Asaph asked God two questions in verses 1 and three more in verses 10-11; the verses in between are concealed, pain-provoked complaints. Asaph is having a crisis of faith. He does not hold back. He vomits his soul. Anger, heartache, fear, guilt, and embarrassment intertwine with doubt, denial, logic, and faith. God’s silence is always […]
Tag: Commentary
Psalm 74:9. God Goes Silent. Today’s BDBD.
Asaph, to write this psalm, would have been the last of the Levitical musicians to serve during a reign of a king of Judah. He would be looking back at his youth when he witnessed the temple’s destruction. No other generation fits the criterion as presented in the psalm. Not even the Levitical musicians who […]
Psalm 73:23-28. Earth Has Nothing I Desire But You! Today’s BDBD.
Asaph had envied the lifestyle, wealth, possessions, and power of the wicked. Now, after seeing the destiny that awaits the pure in heart, a perfect union with the Holy Almighty Saving God for eternity, Asaph, in peace and contentment, avows with sweet tears, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I […]
Psalm 73:15-22. Till I Entered God’s Sanctuary. Today’s BDBD.
Asaph, perhaps a young to middle-aged man learning the Levitical priesthood, was in the middle of a crisis of faith in the Lord his God. He kept his burden to himself, not wanting to trouble the religion of his family (15). He had kept a pure life, expecting to be rewarded by God with a […]
Psalm 73:6-12. Callous Hearts. Today’s BDBD.
Asaph, a poor righteous man, compared his life to the rich wicked and saw stark contrasts. He saw four advantages to their wealth (3-4). Now he will determine the effects that their arrogant prosperity has on their personality and relationships. The rich wicked were prideful (6). They showed off their pride. Ancient Middle Eastern cultures’ […]
Psalm 73:4-5. They Have, I Like, I Want. Today’s BDBD.
Asaph confessed that he envied the arrogant wicked (3). He presents in verses 4 and 5 four advantages that the righteous faithful often do not have because they are poor. First, the rich wicked have no struggles. When trouble comes, they throw money at the problem, and it goes away. Nothing comes their way that […]
Proverb 73:1-3. Envy of the Wicked Who Prosper. Today’s BDBD.
Asaph, or one of his descendants, whom David assigned to lead the Levitical choirs (1 Chronicles 16:37, 25:1-2, 6), wrote Psalm 73 as well as at least twelve other psalms in the Psalter. Asaph was an important chosen man of faith. Yet, he was little different from the faithful today. Psalm 73 records a personal […]
Psalm 72:15-19. May… AMEN. Today’s BDBD.
The second-to-last stanza, verses 15-17, is a culmination and conclusion of the inaugural prayer-psalm. The stanza that follows (18-19) is a doxology that the newly anointed king’s subjects recited, an “Amen to that brother!” Here, the orator asks God for one blessing after another to fall on the king: long life, gold, continual prayers and […]
Psalm 72:8-11. He Will Rule. Today’s BDBD.
The verses in this stanza are prophecies of the coming Messiah, the promised eternal anointed King, the Son of the Most High God, Christ Jesus. Jesus began establishing his kingdom by preaching, “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14) When Jesus comes again, he will rule from sea […]
Psalm 72:5-7. He Will Come Down. Today’s BDBD.
The psalm moves from Solomon’s reign to the coming reign of the eternal son promised to David through the prophet Nathan, Jesus, the anointed King (Messiah). Jesus’ kingdom endures long as the sun and moon shine. Upon his first coming he gave us his words of truth and salvation. Upon his second coming evil people […]
Psalm 71:22-24. Praise in Song with Musical Instruments and Vocal. Today’s BDBD.
The last stanza ends in a decision to praise the Holy One of Israel in song with harp, lyre, and choir. David would be the lead singer. The reason for the joyous shouts is the righteous acts of the Lord. Those who wanted to harm him have been put to shame and confusion, an answer […]
Psalm 71:19-21. God’s Righteousness. Today’s BDBD.
