Psalms 99

Psalms 99:1

The Majesty and Strength of God

The “kingdoms of the earth” that were spared from the judgments are called to “sing to God” (Psalms 68:32). Here we see the “great multitude which no one could count” (Revelation 7:9-17). They are to sing “praises to the Lord”. It is He who “rides upon the highest heavens” (Psalms 68:33; cf. Deuteronomy 33:26). It represents in an unparalleled way His majesty from eternity and everywhere in the heavens. He is the unlimited Lord of the universe which cannot contain Him, but which He spans (1 Kings 8:27).

This He expresses with His voice: “He speaks forth with His voice, a mighty voice.” He reveals Himself in His speaking. We hear it in nature through thunder. We hear it in His Word spoken by His prophets, and “in these last days” we hear Him speak “in [His] Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

The subject of the praise of the subjected nations must be God’s sovereign power (Psalms 68:34). He has displayed His majesty over Israel. He has chosen this people to be His people. Therefore, the countless enemies who have sought to wipe this people off the face of the earth through all ages have not succeeded in their goal. God has preserved His people for Himself. Now He makes them the center of blessing for the earth because He dwells in the midst of them.

His strength which He has shown in their protection is the same power with which He governs the clouds [skies is literally clouds]. He rides on them as on a chariot. He sends rain from there upon the earth, whereby He can accompany the rain with dazzling lightning and deafening thunder. He reveals Himself in blessing for His people and in judgment for His enemies.

Psalms 99:2

The Majesty and Strength of God

The “kingdoms of the earth” that were spared from the judgments are called to “sing to God” (Psalms 68:32). Here we see the “great multitude which no one could count” (Revelation 7:9-17). They are to sing “praises to the Lord”. It is He who “rides upon the highest heavens” (Psalms 68:33; cf. Deuteronomy 33:26). It represents in an unparalleled way His majesty from eternity and everywhere in the heavens. He is the unlimited Lord of the universe which cannot contain Him, but which He spans (1 Kings 8:27).

This He expresses with His voice: “He speaks forth with His voice, a mighty voice.” He reveals Himself in His speaking. We hear it in nature through thunder. We hear it in His Word spoken by His prophets, and “in these last days” we hear Him speak “in [His] Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

The subject of the praise of the subjected nations must be God’s sovereign power (Psalms 68:34). He has displayed His majesty over Israel. He has chosen this people to be His people. Therefore, the countless enemies who have sought to wipe this people off the face of the earth through all ages have not succeeded in their goal. God has preserved His people for Himself. Now He makes them the center of blessing for the earth because He dwells in the midst of them.

His strength which He has shown in their protection is the same power with which He governs the clouds [skies is literally clouds]. He rides on them as on a chariot. He sends rain from there upon the earth, whereby He can accompany the rain with dazzling lightning and deafening thunder. He reveals Himself in blessing for His people and in judgment for His enemies.

Psalms 99:3

God Gives His People Strength and Power

David is deeply impressed by God’s strength. In the first line of this last verse, he addresses God again with the words “O God”. He, Who reveals His strength in the clouds, is “awesome” (cf. Deuteronomy 10:17) from His sanctuary, the heavens where He resides, places above the clouds.

He is again “the God of Israel”, for the period of Lo-Ammi, that is not My people, is over. Israel has no other God but Him, and He has no other people of whom He is the God in that way. It has often been asked where the God of Israel is when it comes to the suffering that has come upon His people. All questions about that come to an end when He reveals Himself as the God of Israel in His time.

“He gives strength and power to the people” (cf. Zechariah 12:5) so that they will not go down in all the attacks that will be made on them in the end time. They will not owe it to their military superiority or clever defense strategy. That the people will enter the blessing of the realm of peace is due solely to Him.

Therefore, nothing remains but to say with admiration: “Blessed be God!” Then He enthrones upon the praise of Israel (Psalms 22:3).

Psalms 99:5

Introduction

After the series of Psalms 61-68, which is more or less chronological, we now find a new series: Psalms 69-72. These psalms give a review of the time of the great tribulation, a summary of the sufferings, first of Christ and then of His people, that is, the faithful remnant.

Immediately following the psalm of return to heaven of the Lord Jesus (Psalms 68:18) is the psalm that deals with the Lord Jesus in His sufferings (Psalms 69). The victor of Psalm 68 turns out to be the same Person Who, as Psalms 69 shows, suffered severely 2,000 years ago.

We also see this in Revelation 5, where first the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Victor, is presented, Who then turns out to be the same as the Lamb Who stands there as slain (Revelation 5:5-6). Each climax is possible only because of Christ’s humiliation. All the blessings described in the preceding psalms are the result of the suffering of the Messiah described in this psalm.

