The Joy of the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10)

Who said, “the joy of the Lord is your strength”? Nehemiah (Nehemiah 8:10)

The book of Nehemiah is largely a first person memoir recounting the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s city walls during the 5th century BCE. After the wall is completed (Nehemiah 6:15) and guards are installed (Nehemiah 7:1-3), the people are assembled and Ezra reads “the book of the law of Moses” (Nehemiah 7:73-8:8).

Lester L. Grabbe (b. 1945) recaps:

The people, both men and women, are gathered on the 1st day of the 7th month (the Festival of Trumpets according to Leviticus 23:23-25) in the space before the Water Gate, which was probably the main open square of the city (Nehemiah 8:1-2). Ezra reads from early morning to midday, with various individuals standing on both sides of him (Ezra 8:3-4)...Ezra begins by pronouncing a blessing on Yhwh, to which the people respond (Nehemiah 8:5-6). Then various individuals (presumably priests) and Levites clarify the reading to the people (Nehemiah 8:7-8). (Grabbe, Ezra-Nehemiah, 51)

The reading triggers an emotional roller coaster. Initially, the people weep (Nehemiah 8:9) before Nehemiah reorients them (Nehemiah 8:9-10).

Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10 NASB)

The priests affirm Nehemiah’s summons, dismissing the congregation with reassuring words (Nehemiah 8:11). The people then disburse to celebrate (Nehemiah 8:11-12).

J.I. Packer (b. 1926) assesses:

The course of action that the leaders pressed on them was better from every point of view. “The joy of the Lord is your strength,” said Nehemiah (one imagines him shouting it from the platform); so rejoice!—feast in joyful generosity, rather than fast in sad self-absorption! “Go and enjoy...Do not grieve.” Thus he brought the meeting to an end. (Packer, A Passion for Faithfulness: Wisdom from the Book of Nehemiah, 158)

Penance will come soon, in fact in the next chapter (Nehemiah 9:1-37). Now, however, is the time to celebrate as God is renewing the covenant.

Mark A. Throntveit (b. 1949) understands:

This...scene, together with the next...functions as the first part of the covenant renewal that these chapters present: proclamation. The “joy of the LORD” (Nehemiah 8:10), freshly renewed through the teaching of Ezra and the Levites, will strengthen the people for the soul-searching that lies ahead in chapters 9 and 10. (Throntveit, Ezra–Nehemiah (Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching & Preaching), 97)

Stan Purdum (b. 1945) concurs:

Both Ezra and Nehemiah told them to rejoice...because “the joy from the LORD is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10). In other words, God was calling them to be the current community in covenant with him. God was giving them the teaching that make for a wholesome and holy life, which is a source of joy. (Purdum, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Immersion Bible Studies), 44)

Nehemiah 8-10 is distinct from the rest of the book. Rather than being narrated by the titular character these chapters are composed in the third person. This portion is about Nehemiah not by him. Further, Nehemiah 8 focuses on the figure of Ezra (Nehemiah 8:1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 13). This chapter represents one of the few instances that Ezra and Nehemiah appear together.

Lester L. Grabbe (b. 1945) critiques:

In this chapter the attention suddenly turns from Nehemiah to Ezra. In the combined writing Ezra-Nehemiah this would cause no problem for the reader since Ezra was already the subject of an extensive section of the book a few chapters earlier; nevertheless the appearance of Ezra without warning or separation, with the almost non-mention of Nehemiah, still looks rather abrupt. The subject of the chapter is the reading of the law. Again, the focus on this makes some sense in the context since the completion of the wall allows the people to gather together and the wall was finished on the 25th of Elul (Nehemiah 6:15), the 6th month while this chapter begins on the 1st day of the 7th month (Nehemiah 8:2). In the context, one might expect that the people would gather, the law be read, and then the wall be dedicated in a mainly religious celebration. This is not what happens, however, for the dedication does not come until much later (Nehemiah 12:27-43, though no date is given), after the question of mixed marriages is dealt with. This is difficult to explain from a purely literary analysis...as is the thirteen-year wait from the time of Ezra’s first coming during which time he supposedly did nothing about the law. (Grabbe, Ezra-Nehemiah, 50)

Ezra’s having been in possession of the law without utilizing it has generated speculation (Ezra 7:10). Kyung-Jin Min asserts:

In the case of Nehemiah 8, few doubt that it originally belonged with Ezra 7-10. The dating system in Nehemiah 8 fits with Ezra 7-10, and Ezra is one of the central figures in Nehemiah 8 even though it is located in the middle of the Nehemiah narrative, whereas the single reference to Nehemiah (Nehemiah 8:9) is normally treated as a later insertion. (Min, The Levitical Authorship of Ezra-Nehemiah, 106)

Joseph Blenkinsopp (b. 1927) construes:

As the singular verb in Nehemiah 8:9 and Nehemiah 8:10 suggests, the admonition was delivered by Ezra alone in the earlier form of the narrative. Nehemiah the governor and the Levites were added at a later stage. (Blenkinsopp, Ezra-Nehemiah: A Commentary (Old Testament Library), 288)

It is Ezra who reads “the book of the law of Moses” (Nehemiah 8:1-5). The text does not record which passage is read but instead emphasizes the people’s response.

