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The Ultimate Weapon

Romans 12:17-21

Dr. Richard L. Strauss
August 11, 1991

Purpose: To help us love our enemies.

For many years Dr. Richard C. Halverson has written a weekly devotional letter for business and professional men called Perspective. I pulled one from my file dated March 21, 1973, which sums up the next section of Paul’s letter to the Romans. I’d like to read it to you:

“There are many ways to fight….You may fight with your fists…but what does it prove–even if you win? It certainly doesn’t prove you are right…it just proves you have more muscle, or can duck better…or maybe you’ve got a harder skull. In fact, chances are the guy who uses his fists knows he’s wrong–that’s why he resorts to muscle instead of brains…he bluffs his way through life with a strong arm instead of intelligence.

“A man may fight with words…even win the argument. But what does that prove? Except that he is smarter with the king’s English–more adept at language. Or maybe it just proves that he is a loud mouth!

“Love is a way to fight, too! Love is a mighty force–the mightiest force in history! This does not mean that love never loses–it often loses on the short-term basis…but it always wins ultimately! Jesus loved…and they put Him on a cross–crucified Him like a common criminal. The man who fights with love must be prepared to lose–temporarily! He’ll be invincible in the long run–but he must be willing to suffer setbacks. That’s why only strong men can fight with love. Weak men don’t love–love requires strength, courage, fortitude! Weaklings must use fists–or arguments–or guns. But they are no match for love! ‘Love outlasts anything.'”

LOVE! That’s the major theme of Romans 12:9-21. Unhypocritical love! In Romans 12:9-13, it was love for other Christians. In Romans 12:14-16, it was love for all human beings generally–believers and unbelievers. And now in Romans 12:17-21, it is love particularly for people who hate us and persecute us. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “…love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Paul briefly echoed that command of Christ in Romans 12:14, when he wrote, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Now he wants to amplify it and show us how love can help us win our battles, for love is THE ULTIMATE WEAPON!

Christians in first century Rome were occasionally singled out for special threats, intimidation, or outright persecution because of their faith in Christ. They were asking, “How does God want us to respond?”

Some of us may be facing opposition, antagonism, harassment, or persecution for our faith in Christ. How does God want us to respond? Or maybe it’s simply that somebody who doesn’t like us is trying to make life miserable for us–for any reason, not just for our faith in Christ. How does God want us to respond?

Paul has an answer to that question–a shocking and surprising answer. His answer is, essentially, LOVE THEM! Because love is the ultimate weapon. Love conquers all. But our love will include negative elements as well as positive elements. There are some things we won’t do, and there are some things we will do. They’re all mixed together in this passage. So let’s see if we can separate them out.

The Negative Commands
(Romans 12:17a, 19, 21a)

There are three negative commands.

Don’t Repay Evil for Evil (Romans 12:17a)

The evil that people do to us may be unintentional, such as a thoughtless remark that hurts our feelings, or a careless act that creates more work for us and adds pressure to our lives, or an accidental slight when we needed support and encouragement. But the evil Paul is talking about is more likely intentional. Somebody is mocking us for our Christian testimony, or trying to deny us our rights, or keeping us from getting the honor we deserve, or undermining our authority, or spreading lies about us and ruining our reputation, or trying to take something away from us, or even trying to hurt us physically.

What is your first reaction when somebody does something like that to you? It’s to pay them back. That’s the normal human response. To give them what they deserve. “If that’s the way they want to play, two can play that game as well as one.” So we begin to ignore them just as they have ignored us. We tell the boss what they did wrong, just as they told on us. We spread some malicious stories about them just as they did to us. We counter-sue for everything they’ve got. But that’s exactly what God tells us not to do. Love will not repay evil for evil. He repeats the same negative command in verse 19, but in slightly different words.

Don’t Seek Vengeance (Romans 12:19)

Romans 12:19. “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Why shouldn’t we avenge ourselves? Why shouldn’t we even the score? That would only seem to be fair. Because, says Paul, that’s God’s job. When he says “…give place to wrath,” he’s talking about God’s wrath (orge is preceded by a definite article). God keeps perfect score. He knows how to balance the books. And He will do it, one way or another, in this life or in the life to come. Paul has assured us of that several times in this book already (Romans 1:18; 2:5,8; 9:22). So let Him do it. Don’t get in the way. If we try to even the score ourselves, we may just mess up what He has planned. He can do it far better than we can, so let Him do it.

Do you know why it’s God’s job to judge rather than ours?

1. He is omniscient. He knows all the facts and we don’t.

Can you imagine a judge who listens to part of the evidence and then says, “That’s enough. I don’t need the rest of the facts. I can decide the case on the basis of what I’ve already heard.” We would cry, “Unfair!” And yet when we try to pay people back for what they’ve done to us we are judging them on the basis of partial evidence. We don’t know their hearts, or their motives, or all that was said or done. So let God do it. He knows all the facts.

2. He is unselfish and unbiased. When we try to even the score, we’re usually looking out exclusively for our own interests.

Can you imagine a man being tried for breaking into a house and stealing some valuables, only to learn that the judge who is going to try the case is the owner of the house and the man’s accuser? There’s no way for him to get a fair trial under those circumstances. So how can we think that we are capable of judging fairly when we are the ones who have been wronged? We’ll probably judge too severely, and that will only escalate the conflict. So let God do it. He can be fair and impartial. Love will not seek revenge.

Don’t Be Overcome by Evil (Romans 12:21a)

The word overcome is a military word that refers to getting beat in battle. We’re in a war, and it’s not a war with people who hate us or are out to get us. It’s a war with evil itself. When someone does something to hurt us, our instant reaction is to hurt them in return. But when we do that, we’ve lost the battle. Evil has won by getting us to act in an evil way. The enemy has caused us to sink to his level, and his evil has now been compounded by our evil. So the only winner is EVIL. Don’t let that happen. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t seek revenge. Don’t let evil win the day. Love will not be overcome by evil.

Well then, what should we do if we truly love? Let’s go back and pick up the positive commands.

The Positive Commands
(Romans 12:17b, 18, 20)

Do What People Consider Good (Romans 12:17b)

The KJV says, “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” But that seems to miss the point. The text says, literally, “Taking thought for things excellent in the sight of all men.” That doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re supposed to do what the people of the world think is good. Their opinion is distorted by sin. But it does mean that we are to do what people generally will be forced to admit was honorable and excellent. That’s going to give the gospel good press and maybe even open some hearts and minds to receive it.

So, when somebody does something unkind or unfair to wrong us and hurt us, instead of reacting with the first thing that comes into our heads, like “What can I do to get back at him?” stop and THINK! The word “have regard” (pronoeo) means “to give careful, deliberate forethought.” Think, “What can I do for that person that others will have to admit is noble and good?” Then do it!

You may have heard the story of the young army private who came to know Christ and soon began to get down on his knees for prayer every night before turning in. His hard-boiled sergeant didn’t like that at all, and one night picked up his muddy boot and hurled it at the praying soldier, hitting him on the side of the head and stunning him. He finished praying without a word. But the next morning, when the sergeant reached for his boots, he found them cleaned and polished, and discovered that the private had done it. Nobody could deny that what he did was noble and good. And it eventually drove the godless sergeant to put his faith in the One who would cause a man to do a thing like that (SP, p.171). That’s love, the ultimate weapon in our battle against evil.

Do What Contributes to Peace (Romans 12:18)

Romans 12:18. “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

God puts a high priority on us living in peace and harmony with the people around us, even with unbelievers who hate the gospel and harass Christians. But He recognizes that it is not always possible to do that. Did you notice that Paul puts two conditions on this command?

1. “If It is Possible”

There are times when we may do everything we can to build good will and a good relationship with an enemy, but he refuses to respond. He remains an enemy in spite of our best efforts to win his friendship. There’s no reason to put ourselves on a guilt trip over that. We cannot determine the actions of others. We are only responsible for our own. That’s why Paul adds a second condition.

