THE BARNABAS LINK
Psalm 56
`That I may walk before God in the light of the living'
Once more we find ourselves looking in the Psalms for encouragement in these darkening days - for ever a source of strengthening and hope for God's people, both `Ancient and Modern'! Psalm 56 is set within the Second Book of Psalms which, as is now well-known to our readers, is in parallel with the Second Book of Torah, the Book of Exodus. First, a look at the Book of Exodus so that we may more easily see the message to be found in the Second Book of Psalms. The title itself derives from the Septuagint translation of the Bible, which as we know has a meaning of the `going out' of Israel from Egypt . . . an exodus. However, the title in the Hebrew manuscripts merely records it as `and these are the names' - which takes us from an impersonal title to a personal relationship which is seen in the Psalms in the Second Book, for it is the name of each person who has been called into redemption and delivered from `slavery and sin' in Egypt who is precious in the sight of God.

Even a casual re-reading of the Book of Exodus will reveal this personal aspect for there is a continuous naming of individuals and communities in the narrative. `Moses was known by his name' - indeed Moses himself asks which Name he is to speak of. Further on we find Bezalel, in the making of the Tabernacle, called by name, and from the community of the Israelites we find that the ephod which the High Priest carried on his shoulders into the Most Holy Place had engraved upon it the names of the sons of Israel. Such is the personal aspect of redemption . . `These are the names'! We also find this parallel principle between the two Books of Exodus and Psalms in the opening verses of Exodus, where the whole community of the Hebrews is brought out of the `ruin' they found themselves in, and the book concludes with the glorious words of redemption: (Exodus 40:38)

" So the cloud of the LORD was over the Tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels. "

The parallel principle is thus seen in Psalm 42, which opens the Second Book of Psalms in the words:

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul thirsts for You, O God,
. . . while men say to me all day long, `Where is your God?' "
and Psalm 72 concludes with the words of thanksgiving for the redemptive life they have experienced . . and will yet experience in all its fulness in a time soon to come: (v 18-19)

"Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who alone does marvellous deeds.
Praise be to His glorious Name for ever;
may the whole earth be filled with His Glory. Amen and Amen. "
With this preamble we can at last turn to Psalm 56 and to its concluding words of thanksgiving, from which comes the title of this Barnabas Link, remembering always that in the Hebrew manuscripts there was no numbering of the Books - the separation came through the insertion of words which cut through the flow and directed people's attention to what was to follow. Here in Psalm 56 we open with such an insertion, which instead of that which is shown in our `Christian' Bibles should be more correctly separated with the words: `A Michtam of David, when the the Philistines took him in Gath' (the preceding insertion more correctly showing the end of what is known as Psalm 55). The Hebrew word `Michtam (or Miktam)' springs from a word with a meaning of `engraving, a permanent writing'. Other translations show a meaning of `gold' (something that is precious and requires personal effort to dig out), but the two meanings can be brought together as the words of the Psalm reveals the permanency . . the engraving . . of God's redemption, which is so precious because it is given by His Son, David's Greater Son, to those who have a personal relationship with Him.

The opening words cry out to David's Son and to David's LORD - for the insertion also tells us that it refers to David's cry `when the Philistines took him in Gath'. That story is well-known and can be found in 1 Samuel 21:10-15 through to 22:1. David's cry was for his Son, for he knew of the One to come Who would sit on his throne . . his cry was also to his LORD, because in fear of his life he trusted in Him alone to outwork His purposes in his life! It is the Hebrew word `Miktam' (something engraved permanently) which is inserted in the Psalm's narrative, together with David's fear of death at the hands of the Philistines, which lies at the heart of the Psalm that gives us the assurance of our redemption, for it is the permanency of the Engraving of the gold of Redemption, won for us by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, that is being spoken of in this Psalm - and David's cry to the LORD rings down through the centuries to all who have put their trust in this Engraving: (v 3-11)

"When I am afraid I will trust in You.
In God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?
. . . In God whose Word I praise,
in the LORD, whose Word I praise -
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me? "
The words of this Redemptive Psalm can be read through in a very short time, but those who have been called out of the `ruin of Egypt' know that they have been engraved by the finished work of Jesus for eternity, never to be erased by death, for the concluding words of this Psalm (which form our title) speak of David's certainty that he, and all who follow on, trusting in God's Engraving, walk NOW in Resurrection Life - no matter what fears or anxieties assail us on that walk: (v 13)

"For You have delivered my soul from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God in the light of life. "
The Psalm concludes with a subscription, which is however still part of the cry of anguish springing from a heart of trust in the faithfulness of God's Word. The Psalmist David now entrusts these words to `the Chief Musician' for them to be brought out and read to the people whenever similar anxieties arise, the final entreaty being `Al-taschith' a Hebrew word meaning `do not destroy'. It is an entreaty of distress at a crisis point in his life, and as it is to be entrusted to the Chief Musician it is an entreaty for all who follow on. This entreaty springs from his understanding of the words of Moses, spoken to the tribes of Israel as they were about to enter the Promised Land: (Deuteronomy 4:30-31)

" When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey Him. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; He will not abandon or destroy you or forget the Covenant with your forefathers, which He confirmed to them by oath. "

For those who follow on from David, now secure in his Greater Son Jesus, it is a walk often in danger . . often with fears and anxieties . . but ALWAYS walking in the `light of Resurrection Life' with the certain knowledge that `the LORD our God is a merciful God; He will not abandon or destroy us or forget the Covenant He made with our forefathers, which He confirmed to them by oath'.

Amen! May it be so for all of us who trust in Jesus, the Word of God . . His golden Engraving . . His Miktam!

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