Genesis Chapters 46-50


Joseph and His Brothers Carry Jacob Back into ...

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English: Joseph and His Brethren Welcomed by P...
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Genesis 46

1And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.

2And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.

3And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:

4I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

5And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

6And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:

7His sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.

8And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.

9And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.

10And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.

11And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

12And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.

13And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.

14And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.

15These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.

16And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.

17And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.

18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.

19The sons of Rachel Jacob’s wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.

20And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.

21And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.

22These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.

23And the sons of Dan; Hushim.

24And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.

25These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.

26All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six;

27And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.

28And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

29And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

30And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

31And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;

32And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.

33And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation?

34That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
Genesis 47

1Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.

2And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.

3And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.

4They said morever unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.

5And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee:

6The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.

7And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

8And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?

9And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

10And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

11And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

12And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.

13And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.

14And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.

15And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.

16And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.

17And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.

18When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:

19Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.

20And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s.

21And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.

22Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.

23Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.

24And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.

25And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.

26And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh’s.

27And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.

28And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.

29And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt:

30But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.

31And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.
Genesis 48

1And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

2And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

3And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

4And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

5And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

6And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

7And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.

8And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who are these?

9And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

10Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

11And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

12And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

13And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him.

14And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.

15And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

16The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

17And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.

18And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

19And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

20And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

21And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

22Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
Genesis 49

1And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

2Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

3Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

4Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

5Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

6O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

7Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

8Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.

9Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

11Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:

12His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

13Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

14Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

15And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

16Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

17Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

18I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

19Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

20Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

21Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

22Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

23The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

24But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

25Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:

26The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

27Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

29And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

30In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.

31There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

32The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.

33And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
Genesis 50

1And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.

2And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

3And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.

4And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

5My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.

6And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.

7And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

8And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.

9And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.

10And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

11And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan.

12And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:

13For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.

14And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

15And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.

16And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,

17So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

18And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

19And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

20But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

21Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

22And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.

23And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph’s knees.

24And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

25And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

26So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Genesis

The word “genesis” signifies “generation” or “origin” and comes from the Greek translation of Genesis 2:4. It is an appropriate title for the first book of the Bible, which contains the record of the origin of the universe, the human race, family life, nations, sin, redemption, etc. The first 11 chapters, which deal with primeval or pre-Patriarchal times, present the antecedents of Hebrew history from Adam to Abraham. The remaining chapters (12-50) are concerned with God’s dealings with the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Jacob’s son Joseph, all “fathers” of the people whom God has chosen to carry out His plan for the redemption of mankind. The book closes with these “Chosen People” in Egypt.

 

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Psalm 27:1-14


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Psalm 27

1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

3Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

4One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

5For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

6And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

7Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

8When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

9Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

11Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

12Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

14Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

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PSALM 27

A Psalm of David.

  1. jehovah is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? jehovah is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?
  2. When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
  3. If a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; when war shall rise against me, in this will I be confident.
  4. One thing have I asked of jehovah, that will I earnestly seek; that I may dwell in the house of jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of jehovah, and to inquire in his temple.
  5. For he will hide me in his tabernacle in the day of evil; he will conceal me in the secret place of his tent; he will set me high upon a rock.
  6. And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me; and I will offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of shouting; I will sing hymns to jehovah.
  7. Hear my voice, O jehovah; I will cry, be merciful to me, and answer me.
  8. Unto you, my heart, Jehovah has said, Seek my face; your face, O jehovah, will I seek.
  9. Hide not your face from me; put not away your servant in anger; you have been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O god of my salvation.
  10. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but jehovah will gather me.
  11. Teach me your way, O jehovah, and lead me in the path of rectitude because of mine enemies.
  12. Deliver me not over to the lust of mine enemies; for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe violence;
  13. Nevertheless, I firmly believe I shall see the goodness of jehovah in the land of the living.
  14. Hope in jehovah, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; yea, hope you in jehovah.

The Internal Sense

The lord’s discourse with the father, that he is not afraid of the hells which fight against him, verses 1 to 3; of his union with the father, verses 4 to 10, 13, 14; that thereby he will subdue the hells, verses 11, 12.

