Psalm 124

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Prayer for Rescue from Enemies MT Intro A Song of Ascents, of David	The Lord the Defense of His People	Thanksgiving for a National Deliverance	God the Protector of His People	The Savior of Israel
124:1-5	124:1-5	124:1-5	124:1	124:1-3
			124:2-5
				124:4-5
124:6-8	124:6-8	124:6-7	124:6-8	124:6-7
		124:8		124:8

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 124:1-5
¹"Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,"
Let Israel now say,
²"Had it not been the Lord who was on our side
When men rose up against us,
³Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their anger was kindled against us;
⁴Then the waters would have engulfed us,
The stream would have swept over our soul;
⁵Then the raging waters would have swept over our soul."

124:1-5 This is a liturgical strophe related to the deliverance of national Israel from a foreign invader. The exact historical setting is not stated.

The psalmist uses powerful imagery to convey YHWH's deliverance.

1. He is on their side, Ps. 124:2

2. the enemy would have swallowed Israel, Ps. 124:3a

3. the enemy had their anger kindled against Israel, Ps. 124:3b

4. the enemy, like a flood, would have engulfed Israel, Ps. 124:4-5

124:1 "Let Israel now say" This is a Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense. The response would have been quoted at a national victory celebration (cf. Ps. 129:1).

124:3a This imagery of "swallowing" (BDB 118, KB 134) comes from

1. the personification of the earth (i.e., death, Sheol cf. Exod. 15:12) swallowing the rebellious Levites during the wilderness wandering period (cf. Num. 16:30,32; Deut. 11:6)

2. the attack of a predatory animal (cf. Ps. 35:25; Pro. 1:12; Amos 2:16); this is stated specifically in Ps. 124:6b

124:3b The imagery of anger as burning is first used in Gen. 39:19. Fire is used often as a means of

1. judgment

2. anger

3. cleansing

See SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE.

124:4-5 The imagery of water/flood as life problems is recurrent in the OT (i.e., Job 22:11; 38:34; Ps. 32:6; 66:12; 69:2; 144:7; Isa. 43:2; Lam. 3:54). It is used of an invasion in Isa. 8:7-8 and Jer. 51:34, as it is in this Psalm. As flood waters cover the land, so do invading armies. The other common metaphor for this was a locust infestation (i.e., Joel).

Whenever water is seen as an enemy of humanity, there may be an allusion to YHWH's defeat of watery chaos (cf. Ps. 29:3,10; 74:12-17; 89:9-10; 93:3-4). This theme is part of YHWH as creator (cf. Ps. 124:8).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 124:6-8
⁶Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth.
⁷Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper;
The snare is broken and we have escaped.
⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

124:6-8 YHWH is blessed (BDB 138, KB 159, Qal passive participle) for His deliverance of national Israel. The deliverance is characterized as

1. escape from a predatory animal (i.e., Ps. 7:2)

2. escape from a bird hunter/trapper (cf. Ps. 91:3; 119:110; Pro. 6:5)

124:7b One wonders if this line of poetry is meant to convey the destruction of the invading army.

124:8a The name stands for the person. See Special Topic: "The Name" of YHWH.

124:8b This is a set phrase (cf. Ps. 102:25; 121:2; 124:8; 134:3; 146:6) asserting the uniqueness of Israel's God. See SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM.

Psalm 126

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Thanksgiving for Return from Captivity MT Intro A Song of Ascents.	A Joyful Return to Zion	A Prayer for Deliverance From National Misfortune	A Prayer for Deliverance	Song of Returning Exiles
126:1-3	126:1-3	126:1-3	126:1-3	126:1-2b
				126:2c-3
126:4-6	126:4	126:4	126:4-5	126:4-5
	126:5-6	126:5-6
			126:6	126:6

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 126:1-3
¹When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
²Then our mouth was filled with laughter
And our tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
"The Lord has done great things for them."
³The Lord has done great things for us;
We are glad.

126:1-3 This strophe contrasts the Israelites' feelings about being taken captive into exile with the great joy of returning to Judah and Jerusalem and the temple.

The problem for interpreters is that the Hebrew verbs do not carry a time element, only context can determine past, present, or future! Therefore, this first verse could be

1. an affirmation of a past act

2. a hope for a future act

3. a past act, Ps. 126:1; a prayer for YHWH to do it again, Ps. 126:4

126:1 "brought back" This verbal (BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal infinitive construct) has a wide semantic field. It is the normal word used for "repentance" (see Special Topic: Repentance in the OT) from the basic meaning "to turn" or "to return." It is the second connotation that seems to be involved in Ps. 126:1 (JPSOA, based on Ps. 85:1, has "restore," also see Ps. 14:7; 53:6).

Since several of the "Psalms of Ascent" reflect the Ezra/Nehemiah period (i.e., Cyrus' decree of 538 b.c.), this Psalm may also reflect that post-exilic period.

Just a theological note, their freedom from captivity/exile must have been preceded by their first turning back to YHWH.

▣ "the captive ones" There is a possible emendation (here and in Ps. 126:4) followed by the JPSOA, "When YHWH restores the fortunes of Zion").

1. brought back - שׁיבת (BDB 1000 II), MT

2. restore - שׁבות (BDB 986), JPSOA, cf. Ps. 85:1

The term "fortunes" would denote prosperity (TEV footnote). It would be the visible sign of a restored covenant with YHWH and its promised blessings (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30).

▣ "Zion" See Special Topic: Zion.

▣ "We were like those who dream" This is the first of several descriptive phrases expressing the joy of those who returned.

1. Ps. 126:1b

2. Ps. 126:2a

3. Ps. 126:2b

4. Ps. 126:2c-d

5. Ps. 126:3

These feelings were the intended outcome of a relationship with YHWH.

The DSS and the LXX see the Hebrew word "dream," חלם (BDB 321 II) as referring to "be healthy," "strong" (cf. REB); the root is spelled exactly the same. The Peshitta has "we were like those who rejoice."

126:2c-d "they said among the nations" This phrase reaffirms the central theological assertion that YHWH wanted to use His relationship with Israel as a way to reach the nations (cf. Ps. 46:10). See Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 126:4-6
⁴Restore our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
⁵Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.
⁶He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

126:4a This imperative (like the infinitive construct of Ps. 126:1a) is difficult to understand. If Ps. 126:1 asserts the return of the captives, why is Ps. 126:4 a prayer for their return? This is why JPSOA uses the model of Ps. 85:1 to assert that it is referring to the return of prosperity.

126:4b This is a geographical metaphor related to water channels in the desert (i.e., Negev) called wadis. These being filled with water was imagery of a great blessing of future agricultural abundance (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30).

126:5-6 The promise of abundant water in Ps. 126:4b is extended to other agricultural idioms. The "tears" (BDB 199) would refer to

1. tears of joy at the restoration of the covenant (i.e., Israel back in the land flowing with milk and honey)

2. the results of Israel's repentance

126:6 There are two examples of a grammatical form of intensification in this verse. Twice the infinitive absolute and imperfect verb of one Hebrew root are used.

1. he who goes to and fro - BDB 229, KB 246

2. shall indeed come again - BDB 9, KB 112

Those who plant in faith/repentance will reap in certainty (cf. Deut. 30:1-10)!

NASB"bag of seed"
NKJV, NRSV"bearing seed"
REV, NJB,
LXX"carrying the seed"
JPSOA"seed-bag"

This word (BDB 604 I) is used in Job 28:18 in the sense of "drawing up" and here possibly in the sense of a bag with draw strings. The verb form means to "drag" or "draw" (cf. Amos 9:13).

The Tyndale OT Commentary Series (vol. 16, p. 476) says the verb refers to a trail (i.e., drawing out) of seed (i.e., one row at a time, not sowing broadly).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why is it difficult to know the historical setting of this Psalm?

2. How does Ps. 126:1 seem to contradict Ps. 126:4?

3. What is the theological implication of Ps. 126:2c-d?

4. Define "Negev."

5. What does the "weeping" of Ps. 126:5 imply?

Psalm 127

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Prosperity Comes from the Lord MT Intro A Song of Ascents, of Solomon	Laboring and Prospering with the Lord	A Safe Home and A Large Family Are the Lord's Gifts (Wisdom Psalm)	In Praise of God's Goodness	Trust in Providence
127:1-2	127:1-2	127:1-2	127:1-2	127:1
				127:2
127:3-5	127:3-5	127:3-5	127:3-5	127:3-4
				127:5

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 127:1-2
¹Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.
²It is vain for you to rise up early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

127:1-2 This strophe asserts the sovereignty of YHWH. What He desires is secure! YHWH had a theological, global purpose for Israel. See Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan.

The term "house" (Ps. 127:1) and "His beloved" (Ps. 127:2) are metaphors for the nation of Israel, which developed from YHWH's special promises to the Patriarchs (both a land and a seed, i.e., Genesis 12:1-3).

Notice the parallel between "unless the Lord builds the house". . ."unless the Lord guards the city." This strophe is built on

1. parallelism

2. sound plays (ש)

a. "in vain," Ps. 127:1 (twice), 2 - BDB 996 (see Special Topic: Vain, Empty, Nothingness)

b. guards, Ps. 127:1 - BDB 1036

c. watchman, Ps. 127:1 - BDB 1036

d. keeps awake, Ps. 127:1 - BDB 1052

e. to rise up early, Ps. 127:2 - BDB 1014

f. retire late, Ps. 127:2 - BDB 442, ישב

g. sleep, Ps. 127:2 - BDB 446, שנא, which occurs only here in the OT (AB, p. 225, suggests this could be the Syrian or Ethiopian word for "prosperity," that would fit this context, however, "sleep" also fits the context well)

127:2 Human efforts without God are useless, ineffective, and temporary (cf. John 15:5).

