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The judgment of Korah, Dathan and Abiram
106: 16-18
The worship of the calf at Horeb
106: 19, 20
The intercession of Moses
106: 23
The sin of Baal-peor
106: 28
The zeal of Phinehas
106: 30
The victory over Sihon and Og
136: 19, 20
The inheritance of Canaan
105: 44; 136: 21, 22
The unfaithfulness of Israel in the land
78: 55-58
The overthrow of Sisera and his hosts
83: 9
The incidents relating to Oreb, Zeeb, Zebrah and Zalmunna
83: 11
Samuel, the man of prayer
99: 6
David the shepherd chosen to be king
78: 70-72
The varied experiences of David are given full expression in the Psalms bearing his
name. The latest historical event deals with the captivity of Israel in Babylon
(Psa.137:). It will be seen that a detailed history of Israel could be constructed from
the Psalms alone and the historical content of the Psalms is of great importance.
We now intend to consider individual Psalms in more detail and commence with
Psalm 19: This is one of the greatest of the Psalms in its comprehensiveness. It is in
three parts. (1) The revelation of God in creation (verses 1-6). (2) The revelation of God
in Scripture (verses 7-11). (3) The revelation of God in experience (verses 12-14). The
opening section tells us that the creation is not just an inanimate collection of stars and
planets, but rather they reflect the great glory of their Creator Who is the Lord Jesus
Christ. Not only this, but they give a message, they speak as it were, and give knowledge
to those who behold them and are willing to be taught. Gen. 1: 14-19 informs us that the
stars were set for "signs, and for seasons, and for days and years". The Hebrew word for
signs, oth, comes from a root, meaning to come. The stars are therefore concerning
someone or something to come and those who understand them receive enlightenment as
Psa. 19: declares. The zodiac marks the stages of the sun's path through the heaven
corresponding to the 12 months of the year. This is evidently referred to in Gen.xxxvii.9
in connection with Joseph's dream of himself, his parents and brethren.
We should remember that the stars were all name by God (Psa. 147: 4; Isa. 40: 26
R.V.), and they all originally must have had a meaning many of which have been lost.
There are over 100 names preserved through the Arabic and Hebrew and are used by
astronomers today. Some of them occur in Scripture though the meaning is not always
certain. Three are found in Job 9: 9 (compare also 38: 31, 32), Arcturus, Orion
and Pleiades. Arcturus is connected with the Great Bear. Orion means a strong one (see
Amos 5: 8), and Pleiades the congregation of the judge. Thus the Word of God is not
silent as the great antiquity of the signs and constellations. The twelve signs of the
zodiac are the same as to the meaning of their names and their order, in all the ancient
nations of the world. The Chinese, Chaldean and Egyptian records go back to more than
B.C.2,000. The zodiacs in Egyptian temples are doubtless copies of zodiacs still more
ancient, going back to B.C.4,000. The signs of the zodiacs have been preserved in order
among all nations and ages, showing their common origin from one source. The figures
or pictures on them have nothing to do with the grouping of stars. For instance in Virgo