The Holy Psalms of David
Psalm One ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
“Oh the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of Yahweh/ Allah/ Almighty God (GOD): but they delight in doing everything that GOD wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely.”
So does the first Psalm of David open in GOD’s Book (described by the prophet Muhammad in the Qur'an as ‘The Book’ see preface and by Christians as ‘The Bible’). And Jews, Muslims & Christians all echo the truth of these words and claim that they define a devout man or woman of their particular faith. The laws of GOD, which David speaks of here, are in fact the first five books of the Bible, the Jewish Scriptures, but which Muslims & Christians have also adopted as part of the ‘Word of Allah’. These five books are not just the laws given to Moses for Israel, but are also the story of Creation, Abraham and the patriarchs, as well as the story of GOD bringing the Israelites miraculously out of Egypt and enabling them to possess the ‘promised land’. Again these ‘laws’ will have different, but vital meaning for Jews, Muslims and Christians.
David continues, “They are like trees along a river bank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper.” Here the man of GOD declares that the truly devout give out healing, refreshment and joy to those around them. This ‘fruit’ comes from GOD’s Spirit working within them, regardless of the ‘seasons’ of their lives. David is saying that ‘godliness’ does not wither under the circumstances of life, but draws water from GOD’s Word.
The first Psalm ends with the words, “But for sinners, what a different story! They blow away like chaff (i.e., dried/ burnt up) before the wind. They are not safe on Judgement Day; they shall not stand among the Godly. For the Lord (Allah) watches over all the plans and paths of Godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom.”
Again all devout Jews, Muslims and Christians echo the truth of these words. The pity is that too many Jews, Muslims and Christians will deny this truth about adherents of all faiths other than their own! Although the Old Testament clearly teaches that Godly Gentiles are acceptable to Yahweh, there have been Jews who have persecuted them. And although the New Testament teaches that some who have never heard of Christ will be saved, many Christians have not believed this. And although the Qur’an clearly teaches that Christians and Jews who follow the Book are acceptable to Allah, many Muslims are not willing to face this and their traditions have negated the truth of this Qu’ranic text.
As for the Laws of GOD, they show up how desperately we all need GOD’s enabling power to live by, for, as GOD’s prophet Paul proclaimed, “ALL have sinned and fallen short of the standard that GOD’s eternal glory demands.” (The Book, Romans 3 v 23)
Psalm Two ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
“Great is the Lord God and greatly to be praised!” (Psalm 146 v 1)
Psalm 2 commences with the words, ‘What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord God! How strange that men should try to outwit God! For a summit conference of the nations has been called to plot against the Lord God, and his Anointed Messiah. “Come let us break his chains,” they say, “and free ourselves from all this slavery to God.” But God in heaven merely laughs!’
This prophesy has yet to be completely fulfilled, however we have seen in the last century and this, various communist governments in unity organising and driving their populations to free themselves of all vestiges of Almighty God, and to proclaim instead atheistic humanism (e.g., the common anti-God policies of the former USSR countries). Note the Book says that Allah has an ‘Anointed Messiah’. Although Jews, Muslims & Christians accept this concept, it is only the Muslims and Christians that acknowledge that this person is none other than Jesus of Nazareth.
Psalm 2 continues, ‘The Lord God declares, “This is the Ruler of my choice, and I have enthroned him in Jerusalem, my holy city.’ His chosen one replies, “I will reveal the everlasting purposes of God, for the Lord has said to me, ‘You are my Son (The term Son used here the ancient Middle Eastern usage by an Emperor referring to a vassal king). This is your coronation day. Today I am giving you your glory.’” “Only ask and I will give you all the nations of the world….’
This prophetic Psalm of David (which according to the Qu’ran is part of God’s Word) is a particular problem for Muslims. It would seem that the prophet Mohammed in later years came to believe that Christians were proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God in the limited sense of the eternal God having sexual intercourse with Mary (in the same way that the Greek gods had sexual intercourse with humans. Such an idea is & was an anathema to both Christians & Jews). Such thoughts do not come from the Book of God. In Psalm 2 David is in fact proclaiming that the Christ (i.e., Messiah) will be Allah’s Anointed spiritual ruler and, as other parts of God’s Book reveal, that this appointment was not to be just for his life on earth, but for all of time until the Day of Judgement. Thus the Messiah would come as a Jew and live for the perfect glory of God (sinless in the way no other prophet or anointed person has or will ever be) and return to sit at Allah’s hand of power in order to effect Allah’s purposes of salvation for all who truly submit.