There are three participles and two infinitive constructs that form parallel phrases.

1. to rise up early

2. to retire late

3. to eat the bread of painful labors

It is interesting that AB (p. 223) sees #3 as a reference to idolatry and cites (1) Jerome's notes (Juxta Helraeos) as a support and (2) Ps. 106:36,37 and possibly Ps. 139:24, which are from the same basic root (BDB 780 I and BDB 781). However, the idea of painful labor seems to be a better parallel to #1 and #2 of strenuous human effort to bring about a desired result.

▣ "His beloved" This refers to Israel (cf. Deut. 33:12; Ps. 60:5; 108:6; Isa. 5:1; Jer. 11:14; 12:7). Because the MT and DSS introductions have "Solomon," some scholars have made a connection with 2 Sam. 12:25, where Solomon is called "Jedidiah" (i.e., beloved of Yah) by Nathan.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 127:3-5
³Behold, children are a gift of the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
⁴Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one's youth.
⁵How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies in the gate.

127:3-5 This strophe at first seems unrelated to Ps. 127:1-2, but the thrust of the Psalm as a whole is God's active involvement in the life of the nation of Israel. This Psalm is addressed to the current king. A nation is only as strong as its family structure.

Healthy children are part of the "blessing" section of both Lev. 26:9 and Deut. 7:13; 28:4; 30:5. It was a sign of a healthy covenant relationship with God. Remember He is the One who commanded mankind to be "fruitful and multiply" (cf. Gen. 2:27-28; 9:1,7).

127:3

NASB, TEV,
REB"gift of the Lord"
NKJV, NRSV,
LXX"heritage from the Lord"
NJB"a birthright from Yahweh"
JPSOA"a provision of the Lord"

The word (BDB 635) basically means an inheritance (NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 77) or "property," "possession."

1. inheritance of a person - Gen. 31:14; Num. 27:7,8,9,10,11; 36:3,8; Ps. 37:18

2. inheritance of Israel - Deut. 4:21; 15:4; 19:10; 20:16; 24:4; 25:19; 26:1; Isa. 54:17

3. lot or portion - Job 20:29; 27:13; 31:2

This Psalm can be interpreted as a stated truth to

1. an individual (#1 above)

2. to the king of Israel and, thereby the nation (#2 above)

I think #2 fits this Psalm best.

127:5 This line of poetry emphasizes a strong population (or tribal group) able to defend themselves because of

1. their God

2. their God-given population

It is possible this is a reference to the secure dynasty of the Davidic King (cf. 2 Samuel 7).

▣ "They shall not be ashamed" In this context of a dynastic promise to the King, I think "shame" refers to a military defeat. For "ashamed" see note at Ps. 119:6.

▣ "in the gate" This was the place of law, commerce, and social activities.

The AB (p. 224) offers another suggestion related to this last line of poetry. The basic Hebrew phrase can refer to a battle scenario where the enemy is defeated. The translation would be, "but shall drive back his foes from the gate."

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. To whom is this Psalm addressed?

2. Who is "the beloved" of Ps. 127:2?

3. Define "ashamed" in this context.

4. The last line of the poem must be understood in light of who is addressed, why?

Psalm 128

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Blessedness of the Fear of the Lord MT Intro A Song of Ascents	Blessing of Those Who Fear the Lord	A Large and Prosperous Family Is A Reward for Devotion to the Lord (Wisdom Psalm)	The Reward of Obedience to the Lord	Blessings on the Faithful
128:1-4	128:1	128:1-4	128:1	128:1
	128:2-4		128:2-4	128:2-3
				128:4-6
128:5-6	128:5-6a	128:5-6a	128:5-6
	128:6b	128:6b

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 128:1-4
¹How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.
²When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands,
You will be happy and it will be well with you.
³Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
Within your house,
Your children like olive plants
Around your table.
⁴Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.

128:1 "blessed" See note on this word (BDB 80) at Ps. 1:1. There are two major terms in Hebrew for the concept of "blessed" or "happy," both relating to God and humans. Let me use Deuteronomy 33 as an example.

1. bless (see SPECIAL TOPIC: BLESSING [OT])

a. noun - BDB 139, cf. Deut. 33:1,11

b. verb - BDB 138, cf. Deut. 33:1,13,20,24

2. bless - BDB 80, used in Ps. 1:1 and 18 more times in Psalms but not in Genesis or Deuteronomy

YHWH's blessings are directly related to those covered by His covenant. It is based on obedience (see Special Topic: Keep). This whole concept of prosperity and contentment is part of the OT's "two ways," seen in Psalm 1; Deut. 30:15,19 and described as "cursing" and "blessing" in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27-30.

The truly blessed person is the one who is rightly related to (1) God, (2) his/her family, and (3) the people of God. All three spheres must be in harmony!

▣ "everyone" Notice how this is limited.

1. those who fear the Lord, Ps. 128:3,4 (see Special Topic: Fear [OT])

2. those who walk in His ways (cf. Ps. 119:2-3)

So the blessing is not for "everyone," not even for covenant people, but only for faithful followers!

This has implications on how Christians should view the modern state of Israel. Covenant obedience is a prerequisite to covenant promises!

▣ "ways" See Special Topic: Terms for God's Revelation.

128:2-3 Notice the covenant promises for faithful followers (here, to one individual).

1. enjoy the fruit of their labors

2. be happy

3. good life

4. good home life

5. many, healthy children

6. a long life

This is the essence of OT blessings. YHWH wanted to get the attention of the nations by blessing Israel. Once they noticed, Israel was to share the source of their blessing and peace—YHWH.

It should be stated that abundant population growth was a command of God in

1. Gen. 1:28; 9:1,7

2. it was part of the promise to Abraham in Gen. 12:2; 13:16; 16:10

3. it was also the reality of the family of Jacob (cf. Gen. 28:14) in Egypt that caused the Egyptian leaders to fear and persecute Israel (Exodus 1-2).

128:2a Just a note to mention that this promise is the exact opposite of the threat of exile! The exiles were God's judgment on faithless covenant followers. It was the very opposite of His intended purposes. It was the epitome of irony!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 128:5-6
⁵The Lord bless you from Zion,
And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
⁶Indeed, may you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel!

128:5-6 This is a closing prayer for both the individual faithful follower and national Israel (cf. Ps. 128:6b).

1. Ps. 128:5a - bless (BDB 138, KB 159, Piel imperfect used in a jussive sense)

2. Ps. 128:5b - may you see. . . (BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal imperative)

3. Ps. 128:6a - same as #2

4. Ps. 128:6b - no verb but an assumed prayer (cf. Ps. 125:5)

It is interesting that Paul's allusion to the church in Gal. 6:16 uses similar phrasing to Ps. 128:6. Whether it is a direct, conscious allusion is uncertain.

▣ Notice that "the prosperity of Jerusalem" is parallel to "see your children's children." This refers to long term peace, prosperity, and societal stability.

128:5 "from Zion" This refers to YHWH dwelling in the temple (cf. Ps. 1234:3). See Special Topic: Zion.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Define the Hebrew term "blessed" (Ps. 128:1a).

2. Define the Hebrew term "fear" (Ps. 128:1a).

3. Why is "many children" considered a blessing?

4. How are the categories of faith, home, and nation linked?

Lesson 37: The Antidote to Spiritual Defection, Part 1 (John 6:60-71)

Related Media

December 1, 2013

If you’ve been a Christian for a while, you’ve known people who professed faith in Christ, who seemed to follow Him for some time, but then they fell away. In some cases, they have even served in the ministry. I’ve known pastors, including the pastor who baptized me, who have left the ministry, turned away from the Lord, and lived as unbelievers.

Often, the cause of spiritual defection is moral failure, as it was with my former pastor. In other cases, the defection may be due to unresolved doubts or unanswered hard questions about the Bible, such as: How do you resolve the seeming contradictions in the Bible? How can you reconcile the creation account with modern science? How can a loving and powerful God permit all the evil that goes on in the world? If God loves everyone, why doesn’t He let them all hear the gospel? If God is sovereign, then aren’t we just a bunch of robots with no free will? We could go on and on with the difficult issues that cause some to defect from the faith.

But let’s bring it a little closer to home: If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you have faced difficult issues that have challenged your faith. Maybe it was some of the hard questions that I just mentioned. Or, maybe you prayed for something that seemed to be in God’s will and for His glory, but He did not answer favorably. Perhaps you trusted some promise in the Bible, but it didn’t work out the way that you had expected. Maybe you’ve had to suffer some illness that has greatly hindered your ability to serve the Lord. Perhaps a spouse or Christian friend betrayed you. Maybe your children, whom you love sacrificially and taught God’s ways, have rejected both God and you.

How do you handle these kinds of hard trials and disappointments? What do you do when those you love turn away from Christ? In short, how do you persevere in your faith when you encounter things in the Bible or in your own experience that don’t make sense? What is the antidote to spiritual defection?

Our text reports the aftermath of Jesus’ feeding the 5,000 and His discourse in the synagogue in Capernaum on being the bread of life (6:60): “Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, ‘This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?’” Jesus’ reply to their grumbling (in 6:61-65) did not placate them (6:66): “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.” Also, John twice (6:64, 70-71) mentions Judas, one of the twelve, who would soon betray Jesus. So there were many spiritual defections among those who had professed to be disciples of Jesus, including Judas.

