The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  I. God’s General Self-Disclosure in the World (19:1-6)

  A. The Publication of the Skies (19:1-4b)

  B. The Prominence of the Sun (19:4c-6)

  II. God’s Special Self-Disclosure in the Word (19:7-14)

  A. The Attributes of the Word (19:7-9)

  B. An Appreciation for the Word (19:10, 11)

  C. The Application of the Word (19:12-14)

  19:1–6 The testimony of the universe comes forth consistently and clearly, but sinful mankind persistently resists it. For this reason, general revelation cannot convert sinners, but it does make them highly accountable (cf. Rom. 1:18ff.). Salvation comes ultimately only through special revelation, i.e., as the Word of God is effectually applied by the Spirit of God.

  19:1 heavens…firmament. Both are crucial elements of the creation in Gen. 1 (cf. vv. 1, 8). declare…shows. Both verbs emphasize the continuity of these respective disclosures. His handiwork. An anthropomorphism illustrating God’s great power (cf. the “work of His fingers” in Ps. 8:3).

  19:2, 3 speech…no speech. This is not a contradiction, but shows that the constant communication of the heavens is not with words of a literal nature.

  19:4 The message of the created world extends to everywhere.

  19:4c–6 Neither the sun nor the heavens are deified as was the case in many pagan religions. In the Bible, God is the Creator and Ruler over all creation.

  19:7–14 The scene shifts from God’s world to God’s Word.

  19:7, 8 Each of 4 parallel lines contains a word (a synonym) for God’s Word; each describes what His Word is; and each pronounces what it effectually accomplishes.

  19:7 law. This might better be translated, “His teaching,” “a direction,” or “instruction” (cf. Ps. 1:2). testimony. This word for the Word derives from the root “to bear witness.” It, so to speak, bears testimony to its Divine Author.

  19:8 statutes. This synonym looks upon God’s Word as orders, charges, precepts, etc. They are viewed as the Governor’s governings. commandment. This word is related to the verb “to command” or “order.” The Word is therefore also perceived as divine orders.

  19:9 fear. This is not technically a word for the Word, but it does reflect the reality that Scripture is the manual for worship of God. judgments. This term looks upon God’s Word as conveying His judicial decisions.

  19:12, 13 The psalmist deals respectively with unintentional sins and high-handed infractions (cf. Lev. 4:1ff.; Num. 15:22ff.). David’s concerns reflect the attitude of a maturing disciple who, by God’s grace and provisions, deals with his sins and does not deny them.

  19:14 Be acceptable. Using a term often associated with God’s acceptance of properly offered, literal sacrifices, he asks for grace and enablement as he lays his “lip-and-life” sacrifices on the “altar” (cf. Josh. 1:8).

  Ps. 19:14

  Images of God in the Psalms

  Images of God as Reference in Psalms

  Shield 3:3; 28:7; 119:114

  Rock 18:2; 42:9; 95:1

  King 5:2; 44:4; 74:12

  Shepherd 23:1; 80:1

  Judge 7:11

  Refuge 46:1; 62:7

  Fortress 31:3; 71:3

  Avenger 26:1

  Creator 8:1, 6

  Deliverer 37:39, 40

  Healer 30:2

  Protector 5:11

  Provider 78:23-29

  Redeemer 107:2

  ©1993 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

  Psalm 20

  20:1–9 Psalms 20 and 21 are twin warfare events—Ps. 20 is mostly ceremony before a battle, while Ps. 21 is mostly celebration after a battle. In the theocracy, these were to be considered holy wars with the chain of command being as follows: the LORD is Commander-in-Chief over the anointed king-general and the theocratic people—soldiers. All holy convocations, both before and after battles, involved prayer and praise assemblies dedicated to God, who grants victories through the theocratic king-general. Psalm 20, in anticipation of a military campaign, commemorates a 3-phased ceremony regularly conducted by the people in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief on behalf of the king-general.

  I. An Offering of Their Prayers (20:1-5)

  II. A Confirmation of Their Confidence (20:6-8)

  III. A Reaffirmation of Their Dependence (20:9)

  20:1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble. This is the prayer of God’s people for their king-general (cf. “His anointed,” v. 6).

  20:2 from the sanctuary…out of Zion. These are designations about the place of God’s symbolic presence in the ark which David had recaptured and installed in a tabernacle on Mt. Zion. The people’s wish was that the LORD Himself would uphold, support, and sustain the king-general with His extending, powerful presence throughout the military campaign.

  20:5 your salvation. Here, by contrast, God’s “salvation” is victory in battle.

