Tanak Foundations-Concepts in Psalms 54-57

Psa 54.1-7 tells us about the time when David learned that the Ziphites have betrayed him in 1 Sam 23.19-29, but the Lord delivered him. The Ziphites lived in the wilderness of Zif, and even worse, they were David’s kinsmen. They forfeited their integrity to obtain Saul’s favor. Of course, David was dejected after hearing about this, and he employed special musical instruments for this psalm. The heading reads, “For the Conductor; on stringed instruments. A Maskil (instruction) of David when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, ‘Is not David hiding himself among us?'”

Psa 54.1-3 tells us that David wants God to save him from his distress and to hear his prayer (v 1-2). Strangers (the Ziphites have distanced themselves from David) have come against him and violent men want to kill him (v 3).

Psa 54.4-5 tells us that his helper is God even when Saul and his army have surrounded him because of the Ziphite betrayal. Any help he gets will be seen as a sign of God’s favor (v 4). God will “cause to be returned” any evil they do on their own heads, and he will destroy them (“in thy faithfulness”) for interfering with God’s will in David’s life (v 5).

Psa 54.6-7 tells us that David will give a free-will offering korban (the root word here is “zevach” which is related to a covenant meal) to show his appreciation for his personal deliverance and to give thanks to Yehovah for “it is good” (v 6). He was delivered from all his troubles (his present ones-1 Sam 26.24) and with his own eyes he has looked upon his enemies and their defeat.

Here is a concept. A person who is delivered is granted the privilege of witnessing the downfall of his enemies, like Israel at the Red Sea, Esther and Mordechai with the death of Haman and his sons, etc. However, a person who is saved by the prayers and merits of others do not deserve to look on the downfall of his enemies. For example, Lot was saved because of Abraham’s intervention, so Lot was forbidden to look upon the destruction of his enemies in Sodom. Had it not been for Abraham, Lot would have had the same fate (v 7).

Psa 55.1-23 tells us about David’s suffering at the hands of Absalom through the counsel of Ahitophel. In the previous psalms, David describes his heartache at the hands of Saul, Doeg and the Ziphites. But none of these betrayals even come close to what David felt at the treachery of Ahitophel. This alludes to how Yeshua felt at his betrayal by Judas. Ahitophel was an intimate friend and counselor of David. He was a wise sage and statesman who guided David through many trials when he was king. David was devastated when he learned that he was inciting Absalom against him. David then realizes that Ahitophel’s relationship with him was not based on a true love for him, but Ahitophel was nothing but a selfish opportunist. He was jealous of David and had designs on the throne for himself, after deposing Absalom if he ever got there. That was his evil design. So, David had all this in mind when he wrote this psalm. The heading reads, “For the Conductor; on stringed instruments. A Maskil (instruction) of David.”

Psa 55.1-3 begins with a description of his troubles. David wants Yehovah to hear his prayer and not to hide from it. Perhaps David felt that God was “distant.” David had little peace and was restless and had issues to complain about because of the shout (voice) of the enemy and the pressure they were putting on David (v 1-2). This was verbal and physical pressures because of all the false accusations against him. They personally hated David (v 3).

Psa 55. 4-8 tells us that David’s heart “shudders” (in anguish) within him and he fears for his life (2 Sam 17.1-4). Horror has overwhelmed him and he says that he wished that he could just fly away like a dove and be at peace (v 4-6). He also would like to wander away and live in the wilderness and hurry to his place of refuge (the wilderness of Maon-1 Sam 23.26) from the storm, wind and tempest. The hatred of Ahitophel and Absalom were like a storm and David just wanted to escape from all those pressing issues, and who could blame him (v 7-8).

Psa 55.9-11 goes on to say that he wants the Lord to “confuse” (divide) their tongues (or cast a spirit of dissension) like at Babel. Hushai did this when he offered advice to Absalom that contradicted Ahitophel. Strife and violence are in the city of Jerusalem (v 9). They (strife and violence) encircle the walls with iniquity, and mischief are also the essence of the city at that time (v 10). Destruction is also there, along with oppression and deceit (v 11).

Psa 55.12-15 tells us that if it was an enemy that was doing these things to him he could put up with it, but it was Ahitophel (“but it is you”), a man of David’s equal that was doing this to him. Ahitophel was a sage, a teacher and David’s companion and counselor (v 12-13). They had “fellowship” (Hebrew word is “sowd” meaning deep secrets, hidden, intimate) together as they studied the Torah and walked in the house of God (The Mishkan at the festivals, etc) among the people (v 14). David wants God to command the angel of death to demand that Ahitophel pay his debt with his life, and he will. He includes Ahitophel’s accomplices in his desire to see them defeated swiftly and “let them go down alive to Sheol” meaning suffer an unnatural death. You can see this concept in Rev 19.20 with the death of the False Messiah (v 15).