But in contrast, when Jesus asks the twelve (6:67), “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Peter gives a great reply (6:68-69), “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” So we have here the antidote to spiritual defection:

Persevering faith in God’s Word and in God’s Son is the antidote to spiritual defection.

In Hebrews 10:36, the writer tells his readers, who were enduring severe trials as Christians and were tempted to go back to Judaism, “You have need of endurance.” Then he proceeds to give them an entire chapter that shows how the saints of old endured by faith. We need faith in God’s Word and faith in His Son if we want to persevere and not fall away. In this message, I can only deal with faith in God’s Word. We’ll look at faith in God’s Son next time.

1. Persevering faith in God’s Word is the antidote to spiritual defection.

But to begin, we need to acknowledge:

A. There are hard truths in God’s Word that must be submitted to, even if you don’t understand or like them.

The Jews in John 6 had eaten the miraculous bread and fish. As a result, they sought out Jesus after He returned to Capernaum, but they sought Him for the wrong reason. They wanted a political Messiah who would provide freedom from Rome’s yoke, peace, and prosperity. But they stumbled over Jesus’ claim that He was the bread of life that came down out of heaven (6:35, 41). They knew Him as the young man that grew up in Nazareth, the son of Joseph and Mary. So they couldn’t accept His claim to have come down out of heaven.

Jesus confronted their grumbling and told them that they were unable to come to Him unless the Father drew them (6:43-44). He proceeded to emphasize repeatedly that He was the bread out of heaven and that He would give His flesh for the life of the world (6:48-51). But this caused more grumbling (6:52): “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” In response (6:53-58), Jesus didn’t back off, but in graphic language He told them over and over that they must not only eat His flesh, but also drink His blood to have eternal life.

This led to the response of many of His disciples (6:60), “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” As good Jews, they were grossed out over the thought of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood. They thought that their Jewish religion and heritage were good enough to commend them to God. They didn’t see their need for a Savior from sin, who had to die as their Passover lamb. So they grumbled. But Jesus didn’t back off. He was saying, “You must trust in My sacrificial death on your behalf.”

Note that they didn’t come to Jesus with teachable hearts, saying, “Lord, we’re confused. Can you help us understand?” Rather, John says (6:61) that Jesus was conscious that they were grumbling at His teaching, implying that it was among themselves. But He doesn’t soften His earlier statements or explain things to them, because they didn’t have teachable hearts, seeking to understand these truths that they didn’t like so that they could obey. Rather, they were sitting in judgment on Jesus: “He’s that kid from Nazareth, whose parents we know! How can He gross us out with all this talk about eating His flesh and drinking His blood? Our views are what normal people think; it’s Jesus who is crazy!”

In the same way, I’ve seen people who get offended by something that I say, but they never come and talk with me to get the matter cleared up. They don’t want to change their minds or learn new things from God’s Word. They don’t have a teachable heart in submission to God’s Word. Rather, they sit in judgment on what they heard, leave, and go find a pastor who agrees with them.

If you come to God’s Word with that kind of attitude, you won’t grow in your walk with God. You may not like what the Bible says about God sovereignly choosing some for salvation and passing over others, but Jesus repeatedly teaches that in this chapter and it’s taught from Genesis to Revelation. The starting place for growing in the Lord when His Word confronts you with things you don’t like is to humble your heart before the Lord and ask Him for understanding. If you reject it because you don’t like it, you’re sitting in judgment on God’s Word and you won’t grow.

This applies to many difficult areas where the Bible goes against our culture or against our preferences: the role of women in the home and in the church; homosexuality; sexual purity; divorce; hell; etc. But if we accept only the parts of the Bible that fit with what we like, then we’re not following Jesus as Lord, but rather ourselves as lord. We’re just using certain parts of the Bible that we agree with to support our own biases. To be a Christian is to submit to the teachings of Jesus and Jesus believed in God’s Word as truth (John 17:17). But, how do we submit to hard truths?

B. To submit to hard truths, we must be born of the Spirit.

In 6:63, Jesus says to these fair-weather disciples, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” Jesus here confronts the root problem of these grumblers: They were not born again. Jesus’ opening words to Nicodemus were (3:3), “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” In other words, “All your religious learning and religious activities are incapable of getting you into heaven. You need the new birth.” Jesus explains further (3:6): “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

In 6:63, Jesus is teaching the same thing: “The Holy Spirit imparts life to dead sinners. Human religious effort will not get you into heaven. Apart from the new birth, you can never understand why it is necessary to eat My flesh and drink My blood.” As we saw in our last study, eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood mean that we must trust His sacrificial death on our behalf as the only way to have eternal life. But Jesus confronts these fair-weather followers (6:64), “But there are some of you who do not believe.” The Spirit had not given them new life and so they did not believe.

The crowd thought that Jesus’ words were hard (6:60), but actually, He says (6:63), His words “are spirit and are life.” This means (D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John [Eerdmans/Apollos], p. 302) that His words “are the product of the life-giving Spirit,” and “rightly understood,” Jesus’ words in the discourse that He just gave are the source of life for the one who believes. Carson adds, “One cannot feed on Christ without feeding on Christ’s words, for truly believing Jesus cannot be separated from truly believing Jesus’ words (5:46-47).” The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to impart new life to sinners so that they can understand it (James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23; 1 Cor. 2:14).

A. W. Pink (Exposition of John, on monergism.com) points out the balance in 6:63-64: “It is the Spirit who gives life,” points to God’s sovereignty. He must impart new life to us. But, “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life” are addressed to human responsibility: we must believe Jesus’ words, as 6:64 shows: “But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus was pressing on these superficial disciples the need to truly believe in Him.

In 6:64, John adds, “For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.” This anticipates 6:70-71, “Jesus answered them, ‘Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?’ Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.” The defection of these “disciples” and of Judas shows us how hard the human heart is and how desperately we need God’s sovereign grace and the new birth. These disciples had seen Jesus and yet did not believe (6:36). Jesus had chosen Judas as an apostle. He was with Jesus for three years. He saw His miracles and heard His teaching. He was friends with the other apostles, with whom he could discuss the things of God. He went out on a mission and saw God work miracles through him. Yet he did not believe and he was lost!

C. To submit to hard truths, we often must go against our cultural and religious backgrounds by confronting our preconceived ideas.

These superficial disciples were grumbling because they could not imagine a Messiah who would give His flesh for the life of the world (6:51). Their view of Messiah was that He would conquer Israel’s enemies and usher in an age of peace and prosperity, not that He would die. Also, “the world” meant Gentiles, and they didn’t like the idea of Messiah including those “dogs” in the kingdom! And their religion said that it was abominable to drink blood, but this carpenter from Nazareth who claimed to have come down from heaven was saying that to have eternal life, they needed to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Wasn’t being a good Jew enough to get them into heaven? So all of these things confronted their culture and religion and went against their preconceived ideas of Messiah and His kingdom.

Jesus asked these unbelieving “disciples” (6:62), “What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?” He was confronting their mistaken expectations. They thought that the Messiah would remain forever to reign (12:34). But here Jesus was talking about giving His flesh and drinking His blood. Later, He talked about being lifted up (12:32). After the cross, He would be raised from the dead and ascend again into heaven.

Just before His ascension, even His loyal disciples asked (Acts 1:6), “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” They still thought that He might set up His earthly kingdom at that time. They needed to confront their preconceived ideas and submit to God’s plan for Jesus to ascend to the Father and to return to reign at a later time.

I think that in part, wrong expectations about Jesus were why Judas betrayed Jesus. At first, he thought that Jesus would set up His earthly kingdom and he (Judas) would be one of the top officials in that reign. He liked that idea. He could get into sitting on one of the twelve thrones of Israel, reigning with Jesus (Matt. 19:28). But to his alarm, Jesus seemed fixated on dying! That didn’t fit Judas’ vision for the future!

When we begin to follow Christ, most of us have many wrong expectations and preconceived ideas about Him and the Christian life. Some of those ideas come from our cultural or religious backgrounds. Some may come from the “pitch” we heard for the gospel: “Come to Jesus and He will give you peace, joy, and an abundant life.” While that statement is true, it may not be true in the sense that we envisioned. He may give us peace, joy, and an abundant life in a prison cell where we are tortured and eventually killed because of our faith. Ask John the Baptist or the pastor in prison in Iran about that “abundant life”!

Thus, we’ve acknowledged that there are hard truths in God’s Word that we need to submit to. To submit to them, we need the new birth from the Holy Spirit. And, we often must go against our cultural and religious backgrounds by confronting our preconceived ideas.

D. To submit to hard truths, we must accept that God is sovereign, even over evil and unbelief.

Jesus again brings up to these unbelieving “disciples” the truth that He stated in 6:44, which was also implicit in 6:37. He says (6:65), “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” As we saw when we studied 6:37 & 44, each time that He states this truth, it’s in response to unbelief or skepticism. In 6:36, He tells His critics, “You have seen Me, and yet do not believe.” Then He immediately adds (6:37), “All that the Father has given Me will come to Me.” In 6:43, Jesus confronts their grumbling about Him and then adds (6:44), “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws Him.” Here, Jesus again confronts their unbelief (6:64) and then adds (6:65), “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” Then, in 6:70 Jesus again mentions His sovereignty in choosing the twelve in the face of Judas’ impending betrayal.