Gordon F. Davies (b. 1954) notes:

The important point here is not the stipulations of the Law as read: these details are omitted in this telling of the event. The first question is its reception—how the Law, designed as a constitution for a sovereign realm, can be observed afresh in a subject province of a pagan empire. How can it be proclaimed in a way that is current and engaging but at the same time free from the vicissitudes of Israel’s political fortune?...The people’s reception of the Law becomes the paradigm for Israel’s faith. Although not politically powerful, Israel can have an autonomous faith that is sincere about conversion and structured within tradition. (Davies, Ezra & Nehemiah (Berit Olam: Studies in Hebrew Narrative & Poetry), 112)

The people instinctively weep upon hearing the law. Mark A. Throntveit (b. 1949) exclaims:

What a shock to the reader...when the people’s response to the law, reverently read, painstakingly interpreted, and worshipfully received, issues in weeping (Nehemiah 8:9)! Not that grief over their laxity with regard to the law was inappropriate. Under similar circumstances in Josiah’s time, their ancestors had also responded with mourning and weeping in repentance (II Kings 22:11; II Chronicles 34:19, 27). But this day, New Year’s Day (Leviticus 23:24), was “holy to the LORD” (Nehemiah 8:9, 10, 11), set aside for another purpose, namely rejoicing and the blowing of trumpets (Leviticus 23:24; Numbers 29:1). Lest the reader miss this emphasis, the final verses of the text employ a narrative “double strike” to drive the lesson home. In parallel proclamations both Ezra and the Levites prohibit grief and enjoin rejoicing. (Throntveit, Ezra–Nehemiah (Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching & Preaching), 97)

Presumably, the law serves it purpose by revealing transgression (Romans 7:1). Joseph Blenkinsopp (b. 1927) argues:

It is remarkable how often Ezra-Nehemiah, generally thought to be gloomy and jejune, reports demonstrations of anger, grief, and joy. The reason for the weeping and mourning in this instance is the sense of inadequacy and failure vis-à-vis the law and the threat posed by the curses appended to it. (Blenkinsopp, Ezra-Nehemiah: A Commentary (Old Testament Library), 288-89)

Mark Roberts (b. 1957) discusses:

When the people heard and understood the Law, they began to weep (Nehemiah 8:9). We can only imagine why. Perhaps they were convicted of sin, or perhaps they realized that their suffering could have been prevented if only they and their ancestors had obeyed God precepts. Whatever their reason, although it seems an appropriate response to the Law, the leaders (including Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites) rebuked the people for their tears: This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep” (Nehemiah 8:9)...Weeping in response to the Law will be encouraged later, in chapter 9, but rejoicing comes first. (Roberts, Ezra, Nehemiah, Ester (Mastering the Old Testament), 239)

While it seems a shame to waste the rare occurrence of an uncontrived wellspring of contrition, here it is inappropriate. There is a time to mourn (Ecclesiastes 3:4) but this is not it. Forlorn tears during festival days are as inappropriate as laughing in the midst of tragedy. Nehemiah reminds the people not to rain on God’s parade: There’s no crying in holidays!

Lester L. Grabbe (b. 1945) apprises:

The day is made into a festival day for eating, drinking, and rejoicing (Nehemiah 8:9-12)...Although the people have been read the Torah, nothing is said about this day as the Day of Trumpets. It is said to be a holy day but not because of the instructions given to Moses; on the contrary, the day is apparently declared holy because ‘they made them understand all the words which they taught them’ (Nehemiah 8:12). (Grabbe, Ezra-Nehemiah, 52)

Leslie C. Allen (b. 1935) informs:

There is a triple refrain in Nehemiah 8:9-11 concerning the holiness of This day as a festival day and the obligation not to grieve. The monthly New Moon festival and the longer festivals were to be days of rejoicing, according to Numbers 10:10, while Deuteronomy stipulates that joyful celebration was to be a regular feature of the festivals (Deuteronomy 12:7, 12, 18, 14:26, 16:11, 14). The tension between the people’s weeping and the leaders’ exhortation to rejoice is reminiscent of Ezra 3:12-13, where official rejoicing mingled with lamenting dissatisfaction. Here, however, the grief was evidently due to the content of the reading, which prompted a healthy recognition of falling short of its standards...Yet the sacred duty of the day as devoted to the joyful worship of God made tears inappropriate. Rejoicing over the Lord is described as a source of protection, the people’s “strong-hold” (NJB). Such a positive attitude supplied a stimulus to comply with the moral will of God in the future, and so gave protection against the divine wrath for disobedience that had loomed in Ezra 9. The special, party-like fare that expressed their joy and generous sharing with those who had no food are both reminiscent of Deuteronomy 12:18-19 and Deuteronomy 14:26-27. The end of Nehemiah 8:12 resumes Nehemiah 8:8: it was not simply the holiday that sparked communal joy, but the appreciation of the reading and the exposition of the Torah. (Allen and Timothy S. Laniak [b. 1958], Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Understanding the Bible Commentary Series))

Johanna W. H. Van Wijk-Bos (b. 1940) accuses the Israelites of selective hearing:

The people have heard and understood, but even with understanding one may hear all too selectively. This is a time, so the leaders say, to rejoice, for the people’s strength is located in their joy rather than in their grief. Three times the motivation for abstaining from tears is provided with the statement that this is a holy day...To declare a day “holy to the Lord,” means for the community to set it aside, to dedicate it to God in joyful remembering of who they are and who God is. (Wijk-BosEzra, Nehemiah, and Esther (Westminster Bible Companion), 75-76)

The people are assured that the joy of the Lord is their strength (Nehemiah 8:10). As is often the case, joy succeeds sorrow.

