Psalm 25 Devotional [10]:

A Psalm of David.

12 What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

Exposition:
Previously we saw the divine qualification of the Christian and the manner in which he is called, “such as keep his covenant and his testimonies” and this is as much to say that the true Christian believes that which God teaches in His word, for we are those who “keep His covenant” and eschew idolatry and false opinions of God. This is why David in this same Psalm says, “lead me in thy truth” and “the meek will He teach His way” and again, “he will show them His covenant”. Therefore inasmuch as God hast truly condescended to us mortals of low degree, who were by nature sinners, and declared unto us His will for our salvation in His word, so we believe that which is spoken in holy Scripture pertaining to our salvation and trust that the LORD will effectually deliver us from sin, death, the devil and all dangers even as He hath promised. We are moreover characterized by obedience, and are called here, “such as keep His testimonies” which denotes practical observation of God’s revealed will. Just as we are found walking in the way of obedience, so we are found understanding the way in which we walk. A Christian knows the import of the doctrine of the law, that it does not save, yet we are bound to keep it. We are rewarded according to it, but not because of our own ability or merit. We keep it personally, but not perfectly. God forgives all our sin, and accounts not our transgressions to our account, yet we pay close attention to keep from the way of evil. Therefore the Christian believes God and understands his duty before Him. This is what is meant by “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.” we should also note the succeeding verses, for they are full of matter and divine significance. We mentioned before the pleasantness of true religion, in the general context, but here David makes a more particular application saying, “What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.” showing in more precise language many of the principles we have already talked about, openly declaring God to take care of us to such a degree as to make our life supremely pleasant. Now there are many things we might say pertaining to the pleasantness of true religion, but the most important is taken from the words themselves. “His soul shall dwell at ease.” Just as it says in Romans, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” and again, “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” showing the universal peace of mind of the Christian who is walking according to truth. As the Confession also states, “Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and estate of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish: yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in a state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed.”

John Calvin,
By again recalling to his mind the character in which God manifests himself towards his servants, he derives new strength and courage. For we have said, that nothing more readily occurs than a relaxation in earnest and attentive prayer, unless it be sustained by the recollection of God’s promises. There can, however, be no doubt, that David both accuses himself, and by entertaining a better hope, takes encouragement to continue in the fear of God. In the first place, by intimating that men are destitute of right understanding and sound judgment, because they yield not themselves to be governed by God with reverence and fear, he imputes it to his own indolence, that by reason of the darkness of his mind, he had wandered so far astray after his own lusts; and yet, on the other hand, he promises himself the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit, if he only yield himself wholly to God, and show that he is willing to learn. Moreover, the interrogatory style of speaking, which he here employs, seems designed to show how few there are who fear God: for, although all men in general pray, and manifest some appearance of piety, yet where is there one among so many who is really in earnest? Instead of this, almost all men indulge themselves in their own drowsiness. The fear of God, therefore, is very rare; and on this account it is that the world, for the most part, continues destitute of the Spirit of counsel and wisdom. David therefore says, that although men know not what is right, and what they ought to choose, yet provided they submit to God with pious docility of mind, and are willing to follow him, he will always manifest himself towards them as a sure and faithful guide. As, however, the fear of God is not naturally in us, it were foolish for any man to argue from this place, that God does not begin to take care of men until, by their own previous efforts, they insinuate themselves into his favor, that he may aid them in their pious endeavors. David has just declared, that this grace comes directly from God, when he says that God teaches the transgressors: and now he adds, in the second place, that after men have once been subdued and moulded to meekness of spirit, God still takes them under his charge, guiding and directing them till they are able, by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, to know what is their duty.

Matthew Henry,
His soul shall dwell at ease, shall lodge in goodness, marg. Those that devote themselves to the fear of God, and give themselves to be taught of God, will be easy, if it be not their own fault. The soul that is sanctified by the grace of God, and, much more, that is comforted by the peace of God, dwells at ease. Even when the body is sick and lies in pain, yet the soul may dwell at ease in God, may return to him, and repose in him as its rest. Many things occur to make us uneasy, but there is enough in the covenant of grace to counterbalance them all and to make us easy. 3. He will give to them and theirs as much of this world as is good for them: His seed shall inherit the earth. Next to our care concerning our souls is our care concerning our seed, and God has a blessing in store for the generation of the upright. Those that fear God shall inherit the earth, shall have a competency in it and the comfort of it, and their children shall fare the better for their prayers when they are gone.

