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For New King James text and comment, click here.
II Kings 18:1-12 Listen
Hezekiah, King of Judah...an overview (II Kings 18:1-8; II Chronicles 29:1-2)
II Kings 18 |
II Chronicles 29 |
| 1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. 3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. 4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. 5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. 6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. 7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. 8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. |
1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. |
These verses give a brief overview regarding the reign of Hezekiah; beginning with II Chronicles 29:3 (see below), we get a lot more detail. At this point in time, Israel (Northern Kingdom) is in its last days under its last king, Hoshea. Here's King Hezekiah of Judah; he serves God and does something that few of his fathers did - tears down the "high places," those pagan altars, and even gets rid of the "groves" (Hebrew: Asherah) which were altars to the Phoenician goddess. Moreover, he broke down that bronze serpent the people had begun to worship - you know...the one Moses had made back in Numbers 21:4-9 (see notes). I'm kinda surprised they still had it. He beats back the Philistines and rebels against the Assyrians - the mighty Assyrians.
A Summary of King #13 from 715 to 686 B.C. over Judah: Hezekiah |
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| References | The Good | The Bad |
II Kings 18-20 |
II Kings 18:3-6 II Chronicles 29:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. |
Not specified - He was a good king. |
Shalmaneser, King of Assyria, takes Samaria (II Kings 18:9-12)
9 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
10 And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
11 And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
12 Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
Here's that time in 721 B.C. that Israel had been living for - their demise at the hand of the Assyrians. The attack from Assyria took three years, but Hoshea, King of Israel, lost his Northern Kingdom; this story began in II Kings 17 (see notes). The siege against Samaria took three years. The influential people of the Northern Kingdom were deported to several cities in greater Assyria, the precise location of which cannot be determined. Why did it have to happen? There's your answer in verse 12, "Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them."
Hezekiah cleans up his father's mess (II Chronicles 29:3-19)
3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.
4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,
5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.
6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.
7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.
8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.
9 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.
11 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:
13 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:
14 And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel.
15 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.
16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron.
17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.
18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof.
19 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.
The previous King Ahaz (II Chronicles 28, see notes) was a disgrace to Judah. After his death, his son Hezekiah, at just 25 years old, followed his father as King of Judah. Hezekiah had his work cut out for him. He called the priests together to go through the temple and undo all the desecration committed at the hand of his Dad, Ahaz. He fully understood that Judah's condition was as a result of the sins of his father. We see this in verse 8, "Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble." But Hezekiah knew exactly what had to be done, as we see in verse 10, "Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us." It took the priests and Levites 8 days to consecrate the temple again.
The temple GRAND OPENING: but a priest can only do so much! (II Chronicles 29:20-36)
20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.
21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.
22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.
23 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:
24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.
25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.
26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.
27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.
28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.
30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.
32 And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.
33 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.
34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
35 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.
36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.
Now that the temple is all cleaned up, they initiate Godly worship again. The big day approaches, and the priests are consecrated, the singers sing, the trumpeters play and the people bow themselves in worship. Then the sacrificing begins. However, there's a problem - not enough priests to sacrifice all those animals; the people of Judah had brought more than anticipated. No deal breaker though - regular ol' Levites stand side-by-side with those consecrated priests to help with the sacrificing until more priests can be consecrated. It was a great day in Judah!
As a point of clarification, all priests were Levites, but all Levites were not priests. Aaron, and a multitude of others, were descendants of Levi. This tribe was designated to be the replacement for the firstborn of each tribe of Israel. This begins to unfold in the aftermath of the golden calf episode in Exodus 38 (see notes). From this point forward, the Levites were special. Later on in Numbers 3 (see notes), when the Levites were all assigned duties, only the descendants of Aaron were designated to serve in the actual priesthood. We see this distinction between priests and Levites clearly differentiated once again in Numbers 18:1-7 (see notes).
You will notice in verse 24 that Hezekiah's intent was "to make an atonement for all Israel:" The Assyrians were knocking at the door of both Israel and Judah. Hezekiah is making an attempt to set it all right before God for Judah and Israel - both kingdoms. That intent is seen in chapter 30 as well. For all effective purposes, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had already fallen when Hezekiah became king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. King Hoshea, of Israel, was a puppet king of the Assyrian Empire (II Kings 17:3, see notes), and portions of the Northern Kingdom had already been deported to other Assyrian-controlled regions.
Close counts...because God loves the hearts of the people (II Chronicles 30)
1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.
2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.
6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.
10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.
13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
14 And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.
15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.
16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.
17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.
18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.
22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.
24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.