What’s the point of this repeated cycle of unbelief countered by God’s sovereignty? As I explained when we studied 6:37-40, Jesus is showing us that we can take comfort in God’s sovereignty even over the forces of evil and unbelief. If you’re not careful, the spiritual defection of your close friends or loved ones can be contagious. You can easily start thinking, “If he was such a strong Christian and he fell away, maybe I should re-examine my faith.” Or, if evil people do bad things to you, you can begin to wonder, “Where is the sovereign and loving God? Why didn’t He protect me from their evil deeds?” (See Matt. 11:2-3.)

But Jesus shows repeatedly in this chapter that even when people who saw His miracles and heard His teaching reject Him, it has not thwarted God’s sovereign plan in the slightest. The flaky disciples turned away from Jesus because God had not drawn them or granted for them to come to Him (6:44, 65). Judas, one of the twelve, was chosen as an apostle even though Jesus knew from the beginning that he would betray Him (6:64).

So even if difficult things happen to you, even if close friends betray you or turn away from the Lord, God is still the sovereign God “who works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11). He still “does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Dan. 4:35). You can persevere in faith when you accept that God is sovereign, even over evil and unbelieving people. And yet they are responsible for their unbelief and will come under God’s judgment if they don’t repent.

E. When you submit in faith to the hard truths of God’s Word, you gain the foundation for certain knowledge.

In the face of this widespread defection by these professed followers, Jesus turns to the twelve and asks (6:67), “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Wow, what a question! The way the question is stated indicates that Jesus did not expect them to say, “Yes, we’re out of here, too!” He said it to test their faith.

Peter, speaking for the group, gives the great confession (6:68-69), “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” We need to wait until next week to look more closely at this confession. But for now, I want to look at the part where he says, “We have believed and have come to know.” The terms are roughly synonymous, but the order is important. First, we believe and then we come to know.

The world says, “Seeing is believing,” but God’s Word tells us, “Believing is the way to seeing.” Hebrews 11:3 affirms, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” Faith yields understanding, or knowledge.

Faith is not a blind leap in the dark, because our faith is based on God’s testimony to His Son through trustworthy eyewitnesses. But this means that you will never attain complete knowledge apart from believing. The main reason people do not believe in Christ is not because they have intellectual problems with God or the Bible, even though they claim that’s the reason. They do not believe because they love their sin and they don’t want to submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ. It’s only after we believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord that we will come to the full assurance of knowing that He is the Holy One of God.

Conclusion

Next time we’ll look at persevering faith in God’s Son as the antidote to spiritual defection. But for now, note that there are three groups represented in our text: (1) There are those who were initially interested in Jesus and followed Him until He started teaching some things that they didn’t like. Then they defected. (2) There are those, represented by Judas, who seem fully committed to Jesus. Judas kept up such a good front that the other disciples did not suspect that he was the betrayer. But his life ended in tragic rejection of Christ. (3) There are those, like Peter, who submit with persevering faith even to the hard teachings, because they know who Jesus really is and they’re committed to follow Him.

Which group are you in? Your perseverance unto eternal life depends on being in that third group. Make sure that your faith is in God’s Word and in His Son!

[Next week: Part 2]

Application Questions

How does spiritual defection fit in with the perseverance of the saints? Can true Christians lose their salvation?
Note that Jesus not only tolerated the truth of God’s sovereignty; He rejoiced greatly in it (Luke 10:21-22). How can we develop the same attitude toward difficult truths?
What are some of the hard truths in the Bible that run counter to our culture? How can we identify and embrace these truths?
What Scriptures support that God is sovereign over evil and yet not responsible in any way for it?

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation

Lesson 38: The Antidote to Spiritual Defection, Part 2 (John 6:60-71)

Related Media

December 8, 2013

It’s always distressing for pastors when people leave the church. It’s one thing if they get involved in another church where God’s Word is taught, but it’s grievous if they move to a liberal church or drop out of church completely.

While I realize that we always have room to improve and that we should try to learn from the reasons why people leave the church, at the same time I take comfort in the fact that Jesus lost people who at first professed to be His disciples. At the start of John 6, Jesus has 20,000 people singing His praises after He fed them the loaves and fish. By the end of John 6, He has twelve, and one of them is a traitor! Maybe Jesus needed to read some books on how to grow your ministry! Things weren’t looking good!

Probably the twelve were deflated. Earlier, it seemed like Jesus was on the brink of widespread success. The wave of popular support was building. The people wanted to make Jesus king (6:15). Wasn’t that God’s plan, for His Messiah to reign over Israel? But then Jesus’ shocking comments about eating His flesh and drinking His blood drove away almost everyone. And then He asks the twelve (6:67), “You do not want to go away also, do you?”

So we’re looking at the problem of spiritual defection and how to avoid it. The overall message is:

Persevering faith in God’s Word and in God’s Son is the antidote to spiritual defection.

Last week we saw:

1. Persevering faith in God’s Word is the antidote to spiritual defection.

A. There are hard truths in God’s Word that must be submitted to, even if you don’t understand them.

B To submit to hard truths, we must be born of the Spirit.

C. To submit to hard truths, we often must go against our cultural and religious backgrounds by confronting preconceived ideas.

D. To submit to hard truths, we must accept that God is sovereign, even over evil and unbelief.

E. When we submit in faith to the hard truths of God’s Word, we gain the foundation for knowledge.

This week our focus will be on how persevering faith in God’s Son is the antidote to spiritual defection. But, first, note:

1. There are many things other than God’s Son in which to put your faith, but they all will fail.

Peter asks the haunting question (6:68), “Lord, to whom shall we go?” I’ve often thought about that question when I’ve encountered difficult issues. Before you turn away from Jesus because of hard truths or difficult circumstances or disappointed expectations, stop and ask yourself, “Lord, to whom shall I go?” There just aren’t a lot of other viable options.

Comfortable religion will ultimately fail if you turn to it. These fair-weather disciples who couldn’t handle Jesus’ statements about eating His flesh and drinking His blood as the requirement for eternal life went back to their Jewish heritage and religion. They thought that being the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and following the Jewish religious rules and ceremonies was good enough. They had hoped at first that Jesus would be the Messiah who would deliver them from Roman rule and usher in an age of peace and prosperity. But, when they heard His shocking teaching about giving His flesh for the life of the world and the need to eat His flesh and drink His blood, they just turned back to the religion that they always had known.

That was a comfortable option for them, but it was spiritually ignorant and stupid because it ignored the serious reality of their sin and guilt before the holy God and their desperate need for a Savior. When the Holy Spirit convicts you of your sin and guilt, you realize that no amount of religion or good deeds on your part can atone for your many sins. You realize that your best deeds are worthless as a defense against your true guilt before God (Isa. 64:6). John Owen (Apostasy from the Gospel [Banner of Truth], p. 90) comments on those who turn away from Christ:

If they had had a true conviction of their need of Christ and had experienced his power in meeting that need, why do they now forsake him? A person who has been truly convinced of his need of Christ for forgiveness and salvation and has, as a result, received him by faith will never forsake Christ. To be truly convinced of our need of Christ, we must first be convinced of the nature, guilt, pollution, power and punishment of sin, for he came to save us from our sins.

Money and power will ultimately fail if you turn to them. John twice mentions Judas (6:64, 70-71) in the context of these disciples who turned away from Jesus. Later (12:6) John explains that Judas was in charge of the disciples’ money box and that he used to steal from it. Arguably, Judas had accepted the invitation to become an apostle because he saw it as a good career move. If Jesus was the promised Messiah who would conquer Israel’s enemies and reign on David’s throne, then being in the inner circle meant financial security and powerful influence.

But when Judas heard Jesus talking about giving His flesh for the life of the world and how the Jewish leaders would put Him to death and how those who followed Him must take up their cross and die, he started backpedaling. That wasn’t what he had signed up for! So he betrayed Jesus for the measly sum of 30 pieces of silver. When he realized that he had betrayed innocent blood, he threw the silver down in the temple and went and hanged himself (Matt. 27:3-5). Money and power never bring us into right standing with God. They fail all who trust in them for satisfaction.

Education, saving the environment, the arts, sexual pleasure, drugs, and alcohol will ultimately fail if you turn to them. These are some of the things that King Solomon tried (Eccl. 2:1-16) to alleviate the vanity of life (he didn’t know about drugs, but he did try alcohol, and he probably would have smoked some marijuana if he had known about it!). But his conclusion was (Eccl 2:17), “So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.” Some of the things he did are legitimate enterprises in the proper sphere and in balance, but none of them provide eternal life.

So it’s not wrong to do well in your career and to provide adequately for your family. It’s not wrong to run for public office and use your power to better society. It’s not wrong to help save the environment as a good steward of God’s creation. It’s not wrong to study and learn all that you can. But the point is, if you put your faith and effort in anything other than Jesus Christ, it will evaporate the second you stand before God for judgment. Even legitimate things will be vanity if your faith is not in Christ to save you from your sins.

But that leads to a question: If all else fails us at death and death is 100 percent certain, why do people turn away from Christ to these vain things?

2. Many wrong reasons can lead you to put your faith in things that never can save.

(C. H. Spurgeon develops some of these in his sermon, “A Mournful Defection,” Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit [Pilgrim Publications], 50:602-609.) More could be added, but here are nine:

1) You don’t like some teaching or commandment in the Bible.

These “disciples” turned away from Jesus because they found His teaching about eating His flesh and drinking His blood to be difficult (6:60). Also, they stumbled over His teaching that He had come down from heaven (6:41-42), which implies His divine preexistence. They knew Him as the son of Joseph and Mary. They had watched Him grow up. So His implicit claim to deity grated on them.