2. “As Much as Depends on You”

We are to keep doing everything we can, without sacrificing Biblical truth or compromising Biblical principles, to encourage a peaceful relationship with those who are hostile to us. We need to make sure that nobody can ever point the finger at us and say that a conflict exists because we failed to do what we could to resolve it, or because we failed to return good for evil. Maintaining peace is an expression of love, the ultimate weapon against evil.

There’s a third positive command, and it’s a quotation from Proverbs 25:21-22.

Do What Ministers to People’s Needs (Romans 12:20)

Romans 12:20. “Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.'”

Giving food or drink are representative of any number of things we could do to minister to the needs of people who have wronged us. There are many other things we may be able to do as well. Maybe they need something fixed and you know how to do it. Maybe they need help with a move. Maybe they need transportation and you can provide it. Maybe they need you to put in a good word for them to a friend of yours, or maybe they just need a kind word spoken to them in a time of discouragement or grief or loss.

Those of you who were here on a Sunday night back in November, 1989, heard a dramatic illustration of this principle. When missionary Bruce Olson was captured by the communist guerrillas in Columbia, he spent his time teaching his captors to read and write, teaching them how to cook, teaching them basic principle of personal health and hygiene. By the time they finally released him months later, several had come to know Christ, and a large number defected from the communist cause. He showed them the love of Christ by ministering to their needs, and love won the victory.

So whatever the need is, be there to meet it. Paul adds, “For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on their heads.” Now what does that mean? That it will set their hair on fire and burn them good for what they did to us? No! Our goal is not to punish them. Our goal is to win them over and restore the relationship–possibly even win him to Christ. Heaping coals of fire on their heads probably refers to an ancient Egyptian practice where a repentant person would come to ask forgiveness and give public evidence of his penitent spirit by carrying a pot of burning charcoal on his head.

In other words, when we lovingly minister to their needs, in spite of how badly they have hurt us, they may be brought to see their wrong, to experience sorrow and shame over what they have done, and come seeking reconciliation. That’s the goal: reconciliation. And when that happens, we will have “overcome evil with good,” as Paul concludes the chapter (Romans 12:21b). And now we’re back to the battlefield again. We get victory over our enemies, not by hurting them, but by helping them, and turning them into friends.

More than 200 years ago, during the American Revolution, there was a pastor named Peter Miller who enjoyed a personal friendship with George Washington. But Miller also had an antagonist, a man named Michael Wittman, an enemy of the gospel who did everything he could to oppose and humiliate the pastor. As it turned out, Wittman was also secretly working against the American national effort. He was discovered, arrested, tried for treason by a military court, and sentenced to die.

Peter Miller traveled by foot 70 miles to Philadelphia to seek an audience with his friend, George Washington. Washington was glad to see him, but when Miller pleaded for the life of the traitor, Washington responded, “No, Peter. I cannot grant you the life of your friend.” “My friend!” exclaimed the pastor. “He’s the bitterest enemy I have.” “What?” asked Washington. “You’ve walked 70 miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matter in a different light. I’ll grant your pardon.” Peter Miller and Michael Wittman walked back home together, friends, and with the foundation established for a relationship that would eventually bring his former enemy to faith in Christ.

How would you have reacted when you heard that your bitter enemy had been sentenced to death? “Serves him right! Now he’ll get what’s coming to him.” That’s probably the way I would have reacted. But Peter Miller fought with love, the ultimate weapon. He did the most obvious good thing he could do, something everybody had to agree was noble and honorable. He heaped on him the coals of red-hot love, and it led to repentance and reconciliation, and ultimately, redemption.

Think of the one person who has brought more harm and hurt to your life than anyone else. Right their name on a piece of paper. Would you have that much courage? Write it down? Now, what good thing could you do for that person as an expression of Christlike love? What tangible needs could you meet? Could you drop them a note, telling them you care about them and are praying for them, or something? Would could you do to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to that person who has hurt you? Decide right now that you’re going to do those things through God’s power, that you’re going to minister to those needs. Let’s take the Word of God at face value; that’s why God gave it to us: to show us how to live. I know it’s antithetical and contrary to everything the world teaches, but it’s God’s will for our lives.

Will you do it? Will you purpose that you’re going to reach out and minister to those needs? You will win a great victory over evil! You will be wielding the ultimate weapon. You will be fighting with love. And you will be overcome evil with good. God will be glorified and God’s blessing will be on your life.

Trusting Jesus as Your Savior

I guess the best illustration of this is really the Lord Himself. Back in Romans 5:8, Paul wrote, “But God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” In Romans 5:10, he says, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more having been reconciled we shall be saved by His life.”

Enemies. Oh, maybe it wasn’t conscious, but it was true. Before we knew Christ, we were His enemies. If you haven’t believed what God has to say about your need for eternal salvation and you haven’t put your faith in Christ alone–rather than your good deeds and your fine life and your religious activities–if you have not done what God says, then He paints you as His adversary.

But even though you are His adversary, He sent His Son to Calvary to die for you. You! You, who have yet to trust Him as your Savior from sin. Even when you were His adversary–what a demonstration of love. Will you respond to that love today? Will you acknowledge your sin and your need of a Savior–the only source for salvation: Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary’s cross, where He bore the punishment you and I deserved. Will you put your faith in Him?

Let’s bow together in His presence, prayerfully. With our heads bowed, let me ask you again: Have you put your faith in Christ alone for your eternal salvation? If you’re not certain, would you settle it right now? That’s why Jesus came. That’s what the Christian faith is all about. He is the sacrifice for our sins. He satisfied God’s just demands against sin, and there isn’t any other way we can avail ourselves of God’s forgiveness and the life He offers us other than to come His way by faith in His Son.

Would you trust Him now? Tell Him so in the quiet of your own soul right now, please. Don’t put it off.

“Lord, I’m a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sin. Come into my heart and save me, Lord Jesus.”

Now, Christian, did that person come to your mind–the one who hurt you? Did you think about what you could do to demonstrate the love of Christ to them? Oh, you’ll have to forgive. You won’t be able to do this until you forgive in your own heart, but then, will you tell God right now that you’re ready to reach out in love and minister to those needs, whatever they are? Tell Him, will you?

Closing Prayer

Father, this is hard. You never said the Christian life would be easy but You did promise us help. Thank You for Your Spirit who lives in us. I pray that He will melt down our resistance right now and mold us into His very image, fill us, take control of our lives, so that He can express His character of love through us. For we ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Continue to ROM 28: You and Your Government

Bible Reference(s) in This Sermon

Romans 12:17-21
Proverbs 25:21-2

Titles in the Romans Series

See also: Introduction to the Book of Romans

• Good News Is for Sharing
• It’s Raining Wrath from Heaven
• Guilty as Charged!
• Just as if I’d Never Sinned
• Too Good to Be True
• Can Faith See Us Through?
• On Whose Team Are You?
• A New Chapter Has Begun
• Whose Slave Are You?
• Know Your Enemy
• The Struggle Goes On
• Real Living
• The Family of God
• From Groaning to Glory (Part 1)
• From Groaning to Glory (Part 2)
• If God Is for Us
• A Soul Winner’s Heart
• Is That Really Fair?
• The Right Way
• How Shall They Hear?
• Has God Let You Down?
• The Rest of the Story
• Will You Do Me a Favor?
• Use Those Gifts
• True Love
• The Impossible Dream
• The Ultimate Weapon
• You and Your Government
• Our Outstanding Debt
• Wake Up, You Sleepyhead!
• Color It Gray
• Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
• Dealing with Differences?
• Meet the Author
• Keys to Useful Service
• An Honor Roll of Saints
• Does It Matter What You Believe?
• A Church to Remember

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Book of Job

“Title”

As with other books of the Bible, Job bears the name of the narrative’s primary character.