Psa 55.16-21 tells us that David will call on God (Elohim) and his attribute of justice and accepts the afflictions as just punishment, and God will save him (v 16). At the hour of prayer he will petition and “moan” to the Lord (cry aloud). Now, there were certain times for prayer in the Scriptures. It mentions, “morning, noon and night” when the sun changes most noticeably, and we have the morning Tamid service at the third hour (9 am) and the afternoon Tamid at the ninth hour (3 pm). These prayer times are a reminder that God is in control of the universe and is behind the constant moving of the sun (v 17). With that thought, we can trust that he has the ability to answer our prayer. He will redeem David’s soul in peace from the battles drawing near him, and they are many (v 18). He knows this because God has done it in the past, even before they began (1 Sam 7.1). David is confident that the “one who sits enthroned from of old” will answer him. His enemies will not change and do not fear their demise nor the Lord because they have been blessed and have no fear of the one who enforces strict justice (v 19). Ahitophel went against those who were at peace with David and violated his pact with David (v 20). David remembers Ahitophel’s smooth (polished) words and now realizes they were nothing but a deception to get David to feel at ease with him (v 21).

Psa 55.22-23 tells us that David cast these cares on Yehovah and encouraged himself to draw near to him. He won’t be forsaken in body or soul (v 22). But just as David draws near to Yehovah, the wicked will be brought to the pit away from Yehovah. These men of bloodshed and deceit shall not live out half their days (meaning a normal lifespan). Ahitophel, Doeg and Absalom died young and David ends this psalm by saying that he will trust in Yehovah ( v 23).

Psa 56.1-13 is a psalm about the time when David was trapped by the Philistines in Gath and he felt helpless. The heading reads, “For the Conductor; according to yonah elem rechokim (meaning “the silenced dove of those that are far away”). A Miktam (teaching) of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.” David felt trapped and helpless like a dove among the Philistines.

This psalm is positioned after Psa 55 because of the theme. In Psa 55.6-8 David sees the society he lives in as a corrupt and wants to abandon the land. Now he has left the land in Psa 56 and finds that he is betrayed and he feels like a dove (“Yonah”) who is silent. This alludes to the Jewish people who would also be forced into captivity outside of the land and silenced.

Psa 56.1-7 tells us that David had faith in the middle of his fear. He wants the Lord to be gracious to him for many are coming against him, and “he” (Saul) has not let up and he appeals to God’s mercy two times (“trust”). But David is brave and trusts the Lord even when he is afraid, and realizes what can mere men to to him anyway (v 3-4). The attacks against David were not only physical, but they were twisting his words and all their thoughts were evil against him (v 5).

They attack and look to trap him and they watch his steps in order to ambush him and take his life (v 6). David appeals to Elohim and his strict attribute of justice to cast these enemies down (v 7).

Psa 56.8-13 says that God took notice of David’s problems and his tears have not been forgotten (v 8). He knows that when he prays his enemies will flee because God was with him (v 9). In God, Elohim and the attribute of justice, David praises the word of God. Then David repeats this again saying in Yehovah (attribute of mercy) he praises his word (v 10) because it was for him. David trusts that Yehovah will help him, so what can man (“Hebrew “adam”) do to him (v 11).

So David will fulfill his vows and give thank offerings (Korban Todah) to Yehovah when he is delivered (v 12). He has delivered him from Goliath, the Philistines, Saul, the wilderness and other dangers and will do it this time. Then he will walk before God in the land of the living. This not only refers to being delivered in this present age (Olam Ha Zeh-Matt 24.3), but also in the land of the living called the Olam Haba, or the world to come in Heb 6.5. David has already mentioned this in Psa 23.6.

Psa 57.1-11 is a psalm written at a time when David was concerned over some trouble with Saul and did not want to be destroyed. The heading reads, “For the Conductor; set to Al-tasheit, a Miktam (teaching) of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.” David fled into this cave to escape Saul. The cave may have been Adullam, mentioned in 1 Sam 22.1. Al-tasheit means “do not destroy.”

Psa 57.1-3 says that David is taking refuge in the Lord and in the shadow of his wings, the only true protection until the destruction (of Saul) passes by (v 1). He will cry to God who will administer strict justice for him (v 2) and will send from heaven (no earthly help) and deliver him. He will speak against his enemies and that would be enough to save him (v 3).

Psa 57.4-6 says that David’s life (soul) is among dangerous enemies (lions) whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongues like sharp swords (v 4). God sits in heaven and is exalted, and that means that God is higher than his enemies and to show it by saving him and disappointing his enemies. He wants God’s glory to be above all his enemies (v 5). They have prepared a snare for him and his soul is dejected because of all of this. But they will fall into the very trap they have set for David. Saul got into the very cave where David was and got his tzitzit cut off of his robe in 1 Sam 23.22 (v 6).

Psa 57.7-11 tells us that David appeals to God’s mercy twice in v 1, and now he says his heart is steadfast two times (v 7). David says, “Awake, my glory” and he is referring to his “soul” called “honor” in Gen 49.6, and the harp (nevel) and lyre (kinor). These two are used as idioms for the soul and spirit (v 8). David will thank the Lord among the tribes of Israel and sing praises among the non-Jews (v 9) because God’s mercy goes beyond the cave he is in and extends to the heavens, and his truth to the clouds (“upper heights”). He wants Yehovah to be the supreme ruler over all the kings of the earth, including King Saul.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

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