Exposition

Verse 3. If a host encamp against me. Army signifies truths and goods; see AC 3348; and truths and goods are arranged by the lord according to heavenly order; hence, arrangement according to order is the encamping of an army, and the heavenly order itself, which is heaven, is the camp; this camp, or this order, is such that it cannot possibly be broken into by hell, although hell is in a continual endeavour to break into it; hence also that order or heaven is called a camp, and the truths and goods, that is, the angels, who are arranged according to that order, are called armies. Inasmuch as several expressions in the Word have an opposite sense, so also has camp, and, according to such sense, signifies evils and falses, consequently hell, as in David, “If a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, Psalm 27:3. AC 4236.

Verses 4, 5. One thing have I asked of jehovah, that will I earnestly seek, that I may dwell in the house of jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of jehovah, and to enquire in his temple; for he will, hide me in his tabernacle in the day of evil; he will conceal me in the secret place of his tent; he will set me high upon a rock. Mention is here made of the house of jehovah, of his temple, tent, and tabernacle, and by the house, of jehovah is signified the church which is in the good of love to the lord, by the temple the church which is in truths grounded in that good; by the tent of jehovah is signified Divine Truth, and by the tabernacle Divine Good; hence it is evident that by dwelling in the house of jehovah all the days of my life is not meant to dwell in the house of jehovah, but in the good of love to the lord, and that by visiting in the morning the temple of jehovah is not meant to visit it every morning, but to enquire after and seek the truths of that good; hence by hiding in the tent is signified to keep in Divine Truth, and to be protected from falses, and by being concealed in the secret place of the tabernacle is signified to keep in Divine good, and to be protected from evils; by being set up high on a rock is signified to instruct in the interior truths. AE 799.

In the supreme sense the lord, as to his Human Essence, is the tent, the tabernacle, and the temple. AC 414.

Verse 6. I will offer in his tabernacle the sacrifices of shouting. In the Word mention is made of various instruments, and each of them has its distinct signification, of which, by the Divine mercy of the lord, we shall speak in their proper places. At the present we shall confine ourselves to what is said in David, “I will sacrifice in the tabernacle of jehovah the sacrifices of shouting,” where by the tabernacle is meant the celestial principle, and by shouting, singing, and chanting is expressed the spiritual principle thence derived. AC 420.

Verse 9. Hide not your face from me; put not away your servant in anger. From the above explications it may be known what the face of jehovah, or the lord, signifies namely: the Divine love, and every good in heaven and the church thence derived; hence also may be known what is signified by hiding or concealing the face, where jehovah or the lord is treated of, namely: that it is to leave man in his own proprium, and thence in evils and falses which gush out from the proprium. For man, viewed in himself, is nothing but evil and the falses thence derived, and is withheld from them by the lord that he may be in good, which is effected by an elevation from the proprium. Hence it may be manifest that by hiding and concealing the face, when it relates to the lord, is signified to leave man in evils and falses, as in the following passages, “On account of all their wickedness I have concealed my faces from this city,” Jeremiah 33:5: and in Isaiah, “Your sins have hid the faces of god from you, that he did not hear,” Is 59:2; and in David, “Hide not your faces from me, put not away your servant in anger,” Psalm xxvii. AE 412.

Verse 10. For my father and mother have forsaken me, and jehovah will gather me. Father and mother here denote good and truth, which are said to have forsaken, when man observes that of himself he is not able to do any thing good, or to know any thing true; that it is not to be understood as if David was forsaken by his father and mother is manifest. AC 3703.

Verse 13. I nevertheless firmly believe I shall see the goodness of jehovah in the land of the living. Inasmuch as death signifies damnation and hell, hence life on the other hand signifies salvation and heaven, as in Matthew, “Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life,” Matt 7:14: again, “If you will enter into life, keep the commandments,” Matt 19:17. Hence it is that salvation is called eternal life, as in Matthew 19:24; Mark 10:24; 30; Luke 10:25; and that heaven is called the land of the living, as in David, “jehovah, you are my confidence, my portion in the land of the living,” Psalm 142:5; again, “That you may see the goodness of jehovah in the land of the living.” AE 186.

The Translator’s Notes and Observations

Verse 1. jehovah is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? jehovah is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? In the original Hebrew two distinct terms are used to express what is here rendered I fear and shall be afraid, and hence we may safely conclude that two distinct ideas were intended to be suggested. It is not easy to say what these two distinct ideas are, but it appears most probable, from the proper sense of the two Hebrew terms which are here rendered I fear and am afraid, that the former term has more respect to fear, as an internal principle manifesting itself in the human heart, and the latter term has relation to the external effect of that fear in causing symptoms of outward trembling and agitation.

