A Psalm of David or a Psalm of Peter?

Berean Baptist on May 8, 2017

Psalm 86

As the title of Psalm 86 reveals, this is a psalm of David. As I read the psalm this week, I noticed how David’s thoughts parallel what must have been in Peter’s mind after he denied Jesus for the third time. This was a dark period in Peter’s life. This is the lowest point, the farthest he ever sunk in the trials of Christian living. Although he made the great confession of faith in Matthew 16, and although he steadfastly protested when Jesus told him what he would do, he still had a moment of weakness that was as bad as the traitor Judas.

The purpose of the story of his failure at the end of Matthew 26 is to show how easily we can fall into denial. In persecution, we may stand strong; in times of heightened sensitivity, we may gather ourselves and with strong resolve, we will not give up our faith. However, Satan rarely attacks at those times. He prefers to wait until we are unprepared; until we are smug and self-assured before he slings his fiery darts. When you lay aside the armor or are too casual to pay attention, Satan has the advantage. Peter was not felled by a burly Roman soldier, but by a little harmless maiden who made no threats.

Peter’s failure was not as sudden as we might think. It was a step by step process. The same is true of our failures. We rarely go from a stellar workhorse for Christ to a scared little weasel who pretends not to know Him.

How does this fit with the psalm? The psalmist wrote in a moment of despair, “Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.” We catch up to the psalm after Peter’s denials. This is when Peter realized his awful mistake. It was when Jesus looked at Him with disappointment that he knew how miserably he failed. Peter’s reaction was the reaction of a true Christian, not of a Judas. It was a gut-wrenching moment and he could not live with himself for what he had done. His tears were not merely tears of regret, but much more deeply felt. They were tears of godly repentance. Can we not image when Peter went out and wept bitterly that verses 5 and 6 of this psalm were the cry of his heart? “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.”

Peter’s denial was as serious as it gets. Jesus said those who deny Him before men He will deny before His Father in heaven. Peter denied before men, not once but three times. What kept Christ from denying Him? It was his repentance. He proved he was a child that God promised never to forsake. David and Peter prayed with the same confidence knowing that when they fell they would not be finally cast down.

When we sin, their plea must be our plea. Paul wrote, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” No sin is too big for God to forgive. Peter’s story teaches us this lesson. Bitter tears of repentance are always followed by blessed forgiveness and renewal. It is God’s word and you can always count on it.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

 

 

Understanding Beyond the Immediate Text

Berean Baptist on October 3, 2016

Psalm 59

It is always interesting when reading the psalms of David to find the places in scripture that connect to the reasons for writing the psalm. The background story that connects to this psalm is found in 1 Samuel 19.  Beginning at verse 11, Saul had sent some of his henchmen to David’s house to watch for him and to kill him when he left his house in the morning. It is remarkable how Saul’s peculiar sense of honor kept him from entering David’s house at night to kill him while he slept in bed with his wife. Yet, it is also remarkable that false accusations and murder were no encumbrances to Saul’s same sense of honor.

The errand of Saul’s messengers was a trumped up charge of treason when David had never in any way disrespected Saul or sought him harm. By God’s providence, Saul’s hesitation allowed David to escape during the night which infuriated Saul all the more. The method of escape was clever as David evaded Saul by leaving through a window. Perhaps David’s house was on the city wall where he was let down by a rope in similar fashion to the escape of the spies at the hand of Rehab.

When David did not leave the house in the morning, Saul’s men went to fetch him but were told by David’s wife Michal that he was sick. When this was reported to Saul, he sent his men back to the house to carry him out sick bed and all. When the men reentered the house, they saw they had been fooled by a dummy with goat’s hair which had made it appear David was in the bed.

When I read through the first part of this psalm, there were two parallels to the treatment of Christ that struck me. The first is the actions of the chief priests and elders when they paid Judas to betray Jesus. When Judas later returned with remorse and offered to give back his thirty pieces of silver, the leaders refused to put the money into the treasury because it was not lawful to mix blood money with the Lord’s offerings. This was strangely curious because hiring a traitor, paying false witnesses to lie in court, and murdering an innocent man did not bother them at all. People can pat themselves on the back for their superior piety in one area while they have the most evil designs in another. Such is the false pride of the depraved mind!

The second parallel to Christ’s ill treatment is found in verse 3: “For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.” Saul’s men wanted to kill David not because he had done anything wrong, but simply because of Saul’s hatred. David was righteous in the kingdom having blessed Israel in defending the kingdom from the enemy. Likewise, Jesus was despised even though no just charge could be laid against Him. His whole ministry was one of compassion as He healed the sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead. Why would you want to kill someone like that? It is at best irrational behavior, but again they are the actions of madmen with depraved hearts. Jesus said the hatred of Him and His people was the fulfillment of Old Testament scripture. In John 15:25, He said: “But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.”

As you read the psalms, read with an open mind to let the Spirit speak to you. See where words and phrases lead your thoughts to other places of the inspired Word. The references often go beyond the obvious, but this is how the Holy Spirit blesses the minds of those who care to open His Word.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Who Is Worst of All?

Berean Baptist on August 29, 2016

Psalm 55

Does it seem incredibly unlikely that the most beloved person in the history of mankind and the most hated person in history lived at the same time, knew each other, and were friends? With the billions that have lived on planet earth, how could such a thing be possible? As unlikely as it seems, it is true and none of us has any trouble guessing who these polar opposites are. The first is Jesus Christ. He was the exemplary human, perfect in every detail, kind, compassionate, filled with love, and as John said, “Full of grace and truth.” Nothing honestly disparaging could ever be written about Him.

On the other hand, there is Judas. He is described in Psalm 55 as an acquaintance who took sweet counsel with Christ. And yet, he is the universally despised, the universally hated, and the one who disgusts us all. So extreme is the hatred of Judas that his name is never given to any of our children. None of us wants to be identified with him in any way. He is the antithesis of the holiness and righteousness of Jesus Christ. As high as the exaltation of Christ can go, so is the measurement of how low the denunciation of Judas can go.

Is it really such a mystery that in all the annals of time the most despicable should be in contact with the most delightful? It should not seem strange because the worst crime committed must be against the one who least deserves it. The worst offense is against the one who least deserves to be offended.

The extreme disappointment in Judas is reflected in David’s words of Psalms 55:11-14: “Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.” David was thinking of Ahithophel, but the Holy Spirit had Judas in mind.

Judas walked in communion with Jesus. He was treated as a brother even though Jesus knew from the beginning what He would do. There was nothing in Jesus that could possibly draw out such hatred as Judas had for Him in the betrayal. We agonize over his treacherous actions because Judas did his worst against the best. He is the model none of us wants to emulate, and each of us sits in judgment thinking we would never do what he did.

Would you consider this scripture for just a moment? “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?” (Romans 2:1-3) In the following verse, Rom. 2:4, the restraint, the patience, and the goodness of God is still there despite the hatred of Him. “Or despiseth thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” Who is the most despicable character of all? Who is the person that none should name his child after? Are you ready for a confession? The answer is ME. I have done the worst to the one who is the best. I hated Him; I betrayed Him; I drove nails into His hands and feet. I compete with Paul who said, “I am the chief of sinners.”

Is it a mystery the most beloved person of all time should live at the same time as the most hated? Not at all. Christ came in contact with humanity and that says it all.

Pastor V. Mark Smith