Baptist Catechism 83

Q. 83. What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment forbideth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own, or our neighbor’s good name. (Eph. 4:25; Ps. 15:3; 2 Cor. 8:20,21)

Scripture Reading: Psalm 15

“A PSALM OF DAVID. O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.” (Psalm 15, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

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The ninth commandment is, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” Most basically, this commandment forbids lying especially in witness-bearing leading to the unjust treatment of our neighbor. But if we were to reflect more carefully upon this commandment, and if we were to consider all of the ways in which the scriptures tease this commandment out, we would see that this law does, in fact, forbid us from using our tongues in any way that is contrary to the truth. Brothers and sisters, we are to be men and women of the truth. We are to believe what is true, and we are to speak what is true. Anything short of this is sin. 

There is a resource that I would like to introduce you to that might help us to think more deeply about what the ninth commandment forbids, and that is the Westminster Larger Catechism. We use the Baptist Catechism, well, because we are Baptists. It is the Baptist’s version of another catechism called the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which is beloved by the paedobaptist Presbyterians. The two catechisms — the Baptist Catechism and Westminster Shorter Catechism — are very similar. But Presbyterians have another catechism called the Westminster Larger Catechism. It is called by that name because… it is larger. This catechism expands upon the questions and answers of the shorter catechism. To my knowledge, there is no Baptist version of the Larger Catechism, and so I will consult it from time to time for additional insight into our catechism.

I would like to read you the answer to question 145 of Larger Catechism which asks, What are the sins forbidden in the ninth commandment? The answer is much longer than the one given in the Shorter Catechism, and in the Baptist Catechism, but I find it helpful. As I read it greatly expanded my thoughts concerning what the ninth commandment forbids. 

“The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are, all prejudicing the truth, and the good name of our neighbours, as well as our own, (1 Sam. 17:28, 2 Sam. 16:3, 2 Sam. 1:9,10,15–16) especially in public judicature; (Lev. 19:15, Hab. 1:4) giving false evidence, (Prov. 19:5, Prov. 6:16,19) suborning [bribing] false witnesses, (Acts 6:13) wittingly appearing and pleading for an evil cause, out-facing and overbearing the truth; (Jer. 9:3,5, Acts 24:2,5, Ps. 12:3–4, Ps. 52:1–4) passing unjust sentence, (Prov. 17:15, 1 Kings 21:9–14,10–11,13) calling evil good, and good evil; rewarding the wicked according to the work of the righteous, and the righteous according to the work of the wicked; (Isa. 5:23) forgery, (Ps. 119:69, Luke19:8, Luke 16:5–7) concealing the truth, undue silence in a just cause, (Lev. 5:1, Deut. 13:8, Acts 5:3,8–9, 2 Tim. 4:16) and holding our peace when iniquity calleth for either a reproof from ourselves, (1 Kings1:6, Lev. 19:17) or complaint to others; (Isa. 59:4) speaking the truth unseasonably, (Prov. 29:11) or maliciously to a wrong end, (1 Sam. 22:9–10, Ps. 52:1–5) or perverting it to a wrong meaning, (Ps. 56:5, John 2:19, Matt. 26:60–61) or in doubtful or equivocal expressions, to the prejudice of truth or justice; (Gen. 3:5, Gen. 26:7,9) speaking untruth, (Isa. 59:13) lying, (Lev. 19:11, Col. 3:9) slandering, (Ps. 50:20) backbiting, (James 4:11, Jer. 38:4) talebearing, (Lev. 19:16) whispering, (Rom. 1:29–30) scoffing, (Gen. 21:9, Gal. 4:29) reviling, (1 Cor. 6:10) rash, (Matt. 7:1) harsh, (Acts 28:4) and partial censuring; (Gen. 38:24, Rom. 2:1) misconstructing intentions, words, and actions; (Neh. 6:6–8, Rom. 3:8, Ps. 69:10, 1 Sam. 1:13–15, 2 Sam. 10:3) flattering, (Ps. 12:2–3) vain-glorious boasting; (2 Tim. 3:2) thinking or speaking too highly or too meanly of ourselves or others; (Luke 18:9,11, Rom. 12:16, 1 Cor. 4:6, Acts 12:22, Exod. 4:10–14) denying the gifts and graces of God; (Job 27:5,6, Job 4:6) aggravating smaller faults; (Matt. 7:3–5) hiding, excusing, or extenuating of sins, when called to a free confession; (Prov. 28:13, Prov. 30:20, Gen. 3:12–13, Jer. 2:35, 2 Kings 5:25, Gen. 4:9) unnecessary discovering of infirmities; (Gen. 9:22, Prov. 25:9–10) raising false rumors, (Exod. 23:1) receiving and countenancing evil reports, (Prov. 29:12) and stopping our ears against just defense; (Acts 7:56–57, Job 31:13–14) evil suspicion; (1 Cor. 13:5, 1 Tim. 6:4) envying or grieving at the deserved credit of any, (Numb. 11:29, Matt. 21:15) endeavoring or desiring to impair it, (Ezra 4:12–13) rejoicing in their disgrace and infamy; (Jer. 48:27) scornful contempt, (Ps. 35:15–16,21, Matt. 27:28–29) fond admiration; (Jude 16, Acts 12:22) breach of lawful promises; (Rom. 1:31, 2 Tim. 3:3) neglecting such things as are of good report, (1 Sam. 2:24) and practicing, or not avoiding ourselves, or not hindering what we can in others, such things as procure an ill name. (2 Sam. 13:12–13)”