Verse 2. When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat my flesh, they stumbled and fell. The wicked are here called enemies and foes, probably for the purpose of expressing their two fold opposition to the divine good and the divine truth, and thus their two fold purpose of destroying in man both the love of good, and the understanding of truth, which is to eat up his flesh.

Verse 6. I will offer in his tabernacle the sacrifices of shouting. In the received English version of the Psalms, what is here rendered shouting is expressed by the term joy, but in the original Hebrew the term is derived from a root expressive of the elevation of the voice in the way of shouting, and accordingly it follows, “I will sing a hymn to jehovah.”

Verse 11. Teach me your way, O jehovah, and lead me in the path of rectitude. For the distinct meaning of the two terms way and path, see the Translator’s notes and observations on Psalm xxv.

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Psalm 27July 11, 1999

The Light that Dispels Fear

How you can tell when it’s going to be a rotten day:

You see a “60 Minutes” news team waiting in your office.

You call Suicide Prevention and they put you on hold.

Your birthday cake collapses from the weight of the candles.

Your twin sister forgot your birthday.

Your car horn goes off accidentally and remains stuck as you follow a group of Hell’s Angels on the freeway.

Your boss tells you not to bother to take off your coat.

The bird singing outside your window is a buzzard.

Your income tax check bounces.

You put both contact lenses in the same eye.

Your wife says, “Good morning, Mike”, and your name is George.

There are times in our lives when our world comes crashing down on us; if anything can go wrong, it will. When life seems to be going in a downward spiral, you’re at the end of your rope and you can’t tie a knot to hold on – fear often takes hold of us. Fear traps us in the belief that nothing will ever improve, that we are ensnared and will never escape. When life gets us down, fear fills the void left by hope.  Fear is not the domain of the timid, but swells over all of us no matter how brave we may appear to be.  Julius Caesar once remarked that even the shouts of his enemies were music to his ears, but he was terribly afraid of thunder. When it vaguely looked like a storm was brewing, he began to shiver and shake. Peter the Great, considered by many to have been the greatest czar of Russia was terrified to cross a bridge. He would tremble in his boots whenever he stepped onto a bridge. King Louis the XV, of France, was so afraid of death the he ordered the subject off limits in his presence. Stalin was constantly in fear of being poisoned or killed. He had 8 bedrooms which could be locked up like safes in a bank. Nobody ever knew in which of these bedrooms he slept on any given night.

We fear losing our health, our wealth, our family; our friends. We fear losing the promotion or even the job. We fear growing old, but even more, we fear death. On his return visit to many parts of the world, Herbert Hoover was asked by a reporter what, in his judgment, was the prevailing mood of the peoples in the lands he had visited. “The dominant emotion everywhere in the world is fear. This applies to every part of human activity; finance, industry, farmers, workers, thinkers, and government officials.”

God has an answer to our problem of fear. The answer to our fears, the solution to our worries lies in the simple understanding of God’s presence.
Fear is disabled by God’s presence  – verses 1-6

God’s presence supersedes God’s enemies  – verses 1-3

King David, who penned these words in Psalm 27, knew the meaning of the word fear better than most. His life consisted of one vicious attack on his life after another. For years he was the number one fugitive in Israel, always hiding from the wrath of King Saul. Later on, his life was threatened by the revolt of his own son Absalom.