Judah's leadership gets an idea. Since we've already missed getting the temple open in time for the passover in the first month, let's just go ahead and do it in the second month. Hezekiah even puts on an advertising campaign for the event - sends messengers all through Judah and Israel to proclaim the event at the temple in Jerusalem. Everybody in Jerusalem is elated - feast celebration finally restored! The significant portion of the people in the Northern Kingdom had been deported during the reign of Israel's King Hoshea, but the invitation to unite around the passover feast is extended to those Jews who still inhabit the Northern Kingdom. Many of those two-calf people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel scoff at the idea, but some make the trip to Jerusalem to participate.
There aren't enough consecrated priests to meet the demand, so some rank-and-file Levites come to the rescue. The Passover first, then the celebration of the Feast of Unleavened bread that immediately followed for 7 days - it was just like ol' times. The people are so tickled to be doing it again, they decide to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread for an additional 7 days. No - that's not the way God had prescribed it back in Leviticus 23 (see notes), but God loves the hearts of the people and is pleased to have them back after the wicked reign of Judah's King Ahaz. So...how successful was this event? Look at verse 26, "So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem."
Hezekiah's passion for serving the one true God is impressive here. He was convinced that there was a direct linkage between the prosperity of God's people and their service for God. He was able to decree that the people of Judah abandon worship of the false gods and return back to Jehovah-only worship. However, Hezekiah's suggestion to the people of the Northern Kingdom that pagan worship and idolatry was at the root of their problems (verses 6-9) still, for the most part, fell on deaf ears. Ironically, Hezekiah had correctly identified the problem, but when those northerners heard Hezekiah's messengers suggesting that a return to Jehovah would solve their problems, verse 10 says, "they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them." Isn't it fascinating that defeat had befallen them because of their worship of false gods, yet even after the demise of their kingdom, they still have the audacity to scorn and mock those who stand for righteousness. I guess some things never change.
Some good news though - according to verse 11 there were some from those tribes of fallen Israel who did come down to Jerusalem to partake of the passover feast. We see a problem, however, in verses 17-19. Of those that came to observe the passover feast, some were defiled. In accordance with a similar incident back in Moses' day in Numbers 9:6 (see notes), Hezekiah gave special consideration to these willing participants.
So...how did it all go? There's your answer in verse 20, "And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people." As a matter of fact, the people were so blessed, the feast was extended an additional seven days (verse 23) and King Hezekiah provided more sacrifices. Notice verse 26, "So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem." Participants from both the Southern Kingdom of Judah and the Northern Kingdom of Israel were worshipping the one true God as in days of old. It was a blessed event.
Hezekiah organizes the priests (II Chronicles 31)
1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.
2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.
3 He appointed also the king’s portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD.
4 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.
5 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.
6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps.
7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.
8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel.
9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.
10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.
11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them,
12 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.
13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.
14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things.
15 And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small:
16 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;
17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;
18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:
19 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.
20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
Nobody likes an unorganized priesthood. You may recall the organization that existed at the first opening of the temple back in Solomon's day (see notes on I Chronicles 23-24). Well, Hezekiah sets it all up again - just like the old days. He calls once again for the people of Israel to tithe to feed those Levites, and the people of Judah gladly respond...overwhelmingly respond. Hezekiah even commissions folks to go through Judah and rid it of those pagan places of worship. So here we are, after a long spiritual dearth in Judah, Hezekiah has restored everything back to a Godly state at the temple in Jerusalem and with the people of Judah. Therefore, it is said of Hezekiah in verses 20-21, "And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered."
A word of clarification: During Hezekiah's reign, Israel and much of Judah was overcome by the Assyrians, but the Assyrians had used deportation and heathen repopulation as their tools of occupation. After the Assyrian army went on to bigger and better activities, the locals who had not been deported had some freedoms, but did not have their own government leadership. That's why Jerusalem was such a notable prize to the Assyrians. King Hoshea, of the Northern Kingdom, was a puppet king of the Assyrians. For the last three years of Hoshea's reign, Samaria was under siege by the Assyrians and finally destroyed. However, Jerusalem, the capital of the Southern Kingdom, still thrived - especially under Hezekiah. Now...Hezekiah is trying to pull all of Israel and Judah back together, and it's going well. Whoa! Assyria is not going to like what's going on here!
Hezekiah fortifies Jerusalem (II Chronicles 32:1-8)
1 After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.
2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.
4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.
6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,
7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Hezekiah sees what's happening around him; Sennacherib, King of Assyria, is moving in.
Hezekiah prepares for the inevitable siege of the Assyrians:
God, Jerusalem and the king (Psalm 48)
A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah.
1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
5 They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.
6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
7 Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.
9 We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
This Psalm equates the greatness of God with the greatness of God's city, Jerusalem (Zion) and the King. This Psalm is all praises all the time...and as verse 14 puts it - forever. Some feel that the reference to "ships of Tarshish" here date this Psalm later than David's reign. It is true that nothing here necessarily ties it to David or that era. It is not known for certain where Tarshish was located.
Copyright 2003-2011 by Wayne D. Turner