That’s a mouthful. But I think you would agree that it is helpful as we try to comprehend all that the ninth commandment forbids. In brief, the ninth commandment forbids us from using our tongues to promote what is false. And how easy it is for us to stumble in this regard. 

I’m reminded of what James says regarding the tongue: “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.” (James 3:2–12, ESV)

Those who are in Christ and are growing in godliness will strive to bring their tongues under control. They will labor, with God’s help, to use their tongues for good, and not evil, to build up, and not tear down, and to speak the truth, and never what is false. Lord help us in these things. 

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Psalm 15

Psalm 15 calls us to this by asking,  “O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.” (Psalm 15, ESV)

Who has kept this standard perfectly? Who is the one who is worthy to dwell in God’s presence and on God’s holy hill? Not you or me, for we have violated his law in thought, word, and deed. But Christ is worthy. And we are made worthy in him by faith. Having been made worthy, let us now walk worthy. Let us honor God in all things, and even with our tongues.   

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Conclusion 

Q. 83. What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment forbideth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own, or our neighbor’s good name. (Eph. 4:25; Ps. 15:3; 2 Cor. 8:20,21)

New Testament Reading: John 15:1-5

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1–5, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 80

“TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO LILIES. A TESTIMONY. OF ASAPH, A PSALM. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River. Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it. Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself. They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your face! But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself! Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call upon your name! Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!” (Psalm 80, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

In the past, I have noted that the Psalms express the whole range of human emotions. There is a Psalm for every season of life, therefore. And this is one reason why they are so beloved. 

This Psalm is a community lament. It is a strong expression of grief and sorrow offered up to God by the nation of Israel. It is also a cry to God for help and for deliverance from trouble.

And though the situation that prompted the writing of this Psalm is very far removed from us, there is much for us to learn. This Psalm is useful to the people of God in all times and places. Indeed, it should be dear to our hearts and on our lips, especially in times where the people of God are troubled communally, or corporately. For we know that God’s people will, from time to time, experience trials and tribulations, devastation, disappointment, and despair. This Psalm shows us what we are to do in moments like these. We are run to God, who is our Shepherd. We are to come boldly before him, crying out to him for mercy and grace, appealing to his promises, for his names’ sake. 

So what was the situation that prompted the writing of this Psalm? What was the trouble that Israel experienced that produced this impassioned plea/lament? 

Not all commentators agree, but the majority opinion seems to be that this Psalm was written at the time when the northern kingdom of Israel was carried away into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. This Psalm was written and sung in the southern kingdom, therefore. It is a lament concerning the sad state of Israel as a nation. Israel was divided. And the northern tribes had been overrun. This was a prayer for mercy, deliverance, and restoration offered up by the Israelites who remained in the south. 