We may not find ourselves as outcasts, pursued by potential murderers, with our lives on the line. But our problems still plague us. Our hope evaporates as our resources diminish fast. We may feel that to be left at the mercy of circumstances, under their tyranny, is to be torn apart and left with nothing. David begins with a sense of certainty, of calm in the midst of a storm.  The starting point for David and us are not the circumstances, are not the problems, but the God who is in control of all those circumstances. David does not deny the situations he faces, but those situations do not define for David how he is to respond.  During World War II, a military governor met with General George Patton in Sicily. When he praised Patton for his courage and bravery, the general replied, “Sir, I am not a brave man. . . The truth is, I am an utter craven coward. I have never been within the sound of gunshot or in sight of battle in my whole life that I wasn’t so scared that I had sweat in the palms of my hands. I learned very early in my life never to take counsel of my fears.” Our circumstances must never be what defines our life. Rather than taking counsel of our fears, we must see our life in a much larger perspective. There is nothing so dark and gloomy as fear, nothing so unsettling than being afraid. But when we are intimidated by people, or discouraged by circumstances, God’s presence provides a defense against these frightening circumstances. It is not said merely that the Lord gives light, but that He “is” light; nor that He gives salvation, but that He is salvation. God does not just help us discover a refuge, a place where we are safe; it is He who is our safety. We do not ask Him to give us these things as though they are independent of God, but they describe who our God is.  God’s presence is the light which chases away the shadows of despair. It is in the darkness that our fears take on the horrible shapes of monsters. That is true whether we are four or forty. We live without all the facts, we live in the dark, so our fears become all the more fearsome.  The answer comes not in our manipulation of our circumstances so that peace reigns in our lives. Rather trusting in God’s presence, knowing that He is sovereign, in control, that it is He who is the light in every dark corner of our life – then we can cease being intimidated by the unknown, frightened by the terrors of life. The doom of depression must be expelled by the light of the Gospel. 

Because God is light, because He has guaranteed salvation, because He is a fortress against whatever evil comes our way – its success is never outside the providence of our God; it will never succeed. The reason is simple. God’s control is never undermined. We must know who is all powerful, who is the Creator, who is in charge.

 I recall as a Cub Scout going on a trip to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland to see a demonstration of military power. While the thunderous explosions delighted the crowd of eight year old boys, the best part was when we got to climb on and in the tanks. But as we raced toward the machinery which had beaten back the Nazi onslaught a generation before, after seeing the power which fought in Korea and was building up in Southeast Asia – it was strange that we were told to be careful as we climbed on these steal beasts. We were cautioned not that we could be hurt, but that we might hurt the tanks.  In the same way, we can have confidence that no harm can come. When evil comes our way, it is never greater than our God. Verse 2 – they’ll stumble and fall, they’ll trip over the laces of their sandals. Even in the anticipation of troubles (verse 3) there can be courage. God’s presence supersedes God’s enemies because…

God’s presence is seen in God’s place  – verses 4-6

The reason for David’s certainty of God’s protection came not on a whim or based on a fleeting dream. But it came about because with singleness of mind, David’s full attention is focused on God’s presence which was seen in God’s dwelling place. David knows that only here can he find the comfort to endure troubling times. There is no other answer, no other solution. With clarity of purpose – the answer lies in God’s house.  David may be expressing a desire to lay aside the stature of the crown for the robes of the tabernacle priests, if that were possible. Or he could be expressing a longing to get away from the pressures of the battlefield and join the rest of Israel in the worship of God. Whatever was his desire, his goal was clear – he knew that it was only by focusing his attention on the beauty of the Lord, seeking Him in his temple that he could find the safety he needed.  What does that mean – that we’ve got to live each day of our life inside the church? In terms of safety statistics, that’s not a bad idea. 20% of all fatal accidents occur in automobiles; 17% of all fatal accidents occur at home; 16% of all fatal accidents occur in plains, trains, and boats; but only 0.001% of all fatal accidents occur in church, so obviously the safest place to be is in church, as much as possible! The reason is much more sensible than that. Seeing God in the sunshine of worship, you can have confidence in the shadows of life. Fear fades when we see a sovereign God who gives us mercy. Worship and worry can not live in the same heart; they are mutually exclusive. When we fill our minds with who our God is, when we are reminded what He has done for His people, worry begins to fade away.  The focus of the worship in the Old Testament was not the personal needs of the congregation, it was not to offer tidbits of self-help, it was not witty sayings to make one smile. The focus of the worship was God and His work for His people. For that very reason we don’t show up here to see and be seen, we do not come be entertained and made to feel more secure in our sin. Rather the object of our worship is the Triune God. 

The trouble is we are so often busy with so much, that the Sabbath has lost its meaning. There are ball games and family gatherings, there is shopping and cleaning, there is just a little more sleep. But as we crowd out the worship of God from our lives, it is no wonder that fear takes the place of worship. They are mutually exclusive.

Fear is dismantled by God’s grace   – verses 7-14

God’s grace accepts fearful people  – verses 7-10

Having expressed the certainty that despite the mounting troubles he faces, David knows the answer to his fears is found in worship. In verses 7-14 there is a shift in the Psalm from the positive declaration that the evil men will fail to a plaintive cry for help. In the second half of the Psalm we hear the content of his worship. But it is not just pollyannaish musings. David cries to the Lord. He recognizes that for God to rescue him, for God to deal with his fears, is an act of God’s grace.
 
