Courageous Confidence. Psalm 27:1-14

Transcription

1 1 Commentary by Clyde M. Miller Questions by John C. Sewell Courageous Confidence Psalm 27:1-14

2 2 Courageous Confidence Introduction: I. Setting, form and structure of Psalm 27. II. Viewpoints differ whether this is a royal ritual to be used by the king before he goes into battle, or a personal psalm that uses military metaphors. No certainty is possible but we favor the latter. III. Verses 1-6 are in the form of confident trust, and speak of God in the third person. Verses 7-14 are in the form of a personal lament, and speak to God in the second person. Verses revert to the third person in his summative declaration of confidence. IV. The unity of the psalm can be upheld on the basis of several key words common to the three paragraphs: my salvation (1a, 9e), my foes (2c, 12a), heart (3b, 8b, 14b), seek (4b, 8a,c), and life/living (4d, 13b). A. Confidence is expressed in the midst of trouble (1-6), lament is uttered in confidence (7-12), and the summative conclusion ends with a statement of confidence (13) and an admonition to patience (14). V. The psalm employs external (four lines to be compared) or extended (five or more lines to be compared) parallelism. A. The varied internal forms will be explained in the notes. B. An understanding of the parallelism helps to understand the movement of thought.

3 3 C. Verses are structured in climactic triplets with three lines in each verse. D. The climactic line is variantly positioned. This will be discussed in the notes. Commentary: Psalm 27:1-6, Trust in God s Power 1. The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid? 2. When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. 4. One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. 5. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 6. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. (NIV) Psalm 27:1, The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid? (NIV) I. Verse 1 employs external alternating synonymous parallelism consisting of four lines.

4 4 A. The first and third lines describe his happy relationship to the LORD, and the second and fourth lines declare his consequent confidence. 1. The verse uses similar rather than strictly synonymous terms. a. Light, salvation, and stronghold are complementary terms. b. The first refers to the illumination of God s nature and will. c. The second can refer to physical deliverance or to salvation from sin. The former applies here. d. The third term renders mauoz that refers to a strong fortified place. B. Verse 1 is a topic statement introducing the double element in the psalm confident trust and danger faced. Psalm 27:2, When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. (NIV) I. Verse 2 employs external parallelism consisting of four lines. A. The first three lines describe the anticipated circumstances. B. The fourth line is the principal clause declaring the anticipated failed outcome of his enemies.

5 5 C. The metaphor in the phrase to devour my flesh may refer to slander (RSV, uttering slander against me ) or any devastating distress (14:4; 17:12; Jer. 30:16: 50:7). 1. Psalm 14:4, Will evildoers never learn those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the LORD? (NIV) 2. Psalm 17:12, They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a great lion crouching in cover. (NIV) 3. Jeremiah 30:16, "'But all who devour you will be devoured; all your enemies will go into exile. Those who plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil. (NIV) 4. Jeremiah 50:7, Whoever found them devoured them; their enemies said, 'We are not guilty, for they sinned against the LORD, their true pasture, the LORD, the hope of their fathers.'(niv) Psalm 27:3, Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. (NIV) I. Verse 3 employs external alternating synonymous parallelism with four lines similar to verse 1. A. In similar terms, the first and third lines describe the possible circumstances that might occur, and the second and fourth lines describe his confident trust. B. The second line employs litotes (an understatement) here in negative terms, which complements the positive terms in the fourth line.

6 6 Psalm 27:4, One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (NIV) I. Verses 4-6 describe the protection offered in the close presence of God indicated here in the metaphor of the tabernacle or temple. A. Verse 4 is structured in extended parallelism containing six lines (NIV, RSV, NRSV). 1. Each succeeding line adds a thought. B. Whether the psalmist recites a priestly oracle or expresses the feeling of his own heart, he reveals a single mind. C. The house of the LORD is a metaphor of the near presence of God in the life of the psalmist. 1. God s presence involves protection and security. Psalm 27:5, For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. (NIV) I. Verse 5 employs external progressive parallelism. A. Each succeeding line adds a thought to the former line or lines. B. It is problematical whether the verse contains three (KJV, NASB), four (NEB, NIV, NRSV), or even five (NKJV) lines of poetry.

7 7 C. Apparently, we have a four-line structure. D. For shows the reason for the confident prayer of verse 4. Psalm 27:5, For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. (NIV) I. Verse 5 is an extension of the thought of verse 4. A. In the day of trouble expresses the attendant circumstances that call forth the need for protection. 1. He will be kept safe in the dwelling of the LORD. 2. Again, the dwelling/tabernacle of the LORD is His close presence to the psalmist, wherever that may be. 3. The word for shelter (seter) may also be rendered hiding place (Ps. 32:7) indicating protection. 4. Shelter and rock are complementary terms. a. The latter is a metaphor of a secure foundation. Psalm 27:6, Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. (NIV) I. Verse 6 employs a five-line extended progressive unit (NIV, NRSV) expressing proper human response to the victory anticipated in verse 5.

8 8 A. Then in the first line seems to bear a double force here, indicating temporality and forming a logical transition ( now, RSV). B. The head uplifted is a metaphor of confidence and consequent joy. C. Tent is a metaphor of the tabernacle. D. Sacrifices and music were often intermingled in Old Testament worship. Psalm 27:7-12, Sincere Prayer of Faith 7. Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. 8. My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. 9. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. 10. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. 11. Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. 12. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. (NIV) Psalm 27:7, Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. (NIV) I. His fervent prayer indicates his dependence on the LORD for help.