They also didn’t like Jesus’ repeated statements (6:37, 44, 65) that they were unable to come to Him unless the Father drew them. After all, they were good Jews, not Gentile dogs. They followed Moses and the Law. So they didn’t like Jesus’ assertion that they were spiritually unable to come to Him. It implied that they were helpless sinners! How dare Him say such a thing!

There are many today who profess to be disciples of Jesus but they don’t like certain doctrines or commands in the Bible. They don’t like the doctrine that God predestines some, but not all, for salvation. They don’t like the doctrine that He will punish the unrepentant in hell for all eternity. Some don’t like the doctrine of the Trinity. Others don’t like the biblical teaching on the role of women or homosexuality or sexual purity. So they turn aside from the only Savior to things that they like. But those things can never save.

2) You stupidly forget the certainty of death so that you live for immediate pleasure in these few, uncertain years, rather than for lasting pleasure in light of eternity.

These people wanted a lifetime supply of bread, but they were not laboring for the food that endures to eternal life (6:27). They wanted Jesus to be their king if He would usher in an age of peace and prosperity, but not if He had to die to atone for their sins. But if we start thinking that more stuff and a better house and career success and a comfy investment portfolio will bring ultimate satisfaction, our priorities are wrong. We fall into the trap of Solomon, Judas, and Demas, who deserted Paul because he loved this present world (2 Tim. 4:10).

3) You are frightened by the prospect of rejection or persecution.

The recipients of the Letter to the Hebrews were tempted to return to their former Judaism because they were suffering for their faith as Christians. Perhaps one reason for Judas’ defection was that he wanted to be on the good side of the Jewish religious leaders. But when he saw that Jesus was always clashing with them and that to be Jesus’ follower would mean alienation from the Jewish leaders, he decided to ingratiate himself with them by betraying Jesus.

4) You think that following Jesus will rob you of “the good life.”

Many young people fall into this trap. They think that if they follow Jesus, they’ll have to give up everything enjoyable and fun and start doing all sorts of things that sound perfectly dreadful. I used to worry as a teenager that if I yielded my life to the Lord, He would send me to some jungle to live as a missionary. But it finally dawned on me that if He is a loving and all-wise Father, He would only ask me to do what would be for my ultimate good.

5) You allow trials and difficulties to grow into disappointment with Christ.

Like Judas, you think that “signing up” with Jesus means financial prosperity and the abundant life. But then you realize that the “abundant life” may include persecution and martyrdom, so you turn away to other things.

6) You get busy with other things that crowd out the most important thing.

Seeking after the Lord and walking with Him require time and effort. But we’re all prone to drift into other things that fill our time: TV, computer games, sports, social networks, and many other things can easily crowd out seeking first God and His kingdom.

7) You are too lazy and undisciplined to keep Christ first in your priorities.

Paul tells us to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim. 4:7). By definition, discipline means denying yourself some immediate gratification for a more worthwhile long-range goal. It implies that the long-range goal won’t happen by default if you kick back and cruise through life doing what feels good. If you don’t want to drift away from Christ, you have to confront your laziness and discipline yourself for godliness.

8) You sin, which causes your thinking about Christ to become muddled.

Following Christ is a rational decision based on the evidence about who He is and what He did for us on the cross. But the problem is, sin is always irrational and it causes us to become mixed up in our thinking. Sin skews our judgment and causes us to make other wrong choices to cover up or justify our sin.

9) You don’t grasp the supremacy and excellence of Christ.

You don’t see what Peter saw, that Jesus is the only one worth following. Where else or to whom else can you go that even begins to compare with Jesus? That leads us to the main point:

3. Persevering faith in God’s Son is the antidote to spiritual defection.

Peter sums it up (6:68-69): “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” We could be here all day and then some if we were to catalog the many wonderful qualities of Jesus Christ, but here are four:

A. Jesus Christ alone has words of eternal life.

Life is extremely short and uncertain, but eternity is forever. Jesus is the only one who came from heaven to earth to tell us how to go to heaven when we die and to provide the atonement for sin that we need in order to stand in God’s holy presence. Jesus put it in perspective (Matt. 16:26), “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Think about the shortness of life, the certainty of death, and the reality of eternity and you will not defect from Jesus Christ.

B. Jesus Christ alone is the Holy One of God.

(The King James Version’s, “You are the Christ, the Son of God,” is based on inferior manuscript support. The copyist was trying to harmonize John 6:69 with Matt. 16:16.) “The Holy One of God” is an unusual designation for Jesus. It only occurs one other time in the New Testament, when a demon-possessed man in the synagogue in Capernaum addressed Jesus with this title (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34). In the Old Testament, it is used of Aaron (Ps. 106:16). “Your Holy One” is used of Messiah (Ps. 16:10). But Isaiah often refers to the Lord as “the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 1:4; 5:19, 24; 10:20; etc.). Leon Morris comments (The Gospel According to John [Eerdmans], p. 390),

There can be not the slightest doubt that the title is meant to assign to Jesus the highest possible place. It stresses His consecration and His purity. It sets Him with God and not man.

Your faith is only as good as its object. You can have all the faith in the world in a faulty airplane, but your faith won’t make it fly. On the other hand, all you need is enough faith to get on board a mechanically sound plane, and it will get you where you’re going. If Jesus is not who the Bible shows Him to be, then faith in Him will not get you to heaven. But if He is the Holy One of God, then you should trust in Him and persevere even when He says hard things or takes you through hard times.

C. Jesus Christ alone is the omniscient, sovereign God.

John repeatedly emphasizes this truth in our text. Jesus knew when the fair-weather disciples were grumbling among themselves (6:61). He knew those who did not believe (6:64). He knew from the beginning who would betray Him (6:64). He knew that He would give His life on the cross, be raised again, and ascend to the Father (6:51, 62). He chose Judas as an apostle although He knew that he was a devil (6:70). And, of course, He knows all whom the Father has given to Him and He knows that He will not lose any of them (6:37, 39; 17:9, 12). He is omniscient and sovereign.

But, you may wonder, why did Jesus choose Judas when He knew that he would betray Him? A. W. Pink (Exposition of John, on monergism.com) suggests seven reasons: (1) It furnished an opportunity for Christ to display His perfections. Christ came to do the Father’s will and to accomplish the work on the cross that the Father gave Him (John 4:34). That required choosing the disciple who would betray Him. (2) It provided an impartial witness to the moral excellency of Christ. Judas later testified (Matt. 27:4), “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” (3) It gave occasion to uncover the awfulness of sin. Judas shows us the heinous nature of the sin from which we have been saved. Apart from His grace, we all would be traitors against Christ. (4) It supplies sinners with a solemn warning. Judas shows us “how near a man may come to Christ and yet be lost.” (5) It tells us we may expect to find hypocrites among the followers of Christ. (6) It shows us that a devil is to be expected among the servants of God. (7) It affords one more illustration of how radically different are God’s thoughts and ways from ours.

D. Jesus Christ is far above all others by way of comparison.

“Lord, to whom shall we go?” I’ve thought about that question many times when I’ve faced hard things. “Lord, to whom shall I go?” Jesus Christ is far and away supreme over all other options. He alone has words of eternal life. He alone is the Holy One of God. He alone is the omniscient, all-wise sovereign of the universe. “Lord, to whom shall we go?”

To the extent that we are tempted by the world, the flesh, and the devil, we do not realize or have forgotten the supreme beauty and glory of Christ. John Owen wrote (ibid., p. 93), “The whole foundation of all gospel faith rests in the glory of Christ’s person and offices…. It is this knowledge of him alone that will make us despise all other things in comparison with him.” Jesus is the pearl of great price. He is the treasure in the field. Sell everything and buy that pearl! Buy that field!

I like the way Juan Carlos Ortiz tells the story of the pearl of great price (adapted from The Disciple [Creation House], pp. 34-35). A man sees this pearl and says to the merchant, “I want this pearl. How much is it?”

The seller says, “It’s very expensive.” “How much?” “A lot!” “Well, do you think I could buy it?” the man asks.

“Oh, yes,” says the merchant, “everyone can buy it.”

“But I thought you said it was very expensive.” “I did.” “Well, how much?” “Everything you have,” says the seller.

“All right, I’ll buy it.” “Okay, what do you have?”

“Well, I have $10,000 in the bank.” “Good, $10,000. What else?” “That’s all I have.” “Nothing more?” “Well, I have a few dollars more in my pocket.” “How much?” “Let’s see … $100.” “That’s mine, too,” says the seller.

“What else do you have?” “That’s all, nothing else.” “Where do you live?” the seller asks. “In my house. Yes, I own a home.” The seller writes down, “house.” “It’s mine.”

“Where do you expect me to sleep—in my camper?” “Oh, you have a camper, do you? That, too. What else” “Am I supposed to sleep in my car?” “Oh, you have a car?” “Yes, I own two of them.” “They’re mine now.”

“Look, you’ve taken my money, my house, my camper, and my cars. Where is my family going to live?” “So, you have a family?” “Yes, I have a wife and three kids.” “They’re mine now.”

Suddenly the seller exclaims, “Oh, I almost forgot! You yourself, too! Everything becomes mine—wife, children, house, money, cars, and you, too.” Then he goes on, “Now, listen, I will allow you to use all these things for the time being. But don’t forget that they’re all mine, just as you are. And whenever I need any of them, you must give them up, because I am now the owner.”

