Good Morning Yamon Ki Yesepar:
Psalms 16:1-2 “Michtam of David. Keep me, O God; for I have taken refuge in Thee. I have said unto the Lord: ‘Thou art my Lord; I have no good but in Thee.’”
The word “Michtam” is a transliteration from the Hebrew and literally means from Gold or from the hidden. Many commentators simply interpret this to mean “Poem of Gold” and ignore the “hidden” idea. Indeed “Poem of Gold” is good. Gold is a symbol of the glory of God. Still there is more, the root word is “ketam” which means hidden. The Kap – filled with God’s thoughts, taw – truth and final mem – hidden knowledge. I translate “Michtam of David” as a “spiritual secret of David” More so, David is sharing his heart with you in this poem.” Actually, that is what a poet does when he writes his verse, he is sharing his heart with you. David, a man whose heart is joined with the heart of God (a man after God’s own heart), has a lot to share when he shares is heart – don’t you think?
So what is this secret from the heart of David, joined with God’s heart? He is able to command God to “keep” him. The word keep is “shamereni” from the root word “shemar” which means to watch closely, observe, never loose sight of. It is in an imperative form. He is not asking God, he is commanding, but it is in a qal so it is a mild command. More like, “You promised me, now keep your promise.” The promise is for God to watch David’s every move. To make him aware when he is slipping and falling into sin. The enemy is so subtle and David, who himself committed adultery, knows that all too well and he just does not trust himself so he is calling on God to watch his every move. By what right does he made such a demand upon the Master of the Universe? By the right he claims when he takes refuge (chasithi) in Him. You see the refuge he is seeking here is to escape from the enemy who seeks his soul, the enemy who will cause him to sin. By finding refuge in God he will find chet – a bonding with God such that he is samek – protected, supported, in knowing what is taw – truth.
I don’t know about you but many times I do not know what is right and what is wrong. Sometimes my understanding can tell me that what I am doing is truly right, it is truly of God only to find out down the road that I missed it completely. Even teaching a Hebrew class. Sounds right, sounds noble, how could it not be of God? But then how do I know it is not a trick of the enemy to distract me from the perfect will of God. I need, like David to find chasithi in God so he shamereni.
We don’t know the complete story of David and Bathsheba. The Bible tells us David’s heart, that he lusted after her. But on the surface, perhaps David convinced himself that he only ministering to a lonely, frightened woman whose husband was off to war. Since her husband was such a loyal servant, it was only fitting that he should comfort the man’s wife. Of course Scripture tells us what was really going on in David’s heart. Only when Nathan confronted him with his sin did it really dawn on him how deceived he really was.
I don’t know if that is what David was thinking when he shared this verse, but it is clear, David knew he had to find a refuge (chasiti) in God for he could not trust his own understandings.
He says in verse 2: “I have said unto Jehovah: ‘Thou are my Lord (adoni) master, guide, instructor, I have not good in Thee.’” That last phrase is difficult to translate. The negative is not in the Hebrew. It is literally “My good is indeed your “alah” supreme source or conduit. Of course we will not translate it that way because that implies David’s goodness is a source for God. There is no good but God.
I think we can translate this without the negative, however. When we consider that the word “tov” (good) means that which is in perfect harmony with God, then we can translate David as saying: “When I find my refuge in God who examines me in complete detail so that I am not falling into sin, then my harmony, my wavelength is indeed in tune with God and he can then use me as a conduit.”
Just my thought, you can either Amen it or not.
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