The suffering of the Messiah is partly, that is, from the side of man, also the suffering of the faithful remnant in the end time. In all the psalms in which the suffering of the remnant is described, we hear the Spirit of Christ.

Here again we have clearly a Messianic psalm about the suffering of the Lord Jesus. This psalm is quoted several times in the New Testament: Psalms 69:4 – John 15:25 Psalms 69:10 – John 2:17; Romans 15:3 Psalms 69:22 – Matthew 27:34; 48; Mark 15:23; John 19:28-29 Psalms 69:23 – Romans 11:9 Psalms 69:24 – Romans 11:10 Psalms 69:26 – Acts 1:20 These quotes show that the book of Psalms speaks of the Lord Jesus (Luke 24:44; John 5:39).

We find four prayers in this psalm, namely in Psalms 69:1b; 6; 13-18; 22-29. The psalm ends with a song of praise about prayer being answered. Despite all the suffering, the struggle of prayer ends in a declaration of trust in God (Psalms 69:30-36) and becomes a song of trust in God that has been tested through suffering.

Prayer in Need

For “for the choir director” (Psalms 69:1a) see at Psalms 4:1.

For “according to Shoshannim” or “upon lilies” see at Psalms 45:1.

It is a psalm “of David”. This is what Romans 11 is also saying. There Psalms 69:22-23 of this psalm are quoted, with the quotation preceded by the statement “David says” (Romans 11:9-10). David is the speaker, but the words are from Him Who is so much greater than David, which is Christ. Christ is the Son of David and at the same time His Lord (Matthew 22:42-45). David experienced these sufferings to some degree, but the wording that is used is beyond David’s experiences. As a prophet, David described the experiences of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:29-31), and to a lesser extent, the experiences of the believing remnant.

The Messiah is in deep suffering and cries out to God to save Him (Psalms 69:1b). He exclaims: “The waters have threatened my life [literally: have come to the soul]” This means that He is in danger of drowning. The need is exceedingly great. He sinks deeper and deeper into the mire, for there is no foothold (Psalms 69:2; cf. Jeremiah 38:6). He is in mortal danger. The mire is suffocating. Just a little while longer and it will be over and out with Him (cf. Jona 2:3; Psalms 40:2). This is how the Lord Jesus experienced the enmity of men against Him. This is also the experience of the remnant in the end time. They suffer greatly because of the enemies from outside and the antichrist with his followers from inside.

His suffering is so intense that He cries out that He has “come into deep waters” and that “a flood overflows” Him (cf. Jona 2:5). The Hebrew word for flood, shibboleth, according to Jewish scholars, is best translated as ‘whirlpool’. Then the meaning of the phrase is: “A whirlpool drags me away” (cf. Psalms 124:3-4). The whirlpool and the mire pit occur in the wadis when it has rained heavily in the wilderness.

Christ continually cried out to God (cf. Psalms 22:2; Hebrews 5:7) and grew weary with it (Psalms 69:3). This is not so much a physical weariness, but His throat is parched from praying and His eyes fail while waiting for His God. His throat is parched so that He can no longer cry out. He no longer has a voice. His eyes, too, “fail”. He is always waiting for God; He looks imploringly to Him with His eyes crying for help.

His enemies are people who “hate” Him “without a cause” (Psalms 69:4). The Lord Jesus quotes this word in His teachings to the disciples about His rejection (John 15:25). The fulfillment of this word is further evidence that this psalm is primarily about Christ. It also makes it clear that His contemporaries deliberately rejected Him.

After all, there is no reason for hating Him. He has always been among them in love and grace and goodness. He has spoken words of grace and done acts of mercy. Yet they have hated Him. It demonstrates the wickedness of man’s heart and the truth of God’s Word.

He has always sought and done good for them, but He has received hatred for the love He has given. The number of enemies are “more than the hairs of my head”, He complains. The intention of His enemies is also clear: they want to kill Him. The reasons are false, made up because of their own benefit. How hardened is a man who rejects God, Who reveals Himself to him in grace and goodness.

His enemies are not only numerous, but they are also powerful. They are in control of Him. This is only possible because God’s time has come. However, this does not diminish the feelings of suffering of the Messiah. But what moves Him most is that He must give back what He did not steal.

By this the Lord Jesus means the honor which man has stolen from God through his sin. He must return that honor to God. He has done just that. He has completely honored God at the place where man has so deeply dishonored God, which is on earth (John 8:49).

