Rabbi’s Reflections – Friday, April 19, 2024
(Early) Shabbat Shalom,
The Psalms
Psalm 5:10(9) – Part 8
Speaking of my enemies…
Psalm 5:10(9) For nothing upright is in their mouth. Inside them is a ruin—their throat an open grave. They flatter with their tongue. 11(10) Declare them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own schemes. Banish them because of their many transgressions—for they have rebelled against You.
David is writing here in contrast to following verse (which we will review on Sunday) and also the words of Yeshua (David’s Son). Luke 23:34a But Yeshua was saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Forgiveness is a cornerstone principle of the kingdom of God. Nevertheless; it seems to be missing in our subject verses.
Yeshua has more to say about this in the Sermon on the Mount… Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Yes, things have changed since David wrote Psalm 5. Yeshua has brought us what is called a “new and living way” which is described in detail in Hebrews 10.…
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have boldness to enter into the Holies by the blood of Yeshua. 20 He inaugurated a new and living way for us through the curtain—that is, His flesh. 21 We also have a Kohen Gadol over God’s household. 22 So let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and body washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the unwavering confession of hope, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good deeds.
That said, I want to close this with one additional thought… “You can’t ‘OUT GRACE’ God.” Moses found this out when his brother, Aaron, and sister, Miriam, rebelled against him. Numbers 12:13 So Moses cried to Adonai saying, “O God, heal her now!” 14 Adonai said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be in shame for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days. After that she may be brought back.” We can always forgive, but that doesn’t erase the consequences for sin, and that is David’s point in these two subject verses.
The hope of all judgment is that it will bring about repentance. In David’s statements, rather than condemnation, there is the hope for conviction. We’ll see this clearly as we unpack the next verse on Sunday. (Early) Shabbat shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
11 Nissan Friday 19-Apr-24
Leviticus 15:16-28 Isaiah 40 Proverbs 20 Matthew 8 1 Peter 4