This name might have been derived from the Hebrew word for “persecution,” thus meaning “persecuted one.”

Or from an Arabic word meaning “repent,” thus bearing the name “repentant one.”

The author recounts an era in the life of Job, in which he was tested and the character of God was revealed.

New Testament writers directly quote Job twice (Rom. 11:35; 1 Cor. 3:19), plus Ezek. 14:14, 20; and James 5:11 show that Job was a real person.

“Authorship”

The book does not name its author.

Job is an unlikely candidate because the book’s message rests on Job’s ignorance of the events that occurred in heaven as they were related to his ordeal.

One Talmudic tradition suggests Moses as author since the land of Uz (1:1) was adjacent to Midian where Moses lived for 40 years, and he could have obtained a record of the story there.

Solomon is also a good possibility due to the similarity of content with parts of the book of Ecclesiastes, as well as the fact that Solomon wrote the other Wisdom books (except Psalms, and he did author Psalms 72 and 127).

Though he lived long after Job, Solomon could have written about events that occurred long before his own time, in much the same manner as Moses was inspirited to write about Adam and Eve.

Elihu, Isaiah, Hezekiah, Jeremiah, and Ezra have also been suggested as possible authors, but without support.

The date of the book’s writing may be much later that the events recorded within.

This conclusion is based on;

(1) Job’s age (42:16);

(2)His life span of nearly 200 years (42:16), which fits the patriarchal period (Abraham lived 175 years; Gen. 25:7);

(3)The social unit being the patriarchal family;

(4)The Chaldeans who murdered Job’s servants (1:17), were nomads and had not yet become city dwellers;

(5)Job’s wealth being measured in livestock rather than gold and silver (1:3; 42:12);

(6)Job’ priestly functions within his family (1:4-5); and

(7)A basic silence on matters such as the covenant of Abraham, Israel, the Exodus, and the Law of Moses. The events of Job’s odyssey appear to be patriarchal. Job, on the other hand, seemed to know about Adam (31:33), and the Noahic flood (12:15). These cultural and historical features found in the book appear to place the events chronologically at a time probably after Babel (Gen. 11:1-9), but before or contemporaneous with Abraham (Gen. 11:27).

The name of the author is not indicated in the book.

That Job himself could not have written all of it is shown by the inclusion of the record of his death (42:17).

Some have suggested that Moses wrote the account.

This hypothesis would explain its inclusion in the canon, but that’s mere speculation.

As far as the date is concerned, a distinction must be drawn between the date of the events and the date of composition.

Most conservative scholars are agreed that the patriarchal age is indicated as the likeliest setting for the events, because Job, the father, acts as priest for the family, and because there is no mention of the tabernacle, temple, law, or national institutions.

On the other hand, such primitive conditions could have easily persisted into later times outside of Israel.

Indeed, the homeland of Job is said to be Uz, apparently located near Edom (compare Lamentations 4:21).

Also, a foreign locale is indicated in that the book shows a distinct preference for the generic word for God, Elohim, as opposed to the personal name of God, Yahweh (or Jehovah).

In spite of the uncertainty of the time or place of the events, the theology of the book is clearly pure monotheism.

The date of composition is widely disputed.

Suggested dates range from the patriarchal age to the Babylonian exile.

If the events transpired during the patriarchal period, the book probably would have been written shortly afterwards in order to preserve the story.

On the other hand, there was a notable flowering of wisdom literature during the reign of Solomon, and the Book of Job may well have been part of those achievements, especially if its events may be dated later in a foreign locale.

The doubt surrounding the date of the book should not obscure its message, which is certainly applicable to any age.

“Introduction”

At its beginning, Job seems to be a book about human suffering.

By its conclusion, the true subject of the book emerges: God’s sovereignty.

In a matter of probably hours, Job had lost everything that was important to him except his wife and his own life.

But he held fast to his integrity, determined to unravel the mystery of why he, a man who had done his utmost to live an upright life, was being treated by God as the chief of sinners.

If he was a sinner deserving divine punishment, he demanded his friends tell him what he had done, which they could not.

He also asked the same of God, and received more silence in response.

The truth is, Job never received an answer as to why he suffered.

But more importantly, he received a deeper understanding of who God is.

The Bible is unique because the reader knows, at least in part, what the main character would have loved to know: Job suffered because Satan accused him of a self-serving devotion to God, claiming that Job was not really righteous but was simply currying God’s favor.

God used the accusation as an opportunity to prove Satan wrong, and all the hurtful events in Job’s life unfolded from there.

In the Old Testament, sin and suffering were connected because of the nature of the covenant.

It was believed that keeping God’s statutes resulted in blessing, and not keeping them resulted in cursing (Lev. 26:1-46); Deut. 28:1-68).

Even though Job lived in the patriarchal period (before the Law was given), such a natural law would have been understood.

So Job’s friends could be excused from assuming Job guilty of a secret sin, secret and serious, given the level of calamity that befell him.

But the Bible adds more ingredients to the recipe for suffering, all of which are found in this book.

To begin with, righteous people like Job do sometimes suffer.

Righteous does not mean totally sinlessness, but living upright in God’s sight.

The book portrays Job as a faithful man who honestly tried to do right before God, and who acknowledged his errors and sought to correct things when he faltered (42:1-6).

Still, he suffered, but not because of sin.

So deeper questions must be asked and answered.

Job asked, but he got an answer he was not expecting.

Second, a third party operates between God and man, with God’s permission.

In Job, we see Satan’s primary method of spiritual warfare: attempting to discredit God in man’s sight.

Satan cannot harm God, but he can attempt to influence how man perceives God, whether as unjust, unfair, or unloving.

Satan causes Job to suffer unjustly in an attempt to get Job to attack God.

He also accuses Job of being self-serving, trying to make God look unjust in the eyes of the heavenly hosts for not punishing a sinner like Job.

But Satan’s plot was foiled by the third variable, that there can be godly purposes in suffering unrelated to sin or punishment.

Job suffered so he might have a deeper and more accurate knowledge of God.

This happened without his even knowing about the precipitating conversation between Satan and God.

As one of the longest books in the Bible, Job can be captured under four headings:

“Prologue” (chapters 1 and 2): the setting for Job’s suffering;

“Dialogues” (chapters 3 through 27): accusations and answers between Job and his friends;

“Monologues” (chapters 28:1 to 42:6): discourses by Job, Elihu and God;

“Epilogue” (chapter 42:7 – 17): Job’s understanding of God and Job’s restoration. “What does all of this mean”:

Job speaks of foundational themes every human being contends with, especially in times of suffering.

“God’s Character”:

The book of Job defends the character of a loving and righteous God in spite of earth’s obvious evils and injustices.

Although Job was unaware of the interaction between Satan and God, Job comes to the conclusion that God is just and good.

That is the lesson of the book for anyone who questions God without access to all the facts (See 38:1-42:6).

“Trust”:

Job was forced to walk by faith rather than by sight (2 Cor. 5:7).

He could not see what the reader sees in chapters 1 and 2.

Job’s perspective is best summarized in 13:15 “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.”

Job continued to plead his innocence before God but was prepared to die trusting Him. “Sovereignty”:

Although Satan wreaked havoc in Job’s life on earth, the limits of his activity were (and are) clearly set by God.

Satan can go only so far. This serves as a template for viewing evil on earth.

Satan does not operate as a free agent but is always under the sovereign and deciding hand of God (chapters 1 and 2).

So what does it mean for you?

In Job’s most dreadful and difficult situation, this broken man caught startling glimpses of God and God’s work in his life beyond what he, or perhaps anyone else, had ever seen.

