Notes: July 10, 2008 – Psalms 35 & 36

Chronology note: Although their titles do not specifically indicate that they were written during the time that David was fleeing from Saul, the content of these two psalms does reflect the situation. If you prefer to date them later in David’s life, we have no quarrel.

Psalm 35

  • Praise to the Lord is found in three places: verses 9-10, 18, and 27-28. Perhaps praise is the conclusion of three consecutive divisions of the psalm.
  • Three times we read about David’s opposition: verses 1-3, 11-16, and 19-21. Perhaps laying his burden before the Lord begins each of three consecutive divisions of the psalm.
  • Between the burden and the praise in each of the three sections we read David’s prayer requests: 4-8, 17, and 22-26, most often begun in the old English with “Let…”.

Psalm 36

  • Here we see the contrast between a wicked man (vss. 1-4) and God (vss. 5-10).
  • With God’s majesty in view, David’s prayer is that God will be on his side (11-12); indeed, by faith he sees it so!

Meditation Points:

  1. David’s enemies were real. His prayers were real also.
  2. Jesus said to pray for your enemies (Matthew 5:44-48). Would you say that these psalms qualify?
  3. Why would David pray? What could God do about the situation?
  4. David knew God, and he knew a lot about God. Do you know much about God? David’s faith was great because his familiarity with God’s greatness was great. Little familiarity with God leads to little, if any, faith.

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