Description
This psalm proclaims God's eternal love for his people Israel, and looks forward to God's deliverance of Israel during an end-time battle in which Israel is surrounded by her enemies and about to fall.
Commentary
This psalm proclaims God's eternal love for his people Israel, and looks forward to God's deliverance of Israel during an end-time battle in which Israel is surrounded by her enemies and about to fall. The psalmist, speaking in the first person as the mouthpiece of the nation of Israel, tells the story of this great deliverance. Key to understanding this story is to recognise that Jesus is Jehovah (the LORD). When Israel is on the verge of destruction, Jesus comes to their rescue, with the result that, "They celebrate deliverance in the tents of the godly. The Lord’s right hand conquers" (v15).
Each of verses 10 to 12 end with "Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away", implying that Israel participates in this battle with Jesus' help. Jesus does not fight this battle alone.
Verse 18 says "The Lord severely punished me, but he did not hand me over to death". Luke 21:23-24 says, "…For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away as captives among all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled". Presumably, this time of great distress before the second coming is the punishment to which the psalmist refers.
Verses 19 to 23 speak of Israel's spiritual awakening when she comes to recognise that Jesus really is her Messiah, "The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone". Verse 19 expresses an acceptance of Jesus as the gate, the way of salvation.
Verses 26 to 27 describe Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem after his victory at Armageddon. These verses were partially fulfilled in the triumphal entry of Jesus' first coming (Matthew 21:8-9, Luke 19:28-40). But in Matthew 23:39, Jesus quoted verse 26a, speaking of a yet-future fulfilment, when the Jews will once again say "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord (Jehovah)". In the second half of verse 26, the psalmist says, "We will pronounce blessings on you in the LORD's temple". This suggests that in the future fulfilment of Christ's triumphal entry, he will go to the temple and Israel will pronounce blessings over him. It says in Malachi 3:1, "…Indeed, the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple".
In verse 27, "The Lord (El) is God (Jehovah) and he has delivered us", is not just saying that God is God which would be somewhat meaningless. Most likely it means that Jehovah (the God of the Bible) is the true God, as opposed to Allah (the God of Israel's enemies) who is a false god. Or it could imply an identification of Jesus (Israel's deliverer) with El who is Jehovah, in which case it is a recognition of Jesus as Jehovah, as in Philippians 2:11.
Each of verses 10 to 12 end with "Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away", implying that Israel participates in this battle with Jesus' help. Jesus does not fight this battle alone.
Verse 18 says "The Lord severely punished me, but he did not hand me over to death". Luke 21:23-24 says, "…For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away as captives among all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled". Presumably, this time of great distress before the second coming is the punishment to which the psalmist refers.
Verses 19 to 23 speak of Israel's spiritual awakening when she comes to recognise that Jesus really is her Messiah, "The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone". Verse 19 expresses an acceptance of Jesus as the gate, the way of salvation.
Verses 26 to 27 describe Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem after his victory at Armageddon. These verses were partially fulfilled in the triumphal entry of Jesus' first coming (Matthew 21:8-9, Luke 19:28-40). But in Matthew 23:39, Jesus quoted verse 26a, speaking of a yet-future fulfilment, when the Jews will once again say "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord (Jehovah)". In the second half of verse 26, the psalmist says, "We will pronounce blessings on you in the LORD's temple". This suggests that in the future fulfilment of Christ's triumphal entry, he will go to the temple and Israel will pronounce blessings over him. It says in Malachi 3:1, "…Indeed, the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple".
In verse 27, "The Lord (El) is God (Jehovah) and he has delivered us", is not just saying that God is God which would be somewhat meaningless. Most likely it means that Jehovah (the God of the Bible) is the true God, as opposed to Allah (the God of Israel's enemies) who is a false god. Or it could imply an identification of Jesus (Israel's deliverer) with El who is Jehovah, in which case it is a recognition of Jesus as Jehovah, as in Philippians 2:11.
Tags
Places: Israel
Symbols: Cornerstone
Tags: Jesus delivers Israel, Israel fights alongside Jesus, Israel fights her enemies, End-time triumphal entry, Israel accepts Jesus as Messiah, Jesus as Jehovah, Israel receives salvation, Israel attacked, Israel surrounded, Israel punished, Great Tribulation, God loves Israel, Jesus as a stone, Jesus comes to his temple
Symbols: Cornerstone
Tags: Jesus delivers Israel, Israel fights alongside Jesus, Israel fights her enemies, End-time triumphal entry, Israel accepts Jesus as Messiah, Jesus as Jehovah, Israel receives salvation, Israel attacked, Israel surrounded, Israel punished, Great Tribulation, God loves Israel, Jesus as a stone, Jesus comes to his temple
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures!
2 Let Israel say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!”
3 Let the family of Aaron say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!”
4 Let the loyal followers of the Lord say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!”
5 In my distress I cried out to the Lord. The Lord answered me and put me in a wide open place.
6 The Lord is on my side, I am not afraid! What can people do to me?
7 The Lord is on my side as my helper. I look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in people.
9 It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
12 They surrounded me like bees. But they disappeared as quickly as a fire among thorns. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
13 “You aggressively attacked me and tried to knock me down, but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord gives me strength and protects me; he has become my deliverer.”
15 They celebrate deliverance in the tents of the godly. The Lord’s right hand conquers,
16 the Lord’s right hand gives victory, the Lord’s right hand conquers.
17 I will not die, but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord severely punished me, but he did not hand me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of the just king’s temple! I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the Lord’s gate – the godly enter through it.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me, and have become my deliverer.
22 The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s work. We consider it amazing!
24 This is the day the Lord has brought about. We will be happy and rejoice in it.
25 Please Lord, deliver! Please Lord, grant us success!
26 May the one who comes in the name of the Lord be blessed! We will pronounce blessings on you in the Lord’s temple.
27 The Lord is God and he has delivered us. Tie the offering with ropes to the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God and I will give you thanks! You are my God and I will praise you!
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures!
2 Let Israel say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!”
3 Let the family of Aaron say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!”
4 Let the loyal followers of the Lord say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!”
5 In my distress I cried out to the Lord. The Lord answered me and put me in a wide open place.
6 The Lord is on my side, I am not afraid! What can people do to me?
7 The Lord is on my side as my helper. I look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in people.
9 It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
12 They surrounded me like bees. But they disappeared as quickly as a fire among thorns. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.
13 “You aggressively attacked me and tried to knock me down, but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord gives me strength and protects me; he has become my deliverer.”
15 They celebrate deliverance in the tents of the godly. The Lord’s right hand conquers,
16 the Lord’s right hand gives victory, the Lord’s right hand conquers.
17 I will not die, but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord severely punished me, but he did not hand me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of the just king’s temple! I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the Lord’s gate – the godly enter through it.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me, and have become my deliverer.
22 The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s work. We consider it amazing!
24 This is the day the Lord has brought about. We will be happy and rejoice in it.
25 Please Lord, deliver! Please Lord, grant us success!
26 May the one who comes in the name of the Lord be blessed! We will pronounce blessings on you in the Lord’s temple.
27 The Lord is God and he has delivered us. Tie the offering with ropes to the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God and I will give you thanks! You are my God and I will praise you!
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures!
(NET)