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Opening Prayer.

Lesson 31. [1.2.8.] The Contents of Holy Scripture. Pt. 8. The Histories: Judges.

Westminster Confession of Faith 1.2
Under the name of holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments,
All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.

Intro. Judges 1-3

Lesson.

1. Survey.

The book of Judges is the second historical book in the Old Testament canon, following Joshua. It records the period between Israel’s conquest of the land and the rise of monarchy, a time marked by spiritual decline, civil disorder, and repeated apostasy. The title refers not to courtroom judges, but to divinely appointed deliverers raised up by the Lord to rescue Israel from oppression and restore a measure of order and righteousness.

Samuel is traditionally regarded as the inspired author or final compiler of Judges, according to conservative scholarship and Jewish tradition. This is fitting, as Samuel’s own life bridges the lawless days of the judges and the dawning of the monarchy. The concluding refrain—“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes”—suggests the book was written from the vantage point of an established monarchy, looking back upon the anarchy that preceded it.

Judges spans a period of roughly 350 years (from c. 1400–1050 BC), beginning after the death of Joshua and ending just prior to the establishment of Saul’s reign. In this era, Israel repeatedly broke covenant with God, forsook His law, and mingled with the idolatrous nations they failed to expel. God, in turn, gave them over to judgment through foreign oppressors, only to raise up deliverers when they cried out in distress.

In the canon of Scripture, Judges is part of the Former Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and belongs to the Historical Books in the Christian ordering. As such, it is a continuation of the redemptive history begun in the Pentateuch and carried forward in Joshua, tracing the outworking of the covenant blessings and curses declared in Deuteronomy.

In terms of progressive revelation, Judges serves to expose the moral and spiritual depravity of fallen man left to himself. It illustrates Westminster Confession chapter 6, that “man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation.” It also prepares the reader for the necessity of a righteous ruler and foreshadows the office of Christ as King (cf. WCF 8.1, 8.9), who alone is able to subdue His people unto Himself and rule them in righteousness.

Above all, Judges is not simply a national tragedy, but a theological testimony: it shows the mercy of God to an undeserving people, the justness of His judgments, and the necessity of looking to Him alone for salvation. The repeated raising up of deliverers prefigures the greater Deliverer to come, Jesus Christ, who shall reign not merely for a season, but for ever.

2. Structure.

I. Prologue: Israel’s Failure and Decline (1:1–3:6)

1:1–2:5 – Incomplete Conquest and Compromise

Israel fails to fully drive out the nations as commanded.

2:6–3:6 – Spiritual Declension and the Pattern of Apostasy

A theological introduction summarizing the cycle: sin, servitude, supplication, salvation, relapse.

II. The Judges and Their Deliverances (3:7–16:31)

This is the central portion of the book, marked by successive cycles of rebellion and rescue.

Twelve judges are mentioned, though some receive fuller treatment than others.

A. The Six Major Judges (with fuller narratives):

Othniel (3:7–11)

Ehud (3:12–30)

Deborah and Barak (4:1–5:31)

Gideon (6:1–8:35)

Jephthah (10:6–12:7)

Samson (13:1–16:31)

B. The Six Minor Judges (briefly noted):

Shamgar (3:31)

Tola (10:1–2)

Jair (10:3–5)

Ibzan (12:8–10)

Elon (12:11–12)

Abdon (12:13–15)

These accounts display the increasing spiritual and moral degradation of the nation and even of the judges themselves.

III. Epilogue: Religious and Moral Chaos (17:1–21:25)

This epilogue is composed of two extended narratives that stand apart from the earlier judge-deliverer cycles. Notably, no judge is mentioned. These chapters instead are a window into Israel’s inner corruption — not merely external oppression, but internal lawlessness.

“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 17:6; 21:25).

This saying, repeated four times in this section, is the interpretive key.

I. Chapters 17–18: Religious Corruption – The Idolatry of Micah and the Migration of Dan

The Idolatry and Apostasy of the Tribe of Dan

(Judges 17–18)

1. Dan’s Failure to Conquer Their Allotted Inheritance

The tribe of Dan was originally given territory west of Benjamin, near the Philistine strongholds (cf. Joshua 19:40–48). However, in Judges 1:34, we read:

“And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley.”

