Psalms 56-57 Dear RTB’ers, What can man do to me? (vv. 56:4b, 11b) David has the perfect perspective here. For us, on this side of the Cross, it’s an easier perspective because we can think eternally. But David did not have that level of assurance, although he did have events in Israel’s history (e.g., the …
Author Archives: Fred
August 19 / Psalm 55
Psalm 55 Dear RTB’ers, Not long ago one of you commented to me that s/he was “with me” in not understanding the Psalms. They were referring to my July 27 post wherein I spent more than a few sentences explaining the possible sources of my confusion with the Psalms. Today I am not alone in …
August 18 / Psalms 52-54
Psalms 52-54 Dear RTB’ers, Three psalms today, but they could easily be read as one. Try it. Move Psalm 52:8-9 and Psalm 53:6 to the end of Psalm 54 and the remaining verses are consistent as a prayer by David for deliverance from his foes and his recognition of their foolishness in not trusting/believing in …
August 17 / II Samuel 24
II Samuel 24 Dear RTB’ers, Today we leave II Samuel and in so doing, except for two chapters in I Kings we end our stories of David and his activities. And we leave him on a sour note – his desire for a census of the people of Israel and Judah and God’s resulting judgment …
August 16 / II Samuel 23
II Samuel 23 Dear RTB’ers, David is brimming with confidence as to his relationship with God: For does not my house stand so with God? For He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will He not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? (v. 5) …
August 15 / II Samuel 22
II Samuel 22 Dear RTB’ers, My Study Bible noted that this Psalm was probably written after David’s victories over Saul (and possibly other enemies), but before his sin with Bathsheba. Two sets of verses today confirm that likelihood. First, his victories, wherein he acknowledged the Lord’s hand in his deliverance: He rescued me from my …
August 14 / II Samuel 21
II Samuel 21 Dear RTB’ers, Having read about Absalom’s desire for revenge – and David’s reaching out with compassion instead of revenge – today we see another act of revenge, the Gibeonites demanding seven deaths in place of Saul’s rampage against them. Isn’t it strange that dying in battle is so different from execution? Saul …
August 13 / II Samuel 19:40-20:26
II Samuel 19:40-20:26 Dear RTB’ers, More unrest and rebellion… Will it never end for David??!! Today’s reading begins with tribal infighting – the tribe of Judah (David’s home) against the ?ten? other tribes. Confusion here. There are twelve tribes (twelve sons of Jacob), counting Levi and Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh as one tribe). Furthermore, if …
August 12 / II Samuel 19:9-39
II Samuel 19:9-39 Dear RTB’ers, Although David had never actually stopped being king, much of Israel had chosen to follow Absalom. Now that Absalom is dead, his followers need to reverse their loyalties and bring David back to Jerusalem as the king over all the tribes of Israel. His coming back begins with his own …
August 11 / II Samuel 18:1-19:8
II Samuel 18:1-19:8 Dear RTB’ers, Today we see the end of Absalom and his rebellion. Now King David has lost both his first- and second-born sons. And neither one was a credit to his lineage. Carol and I watched a movie last night where a father had lost one of his sons to cancer. Very …