS OF CUSH, THEBENJAMITE”
THE WORD “SHIGGAION” MEANS = A SONG OF LAMENT, A CRYING TO GOD OUT LOUD.
“THE WORDS OF CUSH, THE BENJAMITE”:
WE DO NOT KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT COMPLAINT DAVID HAD AGAINST THIS FELLOW JEW.
HOWEVER, SOME THINK THAT “CUSH” IS ANOTHER NAME FOR A MAN NAMED SHIMEI.
READ 2SAM 16:5-8 AND 2SAM 19:16-23
WHY DID SHIMEI HATE DAVID SO MUCH?.
SHIMEI WAS RELATED TO KING SAUL. WHEN SAUL DIED, HE PROBABLY THOUGHT THE NEXT KING SHOULDBE SOMEONE IN SAULS FAMILY.
REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THE BROAD PERSPECTIVE OF THIS KIND OF PSALM THAT CALLS DOWNJUDGMENT ON ONES ENEMIES.
THE CRY FOR REVENGE IN THIS PSALM IS A CRY AGAINST WHICH ENEMY?
IF WE KEEP THAT BROAD PERSPECTIVE HERE, THE ENEMY IS SATAN AND THOSE WHO DO SATANSWILL TO FIGHT AGAINST GOD.
READ PSA 7:1-5 A CRY FOR REVENGE
THE PRIMARY INTERPRETATION:
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE ENEMY BEHIND THOSE WHO PERSECUTE DAVID WAS SATAN?
IN VERSE 2, DAVID SAYS THAT THIS ENEMY, LIKE A LION, WANTS TO TEAR HIS SOUL INTO PIECES.
READ 1PET 5:8
THE SITUATION REGARDING PERSECUTION:
SOMETIMES WE BRING PERSECUTION UPON OURSELVES.
1. AT TIMES, UNCONSCIOUSLY, WE DO THINGS THAT OFFEND OTHERS.
2. AT TIMES, ON PURPOSE, WE DO THINGS THAT OFFEND OTHERS.
SOMETIMES PERSECUTION IS UNJUST AND WE DO NOT DESERVE IT.
1. SOME PEOPLE JUST HAVE A MEAN SPIRIT.
2. SOME PEOPLE MISTAKENLY ASSUME SOMETHING THAT IS NOT TRUE.
3. SOMETIMES PERSECUTION IS BECAUSE WE ARE CHRISTIANS. IN THAT CASE, WE ARE PERSECUTEDBECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST.
DAVID QUESTIONS WHETHER THIS MAN, CUSH, IS PERSECUTING HIM BECAUSE OF SOME SIN DAVID DIDAGAINST CUSH. (3-4)
THATS A GOOD PLACE TO START. WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT IN WHATWE DO OR IN WHAT WE SAY. WE MUST BE WILLING TO EXAMINE OURSELVES FIRST. WE MUST ASK THEHOLY SPIRIT TO REVEAL TO US OUR SIN.
DAVID TELLS GOD THAT IF CUSH IS RIGHT IN PERSECUTING HIM, THEN JUSTICE WILL BE DONE.
“SELAH” = STOP AND THINK ABOUT THAT!
READ PSA 7:6-11 JUSTICE PERSONIFIED
DAVID CALLS UPON GOD TO BE THE JUDGE AS TO WHAT IS JUSTICE BETWEEN THESE 2 MEN. (5)
THE PICTURE HERE IS THAT JUSTICE, LIKE A PERSON, HAS BEEN SLEEPING THROUGH THE DARK NIGHTOF ALL DAVIDS PERSECUTION AT THE HANDS OF SAUL AND HIS FAMILY. WHEN KING SAUL DIED,DAVID THOUGHT THE PERSECUTION WAS OVER. HOWEVER, THERE WERE THOSE IN SAULS FAMILYWHO STILL HATED DAVID. THEREFORE, DAVID CALLS TO “JUSTICE” TO WAKE UP AND JUDGEWHAT IS RIGHT. (6)
THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WILL BENEFIT IF JUSTICE IS DONE PROPERLY.(7)
“JUDGE ME, O LORD, ACCORDING TO MY RIGHTEOUSNESS” (8)
IF GOD WERE TO JUDGE US ACCORDING TO OUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, WE WOULD BE CONDEMNED. WHY?
READ ISA 64:6
OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS WORTHLESS.
WE WANT TO BE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS CHRIST.
BECAUSE DAVID WAS A BELIEVER, HE KNEW HE HAD THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. THEREFORE, WHENHE SAYS “MY” RIGHTEOUSNESS IN VERSE 8, HE KNEW, AND WAS PERSONALLY IDENTIFYINGHIMSELF WITH, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS CHRIST.
DAVID DESIRES THE JUSTICE OF GOD SO THAT THE WICKEDNESS OF MEN WILL COME TO AN END. (9)
HE SEES WHAT LIFE WILL BE LIKE ON EARTH WHEN CHRIST SETS UP HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM ONEARTH.
THERE WILL BE PERFECT PEACE.
THERE WILL BE PERFECT JUSTICE.
THERE CAN ONLY BE PERFECT PEACE IF GOD EXAMINES THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF PEOPLE.(9)
TODAY MANS COURTROOMS TRY TO DISCERN TRUTH, BUT BECAUSE WE CANNOT SEE INTOMENS HEART, WE DO NOT HAVE PERFECT JUSTICE.
EVIL WILL NOT EXIST WITHOUT A JUST AND SWIFT PUNISHMENT.
DAVID IS TRUSTING IN GODS PERFECT JUSTICE (10).
