Psalter. Interpretation of the books of the Old Testament. Psalms Psalm 51 in Russian read

PSALM 51

Undoubtedly, David was deeply grieved when he said to Abiathar: “... I am guilty for all the souls of your father's house” (1 Sam.22: 22), who perished because of the malicious denunciation of Doik the Edomite. In order to pour out his grief and find at least a little peace for the mind, burdened with a consciousness of guilt, he composes this psalm, in which, as a prophet, and therefore, with sovereignty, as if he was already sitting on the throne as a ruler,

(I) blames Doick for his act (v. 3).

(II) Convicts Doeg's sin and aggravates his guilt (vv. 4-6).

(III) Condemns him (Article 7).

(IV) Foretells the triumph of the righteous at the execution of this judgment (v. 8.9).

(V) He comforts himself with the grace of God and the assurance that he will still glorify Him (v. 10,11). While singing this psalm, we must feel aversion to the sin of lying, foresee the destruction of those who persist in it, and please ourselves with confidence that God will preserve His people and His Church, despite the evil designs of the descendants of Satan, this father of lies.

To the head of the choir. Teaching. Psalm of David, after Doik Idumeya-nin came and reported to Saul and told him that David had come to the house of Ahimelech.

Verses 3-7

The opening of the psalm is a summary of the event referred to in this psalm. Finally David saw that for his own safety and out of fear of Saul, he needed to leave the royal palace and flee, as the king again tried to kill him. Lacking weapons and provisions, he tricked himself into the priest's house to provide himself with what he needed. It so happened that Doeg the Edomite was there at that time, and he went to Saul to testify against Ahimelech, presenting him as a man who had conspired with a traitor. This information served as the basis for the monstrous bloodshed when Saul killed the priests, and Doeg himself was the executor of this commission (1 Sam.22: 9, etc.) In these verses:

I. David dispassionately discusses the act of this proud, powerful man (v. 3). Perhaps Doik was considered courageous due to his physical strength, but an easy victory over the unarmed priests of the Lord did not add glory to him, since it is dishonor for those who carry weapons to offend those who wear ephod. Nevertheless, in office he was a powerful man, for he was placed in charge of the servants of Saul, who ruled the royal house. He boasted not only of his power, which made it possible to do evil, but also of the evil he did. Point out that it is wrong to do evil, but it is even worse to boast and seek the glory of doing it; not only not to be ashamed of bad deeds, but also to justify them, not only to justify them, but also to exalt and ascend. The one who boasts of his sin boasts of his shame, and for this sin deserves even more condemnation. Strong men are often wicked and boast about the lust of their soul (Psalm 9:24). It is not clear how the following words are related to the previous ones: “The mercy of God abides forever” 27. Some believe that this is the answer of the wicked to the question asked. The patience and longsuffering of God — these great proofs of His mercy — are misused by sinners and harden the hearts of those who stand in the way of the wicked. Since the judgment for their evil deeds is not immediately executed and, moreover, God continues to do good for them, they boast of their crimes, as if their prosperity was proof that their evil deeds were harmless. But rather, it testifies against them to show

(1) The depravity of their sin: “God continually bestows upon them good things, and he who is like Him has reason to boast about it. But sinners constantly commit atrocities and, therefore, are opposite to Him, although they boast of themselves. "

(2) The folly of their behavior: “You think that the atrocities that you boast of (so skillfully conceived and accomplished) will crush and destroy the people of God, but you will see that you are deeply mistaken, for the mercy of God abides forever to protect the children of God, and they do not need to be afraid of what a person can do to them. " Our enemies boast in vain for their evil deeds, while we boast in the mercy of God.

II. David calls the attacker to account before the high judgment of heaven, just as he called Ahimelech to account at the judgment of Saul (vv. 4-6). He accuses him of the wickedness of the tongue (this uncontrollable evil, filled with deadly poison) and the wickedness of the heart, to which he testified. David accuses him of four vices:

(1) viciousness. His tongue imagines death, he not only penetrates like a needle, but cuts like a sophisticated razor. Contemptuous and deceptive words do not satisfy him, he loves destructive words that can destroy the priests of the Lord, who they hate.

(2) Lies. The tongue with which he commits evil is treacherous (v. 6), he loves lies more (v. 5); this cunning razor is crafty (v. 4). Before there was an opportunity to show his hatred of the priests, Doeck behaved very decently towards them. Although he was an Edomite, he came to the altar, offered sacrifices and showed respect to the priests, like any worthy Israelite. Thus, he committed violence against himself, for he was on that day before the Lord. And then he got the opportunity to do them great harm. Or, perhaps, this is referring to the information he provided against Ahimelech, since although its essence was correct, it was incorrectly presented and clothed in false colors. Therefore, it is quite possible to say about this man that he loved lies and had a lying tongue. He told the truth, but not the whole truth, as a witness should act. If he had said that David had assured Ahi-melech that he was fulfilling Saul's command, then the kindness shown to him would testify not to betrayal towards the king, but to respect for him. By distorting the truth and presenting it in a different light, we will not be saved from being accused of lying if we can only say, "There was a little truth in our words."

