C A1 73-83. THE SANCTUARY IN RELATION TO MAN. A2 84-89. THE SANCTUARY IN RELATION TO YEHOVAH.
A1 B 73. The effect of being inside the Sanctuary. Occupation of heart with others,
and consequent distraction.
C 74. The enemy in the Sanctuary.
D 75. God's Anointed in the Sanctuary.
E 76. Destruction of the enemies of the Sanctuary.
B 77, 78. The effect of being outside the Sanctuary. Occupation of heart with self, and consequent Misery.
78 is instruction as to 73 and 77, showing how Yehovah forsook "Shiloh" [v.60], and choose not
Joseph [v.67]: but choose Zion [vv.68,69], and chose David [vv.70-72].
C 79. The enemy in the Sanctuary.
D 80, 81, 82. God in the Sanctuary.
A2 F1 84, 85. The blessedness of approachers to the Sanctuary.
G1 86. Prayer before God [in the Sanctuary]. Messiah's humiliation the secret and source of the blessing.
F2 87. The blessedness of dwellers in Zion.
G2 88. Prayer before God. Instruction as to Messiah's humiliation, as the secret and source
of the blessing.
F3 89. The blessedness of those who "know the joyful sound" [v.15]. God in the assembly of
His saints [v.7]. Instruction as to God's dealings in His Sanctuary, and as to the whole book.
*Leviticus is the title which man has given to the 3rd book of the Pentateuch, because of its subject-matter: namely the ordinances, &c., pertaining to the Levites. The title in the Hebrew Cannon is "And He Called". It is emphatically the Book of the Sanctuary. It tells how God is to be approached; and teaches us that none can worship except such as are "called" [65:4], and whom "the Father seeks to worship Him" [John 4;23,24]. In Leviticus 1:1,2, we see the exemplification of the words: "Blessed is the man whom You choose, and cause to approach to You, that he may dwell in Your courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, even in Your holy temple" [65;4]. The types in Leviticus are types of the Sanctuary: i.e. of Access and Worship.
In this Leviticus-Book of the Psalms we find the corresponding thought. Its teaching is dispensational, as in the other books: but, in this, the counsels of God are seen, not in relation to Man [as in Genesis], not in relation to the Nation [as in Exodus], but in relation to the Sanctuary, which is mentioned or referred to in nearly every Psalm of this 3rd book. The Sanctuary is seen from its ruin, to its establishment in the fullness of blessing.
In the 1st Division, Elohim [God] occurs 65 times [twice with Yahaveh]; and Yahaveh [the Lord] only 15 times. In the 2nd Division Yahaveh occurs 50 times, and Elohim only 28 times [4 of which are with Yehovah]. El [GOD] occurs 5 times.
B A 1. Occupation with God. Peace.
B 2. Occupation with others. My error.
C 3. Result. My discontent.
D 4-12. The wicked. Their prosperity.
E 13-16. Result. Distraction.
E 17. Remedy. The Sactuary.
D 18-20. The wicked. Their need.
C 21. Result. My discontent.
B 22. Occupation with others. My error.
A 23-28. Occupation with God. Peace.
Psalm 73)
1 Nothing but good (the conclusion is stated before the distraction of mind caused by occupation of heart with others is described) is God (Elohim) to Israel, (This links Book III with Book II.)
Even to such as are of a clean heart.
2 But as for me (note the emphasis on this [by repetition of the 1st Person], which is the key to the Psalm), my feet were quickly stumbled;
My steps had well near slipped.
3 For I was envious at the arrogant (or boasters),
When I saw the prosperity of the lawless.
D F 4,5. Their prosperity. [Negative.]
G a 6,7. Their pride and fulness.
b 8,9. Their speech.
G a 10. Their pride and fulness.
b 11. Their speech.
F 12. Their prosperity. [Positive.]
4 For there are no bands (or pangs) at their death:
But their strength continues firm.
5 They are not in the trouble of men; (Used 1st of Joseph [Gen. 41:51].)
Neither are they plagued like (or with) other men.
6 Therefore pride compasses them about as a necklace;
Violence covers them as a garment.
7 Their eyes protrude with fatness:
They have more than heart could wish. (or, The imaginations of their heart overflow.)
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression:
They speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, (Put for God, Who dwells there)
And their tongue walks through the earth [they say]. (Let "God's People turn to us" as in v.10.)
10 Therefore God's People turn (i.e. follow) to us: (Spoken by the wicked.)
And waters of a full cup shall be drained by them.
11 And they say, "How does GOD (El) know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High (Elyon)?"
12 Behold, these are the lawless,
Who prosper in this age; they increase in riches.
13 Truly I have cleansed my heart in vain, (This is the result of occupation with others. Distraction.)
And washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued,
And chastened every morning. (Put for continually.)
15 If I say, "I will speak thus;"
Behold, I should deal treacherously against the generation of your sons.
16 When I pondered [it] to reconcile (or or understand) this,
It was vexation in my eyes;
17 Until I went into the Sanctuary of GOD; (This book is of the Sanctuary, and nearly every Psalm in it contains some reference to it, or to the congregation who worship in it.)
Until then understood I their later end.
18 Surely You will set them in slippery places:
You cast them down into destruction.
19 How [is it] are they brought into desolation, as in a moment!
[How is it that] they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awakes;
So, O Lord, when You arise, You shall despise their image of which they dreamed.
21 Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was pricked in my reins.
22 So brutish was I, and ignorant:
I was as a beast before You.
A c 23-26. I [emphatic].
d 27-. They. Far from You.
d -27. They. Departing from You.
c 28. I [emphatic].
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You:
You have held me by my right hand.
24 You shall guide me with your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but You? (This is ever the cry of God's saints. See Ex. 15:11.)
And there is none upon earth that I desire beside You.
26 My flesh and my heart fails:
But God is the strength (Heb. zur = rock, or refuge) of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from You shall perish:
You have destroyed all them that go a whoring [in departing] from You. (Refers spiritually to idolatry, or anything that takes us from God.)
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: (The Hebrew accent [pasek] emphasizes the pronoun "me". Others may go "far from You" [v.27], but "as for me, I will draw near to You" [cp. v.23]. The "good" is seen in the twofold result: 1. I find a refuge in Him; 2. I tell forth His praises.)
I flee for refuge in the Lord GOD (Adonai Yahaveh),
That I may declare all Your works.