DAVID RECOGNIZES GODS ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN. HE IS ANGRY “WITH THE WICKED”(WICKEDNESS) EVERY DAY. IN OTHER WORDS GOD LOVES THE SINNER BUT HATES THE SIN. (11)
READ PSA 7:12-17 THE RESULTS OF GODS JUDGMENT
“THE INSTRUMENTS OF DEATH” (13) =
ETERNAL CONDEMNATION AND HELL WAIT FOR GODS ENEMIES.
THE NEW TESTAMENT CALLS THIS THE SECOND DEATH.
READ REV 2:11
“HE ORDAINETH HIS ARROWS AGAINST THE PERSECUTORS” (13) =
IN OTHER WORDS, GOD DOES NOT JUDGE AT RANDOM. WHEN GOD JUDGES, THAT JUDGMENT IS PERFECT.IT IS AS THOUGH HE PUTS FIRE AT THE TIP OF AN ARROW SO THAT WHEN IT HITS THE TARGET, ITBURNS THAT WHICH GOD MEANT FOR IT TO HIT.
THE PERSECUTORS ARE THOSE MENTIONED IN VERSE 14:
1. THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THEMSELVES TOTALLY OVER TO EVIL.
2. THOSE WHO THINK ABOUT AND CONCEIVE EVIL IN THEIR MINDS.
3. THOSE WHO SPEAK LIES.
“HE MADE A PIT…” (15)
THE “HE” IS THE EVIL PERSON. HE HAS CREATED HIS OWN PIT BY HIS EVIL LIFE. THISPIT HOLDS HIM CAPTIVE AND THEREFORE, HE WILL REAP THE REWARD.
HE WILL REAP WHAT HE HAS SOWED. DAVID SAYS IT WILL “RETURN ON HIS OWN HEAD” (16)
DAVID ENDS THE PSALM WITH PRAISE TO A JUST GOD WHO MAKES ALL THINGS RIGHT IN THE END. (17)
WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DO YOU SEE ABOUT GOD IN THIS CHAPTER?
HE IS TRUSTWORTHY (1)
HE IS ABLE TO SAVE. (1)
HE IS THE PERFECT JUDGE (6,8)
HE IS ABLE TO DEFEND AGAINST THE ENEMY (10)
HE HATES SIN (11)
HE IS RIGHTEOUS (17)
THE PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:
THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS TO THE PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:
1. JESUS WAS SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES WHO HATED HIM. YET HE DID NOT JUDGE THEM AT THAT TIME.HE EXTENDED MERCY. AT HIS SECOND COMING, HE WILL JUDGE.
2. GODS PEOPLE, THE JEWS, HAVE ALWAYS SUFFERED PERSECUTION THROUGH HISTORY.DAVIDS PSALM IS A CRY FOR GOD TO AVENGE THE CENTURIES OF INJUSTICE POURED OUT UPONTHE JEWS.
THE JEWS USE THIS PSALM IN WORSHIP AND CELEBRATION OF THE GRAPE HARVEST AT THE FEAST OFTABERNACLES. THIS PROPHETICALLY LOOKS FORWARD TO THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
READ REV 14:14-20
THE WINEPRESS IS A SYMBOL OF GODS JUDGMENT.
REV 14:14-20 SPECIFICALLY REFERS TO THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON WHICH COMES AT THE END OF THETRIBULATION PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS. IT IS A TIME WHEN CHRIST WILL COME A SECOND TIME ANDJUDGE THE NATIONS WHO FIGHT AGAINST HIS COMING. THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON IS THE JUDGMENTON THOSE NATIONS.
THE PERSONAL INTERPRETATION:
WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WE BELONG TO GOD, WHO IS A PERFECT JUDGE. HE WILL EVENTUALLY SETEVERYTHING RIGHT. WE MAY NOT SEE PERFECT JUSTICE IN OUR LIVES HERE ON EARTH, BUTEVENTUALLY HE WILL MAKE IT RIGHT. MEANWHILE, WE MUST NOT TAKE JUDGMENT INTO OUR OWN HANDS.DAVID UNDERSTOOD THIS TRUTH AND FORGAVE SAULS FAMILY FOR THEIR PERSECUTION. HEEXTENDED MERCY INSTEAD OF VENGEANCE.
READ MAT 5:25
MAT 7:1-5
HOMEWORK
PSALM 8
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF PSALM 7
IS THERE SOMEONE IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU THINK PERSECUTES YOU?
WRITE DOWN THE SITUATION HERE:
GO THROUGH DAVIDS PSALM AND DO WHAT HE DID:
1. EXAMINE YOURSELF FOR ANY SIN OR PROVOCATION.
ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS IF SOMETHING COMES TO MIND.
2. TURN THE PERSON AND THE SITUATION OVER TO JESUS TO BE THE JUDGE.
ASK HIM TO WORK OUT JUSTICE.
3. EXTEND MERCY AND FORGIVENESS EVEN THOUGH THAT PERSON MAY NOT DESERVE IT.
PREPARATION FOR PSALM 8
THIS IS A MESSIANIC PSALM (A PSALM ABOUT THE MESSIAH).
READ THE FOLLOWING NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES .
MAT 21:1-17 (NOTICE ESPECIALLY VERSES 9 AND 16).
1COR 15:20-28 (NOTICE ESPECIALLY VERSE 27).
HEB 2:5-8
IN LIGHT OF THESE NEW TESTAMENT VERSES, WHAT DOES PSALM 8 TELL YOU ABOUT JESUS CHRIST?
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 8:9