“God’s righteousness reaches to the skies,” so David knows and states, a fugitive seeking refuge from his enemies, his punishment for a past sin. God’s righteousness, for David and all Israel, was not one of God’s attributes, as the church sees itself because of God’s grace (Romans 3:21-26; Hebrews 12:23). An unknown Israel poet wrote, […]
Psalm 71:1-4. Refuge. Today’s BDBD.
David uses desperate words; Rescue me, deliver me, turn your ear to me, save me, and a second time save me and deliver me. He tells the Lord he has taken refuge in him, and asks the Lord to be his rock and refuge in verses 1-4. Again he says, you are my rock and […]
Psalm 71:14-18. Something to Teach. Today’s BDBD.
The author declares six different ways in these five verses that he will talk about God’s righteous ways, endless salvation, mighty acts, marvelous deeds, and power and might to the next generation and all who are to come. Since his youth the Lord taught him. Now in his old age he will teach the younger […]
Psalm 71:9-13. When I’m 64. Today’s BDBD.
Those who were alive when that song came out, would not have listened to it when it did, if it were not from the artist who wrote and release it. Yet, now our aged generation still can sing at least part of The Beatles’ 1967 St. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band song. That now aged […]
Psalm 71:5-8. You Brought Me Forth. Today’s BDBD.
One thing for sure, all those who walked the earth, God brought forth. Though many proclaim with mouth and words, “I made myself who I am,” they forget that they did not bring themself from their mother’s womb. They did not bring cells together. They did not form DNA. They did not place themself where […]
Psalm 71 Introduction. Today’s BDBD.
Some commentaries say that David wrote this when he was old, but don’t say why they make this conclusion. Some add it was during Absalom’s rebellion while he was in the Judean desert, already ascribed to Psalm 3 and probably 63. Of course, David could have wrote more than one or even two for one […]
Psalm 70:4-5. Do Not Delay, 2. Today’s BDBD.
The Lord be exalted! This be my praise.The Lord is great! This be my anthem.The Lord be magnified! This be my song.The Lord is gladness.The Lord be my joy.The Lord is salvation.The Lord thinks of me though I be poor and needy.The Lord is my helper.The Lord be my deliverer.O my God, do not delay.
Psalm 70:1-3. Do Not Delay, 1. Today’s BDBD.
Life dregs accumulate from sin, infirmities, and pestilence that float in the human soul. Their multiplication due to repetitive use clogs the heart’s arteries and bursts the aneurysms in the mind. Religious doctors reach into pockets while promising undelivered salvation. Sins overtake the blind patient. Lying on death’s sharp bed of nails, only one prayer […]
Psalm 70 Introduction. Today’s BDBD.
Psalm 70 is the second of three prayers for deliverance when surrounded by enemies. Some point out that the short Psalm 70 is a repetition of Psalm 40’s ending, verses 13-17, with a few variations. “Lord” (YHWH) is changed into “God” (Elohim), except in verse 70:1b, and “Elohim” is changed into “YHWH” in verse 70:5b. […]
Psalm 69:34-36 is today’s BDBD. Love His Name.
The last stanza, the eleventh, is a praise-prophecy. David experienced the cruelty of mankind toward the anointed king among those called to be God’s people, as witnessed in this psalm (Exodus 6:7; Jeremiah 30:22). I believe he also knew that this psalm would be fulfilled by the Promised Son who would come from his seed […]
Psalm 69:30-33 is today’s BDBD. Please the Lord.
Skies -thick and dark today, releasing rain endlessly, with lightning flashes brightly, and thunder claps loudly, the tears of a despairing heart, and whispers of a darkened, mind praying to their maker, will calm tomorrow. The Lord God Almighty saw David’s faith, hope, and love. Jesus’ heart was moved. He answered the prayer as David […]
Psalm 69:26-29 is today’s BDBD. Gossip Pain.