Edwin M. Yamauchi (b. 1937) analyzes:

“The joy” (hedwá) occurs only here and in I Chronicles 16:27 (cf. Aram in Ezra 6:16). Most commentators interpret this joy as having the Lord as its object. In other words, our joy in the Lord as we eat and labor before him will sustain us (Deuteronomy 12:7, 12, 18, 14:26, 17:11, 14). However, arguing from the fact that “strength” (mā‘ōz) means “stronghold, fortress” (cf. Psalm 27:1, 37:39; Jeremiah 16:19), Gordon C.I. Wong [b. 1961] has argued for “the joy of the LORD” as a subjective genitive, that is, the Lord’s joy in us, as that makes more sense. He suggests, “In other words, it is Yahweh’s joy over his people that is the basis for the hope that they will be saved or protected from his anger.” (John H. Walton [b. 1952], 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary), 441)

The joy of the Lord will be the people’s “strength” (ASV, ESV, KJV, MSG, NASB, NIV, NKJV, NLT, NRSV, RSV) or “stronghold” (HCSB). The mighty fortress that is the joy of the Lord will protect the people.

H.G.M. Williamson (b. 1947) comments:

In this context “protection” must be against the judgments of God, it follows that on occasions when God’s earlier acts of salvation were recalled it was appreciated that grace was an overriding characteristic of his nature. “The joy of the Lord” was the joy each Israelite felt at these festivals as he identified himself afresh with the community of God’s people and so appropriated in his own generation the salvation once bestowed upon his ancestors. In this act of identification—which took the form of joyful celebration and worship—lay his protection from the judgment that might otherwise fall on those outside of the covenant. Naturally, the sacred recital of the original event formed a vital part of this process. Ezra, therefore encouraged the people to regard his reading of Scripture in this light. Though it might challenge their consciences, it was to be regarded first and foremost as a declaration of God’s grace to his people. (Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (Word Biblical Commentary), 292)

Instead of mourning the people are to do just the opposite; they are to party. Keith Schoville (b. 1928) details:

Rather than fasting and mourning, this was a day for joyous feasting. The people were encouraged to eat delicacies not a part of their normal diets. Special days call for special foods in all cultures. Choice food is literally “of the fat,” as in the KJV and RSV, that is, the choicest portions. Sweet drinks may have been sweet wine; the Vulgate indicates wine mixed with honey. The instruction to send some to those who have nothing prepared is taken by a Jewish commentator to refer to the poor. The day was holy to the Lord and all of the people should share in the joy of it. All are to receive renewed strength by rejoicing in the Lord. The Levites must have helped the people to understand the grace of God so that they could celebrate with great joy. H.G.M. Williamson [b. 1947] points to the importance of Ezra’s interpretation of the Torah to the people: “In this late period, when circumstances had changed so much from the time of the original law-giving, there had arisen the danger that the Law would slip into being a document of only antiquarian interest. It was Ezra’s hermeneutic that brought it to life again for the community. Although in theory the text of Scripture alone was normative, in practice it could only be that text as it came to be interpreted that would shape the future bold of Judaism.” Every generation needs to be confronted afresh with the meaning of God’s word and will for that generation. (Schoville, Ezra-Nehemiah (The College Press NIV Commentary), 217)

Joseph Blenkinsopp (b. 1927) remarks:

The admonition is to put aside sadness and enjoy the good fare and fellowship associated with festal sacrifices (cf. Numbers 29:2-6). The theme of rejoicing, closely associated with worship in Deuteronomic-Chronistic preaching (e.g., Deuteronomy 12:12, 14:26; II Chronicles 29:36, 30:25), is rounded off with a psalmlike asseveration: joy in YHVH is your strength...The passage ends, therefore, on a note which calls into question the indictment—so often repeated in the modern period—of early Judaism as fearful and joyless. (Blenkinsopp, Ezra-Nehemiah: A Commentary (Old Testament Library), 289)

Knute Larson (b. 1941) and Kathy Dahlen (b. 1952) reason:

Ezra concluded, Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. The emphasis was on God’s grace. Although they had sinned and had not fulfilled the law, God was celebrated as the gracious Sovereign who “does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him” (Psalm 103:10-11). Their protection came from God’s grace. (Larson and Dahlen, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Holman Old Testament Commentary), 219)

The festivities should continue into the present day. Michael Frost (b. 1961) affirms:

I believe that celebration is a core practice of those who live in a world under God’s reign, but I’m not sure whether a rip-roaring “contemporary worship service” is going to quite to do it. I’d prefer a celebration similar to that which Nehemiah commends: “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Celebration, beauty, and generosity are a godly combination. (Hirsch, The Road to Missional: Journey to the Center of the Church, 144)

Though Nehemiah’s command not to grieve could prove difficult for some, God’s grace always gives cause to celebrate and be thankful. Pleasing God produces joy and a heart infused with joy is strong. The joy of the Lord will sustain the Israelites just as the wall that is built will stabilize the city itself.