He has also given back to God as the true Guilt offering more than man has robbed Him of (Leviticus 5:16). He paid the 20% extra on the cross as the true Guilt offering. This goes beyond just the removal of sins. This also allows God to give greater blessings to man than he has forfeited through sin.

He speaks to God that God knows His folly and that His wrongs are not hidden from Him (Psalms 69:5). What the Lord Jesus says here refers to the fact that He takes upon Himself the sins of everyone who believes in Him. He identifies Himself here with their sins. He calls this “my wrongs”. He, Who is Himself the sinless and guiltless One, Who has committed no sin, speaks here of “my wrongs” which are not hidden from God.

This is really substitution. He does not pretend, but really makes the debts of repentant sinners His own. In doing so, He says that they are not hidden from God. This means that He confesses them before God and is judged by God for them.

He has not borne the sins of the whole world, He has not confessed the debts of all men. He has borne only the sins of those who believe in Him and confessed only the sins of those who acknowledge that they are guilty before God. God knows the sins of all for whom Christ suffered on the cross and has judged them there in Him, so that they are free from judgment.

It is true, though, that the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross is sufficiently great to offer salvation to all people. Everyone may come. No one will be able to say that it was not for him or her. No one is excluded from the offer of being saved through faith in Him: “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4; cf. Acts 17:30-31; Mark 16:15).

Psalms 99:6

Introduction

After the series of Psalms 61-68, which is more or less chronological, we now find a new series: Psalms 69-72. These psalms give a review of the time of the great tribulation, a summary of the sufferings, first of Christ and then of His people, that is, the faithful remnant.

Immediately following the psalm of return to heaven of the Lord Jesus (Psalms 68:18) is the psalm that deals with the Lord Jesus in His sufferings (Psalms 69). The victor of Psalm 68 turns out to be the same Person Who, as Psalms 69 shows, suffered severely 2,000 years ago.

We also see this in Revelation 5, where first the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Victor, is presented, Who then turns out to be the same as the Lamb Who stands there as slain (Revelation 5:5-6). Each climax is possible only because of Christ’s humiliation. All the blessings described in the preceding psalms are the result of the suffering of the Messiah described in this psalm.

The suffering of the Messiah is partly, that is, from the side of man, also the suffering of the faithful remnant in the end time. In all the psalms in which the suffering of the remnant is described, we hear the Spirit of Christ.

Here again we have clearly a Messianic psalm about the suffering of the Lord Jesus. This psalm is quoted several times in the New Testament: Psalms 69:4 – John 15:25 Psalms 69:10 – John 2:17; Romans 15:3 Psalms 69:22 – Matthew 27:34; 48; Mark 15:23; John 19:28-29 Psalms 69:23 – Romans 11:9 Psalms 69:24 – Romans 11:10 Psalms 69:26 – Acts 1:20 These quotes show that the book of Psalms speaks of the Lord Jesus (Luke 24:44; John 5:39).

We find four prayers in this psalm, namely in Psalms 69:1b; 6; 13-18; 22-29. The psalm ends with a song of praise about prayer being answered. Despite all the suffering, the struggle of prayer ends in a declaration of trust in God (Psalms 69:30-36) and becomes a song of trust in God that has been tested through suffering.

Prayer in Need

For “for the choir director” (Psalms 69:1a) see at Psalms 4:1.

For “according to Shoshannim” or “upon lilies” see at Psalms 45:1.

It is a psalm “of David”. This is what Romans 11 is also saying. There Psalms 69:22-23 of this psalm are quoted, with the quotation preceded by the statement “David says” (Romans 11:9-10). David is the speaker, but the words are from Him Who is so much greater than David, which is Christ. Christ is the Son of David and at the same time His Lord (Matthew 22:42-45). David experienced these sufferings to some degree, but the wording that is used is beyond David’s experiences. As a prophet, David described the experiences of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:29-31), and to a lesser extent, the experiences of the believing remnant.

The Messiah is in deep suffering and cries out to God to save Him (Psalms 69:1b). He exclaims: “The waters have threatened my life [literally: have come to the soul]” This means that He is in danger of drowning. The need is exceedingly great. He sinks deeper and deeper into the mire, for there is no foothold (Psalms 69:2; cf. Jeremiah 38:6). He is in mortal danger. The mire is suffocating. Just a little while longer and it will be over and out with Him (cf. Jona 2:3; Psalms 40:2). This is how the Lord Jesus experienced the enmity of men against Him. This is also the experience of the remnant in the end time. They suffer greatly because of the enemies from outside and the antichrist with his followers from inside.

