PSALMS 11-15 treat of the exercises of the faithful remnant when the power of evil has the upper hand, such as is set before us in Psalms 9 and 10. In Psalm 11 They manifest a trust that in spite of the wicked being in the place of power and seeking their destruction, Jehovah, while trying the righteous, will judge the wicked.
Psalm 12 shows that they feel the oppression very keenly, and are much cast upon the Lord. They receive the assurance that He will undertake for them.
Psalm 13. Here they are almost overcome, and seem to feel that they have been forgotten, but again confidence in Jehovah is restored and they can sing unto Him.
Psalm 14 shows the pride of the apostate people and Jehovah’s estimate of them. In their pride they are but fools. He is looking down from heavers upon it all. He is not indifferent to it, and the faithful take courage that in due time He will act on their behalf.
Psalm 15. In this psalm a question is raised as to who was to dwell in Jehovah’s tabernacle, on His holy hill. They had been taught to look for the Messiah. Eleven excellencies of this wonderful coming One are described. The Lord Jesus fulfilled all that the Scriptures prophesied concerning Him, though the faithful here are as yet not conscious of it. They have exercised hearts and are being led on to the point where they shall see beauty in Him.
Psalms 16-24. This begins a new series in which the Messiah comes into the world as Man and takes His place in dependence upon Jehovah as to His pathway. This pathway leads Him through the waters of judgment on the cross, on to resurrection and exaltation.
Psalm 16. The Messiah takes His place here among men. It gives us His exercises in this path of faith, and His delight in God’s people, the excellent of the earth. It closes with His exercises with respect to passing through death, and the answer He received that He would not be held in death. The path of life led through resurrection, on to His being seated at Jehovah’s right hand.
Psalm 17. In this psalm the Messiah associates Himself with the godly remnant, in whose hearts faith has been kindled, so that some of the exercises are on their part. But the last verse brings in His confidence of resurrection, and being glorified in the likeness of Jehovah.
Psalm 18. Here the Messiah enters into the sorrows of passing through death, though not the atoning sufferings which are found in Psalm 22. He shows how He was afflicted in all their affliction (Isa. 63:99In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. (Isaiah 63:9)) and rehearses their sorrows from Egypt until the Messiah takes the kingdom.
Psalm 19 brings before us the two testimonies which are in the world; creation and Jehovah’s law, or the Word. These have their voice to the godly Jew. He realizes that he cannot know all his errors or sins, but he desires to be cleansed from them. Then also he desires to be kept from presumptuous sins, those into which the nation was drifting and which would result in their receiving him who would come in his own name. (John 5:4343I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (John 5:43).)
ML-11/06/1960