Charles Spurgeon: “Many Are They That Rise Up Against Me.” (Exposition Psalm 3:1-2)

The following is C.H. Spurgeons verse by verse exposition of Psalm 3:1-2 that is originally from his weekly series entitled The Treasury of David.

I have preceded each verse exposition by adding the appropriate verse.

The preceding expositions from Spurgeon on the Psalms can be found under the “Category” entitled the Treasury of David.

Verse 1: ”O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;”

The poor broken hearted father complains of the multitude of his enemies: and if you turn to 2 Samuel 15:12 , you will find it written that “the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom,” while the troops of David constantly diminished!

Lord how are they increased that trouble me! Here is a note of exclamation to express the wonder of woe which amazed and perplexed the fugitive father. Alas! I see no limit to my misery, for my troubles are enlarged! There was enough at first to sink me very low; but lo! my enemies multiply. When Absalom, my darling, is in rebellion against me, it is enough to break my heart; but lo! Ahithophel hath forsaken me, my faithful counsellors have turned their backs on me; lo! my generals and soldiers have deserted my standard. “How are they increased that trouble me!” Troubles always come in flocks. Sorrow hath a numerous family.

Many are they that rise up against me. Their hosts are far superior to mine! Their numbers are too great for my reckoning!

Let us here recall to our memory the innumerable host which beset our Divine Redeemer. The legions of our sins, the armies of fiends, the crowd of bodily pains, the host of spiritual sorrows, and all the allies of death and hell, set themselves in battle against the Son of Man. O how precious to know and believe that he has routed their hosts, and trodden them down in his anger! They who would have troubled us he has removed into captivity, and those who would have risen up against us he has laid low. The dragon lost his sting when he dashed it into the soul of Jesus.

Verse 2: “many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah“

David complains before his loving God of the worst weapon of his enemies’ attacks, and the bitterest drop of his distresses. “Oh!” saith David, many there be that say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Some of his distrustful friends said this sorrowfully, but his enemies exultingly boasted of it, and longed to see their words proved by his total destruction. This was the most unkind cut of all, when they declared that his God had forsaken him. Yet David knew in his own conscience that he had given them some ground for this exclamation, for he had committed sin against God in the very light of day. Then they flung his crime with Bathsheba into his face, and they said, “Go up, thou bloody man; God hath forsaken thee and left thee.” Shimei cursed him, and swore at him to his very face, for he was bold because of his backers, since multitudes of the men of Belial thought of David in like fashion. Doubtless, David felt this infernal suggestion to be staggering to his faith. If all the trials which come from heaven, all the temptations which ascend from hell, and all the crosses which arise from earth, could be mixed and pressed together, they would not make a trial so terrible as that which is contained in this verse. It is the most bitter of all afflictions to be led to fear that there is no help for us in God. And yet remember our most blessed Saviour had to endure this in the deepest degree when he cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” He knew full well what is was to walk in darkness and to see no light. This was the curse of the curse. This was the wormwood mingled with the gall. To be deserted of his Father was worse than to be the despised of men. Surely we should love him who suffered this bitterest of temptations and trials for our sake. It will be a delightful and instructive exercise for the loving heart to mark the Lord in his agonies as here pourtrayed, for there is here, and in very many other Psalms, far more of David’s Lord than of David himself.

Selah.

This is a musical pause; the precise meaning of which is not known. Some think it simply a rest, a pause in the music; others say it means, “Lift up the strain — sing more loudly — pitch the tune upon a higher key — there is nobler matter to come, therefore retune your harps.” Harp strings soon get out of order and need to be screwed up again to their proper tightness, and certainly our heart strings are evermore getting out of tune, Let “Selah” teach us to pray

“O may my heart in tune be found Like David’s harp of solemn sound.”

At least we may learn that wherever we see “Selah,” we should look upon it as a note of observation. Let us read the passage which precedes and succeeds it with greater earnestness, for surely there is always something excellent where we are required to rest and pause and meditate, or when we are required to lift up our hearts in grateful song. “SELAH.”

He Is Risen

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Matthew 28:1 – 10 (ESV)

Love of God

Charles Spurgeon: “It is an awful thing to perish in the midst of sin, in the very way of rebellion.” (Exposition Psalm 2:10-12)

The following is C.H. Spurgeons verse by verse exposition of Psalm 2:7-9 that is originally from his weekly series entitled The Treasury of David.

I have preceded each verse exposition by adding the appropriate verse.

The preceding expositions from Spurgeon on the Psalms can be found under “Category” titled the Treasury of David.

Verse 10. “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.”

