Psalm 79: How Long will Your Chastisement Continue, Oh Lord?

This psalm is a national lament after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 A.D. It does not appear to have been written personally by Asaph, but for his choir that continued in the temple long after his death. New generations of Levites were recruited and trained to provide music in the temple. It appears that this author was one that was allowed to stay in the land and was not deported with the leaders and merchants.

  I. Lamentation over Jerusalem’s destruction (vs. 1–4)

     A. Pagans have destroyed the city and the temple

     B. Pagans have annihilated the covenant people of God

     C. Even though the people’s idolatry caused God to send the Babylonians in His sovereignty,             they are still fully responsible for their cruelty, desecration, and theft

     D. When the people are faithful to Yahveh and their covenant commitment to Him, He blesses           them beyond measure (Lev 26:1–13)

     E. When the people rebel, are disloyal and unbelieving and give their hearts to false gods,                 Yahveh sends chastisements so they will repent (Lev 26:14–39)

     F. One of the covenantal curses is to not be buried after death, a final humiliation to be                        unloved and insignificant (like a deer carcass along a highway)

NKJV Deuteronomy 28:26 Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and no one shall frighten them away.

ESV Jeremiah 16:4 They shall die of deadly diseases. They shall not be lamented, nor shall they be buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground. They shall perish by the sword and by famine, and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth.

(See also Jer 34:20; Lam 4:14–20)

    G. The siege and the exile kept their relatives from being able to treat them as image bearer’s               of God with dignity and value

    H. Some of the righteous died, but blood flowed like water at the cruelty of the pagans

    I. Those remaining are starving and being ridiculed by foreign peoples

    J. The curses of the covenant are not pleasant (Deut. 28:15–68; 1 Kings 9:6–9)

 II. Question: How long will the discipline last? (vs. 5)

      A. The author acknowledges that God kept His promise to send chastisement

      B. They know why God’s judgment fell on the wicked, He is holy and hates sin

      C. They know they got exactly what they asked for by their national rebellion

      D. The question is, how much longer will we be in exile and Jerusalem in ruins?

NAU Zechariah 8:2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.'"

ESV Jeremiah 25:11–12 This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the LORD, making the land an everlasting waste.

III. Prayer for vindication and forgiveness (vs. 6–9)

      A. Bring justice to the pagans that have denied Yahveh’s existence and power

      B. They have used the exile to dishonor God

      C. Why would God judge His own people and delay the judgment of Babylon?

NIV Amos 3:2 You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore, I will punish you for all your sins.

     D. The pagans have destroyed God’s land, temple, and people and appear to be getting away                with it to others. God’s glory is at stake

     E. The remnant in exile prays for themselves for forgiveness

     F. Yahveh has spared them for a reason, so they call on Him for deliverance, salvation                     (See Dan. 9:1–19)

     G. Even in chastisement, hope remains for God will never abandon His plan of redemption

IV. Question: How long will the pagans be able to deny God exists? (vs. 10a)

    A. The pagans have asked, “Where is the God of the Jews? Why is He not powerful enough to             protect them?

    B. The remnant calls on God to glorify His name by judging the pagans for their war crimes

    C. They want God to step in soon rather than later

ESV Joel 2:17 Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, "Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

 V. Prayer for vindication and restoration (vs. 10b–13)

      A. A needy a suffering slave in a foreign land full of idols calls on God to judge justly

      B. Their hope is that those who saw the blood shed will also see justice rendered

      C. Like the Jews in Egypt their prayers are coming before God for salvation

      D. The sevenfold fold restitution is requesting God’s full justice

      E. Leviticus 26 show the Jews had reached the fifth level of God’s seven-fold punishment

      F. The judgment needs to be equal to the blasphemy of God’s name

     G. The prayer looks in hope to restoration and worship 

      H. Yahveh is still the remnant, the real believer’s shepherd, they are his sheep

       I. The national lament ends in hope because it is a prayer to the Creator God who sustains                  the universe, is sovereign, powerful, loving, and answers His people's prayer

Lessons to live by:

• It always pays to obey God, once we have a relationship with Him. We don’t have the power to obey in ourselves, so we must be born from above first.

• Sin is not worth it for the believer. It costs too much.