David doesn’t try to argue his case before God that he is worthy of God’s time. He knows he does not deserve God’s grace, but petitions God to listen based on God’s character.
 
Some people say that maturity is demonstrated by faith that never struggles, by rising above the tide of this grimy world and living in some kind of exalted plane where you are never uncertain, never afraid, never assailed. But David’s struggle is refreshingly real. Knowing that God is sovereign, that He will never leave us or forsake us is foundational to our Christian life, but that never means we won’t wonder “why?”
 
David approaches God because of God’s grace which allows him to come.
 
It would be not only presumptuous to barge into the Oval Office, it would be downright deadly. The Secret Service is well armed and only a deranged man would dare to be so bold. How much more dangerous to go before God? But David knows he can pray, he can worship because he comes with an invitation in hand. God accepts fearful people like David, like me.
 
To seek the face of a king meant to seek his favor and forgiveness and mercy. This doesn’t mean: seek what God can do for you, but rather, to seek Him. Come to Him not only to receive gifts or relief from your troubles or answers to your prayers, but to know Him.
 
In verse 9 David is distressed; it seems that he is uncertain as to what God will do.
He does not want God to conceal His face. He does not want to lose the intimacy, the personal communication he has with God at this point. David doesn’t want God to shoo him away in disgust, ignore him and forget him. But then at the end there is a confession, an acknowledgment that God will not do this: “you have been my helper.”
 
In the past God has been there. So, since God does not change, he has nothing to worry about. God will not leave him. As unlikely as it is for parents to abandon their children, yet it happens – God would never do that. As unthinkable as it is for a mother to forget she has kids, God even more so will never forget you belong to Him.

God’s grace teaches fearful people 11-14

David is not asking for an easy way out. He is asking God to instruct him so he will know what to do. Not “God, fix this so my life will be simple.” But “God, help me to endure this situation without harming your name.” This is a dangerous prayer to make, but one which is very necessary. David prays to know God’s way through the difficult situation. He wants the straight path because of the oppressors. The level place, the straight path, is the word which means “uprightness.” He asks God to show him how to live righteously, correctly, in the face of those that are lying about him. In verse 12 the form of attack seems not so much battle, but vicious speech. In battle you die but once, but with a false witness you die a thousand deaths. If he responds in fear, he could lash out at his enemies, but God’s way may be different. It is very tempting to return insult for insult, false information for their lies. But David knows, having seen God’s character as he worshipped, that David could not speak that which is not true.  

David then believed that he would still enjoy the goodness of God in this world; although he was now deprived of all experience of His favor, and could see no spark of light, he is certain of one truth: God’s goodness will be evident even in this life. Sometimes the Lord calms the storm. Sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms His child.

 David concludes with the simple, but profound advice: wait That is a word we never like to hear. Little children whine when told to wait, and the complaining does not diminish with age. But contained within the word “wait” we have a clue as to what waiting does. The origin of the word is to twist, stretch. The tension which occurs during the time of waiting is what produces the strength which is the benefit of waiting. A rope is made strong by the twisting of the fibers together so that it can take the tension when the time of testing comes. You and I likewise are made strong by God’s grace when He puts us under pressure.  The admonition to be strong and take heart is the same form found in Joshua 1:9 where Joshua is told not to be discouraged, not to fear. What then is the man or woman to do in the face of adverse circumstances? He or she is to wait….but that implies hope, a confidence in God that He will answer the prayer and vindicate the oppressed.

Our world is impatient. We want everything right now. We’ve got instant tea and instant coffee, instant computers and instant banking, instant cameras and instant re-dial on our phones. There’s a sign in a shop in Pennsylvania that reads, “Antiques Made While You Wait.” That’s almost as stupid as the one that said, “Ears Pierced While You Wait.” (You don’t leave them there and pick them up later!) Some things that are worthwhile don’t come instantly. Maturity, character, wisdom, perceptiveness, and holiness do not come quickly. All through the Scriptures, God tells us, be patient for the coming of the Lord; wait on the Lord; they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; don’t grow weary in doing good, for in due season you will reap a harvest if you don’t give up. Yet we are an impatient lot.

