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Psalms 42-48
We are in the Wisdom Stream and beginning Book 2 of 5 in the Psalms. We are using the Easy-to-Read Version this week.
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Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis
Lord, we thank you for these prayers that remind us of your goodness and our need for you in our lives every day, every step. Amen.
Today we start in book Two. Psalms is divided into five “books” and 1-41 is book One. Here we begin with the second. We read today about the Sons of Korah. Just so you know, these were a family of Levites, a musical group, a team or guild if you will, that David had assembled to bolster the atmosphere of worship for the Israelites.
42, 43 – These two actually form one poem. It’s the longing cry/prayer of one who wants to get back into God’s presence; into the Temple again for worship. He’s away from Jerusalem, feeling in exile up north and east – east of the Jordan. The locals are hostile toward him and he is caught up in a full effort to cheer himself again. Vv. 42:5,6,11 and 43:5 are used in a familiar worship song, (from a different translation) it is sung, “why so downcast oh my soul? Put your hope in God…” Throughout these two Psalms, The Sons of Korah are longing, quizzing and encouraging themselves so to cheer up, lamenting the cruelty of others, calling for God to come quickly, and reminding themselves of His goodness. It may sound like they are “all over the place”, but this is appropriate and applicable because so are our lives and so are we on a regular basis.
44 – The army has paused to call on God during a rough time amid a battle. They pause to reflect and assert that it is God in Heaven who always gave the victory in Israel’s history. And they know this. At current they are trying to see the light when it seeeems to be snuffing out. They are feeling at a loss, they are getting pushed back by enemies and they are calling on God to guide the way, to act quickly, to show and help them get moving forward in this battle again. They pray this way because they do not want to go into complete despair.
45 – is the wedding song of a king. It seems to be multifaceted in that the King before us while this is written is either David or Solomon. They talk of regality, beauty, handsomeness, victory but it does seem to go ethereal in that it sounds like Revelation 19:7 and the marriage of the Bride to the Lamb which is of God. This is an event that is going to be thousands of years away. The inspiration that transforms into ambiguity adds intrigue and an alluring passion that keeps the reading and the discussion of this Psalm very much alive … for 3000 years so far !
46 – When in trouble from enemies or natural disasters, it is God who protects and gives peace. God indeed can conquer anything and therefore we will run to him for our covering. It is noted that Martin Luther drew much comfort and reassurance from this Psalm during the Reformation of the 1500’s [A.D.]
47,48 – like 42 and 43, these two Psalms read like a verses 1 and 2 segment of the same Psalm, though they’re also numbered as two separate Psalms. The worship is breaking into rhapsody, come 47! The Lord is King, He loves Jacob and descendants, this land of Zion, (He rules the whole world too.) The Lord is great; so great. He has drawn people the world over to His city. God defends this city against any foe. God in Jerusalem is cause for elation. It is greater than can be described. Just walk through and all around Zion and experience Him. This is the invitation here.