His suffering is so intense that He cries out that He has “come into deep waters” and that “a flood overflows” Him (cf. Jona 2:5). The Hebrew word for flood, shibboleth, according to Jewish scholars, is best translated as ‘whirlpool’. Then the meaning of the phrase is: “A whirlpool drags me away” (cf. Psalms 124:3-4). The whirlpool and the mire pit occur in the wadis when it has rained heavily in the wilderness.

Christ continually cried out to God (cf. Psalms 22:2; Hebrews 5:7) and grew weary with it (Psalms 69:3). This is not so much a physical weariness, but His throat is parched from praying and His eyes fail while waiting for His God. His throat is parched so that He can no longer cry out. He no longer has a voice. His eyes, too, “fail”. He is always waiting for God; He looks imploringly to Him with His eyes crying for help.

His enemies are people who “hate” Him “without a cause” (Psalms 69:4). The Lord Jesus quotes this word in His teachings to the disciples about His rejection (John 15:25). The fulfillment of this word is further evidence that this psalm is primarily about Christ. It also makes it clear that His contemporaries deliberately rejected Him.

After all, there is no reason for hating Him. He has always been among them in love and grace and goodness. He has spoken words of grace and done acts of mercy. Yet they have hated Him. It demonstrates the wickedness of man’s heart and the truth of God’s Word.

He has always sought and done good for them, but He has received hatred for the love He has given. The number of enemies are “more than the hairs of my head”, He complains. The intention of His enemies is also clear: they want to kill Him. The reasons are false, made up because of their own benefit. How hardened is a man who rejects God, Who reveals Himself to him in grace and goodness.

His enemies are not only numerous, but they are also powerful. They are in control of Him. This is only possible because God’s time has come. However, this does not diminish the feelings of suffering of the Messiah. But what moves Him most is that He must give back what He did not steal.

By this the Lord Jesus means the honor which man has stolen from God through his sin. He must return that honor to God. He has done just that. He has completely honored God at the place where man has so deeply dishonored God, which is on earth (John 8:49).

He has also given back to God as the true Guilt offering more than man has robbed Him of (Leviticus 5:16). He paid the 20% extra on the cross as the true Guilt offering. This goes beyond just the removal of sins. This also allows God to give greater blessings to man than he has forfeited through sin.

He speaks to God that God knows His folly and that His wrongs are not hidden from Him (Psalms 69:5). What the Lord Jesus says here refers to the fact that He takes upon Himself the sins of everyone who believes in Him. He identifies Himself here with their sins. He calls this “my wrongs”. He, Who is Himself the sinless and guiltless One, Who has committed no sin, speaks here of “my wrongs” which are not hidden from God.

This is really substitution. He does not pretend, but really makes the debts of repentant sinners His own. In doing so, He says that they are not hidden from God. This means that He confesses them before God and is judged by God for them.

He has not borne the sins of the whole world, He has not confessed the debts of all men. He has borne only the sins of those who believe in Him and confessed only the sins of those who acknowledge that they are guilty before God. God knows the sins of all for whom Christ suffered on the cross and has judged them there in Him, so that they are free from judgment.

It is true, though, that the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross is sufficiently great to offer salvation to all people. Everyone may come. No one will be able to say that it was not for him or her. No one is excluded from the offer of being saved through faith in Him: “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4; cf. Acts 17:30-31; Mark 16:15).

Psalms 99:7

Introduction

After the series of Psalms 61-68, which is more or less chronological, we now find a new series: Psalms 69-72. These psalms give a review of the time of the great tribulation, a summary of the sufferings, first of Christ and then of His people, that is, the faithful remnant.

Immediately following the psalm of return to heaven of the Lord Jesus (Psalms 68:18) is the psalm that deals with the Lord Jesus in His sufferings (Psalms 69). The victor of Psalm 68 turns out to be the same Person Who, as Psalms 69 shows, suffered severely 2,000 years ago.

We also see this in Revelation 5, where first the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Victor, is presented, Who then turns out to be the same as the Lamb Who stands there as slain (Revelation 5:5-6). Each climax is possible only because of Christ’s humiliation. All the blessings described in the preceding psalms are the result of the suffering of the Messiah described in this psalm.

The suffering of the Messiah is partly, that is, from the side of man, also the suffering of the faithful remnant in the end time. In all the psalms in which the suffering of the remnant is described, we hear the Spirit of Christ.

Here again we have clearly a Messianic psalm about the suffering of the Lord Jesus. This psalm is quoted several times in the New Testament: Psalms 69:4 – John 15:25 Psalms 69:10 – John 2:17; Romans 15:3 Psalms 69:22 – Matthew 27:34; 48; Mark 15:23; John 19:28-29 Psalms 69:23 – Romans 11:9 Psalms 69:24 – Romans 11:10 Psalms 69:26 – Acts 1:20 These quotes show that the book of Psalms speaks of the Lord Jesus (Luke 24:44; John 5:39).

