Psalm 19

Psalm 19: The Psalm Declaration 1.                For the choir director, a Psalm of David. The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the works[1] of His hands. 2                 Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. 3                 There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. 4                 Their voices[2] have gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, 5                 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. 6                 Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7                 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8                 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9                 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. 10               They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11               Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. 12               Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. 13               Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. 14               Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Introduction In this Psalm, we note two distinct movements, verses 1-6 focus on the glory of God as seen in His creation of the Heavens. In the second movement David changes and reveals the blessings of understanding God’s Torah. We can see these two movements also by observing that the Name of ‘God’ is not used in the first poem (verses 1-6) while and in the second (verses 7-14) the Name of God “LORD” is used seven times, the two movements are almost two distinct Psalms smashed together. In this Psalm, David goes from the creation (Heavens) the ‘general revelation’ given to all mankind to the ‘specific revelation’ i.e. God’s Word which is followed by his response. As a song it was sung in the Tabernacle / Temple and even throughout history many hymns have been written with this psalm as it foundation, amongst the more famous is “The heavens declare thy glory, Lord” by Isaac Watts. The famous author C. S. Lewis in his “Reflections on the Psalms” (1958 page 63), wrote: “Psalm 19 is the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.” As such it is right that we too should sing this, make a melody to the Lord and sing these words. Outline This psalm has a three-fold division, The Heavens Declare in (verses 1-6) The Words of the Lord Reveal (verses 7-10) David’s Response (verses 11-14) Psalm (verse 1 or the superscript) As indicated in a previous study on the Psalms the superscripts in the book of Psalms are part of scripture, and so here we have a מִזְמ֥וֹר (mitzmor) Song which was to be accompanied by musical instruments from king David, who passed it on to the ‘choir director’ other translations have overseer or superintendent this person would look after the liturgical worship in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple(s) and ensure it was sung in the right way. The Heavens Declare (verses 1-6) Hebrew poetry In Biblical Hebrew poetry we do not see rhyme and rhythm but ideas that are expressed in a new or different way. For example in this psalm we see 1. Heavens declare 2. Firmament shows                                       3. Tabernacle for the sun And 1. Day to Day brings forth speech                    2. Night to night shows knowledge This style of poetry helps us in remembering the central ideas that David is trying to communicate with us. Insights to the Hebrew text The heavens tell or declare God’s glory, ‘to tell’ here is the Hebrew: סֵפֶר (sepher) to record as if it is written on a scroll, an inscription from God to mankind (Psalm 75:1; Job 12:8). The expanse (firmament) ‘declares’ His handiwork in creation from the Hebrew: מַגִּ֥יד (magid), to tell as a story (Psalm 111:6; Micah 6:8). Day after day they pour they utter speech אֹ֑מֶר (omer) (Psalm 78:2; 145:7) and Night after night it is they that reveal or show יְחַוֶּה (ye’chaveh) to make known the declaration (Job 15:17; 32:6, 10, 17; 36:2) as if to say This is my work, this is my creation, in the hope that mankind might respond to Him. He draws our attention from the Heavens to the sun in verse 4 which is compared first to the bridegroom exiting the wedding chamber and then to a mighty man of valour גִבּ֗וֹר (gibor). In both these images, there is a sense of youthful energy and strength. David says I hear and see the evidence of God’s revelation in the heavens there is abundant evidence for Him. Like Psalm 8:3 “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers….”, we too see the evidence and pondering the heavens, their size, motion, complexity and beauty we ought to be able to see that there is a Creator, knowing there is a Creator should lead us to seek the specific revelation He gives. The Words of the Lord Reveal (verses 7-10) The Six Descriptions of Torah Here David uses six words in connection with God’s special revelation and with each he gives a single description and then a short reflection: The Torah  תּ֘וֹרַ֤ת (torat) of the Lord is perfect, knowing and applying it can bring restoration to the soul. The Testimony עֵד֥וּת (edut) of God is sure, knowing and applying them will make one wise even if one is simple. The Precepts פִּקּ֘וּדֵ֤י (pikkudei) of the Lord are right, knowing and applying them will cause our heart to rejoice. The Commandments מִצְוַ֥ת (mitzvot) of God, are pure, knowing and applying them will bring enlightenment to our eyes. The Fear יִרְאַ֤ת (ye-rat), will bring clean living which should be enduring forever. The Judgements מִֽשְׁפְּטֵי־ (mish’pe’te) of God are true; they are righteous altogether. The word ‘Torah’ and the other five terms here in this Psalm and many other Psalms should be seen as ‘God’s teaching and instruction’. They should not be limited to the legal requirements of God’s Levitical laws and commandments. An additional thought to remember is that at the time when David wrote this, only the Torah (and perhaps Job) was revealed, today we have the entire revelation, the Word of God: from Genesis to Revelation. These are here for us, that we may apply them, they are an encouragement that we may obey and be trained in doing what is right. As a teacher of Scripture looking at this section I see an outline for a mini-sermon, Six Key-words, plus for each a thought, and with their application. Verse 10 is a summary statement that the Torah in all its aspects is a great prize; obeying it brings that sweet enjoyment, (Psalms 119:72, 103, 127). The droppings of the honeycomb is considered the purest virgin honey and so parallels the fine gold metaphor. David reflects on the Words of the Lord that have been revealed and acknowledges that they are a warning to him, and this is true for us also. And keeping the instructions and teachings of God will bring reward; note this is a general principle. Many believers in Messiah have and are suffering greatly, they have gone hungry and are being martyred many of the saints in the past and today have not received a great physical reward; here on earth during their life even though they kept the Laws, Statutes and Commandments of the LORD. What I do believe is that in the age to come; in the Messianic Kingdom, we all will receive our just reward from God.   David’s Response (verses 11-14) Knowing the Torah has not only benefits but also consequences, one of the purposes for the Torah is to expose sins in the life of the believer (Romans 7:7 see also Romans 5:20). Three words are used to describe sins: “errors”, “hidden faults” and “presumptuous sins”. This reflection by David on Torah leads David to acknowledge his great sinfulness and as such he prays for God’s guidance. Not only does David pray: LORD cleanse me from all my errors, from things that I have kept secret from You, and from my arrogant boastful iniquities but be my Help, so that they will not have dominion over me (Psalm 119:133) restrain my life and I can be without fault. Careful reading here reveals it is not in Keeping Torah, but in his request for the Lord to hold him back from sin that David will be found blameless, and innocent of great transgression. The phrase ‘hidden faults’ is in contrast to the heat from the sun, (verse 6) from which nothing can be hidden, how much more so with God, for nothing is hidden from His sight (Hebrews 4:13). David prays even from my hidden faults, my unintentional and unknown sins of which I am not aware declare me innocent. David now uses the highest accolade a person can receive “servant”, the servant of God or the Servant of the Lord is a title we should all strive for, this title was used for Messiah (Isaiah 53), Abraham (Genesis 26:24), Moses (Numbers 12:8) and Joshua (Judges 2:8) and David (2 Samuel 7:5-8) and a few others. David now concludes in verse 14 let my prayer and my ponderings be acceptable with you Lord, to be acceptable is an expression borrowed from the laws of sacrifice (Leviticus 1:3-4 compared to Leviticus 22:20). It seemed not just today but even back then prayers were likened to a ‘spiritual’ offering (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8 & 8:3-4). This is followed by the description of God as Rock צוּרִ֥י (tzuri) and my Redeemer גֹאֲלִֽי (go’ali), the KJV has my strength instead of my Rock, this interpretive reflection applies one meaning of the rock. David acknowledges the LORD as the Rock in the previous Psalm (Psalm 18:2, 31, 46) it not only reflects God as the strong one, but this title reflects God as the mighty Saviour (2 Samuel 22:32 and Psalm 18:31) and in true Hebrew poetry a second title the Redeemer גֹאֲלִֽ (goel) clarifies the first. This title was applied to Messiah (Job 19:25 and Isaiah 41:14) this was a person who had to be a (close) relative; he had to be able to redeem; was willing to redeem and was able to pay the price for the redemption. Summary: The Psalm Declaration What we saw is that God gave two revelations, one general the heavens and the sun and one specific revelation the Word of the Lord, both help us to know there is a God and both ought to be examined so that together with David we can make the response: O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Selah. Paul Cohen [1]  Some Hebrew manuscripts and the Targum indicate a plural construction form, ‘works’. [2] The Hebrew word in the Masoretic Text is the word קַוָּ֗ם; (kavam)‘line’, by contrast the Septuagint and the Vulgate as well as the modern translation of Robert Alter have ‘voices’ קוֹלָֽם (kolam) believing that a ל lamed was lost, in light of this verse and the previous verse this would appear to be so, as such I have used  voices, see the footnote in the ‘Word Biblical Commentary’, Vol. 19, Psalms 1-50, by Peter C. Craigie (1983) p. 178.