Does Nehemiah instruct the Israelites to compartmentalize their emotions? Why is it so important that the nation celebrate in this instance? When have you misheard the intent of a speaker? How is celebrating different when building as opposed to rebuilding? Which is more unifying, corporate celebration or mourning? Should tears ever be rebuked? When have you responded inappropriately at a public event? Have you ever attended a party where you did not feel like celebrating? What should you be celebrating today? Which Scripture do you think that Ezra read? What is typically your response to the reading of Scripture; have you ever wept? Should reading Scripture always produce joy? From what source(s) do you draw strength? Is the joy of the Lord your strength?

The joy of the Lord empowers believers. It strengthens us to endure hardship. John Piper (b. 1946) cites:

From the beginning of his Christian life in 1785 until he died in 1833, William Wilberforce [1759-1833] lived off the “great doctrines of the gospel,” especially the doctrine of justification by faith alone based on the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. This is where he fed his joy. Because of these truths, “when all around him is dark and stormy, he can lift up an eye of Heaven, radiant with hope and glistening with gratitude.” The joy of the Lord became his strength (Nehemiah 8:10). And in this strength he pressed on in the cause of abolishing the slave trade until he had the victory. (Piper, The Roots of Endurance: Invincible Perseverance in the Lives of John Newton [1725-1807], Charles Simeon [1759-1836], and William Wilberforce [1759-1833], 160)

Andrew Murray (1828-1917) endorses:

There is no proof of the reality of God’s love and the blessing He bestows, which people so quickly feel the strength of, as when the joy of God overcomes all the trials of life. And for the Christian’s own welfare, joy is just as indispensable; the joy of the Lord is his strength (see Nehemiah 8:10), and confidence, courage, and patience find their inspiration in joy. With a heart full of joy no work can make us weary and no burden can depress us; God himself is our strength and song. (Murray, Abiding in Christ, 152)

Joy is a cardinal Christian virtue. Leonard Sweet (b. 1947) distinguishes:

Nehemiah declared, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.” Followers remain mindful of their joy quotient while guarding against an addictive dependence on happiness. Orthodox theologian Alexander Schmemann [1921-1983] contends, “It is only as joy that the Church was victorious in the world, and it lost the world when it lost the joy, when it ceased to be the witness of it. Of all accusations against Christians, the most terrible was uttered by Friedrich Nietzsche [1844-1900] when he said that Christians had no joy...‘For behold I bring you good tidings of great joy [Luke 2:10]’—thus begins the Gospel, and its end is: ‘And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy [Luke 24:52].’” (Sweet, I Am a Follower: The Way, Truth, and Life of Following Jesus, 114)

How does your enjoyment of God give you strength for living? How does this fortitude translate to your family and friends? How essential is being joyful to the Christian life? Is your church joyful? Are you?

“Joy as a moral quality is a Christian invention.” - Dean William Ralph Inge (1860-1954), “St. Paul,” Outspoken Essays, p. 226

Note: The painting featured in this post, “The Joy Of The Lord Is Your Strength”, was rendered by Kathy Clark (b. 1953).

Leaping Tall Buildings (Psalm 18:29)

Who by God’s help was able to jump over a wall? David (Psalm 18:29)

Psalm 18 is a lengthy psalm that can be classified as an individual royal psalm of thanksgiving (Psalm 18:1-50).

Richard J. Clifford (b. 1934) introduces:

Psalm 18 shifts the topic from the subject of the three preceding psalms, the Temple, to the king (though the king is often associated with the Temple.) It is the third longest poem in the Psalters (after Psalms 119 and 78). A nearly identical version is found in II Samuel 22 [II Samuel 22:1-51]. (Clifford, Psalms 1-72 (Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries), 104)

The psalm’s superscription attributes its composition to King David. Geoffrey W. Grogan (1925-2011) notes:

Most scholars now see this psalm as very old, and the possibility that all or much of it is by David is quite widely (but not universally) accepted, even by some denying most other psalms to him. It is sometimes used as a yardstick for measuring whether others headed לדוד, lědāwid, are by him. (Grogan, Psalms (Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary), 64-65)

William L. Holladay (b. 1926) adds:

Strikingly, this psalm [Psalm 18:1-50] is duplicated in II Samuel 22 [II Samuel 22:1-51], and there it is specifically attributed to David (II Samuel 22:1). The context given for the Psalm in II Samuel 22 might itself be unhistorical, but that this psalm, which appears to offer archaic language, is preserved in two different parts of the Old Testament suggests that the attribution to David should be taken seriously; most scholars at least date it to the tenth century B.C.E. (Holladay, The Psalms Through Three Thousand Years: Prayerbook of a Cloud of Witnesses, 24)

Derek Kidner (1913-2008) defends Davidic authorship:

Although some have assumed from the final verse [Psalm 18:50] that the king in question was not David but one of his descendants, the verse does not require this, and the zest and vividness of the writing point to first-hand experiences such as David pre-eminently had. An incidental pointer to him is the allusion to fighting on foot (Psalm 18:29, 33), since later kings soon took up chariots (cf. I Kings 22:34; II Kings 9:21), which were introduced on a large scale by Solomon. (Kidner, Psalms 1-72 (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), 90)

The psalm’s superscription states that the psalm documents “the day that the Lord delivered him [David] from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” This heading is highly irregular.

