O Lord, You Are My God

Amid the prophecies of doom, this chapter praises the Lord God for who He is. It exalts and praises His name, and that He is faithful and truth. Although His judgments involve destroying cities, He is recognize for His care for the poor and needy, providing refuge and shade when required.

The promises include that God will "swallow up death forever" and "wipe away tears from all faces". In terms of His judgment, it names Moab. God is determined to destroy their pride, and no trickery nor fortress will prevent that.


Isaiah 25
Praise to God

1 O Lord, You are my God.
I will exalt You,
I will praise Your name,
For You have done wonderful things;
Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
2 For You have made a city a ruin,
A fortified city a ruin,
A palace of foreigners to be a city no more;
It will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore the strong people will glorify You;
The city of the terrible nations will fear You.
4 For You have been a strength to the poor,
A strength to the needy in his distress,
A refuge from the storm,
A shade from the heat;
For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
5 You will reduce the noise of aliens,
As heat in a dry place;
As heat in the shadow of a cloud,
The song of the terrible ones will be diminished.
6 And in this mountain
The Lord of hosts will make for all people
A feast of choice pieces,
A feast of wines on the lees,
Of fat things full of marrow,
Of well-refined wines on the lees.
7 And He will destroy on this mountain
The surface of the covering cast over all people,
And the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever,
And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces;
The rebuke of His people
He will take away from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken.
9 And it will be said in that day:
“Behold, this is our God;
We have waited for Him, and He will save us.
This is the Lord;
We have waited for Him;
We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
10 For on this mountain the hand of the Lord will rest,
And Moab shall be trampled down under Him,
As straw is trampled down for the refuse heap.
11 And He will spread out His hands in their midst
As a swimmer reaches out to swim,
And He will bring down their pride
Together with the trickery of their hands.
12 The fortress of the high fort of your walls
He will bring down, lay low,
And bring to the ground, down to the dust.

Happy are the People whose God is the Lord!

This psalm has a personal introduction of who the LORD is to the psalmist. David who is most likely the psalmist here, describes the LORD as his rock, lovingkindness, refuge, fortress, deliverer. He knows God well and wholeheartedly trusts and depends on God.

Then in the next part, he expands the view of who God really is and describes how insignificant in stature man is compared to God. Yet this God who controls the the awesome power of nature and beyond is someone we can pray too, as the psalmist experienced. Because of this, the psalmist can praise and sing to and about God. He is thankful that God is a deliverer and a provider and blesses His people with abundance.



Psalm 144
A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People
A Psalm of David.

1 Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—

2 My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues my people[a] under me.

3 Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?

4 Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow.

5 Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

6 Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.

7 Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,

8 Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9 I will sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,

10 The One who gives salvation to kings,
Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.

11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—

12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;

13 That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;

14 That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.

15 Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!

When My Spirit Was Overwhelmed Within Me

A psalm where David cries out to God to deliver from his persecutors. He describes the depth of his despair with words like "my spirit was overwhelmed within me", "no one who acknowledges me", "no one cares for my soul". Some of us may feel this way at some times and to different degrees. But we can learn much from David in that during such despair, he still cries out to God and knows that God is his refuge. He finishes with much hope that God will deal "bountifully" with him and he will be able to praise God's name.



Psalm 142
A Plea for Relief from Persecutors
A Contemplation[a] of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave.

1 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.

2 I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly set a snare for me.

4 Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.

5 I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.

6 Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.

7 Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

O LORD God, To Whom Vengeance Belongs

This starts with a strong call to God for vengeance. It explains the rampant evil and violence perpetrated by the wicked ones, who even think God cannot see them. Then it remind those wicked ones that God the Creator who created us with eyes and ears and gives us knowledge; surely this God will know exactly what we do.

Then an encouragement for those who belong to God. The LORD will not forsake His people. God's judgement will come and will be righteous. God will stop the wickedness and stand up for His people. He will give them comfort.


Psalm 94
God the Refuge of the Righteous

 1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongs—
         O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
 2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth;
         Render punishment to the proud.
 3 LORD, how long will the wicked,
         How long will the wicked triumph?
       
 4 They utter speech, and speak insolent things;
         All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
 5 They break in pieces Your people, O LORD,
         And afflict Your heritage.
 6 They slay the widow and the stranger,
         And murder the fatherless.
 7 Yet they say, “The LORD does not see,
         Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”
       
 8 Understand, you senseless among the people;
         And you fools, when will you be wise?
 9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
         He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
 10 He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct,
         He who teaches man knowledge?
 11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man,
         That they are futile.
       