Ten Days of Awe

ימים נוראים (Yamin Noraim) the “Ten Days of Awe”   The days that fall between רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה  Rosh Hashannah and יוֹם כִּיפּוּר Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement are the Ten Days of Awe in which we beseech God. They are days of repentance with the Shabbat being called Shabbat Shuvah (meaning turn) this word is related to Teshuvah meaning repentance. During the Ten Days of Awe many special prayers are recited; selichot prayers or prayers of repentance, and with more familiar Psalms which are recited such Psalms as 17; 27; 32; 51; 65; 85; 102-104; 130. The two prophetic aspects of Yom Teruah - Day of Blowing (better known amongst Christians as the Feast of Trumpets). In the Jewish community, this is called Rosh Hashannah meaning the Head of the Year, according to tradition the world was created on this day. There are two prophetic themes in this holy season, one for Israel and one for the Body of Messiah. For Israel, it is a call to come back to the Promised Land (Isaiah 27:12-13) “13 It will come about also in that day that a great shofar will be blown, and those ....”. Since 1880 we have seen this call to the Jewish people and God is still calling them back. For the Body of Messiah it is a different calling, for those in Messiah will be taken to heaven when the trump of God calls (1 Thessalonians 4:16) “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump (Shofar) of God: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first”. It will be for All believers in Messiah when He will descend to the clouds and comes to take us. The Day of Atonement The Biblical Hebrew name is י֧וֹם הַכִּפֻּרִ֣ים Yom HaKippurim, the day of Atonements because God forgave Israel from the last Yom Kippur to this Yom Kippur and from this Yom Kippur even to the next, in other words, our forgiveness is past, present and future. It was only the High Priest who was invited into God’s presence, out of all the world, God chose one nation, from that one nation Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6  & 14:2), God chose one tribe, the tribe of Levi (Numbers 18:20 & Deuteronomy 10:9). From that one tribe one family Kohath (Exodus 6:14-27). And out of them One man (Numbers 17:8), Aaron and his sons who may serve in the tabernacle, but only one of them may enter into His presence and make atonement for Israel. So what was it that Aaron and his descendants were to do? They were to offer daily, weekly, monthly and annual sacrifices (Numbers 28-29) They were to enquire of the LORD on behalf of the people (Deuteronomy 17:9) They were to educate the king and train him in writing on a scroll (Deuteronomy 17:18) They were to educate the people (Deuteronomy 24:8; 27:9-; Nehemiah 8:9-12) They are to carry the throne of God (Joshua 3:3; 8:33) They were to be part of the choir  (2 Chronicles 5:12) They were to bless the people (Numbers 6:24-27; 2 Chronicles 30:27) Prophetically we know that there will always be a Levitical priest serving God (Jeremiah 33:21; Ezekiel 43:19; 44:15), though from Hebrews 7:11 we know that one day in the future they will serve as part of the priesthood of the order of Melchizedek They were to make atonement for individual Jews (Leviticus 6:7) They were to make atonement for national Israel (Leviticus 16:27) Yeshua the Messiah is not part of the Levitical priesthood, He is part of a greater priesthood (Psalm 110) but He too fulfils some of these duties. In a future newsletter, I will focus more extensively on the priesthood of Messiah. But let me bring two important points before you, He offered up one sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10-14), and is currently making intercession for us (Romans 8:34). Friends join us as we will seek the Lord and His grace, let us turn (shuvah) from our ways, repent (teshuvah) and seek the Lord and His righteousness for the coming year. Let us recite these psalms and pray that we all may serve as ministers in His kingdom. What a blessing that would be. Shalom in Messiah Yeshua Paul Cohen

PSALM 15

