[aron]

I feel that there is a something in David’s experience of Psalm 56 that anticipates Jesus Christ. And I would like to use part of Psalm 27 to highlight this common theme.

Here are some verses from Psalm 27:

11 Teach me your way, LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

27:11 has a “straight path” versus “oppressors” who lie in wait. “Narrow is the path of salvation” indeed! Then verse 12 has foes and false witnesses rising up. In addition to physical violence, treachery is common in the Psalms: the betrayal of Saul, or of Absalom, and so many more! The Philistines are sufficient to end a man’s life (e.g. heading of Psalm 56: “When the Philistines seized him in Gath”), much more being “wounded in the house of my friends” (Zech 13:6)! The “false witnesses accusing” occurs to Jesus numerous times in the gospels, especially in the trial scenes: see Matt 26:59 and Mark 14:56.

Now look at Psalm 27:13: “I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” Again, you have Jesus, coming from the Father, living in “the land of death”, and anticipating his return to the “land of the living.” I know that “light” is not specifically mentioned here, but “darkness” and “death” are near-synonymous parallels, as are “light” and “life”, so I believe it is understood.

Jesus in eternity has Property A, comes to earth, where there is none, displays and even personifies Property A, and eventually returns, Property A intact, to the kingdom of Property A. This kingdom is “the land of the living”. David’s continuous experience of violent warfare is a picture par excellence of his seed Jesus.

Even David knew this. Samuel had promised him that the seed of his loins would possess the eternal kingdom. See Peter’s remarks in Acts 2:30 for example. David was both consciously and unconsciously anticipating the One who was coming. “The one who is coming after me, is greater than me, because he was before me.” (John 1:30)

That is why David in spirit called him Lord, saying, “The LORD said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I put all your enemies under your feet.” (Psalm 110:1, cf Matt 22:44). Jesus was the light of the world (John 8:12), and told his disciples to walk in the light (John 12:35).

So what does the ministry of the age, in its RecV, have to say about Psalm 56? “In this Psalm David trusted in God and enjoyed God in His delivering him from death and stumbling (1-4, 8-13). At the same time, he asked God to cast down his enemies (vv. 5-7).” That’s all Psalm 56 gets: no more.

Casting down his enemies?!? How about "I beheld Satan fall like lightning from heaven"? Or, "The ruler of this world is coming, and in me he has nothing"? Or, "For this reason Jesus Christ came to earth, that he might destroy the works of the devil"?
I would argue that perhaps Jesus the seed of David was simultaneously "enjoying the Father" and fulfilling "Bring my enemies before me and slay them" (Luke 19:27). And so also we in turn: "Do not rejoice that demons are subject to you; rather rejoice that your names are written in the heavens." (Luke 10:20). The battle is raging; praise the Lord and pass the ammo.