 12 Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O LORD,
         And teach out of Your law,
 13 That You may give him rest from the days of adversity,
         Until the pit is dug for the wicked.
 14 For the LORD will not cast off His people,
         Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
 15 But judgment will return to righteousness,
         And all the upright in heart will follow it.
       
 16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
         Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
 17 Unless the LORD had been my help,
         My soul would soon have settled in silence.
 18 If I say, “My foot slips,”
         Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up.
 19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
         Your comforts delight my soul.
       
 20 Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law,
         Have fellowship with You?
 21 They gather together against the life of the righteous,
         And condemn innocent blood.
 22 But the LORD has been my defense,
         And my God the rock of my refuge.
 23 He has brought on them their own iniquity,
         And shall cut them off in their own wickedness;
         The LORD our God shall cut them off.

He That Dwelleth In The Secret Place of the Most High

This psalm is filled with imagery and is one of the popular passages that is taken as prayer and is memorized. The main idea is to "dwell in the secret place of the most High" - meaning to abide or to live in the LORD. In other words, it is trusting God, taking refuge in Him, depending on God as our fortress and putting our love on Him.

The benefits are we will be protected, our enemies cannot harm us, we will not be afraid day and night. Angels will be assigned to keep us from accidents. Enemies will fall beside us and we will see God's justice on them.

Finally, a personal commitment by God when we dwell in Him include God will answer our call, He will set us on high, He will be with us in time of trouble and deliver us, and we will be assured long life and salvation.



Psalm 91
Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
         Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
 2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
         My God, in Him I will trust.”
       
 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
         And from the perilous pestilence.
 4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
         And under His wings you shall take refuge;
         His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
         Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
         Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
       
 7 A thousand may fall at your side,
         And ten thousand at your right hand;
         But it shall not come near you.
 8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
         And see the reward of the wicked.
       
 9 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
         Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
 10 No evil shall befall you,
         Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
         To keep you in all your ways.
 12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
         Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
         The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
       
 14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
         I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
         I will be with him in trouble;
         I will deliver him and honor him.
 16 With long life I will satisfy him,
         And show him My salvation.”

God the Rock of Salvation

The psalm starts off in a very similar way as other psalms and it looks like a psalm by David. There is the appeal to God to save the writer from the enemies. There is also a description of who God is to the writer, namely rock, fortress, refuge. The writer has trusted God in his youth and asks God not to forsake him.
He calls on God not to be far from him. He promises to continue to praise God. The writer talks of spreading the knowledge of God, telling others of God's salvation and righteousness. The writer seeks to praise God with all his soul with any instruments he can like the harp, lute and singing.


Psalm 71
God the Rock of Salvation

 1 In You, O LORD, I put my trust;
         Let me never be put to shame.
 2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape;
         Incline Your ear to me, and save me.
 3 Be my strong refuge,
         To which I may resort continually;
         You have given the commandment to save me,
         For You are my rock and my fortress.
        
 4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked,
         Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
 5 For You are my hope, O Lord GOD;
         You are my trust from my youth.
 6 By You I have been upheld from birth;
         You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.
         My praise shall be continually of You.
        
 7 I have become as a wonder to many,
         But You are my strong refuge.
 8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise
         And with Your glory all the day.
        
 9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
         Do not forsake me when my strength fails.
 10 For my enemies speak against me;
         And those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together,
 11 Saying, “God has forsaken him;
         Pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.”
        
 12 O God, do not be far from me;
         O my God, make haste to help me!
 13 Let them be confounded and consumed
         Who are adversaries of my life;
         Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor
         Who seek my hurt.
        
 14 But I will hope continually,
         And will praise You yet more and more.
 15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
         And Your salvation all the day,
         For I do not know their limits.
 16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD;
         I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
        
 17 O God, You have taught me from my youth;
         And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
 18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded,
         O God, do not forsake me,
         Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
         Your power to everyone who is to come.
        
 19 Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high,
         You who have done great things;
         O God, who is like You?
 20 You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,
         Shall revive me again,
         And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
 21 You shall increase my greatness,
         And comfort me on every side.
        