Weekly Letter A special announcement Saturday 24th August 2019 CONFERENCE Derek Prince Ministries is hosting Dr r' Baruch Korman ( LoveIsrael.org) he spoke in Melbourne at Beit HaMashiach, IN Sydney he will be speaking on Keys to Spiritual Warfare Location: The Grand Ballroom, Rydges Hotel Royal Square, 389 Pitt Street, Sydney Session 1: Authority given to us by the name of Messiah, Yeshua Session 2: Authority given to us by the blood of Messiah, Yeshua Session 3: Authority given to us by the power of Messiah and Yeshua' sacrifice on the cross Session 4: The power of worship to Yeshua and how it overcomes evil. COST $40.00 https://www.derekprince.com.au/event/2019-loveisraelorg-conference Morning and Afternoon Tea provided, bring your own lunch. Highly recommended! Pondering Psalm 15 Introduction 1 A Psalm of David. In this short psalm מִזְמ֗וֹר (mizmor), which means a poem that is set to music, we see an excellent example of Hebrew poetry. Hebrew poetry English poetry is usually defined by rhyme, rhythm, and meter, not so with Biblical Hebrew poetry, which is called Hebrew parallelism. It is about repeating an initial thought with variations, so abide is paralleled to dwell, integrity torighteousness, and speaking truth is to not to slander. This “Hebrew poetry” is not just academic, we read this style of poetry in many psalms and here in this psalm we see five parallelism, one that stands alone and a general summation, this type of poetry is used to reinforce the thought, in this case the characteristic of the person who desires to live a worshipful life.   Verse 1 Tabernacle Question 1 O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? Commentary It is thought that the question of verse 1 (see also Psalm 24:3-6) was originally asked by the Levitical (Tabernacle) guards as the pilgrim would come near the Tabernacle, later the Temple. Much like entering the synagogue today, where a security-guard might ask, “Who are you?”, “Where are you from?” So it is thought that the Levitical guards of holiness asked “Who are you and why do you want to draw near to God’s house?”, “Who are you that you want to dwell on this Holy Hill?” A response from the pilgrim is than expected and this we see in verses 2-5, “he who…, he does, …”. Friends so too for us, it is a question “Who are you and why do you want to draw near to God’s house?” We should ponder this as we will let our thoughts dwell on this psalm. For we too “have come to Mount Zion and to the City of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels” (Hebrews12:22). We too need to ask: may we abide, may we dwell? Note on abide and dwell  Your holy hill, this denotes the Temple Mount, Mount Zion, which was understood to be the dwelling place of the LORD (Psalm 43:3). Abide יָגוּר(yagur) which shares a root with the word for “stranger”, implies we are stranger as we visit God, and He as the host needs to invite us to be members of the household of God, The word for dwell יִשְׁכֹּן (yish-con) comes from the same root as שְׁכִינָה “Shechinah” the localized presence of God. In a sense, we are strangers and aliens as we visiting the earthly footstool of the Lord (Psalms 132:7), His Mountain where the Glory of the Lord resides. And we can abide (dwell) with Him if we do these things.   Verses 2-5 Doing what is right 2 He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. 3 He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbour, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honours those who fear the Lord; He swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken. Commentary 15:2 Three actions Walking blamelessly the Hebrew word blamelessly תָּ֭מִים (tamim), indicates purity or innocence (2 Samuel 22:24).  This word described Jacob (Genesis 25:27), though the English translations predominantly say “quiet”, “plain” or “simple” and described Noah (Genesis 6:9) when used of Jacob and Noahtamim means wholehearted devotion to God. Psalm 119:1 states “Aleph. Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!” So when the Torah expert came to Yeshua with the question “which is the great commandment in the law?” Yeshua gave the summary: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And: “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:37, 39); these two commands are taken from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18are the beginning what it means to be walking blamelessly (Psalm 1:1). Working or doing righteousness צֶ֑דֶק (tsedeq) can also refer to doing justice. Doing righteousness is a work of the Lord (Psalm 111:3) and we are called to partner with Him in this. By doing this we obtain his peace. Isaiah 32:17 “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.” Speaking truth אֱ֝מֶ֗ת (emet), this is translated as honest, truth or faithfulness; this is not only a characteristics of the LORD and His law (19:9; 25:5; 86:11; 119:142) but also one of His Names אֵ֣ל אֱמֶֽת “El Emet” (Psalms 31:5) the Truthful or Faithful God.   15:3 Three avoidances To slander רָגַ֨ל (ragal) meaning to be a talebearer, to blacken someone’s reputation, particular behind their back (2 Samuel 19:27). This word properly means ‘to spy out’ (Joshua 6:22-25). So God who had given general commands don’t be a talebearer (Leviticus 19:16) and don’t listen to slanderers (Exodus 23:1) tells us, do not spy out things just to be a gossiper. He does no evil רָעָ֑ה (ra’ah) in a general sense this is harm or trouble (Job2:10). It seems incredible to have to remind worshippers, do no harm, yet sadly this behaviour is seen occasionally even amongst believers in Yeshua. Both in the Torah (Leviticus 19:18) and in the Brit Chadashah we are told to do the opposite, ponder these words that Yeshua taught us in John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Nor takes up a reproach, no taunts of disgrace, but he wants to build up the saints (1 Thessalonians 5:11) by sharing a psalm or a hymn (1 Corinthians14:26). 15:4  “In whose eyes a reprobate is despised”. The text is difficult, this is reflected in both the translations and the commentaries, does the pilgrim despise the evildoer or does he despise himself? The Radak, (Rabbi David Kimchi) explains this verse as meaning that the person sees himself as “shameful” and “despicable.” The worshiper is doing what is right and has many fine qualities, yet at the same time recognizes how much more he has to grow and accomplish in order to be the true upright / blameless man. As such he humbly fears the LORD. As worshipers, we ought to humble ourselves before the LORD. It is then that the Lord can honour those who fear Him. As Solomon observed in Proverbs 22:4 “The reward of humility is the fear of the LORD, …” [JPS]. Now in quick phrases, David brings in three Torah prohibitions for the pilgrim.He swears to his own hurt and does not change; refers to a pilgrim who is not like Laban (Genesis 31:41) but is honest even if it cost him much more than it is worth (a good example is Jacob in Genesis 29:26-28), he will pay / repay what he said he would (Numbers 30:2). 15:5 Lends He does not put out his money at interest to a fellow pilgrim, for this is a Torah prohibition (Deuteronomy 23:19-20). He does not take a bribe against the innocent, the taking of bribes was considered an act of the wicked, this brought about a perversion of the ways justice (Proverbs 17:23) and too was prohibited by Torah (Exodus 23:8). David then concludes with “He who does these things will never be shaken”, if we walk by the requirements of the Word we shall be stable (Psalm 16:8; 62:6; 112:6), a pillar in the House of God. The worshipper is described as Mount Zion which can never be moved, (Psalm 125:1).   Conclusion This Psalm reads like a summary of a sermon if you look at what the worshipper is supposed to do:   Walk with integrity (verse 2), Work righteousness (verse 2), Speak truth (verse 2), Not to slander (verse 3), Nor to do evil (verse 3), Takes up no a reproach (verse 3), Despise reprobates, (walk-in Humility) (verse 4), Honours the saints (verse 4), Swears to his own hurt (verse 4), Does not charge interest for loans ( verse 5), Takes no bribe (against the innocent) (verse 5). Then as today, these laws are holy and good (Romans 7:12), and as we are worshipping pilgrims on a journey we can live by them. As such we; like the faithful Jewish people in Temple times come to Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22) we want to live according to the laws above and worship in His holy place. As such when we come in and when we leave the temple area we want to hear the Levitical guards say to us, “Shalom Aleichem Go in peace!” Yeshua talking with the disciples (John 15:1-17) “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love” Friends Yeshua points to the motivation that should be in the life of the pilgrim, we do these commandments because of love. Friends may we always come back to abide in His tent and dwell on His holy hill. Shalom Paul   . Looking forward to seeing you all. Blessings Paul Cohen www.BritChadashah.com.au www.celebratemessiah.com.au m +61 423967184 e  Paul.Cohen@celebratemessiah.com.au

