Weekly Devotion ( Psalm 18-21)
Psalm 18 “Yahweh” is the name God himself revealed to Moses and the Israelites, and is also the name by which God established his covenant (salvation) with them. (Exodus 3:13-15, 20:2) The English Bible expresses this as “the LORD”. David uses this opening declaration to praise God because he belongs to the people of God. God is his strength, and is the source of all salvation described later on in this Psalm. All that he deeply experienced here led him to cry out the intimate phrase, “I love you”, responding to God’s acceptance and salvation. In the midst of the heart-pounding heat of battle, and the verge of life and death, the cry to God for help is expressed in a personified and lively way, describing God’s intervention and personal arrival for salvation, judgement of the enemy, and the reaction of the natural world… so on. All this precisely proves the faithfulness and authority of the covenant-establishing Saviour Lord. In the calm of everyday life, the believer may feel as if the salvation of the body and the soul are unrelated, yet in distress, the two will be recognized as one matter, inseparable, and even more so, the urgency and preciousness of salvation will be felt. May the Lord help us to recognize the necessity of spiritual warfare and learn to completely trust in the Lord for victory. Everything David did was done on the basis of “trusting in the LORD”, and the grounds for his righteousness was obeying God’s will (Word, law, ordinances), what ought to have been kept on the side of the person making a covenant with the LORD, thus, “he rescued me because he delighted in me.” This is in accordance to and does not violate the doctrine of justification by faith. The Word of God is perfect and pure, making also David’s actions perfect (V30). When the goal and direction of a person’s life is clear, and when God’s calling is clearly understood and clearly followed, there will be continued guidance to complete the mission that is given: “He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.” Spiritual warfare is likewise. God’s gentleness needs to be genuinely practiced and equipped so that the chosen person may be made complete, experiencing battles and triumphing over the enemy. All these victorious battles and the Anointed One point towards the victory of Christ over the devil in the end.
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Psalm 19 The general revelation of nature, and the special revelation received by being in a covenant with the LORD, both are from God. The former displays the work of creation and providence of God in nature; the latter points towards the redemptive works of God towards humanity, created in his image, displayed by the law instituted by the covenant, reflecting the will and goodness of God, allowing people to turn back, and return to the precious image in the beginning. God’s work of creation, providence and redemption (including the salvation described in Psalm 18), in the eyes of David, are all alive, active, full of energy, pure, refined, beautiful, and precious, because “the LORD is a living God” (18:46). When we use the same lively way to know God, his creation and his Word (The living and enduring Word of God, 1 Peter 1:23), our lives will be empowered and have a living hope (1 Peter 1:3); our lives, attitudes and speech will no longer be rigid, cold and boring (refer to 2 Samuel 6:20~), because that kind of knowing will surely bring about a renewal and change in our lives, and can be said to be the result of “in keeping these there is great reward”, and that is surely what the hypocritical and self righteous Pharisees cannot understand and experience. Verse 9 “The [principles] of the LORD is pure, enduring forever”. “Principles” in the original text is “fear”, as in the meaning of “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”. Many Bible translators, because “fear” does not parallel the other five attributes, translate this as “principles”. [refer to Chinese translations of the Bible] The “fear” of the LORD is the foundation of everything, and so can there be a truly pure heart, understanding of truths of the law, and everlasting value. Note: please see the other attached document “8 Main Synonyms of ‘the Law’ in Psalm 119” for explanation
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Psalm 20: The following psalm is the prayer of a king before battle. The king faces the attack of an external enemy, and needs to fight to protect the nation and ensure the safety of the people. The anointed king of the LORD fights for the name of God, and protects the safety of the kingdom that belongs to God. The king offers sacrifices to God and prays, the LORD also promises to save and fight for the victory of his people (Deuteronomy 20:1-4). The “salvation” of verse 5, if translated as “victory” (CNV) is less likely to be misunderstood, referring to God’s work, enabling the king to fight and have the victory. God in the holy high heavens will surely hear the call of his covenant people, and deliver salvation. The only dependence for the people of God is the Lord’s holy name, representing God himself, and not the abundance of chariots and horses, and the strength of armies and other external factors; this is also what the history of the Bible again and again reminds and cautions. The people of God in every age each have a different battle, most are spiritual: “ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) Including ideologies, value systems, thought-patterns, cultures, trends, habits, everything that conflicts with the teachings of the Bible, all this is what we have to face and fight to victory, and submit under the authority of the Lord; “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
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Psalm 21 This may be the coronation of the king; this may also be the psalm of praise following the answered prayer of victory in battle of psalm 20 When we see this kind of psalm that is a prayer for the king included in the Bible, the background is always a prayer grounded on the foundation of God making a covenant with his people Israel; the king needs to follow God’s will, diligently study the books of law, fear the LORD, and govern the country with justice and mercy, “then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:14-20). This is praying according to the promise of God, not the theology of the prosperity gospel. “For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.” Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies, this refers to those who “rise up… against the LORD and against his anointed” (Psalm 2:2), they are also enemies of the LORD, thus “the Lord will swallow them up in his wrath”. Thus the ultimate anointed one pointed to in this category of the psalms, the only suitable, perfectly prophesied one is the Son of God, Jesus Christ, his “length of days, for ever and ever.”