Millennia before Jesus walked this earth as the God-Man, Job saw One who would be Redeemer, Mediator, Friend, Guide, Advocate, and Perfecter of faith, Job saw these intense, beautiful images through his tears.

Those who turn fully to God in their great sorrow, even if they argue, plead, and protest in His presence as job did, will find a pathway nearer to the tender mercies of heaven than they have ever walked before.

Believers talk about trusting in the Lord with their whole heart and refusing to lean on their own understanding.

But no one really knows what that means until circumstances cast them headfirst into a dark and painful place.

If we give ourselves fully to God in those moments, we will obtain keepsakes of Him to treasure now and forever.

“Historical Setting”

The occasion and events that follow Job’s sufferings present significant questions for the faith of believers in all ages.

Why does Job serve God?

Job is heralded for his righteousness, being compared with Noah and Daniel (Ezek. 14:14-20), and for his spiritual endurance (James 5:11).

Several other questions are alluded to throughout Job’s ordeal.

For instance, “Why do the righteous suffer?”

Though an answer to that question may seem important, the book does not give such an answer.

Job never knew the reasons for his suffering and neither did his friends.

The righteous sufferer does not appear to learn about any of the heavenly court debates between God and Satan that precipitated his pain.

In fact, when finally confronted by the LORD of the universe, Job put his hand over his mouth and said nothing.

Job’s silent response in no way trivialized the intense pain and loss he had endured.

It merely underscored the importance of trusting God’s purposes in the midst of suffering because suffering, like all other human experiences, is directed by perfect divine wisdom.

In the end, the lesson learned was that one may never know the specific reason for his suffering; but one must trust in Sovereign God.

That is the real answer to suffering.

The book treats two major themes and many other minor ones, both in the narrative framework of the prologue (chapters 1 and 2), and epilogue (42:7 to 17), and in the poetic account of Job’s torment that lies in between (3:1-42:6).

A key to understanding the first theme of the book is to notice the debate between God and Satan in heaven and how it connects with the 3 cycles of earthly debates between Job and his friends.

God wanted to prove the character of believers to Satan and to all demons, angels and people.

The accusations are by Satan, who indicted God’s claims of Job’s righteousness as being untested, if not questionable.

Satan accused the righteous of being faithful to God only for what they could get.

Since Job did not serve God with pure motives, according to Satan, the whole relationship between him and God was a sham.

Satan’s confidence that he could turn Job against God came, no doubt, from the fact that he had led the holy angels to rebel with him (see note on Rev. 12:4).

Satan thought he could destroy Job’s faith in God by inflicting suffering on him, thus showing in principle that saving faith could be shattered.

God released Satan to make his point if he could, but he failed, as true faith in God proved unbreakable.

Even Job’s wife told him to curse God (2:9), but he refused; his faith in God never failed (see 13:15).

Satan tried to do the same to Peter (see Luke 22:31-34), and was unsuccessful in destroying Peter’s faith (see John 21:15-19).

When Satan has unleashed all that he can do to destroy saving faith, it stands firm (See Romans 8:31-39).

In the end, God proved His point with Satan that saving faith can’t be destroyed no matter how much trouble a saint suffers, or how incomprehensible and undeserved it seems.

A second and related theme concerns proving the character of God to men.

Does this sort of ordeal, in which God and His opponent Satan square off, with righteous Job as the test case, suggest that God is lacking in compassion and mercy toward Job?

Not at all.

As James says, “You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful” (James 5:11).

It was to prove the very opposite (42:10-17).

Job says, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (see verse 2:10).

God’s servant does not deny that he has suffered.

He does deny that his suffering is a result of sin.

Nor does he understand why he suffers.

Job simply commits his ordeal with a devout heart of worship and humility (42:5-6), to a sovereign and perfectly wise Creator, and that was what God wanted him to learn in this conflict with Satan.

In the end, God flooded Job with more blessings than he had ever known.

The major reality of the book is the inscrutable mystery of innocent suffering.

God ordains that His children walk in sorrow and pain, sometimes because of sin (Num. 12:10- 12), sometimes for chastening (Heb. 12:5-12), sometimes for strengthening (2 Cor. 12:7-10; 1 Peter 5:10), and sometimes to give opportunity to reveal His comfort and grace (2 Cor. 1:3-7).

But there are times when the compelling issue in the suffering of the saints is unknowable because it is for a heavenly purpose that those on earth can’t discern (Exodus 4:11; John 9:1-3).

Job and his friends wanted to analyze the suffering and look for causes and solutions.

Using all of their sound theology and insight into the situation, they searched for answers, but found only useless and wrong ideas, for which God rebuked them in the end (42:7).

They couldn’t know why Job suffered because what happened in heaven between God and Satan was unknown to them.

They thought they knew all the answers, but they only intensified the dilemma by their insistent ignorance.

By spreading out some of the elements of this great theme, we can see the following truths in Job’s experience:

1.There are matters going on in heaven with God that believers know nothing about; yet, they affect their lives.

2.Even the best effort at explaining the issues of life can be useless.

3.God’s people do suffer. Bad things happen all the time to good people, so one cannot judge a person’s spirituality by his painful circumstances or successes.

4.Even though God seems far away, perseverance in faith is a most noble virtue since God is good and one can safely leave his life in His hands.

5.The believer in the midst of suffering should not abandon God, but draw near to Him, so out of the fellowship can come the comfort, without the explanation; and

6.Suffering may be intense, but it will ultimately end for the righteous and God will bless abundantly.

“Interpretation – Purpose”

The literary genre of the book has defied classification events.

It should therefore be regarded as a unique piece of didactic poetry based on historical events.

We cannot assume that the author intended the book to be like a reporter’s presentation of what happened in real life.

People from the Middle East are much more poetic in language than Westerners.

In the poetic form the book’s message is most appropriately preserved for perpetuity.

Many suggestions have been made as to the purpose of the book.

However, the overriding intention seems to be to demonstrate to man the inadequacy of human reason to account for the suffering of the innocent.

There is a mystery of divine freedom which does not contradict God’s goodness or sovereignty but remains elusive to man.

Therefore, man is resigned to an attitude of trust and dependence on a good God whose workings man cannot fathom.

4 GRACE JOURNAL
the 5th century A. D., and our manuscripts of it come from a still later
period. The tradition may have some value however. It may not be
that the data on authorship was correctly remembered by the Jews
but that they came to the conclusion of early authorship from various
factors that we too can observe.
That there was an ancient worthy by the name of Job is sure a
from Ezekiel 14:14, 20, which mentions him along with Noah and Daniel.
The reference is similar to that in Jeremiah 15:1, which uses Moses and
Samuel as ancient types of righteousness. It used to be remarked that
the verses in Ezekiel mean little because Daniel is one of the trio, and
the book of Daniel is now regularly placed in the second century B. C.
We are, of course, not willing to concede the late date of Daniel. A
newly discovered Targum, a Targum of Job, interestingly, argues that
the Aramaic of Daniel does not reflect the language of the second cen-
tury B. C. in Palestine as has been so widely believed. It is claimed
that this Targum of Job was translated about 100 B. C. and shows a later
stage of Aramaic than Ezra or Daniel. In any case, this passage in
Ezekiel is no longer held to be against the early date of Job, for the
reference to Daniel is now differently understood. It is now said that
the Daniel of Ezekiel refers not to the canonical Daniel, but to the Daniel
mentioned in the Ugaritic Texts as an ancient wise man, the father of
the hero, Aqhat. Here again, we may enter a disclaimer. The Daniel
of Ugarit is quite different from the righteous man of Ezekiel 14. Ac-
tually Ezekiel does not appeal to these men because they were ancient,
but because they were righteous. But in any case, the verses do assure
us that Ezekiel, about 600 B. C., did know the story of Job.
The only other external evidence for the antiquity of the book
would come from cross references and allusions in other Biblical books.
Proverb 3:11 is one such passage, with the wording quite similar to
Job 5:27. Job says, “Despise not the chastening of the Almighty.”
Proverbs says, “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord.” The
wording of the two passages is identical in Hebrew, except that Job has
the divine name, Shaddai, which it very frequently uses, and Proverbs
uses the more common name, the Tetragram. It also adds a charac-
teristic proverbial touch, “my son.” The force of such a parallel is
debatable, because it is hard to know which book quoted the other,
granted that there was some verbal dependence. The whole chapter is
an encomium of wisdom in terms of a search for wisdom in places which
only God knows. The conclusion is that “the fear of the Lord that is
wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” This conclusion is
quite like Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 15:33 and Psalm 111:10. Again the question
is, did Job build a beautiful poem on the subject of wisdom as defined in
Proverbs and use it in his context? Or did Proverbs and the Psalms take
a theme already developed in Job and allude to it In various verses? We

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Psalm 144

Of David.