9 9 A. The concept of mercy is not always connected with a plea for forgiveness; it can refer to an intense need for deliverance from any present or anticipated danger. B. The latter fits the context here. Psalm 27:8, 9, My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. (NIV) I. The Hebrew text of verses 8 and 9 is difficult, and all our English versions represent emendations. A. The best solution is perhaps to follow the LXX (Greek), which translates 8a-9a as follows: My heart said to you, I have diligently sought your face. Your face, O LORD, I will seek, Hide not your face from me. B. The result would be that 8a-9a and 9b-e each consist of four progressive lines. 1. The psalmist thus reflects on his past vow faithfully executed (8a,b). 2. This is followed by a second vow, if the future tense is to be understood here (8b). a. The RSV and NRSV employ the present tense. 3. The vow is followed by a plea (9a,b). a. When you said to me (8a, cf. KJV, ASV, NKJV) misreads the Hebrew.

10 10 b. This is an effort to alleviate the problem whether the pronoun should be my or his. c. These two pronouns attached to the end of a noun are very similar in Hebrew and are easily confused. d. The NIV has probably made the right emendation. e. Here it probably represents a scribal error. C. Verse 9ab,d begs God to be his helper now as he has been in the past. 1. Do not hide your face is a metaphor of disregard, as indicated in the clauses do not turn away and do not reject and or forsake me. 2. His confidence is based on God s past help (9c). Psalm 27:10, Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. (NIV) I. Verse 10 is also ambiguous. A. The Hebrew particle ki may be understood as intensive, surely, adverbial, when, causal, for, (RSV, NASB), conditional, if (NASB n., NRSV) or circumstantial, though (NIV). B. The grammatical ambiguity leaves uncertain whether the author is stating a fact or a hypothesis. C. At any rate, he is certain that the loyalty of God is even greater than that of his close earthly relatives.

11 11 Psalm 27:11, Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. (NIV) I. A climactic triplet is employed here with three lines, and the climax comes in the third line. A. Stress is laid on the presence of his oppressors. B. Teach and lead are complements indicating that teaching includes training, guidance, and strength to attain. C. Straight (NIV) or level (RSV, NASB, NRSV) is literally upright, and the word doubtless retains its usual ethical connotation here. D. The prayers in verses 11 and 12 show that the psalmist recognizes his own weakness, and that he needs God s help for deliverance. Psalm 27:12, Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. (NIV) I. Verse 12 is also structured in three lines. A. His oppressors are further defined as foes and false witnesses. 1. They intend to do him violence. 2. Breathing out shows the intensity of their intent. 3. It is as if every breath furthered their evil plans.

12 12 Psalm 27:13-14, 4. Before he was converted to Christ, Saul of Tarsus was breathing out murderous threats against the Lord s disciples (Acts 9:1). a. What a wonderful change was wrought when he was converted! b. He then became the great apostle Paul. Confidence and Encouragement 13. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (NIV) I. The first line of this climactic triplet is the climax of the passage. A. The second and third lines are equally important, however, for they explain the source of his confidence. B. His confident summative declaration of faith overrides any fear of ineptitude. C. The goodness of the LORD, in light of the context of the psalm, will be manifested in his deliverance and protection. Psalm 27:14, Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (NIV) I. Some interpreters think that this verse may have been uttered by a priest, but it could just as well have been spoken by the author.

13 13 A. The first and third lines of this climactic triplet form an inclusion for the admonition given in the second line. Application: 1. His strong declaration of faith in verse 13 is now followed with a strong encouragement for others to imitate him. 2. Wait (qawweh) here and most often carries the connotation of a patient trusting wait. 3. Be strong and take heart exhorts the reader to overcome one s fears of personal ineptitude by trusting in the LORD. I. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the overcoming of fear by confident faith. II. The apostle Paul reveals that his competence was not in himself but in the Lord (2 Corinthians. 3:4-5). A. 2 Corinthians 3:4, 5, Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. (NIV) III. The person whose mind is set on God will find true success in his endeavors.

14 14 Questions Psalm 27:1-14 (Questions based on NIV text.) 1. What is the setting of Psalm 27: 2. What is the form of Psalm 27: 3. What is the structure of Psalm 27: 4. Define and give examples of the use of each of the following literary devices in Psalm 27: (a) external parallelism (b) extended parallelism (c) climatic triplets

15 15 (d) external alternating synonymous parallelism (e) litote (f) external progressive parallelism (g) extended progressive unit (h) emendation 5. List and explain all the metaphors found in Psalm How does the psalmist show his trust in God s power?

16 For what does the psalmist pray? 8. Tell all you can about the Greek LXX. What is it? Where did it get its name? 9. How does this psalm end? Show how this is the case? 10. What applications can be made from Psalm 27?

17 Who wrote Psalm 27? Give reasons for your answer. 12. The is my and my - whom shall I? The is the of my - of whom shall I be? 13. Under what conditions did the psalmist say he would be confident? 14. For what did the psalmist pray? List these completely as stated in verses I am still of this: I will see the of the in the of the. for the ; be and take and for the.