This unique Messiah, appointed by God Almighty for all of time, is in fact God’s Word become flesh. Muslims and Christians acknowledge this in the person of Jesus Christ. This ‘Word become flesh’ is God’s Way of enabling us fallible mortals (made in God’s image, but fatally flawed in our complete inability to live for God’s glory) to begin to live to please Him, and to show that by loving all mankind including, as Jesus did, our enemies.
Psalm 2 concludes, ‘Oh kings and rulers of the earth, listen while there is time. Serve the Lord with reverent fear; rejoice with trembling. Fall down before his Son and kiss his feet before his anger is roused and you perish… But oh, the joys of those who put their trust in him!’
If the rulers of this earth are advised to submit to Allah’s Messiah, do you not suppose that the earth’s peoples are also advised to submit before it is too late? This submission to the Lordship of Allah’s Messiah is enjoined on Christians as on Muslims, Jews and all who hear the message of God’s Book. We all need to submit to God’s Messiah, for he is the means that God has chosen to save us from the natural corruption of mankind and to bring those who submit to heaven.
Psalm Three ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
Even King David, inspired by Y’aweh/ Allah/ God to write down the Psalms for the Book of God, was not sinless. In fact no prophet (other than the Messiah) has ever been sinless. This is not to say they were living in known disobedience to God. Rather it means they were always open to the possibility of selfishness and lack of submission to God. Hence tradition (Hadith: Muslim 2702) says Muhammad prayed 100 times each day for Allah to forgive his sins. Equally king David sinned badly on one particular occasion recorded for us in the Book of God. He committed adultery and then murdered his lover’s husband. Even though David repented and sought Allah’s forgiveness, Allah punished him for it. One of the punishments was that his oldest son Absalom rebelled against him and David had to flee for his life. Psalm 3 is written at this time for our comfort.
‘O Lord so many are against me. So many seek to harm me. So many say Allah will never help me (Because David had sinned, they thought he could not be forgiven by God and that God’s punishments would have no limit. They were wrong!). But Lord you are my shield, my glory, and my only hope. You alone can lift my head now bowed in shame.’
This teaches us that, as the Ingel (New Testament) says, ‘All those to call upon the Name of the Lord (His Messiah) shall be saved’. (The context here implies that the Name of the Lord is synonymous with the authority and power invested by Allah in his Messiah.)
Even before the coming of the Messiah, it was possible to call on the Name of the Lord and the Psalm ends with the words, ‘I cried out to the Lord, and he heard me from his Temple in Jerusalem. Then I lay down and slept and woke up safely, for the Lord was watching over me. And now …I am not afraid. For salvation comes from Allah. What joys he gives to all his people.’
Psalm Four ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
King David turned back to God after he had admitted his sins and God declared him righteous. God does punish sin and David had consequences to suffer, however God has provided his own suffering (in the person of Jesus of Nazareth) to bridge the vast chasm that exists between God’s utter holiness and our unrighteousness, and King David was able to cross that bridge by his utter trust in God’s undeserved grace. This way of Allah for His Justice to meet with His Mercy is the good news told in the Ingil (Bible: New Testament) that God gave Jesus and foretold in the Torah, Songs & Prophets (Bible: Old Testament).
Many years before David’s sin, God had told Abram to go sacrifice his dearly loved son. God used Abram’s obedience to provide a visible means whereby sinful people can find the mercy and forgiveness of Allah. God’s angel intervened to provide an alternative sacrifice for Abram, but God declared him righteous because of his faith. He had trusted God to raise his son from the dead if that were necessary for God had promised Abram that his descendent would bless the world and that descendent is Jesus.
The Ingil/ New Testament reveals that the anointed Christ Messiah Jesus of Nazareth, that David speaks of in Psalm 2 is the means by which Allah’s righteousness is brought to all mankind ~ to those who submit to Allah’s chosen Messiah: this is the true submission.
Thus it is in Psalm 4 David can commence the Psalm with the words,
“O God, you have declared me perfect in your eyes;” Psalm 4 v 1
And he goes on to say (verse 3), “Mark this well: The Lord (Allah) has set apart the redeemed for himself. Therefore he will listen to me and answer when I call to him”. Who are the redeemed? They are those whom the Lord (Allah) himself buys back from sin, Satan and eternal death. How has the Lord (Allah) accomplished this? He has accomplished this by the life, death and resurrection of His anointed Christ Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.