1 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;

2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples [Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people] under me.

This second to last psalm of David recapitulates many themes and phrases in David’s earlier psalms. These opening verses recall Psalm 18, David’s prayer of thanksgiving for God’s dramatic deliverance of him in times of battle. The first verse focuses on the victories that David had experienced in military conflict. YHWH is the one who trained his hands and fingers in handling the bow, sling and sword. This is a good example of synonymous parallelism where the second line adds specificity to the first, “my hands…my fingers”. Furthermore, David lists a number of metaphors revealing the nature of YHWH in his life, again reminiscent of the first two verses of Psalm 18. YHWH is “my rock, my steadfast love, my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield.” Several of these terms are battlefield related as this was an identifying feature of David’s life. He first came onto the biblical stage as a soldier while just a boy with a sling, and he is remembered as a victorious king, in the civil war with the house of Saul and for extending the kingdom and the peace of Israel through conflicts with other nations. The final phrase, “who subdues peoples under me” makes sense in that context. However, most manuscripts have “my people”. The difference between the two is a single letter in Hebrew, the apostrophe-like “yohd” at the end of the word. This reading would suggest that David is thinking of how God has blessed his reign as king, how the people of Israel have submitted to his rule, allowing an ordered society to flourish. Of course there was the affair with Absalom that split the nation for a time, but that was resolved and David passed on his kingdom to Solomon, whose name means “peace.” While my life is nothing like David’s, I can make the same claims about YHWH’s character as it relates to the struggles of this life. God has trained me to withstand and to win the battles of this life, and his steadfast love has been the refuge that I run to in times of need.

3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?

4 Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.

As David considers how the LORD has blessed his life as a leader and king, he again marvels at why one so great would have any regard for one so small? He wondered this in Psalm 8:4 after considering who God’s hand had placed the moon and stars, saying “What is man (enosh) that you are mindful of him, the son of adam that you visit him?” Here he wonders the same when he thinks about the hand of God in his life. The sentiment is the same, although the language is a little different, saying “what is adam that you take knowledge of him, the son of man (enosh) that you esteem him?” There is a question there, but it is more of a statement. God does care for each and every human being, even though He shouldn’t. There’s no reason why one so great should give a single thought to a mere mortal man, a body composed of the most basic stuff of the earth, unless we are more than mere mortals. From a human perspective we are exactly as David describes, “a breath” and “a passing shadow.” That is certainly true of a human life in the scope of history. An entire life is merely a dash between our birthday and our deathday. And yet in that lifespan, David has experienced the goodness of God, his blessings in life and his victories in the struggles of this life. Yes, we must be made for more than just this life. Why else would God care about us? According to Psalm 8, YHWH has given us cosmic responsibilities (ruling over the works of his hands, stewarding the bounty of the earth, calling us to make something of the world in the times in which we are born). In the context of Psalm 144, David is looking back on his life and remembering how God gave him responsibility to rule the nation, and how that calling was fulfilled with God’s hand. David revels in the fact that God has taken knowledge of him and has esteemed him, even when there is no earthly reason for him to do so. If God thinks we are worthy of this, then this has profound implications on what we think of ourselves and every other human being. This is the foundation of the modern idea of “self-esteem”. We should think highly of ourselves because God does. We should think highly of everyone else because God does. 

5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!

6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!

In language similar to Psalm 18, David asks for YHWH to show up on his behalf in dramatic fashion. “Bow, stretch out, and bend the heavens” and “come down” he asks. In metaphorical terms, he’s asking YHWH to leave his heavenly throne room and come down through the sky to act upon the earth. God in his awesome vastness will require the bending and stretching of the sky in order to make an opening sizable for him. The first place he lands will be the mountains, the highest places on earth, and he will cause them to bellow with smoke and volcanic fury. Then he will stir up a mighty thunderstorm ripe with static electricity. The phrase in verse six is a verb followed by a noun, “lightning (verb) the lightning (noun)”. God doesn’t shoot mere wooden arrows. He shoots lightning bolts of 300 million volts of electricity, scattering everyone in the area to see shelter in caves and homes. David is calling for a theophany, a God-appearance, a spectacular show of force that will remove any doubt among his enemies that they are on the losing side. David’s prayer was ultimately answered by Jesus, who came to us through the heavens in a dramatic show of force. Not volcanic or meteorological, but earthshaking nonetheless. When he was crucified, the sky darkened, the earth shook and the dead rose from their tombs. Jesus routed the ultimate enemies of mankind, scattering them before the power of the resurrection. Don’t ever underestimate the power of God to quickly change your circumstances. He’ll show up when you least expect it and shake things up. Pray today for a God-appearance. He who split the heavens, made the mountains smoke, and scattered his enemies with lighting is the same God who accompanies you today. 

7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,

8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Having invited God to move into the neighborhood so to speak, to bend the heavens, command the volcanoes and stir up a mighty storm, David asks God to stretch out his hand from on high and pull him out of the deep waters. The phrase “deep waters” is a metaphor for death (or near-death). David is drowning without hope of rescue from men, so he appeals to YHWH to stretch out his hand from heaven and pull him out. The threat to David is coming from language, from foreigners who are using the power of words to destroy him. The “right hand” represented power, as it was the favored and stronger arm of most people. Here the word is used twice for emphasis, “in whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.” Controlling the narrative is a powerful thing. Entire populations have been swayed by lies. Repeated often enough and convincingly enough, falsehood can become accepted truth until we reach an Orwellian moment where we are saying things like “2 + 2 = 5”, and we’ll receive a beating if we say otherwise. David lays the blame for these lies upon foreigners, outsiders who have no stake in the kingdom of Israel, and only desire to see it destroyed. They are not builders, they are wreckers, for it’s much easier to destroy a civilization than to build one. The antidote to falsehood is truth, so David is effectively asking God to make truth known, thereby rescuing David and his kingdom from death. God uses his people today to make the truth known; not just His truth, but THE truth, reality, the way things really are. The arena for this battle for the truth is the public square, but it must be lived out consistently in private as well if we are to have any credibility in the public square. Help me to speak the truth publicly while maintaining a private world that is in line with reality as well. 

9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,

10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.

11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Verse 9 is literally, “a God-song new I will sing to you; on a harp of ten I will psalm to you.” The rescue has not yet come for David, and yet he has already begun to write a new song recounting God’s victorious rescue mission. This is a feature of the psalms where often the psalmist’s lament will turn to worship before the prayer is finished. David can already visualize the victory. It’s as certain as the rising of the sun after a long dark night, the coming of spring after a long cold winter. History has informed David that God gives victory to kings and he will certainly rescue him from the cruel sword, a sword that is empowered by the lies of outsiders. Verse 11 is a repetition of verses 7-8. The word “foreigners” is actually a phrase, “sons of foreignness”, denoting that which is alien and strange. Their words which are meant to destroy will meet the reality of God and truth will win. Reality always wins. David believes this and so he begins writing a God-song to celebrate it. He picks up his ten-stringed harp and crafts a melody in which to place the lyric. In the writing and singing, his fears of drowning in lies are dispelled. This remains one of the most powerful effects of worship today, whether that worship is public or private. Singing and writing new God-songs is an act of faith that also strengthens our faith. So sing a new God-song today in the face of the strange lies that our alien enemies throw at us. 