Conclusion

Everything in the Christian life depends on Jesus Christ and whether He is who He claimed to be. If He’s not, then go follow someone or something else. Maybe there is someone better to follow or something better to live for. But if Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the one with words of eternal life, the Holy One of God, the omniscient, sovereign God, then where else can you go? Even when He says hard things or takes you through hard times, you’ve got to follow Him. There just aren’t any other options that even come close!

Application Questions

What thing(s) other than Christ are you most tempted to put your faith in? How can you guard against their lure?
Which of the nine wrong reasons to turn from Christ to things that cannot save do you most easily succumb to?
Why didn’t Jesus go after these disciples who turned away? Is the church growth approach that focuses on getting more people into the church valid in light of Jesus’ ministry?
How can we as Christians get an ever-increasing vision of the glory and supremacy of Jesus Christ?

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation

Psalm 129

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
A Prayer for the Overthrow of Zion's Enemies MT Intro A Song of Ascents	Song of Victory Over Zion's Enemies	Prayer for Deliverance From National Enemies (A Lament)	A Prayer Against Israel's Enemies	Against Zion's Enemies
129:1-4	129:1-4	129:1-8	129:1-4	129:1-2
				129:3-4
129:5-8	129:5-8		129:5-8	129:5-8b
				129:8c

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. This is a national lament. For the use of "son" for Israel, see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SON OF GOD.

B. The second stanza (Ps. 129:5-8) is a curse on Israel's persecutors, who apparently are foreigners.

C. Many of the images referring to Israel's life and faith are drawn from agriculture. It is crucial that we remember the following truths when we interpret the Psalms.

1. they are OT and not NT

2. they relate to an ANE setting

3. they focus on covenant obedience and the centrality of national Israel in the plan of God

4. they must be reinterpreted in light of the NT gospel

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 129:1-4
¹"Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up,"
Let Israel now say,
²"Many times they have persecuted me from my youth up;
Yet they have not prevailed against me.
³The plowers plowed upon my back;
They lengthened their furrows."
⁴The Lord is righteous;
He has cut in two the cords of the wicked.

129:1-2 Psalm 129:1, line 1 seems, at first, to address the situation of a faithful individual but the verb of line 2 (BDB 55, KB 65, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense) shows this is a national lament. This Psalm does not state why Israel is persecuted so often. Like most of the Psalms, the admission of sin of the covenant people is not expressed, but assumed. The terrible realities of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27-28 have become a national reality.

129:2b The fact that national Israel remained in existence is a tribute to the mercy (cf. Malachi 1) and purpose of God (see Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan).

129:3 This is agricultural imagery denoting suffering and pain.

129:4a Israel remains because of their God. He is true to His character (see SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS) and purpose (cf. Gen. 3:15; Exod. 19:5-6; Isa. 2:2-4; Mic. 4:1-3).

129:4b This ("cords," BDB 721) may refer to

1. the trapping of animals (cf. Ps. 140:5)

2. the bindings of a yoke of oxen (cf. Job 39:10)

3. the bindings of a prisoner

AB (p. 231) suggests that this line of poetry be understood as a jussive (as is Ps. 129:5-6), which would denote a prayer. If YHWH has already "cut" (BDB 893, KB 1125, Piel perfect), why the curses of Ps. 129:5-6? Dahood makes it a precative perfect, which he notes is often found in parallel with jussives. If this is true, then Ps.129:4 begins a new strophe (i.e., Ps. 129:4-8), therefore, a translation like "Let YHWH cut the cords (i.e., oxen plows) of the wicked." Most English translations (NKJV, NRSV, TEV, NJB, JPSOA, REB) translate the verb as a past event.

129:4-8 This strophe describes a curse on all who hate Zion (i.e., meaning YHWH and His people). In this context, Zion refers to national Israel with its center being the temple in Jerusalem.

1. be put to shame - BDB 101, KB 116, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense, Ps. 129:5

2. be turned back - BDB 690, KB 744, Niphal imperfect used in a jussive sense, Ps. 129:6

3. let them be like grass upon the housetops - BDB 224, KB 243, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense, Ps. 129:6

a. it withers before it grows, Ps. 129:6b

b. the reaper has no fruit from it, Ps. 129:7

4. no one blesses them, Ps. 129:8

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 129:5-8
⁵May all who hate Zion
Be put to shame and turned backward;
⁶Let them be like grass upon the housetops,
Which withers before it grows up;
⁷With which the reaper does not fill his hand,
Or the binder of sheaves his bosom;
⁸Nor do those who pass by say,
"The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
We bless you in the name of the Lord."

129:5b "put to shame" This term (BDB 101, KB 116) denotes someone out of fellowship with YHWH and under His judgment. It can be used of

1. foreigners

2. rebellious Israelites

It denotes the consequences of unfaithfulness or unbelief mentioned in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27-30 as becoming a reality (see NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 621-627). For "ashamed" see note at Ps. 119:6.

129:8a-b This may refer to the blessing that friends, family, and neighbors shouted to the harvesters (cf. Ruth 2:4).

129:8c See Special Topic: "The Name" of YHWH.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Does the opening of this Psalm imply a liturgy?

2. Why is Israel called "a youth"?

3. To what does "cords" of Ps. 129:4 refer?

4. Define "shame."

5. What is the possible historical setting of Ps. 129:8?

Psalm 130

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Hope in the Lord's Forgiving Love MT Intro A Song of Ascents	Waiting for the Redemption of the Lord	A Prayer for Deliverance From Personal Trouble	A Prayer For Help	Out of the Depths
130:1-4	130:1-2	130:1-2	130:1-4	130:1-2
	130:3-4	130:3-4		130:3-4
130:5-8	130:5-6	130:5-6	130:5-6	130:5-7a
	130:7-8	130:7-8	130:7-8	130:7b-8

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. This is one of those Psalms that speaks to the deepest desires and hopes of faithful followers.

1. there are problems, sins, and disappointments

2. the believer cries out to his/her only hope, YHWH

3. He hears and forgives

4. He is faithful to His character and word even when humans are not (cf. Ps. 51:1)

B. There are several names for Israel's Deity used in the Psalm.

1. YHWH, Ps. 130:1,5,7 (twice)

2. Yah, Ps. 130:3 (abbreviation of YHWH)

3. Adon, Ps. 130:3,6

See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY.

C. This Psalm expresses both individual and corporate yearning for restoration (cf. Ps. 130:7-8).

D. Notice the grammatical theological emphasis of Ps. 130:7-8.

1. Ps. 130:7, "abundant redemption" (BDB 915 I, KB 1176, Hiphil infinitive absolute)

2. He (and He alone) will redeem - personal pronoun added to verb for emphasis

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 130:1-4
¹Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord.
²Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
³If You, Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
⁴But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.

130:1 "Out of the depths" This noun (BDB 771) has several figurative uses. It basically means "deep."

1. distress described as a flood of waters, cf. Ps. 69:1-2,14-15 (similar metaphor to Ps. 42:7a; 88:7)

2. YHWH as champion of watery chaos, cf. Isa. 51:9-10 (similar to Ps. 74:12-17; 89:9-10)

3. the defeat of Tyre's sea power (i.e., sunk into the sea), cf. Ezek. 27:34

4. possibly a reference to Sheol, cf. Jonah 2:2-6; Ps. 18:4-5)

▣ "I have cried to You" The exact nature of the psalmist's distress is not stated but it is related to his sense of sin (cf. Ps. 130:3-4). He feels alienated but knows God will forgive and restore a repentant, patient follower (cf. Ps. 130:5-6)!

130:2 This verse reflects the psalmist's prayer mentioned in Ps. 130:1.

1. hear - BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal imperative

2. let Your ears be attentive - BDB 224, KB 243, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense

130:3-4 Several English translations make these two verses a separate strophe (i.e., NKJV, NRSV, NJB).

The reality of the sinfulness of all humans after the Fall of Genesis 3 is a recurrent truth throughout the Bible.

1. Genesis 3:17-19; 6:5,11-12; 8:21

2. 1 Kings 8:46

3. 2 Chronicles 6:36

4. Ezra 9:15

5. Job 4:17; 9:2; 15:14-16; 25:4

6. Psalm 51:5; 76:7; 130:3; 143:2

7. Proverbs 20:9

8. Ecclesiastes 7:20

9. Isaiah 53:6

10. Nahum 1:6

11. Malachi 3:2

12. Romans 3:9-18,19,23; 11:32

13. 1 John 1:8-10

14. Revelation 6:17

All need forgiveness! Humans do not sense a need for forgiveness until the Spirit clearly reveals our need. There is no need for a savior until there is a sense of lostness! See SPECIAL TOPIC: FORGIVENESS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

Forgiveness is possible because of

1. the gracious, unchanging character of God (see SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD [OT])

2. the finished work of the Messiah (cf. Isaiah 53; Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21)

3. the drawing, wooing of the Spirit (cf. John 6:44,65; 16:8-15)

130:3 "mark" This verb (BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal imperfect) denotes, in this context, the preserving of a record. This is reflected in the "two books" of God (i.e., book of deeds/remembrances and the book of life, see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TWO BOOKS OF GOD of God). This is a metaphor for the memory of God.

It is ironic but God is asked again and again to forget our sins (i.e., Ps. 79:8; 106:6; Isa. 64:9; Micah 7:18) but remember His promises. On Judgment Day the books will be opened (cf. Dan. 7:10; Rev. 20:12)!