Psalm 16

Pondering Psalm 16 1               A Mikhtam of David.                  Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You. 2               I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord;                  I have no good besides You.” 3               As for the saints who are in the earth,                  They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. 4                 The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied;                  I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,                  Nor will I take their names upon my lips. 5                 The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;                  You support my lot. 6                 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;                  Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. 7                 I will bless the LORD who has counselled me;                  Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. 8                 I have set the Lord continually before me;                  Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9                 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;                  My flesh also will dwell securely. 10               For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;                  Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. 11               You will make known to me the path of life;                  In Your presence is fullness of joy;                  In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.   Psalm 16:1 an introduction A מִכְתָּ֥ם (mich-tam) is an inscription, meaning to make wise. The word michtamis also found in Psalms 16 and 56-60; it is by King David.   Psalm 16:1 Request to God We have no setting here except it seems that David is in danger. Once again David is seeking protection. The word preserve שָֽׁמְרֵ֥ (sha-m’re) means to keep watch or guard, in other word David asks God to guard him for God is his place of refuge (Psalm 17:7-8). This is a cry he prayed more than once.   Psalm 16:2-4 Loyal to God with the saints David declares LORD you are my Lord, my Master, and from the Lord he receives all that is good, he has nothing that does not come from God. The saints or holy ones - קְדוֹשִׁים (kedoshim) is used elsewhere as a reference to theangelic host (Psalm 89:5-7 and Job 15:15) but here these are the saints on the earth, not the heavenly host. They are the earthly people that God set apart for Himself (Deuteronomy 7:6). These are the majestic ones אַדִּירֵ֗י (ad-dere), this word also means “excellent” as in the name of the Lord in (Psalm 8:1; 76:4; 93:4). These mighty or magnificent ones are the saints and so these are godly leaders, the princes and rulers (the word elsewhere is describing leaders and nobles see 2 Chronicles 23:20, Nehemiah 3:5,  Jeremiah 14:3 and Nahum 3:18). It stands in contrast to those who exchanged the LORD for a false god. David will not join them in worship nor even speak the names of these false gods.   Psalm 16:5-6 Thanksgiving to God David declares that the LORD is the true portion of his inheritance (this is also in Psalms 73:26; 119:57; 142:5). His land is a beautiful inheritance, filled with, pleasant places. These are words that later resonated in Isaiah 64:11 about Jerusalem. When David had captured the hill of Zion it was small and seemingly insignificant, so was he speaking prophetically about the city, in all its glorious future, in the Messianic kingdom? Interestingly the Rabbis connect the cup with the future Messianic kingdom in the Midrash Rabbah, (Bereshit 88, 5) “… Corresponding to these the Holy One, blessed be He, will give Israel to drink four cups of salvation in the Messianic future, as it says, O Lord, the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup, You maintain my lot (Ps. 16, 5).