We find four prayers in this psalm, namely in Psalms 69:1b; 6; 13-18; 22-29. The psalm ends with a song of praise about prayer being answered. Despite all the suffering, the struggle of prayer ends in a declaration of trust in God (Psalms 69:30-36) and becomes a song of trust in God that has been tested through suffering.

Prayer in Need

For “for the choir director” (Psalms 69:1a) see at Psalms 4:1.

For “according to Shoshannim” or “upon lilies” see at Psalms 45:1.

It is a psalm “of David”. This is what Romans 11 is also saying. There Psalms 69:22-23 of this psalm are quoted, with the quotation preceded by the statement “David says” (Romans 11:9-10). David is the speaker, but the words are from Him Who is so much greater than David, which is Christ. Christ is the Son of David and at the same time His Lord (Matthew 22:42-45). David experienced these sufferings to some degree, but the wording that is used is beyond David’s experiences. As a prophet, David described the experiences of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:29-31), and to a lesser extent, the experiences of the believing remnant.

The Messiah is in deep suffering and cries out to God to save Him (Psalms 69:1b). He exclaims: “The waters have threatened my life [literally: have come to the soul]” This means that He is in danger of drowning. The need is exceedingly great. He sinks deeper and deeper into the mire, for there is no foothold (Psalms 69:2; cf. Jeremiah 38:6). He is in mortal danger. The mire is suffocating. Just a little while longer and it will be over and out with Him (cf. Jona 2:3; Psalms 40:2). This is how the Lord Jesus experienced the enmity of men against Him. This is also the experience of the remnant in the end time. They suffer greatly because of the enemies from outside and the antichrist with his followers from inside.

His suffering is so intense that He cries out that He has “come into deep waters” and that “a flood overflows” Him (cf. Jona 2:5). The Hebrew word for flood, shibboleth, according to Jewish scholars, is best translated as ‘whirlpool’. Then the meaning of the phrase is: “A whirlpool drags me away” (cf. Psalms 124:3-4). The whirlpool and the mire pit occur in the wadis when it has rained heavily in the wilderness.

Christ continually cried out to God (cf. Psalms 22:2; Hebrews 5:7) and grew weary with it (Psalms 69:3). This is not so much a physical weariness, but His throat is parched from praying and His eyes fail while waiting for His God. His throat is parched so that He can no longer cry out. He no longer has a voice. His eyes, too, “fail”. He is always waiting for God; He looks imploringly to Him with His eyes crying for help.

His enemies are people who “hate” Him “without a cause” (Psalms 69:4). The Lord Jesus quotes this word in His teachings to the disciples about His rejection (John 15:25). The fulfillment of this word is further evidence that this psalm is primarily about Christ. It also makes it clear that His contemporaries deliberately rejected Him.

After all, there is no reason for hating Him. He has always been among them in love and grace and goodness. He has spoken words of grace and done acts of mercy. Yet they have hated Him. It demonstrates the wickedness of man’s heart and the truth of God’s Word.

He has always sought and done good for them, but He has received hatred for the love He has given. The number of enemies are “more than the hairs of my head”, He complains. The intention of His enemies is also clear: they want to kill Him. The reasons are false, made up because of their own benefit. How hardened is a man who rejects God, Who reveals Himself to him in grace and goodness.

His enemies are not only numerous, but they are also powerful. They are in control of Him. This is only possible because God’s time has come. However, this does not diminish the feelings of suffering of the Messiah. But what moves Him most is that He must give back what He did not steal.

By this the Lord Jesus means the honor which man has stolen from God through his sin. He must return that honor to God. He has done just that. He has completely honored God at the place where man has so deeply dishonored God, which is on earth (John 8:49).

He has also given back to God as the true Guilt offering more than man has robbed Him of (Leviticus 5:16). He paid the 20% extra on the cross as the true Guilt offering. This goes beyond just the removal of sins. This also allows God to give greater blessings to man than he has forfeited through sin.

He speaks to God that God knows His folly and that His wrongs are not hidden from Him (Psalms 69:5). What the Lord Jesus says here refers to the fact that He takes upon Himself the sins of everyone who believes in Him. He identifies Himself here with their sins. He calls this “my wrongs”. He, Who is Himself the sinless and guiltless One, Who has committed no sin, speaks here of “my wrongs” which are not hidden from God.