When our family is in a turmoil, we become fearful. When our finances are a shambles, we fret over the checkbook. We want answers immediately. But God commands us to be patient, to wait. He’s won the victory. Sometimes we can do little except to wait and believe. A Jewish refugee wrote an inscription on a wall outside Cologne, Germany, during World War II: “I believe in the sun, even when it’s not shining. I believe in love even when I’m alone. And I believe in God even when He’s silent.”
 
But God has spoken. God has an answer for you and me. On what basis can we be certain that our fears will not come true, that God will leave us to be destroyed by whatever monsters plague us by day and night? This may have been David’s story, but I’m not David. How can we claim this fearlessness in the face of frightening circumstances? How can we know the presence of God’s grace? While this Psalm was written by David about some unknown circumstances in his life, there was another one who knew even greater danger, more fearsome situations and who found His refuge in the Lord.
 
We can have confidence that God is our light, our salvation and our refuge, for it was His own Son who, while evil men came to take Him to be falsely tried and murdered, spoke and they fell to the ground. It was Jesus who knew far better than any of us the horrors of abandonment as He hung on the Cross, as He cried out to His Father, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” But He was not completely rejected – for the Father received Him, as we know, on the third day when He rose from the dead. It was then that He could see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
 
His success is now ours – not just by example, but by imputation. Jesus Christ is the light of the world; with Him we will never walk in darkness. Christ will keep us safe; He is the rock on which we are set secure.
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PSALM 27

A Psalm of David.

  1. jehovah is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? jehovah is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?
  2. When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
  3. If a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; when war shall rise against me, in this will I be confident.
  4. One thing have I asked of jehovah, that will I earnestly seek; that I may dwell in the house of jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of jehovah, and to inquire in his temple.
  5. For he will hide me in his tabernacle in the day of evil; he will conceal me in the secret place of his tent; he will set me high upon a rock.
  6. And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me; and I will offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of shouting; I will sing hymns to jehovah.
  7. Hear my voice, O jehovah; I will cry, be merciful to me, and answer me.
  8. Unto you, my heart, Jehovah has said, Seek my face; your face, O jehovah, will I seek.
  9. Hide not your face from me; put not away your servant in anger; you have been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O god of my salvation.
  10. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but jehovah will gather me.
  11. Teach me your way, O jehovah, and lead me in the path of rectitude because of mine enemies.
  12. Deliver me not over to the lust of mine enemies; for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe violence;
  13. Nevertheless, I firmly believe I shall see the goodness of jehovah in the land of the living.
  14. Hope in jehovah, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; yea, hope you in jehovah.

The Internal Sense

The lord’s discourse with the father, that he is not afraid of the hells which fight against him, verses 1 to 3; of his union with the father, verses 4 to 10, 13, 14; that thereby he will subdue the hells, verses 11, 12.

Exposition

Verse 3. If a host encamp against me. Army signifies truths and goods; see AC 3348; and truths and goods are arranged by the lord according to heavenly order; hence, arrangement according to order is the encamping of an army, and the heavenly order itself, which is heaven, is the camp; this camp, or this order, is such that it cannot possibly be broken into by hell, although hell is in a continual endeavour to break into it; hence also that order or heaven is called a camp, and the truths and goods, that is, the angels, who are arranged according to that order, are called armies. Inasmuch as several expressions in the Word have an opposite sense, so also has camp, and, according to such sense, signifies evils and falses, consequently hell, as in David, “If a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, Psalm 27:3. AC 4236.

Verses 4, 5. One thing have I asked of jehovah, that will I earnestly seek, that I may dwell in the house of jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of jehovah, and to enquire in his temple; for he will, hide me in his tabernacle in the day of evil; he will conceal me in the secret place of his tent; he will set me high upon a rock. Mention is here made of the house of jehovah, of his temple, tent, and tabernacle, and by the house, of jehovah is signified the church which is in the good of love to the lord, by the temple the church which is in truths grounded in that good; by the tent of jehovah is signified Divine Truth, and by the tabernacle Divine Good; hence it is evident that by dwelling in the house of jehovah all the days of my life is not meant to dwell in the house of jehovah, but in the good of love to the lord, and that by visiting in the morning the temple of jehovah is not meant to visit it every morning, but to enquire after and seek the truths of that good; hence by hiding in the tent is signified to keep in Divine Truth, and to be protected from falses, and by being concealed in the secret place of the tabernacle is signified to keep in Divine good, and to be protected from evils; by being set up high on a rock is signified to instruct in the interior truths. AE 799.