Rather than trusting in the LORD and driving out the Amorites, Dan chose to abandon their inheritance and seek easier conquest elsewhere. This was not a matter of strategic relocation, but an act of unbelief and covenant-breaking. The land had been promised; their failure was not due to strength of the enemy, but lack of faith.

This is the first transgression: rejecting God’s appointment in favour of self-chosen ease.

2. Micah’s Idolatry and the Levite for Hire

In Judges 17, we meet Micah, an Ephraimite who makes a graven image and teraphim (household gods), and sets up a private shrine. He consecrates one of his sons as priest, until a wandering Levite from Bethlehem comes by, whom he hires:

“Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest” (17:13).

Micah combines the name of the LORD with images, thereby creating a syncretistic religion. His faith is not in God’s Word, but in the external presence of a Levite and ritualism. It is superstition cloaked in piety.

3. The Danites Steal the Idols and the Priest

In Judges 18, five Danite spies stumble upon Micah’s house and inquire of the Levite-priest whether their journey will prosper. The priest replies without consulting God:

“Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go” (18:6).

Later, six hundred armed Danites return, steal Micah’s idol, ephod, and household gods, and persuade the Levite to join them:

“Is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?” (18:19)

The Levite gladly joins them, proving his unfaithfulness and worldliness. This is a portrait of religious mercenary work, where ministry is driven by influence and compensation, not truth.

This further reveals the decay of the Levitical office, which had once stood between God and Israel in holiness (cf. Deut. 33:8–10).

4. The Founding of an Idolatrous Sanctuary in Laish

The Danites conquer Laish, a peaceful city in the north, far from the original tribal territories. There they establish a false sanctuary:

“And they set them up Micah’s graven image… all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh” (18:31). (cf. Josh. 18:1)

Note the tragic contrast: Shiloh was the place appointed by God (cf. Deut. 12), where the Ark of the Covenant dwelt. Yet the Danites set up an alternate centre of worship, contrary to God’s command, and there it remained for generations.

This act amounts to an early schism, a proto-Bethel, anticipating the divided kingdom and the golden calves of Jeroboam (1 Kgs. 12:28–30). Dan would later be associated with idolatry and omitted from the list of tribes in Revelation 7 — a possible sign of judgment.

This episode reveals the collapse of priestly order and worship, directly violating the Mosaic law (Deut. 12). The Levites were meant to teach and guide in holiness, but here they sell their ministry. The tribe of Dan, rather than repenting, chooses comfort over obedience. This anticipates the golden calves at Dan and Bethel under Jeroboam centuries later (1 Kgs 12:29–30).

II. Chapters 19–21: Moral Collapse – The Outrage at Gibeah and the Civil War Against Benjamin

A Levite’s concubine is raped and killed by the men of Gibeah in Benjamin, echoing the wickedness of Sodom (Gen. 19).

The Levite dismembers her body and sends the pieces to the tribes, inciting outrage.

Israel demands justice; Benjamin defends Gibeah, leading to a civil war.

Benjamin is nearly annihilated. Afterward, Israel grieves and takes rash oaths, leading to further compromise and abduction to preserve Benjamin’s survival.

This account demonstrates the utter collapse of justice, restraint, and covenant identity in Israel. Gibeah, an Israelite city, becomes a second Sodom. The Levite, though wronged, acts with cold calculation and displays little genuine grief. The tribes themselves respond with ungoverned passion, leading to vows, bloodshed, and further sin to remedy their earlier decisions.

Why This Forms the Last Section of Judges

It reveals the fruit of Israel’s apostasy.

The earlier narratives showed external oppression due to disobedience. These chapters show the internal corruption that blossoms when there is no king, no priesthood, no reverence.

It prepares the reader for the need of righteous kingship.

By placing these dark stories at the end, the book stirs longing for order, righteousness, and covenantal leadership — ultimately answered not in Saul, or even David, but in Christ the King.

It mirrors Genesis 6:5 and Romans 1:28.

“Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The law was forgotten. The people were ruled by passions. And like Romans 1, God gave them over — to moral, religious, and social degradation.

It ends not with hope from within, but a cry for hope from above.

The final verse: “In those days there was no king in Israel…” leaves the reader waiting for the promise of Deuteronomy 17:14–20 — that one day, a King would come, not according to man’s desire, but after God’s heart.

Key themes:

1. The Repeated Apostasy of Israel

“And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD…” (Judg. 3:12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1)

Doctrinal:

Original sin and man’s natural corruption (WCF 6.2–4).

