Psalms 108 – 110

Verse 108:3 reminds us to give thanks:

I will stand and offer You my thanks, Eternal One, in the presence of others;
    I will sing of Your greatness among the nations no matter where I am.

What do you think when you hear David giving thanks? Here was a shepherd who was the lowest in his family who became king of Israel. He won battles, lead a nation, was rich beyond most dreams and he was the head of the savior of the world. Sure it’s easy to be thankful when that is going on in one’s life! But how about us today? We are mired in debt, struggling through day to day fights without sign of success and we are asked to be thankful. YES!! I believe David was a man after God’s heart, he was not always number 1, remember David was a bathroom stop for King Saul who was trying to kill him.

We must be thankful in the good times as well as the bad. God will reveal why the bad times were required.

Verse 109:5 talks about how a David’s actions were repaid:

Though I treat them well, they answer me with evil;
    though I give them love, they reply with a gesture of hatred.

Imagine helping someone and they turn on you? Has that happened to you ever? I know often times we will help someone thinking it’s what they need and when things break down we wonder if that was the right thing to do. One thing we need to realize that it’s our witness when things are going wrong that is more valuable than when things are good. Would your response be attack or bless them more? That is the difference between a hypocrite and a follower of Jesus!!

Verse 110:1 starts a Psalm that has been quoted often:

The Eternal said to my lord,
    “Sit here at My right hand,
    in the place of honor and power,
And I will gather your enemies together,
    lead them in on hands and knees;
    you will rest your feet on their backs.”

This was apparently the most quoted Psalm by writers of the New Testament as well as people connecting David’s lineage to Jesus who is seated at the right hand of God today. This is what is affectionately called the Babushka Principle. A Babushka doll is a doll within a doll and the Babushka Principle is a meaning with a hidden meaning. This psalm directly talks about David’s reign and indirectly talks about his family remaining in that position to finally Jesus who is seated at the right hand of God in heaven.