08/15/2024 – Day 073 – Psalm – Chapters 30 – 32 / Note – Chapter 32 commentary: List of other penitential Psalms.
Two reading cycles past, there is a post for this drawing dated 08/06/2020 that covers commentary on: 30: 11-12; 31:19; and 32:9.
For today, I would like to share the chapter summary commentary from “Halley’s Bible Handbook”:
Psalm 30. Dedication of David’s Palace – “After he had conquered Jerusalem, and made it his Capital (II Samuel 5:11; 7:2). Had often been near death, but God brought him through. He would Sing Praise to God Forever.”
Psalm 31. A Song of Conquest – “David in Constant Danger, Trouble, Grief or Humiliation, always Implicitly Trusted in God. Jesus quoted His dying word from this Psalm (5; Luke 23:46).”
Psalm 32. A Psalm of Penitence – “Occasioned, no doubt, by David’s Sin with Bathsheba (II Samuel 11-12). He can find no words to express his Shame and Humiliation. Yet this is the same David who repeatedly avowed his Righteousness (Psalms 7:3, 8; 17: 1-5; 18:20-24; 26; 1-14).
How reconcile these paradoxical features of David’s life? 1. The Righteousness statements may have been made before David made this dreadful mistake. 2. In most things David was Righteous. 3. There is a difference between a Sin of Weakness and Willful Habitual Sin. A Good man may Sin, and yet be a Good man. David’s Remorse showed him to be just that. That is quite different from Wicked Men who Purposely and Willfully and Habitually flout all the laws of Decency. (See on II Samuel 11.)
Augustine is said to have had this Psalm written on the wall in front of his bed, where it was always in view, reading it incessantly, weeping as he read.
Other penitential Psalms are 6, 25, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143.”
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Questions for fellowship generation, the lifelong sanctification process:
- What does the text reveal about God’s character?
- How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us?
- What themes stand out to you in this bible study?
- How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)?
- What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before? Is it explainable at this point?
- Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s) in our reading. Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere.
- What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time? Share with us how the Spirit of God is working within you as a messenger, both within and outside of our fellowship group.
- Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times.
Soli Deo Gloria!