Samuel Terrien (1911-2002) informs:

The editor of the Davidic Psalter not only attributed Psalm 18 in its totality to David but also assigned it to a concrete situation without parallel elsewhere in the completed Psalter. Instead of a specific episode in the life of the young monarch, as was the case in most of the other David superscriptions (Psalms 3, 7, 34, 51-52, 54, 56-57, 59-60, 63; cf. 142), this notice covers all the king’s victories during Saul’s pursuits (II Samuel 5:5-25, 15:1-21:22). The psalm is called “canticle” or “chant” (cf. Deuteronomy 31:30), and the poet insists on the exceptional quality of the singer, whom he names “the servant of the Lord” (cf. Psalm 36:1, 144:10; cf. also “Moses, man of God”; Deuteronomy 33:1). (Terrien, The Psalms: Strophic Structure and Theological Commentary, Volume 1: Psalms 1-72 (Eerdmans Critical Commentary), 196)

Given this context, the psalm is sung as a sigh of relief after the singer has emerged victorious following a long struggle. It functions much the same way as the 1997 ubiquitous Chumbawamba hit “Tubthumping” whose hook is preceded by, “We’ll be singing when we’re winning!”

In recounting the Lord’s assistance, the psalm transitions from defense (Psalm 18:16-19) to attack when David exclaims:

For by You I can run upon a troop;
And by my God I can leap over a wall. (Psalm 18:29 NASB)

James Limburg (b. 1935) contextualizes:

Psalm 18:25-30 consists of praise accompanied by instruction. The king speaks of what the Lord has done for his people (Psalm 18:27). Then, with striking imagery and exaggeration, the king tells what the Lord means for his own life: “Lord, you light my lamp, you give me the strength to take on an entire army, with you I can leap over a wall!” (Psalm 18:28-29 paraphrased). (Limburg, Psalms (Westminster Bible Companion), 56)

Peter C. Craigie (1938-1985) supplements:

The psalmist turns to a personal reflection (Psalm 18:28-29), in which he recalls the crisis from which he had sought deliverance, and the deliverance which came. He had almost been trapped by Death and Sheol (Psalm 18:4-5), which are symbolized by darkness, but in that darkness, God had given him light (Psalm 18:28) and had warded off the ultimate darkness of defeat in death. He had been threatened by enemies (Psalm 18:3), but had been enabled by God to attack a greater force (“a troop”) and “scale a wall” (namely the walls of enemy forts or cities, Psalm 18:29). (Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (Word Biblical Commentary), 175)

Some have seen the verse as out of place. Donald K. Berry (b. 1953) acknowledges:

Douglas K. Stuart [b. 1943] recommends that the entire verse be omitted for metrical and semantic reasons. The verse is tenuously connected to the statements which precede and follow it, but omission is somewhat drastic. (Berry, The Psalms and their Readers: Interpretive Strategies for Psalm 18 (Library Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies), 42)

David asserts that, with God’s help, he can “leap” (ASV, ESV, HCSB, KJV, NASB, NKJV, NRSV, RSV), “scale” (NIV, NLT) or “vault” (Robert Alter [b. 1935], MSG) a wall (Psalm 18:29).

The Hebrew word for wall is shûr. Stephen D. Renn researches:

Shûr is a noun found in four places, designating a literal wall in each case (cf. Genesis 49:22; Psalm 18:29; II Samuel 22:30; Job 24:11). (Renn, Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew And Greek Texts, 1025)

Colin J. Humphreys (b. 1941) infers:

The Hebrew word translated “wall” here is shur, and clearly it means a high wall that the psalmist can climb with the help of God, not a low wall he can easily step over. (Humphreys, The Miracles of Exodus: A Scientist’s Discovery of the Extraordinary Natural Causes of the Biblical Stories, 210)

Because of this presumption, The Message paraphrases the word as “highest fences” (Psalm 18:29 MSG).

Eugene H. Peterson (b. 1932) titled his “Reflections on the Life of David”, Leap over a Wall because he felt that Psalm 18:29 typified the king’s entire life. Peterson characterizes:

The image of David vaulting the wall catches and holds my attention. David running, coming to a stone wall, and without hesitation leaping the wall and continuing on his way—running toward Goliath, returning from Saul, pursuing God, meeting Jonathan, rounding up stray sheep, whatever, but running. And leaping. Certainly not strolling or loitering...David’s is a most exuberant story. Earthy spirituality characterizes his life and accounts for the exuberance. (Peterson, Leap Over a Wall: Earthy Spirituality for Everyday Christians, 11)

The setting of this particular leaping is a battlefield. Craig C. Broyles (b. 1953) situates:

In this section we have the first clear reference to the psalm’s military context: With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. In contrast to the theophany, which refers only to Yahweh in the third person...this song is dominated by first and second persons (he is used, however, in Psalm 19:30-34). While the theophany gives focus to divine intervention, and a dramatic one at that, this section gives attention to Yahweh’s equipping...and training...of his agent of victory. (Broyles, Psalms (Understanding the Bible Commentary Series), 106)

Konrad Schaefer (b 1951) compiles:

God instructs and equips the psalmist for military triumph: a belt of strength, safe passages, fleetness of foot (“like the feet of a deer”), a stronghold out of reach, amazing strength (to “bend a bow of bronze”), and training for battle (Psalm 18:31-35). Military vocabulary and images are preferred as the situation unfolds (Psalm 18:36-42). In an attack and allied victory, the psalmist pulverizes the enemy (Psalm 18:42). (Schaefer, Psalms (Berit Olam: Studies in Hebrew Narrative And Poetry), 43)

