{"id":4465,"date":"2024-01-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-06T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/reading-plan\/january-6\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T21:19:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T03:19:04","slug":"january-6","status":"publish","type":"reading-plan","link":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/reading-plan\/january-6\/","title":{"rendered":"January 6"},"content":{"rendered":"

Insight from Psalms 5\u20136:<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the third straight \u201cPsalm of David\u201d that speaks of the suffering of one man at the hands of many enemies. This is a major theme in the Psalms of David (see, particularly, Books 1 and 2 of the Psalms). Other themes are emphasized in other \u201cgroups\u201d of psalms as well. For instance, Psalms 146\u2013150 all begin and end with the words \u201cPraise the Lord!\u201d. Praise to Yahweh for all he has done (because of the suffering and deliverance of the Anointed King) is the theme of these psalms in Book 5.<\/span><\/p>\n

The repetition of themes in the Psalms should be seen as intentional. The Holy Spirit moved the writers of the psalms to emphasize certain themes in their poems. Beyond this, it appears that the Holy Spirit moved the editor to place the psalms in the order that they are placed. He did this so that truths presented in this book would deeply penetrate the hearts of God\u2019s people. Based on the way the psalms are written and organized, it is clear that God\u2019s people need to be reminded of certain truths over and over again. The wise preacher or teacher will emphasize these same themes.<\/span><\/p>\n

These first few psalms demonstrate the importance of the Christ\u2019s suffering and deliverance. However, the suffering and deliverance of the Christ is not the only theme that is evident in these first few psalms. Prayer is also a theme. Psalm 5 is a prayer made by one man who is suffering. In the first clause in verse 1, this man asks Yahweh to \u201cGive ear to my words\u201d. The parallel clause (\u201cconsider my groaning\u201d), greatly strengthens the first clause. The psalmist wants Yahweh to do more than just \u201chear\u201d his words. He wants him to carefully \u201cconsider\u201d (i.e., meditate upon) his groans. Based on Psalms 1-4, the reader may assume that the person who is \u201cgroaning\u201d is the Anointed King\u2014the Christ. Also, the reader may assume that the groans have been caused by the enemies of the Christ. The fact that the \u201cgroaning\u201d of the Christ is caused by enemies is confirmed in verse 8. Tom Kelby, <\/span>\u12e8\u1218\u12dd\u1219\u122d \u1218\u133d\u1210\u134d \u12a8\u1325\u1293\u1275 \u121b\u1235\u1273\u12c8\u123b\u12ce\u127d \u130b\u122d (\u1218\u12dd\u1219\u122d 1-19): \u12e8\u1218\u12dd\u1219\u122d \u1218\u133d\u1210\u134d \u1230\u1263\u12aa \u1218\u1218\u122a\u12eb<\/span><\/i> (Webster, WI: Hands to the Plow, 2015), 45.<\/span><\/p>\n

[Psalm 6] records the prayer of one man (the Anointed King\u2014the Christ) with many enemies (see verses 6\u201310). The prayer of the Christ, however, isn\u2019t to be delivered from his enemies. His prayer is in regard to the \u201crebuke\u201d and \u201cdiscipline\u201d from Yahweh that he is currently experiencing. The Christ knows that this discipline is connected to Yahweh\u2019s anger.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Hebrew word translated anger is the word for \u201cnose\u201d. The idea seems to be of nostrils being dilated in great anger (like a horse snorting in fury). In Psalm 2:5, the word is used to describe the anger of Yahweh against those who would throw off his rule and the rule of the Christ. In other passages in the Old Testament, it is used to describe Yahweh\u2019s dreadful actions toward those who sin against him (see 2 Kings 13:3). Yahweh\u2019s anger is \u201cfierce\u201d (see Jeremiah 25:37) and results in destruction (see 2 Samuel 6:7 and Jeremiah 44:6). In this psalm, however, the anger of Yahweh isn\u2019t directed against those who hate Yahweh. Rather, it is directed toward Yahweh\u2019s Anointed King! The Christ is, for some reason, being treated like an enemy of Yahweh!<\/span><\/p>\n

The reason behind Yahweh\u2019s anger toward the Christ is not stated in this verse. The reader knows that sin, somehow, must be connected to the \u201crebuke\u201d and the \u201cdiscipline\u201d that the Christ is experiencing. But the Christ does not say that he has sinned. In fact, even while he is experiencing Yahweh\u2019s discipline, the Christ still honors and praises him (see verses 4\u20135).<\/span><\/p>\n

The reader should not ignore the sudden change in the relationship between the Christ and Yahweh. The Christ has, up to this point in the Psalms, been presented as righteous (see Psalms 1\u20135). He meditates on the law of the Lord day and night. He avoids evil. He instructs those who sin. He calls sinners to repentance. He prays to Yahweh. He rejoices in Yahweh. He trusts in Yahweh. And Yahweh loves the Christ and pours his favor out on him. Yet, in Psalm 6, the Christ is suddenly being disciplined by Yahweh. What has caused his anger to be turned toward the righteous King?<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer to this question is not found in this psalm. It is, however, answered in the New Testament (and in other Old Testament passages). The story of the righteous King (Psalms 1\u20135) who is disciplined by God because of sin (Psalm 6, Psalm 118:17\u201318) is the story of the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus is proclaimed, from the first verse of the New Testament, to be the Christ\u2014the King of God\u2019s people (see Matthew 1:1). Jesus was without sin. At his baptism, God the Father said that he was well pleased with Jesus (see Mark 1:11). Jesus was tempted and never sinned (see Matthew 4:1\u201311). Yet, even though he never sinned, Jesus suffered because of sin. He took the sins of God\u2019s people upon himself. God poured his wrath out on Christ because of those sins (see Isaiah 53:6\u201312 and 2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ cried out for deliverance from God\u2019s wrath (see Matthew 27:46\u201349). His prayers were answered. He was raised from the dead.<\/span><\/p>\n

The connection between this psalm and Jesus is made even clearer because of Jesus\u2019 words recorded in John 12:27. In this passage, Jesus quotes Psalm 6:3. He applies the words of this psalm to himself ! The story of this psalm, then, is the story of the Christ. It is the story of a righteous King bearing God\u2019s wrath because of sin and being delivered from it. Because of his deliverance, the enemies of the King are defeated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_crdt_document":""},"class_list":["post-4465","reading-plan","type-reading-plan","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-plan\/4465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-plan"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reading-plan"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}