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每周灵修诗篇18-21
18篇： 「耶和華」是神向摩⻄與以⾊列百姓⾃我啟示的名字，也是與他們⽴約 （拯救）的名（出3：13-15, 20：2）英⽂版聖經則以 the Lord 表達。⼤衛以 此開頭稱呼神，是屬乎神的⼦⺠。神是他的⼒量，是本篇詩後續所描述⼀切 拯救的來源；在其中他所深刻經歷的⼀切，使他呼喊出「我愛你」的親密語 句，回應神的悅納與拯救。 在激烈爭戰之驚⼼動魄、⽣死邊緣中向神的呼求，以擬⼈化、⽣動⽅式 描述神挺身⽽出，親⾃降臨拯救、審判仇敵、⾃然界的反應…種種，正是印 證了⽴約救主的信實與權能。在平常歲⽉靜好的⽇⼦中，信徒可能感覺靈魂 和身體的拯救是不相提並論的；但在危難中就會發覺兩者是同⼀件事，不可 分離，更覺救恩的迫切與寶貴。願主幫助我們認識到屬靈爭戰的必要性，與 學會完全倚靠主得勝。 ⼤衛⼀切所⾏都是在「信耶和華」的基礎上所做的，他的公義也是以遵 ⾏神旨意（道、律法、典章）為依據，是與耶和華神⽴約之⼈⽅⾯所當持守 的，故「他救拔我，因他喜悅我。」這與「因信稱義」教義相合不違背。 神的道是完全的、煉淨的，使⼤衛也⾏為完全v30。當⼈⽣的⽬標、⽅向 清楚了，看明了神的呼召之後，明確跟隨去⾏，必蒙繼續帶領：「他教導我 的⼿能以爭戰，甚⾄我的膀臂能開銅弓。」去成就所託付的使命；屬靈爭戰 也是如此同樣的。神的溫和，要真誠地操練、裝備、成全他所揀選之⼈，經 歷爭戰⽽得勝仇敵。 這⼀切的爭戰得勝和受膏者，都指向了末了基督的得勝魔⻤。
19篇： ⼤⾃然的普遍啟示，和與耶和華神⽴約得到的特殊啟示，兩者都來⾃於 神。前者展示了神在⾃然界的創作與護理⼯作；後者指向了神向照著他形象 所造之⼈的救贖作為，是藉著⽴約所頒佈的律法—反映出神的⼼意與美善— 所展示出來的，使⼈可以回轉、歸回原初的寶貴形象。 神的創造、護理、與救贖⼯作（包括詩18篇所述之拯救），在⼤衛的眼 中，都是鮮活、⽣動、熱⼒四散、潔淨、精煉、⽢美、寶貴的，因為「耶和 華是活神」18：46。倘若我們也以同樣鮮活的⽅式來認識神、他的創造、和 話語（神活潑常存的道，彼前 1：23）之時，我們的⽣命也會被激發⽽ 有活 潑的盼望（彼前 1：3）；我們的⽣命、和態度⾔語也不再會是僵硬、冰冷、 無趣味的了（對照 撒下 6：20~），因為那樣的認識必然帶來我們⽣命的更新 變化，也可說是「守著這些便有⼤賞」的結果吧，那也絕不是假冒為善、⾃ 以為義之法利賽⼈可以明⽩和經歷的。 第9節 「耶和華的『道理』潔淨，存到永遠；…」『道理』原⽂為「敬 畏」，如同「敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端」之意思。多數釋經者因「敬畏」與 另外五項特質不平⾏，⽽將之翻譯為『道理』。「敬畏」耶和華是⼀切的基 礎，如此⽅能有真實清潔的⼼，明⽩律法真理，⽽有永遠的價值。 • 附註：請參考另附之「詩篇119篇中主要8個「律法」的同義詞」解 釋
20篇： 本詩篇是君王出征前的祈禱 君王⾯對外敵攻擊，需要爭戰以保國衛⺠。耶和華的受膏君王為神的名 爭戰，保守屬神的國度之安全。王向神獻祭、祈願，耶和華也應許要拯救、 為⾃⼰百姓爭戰得勝（申20：1–4）。 第5節的「救恩」若譯為「得勝」（新譯本）⽐較不容易誤解，那是指神 所成就的、使君王爭戰得勝。 神在聖⾼天之上，總必應允他⽴約⼦⺠的呼求、施⾏拯救。神⼦⺠唯獨 的倚靠就是主的聖名—代表神⾃⼰，⽽不是在於⾞⾺眾多、兵強⾺壯等外在 環境；這也是聖經歷史中⼀再提醒與警惕的。 神⼦⺠在每⼀個世代都有各⾃不同的爭戰，多數是屬靈的：「因我們並 不是與屬⾎氣的爭戰，乃是與那些執政的、掌權的、管轄這幽暗世界的，以 及天空屬靈氣的惡魔爭戰。」（弗 6：12 ）包含思想、價值觀、意識形態、 ⽂化、⾵俗、習慣… ⼀切與聖經教導相衝突的內容，都是我們需要去⾯對、 爭戰得勝，降服在主的權柄之下的；「願你的國降臨。願你的旨意⾏在地 上，如同⾏在天上。」（太 6：10）
21篇： 可能是君王加冕禮；也可能是20篇爭戰祈求禱告蒙應允之後的勝利讚美 詩 當我們看⾒這類為君王祈求的詩篇，列在聖經中，其背景都是在神與他 ⼦⺠以⾊列⽴約的根基上所做的祈求；王要遵⾏神的旨意，勤習律法書，敬 畏耶和華，以公義、憐憫治理國度，「這樣，他和他的⼦孫，便可在以⾊列 中，在國位上年長日久。」（申命記 17：14-20）。這是照著神的應許⽽祈 求，不是成功神學。 「王倚靠耶和華，因⾄⾼者的慈愛必不搖動。 」王要搜出⼀切仇敵，指 的是那些「敵檔耶和華並他的受膏者」的⼈（2：2），他們也是耶和華的敵 ⼈，故「耶和華要在他的震怒中吞滅他們」。故這類詩篇所指向的最終極受 膏者，唯⼀合適、完全應驗的就是在神的兒⼦耶穌基督身上，他「日⼦長 久，直到永遠」。
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