Man, left to himself, always turns from God. The cycle of rebellion proves depravity is not occasional, but habitual.

Practical:

Be not forgetful of God when you are brought to the enjoyment of this life and present rest.

Guard your heart from the ways of the world.

2. The Judgment of God

“The anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies…” (Judg. 2:14)

Doctrinal:

God is righteous and just to chastise sin (WCF 5.5; 11.5).

His judgments are holy, not arbitrary. National infidelity brings covenant retribution (Lev. 26; Deut. 28).

Practical:

Examine yourself when under chastiement whether there be known sin. Laziness, indifference, coldness in religion, lack of effort in known duty.

3. The Mercy of God

“Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges…” (Judg. 2:16)

“His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.” (Judg. 10:16)

Doctrinal:

God is longsuffering and merciful to His elect (WCF 3.5; 14.3).

Even in judgment, He remembers mercy.

Practical:

Be thanksful for the Lord Jesus Christ the true Judge and Deliverer.

5. God’s Use of Weak and Unexpected Instruments

“The LORD sold them… and the LORD raised up Ehud…” (Judg. 3:15)

“The LORD delivered Sisera into the hand of a woman.” (Judg. 4:9)

Doctrinal:

God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).

He chooses the foolish to shame the wise (1 Cor. 1:27).

Practical:

Do not despair because you are weak in faith, and not adorned with many great works or a high office. Wait on the Lord and He will perform His word through weakness.

Christ in the Book of Judges

1. Christ as the True Deliverer

Each judge in the book is a temporary saviour, raised up by God to deliver His people from physical oppression. These judges—flawed, inconsistent, and often morally compromised—highlight the insufficiency of earthly redeemers and cause us to long for one who shall deliver not only from men, but from sin, Satan, and death itself.

Shadow:

“Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges…” (Judg. 2:16)

Substance:

“And thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21)

WCF 8.1: “It pleased God… to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man, the Prophet, Priest, and King…”

2. Christ Foreshadowed in Specific Judges

While none of the judges are Christ themselves, many typify aspects of His office:

Othniel (Judg. 3:9): The first deliverer, spirit-empowered—Christ as the firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18).

Ehud (Judg. 3:15): Brings unexpected deliverance—Christ’s victory comes by the cross, unexpected to the world (1 Cor. 1:23).

Deborah and Barak (Judg. 4): Christ upholds both justice and mercy—like Deborah’s counsel and Barak’s obedience.

Gideon (Judg. 6–8): Raised up in weakness; God makes him mighty—so too Christ was made low, yet conquered.

Jephthah (Judg. 11): Rejected by his brethren, yet becomes deliverer—Christ came unto His own, and His own received Him not (John 1:11).

Samson (Judg. 13–16): His birth is announced by an angel, and he dies destroying the enemy—Christ’s death crushes the head of the serpent.

“Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me…” (Judg. 13:6)

This angelic announcement of Samson’s birth is a clear type of the Incarnation narrative (Luke 1:26–35).

3. Christ as King in Contrast to “There Was No King”

The repeated phrase, “In those days there was no king in Israel,” (Judg. 17:6; 21:25) points prophetically to the coming of a righteous King—fulfilled not in Saul or David ultimately, but in Christ the King.

“Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power…” (Psalm 110:3)

“Behold, thy King cometh unto thee…” (Zech. 9:9; fulfilled in Matt. 21:5)

The sanctified longing for righteous rule, for justice, for peace, and for deliverance is answered fully in Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16).

4. Christ as Covenant Keeper and Intercessor

Though Israel constantly breaks the covenant, God remembers mercy and raises up a deliverer. This covenant faithfulness finds its fulfilment in Christ, who keeps the covenant on behalf of His people and intercedes for them.

“And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD…” (Judg. 3:9, 4:3, 6:7)

“He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Heb. 7:25)

Even the crying out of Israel is a shadow of the elect’s spiritual cry for deliverance—answered perfectly in Christ.

5. Christ as Judge of All the Earth

In Judges, human judges fail to keep order or reform the hearts of the people. But in Christ, we see the final Judge—just, wise, and incorruptible.

“The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (John 5:22)

“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25)

Thus the Book of Judges ends in failure, but it prepares the soul to wait for Christ the Righteous, who shall not only deliver, but reign forever in holiness and truth.

Conclusion.

Closing Prayer.

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/v6PuzPZN-dE