Psalm 53-54

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Longing for the Establishment of God’s Kingdom and Elimination of Persecutors

(Transcript not available - coming soon)

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. God will remove sinners and establish His kingdom.

  2. God will remove persecutors and deliver His people

    .

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Remember, we live in glass houses.

  2. What kind of name do you have?

QUESTIONS

  1. Why might Psalm 53 sound familiar?

  2. What is the difference between Yahweh and Elohim, two names of God used in Psalms 14 and 53?

  3. What was the occasion of Psalm 54?

  4. Was David calling for personal revenge here?

  5. What sacrifice was David looking forward to in Psalm 54:6-7?

ANSWERS

  1. Psalm 53 is almost identical to Psalm 14. Paul also quoted Psalm 53:1-3 in Romans 3.

  2. Yahweh, which is translated Jehovah or LORD is the name for God who keeps His covenant with His people. Elohim is the name of God meaning Almighty, sovereign God who created, sustains, and governs the universe.

  3. This psalm was written when the Ziphites went to Saul and betrayed David. We read about this account in 1 Samuel 23. At some point during this crisis, David found time to contemplate and write this personal lament psalm.

  4. No, he was calling for God’s justice. These were evildoers. David was in the right and the punishment of these persecutors would vindicate David and maintain God’s justice.

  5. David anticipates bringing the peace offering of Leviticus 3 as a thank offering to the Lord when he was free to visit the Tabernacle once again. There David would thank the Lord for delivering him and for bringing all his enemies to justice.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Psalm 53 is quoted in Romans 3 to show that the entire world is guilty and falls short of God’s moral standards – including even so-called “good” people. Do you know anyone who believes that man is inherently good? What do you think is the motivation behind this kind of thinking? How can it be disputed?

  2. Read Romans 12:19. The Lord will vindicate us when we are in the right. We don’t have to take our own revenge; the Lord will do it for us. This is a difficult principle to live out. Discuss some practical ways to leave revenge to God.

CHALLENGE

  1. When David asked God to save him by His name, he was referring to all that God’s name represented and all He had done. When your name is mentioned, what is the response and reaction from the people who know you? Your name stands for all that you are and all that you do. What kind of name do you have?

KEY VERSES

  • "I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth - Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD." Psalm 40:1-3

  • "By this I know that You are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me." Psalm 41:11



Psalms, Old Testament, TalksDeb HarmsPsalm 53-54