(3) Deceit in sinning: "Doom is invented by your tongue, that is, it speaks the evil that the heart designs." The more cunning and ingenuity is present in evil, the more devilish essence in it.

(4) Love for sin: “You love evil more than good, that is, you love evil, and you do not have the slightest love for good. You like to lie and you don't try to do the right thing. You would rather try to please Saul by lying than please God by telling the truth. " The spirit of Doik lives in those people who never use the opportunity to make a person good and pleasant, whether for the flesh, property or a good name, but take pleasure using any opportunity to do evil. It means to love evil more than good. It is very bad to speak disastrous speeches, but it is even worse to love them when others or ourselves speak.

III. David predicts the end of Doeg and the judgments of God that will fall on him for the atrocities he has committed (v. 7): “You destroyed the priests of the Lord, killed them with your sword, and for that God will crush you completely.” Perdition will come upon the sons, at whose hands others perish, as was the case with Judas and the man of sin. The destroyers will be destroyed, and those who zealously hated, persecuted and killed the priests of the Lord, His servants and His people, who for us became the priests of God, the royal priesthood, will be crushed by instant and eternal destruction. In these verses Doeg is condemned, he will

(1) expelled from the Church: “God will rip you out and pull you out of the tabernacle, not only from your dwelling place, but also from God (perhaps this is how many understand this place). You will be plucked out of the grace of God, from His presence, from fellowship with Him, and you will not have the privilege of sacrificing or listening to prophecy. " He was rightly deprived of all the privileges of the house of God as a man who did much harm to His servants. Sometimes Doeg would come to the tabernacle of God and visit the courts of the house of God, but he got tired there and tired of the ministry. Therefore, he looked for an opportunity to slander the priest's family. The villain fully deserved his exile and was expelled from there. We must also close the doors of our home to the person who does this. Note that we are deprived of the privileges of ordinances if we misuse them.

(2) Banished from this world: "He will pluck your root out of the land of the living, where you thought you were so rooted." When they die, godly people are transplanted from the land of the living, this nursery of plantings of righteousness, into heaven - into the garden of the Lord, where they will take root forever. But when the wicked die, they are plucked from the land of the living in order to perish forever, as fuel for the fire of divine wrath. This will be the lot of those who oppose God.

Verses 8-11

At that time David was in great trouble. The evil Doyck inflicted on him was only the beginning of all the troubles, but at the same time here we see his exultation in times of grief, which exceeds ordinary joy. The blessed Paul, surrounded from everywhere by troubles, triumphed (2 Cor. 2:14). And here David triumphs

I. Seeing the fall of Doick. But so that it does not look like personal revenge, he speaks of it not as a fact that is relevant to him, but on behalf of other righteous people. Using Doick's example, they should observe the judgments of God and speak about them

(1) to the glory of God: “The righteous shall see and fear” (v. 8), that is, they will be in awe of the righteousness of God and tremble before Him as before God, who possesses all power, before which the proudest sinner cannot resist, but everyone of us must humble ourselves. Note that God's judgments over the wicked should thrill the righteous, fear of offending God and cause displeasure in Him (Psalm 118: 120; Rev. 15: 3,4).

(2) To Doick's shame. They should laugh at him, not out of joy, but with a reasonable, cheerful laugh, as the One who lives in heaven will laugh (Psalm 2: 4). He only deserved ridicule. We will learn how the righteous will triumph when they see the righteous judgments of God exercising on him (v. 9): “Here is a man who did not lay his strength in God”. The fall and death of the powerful rich will not go unnoticed, and everyone will want to speak out about it. But this is what the righteous have to say about the fall of Doeg: nothing good could come of it, since this man relied on his own fortress and wealth. When a newly erected structure falls, the question arises, what is the reason. Doick's prosperity was ended on the grounds that

He did not build it on a rock and did not build his fortress in God. He did not believe that the duration of his prosperity depended on the favor of the Lord, he did not care to have Him and be in God's love, did not try to fulfill his duty to Him, and did not even seek Him. Anyone who believes that he will support himself with his strength and wealth without God and religion is terribly deceived.

He built it on the sand. Doeck thought that his wealth would sustain itself, and hoped for a lot of his wealth, which he imagined had been delayed for years. Moreover, he thought that his villainy would help and support him. He decided not to stop at anything for the sake of his own reliability and growth in honor and power. Right or wrong, he did his best to hold on to what he had and to destroy anyone who stood in his way. He believed that this would strengthen his position. One whose conscience is not troubled can own everything. But now, when the building has fallen, and he himself is buried under its ruins, look what this led to; look at what fragile mortar he used to build his house.