…”. If the rabbis are right they connect it with the cup that is drunk during the Passover Seder, the Cup of Salvation after the meal (Psalm 116:13). It is that cup which Messiah took, the cup after the supper (Luke 22:20), that Yeshua connected with the New Covenant. Later the apostle Paul calls this cup the cup of blessing (1 Corinthians 10:16). And there is a future cup (Matthew 26:29) during the celebration of the wedding banquet of the Lamb and His bride (Revelation 19:6-9). Perhaps these are things to ponder. David’s confidence in the Lord is clear. He believed that God Himself not only maintained his lot but supported his lot. David had an assurance that none could rob him of his portion, the cup of his lot.   Psalm 16:7-9 Thanksgiving to God David gives thanks to God for instructing him by the Spirit throughout the night. Some confusion now comes in verse 7 and 9. Verse 7 (ASV/ESV) my heart, (JPS/KJV) my reins, (LEB) my innermost being, (Robert Alter) my conscience, (NASB) my mind. The Hebrew כִלְיוֹת (kilyot) up to now has been translated as kidneys (Exodus 29:13,22; Leviticus 3:4,10,15; 4:9; 7:4; 8:16,25; 9:10,19; Deuteronomy 32:14). The translators widely vary in their interpretation, so what do kidneys represent? According to the authoritative Keil and Delitzsch it is the seat of the most tender and deepest emotions (Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament; see their note on Leviticus 4:3). The heart לֵב (lev) which David mentions in verse 9 primarily represents the ruling centre of the person, for from here spring up all desires. So Biblically the heart is seen as the seat of the will and intellect. David’s emotions instruct him to always set the Lord first, and then intellectually his mind is glad. Yes in this he is not shaken, for he knows the Lord is at his right hand, representing strength (Exodus 15:6-12) and blessings (Genesis 48:17-22). As such he mentions my flesh בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗ (besari) which represents that his whole life is safe, for he knows who holds his future and as such he has assurance even in death.   Psalm 16:10-11 Happiness and assurance in death If we only had this psalm it would seem that David is writing about himself. However, it is not until we come to the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) that we note that this is seen twice as a prophecy about Messiah. So we will explore both, what David appears to be saying about himself and secondly how the inspired authors of the Brit Chadashah saw this prophetically. David’s has an assurance even in death that God would not abandon him. The word שְׁא֑וֹל (sheol), which is mentioned over 60 times in the Tanach (Older Testament), is a description of the place where both the righteous (Genesis 37:35; 42:38; 2 Samuel 22:6) and the wicked end up (Psalm 9:17; Job 21:13-16). Note that only the LORD is able to bring a person out of Sheol (1 Samuel 2:6 & Amos 9:2). David is saying he will die but that God would not leave him in the grave. God will restore him to life. Like Job he has confidence in the resurrection (Job 19:25-27), as such he pleads, as a faithful one, a chasid; a godly or pious man. The Hebrew term is ‘חָסִ֣יד’ chasid, this is related to חֶסֶד chesed meaning: mercy, lovingkindness, goodness and faithfulness. Many translations in light of the Brit Chadashah say Holy One. The Hebrew poetry is missed as the word decay or corruption (KJV) is the word שָֽׁחַת (shachat) pit or the grave (Psalm 7:15; 30:9; Proverbs 26:27). In typical parallelism we see sheol corresponds to the pit. And to see the pit(Psalm 49:9) means to experience death (Psalm 89:48). David finishes on a high note. Lord You have made known to me that I will be resurrected and so see You face to face. There will be the full abundance of joys (plural) for with You are pleasures forever.   Death and Resurrection of Messiah This Psalm was Quoted by Peter on the day of Shavuot (Acts 2:25-32) Quoted by Paul (Acts 13:34-36) at the Synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia. This is a significant connection we ought not to miss. Like the rabbis, the authors of the Brit Chadashah saw this Psalm as Messianic, though with different verses. Let’s explore what these two apostles saw. Firstly, Peter mentions David’s tomb which was well known then (not the current site in Jerusalem as it was ‘in the City of David’; 1 Kings 2:10). When Solomon buried him it was with much wealth (Josephus Antiquities 7.15.3). Josephus indicates that it was a vaulted sepulchre with a number of rooms. John Hyrcanus in about 130 BCE looted the sepulchre of