12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;

David’s future-orientation continues in these last four verses that are a vision of shalom, peace and wholeness. This is stated in the form of a blessing or prayer for others. It starts with the family then moves to work and then to society as a whole. First, may our sons be mature, even in their youth may they be full-grown and strong. “Mature beyond their years” is the phrase that comes to mind when your son does something really wise without your prompting. When they arrive at adulthood before you expect it. They are compared to plants at the fruit-bearing stage, contributing to life and health. Second, may our daughters be the corner pillars, beautifully carved and fit for a palace. The corner pillar was the primary support structure for the building, and the building represents the home (Psalm 127:1). Because of her ability to bring new life into the world, a woman has a unique role in the formation of a family. This is a prayer not only for the fruitfulness of daughters but for their strength to support the family and nurture the children in it so that they might grow up and do the same. Boys and girls growing into adulthood well is key to the health of a culture. This is where we have real problems today in the West. We’ve extended adolescence into the mid-twenties. At the same time we expose them to aspects of adult life while they are children (pornography, drag shows, sexual orientation and gender ideology, sexualized music and art, etc.). As a result, young men do not grow up strong and fruitful and women do not grow up prepared to create and nurture a family. Most young men aren’t expected to grow up until they graduate from college, and few are ready in their teenage years to take on the responsibilities of marriage and parenting. The average age of marriage continues its steady climb and compounding the problem is the sexual confusion resulting in men choosing to act like women (either transgender or homosexual) and choosing sterile relationships or singleness. Likewise, women are encouraged to go to college, have a career and then consider child-bearing after everything else has been accomplished, as if children were an accessory to everything else, not the focus of it all. Access to birth control and abortion have given women the illusion that they can be just like men, even though their bodies were designed for something better, more miraculous. They are daughters of Eve, the “mother of the living” and yet they’ve been convinced that they should act more like Adam. It is a recipe for the collapse of society, and we are already seeing it play out in the form of declining birth rates in the West. A major shift in worldview is required to avoid population collapse. What is more likely is that the population of the West will be replaced by cultures that do value children and family through immigration. 

13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;

14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;[Hebrew with no breaking in or going out] may there be no cry of distress in our streets!

15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!

When everything is right with our children and families, all of society will prosper. Having offered a blessing for our sons and daughters, the psalmist prays a blessing for our work. This portion of the psalm should be connected with Psalm 127 which also speaks of home and work as the foundations of society. The prayer for work is that it would be rewarded with abundance. As an agricultural economy, this was expressed in the form of full granaries after the harvest, sheep reproducing successfully and filling the fields, and cattle as well, all capable of reproducing themselves. In this way it relates to the previous verse about sons and daughters, maturing and supporting the family for the purpose of reproduction. Doing work and family God’s way results in prosperity and a good life for all. There will be “no cry of distress in our streets”, suggesting peace and stability. Verse 15 is a blanket blessing to the people whose God is YHWH, those who have aligned their lives with God’s design and purpose for them will enjoy the riches of family life and work. The blessings don’t come accidentally or randomly. They are linked to Torah observance. Doing life God’s way is the way to access these blessings. Doing life in opposition to what God has designed and desired will bring about the opposite of these blessings — immaturity, barrenness, poverty, and civil unrest.

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Psalm 144: Battle

Devotionals > Old Testament > Psalms > Psalm 144: Battle

Psalm 144: Battle

July 19, 2022

TODAY’S BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 17-19, Psalm 144, Luke 11:29-36, 2 Thessalonians 1

Psalm 144:

Life can sometimes feel like a battle. Endless demands. You get up early and work hard. Then there are the children. The bills. The taxes. On and on it goes: you fight for health, you fight to be heard, you fight to get good grades, you fight to do what is right. David was a real warrior in the most literal sense. And yet David knew it was God “who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle” (144:1). What has David learned about battling with the Lord on his side, and with God training and equipping him?

First, that despite our inadequacy as humans, God still loves his people (144:2-4). We are but a “breath…a fleeting shadow” (144:4). But still, “He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer.” So the first lesson is to lean upon the character of God, not upon our own worthiness to receive his love and strength.

Second, that God is all-powerful (144:3-11). Certainly the battle is real. There is a “deadly sword” (144:10). There are lies and deceit (144:8). But, in wonderful imagery of God’s power, David draws upon the thunderstorm to evoke the kind of majestic might that God alone wields. “Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy” (144:6). The second lesson then is to lean upon the power of God, not be fearful of the power of people.

Third, David refuses to be brow-beaten by circumstances but looks to the future blessing of God in hope (144:12-15). “Then,” verse 12, David envisions, there will be all kinds of blessings. Sons and daughters thriving, barns full, sheep, oxen, no defeat by the enemy. All the signs of blessing in a material sense: family, economy and defense. But there is a much higher blessing still: “blessed is the people whose God is the Lord” (144:15). The greatest blessing of all is to know God and to be known by God. The third lesson then is to lean on hope, and not give in to despair when you are in the midst of the battle.

These are David’s lessons for fighting the good fight of faith, lessons from a real warrior who knew that God trained him for battle. Lean upon the character of God who loves you. Lean upon the power of God which protects you. Lean upon the hope of God that will not let you down.

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Josh Moody (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is the senior pastor of College Church in Wheaton, IL., president and founder of God Centered Life Ministries, and author of several books including How the Bible Can Change Your Life and John 1-12 For You.

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Psalm 144: Summary of themes and key insights

Psalm 144, attributed to King David, reflects themes of divine strength, human fragility, and God’s intervention in the lives of His people. This psalm, likely penned during a period of conflict or trouble, showcases David’s reliance on God for both victory in battle and prosperity for his nation. 

Here’s a breakdown of the key elements and themes often highlighted in seminary lectures and commentaries on Psalm 144:

1. God as David’s strength and fortress (verses 1-11)

• Praise for God’s power and training: David begins by blessing God, describing Him as his Rock who trains his hands for war and his fingers for battle. This acknowledges God’s role in equipping him for leadership and warfare.
• A multitude of names for God: David uses various titles to express God’s multifaceted protection: “my lovingkindness,” “my fortress,” “my high tower,” “my deliverer,” “my shield,” and “my refuge”. This emphasizes the comprehensive nature of God’s care and provision.
• Human frailty and God’s amazing grace: David reflects on the insignificance and brevity of human life, contrasting it with God’s eternal existence and greatness. He marvels that God would be mindful of mankind, showcasing God’s unexpected care for the unworthy. 

2. Prayer for divine intervention against enemies (verses 5-8, 11)

• Plea for God’s dramatic appearance: David appeals for God to “bow the heavens and come down” and to “touch the mountains so they smoke”. This imagery draws on powerful displays of God’s might and past interventions, such as those at Mount Sinai and against Pharaoh.
• Request for rescue from oppressive forces: He asks for deliverance from “deep waters” (likely symbolizing overwhelming danger) and from the grasp of deceitful foreigners.
• The nature of the enemies: These adversaries are portrayed as those who speak falsehood and act treacherously, highlighting the need for God’s protection from both physical and moral threats. 

3. Anticipation of victory and commitment to praise (verses 9-10)

• Promise of a new song: David expresses his confidence in God’s deliverance by promising to sing a “new song” of praise, perhaps with musical accompaniment, according to Blue Letter Bible.
• God as the source of salvation: He proclaims that God “gives salvation to kings” and rescues His servant David, emphasizing God’s role in delivering his people from harm. This may even foreshadow the ultimate salvation found in the Son of David, Jesus Christ. 