  20:7 Some trust in…Trust, boast, and praise must not be directed to the wrong objects but only to God Himself (cf., e.g., Deut. 17:16; 20:1–4; Lev. 26:7, 8; Ps. 33:16, 17; Is. 31:1–3; Jer. 9:23, 24; Zech. 4:6).

  20:9 This verse could also be rendered: “LORD, grant victory to the king! Answer us when we call!”

  Psalm 21

  21:1–13 The first part of Ps. 21 is a thanksgiving for victory; the last part is an anticipation of future victories in the LORD through the king-general. Two scenarios of victory provide a context for praise and prayer to the Commander-in-Chief of Israel’s king-general.

  I. A Present-Past Scenario of Praise: Grounded upon Victories Accomplished in the LORD (21:1-6)

  II. A Present-Future Scenario of Prayer and Praise: Grounded upon Victories Anticipated in the LORD (21:7-13)

  21:2 Cf. Ps. 20:4, the before; Ps. 21:2, the after.

  21:3 You set a crown of pure gold upon his head. This is symbolic of superlative blessing (note the reversal in Ezek. 21:25–27).

  21:4 The first part of the verse most likely pertains to preservation of life in battle, and the second part to perpetuation of the dynasty (cf. 2 Sam. 7:13, 16, 29; Pss. 89:4; 132:12).

  21:5, 6 The King had given great prominence to the king-general.

  21:7 For the king. The human responsibility dimension of the previous divine blessings is identified as the king-general’s dependent trust in God. But the sovereign grace of God provides the ultimate basis for one not being “moved” or shaken (cf. Pss. 15:5; 16:8; 17:5; Prov. 10:30).

  21:8 Your…You. Without denying the mediatorship of the king-general, these delineations obviously put the spotlight upon the Commander-in-Chief.

  Psalm 22

  22:1–31 This psalm presents the reader with a great contrast in mood. Lament characterizes the first 21 verses, while praise and thanksgiving describe the last 10 verses. Prayer accounts for this dramatic shift from lament to praise. It is the story of first being God-forsaken and then God-found and filled. It was applied immediately to David and ultimately to the Greater David, Messiah. The NT contains 15 messianic quotations of or allusions to this psalm, leading some in the early church to label it “the fifth gospel.”

  I. The Psalmist’s Hopelessness (22:1-10)

  A. His Hopelessness and National History (22:1-5)

  B. His Hopelessness and Natal History (22:6-10)

  II. The Psalmist’s Prayer (22:11-21)

  A. A No-Help Outlook (22:11-18)

  B. A Divine-Help Outlook (22:19-21)

  III. The Psalmist’s Testimonies and Worship (22:22-31)

  A. An Individual Precipitation of Praise (22:22-25)

  B. A Corporate Perpetuation of Praise (22:26-31)

  22:Title. “The Deer of the Dawn.” This unique phrase in the superscription is probably best taken as a tune designation.

  22:1 This heavy lament rivals Job 3; Ps. 69; Jer. 20:14–18. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? The repeated noun of direct address to God reflects a personal molecule of hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. “Forsaken” is a strong expression for personal abandonment, intensely
felt by David and supremely experienced by Christ on the cross (Matt. 27:46).

  22:2–5 The thrust of these verses is “even though You have not responded to me, You remain the Holy One of Israel who has demonstrated His gracious attention time and time again to Your people.”

  22:6–8 Reproach and ridicule were overwhelming the psalmist. For messianic applications, cf. Matt. 27:39–44; Luke 23:35.

  22:7 They shoot out the lip. Lit. “They separate the lip,” an idiom for sneering (cf. Job 16:10; Ps. 35:21; Heb. 5:5).

  22:8 He trusted in the LORD. Lit “he rolled to the LORD.” The idea is that he turned his burden over to the LORD (cf. Ps. 37:5; Prov. 16:3).

  22:9, 10 The psalmist had a long history of reliance upon God.

  22:12, 13 This imagery of enemies as rapacious beasts returns (cf. vv. 16, 20, 21).

  22:14, 15 These are graphic images showing that his vitality and courage had left him.

  22:16 They pierced My hands and My feet. The Heb. text reads “like a lion,” i.e., these vicious attacking enemies, like animals, have torn me. Likely, a messianic prediction with reference to crucifixion (cf. Is. 53:5; Zech. 12:10).

  22:17 This is a graphic picture of emaciation and exhaustion (cf. Job 33:21; Ps. 102:5).

  22:18 They divide…they cast. All 4 gospel writers appeal to this imagery in describing Christ’s crucifixion (Matt. 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:24).