I think it would be beneficial for me to briefly rehearse the history of Israel so that we might better understand this Psalm, and more effectively put ourselves in the place of the Psalmist and of the original worshippers. Indeed, these were very dark days for Israel.

Israel’s story begins with the call of Abram in approximately 2,000 B.C. God called Abram out from the nations, promised to bless him and to make his name great. He promised to bring a nation from him and to bless all of the nations of the earth through this nation. This is the beginning of the kingdom of Israel.

Abram’s name would be changed to Abraham. He has many sons. And his descendants would eventually go into captivity in Egypt. There they would suffer for a time, but they also grew very numerous. And in approximately 1,450 B.C. God led his people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm through Moses. God entered into a covenant with Israel. It was a covenant of works that promised blessings in the land of Cannan conditioned upon obedience, and threatened exile from the land should they disobey the terms of the covenant. And of course, God’s grace was with them too. The unconditional promises that were made to Abraham concerning salvation in the Messiah were preserved and promoted in this covenant that God transacted with Israel. 

In approximately 1,400 B.C. It was Joshua who would lead the people of Israel into the promised land. The tribes of Israel were at first ruled by judges. But in approximately 1,000 B.C. God set King David on the throne. Israel was united under David. And Israel flourished as a nation for a time. God did also transact a covenant with David. The promises and conditions of this covenant were not altogether unrelated from the promises and conditions of the covenant transacted with Abraham and with Israel in the days of Moses. But the covenant made with David had to do with kingship. In brief, David would be blessed as King over Israel. Kings would descend from him. If they obeyed, they would be blessed. If they disobeyed, God would discipline them. And the unconditional promise was this: a King would descend from David whose kingdom would never come to an end. 

The kingdom of Israel flourished in the days of David. It reached its apex of power and prosperity in the days of King Solomon, David’s son. But sin soon ravaged the kingdom of Israel. And by the year 950 B.C. the kingdom of Israel Israel was already divided with Israel in the north and Judah in the south. 

Israel and Judah were sometimes at peace, and sometimes they were at war. Good and bad Kings would rise and fall. But for the most part, the kings of Israel were evil. In 722 B.C. the northern kingdom fell to the Assyrians. It wouldn’t be until 587 B.C. that the southern kingdom would fall to the Babylonians. Finally, in 538 B.C. some of the captives of Israel began to return to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple which had been destroyed.  

So this Psalm which we are considering today was likely written by someone living in the southern kingdom of Judah at the time of the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians. I would like for you to imagine it? Put yourself there and feel the sorrow along with the fear. Imagine being one of God’s faithful people longing to see the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham, and praying for the flourishing of the nation of Israel. And yet what do you see? You see sin, faithlessness, division, and destruction. Indeed, there would be in your heart a great sadness and a sense of disappointment. And do not forget the fear. If the northern kingdom was overrun, perhaps the southern kingdom would be next!

I’ve asked you to use your imagination to put yourself there in that 722 B.C. setting. But in fact, you may not need to strain too hard with your imagination, for when we look out upon the visible and universal church of God today, we see something very similar — unfaithfulness, division, and devastation. The situations are not identical, of course. Here I am comparing Old Covenant Israel with New Covenant Israel as she appears to our natural eyes. But there are enough similarities that enable us to pick up this Psalm and to sing it as our own in light of the arrival of the Christ and his kingdom. 

Notice that there is a repeated refrain in this Psalm. It is first encountered in verse 3: “Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” And it appears again in verse 7 with a slight alteration. There we read, “Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” Here, God is called “God of hosts”, or God of armies —  a fitting and comforting thought for the people of Israel, given the circumstances. In verses 14 the Psalmist again calls upon the “God of hosts”, but here he says, “Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine…”. And then lastly in verse 19, the Psalm concludes with the refrain: “Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!” The difference here is that God is called, the “LORD God of hosts”.  So the name YHWH is used. And we know that this name for God does emphasize his covenant faithfulness. The God of Israel is the self-existent One. He is the covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. He is faithful. The name YHWH reminds us of this. And so the Psalm concludes with an appeal to the “LORD God of hosts”, the LORD who makes and keeps covenant with his people. 