4. Prayer for national prosperity and peace (verses 12-15)

• Vision of flourishing generations: David desires for sons to be like strong plants and daughters like beautiful corner pillars of a palace, representing a healthy and thriving populace.
• Desire for abundance and security: He prays for full granaries, abundant livestock, and freedom from war and distress in the streets.
• Blessedness of God’s people: The psalm concludes by declaring the happiness of the people whose God is the Lord, emphasizing that true prosperity and peace are found in a right relationship with Him. 

Theological implications

• God’s active involvement: The psalm underscores God’s active involvement in the lives of His people, providing strength, protection, and intervention in times of need.
• Balancing piety and warfare: Psalm 144 demonstrates that true piety is not detached from the struggles of life, but rather empowers individuals for spiritual warfare, while simultaneously fostering devotion to God.
• Holistic well-being: The psalm connects spiritual devotion to God with tangible blessings of family, prosperity, and peace, reminding us that God cares about every aspect of our lives.
• Reliance on God, not self-reliance: David’s humble acknowledgment of his frailty and dependence on God contrasts with worldly self-reliance, highlighting the importance of seeking God’s power and guidance in all endeavors.
• God’s unchanging nature: Despite the uncertainties of life, Psalm 144 reminds us that God remains committed to rescuing His people from deceit and delivering them into His truth. 

This psalm serves as a powerful reminder for believers to trust in God’s strength, seek His blessings in all areas of life, and live as a testament to His transforming love. 

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Psalm 144. The four preceding psalms seem to have been penned by David before his accession to the crown, when he was persecuted by Saul; this seems to have bee…

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He praises and blesses God: * For what God is to him. (Ver. 1.) “My Strength.” Perpetual demand arose for strength. Fierce foes were all around, and as formidab…

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Aug 15, 2022 — A. Prayer and worship regarding seasons of war. * (Psalm 144:1-2) Praising God who blessed and helped David in battle. Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains m…

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Psalms 144 – The Pulpit Commentaries – StudyLight.org

That our daughters may be as cornerstones, polished (or, “carved”) after the similitude of a palace. The daughters are like carved pillars, lighting up the angu…

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Enduring Wordhttps://enduringword.comEnduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 144

David Guzik commentary on Psalm 144, which was written by David in seasons of war, praising God for the blessing of peace.

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Blue Letter Biblehttps://www.blueletterbible.orgPsalm 144 by C. H. Spurgeon

Happy was the nation which he ruled; happy in its king, in its families, in its prosperity, and in the possession of peace; but yet more in enjoying true religion and worshipping Jehovah, the only living and true God. EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS. Whole Psalm.—The psalm, in its mingled tones of prayer and …

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Danny Akinhttps://www.danielakin.comPDFThe Song of a King for Himself and His People Psalm 144 Introduction

God is, who we are, and what we can trust God to do for us. Psalm 144 helps us gain clarity in each of these areas, while pointing us to the final, climactic and eschatological victory of the Davidic Messiah, King Jesus. Our Lord is a Warrior and a blessing, as a warrior, to his people. 2) Psalm 144 is something of …

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biblestudydaily.orghttps://biblestudydaily.orgPsalms 144-150 – Bible Study Daily

Psalm 144 is a psalm of David in which he prays for God to give him victory in combat. In verses 1-2, David praises God as his rock who had trained him for battle. God is his love, fortress, stronghold, deliverer, and shield. In verses 3-11, David marvels that since life is short (like a vapor), God reaches out to …

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Bible.orghttps://bible.orgPsalm 144

Jan 2, 2014 — NASB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV, NJB. Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity MT Intro A Psalm of David. A Song To the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People, A King Prays for Deliverance, A King Thanks God for Victory, Hymn for War and Victory. 144:1-4, 144:1-2, 144:1-2, 144:1-2, 144:1-2. 144:3-4, 144:3-4 …

YouTube · Through the Bible with Pastor Paul23.5K+ views · 5 years agoPsalm 144 • A Psalm for the Day of Battle

10:26

This content isn’t available. A chapter-by-chapter and verse-by-verse study of the Psalms taught by Pastor Paul LeBoutillier of Life Bible Ministry. Full study through Psalms plus study notes: http://www.lifebibleministry.com/psalms Studies through the entire Bible: http://www.lifebibleministry.com/through-the-bible …

3 key moments in this video

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Logos Sermonshttps://sermons.logos.comPsalm 144

In fact, Psalm 2, which we looked at some time ago, sets the scene for the whole book of Psalms with an anointed warrior king who is the Son of God. With the power of God he subdues the nations and defeat’s God’s enemies. He reigns over God’s people with God’s anointing and God’s blessing.

StudyLight.orghttps://www.studylight.orgPsalms 144 – Clarke’s Commentary

Verse 1. PSALM CXLIV. The psalmist praises God for his goodness, 1, 2. Exclamations relative to the vanity of human life, 3, 4. He prays against his enemies, 5-8;. and extols God’s mercy for the temporal blessings enjoyed by. his people, 9-15. NOTES ON PSALM CXLIV. The Hebrew, and all the Versions, attribute this …

The Westminster Standardhttps://thewestminsterstandard.orgPsalm 144

This psalm was probably composed by David upon the occasion of his advancement to the throne, 1 Chron. 12, 2 Sam. 5, as Psalm 138, 75, etc. In it we have, (1.) Thankful acknowledgements of God’s relation to him, and condescending kindness towards him, ver. 1-4. (2.) Supplication for divine deliverance from his …

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commonorgardentheologian.co.ukhttps://commonorgardentheologian.co.ukPsalm 144: What is man, and what are our sons and daughters? Forming …

Feb 16, 2022 — Psalm 144 (‘Of David‘) opens with the bold praises and declarations of a man- a king, indeed- who sounds supremely confident in who he is, and Whose he is. Moses talked back to God at the Burning Bush, protesting that he wasn’t half as competent at public speaking as the job description seemed to …

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Psalm 144 – War and Peace

Video for Psalm 144:

Psalm 144 – War and Peace

This psalm has the title A Psalm of David. It is believed to have been written near the time David came to be recognized as the king over all the tribes of Israel, and the psalm expresses David’s heart for the nation in both war and peace.

“It appears from verse 2 and verse 10 of this psalm, that it was composed after David’s accession to the throne. And it is evident, from verse 5, etc. that he had more enemies still to conquer, such as the Philistines, etc.” (George Horne)

A. Prayer and worship regarding seasons of war.

1. (1-2) Praising God who blessed and helped David in battle.