William P. Brown (b. 1958) concurs:

In Psalm 18, the king can “run over a wall” (Psalm 18:29); he is girded with “strength”; his way is “perfect” (Psalm 18:32); and his “stride” is “lengthened” (Psalm 18:36). Such qualities, among others, establish the king’s prowess in combat (see also Psalm 18:33-34). (Brown, The Psalms (Interpreting Biblical Texts))

Allen P. Ross (b. 1943) analyzes:

Psalm 18:29 says, “By you I can run against a troop,” (a synecdoche, referring to all kinds of conflict in warfare). The second half of the verse may also refer to some aspect of war, although the idea is not readily clear: “I can leap over a wall” (perhaps escaping; see I Samuel 23:2). (Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 1: 1-41 (Kregel Exegetical Library), 454)

Many interpreters see the wall being leaped as reflecting David’s ability to penetrate enemy defenses.

The image depicted is that of a divinely inspired warrior. As such the Contemporary English Version paraphrases: “You help me defeat armies and capture cities” (Psalm 18:29 CEV). A more modern exemplar of Psalm 18:29 is Sergeant Alvin C. York (1887-1964), a Christian who merited the Medal of Honor during World War I for his individual exploits during an assault on October 8, 1918.

Given the indeterminate superscription, the psalm may not refer to any particular battle. Michael Wilcock (b. 1932) speculates:

The effects of grace, God’s undeserved goodness to such people, are to bring light into their life and (what is more) to keep it burning, and to provide the very resources which they lack in coping with both people (a troop) and with things (a wall). David is no doubt thinking of some of the achievements which climaxed with his accession to the throne, for instance his defeat of the Amalekite raiders in I Samuel 30:1-20 and his capture of the Jebusite city of Jerusalem in II Samuel 5:6-16. (Wilcock, The Message of Psalms, Volume 1 (The Bible Speaks Today), 66)

Whoever the opponent, David is elated. Willem A. VanGemeren (b. 1943) restates:

In his newfound deliverance, the psalmist expresses a spirit of confident joy. There is no barrier that the Lord cannot overcome, whether it be a “troop” or the wall of an enemy city (Psalm 18:29). The presence of the Lord gives confidence of victory (cf. Joshua 23:10). (Tremper Longman III [b. 1952] and David E. Garland [b. 1947], Psalms: Revised Edition (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary), 209)

Significantly, the psalmist’s confidence does not emanate from within himself but from without in the form of his God (Psalm 18:29; Romans 8:31). John Eaton (b. 1927) elucidates:

In Psalm 18:28-29 the king pictures the effect of his deliverance, and one can easily interpret his hopes as based on the meaning of a foregoing sacrament; God has in symbol ‘saved’ him and confirmed his choice of him, and so the king looks forward to having the divine help in the struggles that lie ahead. In times of darkness God will light his ‘candle’ (the picture will be of a lamp made of a wick set in a saucer of oil). It is a picture of one who has to go through much darkness, but whose little light is sufficient because it is lit by the Lord. Through God this warrior will not fear to run at a whole troop of foes, and a mighty city wall will be no obstacle to him. (Eaton, The Psalms: A Historical and Spiritual Commentary with an Introduction and New Translation (Continuum Biblical Studies), 106)

The king has assurance that God will equip him with whatever skills he may need, even superhuman abilities such as Superman’s capacity to “leap tall buildings in a single bound”.

James H. Waltner (1931-2007) summarizes:

The loyal God lights my lamp (Psalm 18:28). In that God-given vitality, the king can crush a troop or scale the wall of a hostile city (Psalm 18:29). With God as enabler, he can do the unthinkable. The concluding assertion states the theme of the whole psalm: This God...is perfect (Psalm 18:30, tāmîm, “whole, integral”). God is totally reliable. (Waltner, Psalms (Believers Church Bible Commentary), 104)

After triumphing over numerous obstacles, David’s faith is soaring. The king’s assertion that he can leap over walls is a precursor to Paul’s famous declaration, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13 NASB).

What is the highest you have ever leapt? Have you ever felt as though you could “leap over a wall” with God’s assistance? What historical figures have illustrated Psalm 18:29 by exceeding their natural limitations? Who receives the credit for your successes? At what point in your life were you most confident in God’s ability to empower you? Is your life characterized by the joy inherent in Psalm 18:29?

David’s intent in penning the eighteenth psalm is not simply to document an historical victory but to inspire future communities of believers. The king’s military might is a community concern as it affects the entire nation.