David to pay for war-reparations, and took out three thousand talents (Josephus Antiquities 13.8.4 & War 1.2.5). Herod the Great was another one who opened the tomb in search for money (Antiquities 16.7.1) but there was none left. Herod did build a white monument in front of the sepulchre. So it was a well-known site at the time of Yeshua in the Biblical City of David. Secondly, Peter in his sermon (Acts 2:31-32) on the day of Shavuot (Feast of Weeks / Pentecost) quoted Psalm 16:8-11, and pointed to the fact that David’s tomb was nearby and that David could not have been speaking about himself but was speaking prophetically about his descendant (2 Samuel 7:11-16 & Psalm 132:11) who was the Messiah (Matthew 26:63-64). This descendant would not be abandoned to Sheol / Hades, nor would His flesh see decay. Yeshua died on the cross (Matthew 27:45-50) and was buried (Matthew 27:57-60) but God raised Him from the dead (Matthew 28:5-8). His flesh was not long enough in the ground to decompose. David on the other hand died about 1000 years earlier and he had not yet been raised back to life so his flesh had seen corruption. Peter then says “This Yeshua God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses” (Acts 2:32). Yeshua did not only appear to Peter and James but to more than five hundred brothers at one time (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). Peter refers to the resurrection and that He ascended into the heavens and then quotes from Psalm 110 indicting that Yeshua is both LORD and Messiah. Finally this Psalm is quoted by the apostle Paul in his sermon (Acts 13:34-36) in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia (modern-day Turkey). Paul quotes three passages (Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 55:3 & Psalm 16:10) as proof that God will give us the “sure mercies of David,” for by Messiah’s death and resurrection He has ratified the Brit Chadashah and became the surety of the other unconditional Covenants. The “mercies” or blessings of the Covenants come from the grace and mercy of God, and display the mercy to His people. Messiah in His resurrection is the assurance of the fulfilment to come. For Paul the resurrection was a foundation stone of our faith (1 Corinthians 15:1-58). Paul had seen the resurrected Messiah (Acts 9:3-5), and declared Him to be the firstfruits of the resurrection of much more to come (1 Corinthians15:20-23). Conclusion Friends and fellow saints, do we in light of this rejoice in the Lord with psalms over our coming resurrection? Do we with the apostle Paul say: “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 Shalom Paul   Next Meeting:  Paul will be teaching on the following Torah portion:   רְאֵה Re’eh     See Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17           Isaiah 54:11-55:5 Matthew 7:7-29   August 30, 2019                We encourage you to read these portions before you come. Thank you again to all who support our ministry in prayer and financially, electronically or directly at our meetings. May you be greatly blessed for your generosity. We will be meeting at our venue 32 Horace Street St Ives. Please bring some finger food or nibblies to eat for after the discussion. Finally, Paul will be on a speaking tour of Belgium and the Netherlands, teaching on Israel's return, 7-14 September, please pray clarity of thought as he will be teaching daily. The tour is organised by Israël en de Bijbel. https://www.israelendebijbel.nl/k/nl/n840/news/view/11884/9947/terugkeer-en-herstel-van-israel-(tour-met-paul-cohen).html  he will also visit his family please pray that God will speak to their heart about the Messiah Yeshua While Paul is away we will need more help in setting up and breaking down, kitchen etc etc, please consider helping. Thank you again to all who support our ministry in prayer and financially, electronically or directly at our meetings. May the LORD bless you all for your generosity. Donate Looking forward to seeing you all. Blessings Paul Cohen www.BritChadashah.com.au www.celebratemessiah.com.au m +61 423967184 e  Paul.Cohen@celebratemessiah.com.au Our mailing address is: Brit Chadashah P.O. Box 304 Caulfield South, VIC 3162 Australia Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. or subscribe to this list.

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