  22:21 You have answered Me. A welcomed breaking of God’s silence finally arrives. This is fully in keeping with His character (cf. Pss. 20:6; 28:6; 31:22; 118:5).

  22:22 The psalmist cannot contain himself; he must testify loudly in the great assembly of God’s great mercies. His exuberance is meant to be contagious (cf. Heb. 2:12).

  22:27 His testimony expands by soliciting universal praises for universal divine blessings (cf. Pss. 67:7; 98:3).

  Psalm 23

  23:1–6 This psalm is probably the best known passage of the OT. It is a testimony by David to the LORD’s faithfulness throughout his life. As a hymn of confidence, it pictures the LORD as a disciple’s Shepherd-King-Host. David, by using some common ancient Near Eastern images in Ps. 23, progressively unveils his personal relationship with the LORD in 3 stages.

  I. David’s Exclamation: “The LORD Is My Shepherd” (23:1a)

  II. David’s Expectations (23:1b-5b)

  A. “I Shall Not Want” (23:1b-3)

  B. “I Will Fear No Evil” (23:4, 5b)

  III. David’s Exultation: “My Cup Runs Over” (23:5c-6)

  23:1 The LORD is my shepherd. Cf. Gen. 48:15; 49:24; Deut. 32:6–12; Pss. 28:9; 74:1; 77:20; 78:52; 79:13; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3; Is. 40:11; Jer. 23:3; Ezek. 34; Hos. 4:16; Mic. 5:4; 7:14; Zech. 9:16 on the image of the Lord as a Shepherd. This imagery was used commonly in kingly applications and is frequently applied to Jesus in the NT (e.g., John 10; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4).

  23:2, 3 Four characterizing activities of the LORD as Shepherd (i.e., emphasizing His grace and guidance) are followed by the ultimate basis for His goodness, i.e., “His name’s sake” (cf. Pss. 25:11; 31:3; 106:8; Is. 43:25; 48:9; Ezek. 36:22–32).

  23:4 the valley of the shadow of death. Phraseology used to convey a perilously threatening environment (cf. Job 10:21, 22; 38:17; Pss. 44:19; 107:10; Jer. 2:6; Luke. 1:79). Your rod and Your staff. The shepherd’s club and crook are viewed as comforting instruments of protection and direction, respectively.

  23:5, 6 The able Protector (v. 4) is also the abundant Provider.

  23:5 You anoint. The biblical imagery of anointing is frequently associated with blessing (Pss. 45:7; 92:10; 104:15; 133:2; Eccl. 9:8; Amos 6:6; Luke 7:46).

  23:6 And I will dwell. There is some question concerning the form in the Heb. text (cf. also Ps. 27:4). Should it be rendered “I shall return” or “I shall dwell”? Whichever way it is taken, by the grace of his LORD, David is expecting ongoing opportunities of intimate fellowship.

  Psalm 24

  24:1–10 The form of Ps. 24 has been disputed. For example, it has been labeled by some as an entrance ceremony (cf. Ps. 15), by others, a hymn of praise, and yet by others, a mixture of both elements. Its occasion has also been contended; however, the view that it might have been used at the time of the bringing of the ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:12–19; 1 Chr. 13) still has credible appeal. The early church designated it messianically as an ascension psalm (cf. v. 3). The movement of the psalm seems to follow the movement of the people. It traces the community’s worship procession, both spatially and spiritually, through 3 progressive stages.

  I. Stage One: Worship of the Creator through Contemplation (24:1, 2)

  II. Stage Two: Worship of the Savior through Consecration (24:3-6)

  A. The Probing Questions Inviting Consecration (24:3)

  B. The Proper Qualities Indicating Consecration (24:4-6)

  III. Stage Three: Worship of the King through Commemoration (24:7-10)

  24:1 the LORD’s. On His universal ownership, cf. Ex. 19:5; Deut. 10:14; Pss. 50:12; 89:11; in the NT, cf. 1 Cor. 3:21, 23.

  24:2 This is a poetic, not a scientific, picture of creation (cf. Gen. 1:9, 10; 7:11; 49:25; Ex. 20:4; Deut. 33:13; Job 26:10; Pss. 74:13; 136:6; 2 Pet. 3:5).

  24:3 In the liturgy, the questions were most likely asked by the priest. The worshipers would have then responded antiphonally with the “answers.” On the form, cf. Ps. 15 and Is. 33:14–16.

  24:4 These sample qualities do not signify sinless perfection, but rather basic integrity of inward motive and outward manner.