• God’s spanking when we sin is not proof that we have lost our salvation, it is proof we were saved to start with, and God is bringing us to repentance (Heb 12:3–14)

• What is it about human nature to never be satisfied with God’s timing? Confess this as sin and wait on the LORD

• God hears our prays when we are suffering. He is still our Shepherd when He allows us to suffer

• Hope in God! Have faith in God. Believe Him, trust Him, love Him, repent and obey Him

Psalm 59: God is My Rescuer

This psalm is viewed by some as an individual lament, others a community lament, and still others as a royal lament. It was written by David as a song of mourning and prayer, asking God to deliver him from his enemies, but it broadens out to the nations. The first event that is tied to this prayer is 1 Sam 19:11–18. But it is applicable to many situations, much broader than an evil king abusing his power. There are several themes in this psalm that make it difficult to see the structure intended by the author. It seems each Bible student divides the psalm differently.

  I. A prayer for deliverance/salvation (vs. 1–3)

     A. God alone is the One who can deliver, protect, save

     B. David cannot turn to the government; it is a wicked ruler who is stalking him

     C. The righteous will have enemies that will seek their destruction and use ruthless tactics

     D. The wicked deny the sacredness of human life, they are people of bloodshed

     E. The wicked set traps for the righteous and loves to divide people

     F. The wicked love sinful behavior and breaking God’s laws and bringing calamity on others

    G. The wicked use the element of surprise to their advantage

 II. A cry for justice (vs. 4–5)

     A. The wicked attack the righteous without cause

     B. The government was pursing David when he was innocent

     C. The government is not following justice, but the will of corrupt men

     D. God, the sovereign king, must reign in the wicked leaders: God is the Divine Warrior

     E. It is God who punishes the nations of the world for violating His moral law

     F. Yahweh is the God of armies and the God of Israel, His covenant people

    G. Antagonistic people will attack the innocent they perceive as a threat to their power or 

         position, do not join yourselves with them

    H. The Great King in a covenant was responsible to bring his army to defend his loyal 

         governors and subjects (Rev 19:11–21)

III. A description of the wicked (vs. 6–7)

     A. The wicked are like a pack of wild dogs that come into an area looking for food

     B. They are cowards, but they try to intimidate others with their noise

     B. They promote disorder, division, and chaos, and are extremely arrogant

     C. Their talk is mocking, scoffing, accusing, and lying

     D. They deny God’s sovereignty and God’s justice

          1. They are sure they will get away with their sin

          2. They think no one knows about their backroom deals or midnight meetings

IV. A description of God, our hope (vs. 8–10a)

      A. God sees, hears, and records all things. He laughs at those covering up sin

      B. God knows that lawbreaking is self-destructive and the secrets will be revealed

      C. God will make sure His will triumphs in justice and deliverance (Exod 1:8)

      D. Yahweh is stronger than the enemies of the believer

      E. Yahweh is a stronghold and defender of His people

      F. God showers His hesed (covenant love) on his anointed ruler and on His people 

 V. A cry for justice (vs. 10b–13)

      A. God will bring deliverance and justice in His time

      B. The wicked rulers will be held accountable for their thoughts, plans, deeds, and words

      C. These men are deceptive, cruel, and corrupt. What they have sown, they will reap

      D. God will make an example out of the wicked rulers from time to time

      E. These men are liars, slanderers, arrogant, and proud

      F. Wrath from God will come upon them, even though they were part of His wrath on others

     G. God punishment of the wicked shows His rule and authority over Israel, the church, and 

          the world 

     H. God’s wrath on the wicked is another proof of His existence and sovereignty

VI. Trust in God’s response (vs. 14–17)

      A. While the wicked are barking and growling, the righteous are praising God in song

      B. We sing of God’s power, sovereignty, and might, therefore we can trust Him to act

      C. We sing with joy of God’s grace and covenant love

      D. Each new day we can sing of God’s power and might to judge evil

      E. Faith and confidence replace the mourning of the acts of wicked leaders

      F. God has protected David and His people for generations through the times of persecution

      G. God is the only reliable stronghold and refuge in tough times

      H. God is our strength, so let's join David and praise Him for His awesome power

       I. We will experience the hatred of the enemies of the truth, but at the same time, the 

           covenant love of our God

Lessons to live by:

• Salvation/deliverance ultimately comes from God and not from men or nations

• Wicked governmental leaders will pursue and seek to destroy God’s people

• We can cry to God for justice like the Jews under Egyptian bondage

• Wicked talk reveals a wicked heart

• God alone is our true defense and shield

• God loves you and will bring about justice in His time

• God is all powerful, and fully sovereign, He sees and knows all

• God is holy and will bring to justice those who do wicked deeds

• God’s wrath is now being revealed from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men

• We should praise God for who He is during the trials and storms

• God is faithful and God has covenant love for His people