Living Stream Ministry

I. ACCORDING TO THE LAW GIVEN BY GOD
ALONGSIDE THE CENTRAL LINE OF HIS ECONOMY

David’s concept in these psalms is according to the law given by God alongside the central line of His economy. God has an economy, and in God’s economy there is a central line. This central line is Christ to be enlarged to have a counterpart, that is, His church. Thus, Christ and the church are the central line of God’s economy. But David’s concept in Psalms 9—14 was not along this line. David’s concept was according to the law, a subsidiary line that goes along with the central line. The law is not the central line. The law is a side line going along with the central line.

II. BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF GOOD AND EVIL—
THE PRINCIPLE OF THE TREE
OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL

David’s concept in these psalms is also based upon the principle of good and evil—the principle of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:9). These psalms show that David was full of the knowledge of good and evil. I would even say that in these psalms David himself was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Now I would like us to consider what kind of "tree" we are. We all should be able to declare that we are the tree of life. We should not be those who minister good and evil to others. Instead we should always minister Christ as life. Since I began to minister in the United States in 1962, all of my messages have been in the principle of the tree of life.

III. CONCERNING GOD’S JUDGMENT
ON DAVID’S ENEMIES AMONG THE NATIONS

Psalm 9 reveals David’s concept concerning God’s judgment on David’s enemies among all the nations.

A. God Sitting
upon the Throne as the King
to Judge the World in Righteousness
and with Equity

David said that God sits upon the throne as the King to judge the world in righteousness and with equity (Psa. 9:4, 7-8). We may feel that this word is good, but we need to consider it in the light of the New Testament. In the New Testament, we are told that Christ is the King, even the Ruler of all the kings (Rev. 1:5; 19:16), sitting on the throne not to judge but to save. Today we have a saving King. Acts 5:31 says that God uplifted Christ to His right hand that He may be the Leader and the Savior. David’s thought is that his God is the King on the throne to judge—not to save the world in mercy and grace but to judge the world in righteousness and with equity. With equity simply means with justice. The whole world is neither righteous nor just, so David had a good concept that the One who is sitting on the throne judges in righteousness and with justice. But this concept is according to the law and according to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

(Life-Study of Psalms, Chapter 6, by Witness Lee)