June 5 - Psalms 70-72
Today, let's start at the end, instead of at the beginning. The last verse of Psalm 72 says, "The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended." This does not mean that none of the other psalms were written by David, but it does mean that this section of David's psalms has come to an end. Many of these psalms are personal prayers of David. Many of them came out of his trials with Saul and his sin with Bathsheba. They contain petitions, praises, and confessions. We can all relate to many of the things David was praying, and it is good that God inspired them to be written down for us.
In Psalm 70 David tells God that he is poor and needy. How can this be? He is the richest man in Israel. However, when personal matters and spiritual matters are not going well, those needs far outweigh any financial resources a person may have, and they make him feel very poor and needy. In fact, this is true for all of us all of the time, because we can't live without the Lord no matter what earthly resources we have.
Psalm 71 seems to be a psalm written by David later in his life. God has been with him since his youth, and he is praying for God not to forsake him in his old age. This may seem to be amusing to us, but it is a real need. I have met many older Christians who have asked me how they could be used by God since they were weaker and have less energy. Satan tries to tell people that it is only the young who can be used by God. This is a terrible lie. The opposite is true. If the older people are strong in the Lord, they can be used to accomplish great things for God without having to have a lot of physical strength.
Psalm 72 is a psalm of Solomon, David's son. It exalts the Messiah, speaking of Him like He is the son of a king, just like Solomon. Of course, the analogy breaks down like all human analogies, but it is a good way to point out the greatness of Christ. It is a wonderful way to say that everyone should praise Him and obey Him like they do the King. It is a good way to show the dominion of Christ. Remember, this was written long before Jesus came to earth and revealed Himself to man. Also, remember that Solomon had knowledge of the Messiah, but he still allowed his wives to lead him away from God. It takes more than knowledge of the Lord. It takes a daily walk with Him to stay right with Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 73-76.
In Psalm 70 David tells God that he is poor and needy. How can this be? He is the richest man in Israel. However, when personal matters and spiritual matters are not going well, those needs far outweigh any financial resources a person may have, and they make him feel very poor and needy. In fact, this is true for all of us all of the time, because we can't live without the Lord no matter what earthly resources we have.
Psalm 71 seems to be a psalm written by David later in his life. God has been with him since his youth, and he is praying for God not to forsake him in his old age. This may seem to be amusing to us, but it is a real need. I have met many older Christians who have asked me how they could be used by God since they were weaker and have less energy. Satan tries to tell people that it is only the young who can be used by God. This is a terrible lie. The opposite is true. If the older people are strong in the Lord, they can be used to accomplish great things for God without having to have a lot of physical strength.
Psalm 72 is a psalm of Solomon, David's son. It exalts the Messiah, speaking of Him like He is the son of a king, just like Solomon. Of course, the analogy breaks down like all human analogies, but it is a good way to point out the greatness of Christ. It is a wonderful way to say that everyone should praise Him and obey Him like they do the King. It is a good way to show the dominion of Christ. Remember, this was written long before Jesus came to earth and revealed Himself to man. Also, remember that Solomon had knowledge of the Messiah, but he still allowed his wives to lead him away from God. It takes more than knowledge of the Lord. It takes a daily walk with Him to stay right with Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 73-76.