The repeated phrase “let your face shine” is an echo of the Aaronic blessing found in Numbers 6:24-27. Aaron the priest and his descendants were to bless Israel with these words: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24–27, ESV). So here the Psalmist is praying that God would show favor to Israel. Israel had broken the covenant that God made with them. They were beginning to experience the covenant curses. Here in this repeated refrain, the Psalmist is crying out to God for mercy and grace. He is asking the LORD to save them and to bless them despite their sin.  

As I have said, though our situation differs significantly from the original situation, there is much for us to learn from this Psalm. In particular, this Psalm does teach us how to pray in times of disappointment and despair. I know this congregation well enough to know that you have all experienced times of disappointment and despair. Indeed, some of our beloved members are experiencing such circumstances even now. What shall we do? Where shall we go for comfort? How shall we pray? I do believe this Psalm of lament will help us to know. 

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Run To God As Your Shepherd (vs. 1-3)

Taking our cues from the four refrains mentioned a moment ago, we see that this Psalm is naturally divided into four parts. In verses 1 through 3 we find a prayer for deliverance. And here we learn that in times of trouble — in times of disappointment and despair — it is right for God’s people to run to him as their Shepherd. Dear brothers and sisters, we worship and serve God Almighty. But we must remember that he is like a Shepherd to his people. He is tender and he is near.

Verse 1: “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” (Psalm 80:1–3, ESV)

In the title, This Psalm is said to be “Of Asaph”. It was written, then, by a member of the Asaphian division of the temple choir. The author lived in the southern kingdom, therefore, and ministered in the temple in Jerusalem, which at this time still stood. But his concern was for the northern kingdom. He cries out to God on behalf of Joseph. He then mentions the two northern tribes that descended from Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh. 

The mention of Benjamin has puzzled some. Benjamin was one of the two southern tribes alongside Judah. And some have wondered if this Psalm was indeed written in response to the conquest of the northern kingdom by the Assyrians, why is the southern tribe of Benjamin listed? But I think there is a good reason for it, and it has to do with unity. Yes, Israel was divided north and south. But the Psalmist longs for unity. The Psalmist longs to see Israel united and flourishing. When we consider the twelve sons that descended from Jacob who would become the twelve tribes of Israel, we see that Benjamin was the other son of Rachael besides Joseph. And so, when the Psalmist cries out to God on behalf of Joseph (or, Ephraim and Manasseh as Joseph’s sons) and Benjamin, the unity of Israel is emphasized. In other words, the faithful of God living in the southern kingdom did not rejoice in the division, nor celebrate the destruction of the northern kingdom, but lamented it, and longed to see restoration, revival, and reform.

APPLICATION: I might ask you by way of application, do you have the same concern for God’s kingdom today? Do you long to see the church united and flourishing? Does your heart break to see the sin, faithlessness, division, and devastation of the visible and universal church of Christ? It is right for us to call out to God and to plead with him that he would make his church strong, true, and pure. Indeed, this we are to do daily when we pray, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. 

We are to run to God as our Shepherd, for that is what he is. And now that the Christ has come we can see with even greater clarity that it is so. God is our shepherd, and he has provided salvation for us through the Messiah, who said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:11–15, ESV)

Do not forget, brothers and sisters, that God in Christ is our Shepherd. We are to run into his loving arms, especially in times of disappointment and despair, for he is tender and kind. But we must not forget that he is also strong. And this is why the Psalmist says in verse 2, “stir up your might and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” Here we are reminded that our God is strong and mighty and able to save. We are to run to him in days of difficulty. 

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Bring Your Complaints To Him (vs. 4-7)

Secondly, in verses 4 through 7 we find the Psalmists complaint. And here we learn that in times of difficulty and despair we are invited to bring our complaints to the Lord. 

Now, that word “complaint” might seem inappropriate to some. Truthfully, I hesitated to use it. By no means do I think we have the right to grumble against God. To whine, gripe, and protest against him. That is not what I mean by “complaint”. Rather, by using the word “complaint” I wish to encourage you to come to God in prayer with boldness and honesty concerning your affliction. In times of devastation, disappointment, and despair, God’s people are certainly permitted to moan before God and to plead with for mercy. 