130:4 "feared" The outcome of a free and full forgiveness by a gracious God is the restoration of the personal relationship with God (i.e., lost in the Fall of Genesis 3), which is/was/will be the goal of creation. We were created by Him and for Him. Fear is the appropriate awe that He is due. Forgiveness results in fellowship! See Special Topic: Fear (OT).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 130:5-8
⁵I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait,
And in His word do I hope.
⁶My soul waits for the Lord
More than the watchmen for the morning;
Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.
⁷O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is lovingkindness,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
⁸And He will redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.

130:5-8 This strophe emphasizes the theme of the patience of faithful followers in God and trust in His word (cf. Ps. 130:5). The concept of "waiting in faith" is expressed in this strophe by two words.

1. BDB 875, KB 1082 - Ps. 130:5 (twice) and assumed in Ps. 130:6, cf. Ps. 25:3,21; 27:14; 40:1; 56:7

2. BDB 403, KB 407 - Ps. 130:5,7, cf. Ps. 38:15; 42:5; 43:5

This is the place where the sovereignty of God intercedes the required volitional response of fallen mankind. Faithful followers choose to wait, hope, trust in God and His promises, even when circumstances and feeling scream to take a different path!

130:6 This metaphor of longing anticipation is similar to Ps. 42:1-2. God's people long for Him!

▣ "soul" See full note at Gen. 35:18 online at www.freebiblecommentary.org.

130:7 As the psalmist longs, waits, hopes, and trusts in YHWH, he now calls on God's people collectively to do the same.

Notice how YHWH is characterized.

1. in Him is lovingkindness (i.e., covenant, loyal love, see Special Topic: Lovingkindness [hesed])

2. in Him is "abundant redemption" (Ps. 130:7c)

3. in Him (and no other, cf. REB) is redemption (noun in Ps. 130:7 and verb in Ps. 130:8, see SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM) for all those who trust in Him (i.e., the covenant people, see SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT and Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan)

Remember biblical faith is corporate. It is a family! Be careful of the modern western over-emphasis on the individual. Salvation has a corporate focus! We are saved to serve. The goal of individual salvation is the health and growth of the body of believers!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. What feelings come to your mind/heart after reading Ps. 130:1-4?

2. What do you think "depths" means?

3. Does God keep a record of sins?

4. Does Ps. 130:5-6 describe how you feel about God and His word?

Psalm 131

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Childlike Trust in theLord MT Intro A Song of Ascents, of David	Simple Trust in the Lord	Act of Humble Submission to God's Will and Guidance	A Prayer of Humble Trust	Childlike Trust
131:1-3	131:1	131:1-2	131:1-3	131:1-3
	131:2	131:3
	131:3

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 131:1-3
¹O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
²Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
³O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.

131:1 "Lord" This is the covenant name for Israel's Deity. See Special Topic: Names for Deity.

▣ "heart" This is a Hebrew idiom referring to a person. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEART.

▣ "not proud" The psalmist describes his humble attitude toward God in several phrases in Ps. 131:1-2.

1. not proud (lit. "not lifted up") - BDB 146, KB 170, Qal perfect

2. eyes not haughty (lit. "my eyes not raised") - BDB 926, KB 1202, Qal perfect

3. do not involve (lit. "walk," BDB 229, KB 246, Piel perfect) myself in

a. great matters (BDB 152)

b. things too difficult (BDB 810, see Special Topic: Wonderful Things) for me

4. composed my soul - BDB 1000, KB 1436, Piel perfect

5. quieted my soul - BDB 198, KB 226, Poel perfect

Proud and haughty people are the recipients of YHWH's wrath (cf. Ps. 18:27; 101:5; Zeph. 3:11) because it reveals the results of the Fall of Genesis 3. Humility shows the results of a spiritual conversion and acceptance of God's revelation.

There is a real question about what the imagery of #3 means.

1. simply an idiom of humility

2. simply an idiom of dependance

3. someone who does not question God's great acts

4. someone who does not presume on God's power

5. a human who knows his/her place in the scheme of things (cf. Ps. 89:10)

131:2 The psalmist continues to describe his humble attitude by using the imagery of a child.

▣ "soul" This is nephesh (BDB 659), a way, like "heart," of referring to the whole person. See full note at Gen. 35:18 online.

131:3 The psalmist uses his own humble heart and peaceful hope/trust/patience (BDB 403, KB 407, Piel imperative, cf. Ps. 130:5,6,7) to encourage national Israel to the same place.

▣ "From this time forth and forever" This Hebrew idiom uses three words beginning with "ע" (cf. Ps. 113:2; 115:18; 121:8; 125:2).

1. BDB 773 - adverb for current time (i.e., first phrase)

2. BDB 723 III - preposition

3. BDB 761 - noun, 'olam, see Special Topic: Forever ('olam)

Psalm 132

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Prayer for the Lord's Blessing Upon the Sanctuary MT Intro A Song of Ascents	The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion	Liturgy Commemorating God's Choice of Zion and the Davidic Dynasty	In Praise of the Temple	For the Anniversary of the Transfer of the Ark
132:1-5	132:1-5	132:1-5	132:1-5	132:1-5
132:6-9	132:6-9	132:6-7	132:6-7	132:6-7
		132:8-10	132:8-9	132:8-10
132:10-12	132:10		132:10-12
	132:11-12	132:11-12		132:11-12
132:13-18	132:13-18	132:13-18	132:13-18	132:13-14
				132:15-16
				132:17-18

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. This is obviously a Psalm about

1. God's promises to David in 2 Sam. 7:12-16; 2 Chr. 6:16 (see brief discussion of "The Davidic Covenant" in NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 507-508)

2. God's choice of Mt. Moriah as the place for His presence to dwell (cf. Deut. 12:5,11,14,18, 21,26; 14:23-25; 15:20; 16:2,6,11,15; 17:8,10; 18:6; 26:2; 31:11, see Special Topic: Moriah)

B. The results of God's presence and Israel's covenant obedience are

1. to abundantly bless her provision, Ps. 132:15

2. to satisfy her hunger, Ps. 132:15

3. wonderful worship, Ps. 132:16

4. God's king exalted, Ps. 132:17

5. the destruction of the Davidic king's enemies, Ps. 132:17

C. For a good brief discussion of the theology of Zion see NIDOTTE, vol. 2, pp. 959 and 512.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 132:1-5
¹Remember, O Lord, on David's behalf,
All his affliction;
²How he swore to the Lord
And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
³"Surely I will not enter my house,
Nor lie on my bed;
⁴I will not give sleep to my eyes
Or slumber to my eyelids,
⁵Until I find a place for the Lord,
A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob."

132:1 "Remember" This is an imperative used as a prayer. Psalm 25:6-7 shows the way this was used.

1. God, remember Your unchanging character of grace and mercy, Ps. 25:6

2. God, forget our sin, Ps. 25:7

▣ "on David's behalf" Often the people of Israel and her leaders asked God to have mercy on them because of

1. His promises to the Fathers (i.e., Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob)

2. His promises to David (cf. 2 Samuel 7; 2 Chronicles 6:16)

▣ "All his afflictions" This seems to allude to David's statements in 2 Sam. 16:12, but it may refer to David's initial problems in bringing the ark into Jerusalem (cf. 2 Samuel 6). The JPSOA translates it as "his extreme self-denial," which would relate to its usage in Num. 30:13 and 1 Chr. 22:14.

The LXX revocalizes the MT (BDB 776 III, KB 853, Pual infinitive construct) to "his meekness" (a noun, BDB 776, cf. Ps. 45:4).

132:2-5 "he swore to the Lord" This oath is not recorded in the historical books. Basically David

1. made a vow about the tabernacle being brought to Jerusalem

2. would not enter his own dwelling place (lit. "the tent of my house") until the tabernacle (i.e., YHWH's tent of dwelling) was in Jerusalem

3. would not sleep (hyperbolic) until the ark came

4. Ps. 132:5 states his purpose (i.e., the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle in his capital, cf. Acts 7:46)

It is obvious that #2 and #3 are hyperbolic and used in a literary fashion to show intense intent!

132:2 "the Mighty One of Jacob" This title (BDB 7 construct BDB 784) for Israel's Deity is first used in Gen. 49:24, where Jacob blesses his children, the future tribes of Israel. It is also used in Isa. 49:26 (promise of universal redemption) and 60:16, where it is linked with other titles for YHWH.

1. Savior (cf. Isa. 19:2; 43:3,11; 45:15,21; 63:8)

2. Redeemer (cf. Isa. 59:20; 63:16)

The NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 232, has the interesting comment that the adjective "mighty" has two forms.

1. originally it referred to the strength of bulls or wild oxen

2. to designate YHWH's power

132:5 This is not referring to David's desire to build a permanent temple (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:17; 1 Chr. 22:7) but to bringing the ark, along with its portable tent (i.e., tabernacle of the exodus period) into his capital, Jerusalem (cf. 2 Samuel 6).

▣ "dwelling place" This is plural in the MT and may be a grammatical way to denote significance, like NET's "a fine dwelling place."

In other contexts this term in the plural denotes all the buildings in the temple enclosure (cf. Ps. 43:3; 46:4; 84:1).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 132:6-9
⁶Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah,
We found it in the field of Jaar.
⁷Let us go into His dwelling place;
Let us worship at His footstool.
⁸Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.
⁹Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your godly ones sing for joy.

