PSALM 52, 53, 54 AND 55 (FROM CAC'S NOTES)
PSALM 52, 53, 54 AND 55 (FROM CAC’S NOTES)
Psalm 52: 1 - 9; Psalm 53: 1 - 6; Psalm 54: 1 - 7; Psalm 55: 1 - 23
The Psalms generally have in view the conditions of the last days when the forces of evil are in full activity against the people and testimony of God, and they provide instruction as to the conditions in which the testimony of God will be sustained in the days before the kingdom is established.
Now Psalm 52 has in view the utter disregard of what is priestly and a readiness to destroy it. Doeg represents those who serve man in the flesh — “Chief of the shepherds that belong to Saul” — and who are prepared to kill what is priestly — “Eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod”. (Penitential Psalm 6, Psalm 32, Psalm 38, Psalm 51, Psalm 102, Psalm 130, Psalm 143.) No doubt he represents the antichrist who has no appreciation whatever of God’s anointed, and who is prepared to destroy all that is holy. The more we appreciate Christ according to Psalm 45 the more we shall feel the power of the mighty man here in opposition. “Many false prophets”, “Ye ... have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4: 1, 4). We learn to judge all the evil of our flesh in Psalm 51. The true appreciation of Christ always carries with it most profound self-judgment. We have to learn the truth of Psalm 51, and when we do we understand the loving-kindness of God. It is literally desire or ardour indicating the warmth of God’s disposition towards men, notwithstanding their sinful state. Now that loving-kindness abides continually to be the sustainment of His saints even at the time of antichrist.
“A green olive-tree in the house of God” is a beautiful designation of a saint. Psalm 37: 35 is seen in antichrist. The olive-tree suggests a spiritual man yielding spiritual fruit: he is in the house of God. “Those that are planted in the house of Jehovah shall flourish in the courts of our God” (Psalm 92: 13). Now our souls are either in our native soil or in that loving-kindness of God which is the soil on which His house stands. How good to be planted there: not visiting the house, but planted there. We are always in God’s house where He dwells in loving-kindness. “How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God! So the sons of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou wilt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures” (Psalm 36: 7, 8). The antichrist is the full-blown expression of what man can be for himself, but the house of God is where it is known what God can be for men in loving-kindness.
[p. 328] Psalm 53 is the state of men universally, so that every influence that emanates from man tends to eat up God’s people. Unfaithfulness has brought God’s people into captivity. It is a time to look for salvation out of Zion and for the captivity to be turned. “The deliverer shall come out of Zion; he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Romans 11: 26). If the Lord actually appeared, His people would be delivered from everything contrary to Himself. But now the deliverance is being realised anticipatively; in sovereign mercy God is delivering His people. He shows you that something in your walk or ways or your religious convictions is not according to Himself. It is “salvations”, one after another, so the captivity is turned and here joy becomes the portion of the Israel of God.
Psalm 54 is a time of violent opposition, but faith counts upon God as its Helper so that the service of God — what is due to Him in sacrifice and praise — may not be hindered. Satan will do his utmost to hinder us from freely sacrificing. You may be overweighted with pressures, cares and exercises: I have to pull myself up as to my prayers oftentimes.
Psalm 55 is the testing of church troubles. Did you never wish you had wings like a dove? It is violence and strife in the city, on its walls and in its midst: referring to the rebellion of Absalom no doubt. The counsel of Ahithophel was in those days as if a man enquired of the word of God: a brother of great weight and wisdom, as we should say, but falling under a natural influence perhaps, for he was the grandfather of Bathsheba. “Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved ... . But as for me, I will confide in thee”.