Notice how bold the Psalmist is in verses 4 through 7. “O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!” (Psalm 80:4–7, ESV). 

After reading these verses the word “complaint” does not seem too strong, does it? The Psalmist was bold in prayer. And he does complain, doesn’t he? “O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?”, etc. 

Notice, however, that he does not charge God wrong. Nowhere does he suggest that God has acted unjustly towards the people of Israel. In fact, God was perfectly just and right to judge Israel for their sins. Do not forget the terms of the Mosaic covenant. If the people obeyed God’s law they would be blessed in the land. If the people disobeyed, they would be vomited out of the land. Truly, Israel’s sin was very great. Both King and people walked in wicked ways. God was just to judge them. The Psalmist knew this. Never did he charge God with wrong. But he did bring his complaint to the Lord. He did bring his sorrow. He cried out to the Lord for mercy. And I do believe we are invited to do the same.

In fact, I do think the word “complaint” is appropriate, for it describes the honesty and the boldness that we see in this Psalm. The Psalmist’s prayer is both honest and bold. And we must remember that this prayer is a Spirit-inspired song for God’s people to sing. We too are invited by the Lord to be honest and bold in prayer. But an adjective might help. What we see here is a reverent complaint. The Psalmist approaches God with deep and solemn respect as he pours out his heart before him. 

APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, do you approach God in prayer with this kind of boldness and honesty? Do you run to him as your Shepherd in times of trouble bringing your complaint to him? Do you lay the truth concerning your afflictions at his feet? Be careful as you do! You must come with reverential fear, remembering who it is that you approach. But in Christ Jesus you are invited to ”with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that [you] may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, ESV)

Allow me to make two more observations about the Psalmist’s complaint before moving on. One, the Psalmist’s concern is not only the peace and prosperity of the people of God but the glory of God amongst the nations. In verse 6 we read, “You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves.” Instead of Israel being a blessing to the nations, they were a source of strife for their neighbors. And instead of Israel being honored amongst the nations, and thus bringing glory to God, they were the laughing stock of their enemies. Certainly, this brought shame to the name of the God of Israel, and not glory. And so the Psalmist appeals to God on this basis. Two, this Psalm is not only a complaint but a plea to God for deliverance and restoration. Have mercy on us, Lord. By your grace, restore the covenant. Bless us in your presence. Save us from the just consequences of our sins. That was the Psalmist’s prayer. 

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Do Not Forget The Mercies Of The Lord In Times Past (vs. 8-13)

So, in times of despair, I have encouraged you to run to God as your Shepherd and to bring your complaints before him with reverential fear. And now I say, do not forget the mercies of the Lord in times past. 

Look with me at verses 8-13. The Psalmist speaks to God, saying, “You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River. Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it.” (Psalm 80:8–13, ESV)

In the third point of this sermon, I have urged you to not forget the mercies of the Lord in times past when difficult days come upon you. And that application is drawn from the fact that the Psalmist remembered the mercy and grace that God has shown to Israel even as the northern tribes were being conquered. 

Here God is portrayed, not as a shepherd, and Israel as a flock, but as the vinedresser, and Israel the vine. “You brought a vine out of Egypt”, he says. This is a reference to the exodus event when God redeemed Israel from Egyptian bondage. He then says, “you drove out the nations and planted it”. This refers to the conquest of Cannan in the days of Joshua. It was the LORD who gave Israel the victory. The words, “You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River”, refer to the establishment of the nation of Israel, and to the flourishing of Israel under David and Solomon. 

Here the Psalmist reminds God of the mercy and grace that he had shown to Israel in times past. Doesn’t that sound strange to say that the Psalmist reminds God of these things? We know that God does not need to be reminded of anything, for he knows all things, past, present, and future. But that is what the Psalmist does in prayer. He reminds God. Or to put it another way, he appeals to God to show Israel favor now on the basis of the kindness he has shown to him in the past. It is as if the Psalmist said,  LORD, do not forget how gracious and kind you were to us in past generations. You redeemed us from Egypt. You entered into a covenant with us. You established us and made us fruitful. Do not throw it all away, Lord. Have mercy on us again.  