King David (the prophet Davud) continues in verse 4, “Stand before the Lord (Allah) in awe, and do not sin against him. Lie quietly on your bed in silent meditation. Put your trust in the Lord and offer him pleasing sacrifices (of praise and thanksgiving).”
Psalm Five ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
‘O Lord, hear my prayer; listen to my plea, O God my King, for I will never pray to anyone but you. Each morning I will look to you in heaven and lay my requests before you in earnest prayer.’
‘I know you get no pleasure from wickedness and cannot tolerate the slightest sin. Therefore proud sinners will not survive your searching gaze, for how you hate their evil deeds. You will destroy them for their lies; how you abhor all murder and deception.’ Psalm 5 v 1 to 6
Here the Word of God through the prophet David, shows us that even though every one of us is a sinner, it is only ‘proud’ sinners who will not survive on Judgement Day. Those who humble themselves before Allah, and who walk before him in the world with humble hearts, will inherit his blessings. The wicked are those who have proud hearts and who practice deception and murder. Jesus went further and taught that all who are filled with hatred for anyone else have already committed murder in Allah’s sight and will not receive God’s forgiveness on Judgement Day.
‘But as for me, I will come into your ‘temple’ protected by your mercy and your love; I will worship you with deepest awe. Lord, lead me as you have promised you will….’ Psalm 5 v 7 & 8a
Hear we are all taught that any person in this world who wants to approach Allah, the Lord God Almighty, must come to the place of worship, protected by God’s Mercy and Love, which is only on those who humble themselves and receive God’s way of being right with himself. The prophet Isaiah teaches how this is made possible by Allah (God)’s mercy afforded us through the suffering of God’s special Messiah who would be ‘pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins ...whipped so we could be healed. All of us have strayed like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. (Isa.53 v.5,6) … And because of his experience my righteous Servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins (Isa.53 v.11).
The Book of God (N.T, Ingel) teaches us that Jesus was and is God’s Special Messiah who became this suffering Servant that the prophet Isaiah spoke of, and who has become the means of Allah’s mercy being afforded to all who turn to Him in repentance and faith. Such people will come and worship Allah with deepest awe and in submission to him will be protected by God’s mercy and love. We come because God is worthy of such worship and because we all need to worship God in order to be able to live our best during this brief life on earth. The Lord Jesus also taught that all who would receive God’s mercy must be those who show mercy to others.
The Psalm ends with the words, ‘Enable all who put their trust in you to rejoice. Keep them joyful because you are defending them. Fill all who love you with your happiness, for you bless the godly person, O Lord; you protect them with your shield of love.’
To which all the godly will respond, ‘Amen’ or ‘Let it be so!’
Psalm Six ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
This short Psalm reminds us that God will hear and answer even when we are ill and feeling very low. David is both physically sick and filled with apprehension & gloom. His joy in God has (temporally) seeped away.
‘Have compassion on me, O Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, for my body is sick, and I am upset and disturbed. My mind is filed with apprehension and gloom. Oh, restore me soon.’ 6 v.2 & 3
To some the idea of admitting our weakness is not honouring, but God’s book tells us that God is compassionate and merciful knowing our weakness. So to admit that we are weak is the first step to receiving God’s grace to enable us to serve God and others in God’s strength.
The Psalmist ends the psalm with a note of faith that God will answer his prayer and confound his enemies who are waiting for him to perish.
9The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer. 10May all my enemies be disgraced ... May they suddenly turn back in shame.
Psalm Seven ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
David writes in a time of persecution. He turns to God in prayer to rescue him, believing he has done no wrong and that his enemies are unjust in attacking him.
1I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. Save me from my persecutors – rescue me! .. 3O Lord my God, if I have done wrong or am guilty of injustice, 4if I have betrayed a friend or plundered my enemy without cause, 5then let my enemies capture me.
He is content not to ask God for help if he is guilty of a sin he lists, but he believes he is innocent. And so he prays for justice. (God’s justice and God’s faithfulness is fundamental to Biblical revelation and is also implied in the Holy Koran). And David believes God will answer his prayer of faith.
10God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right! 11God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day. ... 17I will give thanks to the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Jesus also believed firmly in God’s justice, but when faced with unjust persecution and death though he had done no wrong, he prayed to be delivered from it (as anyone would do), but he willingly submitted to God’s over-riding purpose to bring salvation from sin to all human-kind.
Matt.26 v.39 “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Psalm Eight ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
This magnificent psalm of David poetically reflects the glory of Y'awey (Allah/ God)
and shows how even the faith of little children can silence God’s enemies.