The scene again changes, and counsel is given to those who have taken counsel to rebel. They are exhorted to obey, and give the kiss of homage and affection to him whom they have hated.

Be wise. — It is always wise to be willing to be instructed, especially when such instruction tends to the salvation of the soul. “Be wise now, therefore;” delay no longer, but let good reason weigh with you. Your warfare cannot succeed, therefore desist and yield cheerfully to him who will make you bow if you refuse his yoke. O how wise, how infinitely wise is obedience to Jesus, and how dreadful is the folly of those who continue to be his enemies!

Verse 11. “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.”

Serve the Lord with fear; let reverence and humility be mingled with your service. He is a great God, and ye are but puny creatures; bend ye, therefore, in lowly worship, and let a filial fear mingle with all your obedience to the great Father of the Ages.

Rejoice with trembling — There must ever be a holy fear mixed with the Christian’s joy. This is a sacred compound, yielding a sweet smell, and we must see to it that we burn no other upon the altar. Fear, without joy, is torment; and joy, without holy fear, would be presumption.

Verse 12. “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”

Mark the solemn argument for reconciliation and obedience. It is an awful thing to perish in the midst of sin, in the very way of rebellion; and yet how easily could his wrath destroy us suddenly. It needs not that his anger should be heated seven times hotter; let the fuel kindle but a little, and we are consumed. O sinner! Take heed of the terrors of the Lord; for “our God is a consuming fire.” Note the benediction with which the Psalm closes: –

Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Have we a share in this blessedness? Do we trust in him? Our faith may be slender as a spider’s thread; but if it be real, we are in our measure blessed. The more we trust, the more fully shall we know this blessedness. We may therefore close the Psalm with the prayer of the apostles: — “Lord, increase our faith.”

The first Psalm was a contrast between the righteous man and the sinner; the second Psalm is a contrast between the tumultuous disobedience of the ungodly world and the sure exaltation of the righteous Son of God. In the first Psalm, we saw the wicked driven away like chaff; in the second Psalm we see them broken in pieces like a potter’s vessel. In the first Psalm, we beheld the righteous like a tree planted by the rivers of water; and here, we contemplate Christ the Covenant Head of the righteous, made better than a tree planted by the rivers of water, for he is made king of all the islands, and all the heathen bow before him and kiss the dust; while he himself gives a blessing to all those who put their trust in him. The two Psalms are worthy of the very deepest attention; they are, in fact, the preface to the entire Book of Psalms, and were by some of the ancients, joined into one. They are, however, two Psalms; for Paul speaks of this as the second Psalm. ( Acts 13:33 .) The first shows us the character and lot of the righteous; and the next teaches us that the Psalms are Messianic, and speak of Christ the Messiah — the Prince who shall reign from the river even unto the ends of the earth. That they have both a far reaching prophetic outlook we are well assured, but we do not feel competent to open up that matter, and must leave it to abler hands.

 

Charles Spurgeon: “Jehovah hath given to his Anointed” (Exposition on Psalm 2:7-9).

The following is C.H. Spurgeons verse by verse exposition of Psalm 2:7-9 that is originally from his weekly series entitled The Treasury of David.

I have preceded each verse exposition by adding the appropriate verse.

The preceding expositions from Spurgeon on the Psalms can be found under “Category” titled the Treasury of David.

Verse 7: “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’”

This Psalm wears something of a dramatic form, for now another person is introduced as speaking. We have looked into the council chamber of the wicked, and to the throne of God, and now we behold the Anointed declaring his rights of sovereignty, and warning the traitors of their doom.

 

God has laughed at the counsel and ravings of the wicked, and now Christ the Anointed himself comes forward, as the Risen Redeemer, “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:4 . Looking into the angry faces of the rebellious kings, the Anointed One seems to say, “If this sufficeth not to make you silent.”

 

I will declare the decree. Now this decree is directly in conflict with the device of man, for its tenour is the establishment of the very dominion against which the nations are raving.

 

Thou art my Son. Here is a noble proof of the glorious Divinity of our Immanuel. “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?” What a mercy to have a Divine Redeemer in whom to rest our confidence!

 

This day have I begotten thee. If this refers to the Godhead of our Lord, let us not attempt to fathom it, for it is a great truth, a truth reverently to be received, but not irreverently to be scanned. It may be added, that if this relates to the Begotten One in his human nature, we must here also rejoice in the mystery, but not attempt to violate its sanctity by intrusive prying into the secrets of the Eternal God. The things which are revealed are enough, without venturing into vain speculations. In attempting to define the Trinity, or unveil the essence of Divinity, many men have lost themselves: here great ships have foundered. What have we to do in such a sea with our frail skiffs?