But the complaint returns in verse 12: “Why then have you broken down its walls..?” The image is that of an established vineyard with walls built up strong and true to keep thieves from stealing, and wild beasts from trampling the precious vines.  Lord, you planted this vineyard and you built it up to maturity. “Why then have you broken down its walls?”, the Psalmist complains, “so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it” (Psalm 80:12–13, ESV). 

The Psalmist was not ignorant as to why. He knew the terms of the covenant that God made with Israel in the days of Moses. And he knew very well that Israel had violated the terms of this covenant and was deserving of this punishment. He was well aware of Israel’s sin and God’s justice. These are not so much straightforward questions as they are appeals for mercy. God, think of all that you have done for this nation. Think of the mercy you have shown to them in generations past. Yes, we have sinned O LORD, but have mercy on us again. Do not throw it all away. 

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Appeal To The Lord To Show Mercy And Grace In The Future (vs. 14-19)

We see clearly that this is the meaning in verses 14 through 19. Here the Psalmist explicitly appeals to the Lord for mercy and grace. And dear brethren, this is what we must do in times of trouble when we are tempted to despair. Having remembered past mercies, we must appeal to the Lord to show us mercy and grace in the future.

Verse 14: “Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself” (Psalm 80:14–15, ESV).

God sees all. This we know. But the Psalmist calls out to God who sits enthroned in heaven in the midst of his army of angels and says, “look down from heaven, and see…” Notice how freely the Psalmist uses anthropomorphic language in prayer. He speaks to God as if he were human, though he knows he is not. “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel”, he says. “Stir up your might”. “Come to save us”. “You brought a vine… planted it… cleared the ground for it.” “Turn again… look down and see… have regard…” These are things that humans must do, and not God, properly speaking. And yet God invites us to pray to him in this way. He invites us to speak to him according to our perception of things so that we might approach him freely and from the heart. He condescends to our weakness. 

Stated differently, when we approach God in prayer as the Psalmist did, saying, “look down from heaven, and see…”, God does not belittle us and reject us, saying, don’t you know that I am omnipresent and omniscient! No, he brings himself low for us and he receives our weak and feeble prayers, knowing that to us it sometimes seems as if he does not see, or as if he has forgotten. 

When the Psalmist reminds God of his past mercies, or calls upon him to look, see, and remember, he does not reveal a poor understanding of the doctrine of God but speaks instead as a man severely burdened with grief. 

“Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself” (Psalm 80:14–15, ESV). What does this mean? Who is this “son” that the Psalmist refers to? 

He is mentioned again in verse 17. Let’s read verse 16 first: “They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down [referring to the destruction of  Lord’s vineyard, Israel, at the hand of the Assyrians]; may they perish at the rebuke of your face! But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!” (Psalm 80:16–17, ESV). Again I ask, who is this “man of your right hand” and “the son of man” that God made strong for himself. 

In brief, he is King David. He is the Kings of Israel who descended from him. And above all, he is Christ. 

Listen very carefully to this, please: these references to the “son whom [God] made strong for [himself]”, “the man of [God’s] right hand”, and “the son of man [Adam] whom [God]” made strong for himself, reveal something very important. These references to God’s son and the son of man reveal that the Psalmist has appeal to God for mercy and grace, not according to the terms of the covenant of works transacted with Israel in the days of Moses, but on the basis of the promises of God delivered to King David concerning an everlasting King and an everlasting Kingdom, and to the promise made to Adam concerning a savior that would one day descend for him. 

Think of it. What right did the Mosaic covenant give to the Psalmist to appeal to God for mercy and grace? None at all. The terms of that Covenant were, obey and live, disobey and perish. Israel broke the covenant. God was right to vomit them out of the land. That covenant — the Mosaic Covenant — provided no grounds at all for the Psalmist to appeal for grace.