This is really substitution. He does not pretend, but really makes the debts of repentant sinners His own. In doing so, He says that they are not hidden from God. This means that He confesses them before God and is judged by God for them.

He has not borne the sins of the whole world, He has not confessed the debts of all men. He has borne only the sins of those who believe in Him and confessed only the sins of those who acknowledge that they are guilty before God. God knows the sins of all for whom Christ suffered on the cross and has judged them there in Him, so that they are free from judgment.

It is true, though, that the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross is sufficiently great to offer salvation to all people. Everyone may come. No one will be able to say that it was not for him or her. No one is excluded from the offer of being saved through faith in Him: “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4; cf. Acts 17:30-31; Mark 16:15).

Psalms 99:8

Introduction

After the series of Psalms 61-68, which is more or less chronological, we now find a new series: Psalms 69-72. These psalms give a review of the time of the great tribulation, a summary of the sufferings, first of Christ and then of His people, that is, the faithful remnant.

Immediately following the psalm of return to heaven of the Lord Jesus (Psalms 68:18) is the psalm that deals with the Lord Jesus in His sufferings (Psalms 69). The victor of Psalm 68 turns out to be the same Person Who, as Psalms 69 shows, suffered severely 2,000 years ago.

We also see this in Revelation 5, where first the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Victor, is presented, Who then turns out to be the same as the Lamb Who stands there as slain (Revelation 5:5-6). Each climax is possible only because of Christ’s humiliation. All the blessings described in the preceding psalms are the result of the suffering of the Messiah described in this psalm.

The suffering of the Messiah is partly, that is, from the side of man, also the suffering of the faithful remnant in the end time. In all the psalms in which the suffering of the remnant is described, we hear the Spirit of Christ.

Here again we have clearly a Messianic psalm about the suffering of the Lord Jesus. This psalm is quoted several times in the New Testament: Psalms 69:4 – John 15:25 Psalms 69:10 – John 2:17; Romans 15:3 Psalms 69:22 – Matthew 27:34; 48; Mark 15:23; John 19:28-29 Psalms 69:23 – Romans 11:9 Psalms 69:24 – Romans 11:10 Psalms 69:26 – Acts 1:20 These quotes show that the book of Psalms speaks of the Lord Jesus (Luke 24:44; John 5:39).

We find four prayers in this psalm, namely in Psalms 69:1b; 6; 13-18; 22-29. The psalm ends with a song of praise about prayer being answered. Despite all the suffering, the struggle of prayer ends in a declaration of trust in God (Psalms 69:30-36) and becomes a song of trust in God that has been tested through suffering.

Prayer in Need

For “for the choir director” (Psalms 69:1a) see at Psalms 4:1.

For “according to Shoshannim” or “upon lilies” see at Psalms 45:1.

It is a psalm “of David”. This is what Romans 11 is also saying. There Psalms 69:22-23 of this psalm are quoted, with the quotation preceded by the statement “David says” (Romans 11:9-10). David is the speaker, but the words are from Him Who is so much greater than David, which is Christ. Christ is the Son of David and at the same time His Lord (Matthew 22:42-45). David experienced these sufferings to some degree, but the wording that is used is beyond David’s experiences. As a prophet, David described the experiences of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:29-31), and to a lesser extent, the experiences of the believing remnant.

The Messiah is in deep suffering and cries out to God to save Him (Psalms 69:1b). He exclaims: “The waters have threatened my life [literally: have come to the soul]” This means that He is in danger of drowning. The need is exceedingly great. He sinks deeper and deeper into the mire, for there is no foothold (Psalms 69:2; cf. Jeremiah 38:6). He is in mortal danger. The mire is suffocating. Just a little while longer and it will be over and out with Him (cf. Jona 2:3; Psalms 40:2). This is how the Lord Jesus experienced the enmity of men against Him. This is also the experience of the remnant in the end time. They suffer greatly because of the enemies from outside and the antichrist with his followers from inside.

His suffering is so intense that He cries out that He has “come into deep waters” and that “a flood overflows” Him (cf. Jona 2:5). The Hebrew word for flood, shibboleth, according to Jewish scholars, is best translated as ‘whirlpool’. Then the meaning of the phrase is: “A whirlpool drags me away” (cf. Psalms 124:3-4). The whirlpool and the mire pit occur in the wadis when it has rained heavily in the wilderness.

Christ continually cried out to God (cf. Psalms 22:2; Hebrews 5:7) and grew weary with it (Psalms 69:3). This is not so much a physical weariness, but His throat is parched from praying and His eyes fail while waiting for His God. His throat is parched so that He can no longer cry out. He no longer has a voice. His eyes, too, “fail”. He is always waiting for God; He looks imploringly to Him with His eyes crying for help.