Verse 8: ”‘Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.’”

Ask of me. It was a custom among great kings, to give to favoured ones whatever they might ask. ( Esther 5:6 Matthew 14:7 .) So Jesus hath but to ask and have. Here he declares that his very enemies are his inheritance. To their face he declares this decree, and “Lo! here”, cries the Anointed One, as he holds aloft in that once pierced hand the sceptre of his power, “He hath given me this, not only the right to be a king, but the power to conquer.”

Verse 9: ‘”You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”

Yes! Jehovah hath given to his Anointed a rod of iron with which he shall break rebellious nations in pieces, and, despite their imperial strength, they shall be but as potters’ vessels, easily dashed into shivers, when the rod of iron is in the hand of the omnipotent Son of God. Those who will not bend must break. Potters’ vessels are not to be restored if dashed in pieces, and the ruin of sinners will be hopeless if Jesus shall smite them.

“Ye sinners seek his grace, Whose wrath ye cannot bear;
Fly to the shelter of his cross, And find salvation there.”

He Is My Security: Charles Spurgeon on Psalm 2:4-6

The following is C.H. Spurgeons verse by verse exposition of Psalm 2:4-6 that is originally from his weekly series entitled The Treasury of David. I have preceded each verse exposition by adding the appropriate verse. The preceding exposition on the Psalms from Spurgeon can be found under “Category” titled the Treasury of David.

^{Verse 4: “}He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision (ESV).”

Let us now turn our eyes from the wicked counsel chamber and raging tumult of man, to the secret place of the majesty of the Most High. What doth God say? What will the King do unto the men who reject his only begotten Son, the Heir of all things?

Mark the quiet dignity of the Omnipotent One, and the contempt which he pours upon the princes and their raging people. He has not taken the trouble to rise up and do battle with them — he despises them, he knows how absurd, how irrational, how futile are their attempts against him — he therefore laughs at them.

Verse 5: “Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury… (ESV).”

After he has laughed he shall speak; he needs not smite; the breath of his lips is enough. At the moment when their power is at its height, and their fury most violent, then shall his Word go forth against them. And what is it that he says? — it is a very galling sentence –

Yet, says he, “despite your malice, despite your tumultuous gatherings, despite the wisdom of your counsels, despite the craft of your lawgivers, yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” Is not that a grand exclamation! He has already done that which the enemy seeks to prevent. While they are proposing, he has disposed the matter. Jehovah’s will is done, and man’s will frets and raves in vain. God’s Anointed is appointed, and shall not be disappointed. Look back through all the ages of infidelity, hearken to the high and hard things which men have spoken against the Most High, listen to the rolling thunder of earth’s volleys against the Majesty of heaven, and then think that God is saying all the while, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”

Verse 6: “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

Yet Jesus reigns, yet he sees the travail of his soul, and “his unsuffering kingdom yet shall come” when he shall take unto himself his great power, and reign from the river unto the ends of the earth. Even now he reigns in Zion, and our glad lips sound forth the praises of the Prince of Peace. Greater conflicts may here be foretold, but we may be confident that victory will be given to our Lord and King. Glorious triumphs are yet to come; hasten them, we pray thee, O Lord! It is Zion’s glory and joy that her King is in her, guarding her from foes, and filling her with good things. Jesus sits upon the throne of grace, and the throne of power in the midst of his church. In him is Zion’s best safeguard; let her citizens be glad in him.

“Thy walls are strength, and at thy gates
A guard of heavenly warriors waits;
Nor shall thy deep foundations move,
Fixed on his counsels and his love.
Thy foes in vain designs engage;
Against his throne in vain they rage,
Like rising waves, with angry roar,
That dash and die upon the shore.”

The Linchpin To The Mongolian Empire: Conclusion (Part 6)

The linchpin of the Mongols desires was their quest for wealth. But they understood the benefits of long-term stability. As a result, the Mongols under Chinggis Khan and his immediate successors realized that they did not have the administrative experience to rule a state. Therefore, “it was not long before they took the line of least resistance and adopted, in the various parts of their empire, a more developed religion learned from their conquered subjects.”(56) The purpose of this action was to use religion as a syncretic tool to reach their goals in any specific region. Therefore, the Mongols incorporated numerous policies that encouraged the acceptance of different religions, which enabled the development of political, cultural, and economic expansion. This occurring in a syncretic process was the Mongols linchpin to obtaining economic wealth in the long-term. Thus, they had interest in developing long-term relationship to develop trade networks. As a result, the early Mongol rulers understood they had to develop the necessary skills to create and manage a state.