David adds details to what people are doing while God punished him for his sins. They gossip. Gossip causes troubles. It is an infection that eats away at not only the subject of the gossip, but also families, society, and the one supplying the gossip. Gossip often contains exaggeration and lies. Gossip adds to the […]
Psalm 69:22-25 is today’s BDBD. Desolate.
Stanza 8, verses 22-25, has been called a curse by some. However, I see it as a prediction of the result of rejecting God’s anointed. David never harmed Saul because Saul was God’s anointed as he was, though Saul tried to kill him and made David an outcast for years (1 Samuel 26:9-11). However, David’s […]
Psalm 69:19-21 is today’s BDBD. Vinegar.
Psalm 69, written by David, most likely concerns the events that transpired after his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah were exposed by the Lord’s prophet Nathan, is also a prophecy concerning the Messiah, Jesus the Lord. The second most New Testament quoted psalm reveals the heart of Christ during his […]
Psalm 69:13-15 is today’s BDBD. Sinking Still in Deep Waters.
The first stanza, verses 1 through 3, and the fifth stanza, verses 13 through 15, are identical poetic expressions, praying for salvation from sure death. The basis of the continuing request is the love of God during the time of his favor (13). David has not given up hope in the Lord Almighty. David still […]
Psalm 69:10-12 is today’s BDBD. When I…
David’s troubles surrounded him like a torrent sea storm, a bottomless marsh, and an endless pit – the only escape being death. God remains silent to his cries. David’s enemies take advantage of his downfall. David wept and fasted. He lay in sackcloth, a sign of repentance and humility. Compassion did not occupy the hearts […]
Psalm 69:6-9 is today’s BDBD. Zeal For Your House.
David knows that he is a sinner and he accepts that God knows it too (5). He learned this when Nathan, the prophet revealed his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah in the presence of the royal court. Whether David had this, or another specific sin in mind, or is thinking […]
Psalm 69:4-5 is today’s BDBD. Hate Without Reason.
David is more specific about his problems in verses 4 and 5. Everyone has others that hate them without reason. As time moves closer to the end of the age, hearts are growing colder and colder. Hate is being expressed in ways seldom seen in generations past. Reason is not needed for many attackers in […]
Psalm 69:1-3 is today’s BDBD. Save Me God.
Will faith be choked to death? Will hope wither on the vine? Will love fail to produce fruit? “The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful,” Jesus told his […]
Psalm 69 is today’s BDBD. Introduction.
Psalm 69 is the first of three prayer-psalms asking for deliverance when threatened by enemies. It is the prayer of one who is in deep distress by wounds inflicted by God (26), wrongfully persecuted by enemies, and conscious that, though he knows he is with sin, yet, still innocent of any crime (5), his sufferings […]
Psalm 68:32-35 is today’s BDBD. Doxology.
The ninth stanza ends Psalm 68 with a doxology that is a prophecy unfulfilled, a trumpet waiting to be sounded, the day the world, in unison, praises the Lord Jesus at his triumphant coming on the clouds of heaven, the shekinah glory, with tens of thousands and thousands of thousands following in song. Revelation 19:6-8 […]
Psalm 68:28-31 is today’s BDBD. Continue the Conquest.
The singers leading the grand procession sing, “Summon your power, O God…” or perhaps, “Your God has summoned power for you…” and continue with “…show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.” They want the Lord to continue his victory over their foes so that other kings may bring him gifts. They […]
Psalm 68:24-27 is today’s BDBD. Here Comes God and King.
When I was a child, my hometown would have a parade every Labor Day. I would stand on the street curb with my neck stretched, watching for the first glimpse. The first vehicle was always the village police, followed by the mayor and his family seated in a waxed convertible limo. Boring to a young […]
Psalm 68:19-23 is today’s BDBD. God Will Crush the Enemy’s Head.
Praise God for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior (19). This is what David is instructing the Lord’s people to do in mass assembly. Why? Because he daily bears our burdens. Jesus bore the cross as an atonement for our sins, once and for all. Every day as I go about my day […]
Psalm 68:18 is today’s BDBD. He Ascended on High.