  24:7–9 These are bold personifications indicating that the city gates need to stretch themselves to make way for the awesome entrance of the Great King. By so doing, they too participate in worshiping Him.

  24:10 The LORD of hosts. The Divine Warrior possibly comes back into consideration; He, the Commander-in-Chief, is “the LORD of armies” (cf. 1 Sam. 17:45).

  Psalm 25

  25:1–22 David grapples with the heavy issues of life, avoiding denial and affirming dependence. He must trust God in the face of his troubles and troublemakers. These 22 verses follow an acrostic development. On a larger scale, the psalm develops chiastically: Verses 1–7 and 16–22 are parallel sections of prayers for protection and/or deliverance, while the core, vv. 8–15, contains affirmations about God and about His dealings with believers.

  I. Prayers in Times of Trial (25:1-7)

  II. Praise in Periods of Confidence (25:8-15)

  III. Petition for Help in Trouble (25:16-22)

  25:1 I lift up my soul. This is a vivid picture of David’s dependence (cf. Pss. 86:4; 143:8).

  25:2, 3 ashamed. The important phenomenon of shame for the wicked and no shame for the righteous returns (cf. a millennial expression of this great principle in Is. 49:23).

  25:4, 5 The noun and verb metaphors speak of direction for life’s pathways (cf. the thrust of Ps. 1).

  25:6, 7 Remember…Do not remember…remember. These are not concerns about God forgetting something, but the psalmist’s prayer reminds the readers about God’s gracious covenant promises and provisions, all of which are grounded upon His “goodness’ sake” (cf. v. 11, “Your name’s sake”).

  25:8–10 More metaphors for life’s paths are used for the purpose of begging divine direction (cf. vv. 4, 5). The last line of v. 10 emphasizes covenant responsibilities on the human side (cf. the divine side in vv. 6, 7).

  25:11 Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. A maturing disciple develops an increasing sensitivity to sin which drives him more consistently to an appropriation of the promises of God’s pardoning grace (cf. v. 18b).

  25:12 Who…? This interrogative device (cf. Pss. 15; 24) serves as an introductory vehicle to the hallmarks of genuine discipleship.

  25:14 The secret… This could well be rendered the “counsel” or intimate personal communion (cf. Job 29:4; Ps. 55:14; Prov. 3:32).

  25:15 net. The snare of the hunter or fowler (cf. Ps. 31:4).

  25:16–21 Ten rapid-fire prayer requests, asking f
or relief and encouragement, lie at the heart of these 6 verses.

  25:16 desolate and afflicted. These terms speak of isolation and humiliation.

  25:22 The shift from the individual to the community is really not surprising, since the welfare of the theocratic people is inextricably connected to the covenant individual (cf. Ps. 51:18, 19).

  Psalm 26

  26:1–12 Psalms 26, 27, and 28 mention the “house” of the LORD because public worship is the central interest. The form of Ps. 26 is mixed, i.e., containing elements of declarations of innocence, prayer, and confidence, (cf. v. 1 as a paradigm). Structurally, 4 intermingling prayers and proofs reveal the psalmist’s passion to worship the LORD in spirit and in truth.

  I. His Situation (26:1)

  A. His Prayer for Justice (26:1a)

  B. His Proofs of Commitment (26:1b)

  II. His Transparency (26:2-8)

  A. His Prayer for Scrutiny (26:2)

  B. His Proofs of Loyalty (26:3-8)

  III. His Eschatological Outlook (26:9-11a)

  A. His Prayers for Final Favor (26:9)

  B. His Proofs of Measurable Difference (26:10-11a)

  IV. His Confidence (26:11b-12)

  A. His Prayers Show Confidence in the Person of God (26:11b)

  B. His Proofs Show Confidence in the Provision of God (26:12)

  26:1 Vindicate me. Lit. “Judge me!” This refers to exoneration of some false accusations and/or charges under the protection of the covenant stipulations of the theocratic law (cf. Pss. 7:8; 35:24; 43:1). my integrity. Again, this is not a claim to perfection, but of innocence, particularly as viewed within the context of ungrounded “legal” charges (cf. Ps. 7:8; Prov. 10:9; 19:1; 20:7; 28:6). I shall not slip. Cf. Pss. 18:36; 37:31; contra. Ps. 73:18–20.

  26:2 Examine…prove…Try. These 3 invitations to divine scrutiny are essentially synonymous ways of testing, refining, and purifying (cf. Pss. 11:4, 5; 12:6; 17:3; 66:10; Jer. 17:9, 10).