Chinggis Khan and immediate his successors understood that the Mongols did not have the necessary skills to create and manage a state, with all the institutions and bureaucracy needed to run an empire, from the tribal heritage. Consequently, once the Mongols conquered a region they permitted the regions ruler to keep his position. However, the ruler had to align themselves with the Mongols and their interests. There is little known about why the rulers cooperated with the Mongols. But, perhaps, it comes down to rulers being able to maintain their regional authority and the possible economic prosperity. The Mongols undertook this approach because
they wanted to retain people who had the administrative skills they desired. Having people in place with the administrative skills and familiarity with the region-helped keep it under stable control. The regions stability after conquest is vital because it permitted the Mongols not to retain a significant military force there. Therefore, allowing them to focus on further conquest. Conversely, in order for the Mongols to continue their conquest they had to rely on expansion policies.

The Mongols relied upon political, cultural, economic, and religious expansion to supply the necessary resources needed to establish and maintain their state. The most common method of presenting expansion is the extension of political control. In the early regions, their methods of political control relied upon their violent aggressive military force. In short, the Mongols maintained control through brute force and fear, but they realized that further conquest required change. Consequently, the Mongols understood that it benefited them to alter their administrative methods. Cultural expansion must occur to accomplish this. The continuance of expansion is vital to the Mongols, as conquest was the linchpin to the economic benefits that they desired. The expansion of cultural beliefs and the acceptance of the conquered regions religion is the centerpiece to economic expansion. Nevertheless, the linchpin to the Mongols establishing and maintaining the empire is their acceptance that their shamanistic beliefs did not provide spiritual unity required within the conquered regions. Therefore, their willingness to adopt a specific regions religion was the linchpin to the various expansion methods and reforms the Mongols undertook.

The resources used influenced the Mongols policy toward religion and the state. Although there is a good deal of information provided on the religious ceremonies and references within The Secret History but there is little available on religion itself. Nevertheless, it is
understood that Chinggis Khan and immediate successors permitted Eternal Blue Heaven to dictate their actions above their own actions.(57) The Mongols believed that this willingness to submit to the greater power gave them the authority to rule and strength necessary to conquer other regions. In addition, they had a strong belief that the Eternal Blue Heaven not only had the ability to give them authority and strength but to take it away as well. Consequently, the first few rulers of the Mongol Empire understood they must stay in Eternal Blue Heavens good graces. This could only occur as long as they do not have internal family fighting if they expected to
sustain the strength and military activity. However, their religious convictions did not create the ability for the cultural exchange necessary to permit the long distance trade the Mongols sought.

The preeminent solution to enable the cultural exchange and development of economic trade is the ability to voluntary convert peoples to the state religion. It is vital for voluntary conversion because the world religions – Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam – did not accept forced conversion. Therefore, the state levied numerous restrictions upon individuals who did not adhere to the state religion. Individuals had the right to retain their traditional religion but faced economic hardships for their decision. Despite the possible exemption from the levied poll taxes, non-adherents often chose to maintain their traditional faiths. However, this policy did encourage numerous people to voluntary convert because of their non-commitment to their faith. The conversion of the population became vital to the legitimization of the ruling group. However, this is only a piece of the overarching purpose of religion. Religion is the linchpin to the cultural changes that led to the ruling elite’s realization of the political possibilities that religion provided. It not only provided a source of legitimization but also helped bring about the cultural unification of the numerous people and cultures.(58) The cultural exchange enabled foreign merchants to regularly to adopt and practice regions religion until they renounced it upon leaving the region. The Mongol policy on religion changed once the empire broke up.

The policy on religion changed with the breakup of the Mongol Empire. Religion continued to play a role between different cultures. However, the Mongols departed from using it as a linchpin for political, cultural, and economic expansion because they were no longer
interested in the long-term economic structure of the empire. Thus, the Mongol Khanates ended the political, cultural, economic policies that built and maintained the stability of the empire. Consequently, the Mongols systematically destroyed and plundered numerous towns with no regard to religious beliefs or practices. Furthermore, it became common for the Khanates to destroy regions with no regard to the long-term side affects that would occur. Thus, the later generations of Mongol rulers destroyed the support the empire developed. This resulted from their short-term interests in wealth over the long-term survival rate of the empire. The short-term interests displayed the opposite traits that led to the rise of the Mongol Empire to power.