Verse 18 is the key to understanding the mystery behind this prophetic-psalm. Yes, this is a processional-psalm in the fact that David is writing of the Lord’s triumphant leading his people from Mount Sinai to Mount Zion, and from the tabernacle to the temple with “May God arise…extol him who rides on the clouds (meaning […]
Psalm 68:14-17 is today’s BDBD. Mountains.
Four earthly mountains are mentioned in verses 14 through 17, and the heavenly mountain is referenced in verse 18. Mount Zalmon (14) is a wooded mountain near Shechem. The name means “shady” or “dark” or “black”. Fallen snow would easily contrast. Thus, at the Lord God’s moving, the falling kings that are scatted on the […]
Psalm 68:11-14 is today’s BDBD. The Almighty Scattered Kings.
God allowed the Israelites to pass through the Red Sea when he led them out of slavery in Egypt to Mount Sinai before they went to the promised land. The Lord did not allow Pharoah and the Egyptian army to pass through the Red Sea. The waves crushed them. They drowned. Exodus 15 records the […]
Psalm 68:7-10 is today’s BDBD. Before Your People.
God always goes out before his people. The Lord God was in front of Israel when they left Mount Sinai on their way to the promised land (7). Jesus was in front of his apostles and disciples, preaching from town to town. The Holy Spirit led the apostles and disciples where they needed to be […]
Psalm 68:4-6 is today’s BDBD. Reason to Sing.
The fatherless have a reason to sing praise to God. The widows have a reason to sing praise to God. The lonely homeless have a reason to sing praise to God. Prisoners have a reason to sing praise to God. God is coming. God is their father, defender, holy dwelling, friend, and freedom bearer. Sing […]
Psalm 68:2-3 is today’s BDBD. Reactions to God.
The Lord God is on the move. During the time of Moses, the Lord God moved from Mount Sinai to the promised land, leading his people all the way. During the time of David, the Lord God moved from the household of Obed-Edom to a tent David had pitched in the City of David (2 […]
Psalm 68:1 is today’s BDBD. Our Mighty God.
Psalm 68 is considered one of the processional psalms. David is the writer of this psalm. The psalm declares the mighty God of Israel who “rides on the clouds”. The psalm begins similarly to the declaration prayer Moses gave whenever the ark set out while they were in the desert. He said, “Rise up, O […]
Luke 4:33 is today’s BDBD. Demon Possession – Evil Spirits.
Verse 33 says in the synagogue, there was a man possessed by a “demon, an evil spirit”. Evil spirits, that is, demons, direct translation is “unclean” (original Greek), were created by God, and then rebelled against God (2 Peter 2:4; 1 John 3:8). Demons were previously angels. They are now at war against the Lord, […]
Luke 4:31-32 is today’s BDBD. Authority Message.
Luke explains why the people of Capernaum were amazed, “because his message had authority.” Mark adds that the teachers of the law did not portray this authority when they spoke (Mark 1:22) Luke comments that the people of Capernaum were “amazed at his teaching.” They were thrilled and delighted. They did not expect a common […]
Luke 4:28-30 is today’s BDBD. Furious.
What element of human nature propels us to murderous fury? Why is it possible for calm reason and wisdom to sizzle into steam quicker than butter in a hot frying pan? Fury can lead a peaceful soul to commit actions that we quickly regret. Fury cannot be undone; completed fury will kill two. The slightest […]
Luke 4:24-27 is today’s BDBD. Hometown Foolish Rejection.
Jesus stated a new proverb and prophecy. “No prophet is accepted in his hometown.” He gave two examples to support this simple truth. Elijah and Elisha were two ancient Israelite prophets who had similar ministries to Jesus. All three did great miracles. All three preached the truth of God in evil times. All three continued […]
Luke 4:22-23 is today’s BDBD. “Isn’t This Joseph’s Son?”