Robert Davidson (1927-2012) connects:

On the king’s relationship with God and on his God-given vitality depends the well-being of the whole nation. As a warrior, the king can, with God’s help, successfully lead his army into battle. He can storm ramparts...and, taking his enemies by surprise, leap over a defensive wall. (Davidson, The Vitality of Worship: A Commentary on the Book of Psalms, 68)

J. Clinton McCann, Jr. (b. 1951) interprets:

If Psalm 18 is viewed simply as a royal psalm of thanksgiving used by David or one of his descendants upon the occasion of military victory, then it must be viewed essentially as a literary artifact—an interesting museum piece, but not something for contemporary handling and use. Taking a clue from Erhard S. Gerstenberger [b. 1932], however, the interpreter may move in a different direction. Gerstenberger’s proposal that Psalm 18 was intended “to keep hope alive in hard-pressed Jewish communities” is all the more likely when we consider that, in some post-exilic circles, the promises attached to the Davidic monarchy were applied to the whole community...The circumstances and faith of the psalmist, as well as the intent of Psalm 18 to keep hope alive, are captured in Jesus’ parting words to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid...I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 14:27, 16:33 NRSV). (1 & 2 Maccabees, Introduction to Hebrew Poetry, Job, Psalms (New Interpreter’s Bible), 749)

Many have been encouraged by David’s experience. Herbert Lockyer, Sr. (1886-1934) documents:

This portion of Scripture was the constant source of inspiration of the Scottish Covenanters...Walter Scott [1771-1832] has embodied in his novels the influence of the Psalms in their lives. It was a Psalm that nerved Manse Headrigg to leap her horse over a wall, Psalm 18:29. (Lockyer, Psalms: A Devotional Commentary, 65)

It continues to provide hope for modern believers. Robert L. Alden (1937-1996) confesses:

Psalm 18:29b is one of this writer’s favorite testimony verses. It comes to mind whenever a human impossibility is faced. “By my God I can leap over a wall!” Joshua and the people of Israel did it literally at Jericho. David and his army did it at Jerusalem. Why can’t we? (Alden, Psalms, Volume 1: Songs of Devotion (Everyman’s Bible Commentary), 47-48)

William R. Taylor (1882-1951) generalizes:

Our possibilities, both of mind and body, are far greater than we realize. It is recorded of an athlete that when he was fifteen, he jumped over a five-barreled gate—a feat he never afterward equaled—because he was then chased by a bull. Fear drew out his latent power. If fear can be so great an incentive, how much more may love be? The stories of the martyrs and heroes provide the answers. (George A. Buttrick [1892-1980], Psalms, Proverbs (The Interpreter’s Bible), 99)

It is worth noting that God assists the believer as opposed to eliminating the obstacle. Even David, God’s anointed, does not claim that the wall is flattened, only that God has empowered him to move past it.

When have you been inspired by the triumphs of believers that have preceded you? What is the greatest thing you have accomplished “by” God? What walls do you need to leap over? When you pray, do you pray for your walls to be flattened or the ability to hurdle them? As God did not remove the wall before David, does this imply that there is value in our trials?

“It is not by my own strength but in my God that I shall leap over the wall which sins have built between humankind and the heavenly Jerusalem.” - Augustine of Hippo (354-430), Expositions of the Psalms 1-32 (Works of Saint Augustine, Vol. III, No. 15), p. 194

Psalm 100, Worship 101

Complete: “Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence ____________!” With singing

Situated in Book IV of the Psalter, Psalm 100 is one of the Bible’s most beloved hymns. The short composition is comprised of only five verses (Psalm 100:1-5). The psalm offers both an invitation (Psalm 100:1) and a reason to worship: God is worthy (Psalm 100:5).

The hymn, tailor made for a call to worship, is still in use. The standard hymn tune “Old 100th” is associated with this psalm due to a famous paraphrase by William Kethe (d. 1594) entitled “All People that on Earth do Dwell”. J. Clinton McCann, Jr. (b. 1951) calls this metrical version “the banner hymn of the Reformed tradition” (McCann, New Interpreter’s Bible: 1 & 2 Maccabees, Job, Psalms (Volume 4), 1079).

Beth LaNeel Tanner (b. 1959) lauds:

Psalm 100 is the best known psalm in the Christian church, especially in the form with words by Thomas Ken in the Doxology. While beautiful in its own way, the words of the song do not have the same powerful imagery of movement and praise as the psalm. (Tanner, The Psalms for Today, 83)

Psalm 100 is the first of a series of four psalms with a superscription and the only psalm whose heading identifies it with the word “thanksgiving”. It famously begins by echoing Psalm 98:4’s universal summons to all the earth.

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. (Psalm 100:1 NASB)

Unlike many psalms, there is no shift in mood. The hymn opens in jubilation and maintains its exultant tone throughout.

The short poem has two movements, featuring two calls to worship (Psalm 100:1-2, 4). John Eaton (b. 1927) explains:

As regards structure, the pattern is the same as that of Psalm 95:1-7: call to praise (Psalm 100:1-2) and reason (Psalm 100:3); further call to praise (Psalm 100:4) and reason (Psalm 100:5)...Our psalm will thus have belonged to the same context in the autumn festival as its immediate predecessors. (Eaton, Psalms: A Historical and Spiritual Commentary with an Introduction and New Translation (Continuum Biblical Studies), 349)

Herbert W. Bateman IV (b. 1955) and D. Brent Sandy (b. 1947) concur:

The psalmist begins with a call to universal praise (Psalm 100:1-2), reasoning that God’s power alone has created the covenant community (Psalm 100:3). Second, he calls his readers to praise again (Psalm 100:4), reasoning that God’s covenant faithfulness is unending (Psalm 100:5). (Bateman and Sandy, Interpreting the Psalms for Teaching & Preaching, 41)

Many have speculated that the song was originally used in a temple procession with some theorizing that the two calls to worship corresponded to two movements in the march. Samuel L. Terrien (1911-2002) posits:

The singing of praise and thanksgiving is to be intoned in the presence of the Lord, after the portals of the temple are opened. Presumably, the congregation is still marching up toward the sacred hill. (Terrien, The Psalms: Strophic Structure and Theological Commentary (Eerdmans Critical Commentary), 690)

Though short, the song is replete with instruction concerning the nature of worship. James Luther Mays (b. 1921) informs:

Psalm 100 is an introductory hymn in two ways, liturgical and theological. Its liturgical subject is the movement into the presence of God, the first and fundamental human act that constitutes worship. Its theological purpose is to incorporate into a hymn to accompany that movement that the first and fundamental characteristics of the worship of the LORD. Psalm 100 initiates worship and sets forth a theology of worship. (Mays, Psalms (Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching), 317)

Beth LaNeel Tanner (b. 1959) consents:

The psalm is dominated by the seven imperative verbs that call the congregation to shout, serve, come before, know, enter, give thanks, and bless. There are movement and voice and expression and learning, demonstrating how one can praise God will all one’s might. (Tanner, The Psalms for Today, 83-84)

Psalm 100:2 instructs its audience to gladly serve/worship and to come into God’s presence in song.

Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing. (Psalm 100:2 NASB)

The use of the Hebrew ‘abad is instructive. The word is translated as either “serve” (ASV, ESV, HCSB, KJV, NASB, NKJV, RSV) or “worship” (CEV, NIV, NLT, NRSV). It occurs only twice in the Psalter and it is fitting that it is embedded here, immediately following Psalms 93-99, a unit which proclaims God’s kingship.

J. Clinton McCann, Jr. (b. 1951) explains:

Because both “worship” and “serve” are appropriate translations of the Hebrew that begins Psalm 100:2, it is fitting that many Protestants ordinarily designate an occasion for worship as a “worship service.” Strictly speaking, the phrase may be redundant; but it has the advantage of communicating the reality that worship is essentially a public profession of submission to God and God’s purposes for our lives and the life of the world. (Carol M. Bechtel [b. 1959], Touching the Altar: The Old Testament for Christian Worship (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies), 166)

John Goldingay (b. 1942) concurs:

In English, talk about church services is a dead metaphor, and that is partly so when the Old Testament uses ‘ābad...Yet the verb does point to the fact that worshiping Yhwh involves a serious submission of the whole self. It involves the words of the mouth (Psalm 100:1a) and the feelings of the heart (“with joy”; it is a strange kind of servitude that is offered with joy). But it is not confined to words and feelings. The verb implies that worship is done for God’s sake and not for ours; servants serve their master; not themselves. And the fact that serving God mostly takes place outside worship also hints that there needs to be some coherence between what happens in worship and what happens outside. (Goldingay, Psalms (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms), 135)

Richard J. Foster (b. 1942) concludes, “As worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience. If worship does not propel us into greater obedience, it has not been worship (Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, 173).”

The song next advocates entering God’s presence with singing. The Message paraphrases Psalm 100:2b, “Sing yourselves into his presence”. Worship leader Bob Kauflin (b. 1955) affirms, “The psalmists model numerous ways we can express our affections toward God to magnify his greatness, all of which can be reflected in our songs (Kauflin, Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God, 65).”

Robert Alter (b. 1935) specifies, “The Hebrew preposition...has the sense of “His presence.” The spatial reference is to the temple, where God’s presence is conceived to dwell, an idea that will be developed in Psalm 100:4 (Alter, The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary, 348).”

Walter D. Zorn (b. 1943) adds:

This is the first use of the word for “come” (Psalm 100:2b) or “enter (Psalm 100:4a) – same word in Hebrew...The language is taken from how people were given an audience with human kings (cf. I Samuel 10:24; II Samuel 14:3, 15, 15:2; Esther 4:11-16, 8:1). (Zorn, Psalms Volume 2 (The College Press NIV Commentary: Old Testament Series), 237)

We are too approach God with at least the same reverence one would a human authority figure.

How do you approach God? Do you enter God’s presence with singing? Does your Sunday worship extend throughout the week? How should worship begin? What role does music play in worship? Is it a necessary component? With what attitude do you worship?

Artur Weiser (1893-1978) reminds:

The call to worship...in Psalm 100:2 is addressed to the congregation assembled in the Temple. It expresses the motive and the aim and at the same time the spirit of the ‘service’ rendered to God in worship, that is, enthusiastic joy in the presence of God. The note of a joy that is utterly devoted to God and leaves behind it every earthly sorrow that may burn the heart is not only reflected in the opening verses but resounds through the whole psalm. (Weiser, The Psalms: A Commentary (The Old Testament Library), 646)

Hans-Joachim Kraus (1918-2000) adds:

The worship of God at the festival began with the call, “Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” (Psalm 100:2). Thus worship in Israel was characterized by joy. To serve God means in cultic terms to come before his face, to praise him, laud him, and honor him. (Kraus, Theology of the Psalms (Continental Commentaries), 91)

Rick Warren (b. 1954) advises:

Because God wants our worship to be a celebration, we cultivate an atmosphere of gladness and joy. Too many church services resemble a funeral more than a festival...Worship is a delight, not a duty. (Warren, The Purpose Driven Church: Growth Without Compromising Your Message & Mission, 271)

What can you glean about worship from Psalm 100? Do you worship God joyfully? Do you joyfully serve the Lord?

“The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express the same delight in God which made David dance.” - C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), Reflections on the Psalms, p. 45