II. Rejoicing in our own stability (v. 10,11). “The root of this mighty man was plucked out, and I, like a green olive tree, planted and rooted, strong and prosperous. He is expelled from the dwelling place of God, and I am established in him. I don’t get tired, like Doick, being there, but everything I encounter in him deeply satisfies me. ” Point out that he who abides in the house of God by faith and love will be like a green olive tree. Scripture says that the wicked expands like a rooted, many-branched tree (Ps. 37:35), which does not bear fruit, although it has a large number of leaves. And the righteous one flourishes like a green olive tree, which is fruitful, juicy and fresh (Psalm 91:15) and honors gods and people with its fatness (Judges 9: 9), which nourishes its roots and fat from the noble olive tree (Rom.11: 17). What should we do to be like a green olive tree?

(1.) We must live by faith and holy trust in God and His grace. “I saw the result of human trust in the multitude of his wealth and therefore I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever - not in the world, but in God, not on my own merits, but on the mercy of God, which generously distributes its gifts even to the unworthy and has absolute sufficiency to be our part and bliss ”. This grace is forever, it is constant and unchanging, and its gifts will continue until eternity. Therefore, we must constantly rely on it and never leave its foundation.

(2) We must live with constant gratitude and holy joy in God (v. 11): “I will forever praise you for what you have done, that you avenged the blood of your priests to their bloodthirsty enemies and made them drink blood and thus fulfilled His promise to me. ” David was confident that God would fulfill His promise at the right time, as if it had already been fulfilled. By glorifying God, we add beauty to our confession, and each of our grace bears more fruit. Of course, then we will never need a cause for praise.

(3) Our life should be filled with expectation and humble trust in God: “… I will put my trust in Your name. I will come to You, following all the ways by which You reveal yourself to me. I will hope that You will show me Your favor, and wait for the appointed time, for it is good before Your saints (or in the opinion and judgments of Your saints, with whom David absolutely agrees) ”. Communis sensus fidelium - all saints are of the opinion

That the name of God in itself is a blessing, that every time, revealing Himself to His people, the Lord shows mercy and kindness. We have not been given another name that could be a refuge and a strong tower.

That it is very useful for each of us to trust in this name, and nothing else can better calm our spirits when it is upset and irritated. When we are tempted to use dubious means for our own relief, nothing can support us on the path of duty better than hope and patient waiting for salvation from the Lord (Lamentations 3:26). The benefit of this was felt by all believers who never came to Him in vain, who always followed His guidance, for whom everything ended well and who were never ashamed of their trust in Him. Therefore, let us dwell more often in that which is good before all the saints, namely: “Turn you also to your God; observe mercy and judgment and trust in your God always ”(Hos. 12: 6).

1 To the head of the choir. David's teachings,

2 after Doeg the Edomite had come and told Saul and told him that David had come to the house of Ahimelech.

3 Why do you boast in wickedness, strong one? the mercy of god always with me;

4 ruin your tongue invents; like a sharp razor, he by you, insidious!

5 you love evil more than good, more lies than speak the truth;

6 you love all sorts of disastrous speech, the tongue is insidious:

7 for this God will crush you completely, he will wear you out and pluck you out of your dwelling place, and your root out of the land of the living.

8 The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him [and say]:

9 "Behold, a man who did not lay down his strength in God, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, was strengthened in his wickedness."

10 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God, and I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever,

11 I will forever praise you for what you have done, and I will trust in your name, for it is good before your saints.

From the book New Bible Commentary Part 2 (Old Testament) by Carson Donald

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From the author's book

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From the author's book

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Ps. 51 The creator of the psalm is struck by the folly of the wicked, for he knows that, despite all their apparent power, they are doomed to God's punishment. The psalmist, who believes in God and trusts in Him in everything, opposes their own future to their terrible fate. It is difficult to attribute this psalm to any one category, since the signs of the psalms of hope are combined in it with the crying calls to judge the wicked, as well as with the use of expressions characteristic of the literature of wisdom.

51:1-2 The title refers to the event set out in 1 Sam. 22.6-23. Its immediate meaning boils down to the identification of Doyk of the Edomite with a boastful wicked, and David with a righteous psalmist. However, the psalm is full of meaning and regardless of this historical episode, having a direct relationship to many moments in the life of the people of God.

51:3-6 The psalmist denounces the wicked for grave sins.

51: 6 cunning. More precisely: "confused". The biblical literature of wisdom teaches that chaos is the hallmark of evil and harmony is the hallmark of good. The source of good is God, who made the world harmonious.