At first, Jesus’ hometown folk spoke well of him. Then they remembered that he was merely a carpenter, a poor country boy with no formal training. They began wondering how one of them could learn to speak so graciously. So, they ended up seeing him from a human perspective. They started judging him not by […]
Luke 4:20-21 is today’s BDBD. The Time to Declare.
Jesus’ time in Galilee was spent mostly in Capernaum, by the Sea of Galilee. However, Jesus did return at least once to his hometown, Nazareth. Matthew, as a side note, states that Jesus left Nazareth to live in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13). Mark further states that after a brief time in Capernaum, Jesus went to his […]
Luke 14:18-19. He Has Sent Me.
Jesus was asked to speak in his hometown, Nazareth, after being away for perhaps two months. The teaching rabbi would sometimes sit in a chair to preach. A rule did not exist, out of respect they would stand when they read the word of God. The teaching rabbi would preach from passages in the scrolls […]
Luke 4:16-17 is today’s BDBD. His Custom.
Jesus had a custom. He went weekly to a congregation of those who called themself Jew. The place of meeting and the people who were named a synagogue. Every village, town, and city that had at least ten adult Jewish men would meet regularly, either in someone’s house or, if they could afford it, in […]
Luke 4:14-15 #2 is today’s BDBD. Power.
Jesus was empowered after passing the tests. Temptation (Testing) will either strengthen or weaken, sweeten or sour, soften or harden, draw us closer to God or push us away. What determines the outcome? How we reacted when tested (tempted). Did we pass? If we pass the test God sends his Spirit to refresh and empower […]
Luke 4:14-15 #1 is today’s BDBD. The Power of the Spirit.
Having conquered the adversary and full of the power of the Spirit, Jesus continued in the miracle-working energy of the Spirit to show his power, divinity, and love to the people, so that they might believe and be saved. Those who, through the grace of God, resist and overcome temptation as Jesus did are always […]
Luke 4:13 is today’s BDBD. He Left Until…
The devil was unable to entice Jesus to sin. So he left until an opportune time to tempt him again. I can learn from this to “be self-controlled and alert. Our enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) The devil tempted Jesus, and when he […]
Luke 4:9-12 is today’s BDBD. Throw Youself Down.
The devil again questioned Jesus’ divinity, something cults also do. See comments on the first temptation pertaining to Jesus’ divinity. Then, the devil challenged him to prove his divinity by telling him to throw himself down from the temple’s highest point. He suggested God would protect him if he were God’s son. The devil misquoted […]
Luke 4:5-8 is today’s BDBD. Desire.
What is desired? What is needed? What cannot be done without? What is done to get these? Is a kingdom desired? Why not desire all the kingdoms of the world? It will not be enough. Is authority and power needed? Why not be the ruler of the world? A ruler is always afraid and alone. […]
Luke 4:3b-4 is today’s BDBD. If You Are…
The devil’s challenge to Jesus’ position was because days earlier the Father said at Jesus’ baptism concerning Jesus, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (3:22) The devil was clouding the real issue of the source of life and authority by provoking Jesus’ pride. Jesus had nothing to prove […]
Luke 4:3a is today’s BDBD. The Devil Made Me Do It.
Young children say, “The devil made me do it.” What a lie! They do not live up to their responsibility for the sin. Sadly, some adults say that too. I’ve heard many Christians say the same. The truth is that when I was tempted, I decided to submit to the sinful desires of my heart. […]
Luke 4:2 is today’s BDBD. The Enemy.
“The devil” tempted Jesus. Satan is a created spirit (Ezekiel 28:14-15), a fallen angel who “masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Satan is also known as the devil, “Diabolos” in Greek. He is the prince of this world (John 12:31, 14:30). The ancient serpent is the prince of the air (Ephesians 2:2; […]
Luke 4:1 is today’s BDBD. You Will Be Tempted.
The Spirit led Jesus into the desert, where he was tempted by Satan. His temptation was not internal nor from the Holy Spirit. Jesus’s temptation was real, from a real created being. His temptation was not self-sought. Temptation is not sin. Sin only is begotten if there is a will to sin. Jesus overcame temptation […]
Luke 3:38 is today’s BDBD. Adam and Eve.