132:6 "Ephrathah" is an area in Judah which came to refer to the extended family of David (cf. Ruth 4:11). However, Bethlehem was not the location of the ark. They just heard about the King's oath (cf. Ps. 132:2) to bring the ark to Jerusalem.

▣ "Jaar" This is a reference to Kiriath-Jearim (cf. 1 Sam. 7:1; 1 Chr. 13:1-8), where the ark was housed in a private home for twenty years before David brought it to Jerusalem. "Jaar" is the singular form of "Jearim."

▣ "it" This is a feminine suffix, while "the ark" is masculine, so it may refer to David's oath (NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 736; AB, p. 244) mentioned in Ps. 132:2.

The NEB (p. 1000) mentions the fact that on at least two occasions "ark" is feminine (i.e., 1 Sam. 4:17; 2 Chr. 8:11). Since this Psalm has several archaic words and forms this may answer the gender problem.

132:7 Both verbs are cohortative plural and refer to a pilgrimage to YHWH's temple.

▣ "footstool" Both David (cf. 1 Chr. 28:2) and Solomon (1 Kgs. 8:27) recognized that the temple was not the true dwelling place of the God of creation. David began to call the place between the wings of the Cherubim above the mercy seat (lid of the ark) the place where heaven and earth, the invisible and visible, the eternal and temporal, met (cf. Exod. 25:22)! He called it YHWH's footstool" (cf. Isa. 66:1; see Special Topic: The Ark of the Covenant); also note Ps. 99:5.

The imagery of Deity as having feet is part of the limits of human vocabulary. See SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN (ANTHROPOMORPHISM) (anthropomorphism).

132:8 "Arise" This verb (BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal imperative) is used in Num. 10:35 and 2 Chr. 6:41 to denote YHWH rising from His throne to go before His people to fight on their behalf (cf. Ps. 3:7; 7:6; 9:19; 10:12; 44:26; 74:22; 82:8).

This verse and Ps. 132:9 seem to be an allusion to Solomon's dedication of the new temple in 2 Chr. 6:41.

▣ "Your resting place" YHWH is described in human terms because there is no other vocabulary available to Bible authors (see SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN (ANTHROPOMORPHISM). The ark of the covenant and, thereby YHWH Himself, needed/wanted a physical location for it/Him to reside/rest (cf. 1 Chr. 6:31; 28:2; 2 Chr. 6:41; Ps. 132:8,14; Isa. 11:10; 66:1). Remember, anthropomorphic imagery does not ascribe a limit on God but on human ability to comprehend the God of time and space (i.e., physical creation).

A new book by John Walton, The Lost World of Genesis One, uses the cosmologies of the ANE to show that Genesis 1 is the account of YHWH building a cosmic temple (i.e., the earth) as a place to rest (cf. Gen. 2:1-3).

Hebrews 3:7 through 4:13 (cf. Ps. 95:7-11) contains a play on the word "rest" referring to three different things.

1. seventh day of creation from Gen. 2:2 in Heb. 4:3,4,10

2. the promised land from Numbers 13-14 in Heb. 3:11,18; 4:8

3. eschatological heaven

"Rest" is both a sense of peace and a desired location of fellowship (cf. Ps. 62:1; Isa. 63:14; Jer. 31:2).

132:9 This verse has two imperfects used as jussives.

1. be clothed - BDB 527, KB 519, Qal

2. sing for joy - BDB 943, KB 1247, Piel

It is uncertain if there are two groups mentioned (i.e., priests and worshipers) or a literary parallel.

In Job 20:14 Job describes himself as clothed in righteousness. It is uncertain exactly what it means in connection with these priests. Possibly that they reflect YHWH's character and revelations in their leadership, lives, tasks, and duties.

This verse may reflect the festive and fearful march of the ark carried by specially dressed priests and singing Levites.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 132:10-12
¹⁰For the sake of David Your servant,
Do not turn away the face of Your anointed.
¹¹The Lord has sworn to David
A truth from which He will not turn back:
"Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.
¹²If your sons will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I will teach them,
Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forever."

132:10-12 This strophe surely alludes to 2 Samuel 7. Notice the conditional element of Ps. 132:12 related to each individual descendant but the larger purpose of God expressed in 2 Sam. 7:14-16.

Notice the sound play of so many of the verbs of Ps. 132:10-12 starting with שׁ.

1. do not turn away - BDB 996, KB 1427, Hiphil jussive

2. has sworn - BDB 989, KB 1396, Niphal perfect

3. He will not turn away - same root as #1 but Qal imperfect

4. I will set upon Your throne - BDB 1011, KB 1483, Qal imperfect

5. if your sons will keep My covenant - BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal imperfect (notice the conditional aspect, cf. 1 Kgs. 9:4-9; Ps. 89:30-45)

132:10 "Your anointed" This is the term (BDB 603) from which the title "Messiah" comes. See SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH.

132:12 "covenant" See Special Topic: Covenant.

▣ "testimony" See Special Topic: Terms for God's Revelation.

▣ "forever" See Special Topic: Forever ('olam).

132:11 "The Lord has sworn to David" As David swore in Ps. 132:2, now YHWH responds with His own oath. This oath is known as the Davidic covenant (cf. 2 Samuel 7; Ps. 89:3,35).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 132:13-18
¹³For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His habitation.
¹⁴"This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
¹⁵I will abundantly bless her provision;
I will satisfy her needy with bread.
¹⁶Her priests also I will clothe with salvation,
And her godly ones will sing aloud for joy.
¹⁷There I will cause the horn of David to spring forth;
I have prepared a lamp for Mine anointed.
¹⁸His enemies I will clothe with shame,
But upon himself his crown shall shine."

132:13-18 This strophe describes the things YHWH has done (Ps. 132:13-14) and will do (Ps. 132:15-18).

1. He has chosen Zion (see Special Topic: Zion), Ps. 132:13-14

2. He will abundantly bless (emphatic infinitive absolute and imperfect verb of the same root, BDB 138, KB 159), Ps. 132:15a

3. He will provide food, Ps. 132:15b

4. the temple priests will be godly people, Ps. 132:16 (cf. 1 Chr. 6:41)

5. the temple worshipers (cf. Ps. 4:3 or Levites) will sing aloud for joy (emphatic infinitive absolute and imperfect verb of the same root, BDB 943, KB 1247), Ps. 132:16 (cf. 1 Chr. 6:41)

6. He will establish the dynasty of David in Jerusalem, Ps. 132:17

7. He will defeat Israel's enemies, Ps. 132:18

132:16 Because of the parallels of this strophe, probably "priests" (or Levites) are addressed in both lines of this verse.

132:17 "the horn of David" The horn is a Hebrew idiom of power and pre-immanence (cf. Luke 1:69).

▣ "to spring forth" This verb (BDB 855, KB 1033, Hiphil imperfect) may be related to the imagery of the special Davidic King called "The Branch." See:

1. SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS THE NAZARENE

2. full note at Isa. 11:1 online

3. NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 75

The root for "crown" is נזר, which could denote

1. a crown (noun, BDB 634)

2. to consecrate (verb, BDB 634)

3. Branch (a title of the Messiah)

▣ "a lamp for Mine anointed" This is a specific usage of the light imagery that refers, not to revelation (i.e., Ps. 18:28; 119:105; Pro. 6:23) but to a Davidic descendant on the throne of Israel (cf. 1 Kgs. 11:36; 15:4; 2 Kgs. 8:19; 2 Chr. 21:7). In 2 Sam. 21:17 it refers to David himself.

You are here

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Psalm 124

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Psalm 126

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Psalm 127

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Psalm 128

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: John PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Lesson 37: The Antidote to Spiritual Defection, Part 1 (John 6:60-71)

1. Persevering faith in God’s Word is the antidote to spiritual defection.

A. There are hard truths in God’s Word that must be submitted to, even if you don’t understand or like them.

B. To submit to hard truths, we must be born of the Spirit.

C. To submit to hard truths, we often must go against our cultural and religious backgrounds by confronting our preconceived ideas.

D. To submit to hard truths, we must accept that God is sovereign, even over evil and unbelief.

E. When you submit in faith to the hard truths of God’s Word, you gain the foundation for certain knowledge.

Conclusion

Application Questions

From the series: John PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: John PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Lesson 38: The Antidote to Spiritual Defection, Part 2 (John 6:60-71)

1. There are many things other than God’s Son in which to put your faith, but they all will fail.

2. Many wrong reasons can lead you to put your faith in things that never can save.

1) You don’t like some teaching or commandment in the Bible.

2) You stupidly forget the certainty of death so that you live for immediate pleasure in these few, uncertain years, rather than for lasting pleasure in light of eternity.

3) You are frightened by the prospect of rejection or persecution.

4) You think that following Jesus will rob you of “the good life.”

5) You allow trials and difficulties to grow into disappointment with Christ.

6) You get busy with other things that crowd out the most important thing.

7) You are too lazy and undisciplined to keep Christ first in your priorities.

8) You sin, which causes your thinking about Christ to become muddled.

9) You don’t grasp the supremacy and excellence of Christ.

3. Persevering faith in God’s Son is the antidote to spiritual defection.

A. Jesus Christ alone has words of eternal life.

B. Jesus Christ alone is the Holy One of God.

C. Jesus Christ alone is the omniscient, sovereign God.

D. Jesus Christ is far above all others by way of comparison.

Conclusion

Application Questions

From the series: John PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Psalm 129

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Psalm 130

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Psalm 131

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Psalm 132

From the series: Psalms: The Hymnal Of Israel, Book V (Psalms 107-150) PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Pages