But God did also promise to provide a Savior who would descend from Adam and from Abraham. And to King David God said, “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–13, ESV). This is the “son” that the Psalmist appeals to. This is the “man of [God’s] right hand”. He is the promised son of David, Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Stated differently, the Psalmist appealed to God for mercy saying, “Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine….”, preserve us and restore us for the sake of the promise you made to David regarding his son, and regarding his everlasting kingdom.

In fact, I do believe that there is a significant connection between Psalm 80 and the covenant that God transacted with King David as recorded in 2 Samuel 7. As I began to flesh these connections out in this sermon I realized that I was running out of space, and so I relented. Perhaps you can read 2 Samuel 7 later today. And if you do I would encourage you to look for the themes of shepherding and vine planting. The judges of Israel and King David were called by God to shepherd God’s people. But in Psalm 80 it is God who is called the Shepherd of Israel. Why? Because the kings of Israel had failed the people. Now the Psalmist looks only to God. And in 2 Samuel 7:10 God says, “And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly…” (2 Samuel 7:10, ESV). In Psalm 80 the Psalmist picks up on this promise and appeals to God to restore this vineyard whose walls were broken down. 

And so the point is this: Psalm 80 appeals to God for mercy and grace, not on the basis of the covenant that God transacted with Israel in the days of Moses, but on the basis of the promises that God made to King David. And shared themes of shepherds, vineyards, and promised a son in Psalm 80 and 2 Samuel 7 do help us to see this.

Dear brothers and sisters, do you see that God has answered the prayer of Psalm 80?

The northern kingdom of Israel was carried away, and never did they return. The southern kingdom would eventually fall too. But God preserved a remnant in Babylon. Some would return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple that had been destroyed. And so  Israel was spared in this way. A remnant was preserved. And at just the right time the Christ was born into the world through them. God preserved his vineyard for the sake of his beloved Son and for the establishment of his eternal kingdom. And the New Testament opens with these words: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1, ESV)

“Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!”, was the prayer of the Psalmist and of faithful Israel along with him. And this is indeed what God has accomplished. By mercy and grace, he preserved Israel his vine. The LORD YHWH kept his covenant promises. He blessed Israel, despite their sin. And he has provided salvation for them and for all the nations of the earth through the Messiah, the son of God, the son man, the son of Adam, who has descended from them. He is the true Son, and we are sons of God in him. He is the true vine, and we are the branches. He is the good shepherd, and we are the sheep of his pasture.

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Conclusion 

Brothers and sisters, I have encouraged you to learn from this Psalm so that we might know how to pray in distressing times. I have encouraged you to run to God as your shepherd, to bring your complaints to him with reverence, to remember the mercies of the Lord in times past, and to appeal to the Lord to show you mercy and grace in the future. I think it is right that I have encouraged you to pray in this way concerning the discouraging situations that you face in your personal lives. It is right for us to follow the pattern of the Psalmist in this Psalm of lament.

But we must be careful to see that Psalm 80 is not about personal trials and tribulations. No, it is about the devastation that came upon the kingdom of Israel under the Old Covenant and the desire to see the purpose and promises of God concerning the establishment of his eternal kingdom fulfilled. We must recognize this and see that God has answered this prayer in Jesus the Christ.

And so I must exhort you finally in this way: let us not lose sight of the big picture purposes and promises of God when facing trials and tribulations of various kinds. Yes, we may run to God with our sorrows, for he is our Shepherd in Christ Jesus. But let us keep this as our leading concern: not our own comfort and prosperity, but the flourishing of God’s kingdom on earth through the church until Christ returns to make all things new.

Baptist Catechism 81-82

Q. 81. Which is the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment is, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16)

Q. 82. What is required in the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, especially in witness bearing. (Zech. 8:16; Acts 25:10; Eccles. 7:1; 3 John 12; Prov. 14:5,25)

Scripture Reading: Zechariah 8:14–17

“For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.’” (Zechariah 8:14–17, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

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We have developed this tradition at Emmaus over the years to answer the question, “have you kept this law (that is God’s moral) perfectly?” with the answer, “no, we have violated this law in thought, word, and deed.” 