‘O Lord
our God, the majesty and glory of your name fills all the earth and overflows the
heavens. You have taught little children to praise you perfectly. May their example
shame and silence your enemies!’ v1, 2
‘When I look up into the night skies and see
the work of your fingers – the moon and stars you have made – I cannot understand
how you can bother with mere puny man, to pay attention to him!’ v3
David is humbled
by Y'awey (Allah/ God)'s consideration for men and women - the apex of God’s earthly
creation -and reflects that Allah has put mankind ‘only a little lower than the angels.
V5’. Since this is so, should not we respect all regardless of their creed?
‘You have put him in charge of everything you made..’ v6ff. Here Allah declares through
David that mankind is to act responsibly towards all of creation, reflecting Allah’s
glory in creating everything.
This Psalm is picked up in the Christian New Testament
(Ingil, Hebrews 2 v5-13) where the writer applies the Psalm prophetically to Jesus
being made (as a man) a little lower than the angels for a while in order to bring
many men and women to live in Allah ’s glory (above the rank of angels) in the next
world.
‘And the future world we are talking about will not be controlled by angels. No,
for in the book of Psalms David says to God, “What is mere man that you are so concerned
about him? And who is this Son of Man you honour so highly? ......We have not yet
seen all this take place (the fulfilment of prophesy), but we do see Jesus – who
for a while was made a little lower than the angels – crowned now with glory and
honour because he suffered(eternal) death for us.’ Heb.2 v5-9
Psalm Nine ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
Psalm Ten ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
Psalms Nineteen ~ for Jews, Muslims and Christians
1 The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. 2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.
The psalmist (King and Prophet David) declares here that all creation speaks a powerful message to all the world (v.4) yet without sound or human words. He then quotes the sun as an example; the sun rises and sets faithfully each day giving light and heat to our planet earth (v.5, 6).
In creation we are to see the glory of God (Allah in Arabic) in various ways that we need to draw out and meditate on, for example, on the beauty we see around us, on the very gift of life; on the faithful provision for our needs; on the abundance that nature affords; on the total interdependence required to sustain life. In all these and other aspects of the natural world we are called to see the glory of the Creator God and make the one God our God, not in an image of our choosing, but in the image of which his creation speaks.
However the psalmist does not leave us floundering at this point: he straightway tells us,
7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple....11 They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.
Here the psalmist is referring to those instructions and commandments that have been revealed not through the natural world around us, but rather by God speaking through the human spirit down the ages. The psalmist tells us to meditate (v.10) on these handed down ‘laws of God’ (in addition to the glory of God in the universe), because these ‘scriptures’ can bring vitality to us and warn us from straying away from our need to depend on God’s love to guide and direct us in our daily living.
But the psalmist is also aware of the sinful tendencies lurking in every human heart.
12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me.
The psalmist is painfully aware of his tendency to sin and his daily need for God’s grace to help him discern his faults. I am reminded of the Muslim Haddith that speaks of the Prophet Mohammed’s claim that he ‘confessed his sins ninety nine times a day.’ The prophet of Islam had the humility to acknowledge his need to depend on Allah to avoid sin. Those who murder the innocent, those who are prejudiced against others of different colour, race, religion, sex, education, intelligence, etc, are sinning against God, because God made and God loves all of his creation.
We are not called to blindly follow our religion or the instructions of others: we are called to meditate on instructions, to follow what our conscience tells us and to draw on God’s help to see through the faults lurking in our minds and emotions. We are not to depend on our own understanding but to seek God’s help to be more like God (Allah) in his faithfulness and love for all people. Those who misuse sacred texts in order to carry out their own prejudiced hatred of that which God loves, show that they despise the Creator God. And they will suffer the consequences at God’s judgement day.
Extracts from http://answering-islam.org/Green/onbible.htm
Qur’an speaking about Jews and Christians:
: For to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book (5:47 AYA/44 MP). God gave the scripture to the Christians and Jews so that they could make known to the whole world and every nation the true knowledge of God: And remember Allah took a Covenant from the People of the Book, to make it known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it (3:187 AYA).
We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them (3:84 AYA).
2/ The Torah that was given to Moses, and the Gospel that was given to Jesus, are the scriptures that the Jews and Christians now possess:
Those who follow the Messenger (Mohammed), the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they will find described in the Torah and the Gospel (which are) with them (7:157 MP).
5/A very important section of the Qur'an which deals with the scripture of the Jews and Christians and their relation to the Qur'an is Surah 5:43-49. These verses record how Jews came to Muhummad to ask him for a decision, and it tells the answer he was to give them.