His enemies are people who “hate” Him “without a cause” (Psalms 69:4). The Lord Jesus quotes this word in His teachings to the disciples about His rejection (John 15:25). The fulfillment of this word is further evidence that this psalm is primarily about Christ. It also makes it clear that His contemporaries deliberately rejected Him.

After all, there is no reason for hating Him. He has always been among them in love and grace and goodness. He has spoken words of grace and done acts of mercy. Yet they have hated Him. It demonstrates the wickedness of man’s heart and the truth of God’s Word.

He has always sought and done good for them, but He has received hatred for the love He has given. The number of enemies are “more than the hairs of my head”, He complains. The intention of His enemies is also clear: they want to kill Him. The reasons are false, made up because of their own benefit. How hardened is a man who rejects God, Who reveals Himself to him in grace and goodness.

His enemies are not only numerous, but they are also powerful. They are in control of Him. This is only possible because God’s time has come. However, this does not diminish the feelings of suffering of the Messiah. But what moves Him most is that He must give back what He did not steal.

By this the Lord Jesus means the honor which man has stolen from God through his sin. He must return that honor to God. He has done just that. He has completely honored God at the place where man has so deeply dishonored God, which is on earth (John 8:49).

He has also given back to God as the true Guilt offering more than man has robbed Him of (Leviticus 5:16). He paid the 20% extra on the cross as the true Guilt offering. This goes beyond just the removal of sins. This also allows God to give greater blessings to man than he has forfeited through sin.

He speaks to God that God knows His folly and that His wrongs are not hidden from Him (Psalms 69:5). What the Lord Jesus says here refers to the fact that He takes upon Himself the sins of everyone who believes in Him. He identifies Himself here with their sins. He calls this “my wrongs”. He, Who is Himself the sinless and guiltless One, Who has committed no sin, speaks here of “my wrongs” which are not hidden from God.

This is really substitution. He does not pretend, but really makes the debts of repentant sinners His own. In doing so, He says that they are not hidden from God. This means that He confesses them before God and is judged by God for them.

He has not borne the sins of the whole world, He has not confessed the debts of all men. He has borne only the sins of those who believe in Him and confessed only the sins of those who acknowledge that they are guilty before God. God knows the sins of all for whom Christ suffered on the cross and has judged them there in Him, so that they are free from judgment.

It is true, though, that the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross is sufficiently great to offer salvation to all people. Everyone may come. No one will be able to say that it was not for him or her. No one is excluded from the offer of being saved through faith in Him: “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4; cf. Acts 17:30-31; Mark 16:15).

Psalms 99:9

Introduction

After the series of Psalms 61-68, which is more or less chronological, we now find a new series: Psalms 69-72. These psalms give a review of the time of the great tribulation, a summary of the sufferings, first of Christ and then of His people, that is, the faithful remnant.

Immediately following the psalm of return to heaven of the Lord Jesus (Psalms 68:18) is the psalm that deals with the Lord Jesus in His sufferings (Psalms 69). The victor of Psalm 68 turns out to be the same Person Who, as Psalms 69 shows, suffered severely 2,000 years ago.

We also see this in Revelation 5, where first the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Victor, is presented, Who then turns out to be the same as the Lamb Who stands there as slain (Revelation 5:5-6). Each climax is possible only because of Christ’s humiliation. All the blessings described in the preceding psalms are the result of the suffering of the Messiah described in this psalm.

The suffering of the Messiah is partly, that is, from the side of man, also the suffering of the faithful remnant in the end time. In all the psalms in which the suffering of the remnant is described, we hear the Spirit of Christ.

Here again we have clearly a Messianic psalm about the suffering of the Lord Jesus. This psalm is quoted several times in the New Testament: Psalms 69:4 – John 15:25 Psalms 69:10 – John 2:17; Romans 15:3 Psalms 69:22 – Matthew 27:34; 48; Mark 15:23; John 19:28-29 Psalms 69:23 – Romans 11:9 Psalms 69:24 – Romans 11:10 Psalms 69:26 – Acts 1:20 These quotes show that the book of Psalms speaks of the Lord Jesus (Luke 24:44; John 5:39).

We find four prayers in this psalm, namely in Psalms 69:1b; 6; 13-18; 22-29. The psalm ends with a song of praise about prayer being answered. Despite all the suffering, the struggle of prayer ends in a declaration of trust in God (Psalms 69:30-36) and becomes a song of trust in God that has been tested through suffering.

Prayer in Need

For “for the choir director” (Psalms 69:1a) see at Psalms 4:1.