In the supreme sense the lord, as to his Human Essence, is the tent, the tabernacle, and the temple. AC 414.

Verse 6. I will offer in his tabernacle the sacrifices of shouting. In the Word mention is made of various instruments, and each of them has its distinct signification, of which, by the Divine mercy of the lord, we shall speak in their proper places. At the present we shall confine ourselves to what is said in David, “I will sacrifice in the tabernacle of jehovah the sacrifices of shouting,” where by the tabernacle is meant the celestial principle, and by shouting, singing, and chanting is expressed the spiritual principle thence derived. AC 420.

Verse 9. Hide not your face from me; put not away your servant in anger. From the above explications it may be known what the face of jehovah, or the lord, signifies namely: the Divine love, and every good in heaven and the church thence derived; hence also may be known what is signified by hiding or concealing the face, where jehovah or the lord is treated of, namely: that it is to leave man in his own proprium, and thence in evils and falses which gush out from the proprium. For man, viewed in himself, is nothing but evil and the falses thence derived, and is withheld from them by the lord that he may be in good, which is effected by an elevation from the proprium. Hence it may be manifest that by hiding and concealing the face, when it relates to the lord, is signified to leave man in evils and falses, as in the following passages, “On account of all their wickedness I have concealed my faces from this city,” Jeremiah 33:5: and in Isaiah, “Your sins have hid the faces of god from you, that he did not hear,” Is 59:2; and in David, “Hide not your faces from me, put not away your servant in anger,” Psalm xxvii. AE 412.

Verse 10. For my father and mother have forsaken me, and jehovah will gather me. Father and mother here denote good and truth, which are said to have forsaken, when man observes that of himself he is not able to do any thing good, or to know any thing true; that it is not to be understood as if David was forsaken by his father and mother is manifest. AC 3703.

Verse 13. I nevertheless firmly believe I shall see the goodness of jehovah in the land of the living. Inasmuch as death signifies damnation and hell, hence life on the other hand signifies salvation and heaven, as in Matthew, “Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life,” Matt 7:14: again, “If you will enter into life, keep the commandments,” Matt 19:17. Hence it is that salvation is called eternal life, as in Matthew 19:24; Mark 10:24; 30; Luke 10:25; and that heaven is called the land of the living, as in David, “jehovah, you are my confidence, my portion in the land of the living,” Psalm 142:5; again, “That you may see the goodness of jehovah in the land of the living.” AE 186.

The Translator’s Notes and Observations

Verse 1. jehovah is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? jehovah is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? In the original Hebrew two distinct terms are used to express what is here rendered I fear and shall be afraid, and hence we may safely conclude that two distinct ideas were intended to be suggested. It is not easy to say what these two distinct ideas are, but it appears most probable, from the proper sense of the two Hebrew terms which are here rendered I fear and am afraid, that the former term has more respect to fear, as an internal principle manifesting itself in the human heart, and the latter term has relation to the external effect of that fear in causing symptoms of outward trembling and agitation.

Verse 2. When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat my flesh, they stumbled and fell. The wicked are here called enemies and foes, probably for the purpose of expressing their two fold opposition to the divine good and the divine truth, and thus their two fold purpose of destroying in man both the love of good, and the understanding of truth, which is to eat up his flesh.

Verse 6. I will offer in his tabernacle the sacrifices of shouting. In the received English version of the Psalms, what is here rendered shouting is expressed by the term joy, but in the original Hebrew the term is derived from a root expressive of the elevation of the voice in the way of shouting, and accordingly it follows, “I will sing a hymn to jehovah.”

Verse 11. Teach me your way, O jehovah, and lead me in the path of rectitude. For the distinct meaning of the two terms way and path, see the Translator’s notes and observations on Psalm xxv.

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Psalms
A collection of 150 psalms, whose Hebrew name is “The Book of Praise.” Authors of individual psalms include David, Solomon, Moses, Asaph, and others who are anonymous. The variety and unity of Psalms have given this book a unique place in the devotional life of the individual and the Church. Almost every aspect of man’s relation to God is depicted in these poems: simple trust, the sense of sin, appeal to a higher power in time of trouble, and the conviction that the world is in the hands of a loving God.

Sermon Notes