Daily Psalms and Proverbs - Sat. July 22nd

A good day to all reading this! Today's reading is Psalm 11:5-7 and Proverbs 6:20-29:

Psalm 11:5-7

The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

In this psalm, David's friends have advised him to flee because he's in danger, but he responds that the Lord is in control, so he has no reason to fear. The first part of this psalm is discussed here.

In verses 4-7, the concluding half of the psalm, David talks about how the wicked will not escape punishment because the Lord will judge them, but He will deliver the righteous - those who trust in Him.

Verse 4 mentions that "the Lord trieth the righteous." The Lord puts believers through trials for our own good:

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:3-4)

The Lord will also send traps to ensnare the wicked, and bring great destruction upon them. This is what's due to them, what David refers to here as "their cup."

*  One commentary mentions that beginning with this psalm, the word "cup" is used frequently in the Bible:

"This is probably the earliest place where the metaphor of a "cup" for man's lot in life is employed. Other instances are Psalm 16:5; Psalm 23:5; Psalm 73:10; Psalm 75:8; Psalm 116:13; Isaiah 51:17, 22; Jeremiah 25:15; Ezekiel 23:31, 32; Matthew 20:22, 23; Matthew 26:39; John 18:11."

The most important cup in God's Word is the one Jesus drank on our behalf. The wrath of our righteous and holy God was in it, and Jesus drank it so that we don't have to.

"And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. (Matthew 26:39)

"Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11)

And by Jesus drinking the cup of God's judgment for us, He also provided us with a New cup of God's forgiveness:

"And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:27-28)

Verse 7 says that the Lord's "countenance doth behold the upright." Through the new testament Jesus provided for us, we can know the Lord and be known by Him:

"The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." (Numbers 6:24-26)

Proverbs 6:20-24

My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Verse 21 refers to phylacteries, also called tefillin, which were leather boxes containing portions of God's Word that He commanded the Jews to wear so they would remember them.

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

Here Solomon suggests not only physically binding pieces to one's body, but more importantly, spiritually binding them to one's heart.

He also describes God's Word as leading, protecting, and speaking. As it says in Hebrews, God's Word is alive:

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

Solomon also identifies God's Word as light, as John does:

"In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:3-4

God bless you!

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