How come they (come) unto thee (Muhammad) for judgment when they have the Torah, wherein Allah hath delivered judgment (for them)? ... Lo! We did reveal the Torah, wherein is guidance and a light ... And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, confirming that which was (revealed) before him in the Torah, and We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein is guidance and a light, confirming that which was (revealed) before it in the Torah - a guidance and an admonition unto those who ward off (evil). Let the People of the Gospel judge by that which Allah hath revealed therein. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are evil-livers.
And unto thee (Muslims) have We revealed the Scripture (the Qur'an) with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it. So judge between them by that which Allah hath revealed, and follow not their desires away from the truth which hath come unto thee. For each We have appointed a divine law and a traced-out way. Had Allah willed He could have made you one community. But that He may try you by that which He hath given you (He hath made you as ye are). So vie one with another in good works. Unto Allah ye will all return, and He will then inform you of that wherein ye differ. (5:43-48, MP)
The key sentence from the above is, For each We have appointed a divine law and a traced-out way. This verse is teaching that the different religious groups (Jews, Christians and Muslims), have each been given a divine law (Torah, Gospel and Qur'an) and that each group is to make their decisions based upon what they have been given.
Thus the Qur'an encourages Jews to judge by the Torah:
How come they (come) unto thee (Muhammad) for judgment when they have the Torah, wherein Allah hath delivered judgment (for them)? (5:43, MP)
And the Qur'an urges Christians to judge by the Gospel:
Let the People of the Gospel judge by that which Allah hath revealed therein. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are evil-livers. (5:47, MP)
And it encourages Muslims to judge by the Qur'an:
And unto thee (Muslims) have We revealed the Scripture (the Qur'an) with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it. So judge between them by that which Allah hath revealed. (5:48, MP)
Again, we see that the Qur'an refers to the scriptures of the Christians and Jews as God's reliable word. Jews and Christians are commanded to consult their scriptures when desiring to know God's will. The Qur'an therefore considers these scriptures to be reliable. Surah 5:43-48 also shows that the Qur'an is not claiming to abrogate (replace) the Gospel and Torah but is a parallel revelation to them.
6/ Say: "O People of the Book! Ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord" (5:71 AYA/68 MP). How can the Jew or Christian, stand fast by the Law and the Gospel, if the Law and the Gospel have been corrupted or abrogated? Again, the assumption of the Qur'an is that the scriptures that the Christians and Jews have is the reliable word of God.
7/ In the following verse the Books of Moses are referred to as being a reliable source of God's warning: Nay, is he not acquainted with what is in the books of Moses (53:36 AYA). Thus, there is no excuse for the one who ignores it.
8/ A Muslim is instructed, when arguing with a Jew about clean/halal food, to ask the Jew to bring his proof from the Law of Moses. Say: "Bring ye the Law and study it, if ye be men of truth" (3:93 AYA). How can he bring the Law and study it to determine the truth if it has been corrupted or abrogated? This scripture must be reliable to make such a command. The same assumption is also seen in the following verse: And they say: "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian." Those are their (vain) desires. Say: "Produce your proof if ye are truthful" (2:111 AYA).
9/ In the following verses we see Jews and Christians are urged to teach the truth of their scriptures and to obey them: Say: "O People of the Scripture! Stress not in your religion other than the truth" (5:77 MP/80 AYA). Do ye enjoin right conduct on the people, and forget (to practice it) yourselves, and yet ye study the Scripture? (2:44 AYA). Christians and Jews could not teach and obey their scriptures if their scriptures were corrupted.
10/ The scripture from before the time of Muhammad was to be consulted by either Muhammad or his Arab contemporaries if they were in doubt about the message that had been given to Muhammad: If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee (10:94 AYA/95 MP). Thus this earlier scripture must have been preserved to make such a request.
11/ Here the former scriptures of the Jews and Christians are appealed to to prove that Muhammad is an authentic prophet.
Those who follow the Messenger (Mohammed), the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they will find described in the Torah and the Gospel (which are) with them (7:157 MP).
They say: "If only he would bring us a miracle from his Lord!" Hath there not come unto them the proof of what is in the former scriptures? (20:133 MP).
And lo, it is in the scriptures from the men of old. Is it not a token for them that the (religious) doctors of the Children of Israel know it? (26:196-197 MP).
How can these scriptures be appealed to, to prove Muhammad is genuine, if they have been corrupted? The Qur'an must view these scriptures as reliable to make such a request.