Title Psalm 7:1-17
Today is the last Sunday of the year. So, before thinking about today's text, I would like to take a moment to look back on the past year. Looking back, God has been faithful to us throughout this year as well and has given our church so much grace.
In the sermon on the first Sunday of the new year, I mentioned that our church will be focusing on the things that our church will focus on this year, such as investing generously in the development of church education, sending reinforcements of a Russian missionary, building a second Korea-Pacific mission center in Thailand, Preparations for strengthening social welfare ministry, starting hagwon missionary work for youth, and strengthening support for Presbyterian Theological Seminary for the future of this denomination were presented. However, God has done all of these wonderfully without any exception.
Lastly, I can't help but mention the Messiah's joint grand concert that happened yesterday. I have never personally experienced such a wonderful and moving Messianic concert. It is truly a surprise that our church was able to handle this huge event, which was supposed to be a joint concert, but almost all planning, preparation, and financing was done by our church. This is truly a miracle. We can be proud enough that we were able to achieve such amazing results in many insufficient and uncomfortable circumstances. The only reason that the first Messianic joint concert held in the 21st century was upgraded to a higher level than any other concert in the past was the result of the Holy Spirit working together with all the members of the church united in prayer and prayer with one heart. see. I believe that this concert will be on the lips of many people and will remain in their memories.
Of course, all of this was entirely by God's grace. This year must have been a difficult year for everyone in the midst of a very bad domestic economic situation. Nevertheless, all the members of the church devoted their hearts to the church, and saved only 75% of the church budget from the inside. has been For all these results, I would like to first give all glory to God and express my deep gratitude and love to all of you who dedicated themselves with joy.
Now turn our eyes to today's text. Psalm 7 is one of my personal supplications. The main content of personal petitions is to assert your own innocence and the unjust persecution of your enemies. So is Psalm 7. Headings at the beginning of the text are helpful in understanding the text. Its title reads: "Siggayon of David, a song sung to the Lord by the words of Cushi the Benjaminite." The meaning of the word "siggayon", which appears only here in the entire collection of poems, is uncertain, but among several hypotheses, the hypothesis that it is related to the Akkadian word "segu" meaning "supplication poem" is acceptable to some extent.
In any case, this psalm must have originally been a psalm of David. It is a poem in which David cried out to God because of the persecution of his enemies and asserted his innocence to him. A Benjamin named "Gusi" is mentioned only here, but the details of who he was is not known. However, the fact that David encountered opposition from the Benjaminites during and after Saul, who was from the tribe of Benjamin, is recorded in various places. It is not known exactly what that Benjaminite named "Kushi" said to David, but in any case, David received an unfounded and unreasonable accusation from him and prayed to God in response to this psalm. A song to the LORD according to the words of the old city" is what the title implies.
In this way, it is assumed that David's personal pleading poem was later used in worship services for those who are innocently persecuted for a more general purpose. The word "Selah" at the end of verse 5 alludes to it. The word "Selah" is also uncertain in its meaning, but it seems to be a reference to the musicians who accompany the hymns. In other words, whether it is a sign of some kind of response in the worship service or just a short break. In any case, the presence of the word "Selah" suggests that Psalm 7 has evolved from David's personal prayer poem to a general prayer poem used in liturgical ceremonies.
The prayer or petitioner in this Psalm 7 is in the midst of an absolute crisis and is seeking God. In verse 1 he cries out, ?쏧n You, O LORD my God, I take refuge; save me and deliver me from all who pursue me.??How desperate he is is seen in verse 2: "If there is no one to rescue, they will tear me to pieces like lions." If God does not save us, we are in extreme danger to the point of being torn to pieces by lions.
Verses 3-4 allude to what accusations and slander he is being subjected to innocent persecution: "O LORD my God, I have done these things, or there is iniquity in my hands/ I have repaid my peacemaker for evil, or because of my adversaries. stolen without it". And the next verse 5 shows how unjust and unfounded his accusations, persecutions, and sufferings are: "Let the enemy pursue and seize my soul, and let my life trample upon the earth, and my glory may dwell in the dust." I risk my life and swear I've never done anything like that. ?쏰 LORD my God, if I have done any of these things, or if there is iniquity in my hands, or if I have repaid a friend for evil, or if I have taken it away from my adversary without cause,??Let glory dwell in the dust."
The plea in verses 1-5 turns into a supplication in verses 6-11. There is no other place to turn to and escape from but God, so this is a prayer that God will stand up now, be angry with the unrighteous, strike them, judge them with righteousness, and save and save Him from the unrighteous. "Arise, O LORD, in your wrath, and stop the wrath of my enemies; Awake for me, for you have commanded judgment. Let the assembly of nations surround you, and return to your high place. The LORD brings judgment on all peoples. Come, O LORD, judge me according to my righteousness and my faithfulness. Cut off the evil of the wicked and raise up the righteous. A righteous God searches the hearts and consciences of men. My shield is from God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, a God who is angry every day."
The petition in verses 6-11 is replaced with trust, thanksgiving, and praise in verses 12-17. God will surely punish the wicked and will eventually set righteousness right, so he should be thanked and praised. "Unless a man repents, he goes away his sword, he draws his bow, he prepares it, and he prepares the instruments to kill him, his arrows are fiery arrows; the wicked bring forth iniquity; / He has dug a cistern, he has fallen into the trap I have made / His calamity will return on his head, and his violence will fall on his head / I will give thanks to the LORD according to his righteousness, I will praise the name of the Most High." .
So, what else does Psalm 7 give us? Warning. In particular, this is a very strict warning given to those who abuse others without reason, slander others without any basis, and seek to persecute others with slander and enjoy it. He said that God would use a sword against such people. You said you've already pulled the bow. He said he had prepared arrows of fire. They said they would throw them into the pit they dug. He said that the tyranny and violence they inflict on others will be struck down on their own heads. Those who practiced such things should repent quickly. Look again at a few verses from verse 12: ?쏹nless a man repents, he goes away his sword, he draws his bow, he prepares it/ He also prepares the tools to kill him; the arrows he makes are fiery arrows/ .. ./ The wicked begets iniquity, and plagues and begets lies./ He digs a cistern, and falls into the trap I have made/ The wreckage will return to his head, and his violence will come down on his head."