The genealogy of Jesus, according to Luke, is full of men whom God made at least one promise and kept it. I will only consider one, Adam who indirectly heard the Lord give a promise. Adam is the only man who is called the son of God besides Jesus. Adam was the first man, and […]
Luke 3:23 is today’s BDBD. Jesus’ Genealogy.
Luke and Matthew record Jesus’ genealogy. See FreeBibleStudyHelp.com, Matthew, commentary 1 for information about Matthew’s genealogy. Luke’s genealogy follows the traditional Greek style, and Matthew’s genealogy follows the traditional Jewish style. Some differences between the two include the people they begin and end with; Luke begins with Jesus and ends with Adam, the Son of […]
Luke 3:22b is today’s BDBD. Jesus, the Son of God.
“You are my Son…” was the Father’s voice from heaven. Jesus own assertion and intimation indicate that references to Him as Son of God can be traced to Jesus Himself. At the center of Jesus identity in the fourth Gospel is His divine state as Son (John 10:36). Jesus conceived of His divine state as […]
Luke 3:21-22 is today’s BDBD. Why was Jesus Baptized?
Jesus was baptised when John was baptizing all the people who came to be baptized. Jesus’ baptism showed John who he was preparing the way for. With that knowledge, John could point out that Jesus was the Messiah and that the Messiah was the Son of God and the Lamb of God. (John 1:31-34) Jesus […]
Luke 3:17-18 is today’s BDBD. The Coming Harvest.
John continued his preaching a repentance for the forgiveness of sin with a warning about the consequences of choices when the Messiah comes. “His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Luke 3:17) […]
Luke 3:15-16 is today’s BDBD. Two Baptisms.
People wondered in their hearts if John might be the Christ (Messiah). John did not fall. He confessed that he is not. He gave proof by saying that there are two types of baptism. John’s baptism uses water. Jesus’ baptism uses the Holy Spirit. The latter is far better than the first. Most believers in […]
Luke 3:10-14 is today’s BDBD. Practical Change.
John prophesied a coming fire if people did not produce good fruit. The people were cut to the heart. Arrogance is racked by the truth. Truth exposes the reality of the past and present chosen inadequacies and sins, and the future penalty they bring. Humbled with holy fear, they asked,” What should we do then?” […]
Luke 3:9 is today’s BDBD. God, the Lumber Jack.
John the Baptist, the desert priest, filled with the Holy Spirit, made a prophecy of judgement on the Jewish nation. The time to change was at hand. However, the maximum boa constrictor’s life span (forty years) was all that God had allotted for them to change from crushing others around a tree to becoming a […]
Luke 3:8 is today’s BDBD. I am a Stone.
Many Jews from all strata of society came to hear God’s voice in the desert and were baptized. Many heard and did not accept John’s testimony. “We have Abraham as our Father,” they argued. They meant that they had permanent and privileged status because of their family tree. The Apostle John started his gospel account […]
Luke 3:7 is today’s BDBD. The Coming Wrath.
John called the crowds who came out to him to be baptized a brood of vipers. Specifically, he was talking to the Pharisees and Sadducees according to Matthew 3:7. Then he asked an interesting question, “Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” The question was sarcasm for he knew few in Jerusalem and […]
Luke 3:3b is today’s BDBD. Repentance Before Forgiveness.
The religious leaders, by John’s and Jesus’s time, had turned baptism into an elaborate ceremony, full of rules and regulations. Sometimes they baptized themselves every day. They self-baptize at least once a week. The Jewish religious establishment had all kinds of reasons why they must baptize themselves, as the Dead Sea Scrolls reveal. Baptism in […]
Luke 3:1-2a is today’s BDBD. During Evil Times.
The high priesthood was corrupt, not following the law of God set forth in the first five books of the Bible. There were two high priests. (John 18:19, 22, 24) This was unlawful. Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Annas was the first and true high priest. However, he had a political problem with the […]