51: 8 The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him. It may seem strange that the righteous, being afraid, do not cry, but laugh. However, this is made clear by the next verse.

51: 9 Here is a man who did not lay down his strength in God. The Word of God consistently convinces us to rely on the Lord for everything, and not on our own strength. The wicked, on the other hand, does the opposite, not knowing or not wanting to know that a person owes all his achievements and victories only to God.

51:10 like a green olive. This verse clearly echoes Ps. 1. The olive tree, renowned for its longevity and productivity, is often a symbol of God's blessed long and fruitful life.

1 To the head of the choir. David's teachings,

2 after Doeg the Edomite came and reported to Saul and told him that David had come to the house of Ahimelech.

3 Why do you boast in wickedness, strong one? the mercy of god always with me;

4 ruin your tongue invents; like a sharp razor, he by you, insidious!

5 you love evil more than good, more lies than speak the truth;

6 you love all sorts of disastrous speech, the tongue is insidious:

7 for that God will crush you completely, wipe you out and pull you out of your dwelling your and your root is from the land of the living.

8 The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him and they will say:

9 "Behold, a man who did not lay down his strength in God, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, was strengthened in his wickedness."

10 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God, and I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever,

11 I will forever praise You for what You have done, and I will trust in Your name, for it is good before Your saints.

Psalm 51: Exposing the Traitor

The historical context for this psalm can be found in 1 Samuel 21, 22. Doeg the Edomite was King Saul's chief shepherd. He saw the fugitive David receive food and the sword of Goliath from the priest Ahimelech. Soon after, he went to Saul and told him about it, and Saul sent him as a reward to kill Ahimelech and eighty-four other priests of the Lord. He killed not only priests in Nomv, but women, children and even animals, and destroyed the village.

Doeg's character is described in verses 3-6, and his doom is described in verses 7-9. We see the contrasting character of the psalmist in verses 10 and 11.

51:3-6 David first of all accuses the traitor of boasting of evil deeds and "all the time falsely accusing the faithful servant of God" (NAB). This traitor, the prototype of the Antichrist, had a tongue as sharp as a razor and hurt people with his slander. He loved evil more than good, and preferred to lie rather than tell the truth. The embodiment of deceit, he ruined the lives of other people with his speeches.

51:7 The author of the psalm predicts the fate that awaits Doek and all his assistants, according to God's and human justice. God will crush it, destroy it like a building. The Almighty will expel him from his home and completely uproot the living from the land.

51:8, 9 Godly people will one day see how the terrible judgment of God will befall him, and will rejoice at this, saying: "Here is a man who did not build his strength in God, but hoped in the multitude of his riches, was strengthened in his wickedness."

"... the tree that gives the olive oil, which symbolizes the Spirit of God, green in its eternal life. It is" in the house of God, "as opposed to the" dwelling "from which sinners will be expelled." Unlike Doick, who does not trust in God, David decided to trust in God's mercy forever and ever.

He will also forever thank the Lord for everything He has done - namely, because God punishes sinners and avenges the righteous.

Finally, he will glorify the name of the Lord before His saints, because His name is good, and everything He does is also good.

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Interpretation of Psalm 51

This psalm was written by David on the sad occasion of Doyk the Edomite's treacherous denunciation against the high priest Ahimelech for showing hospitality to David (1 Sam. 21-22).

The explanatory inscription corresponds in the Russian text to the first two verses of the psalm.

A. Perdition awaits the villain (51: 3-9)

Ps. 51: 3... In vain does a traitor boast of his villainy: he does not know. that the mercy of God is always with David, and that, therefore, his denunciation will not achieve the goal.

Ps. 51: 4-6... Doyka's villainous act was because in his denunciation to Saul he presented Ahimelech as knowingly assisting the enemy of the king, while the high priest did not know about the true motives for the appearance of a royal son-in-law and showed him the usual hospitality in the East. The language of a traitor who plans death for an innocent person is compared to a "sharp razor".

Ps. 51: 7... For what he did, Doyka expects a speedy death, but his offspring (root) God ... will pluck ... from the land of the living

Ps. 51: 8-9... The righteous, David foresees, although they will be horrified by the fate of the traitor, they will laugh at her (meaning "they will not regret her"), for they will receive one more confirmation that a bitter reckoning awaits everyone who is not affirmed in God, but hopes for his wealth and persists in his malice and cunning.

B. Not the lot of a man of faith (51: 10-11)

Ps. 51: 10-11... In contrast to the wicked, who awaits "uprooting", the psalmist likens himself to a "green olive tree" (a symbol of prosperity). In the house of God (that is, in his closeness to God who dwells in the tabernacle), in the hope of His mercy, David sees the guarantee of his prosperity. And he promises to forever ... praise Him.