PSALMS LESSON 69

     We will continue the verse by verse study in chapter 69 of
Psalms. Psalms 69:19 "Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and
my dishonour: mine adversaries [are] all before thee."

     We have been viewing, in these lessons, the reproach that David
felt from the enemies around him, and the reproach that Jesus felt
when the religious people of His day joined forces with the worldly
people and all rejected Him. The reproach, dishonour, and the shame,
did not belong to Jesus. He had done nothing wrong to cause this.
They were attacking Him without a cause. David, also, felt all of
these things, but in some far away way felt he should pay restitution
for the evil he had done. He felt it could have been just payment.

     Psalms 69:20 "Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of
heaviness: and I looked [for some] to take pity, but [there was] none;
and for comforters, but I found none."

     This is certainly speaking prophetically about the Lord Jesus
Christ. Even His beloved apostles had run away. Peter had even denied
Him 3 times. Where were all of the people who had been miraculously
healed by one touch of His hand, or touched by a word He spoke? Where
were the multitude that He had fed? The only excuse that I can make at
all for them, is that He was crucified early in the morning. Perhaps,
before some of them knew. Jesus loved them so much, and there was not
any move at all to save Him. He would not have let them stop the
crucifixion, but it would have been heart-warming, if they had tried.
Jesus stood alone.

     Psalms 69:21 "They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my
thirst they gave me vinegar to drink."

     We see the fulfillment of this in the following Scripture.
Matthew 27:34  "They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and
when he had tasted [thereof], he would not drink."

     Psalms 69:22 "Let their table become a snare before them: and
[that which should have been] for [their] welfare, [let it become] a
trap." Psalms 69:23 "Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not;
and make their loins continually to shake."  Psalms 69:24 "Pour out
thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of
them." Psalms 69:25 "Let their habitation be desolate; [and] let none
dwell in their tents."

     Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
However, we see in the book of Romans that this very thing, spoken of
in verse 22 and 23 above, did happen to them. The blessings of God was
off them until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Romans 11:8
"(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of
slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not
hear;) unto this day." Romans 11:9 "And David saith, Let their table
be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence
unto them:" Romans 11:10 "Let their eyes be darkened, that they may
not see, and bow down their back alway."  We do know, that this very
thing has happened to the natural Jew. This was even so up until 1948.
The time of the Gentiles is at a close. Luke 21:24 "And they shall
fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all
nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until
the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Now let us go back to Romans
for one more Scripture. Now we see why all of this happened. Romans
11:11 "I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God
forbid: but [rather] through their fall salvation [is come] unto the
Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy."

     Psalms 69:26 "For they persecute [him] whom thou hast smitten;
and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded."

     We find that this persecution has never stopped. The sinful have
just begun to persecute the followers of Jesus the same as they
persecuted HIM. Even now, there are many who persecute the name of
Jesus. They use His name in vain. The worst thing of all, they are
still rejecting Him today.

     Psalms 69:27 "Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not
come into thy righteousness."

     The Lord will not force His righteousness on anyone. There is no
hope for those who totally reject Jesus. You can just take one look at
the television and see that sin is getting worse and worse. The only
hope for this world, is the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Reach
out and take the salvation Jesus offers today, before it is too late.

     Psalms 69:28 "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living,
and not be written with the righteous."

     We know that these religious people believed that they were the
chosen of God, and that there was no way they would not be saved.
Those who reject Jesus, then or now, will not be saved. God's chosen
people who rejected Jesus would have their names removed from the book
of life. The righteous are those who have been washed in the blood of
the precious Lamb and put in right standing with God for that. Notice
though, that there is a possibility to have your name removed from the
book. Once we are saved, we must stay saved. We must not choose to go
back into a sinful way of life after we have been saved. Read chapter
6 of Hebrews.

     Psalms 69:29 "But I [am] poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O
God, set me up on high."

     Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor. This does not mean
just poor financially. This means those poor in spirit, as well. We
have nothing to offer God, but a repentant heart. In that sense, we
are poor. Sorrowful has to do with repentance. The way to receive
salvation is to be sorrowful for your sin and repent and receive the
salvation Jesus provided for each of us. We know that since Jesus rose
from the grave, we shall rise, too. We are not to try to elevate
ourselves. God will do the elevating of whom He wants to.
     Psalms 69:30 "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will
magnify him with thanksgiving."

     I will praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me
praise His holy name. Christians, we have so much to praise Him for.
We, of all the people in the world, have the hope of the resurrection.
We are the bride of Christ. Our Groom is off preparing a place for us.
He will come again and receive us unto Himself. Our lips should be
filled with praise and thanksgiving.

     Psalms 69:31 "[This] also shall please the LORD better than an ox
[or] bullock that hath horns and hoofs."

     Christians should offer praise to God on a regular basis.
Sacrifice for a Christian is praise. Jeremiah 33:11 "The voice of joy,
and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice
of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of
hosts: for the LORD [is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever:
[and] of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house
of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as
at the first, saith the LORD."  One more Scripture to verify that is
what God wants from us. Hebrews 13:15 "By him therefore let us offer
the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of
[our] lips giving thanks to his name."

     Psalms 69:32 "The humble shall see [this, and] be glad: and your
heart shall live that seek God."

     James 4:6 "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."  The proud are
the same as the ones Jesus called stiff-necked. The humble are
teachable. Seek and ye shall find, ask and ye shall receive, knock and
it shall be opened unto you. James 4:10 "Humble yourselves in the
sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." God will not force
Himself on anyone. The humble seek salvation, and He shall save them.


    Psalms 69:33 "For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his
prisoners."

     These 2 Scriptures say it better than I could. I Samuel 2:8 "He
raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth up the beggar from
the dunghill, to set [them] among princes, and to make them inherit
the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth [are] the LORD'S,
and he hath set the world upon them."  James 2:5 "Hearken, my beloved
brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith,
and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love
him?"

     Psalms 69:34 "Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and
every thing that moveth therein."

     The Word of God created all of the things mentioned above. Look
in John chapter 1. It is right that the creation would praise its
Creator. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

     Psalms 69:35 "For God will save Zion, and will build the cities
of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession."

     We have been discussing that there are two, or perhaps, three
different meanings of Zion. Look at Zion as the church. The true
believers in Christ are the church, and we know they will be saved.
Look at Zion as Jerusalem, and we know that the Lord will rule from
Jerusalem. The new Jerusalem will come down from God out of heaven,
and all who truly believe will live there with our Lord.

     Psalms 69:36 "The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and
they that love his name shall dwell therein."

     Who are the seed spoken of here who will possess the land?  These
are the seed of Abraham. Those who are in covenant relationship with
God. Galatians 3:29 "And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's
seed, and heirs according to the promise."  Praise God!  all true
Christians are the seed spoken of.


































                             Questions 69

1.  What 3 undeserved things was Jesus feeling in verse 19.
2.  Who is verse 20 saying abandoned Jesus?
3.  Where were all those who had been miraculously healed by Jesus?
4.  Where is the fulfillment of verse 21 found in the New Testament?
5.  What were some of the things prophesied to these people who turned
    against the Lord?
6.  What did Jesus ask the Father to do to these who crucified Him?
7.  Quote Romans chapter 11 verse 8.
8.  How long shall Jerusalem be trodden down of the Gentiles?
9.  Why had they stumbled?
10. Who do the sinful persecute today?
11. Who is there no hope for?
12. What is the only hope for thios world?
13. Who will not be saved?
14. Who are the righteous?
15. Who had their names blotted out of the book?
16. Who did jesus come to preach to?
17. What is the only thing we have to offer God?
18. Who elevates us up?
19. What is the hope of the Christian?
20. Who is the bride of Christ?
21. What two Scriptures verify the fact that praise is sacrifice?
22. God resisteth the proud ,but does what for the humble?
23. What two other Scriptures explain verse 33?
24. Who created all things?
25. God will save ____.
26. Who, or what, is Zion?
27. Who are the seed that inherit from God?
28. Quote Galations chapter 3 verse 29.