We didn’t come up with this tradition. The Reformed have been saying this for a long time. But it is a very helpful saying, and so we have adopted it as our own. By it we are reminded that we are violators of God’s law. Left to ourselves, we stand guilty before God. True, we are no longer guilty if we are in Christ! But we stood guilty before we placed our faith in him. And that is the point! We need Christ! And we are reminded of that fact everytime we hear God’s law and say this saying. 

And this saying is also helpful because it reminds us that God’s law is to be kept, not only externally, but also in the mind and with our words. “Thou shalt not murder”, the law says. And most men would probably think that they have kept this law… that is, until they remember what Christ said about it. He said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” (Matthew 5:21–22, ESV)

Let that sink in for a moment.

The law, “thou shalt not murder”, also forbids unrighteous anger in the heart, and all insulting. And the same sort of thing is true of the sins of idolatry and adultery, etc. So these moral laws forbid and require certain actions, but they also forbid and require certain thoughts and words.

The thing that I would like you to notice about the ninth commandment is that it has to do with our words, and not our actions. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor”, it says. And what does this require of us? Answer “the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, especially in witness bearing.” The Christian — indeed, all people — are to use their tongues to promote truth. 

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Baptist Catechism 82

Clearly, this forbids lying. Don’t lie, brothers and sisters, but rather speak the truth. This is especially important in witness bearing, our catechism says. If ever you are called to testify in a court of law, or if ever you are called upon to serve as a witness in some other civil or churchly matter, it is especially important that you tell the truth. For what you say will affect the judgments  that are reached, and these judgments will likely have a significant impact on other people’s lives and reputations. 

Our catechism says that we are to tell the truth so as to promote and maintain our own and our neighbors good name. Perhaps you have noticed how common it is in our day for men and women to tell lies about others, or to twist the truth regarding others, so as to damage their reputations, and thus gain some advantage over them. This is particularly common in politics today, and this is vile. We should have nothing to do with this. 

And notice that our catechism does not here deal with what is forbidden — namly, lying — but with what is required. The ninth commandment requires that we promote the truth between man and man. Not lying and promoting the truth are related things, but they are not the same things. It is one thing to not tell a lie. It is another thing to promote the truth. Not telling a lie may involve refraining from speaking, but promoting the truth will require speaking the truth whenever it is our responsibility to do so. 

To illustrate, if a person has wrongly been accused of a crime, and you know they are innocent and can provide information to demonstrate that they are innocent, then it would be a violation of the ninth commandment to refrain from speaking. Again, “the ninth commandment requires the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, especially in witness bearing.”

So do not only not lie, but be resolved to use your words to promote the truth. 

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Zechariah 8:14–17

Think of how happy our families, churches, and societies would be if men and women promoted the truth with their lips. 

This is what the LORD commanded Old Covenant Israel to do in that Zechariah 8 passage that I read earlier: “These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.”

As we have been studying these Ten Commandments I have often been struck by the thought of how wicked our society is. When Christians think of the evils of our society they often think of the great evil of abortion and how it violates the sixth of the Ten Commandmnet, though shalt not murder. But if we were to consider our society with eyes wide upon I think we would see that sin is truly rampant. Men and women do often tell lies, and fail to promote the truth with their tongues. This happens in the media, in politics, in law, and in day to day life. 

And where we will learn to speak the truth in love except in our families and in our churches. Parents, we must teach our children to not lie, but rather to speak what is true. And this we must also do in the church. I’m afraid that many within the church break the ninth commandment, not by lying, but by failing to tell the truth.  Sometimes Pastors are guilty of this, for sometimes it is easier and safer to withhold the truth — speaking the truth is sometimes risky and scary. But do not forget what Chrst said: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32, ESV). 

The truth is very powerful, friends. The truth brings life, whereas falsehood brings death. And so we must be committed to promote the truth with our tongues. We must learn to speak “the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15, ESV). And do not forget what James said regarding the tongue. It is most unruly. But those who are mature in Christ will learn to control their tongues, to use their words to build up, and not tear, by speaking the truth lovingly and skilfully, for the glory of God, and for the good of others.

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Conclusion 

Q. 82. What is required in the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, especially in witness bearing. (Zech. 8:16; Acts 25:10; Eccles. 7:1; 3 John 12; Prov. 14:5,25)