RRB notes on Psalm 17

Psalms 17 KJV

A Prayer of David.

1. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

2. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

3. Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

4. Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

5. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

6. I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

7. Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

8. Keep me as the apple [1] of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, [a]

[1] “The apple” (אִישׁוֹן) is literally “the little man.” “The little man of the eye” is a reference to the pupil. Cases like this are called “dynamic equivalents.”

[a] Figurative expressions (see App. 104 and note on Psa. 6:6).

9. From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

10. They are inclosed in their own fat: [b] with their mouth they speak proudly.

[b] See Judg. 3:17; Job 15:27.

11. They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;

12. Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. [c] 

[c] The Antichrist (1 Pet. 5:8; Job 10:16; Psa. 91:13; Jer. 25:38).

13. Arise, O LORD, [d] disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

[d] Second Advent (Psa. 44:23, 7:6, 9:19, 10:12, 74:22, 82:8, 132:8, etc.).

14. From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, [e] and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

[e] Cf. Job 10:18.

15. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. [2]

[2] These were the last words that George Whitfield breathed before he died in Newburyport, Massachusetts (1770). After repeating the verse several times, he finished with a sigh and the words “I shall be satisfied.” Then after a pause, “satisfied.” That’s how he ended his life.

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Appendix 104 – Figurative Expressions

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Note on Psa. 6:6 KJV I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; [1] I water my couch with my tears. [a]

[1] Notice the figurative language (see note on Job 21:24). Figurative speech is very common in the Bible, and our language is rich with it (see App. 104). The hermeneutical rule is solid: always take the Bible absolutely literally if it’s possible to take it literally; if a passage is absolutely impossible to take literally, then and only then can you take it figuratively (Matt. 26:27-28).

[a] Like Job (Job 7:3-4, 13-15, 16:16, 20, 23:2).

 RRB notes on Psalm 16

Psalms 16 KJV

Michtam of David.

1. Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

2. O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; [1]

[1] Although salvation in the Old Testament is by faith and works, David is saying his goodness doesn’t add anything to God’s goodness. God’s goodness is perfect, so much so that only God can be said to be truly “good” (Matt. 19:16-17).

3. But to the saints that are in the earth, [2] and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

[2] This would mean that what goodness David had, profited the saints down here – other human beings like himself. He delights in excellent saints (real saints, not counterfeits or “fakers”).

4. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. [3]

[3] The “drink offerings” of the Old Testament were poured out as “libations” to the Lord. These “drink offerings,” here, are drunk by the “communicant.” The Roman Catholic Church has been offering this kind of drink offering for centuries in the Mass. The priest claims to turn the wine into the blood of Jesus Christ; then both the priest and the congregation are to drink it (John 6:53-56), although for years the priest kept the “shinny” for himself. I was told that when I received the wafer, I was getting the blood with it, because, after all, “is not the blood in the body?” This pagan sacrifice has no relationship to the Lord’s Supper at all (see comments on Gen. 9:4, 40:10-11; Lev. 17:14; Deut. 32:14; Isa. 65:8; Matt. 26:29; John 6:57, 63). Roman Catholic cannibalism violates all three Testaments (Acts 15:20). Cannibalism is also a mark of worship in the Tribulation (Psa. 44:22; see also note on Neh. 11:1).

5. The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

6. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

7. I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. [a]

[a] See note on Job 33:16.

8. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. [b]

[b] Acts 2:27, 31. The NIV has removed “hell” from both Testaments.

11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

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Note on Nehemiah 11:1 KJV

And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten [1] to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.

[1] The Lord claimed the tithe as His own. Normally, cattle and seed were tithed (Lev. 27:30-32) and brought into “storehouses” (Mal. 3:10) for the support of the Levites (2 Chron. 31:4-10). But here, God has the people tithed. That is because the Jews are connected with a “seed” (Mal. 2:15; Ezra 2:59; Neh. 7:61, 9:8). Seeds are planted to grow something to eat. In Exodus 16:33-36, Moses commanded a tithe of the manna (which was eaten by the Israelites in the wilderness) to be laid up before the Lord. Since the events of Exodus and Numbers were recorded as a “parable” of what will happen to the Jews in the Tribulation (Psa. 78:2-3), the tithe is a picture of Jews, who are hiding from the Antichrist in Selah-Petra, eating manna (MIc. 7:14-15; Rev. 12:6, 14), while the Antichrist’s priests are eating Jews (Isa. 6:13; Psa. 16:4, 106:37) at an altar (Rev. 6:9, 20:4) until the Lord Jesus Christ comes and puts an end to it (Heb. 7:1-2).

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Note on Job 33:16 KJV

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, [1]

[1] (33:16) A remarkable statement. A man can be “loaded” while he is asleep (vs. 15), where his subconscious instructions come as a result of his rejection or acceptance of the truth during the day (Ezek. 14:1-11; 2 Thess. 2:9-12). You will never know how much God has done to people while they were asleep until you get to 1 Corinthians 4:5, or how much he allowed the Devil to do in their subconscious while they were asleep (Eph. 2:2). The instructions can be Biblical or non-biblical (1 Kings 22:21-23). In this case (vs. 18), he has programmed Job to keep him from killing himself or from dying. Look how he programmed “Abimelich” (Gen. 20:6) without Abimelech even knowing about it. The imitation is called “cybernetics,” which means those who get into power (with the Antichrist) will want to program your mind so you will think the thoughts they want you to think.