I. REJOICING CONFIDENCE (1-6). Faith's Testimony. 1. Assurance (1-3). As to i. Present (1); ii. Past (2); iii. Prospect (3). 2. Aspiration (4-6). i. Request (4); ii. Reason (5); iii. Result (6). II. REVEALED CONCERN (7-12). Faith's Testing. I. Prayer (7). 2. Plea (8). "For." 3. Prayer (9). 4. Plea (10). "For." 5. Prayer (n-12a). 6. Plea (12b). "For."
llECOll.D OF 1'HE l>IVINE REDEEMER III.RENEWED CONFIDENCE (13-14). Faith's Triumph. r. Assurance (13). The Acknowledgment of Faith. 2. Advice (14). The Encouragement to Hope. SUPERSCRIPT.-David' s. PRIMARY AssocIATION.-David is the writer; historical occasion is uncertain, but tradition assigns it to the period before his anointing as king over all Israel (so LXX.), probably that of the wars during the first seven years of his reign. Note the sudden transition from the confidence of (I.) to the concern of (II.), characteristic of so many psalms and confirmed so often in the experience of the saints. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-Again the soul exercise of the faithful remnant, amid the deep trials of the last days, is portrayed. PERSONAL APPLICATION.-A psalm of sunshine and shade. The believer enjoys (a) Light which dispels darkness; (b) Liberty which delivers from distress; (c) Life which defeats death. Light reveals not only myself and n1y environment, but it is also self-revealing. Purpose must not be parted from pursuit; right desire is good, but should be followed up by spiritual energy (4). To learn God's secrets, we must live near to Him (4). The godly are God's guarded guests (5). The sanctuary provides security from spiritual foes, as well as from human adversaries. Note the three-fold security: (a) Sheltered from calamitous storm; (b) Secreted from unseen danger; (c) Saved from open assault (5). Those who are safe should sing (6). Fear often lies very near to faith (7). Every believer has experience of mountain and valley. Severe storm ,shakes not the saints' sure support (10). We are in constant need of: (a) Divine Grace (7); (b) Divine Gathering (8-10); (c) Divine Guidance (11); and (d) Divine Guard (12). If not-what then? Have you con sidered this (13)? Wait, yea, wait (14) on the Lord. VERSE NOTES C£R "cf th " om. v111. 31; my sa vation, . 9; streng , see marg. 2. "eat .. . flesh"; assailants compared to wild beasts waiting to devour. 3. C£ iii. 6. 4. The climaxof allhis petitions,cf. Phil.iii. 13; ctr.James i. 8. (c) may be rendered as margin. David desired to know the inner meaning of these symbols of heavenly ali. H b "b re a.es; see e . x. 19-22; eauty, or graciousness. 5. (b) Br. "in the hiding-place (or secrecy) of His tent."
This book has 150 chapters