For “according to Shoshannim” or “upon lilies” see at Psalms 45:1.

It is a psalm “of David”. This is what Romans 11 is also saying. There Psalms 69:22-23 of this psalm are quoted, with the quotation preceded by the statement “David says” (Romans 11:9-10). David is the speaker, but the words are from Him Who is so much greater than David, which is Christ. Christ is the Son of David and at the same time His Lord (Matthew 22:42-45). David experienced these sufferings to some degree, but the wording that is used is beyond David’s experiences. As a prophet, David described the experiences of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:29-31), and to a lesser extent, the experiences of the believing remnant.

The Messiah is in deep suffering and cries out to God to save Him (Psalms 69:1b). He exclaims: “The waters have threatened my life [literally: have come to the soul]” This means that He is in danger of drowning. The need is exceedingly great. He sinks deeper and deeper into the mire, for there is no foothold (Psalms 69:2; cf. Jeremiah 38:6). He is in mortal danger. The mire is suffocating. Just a little while longer and it will be over and out with Him (cf. Jona 2:3; Psalms 40:2). This is how the Lord Jesus experienced the enmity of men against Him. This is also the experience of the remnant in the end time. They suffer greatly because of the enemies from outside and the antichrist with his followers from inside.

His suffering is so intense that He cries out that He has “come into deep waters” and that “a flood overflows” Him (cf. Jona 2:5). The Hebrew word for flood, shibboleth, according to Jewish scholars, is best translated as ‘whirlpool’. Then the meaning of the phrase is: “A whirlpool drags me away” (cf. Psalms 124:3-4). The whirlpool and the mire pit occur in the wadis when it has rained heavily in the wilderness.

Christ continually cried out to God (cf. Psalms 22:2; Hebrews 5:7) and grew weary with it (Psalms 69:3). This is not so much a physical weariness, but His throat is parched from praying and His eyes fail while waiting for His God. His throat is parched so that He can no longer cry out. He no longer has a voice. His eyes, too, “fail”. He is always waiting for God; He looks imploringly to Him with His eyes crying for help.

His enemies are people who “hate” Him “without a cause” (Psalms 69:4). The Lord Jesus quotes this word in His teachings to the disciples about His rejection (John 15:25). The fulfillment of this word is further evidence that this psalm is primarily about Christ. It also makes it clear that His contemporaries deliberately rejected Him.

After all, there is no reason for hating Him. He has always been among them in love and grace and goodness. He has spoken words of grace and done acts of mercy. Yet they have hated Him. It demonstrates the wickedness of man’s heart and the truth of God’s Word.

He has always sought and done good for them, but He has received hatred for the love He has given. The number of enemies are “more than the hairs of my head”, He complains. The intention of His enemies is also clear: they want to kill Him. The reasons are false, made up because of their own benefit. How hardened is a man who rejects God, Who reveals Himself to him in grace and goodness.

His enemies are not only numerous, but they are also powerful. They are in control of Him. This is only possible because God’s time has come. However, this does not diminish the feelings of suffering of the Messiah. But what moves Him most is that He must give back what He did not steal.

By this the Lord Jesus means the honor which man has stolen from God through his sin. He must return that honor to God. He has done just that. He has completely honored God at the place where man has so deeply dishonored God, which is on earth (John 8:49).

He has also given back to God as the true Guilt offering more than man has robbed Him of (Leviticus 5:16). He paid the 20% extra on the cross as the true Guilt offering. This goes beyond just the removal of sins. This also allows God to give greater blessings to man than he has forfeited through sin.

He speaks to God that God knows His folly and that His wrongs are not hidden from Him (Psalms 69:5). What the Lord Jesus says here refers to the fact that He takes upon Himself the sins of everyone who believes in Him. He identifies Himself here with their sins. He calls this “my wrongs”. He, Who is Himself the sinless and guiltless One, Who has committed no sin, speaks here of “my wrongs” which are not hidden from God.

This is really substitution. He does not pretend, but really makes the debts of repentant sinners His own. In doing so, He says that they are not hidden from God. This means that He confesses them before God and is judged by God for them.

He has not borne the sins of the whole world, He has not confessed the debts of all men. He has borne only the sins of those who believe in Him and confessed only the sins of those who acknowledge that they are guilty before God. God knows the sins of all for whom Christ suffered on the cross and has judged them there in Him, so that they are free from judgment.

It is true, though, that the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross is sufficiently great to offer salvation to all people. Everyone may come. No one will be able to say that it was not for him or her. No one is excluded from the offer of being saved through faith in Him: “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4; cf. Acts 17:30-31; Mark 16:15).