Psalms 58 And 109 Series

For Sermon Central researchers: I have posted a series of 15 sermons on the Psalms. In recent personal studies I have found the psalms to be richer and more thought-provoking than I had fully appreciated. I had too often swept swiftly through psalms without slowing down to inquire as thoroughly as I might have into the depths of meaning and feeling that are expressed by the psalmists. Upon deeper examination and reflection, I find the psalms to be highly relevant to Christians in every age. My most recent foray into the psalms led me to present a series of studies of selected psalms in a class environment.

In my classes I did not examine every psalm, or every verse of the ones I did. Rather, I presented selected psalms that I believe to be representative of the collection in the book of Psalms. The studies were held in a class environment suitable for pauses for questions and discussion, and to pose “thought questions” where the meanings are not readily apparent, as is often the case in poetry. My notes include suggested points for such pauses, and I have not removed them in Sermon Central posts.

I developed the material with the view in mind that the series may be well used as sermons. There is an introductory sermon that describes what psalms are (whether they are in the 150-chapter book or elsewhere) and explains my approach to the series. The psalms I selected were presented in no particular order in the classes; however, I suggest that anyone using this material as a series begin with the introductory sermon and follow it with Psalms 1 and 2 in that order, as the first two psalms function as a pair. Beyond that, the selected psalms may be presented in any order.

To get as much enjoyment as we could from our study, I did some of the reading from the KJV, which I believe is the most beautiful of the English bible translations. For clarity we also used other versions, mainly ESV, which I have used for several years and the one I have come to prefer.

Psalms 58 & 109

Start by reading Psalm 23 in KJV.

This is the most familiar and most would agree the most beautiful psalm.

Henry Ward Beecher (19th century preacher) said “Psalm 23 is the nightingale of the Psalms.”

As lovely as the psalm is, there is one sour note in it – a line that is at least unpretty if not ugly.

It is brief, and the psalm is so familiar it could easily escape our notice.

Psalm 23:5 “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies…”

David has enemies.

Among the pleasant visions he has been reciting is this one: a banquet for David.

David’s enemies are present to see him honored, the enemies are observers, but it seems that they are not participants in the celebration. But either way that goes, the point is that David’s enemies are jealous of the honor bestowed on him. That is the pleasant vision expressed in that single line.

I. Conflicts between people are common

Sometimes others make it unavoidable for us to have enemies. David found it so. He faced many enemies in his life, beginning with the big Philistine Goliath. The Philistines as a whole, other neighboring countries, even his own son.

Read Psalm 58 and Psalm 109:1-20

Did the Israelites really sing these psalms?

If the 23rd is the “nightingale” of the psalms, what is this? The buzzard?

David is actually calling for God to wreak vengeance on David’s own enemies, specifying in detail how God should bring it. And David expects to get satisfaction from it.

Jesus said, “…pray for them that despitefully use you.”

Is the man after God’s heart showing us in these psalms how to pray for our enemies?

When we read the bible, and especially when we read a difficult passage like these, the thought should be foremost in our minds: What are we intended to take away from this divinely inspired knowledge? Let’s delve into it.

Under the law there were special provisions for avenging wrongs suffered:

The details are spelled out in Numbers 35:9-29 and again in Deuteronomy 19:1-13. When a person caused the death of another, the law provided for an “avenger”, or “avenger of blood.” The word “avenger” in the original Hebrew literally means “near kinsman” or “to act as the near kinsman.”

Six cities of refuge were located among the tribal territories, as directed by instructions given to Moses long in advance of the entrance into Canaan, the specific cities named in Joshua 20.

The institution of cities of refuge was a very different thing from the heathen sanctuaries where the guilty were protected. These cities of refuge merely protected the refugee from the avenger until the case could be heard before the congregation. If they declared the killer to have committed unintentional manslaughter, he was confined to the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. If they declared him guilty of murder, he was given over to the vengeance of the avenger of blood.