The Mongol empire rose to power due to the syncretic process that incorporated strong policies in the political, social, and economic incentives intertwined with the religious belief and cultural traditions.(59) The intertwinement of these factors enabled the Mongol empire to reach its peak of power. The fall of the empire began to occur when the descendants of Chinggis Khan strayed from holding true to the syncretic process he implemented. This process is the linchpin to the rise and fall of the Mongol empire because “it provided opportunities for established beliefs, values, and customs to find a place within the framework of different cultural traditions to win popular support in foreign lands.”(60) In short, Chinggis Khan understood the shortcomings of the Mongolian tribes. In addition, he understood that if he promoted a state that embraced the different religions and cultures of foreign lands enabled him to gain power and wealth for his family. As a result, in the late thirteenth century at the height of the Mongol Empire, they controlled and ruled the second biggest contiguous landmass by a single emperor throughout history. (61)

End Notes

56 Morgan, The Mongols, 41.

57 Anonymous, Secret History, 170.

58 Ibid., 83.

59 Bentley, Old World Encounters, viii.

60 Ibid.

61 Thomas J. Craughwell, The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History (Beverly: Fairwinds 61 Press, 2010), 9.

Related Articles

• The Linchpin To The Mongolian Empire (Part 1) (bearveracity.com)
• The Linchpin To The Mongolian Empire: Origins of the Mongol State (Part 2) (bearveracity.com)
• The Linchpin To The Mongolian Empire: The Resources of State Building (Part 3) (bearveracity.com)
• The Linchpin To The Mongolian Empire: Influence Over Religion and the State (Part 4) (bearveracity.com)
• The Linchpin To The Mongolian Empire: Effects of a Mongolian Policy Shift Regarding Religion (Part 5) (bearveracity.com)

Nations Are Raging

The following is C.H. Spurgeons verse by verse exposition of Psalm 2:1-3 that is originally from his weekly series entitled The Treasury of David. I have preceded each verse exposition by adding the appropriate verse.

Verse 1. “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? (Psalm 2:1, ESV).”

We have, in these first three verses, a description of the hatred of human nature against the Christ of God. No better comment is needed upon it than the apostolic song in Acts 4:27 Acts 4:28 : “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.” The Psalm begins abruptly with an angry interrogation; and well it may: it is surely but little to be wondered at, that the sight of creatures in arms against their God should amaze the psalmist’s mind. We see the heathen raging, roaring like the sea, tossed to and fro with restless waves, as the ocean in a storm; and then we mark the people in their hearts imagining a vain thing against God. Where there is much rage there is generally some folly, and in this case there is an excess of it.

Verse 2. “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed, saying (Psalm 2:2, ESV).”

Note, that the commotion is not caused by the people only, but their leaders foment the rebellion.

The kings of the earth set themselves. In determined malice they arrayed themselves in opposition against God. It was not temporary rage, but deep seated hate, for they set themselves resolutely to withstand the Prince of Peace.

And the rulers take counsel together. They go about their warfare craftily, not with foolish haste, but deliberately. They use all the skill which art can give. Like Pharaoh, they cry, “Let us deal wisely with them.” O that men were half as careful in God’s service to serve him wisely, as his enemies are to attack his kingdom craftily. Sinners have their wits about them, and yet saints are dull. But what say they? what is the meaning of this commotion?

Verse 3. “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us (Psalm 2:3, ESV).”

Let us break their bands asunder. “Let us be free to commit all manner of abominations. Let us be our own gods. Let us rid ourselves of all restraint.” Gathering impudence by the traitorous proposition of rebellion, they add — let us cast away; as if it were an easy matter — “let us fling off their cords from us.” What! O ye kings, do ye think yourselves Samsons? and are the bands of Omnipotence but as green withs before you? Do you dream that you shall snap to pieces and destroy the mandates of God — the decrees of the Most High — as if they were but tow? and do ye say, “Let us cast away their cords from us?” Yes! There are monarchs who have spoken thus, and there are still rebels upon thrones. However mad the resolution to revolt from God, it is one in which man has persevered ever since his creation, and he continues in it to this very day. The glorious reign of Jesus in the latter day will not be consummated, until a terrible struggle has convulsed the nations. His coming will be as a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap, and the day thereof shall burn as an oven. Earth loves not her rightful monarch, but clings to the usurper’s sway: the terrible conflicts of the last days will illustrate both the world’s love of sin and Jehovah’s power to give the kingdom to his only Begotten. To a graceless neck the yoke of Christ is intolerable, but to the saved sinner it is easy and light. We may judge ourselves by this, do we love that yoke, or do we wish to cast it from us?