Blessed be the LORD my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues my people under me.

a. Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war: David was a remarkable warrior, who in today’s terms would be an elite special forces soldier. David killed many men in hand-to-hand combat, as described in 1 Samuel 17:48-50 and 18:26-27. Training is an essential part of success as a soldier, and David understood that it was the LORD who had trained his hands for war and his fingers for battle.

i. In his youth, David’s hands and fingers were familiar with “…the [shepherd’s] hook and [musician’s] harp, and not to the sword and spear; but God hath apted and abled them to feats of arms, and warlike exploits.” (Trapp)

ii. Adam Clarke listed the weapons he thought David intended: “…to use the sword, battle-axe, or spear…to use the bow and arrows, and the sling.”

iii. Who trains my hands for war: If a man or woman feels that God is training him or her to use spiritual weapons – such as the sword of the Spirit, the word of God – then training must always continue. It is never “who trained my hands for war,” but always in the present: who trains my hands for war.

iv. Spurgeon wrote of the danger of using some weapons without adequate training – a danger in both the natural and spiritual realms: “Untrained force is often an injury to the man who possesses it, and it even becomes a danger to those who are round about him; and therefore the psalmist blesses the Lord as much for teaching as for strength.”

b. My lovingkindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer: David poured out names and titles for God, each representing some aspect of God’s character or help that had been of use in battle. David knew God’s help and presence in many ways, not just one or two.

i. Of all the names and titles, we note that David began with my lovingkindness (hesed, the great word for God’s loyal and covenant love). He loved and valued God for being his fortress, his high tower, his deliverer, his shield, his refuge, and his conquering victory. Yet first among all those was the gift from God of love, mercy, and faithfulness.

ii. “In Psalm 144 David is extremely personal as he confesses who he had found God to be. He says ‘my Rock,’ ‘my loving God,’ ‘my fortress,’ ‘my stronghold,’ ‘my deliverer,’ and ‘my shield’.” (Boice)

c. Who subdues my people under me: David likely wrote this after he was received as king over all the tribes of Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-5). If this psalm comes from an earlier period, he may have meant the subduing of the mighty men under his authority (as in 1 Samuel 22:1-2).

i. “Men who rule others should thank God if they succeed in the task. Such strange creatures are human beings, that if a number of them are kept in peaceful association under the leadership of any one of the Lord’s servants, he is bound to bless God every day for the wonderful fact.” (Spurgeon)

2. (3-4) The unexpected love and care of God for humanity.

LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow.

a. LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? In the previous lines David exalted God’s great strength and victory. In light of that, it amazed David that God would have an interest in him, or in humanity in general.

i. Psalm 8:4 asks the same questions from a slightly different perspective. Here the emphasis is on the LORD as a warrior that none can oppose. In Psalm 8:4 the emphasis is on the power of God as Creator and sustainer of the universe.

ii. “The Lord thinks much of man, and in connection with redeeming love makes a great figure of him: this can be believed, but it cannot be explained.” (Spurgeon)

b. Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? David used the common method of repetition to bring emphasis to the concept of God’s unusual and even unexpected care for humanity.

i. “Though I am king over my people, yet, alas, I am but a man. a base, sinful, mortal, and miserable creature; if compared with thee, less than nothing and vanity.” (Poole)

c. Man is like a breath: Having been responsible for the death of so many men, and having been so near to death himself, David knew how temporary human life was. It was as fleeting as a breath or a passing shadow.

i. “The psalmist does not present his petition before the Lord timidly but with boldness. He knows his God; and despite human shortcomings, he is convinced that the Lord does ‘care for him’ and ‘think of him.’” (VanGemeren)

3. (5-8) A plea for rescue from the great God.

Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

a. Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down: David used phrases and images from God’s appearance on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-20) to give the sense of awe and even terror connected with God’s presence.

i. “He wants God to be as present in his day as he was when he revealed himself at Sinai.” (Boice)

ii. “In like manner, the church, or mystical body of Christ, is instant in prayer for the final completion of all her hope. She wisheth for the glorious day, when her God and Saviour shall bow the heavens, and come down to judgment, causing the mountains to smoke, and flame, and dissolve, and flow down before him; when his lightnings, those arrows of his indignation, and ministers of his vengeance, shall scatter the host of darkness, and destroy the anti-christian powers; when we shall be delivered from every enemy, and from all that hate us.” (Horne)

b. Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters: David asked that the same God of majestic awe would fight for him, sending forth lightning like arrows against the foreigners who fought against David with lies and falsehood.

i. During David’s days as a fugitive from Saul, he had many men who informed against him so they might gain favor with King Saul (1 Samuel 22:6-10, 23:19-20). David also likely faced whisperers and liars against his character when he was king. Like the greater Son of David, he was often lied about and slandered.

ii. When David spoke against these foreigners, it was not because of their nationality. By their actions they proved that they were truly foreigners from the people of God and rejected Yahweh, the God of Israel.

iii. “Those against whom he pleaded were out of covenant with God; they were Philistines and Edomites; or else they were men of his own nation of black heart and traitorous spirit, who were real strangers, though they bore the name of Israel!” (Spurgeon)

B. Praise and prayer to God for the blessing of peace.

1. (9-10) Praise to the God who rescues.

I will sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
The One who gives salvation to kings,
Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.

a. I will sing a new song to You, O God: New victories and new deliverance required a new song. God’s love and help for David were always fresh and new, so his praise would also be.

i. I will sing a new song: “Upon the receipt of any new mercy, like as in a lottery, at every new prize drawn the trumpet soundeth.” (Trapp)

b. On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You: David was a skilled musician (1 Samuel 16:18), and he played his harp of ten strings as he sang praises to God.

c. The One who gives salvation to kings: David had felt God’s help many times as a humble shepherd boy (1 Samuel 17:34-36) and as a despised fugitive (1 Samuel 23:24-29). We sense that David was almost surprised that God would also help him as king, rescuing him from the deadly sword.

2. (11-15) Praying that the enemy be defeated so that God’s people would prosper.

Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

a. Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners: David here repeated the idea from earlier in the psalm (Psalm 144:7-8). The presence and destructive work of these foreign liars and false speakers were of great concern to him, and he pleaded with God to rescue him.

b. That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth: David prayed for a series of blessings that would come among God’s people when God dealt with the evil speakers in their midst. The list of blessings focuses on the concerns of everyday people in farming societies:

· Blessed with children in the home; well-rooted and flourishing sons, and stable and stately daughters.

· Blessed in the work of their hands, with barns full, ten thousands of sheep, and oxen burdened with heavy harvests.

· Blessed with safety and peace in the community, with no violence (breaking in or going out) or riot over injustice (outcry in our streets).

i. “The Lord had promised to bless his people with stalwart youth, productivity, and prosperity, and to protect them from enemy attacks and humiliation (cf. Leviticus 26:1-13; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 132:13-18).” (VanGemeren)

ii. Daughters may be as pillars: “…the daughters as the very picture of statuesque elegance and strength, ‘like sculptured pillars at the corners of a palace’ (New English Bible). There has been nothing slipshod in their upbringing.” (Kidner)

iii. “We desire a blessing for our whole family, daughters as well as sons. For the girls to be left out of the circle of blessing would be unhappy indeed.” (Spurgeon)

iv. No breaking in or going out: “So well ordered is the police of the kingdom, that there are no depredations, no robbers, house-breakers, or marauding parties, in the land; no sudden incursions of neighbouring tribes or banditti breaking into fields or houses, carrying away property, and taking with them the people to sell them into captivity: there is no such breaking in, and no such going out, in the nation.” (Clarke)

c. Happy are the people who are in such a state: David prayed as a wise and caring king, asking God for blessing upon his people in their common, everyday lives.

i. “This mercy I beg, not only for my own sake, but for the sake of thy people, that thine and our enemies being subdued, and peace established in the land, thy people may enjoy those blessings which thou hast promised to them.” (Poole)

ii. “These verses may with a little accommodation be applied to a prosperous church, where the converts are growing and beautiful, the gospel stores abundant, and the spiritual increase most cheering. There ministers and workers are in full vigour, and the people are happy and united. The Lord make it so in all our churches evermore.” (Spurgeon)

d. Happy are the people whose God is the LORD: Yet such blessings could only come to God’s covenant people when they were loyal to God as they had promised to be loyal (Exodus 24:3-8). When they looked to Yahweh as their only God and Master, rejecting all the idols of the nations, the promised blessings were granted – and God’s people were happy.

i. What was true for David and Israel under the Old Covenant is even truer for the believer in Jesus under the New Covenant. It should be said of believers, Happy are the people whose God is the LORD. This is our promise and heritage as believers, followers of Jesus Christ.

ii. “Those who worship the happy God become a happy people.” (Spurgeon)

iii. “The prayer ends at the source of the harmony it has visualized. For while it treasures the gifts, it reserves its final beatitude for the relationship behind them: that of being the people who know the Lord as their own.” (Kidner)

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