 22 Also with the lute I will praise You—
         And Your faithfulness, O my God!
         To You I will sing with the harp,
         O Holy One of Israel.
 23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You,
         And my soul, which You have redeemed.
 24 My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long;
         For they are confounded,
         For they are brought to shame
         Who seek my hurt.

Truly My Soul Silently Waits for God

David starts by acknowledging that only God is his salvation. His enemies are like any other, who are liars, blesses other in the front and curses them at their backs. Besides salvation, God is also his rock - a source of strength and refuge.
This psalm also encourages others to place their trust in God, instead of trusting in earthly stature and power or riches. Both power and mercy belongs to God who will judge according to their deeds.


Psalm 62
To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

 1 Truly my soul silently waits for God;
         From Him comes my salvation.
 2 He only is my rock and my salvation;
         He is my defense;
         I shall not be greatly moved.
        
 3 How long will you attack a man?
         You shall be slain, all of you,
         Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
 4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position;
         They delight in lies;
         They bless with their mouth,
         But they curse inwardly.  Selah 
        
 5 My soul, wait silently for God alone,
         For my expectation is from Him.
 6 He only is my rock and my salvation;
         He is my defense;
         I shall not be moved.
 7 In God is my salvation and my glory;
         The rock of my strength,
         And my refuge, is in God.
        
 8 Trust in Him at all times, you people;
         Pour out your heart before Him;
         God is a refuge for us.  Selah 
        
 9 Surely men of low degree are a vapor,
         Men of high degree are a lie;
         If they are weighed on the scales,
         They are altogether lighter than vapor.
 10 Do not trust in oppression,
         Nor vainly hope in robbery;
         If riches increase,
         Do not set your heart on them.
        
 11 God has spoken once,
         Twice I have heard this:
         That power belongs to God.
 12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;
         For You render to each one according to his work.

Be Merciful to Me, O God, be Merciful to Me!

A plead and praise to God by David expressing his trusts and asking God for mercy. He was being hunted by his enemies, but he kept exalting God. His enemies are preparing traps for him but they got snared in their own traps. So David continues to glorify God by singing praises to Him.


Psalm 57

–To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.”[a] A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.

 1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
         For my soul trusts in You;
         And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
         Until these calamities have passed by.
       
 2 I will cry out to God Most High,
         To God who performs all things for me.
 3 He shall send from heaven and save me;
         He reproaches the one who would swallow me up.  Selah
         God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.
       
 4 My soul is among lions;
         I lie among the sons of men
         Who are set on fire,
         Whose teeth are spears and arrows,
         And their tongue a sharp sword.
 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
         Let Your glory be above all the earth.
       
 6 They have prepared a net for my steps;
         My soul is bowed down;
         They have dug a pit before me;
         Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen.  Selah
       
 7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
         I will sing and give praise.
 8 Awake, my glory!
         Awake, lute and harp!
         I will awaken the dawn.
       
 9 I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
         I will sing to You among the nations.
 10 For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
         And Your truth unto the clouds.
       
 11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
         Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Be still, and know that I am God

When "God is our refuge and strength", there is nothing else on earth that we should fear. The writer uses comparisons with tragedy like "the earth is removed" or mountains be carried to the sea, yet they should not cause fear in us.
This psalm also speaks of the power of the LORD, that everything is subject to His will. He can cause desolation as well as end wars. The premium weapons of war, like chariots and bows of the time, is nothing to the LORD.
Finally it calls us to pause and reflect "Be still, and know that I am God" and that He is our refuge.


Psalm 46
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.

 1 God is our refuge and strength,
         A very present help in trouble.
 2 Therefore we will not fear,
         Even though the earth be removed,
         And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
         Though the mountains shake with its swelling.  Selah 
        
 4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
         The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
         God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
 6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
         He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
        
 7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
         The God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah 
        
 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
         Who has made desolations in the earth.
 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
         He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
         He burns the chariot in the fire.
        
 10 Be still, and know that I am God;
         I will be exalted among the nations,
         I will be exalted in the earth!
        
 11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
         The God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah 

David Not Ashamed of the LORD

David praises God with all honesty and humility. The keywords in this Psalm are repeated in other psalms including God is David's trust, rock, refuge, fortress, strength. Then David calls upon God again to help in a situation where it appears David was turned away from his friends. Some description here seem to suggest this is in the later part of his life. And David continues to call on God for His mercy.

Yet in his time of trouble, David again tells God that he still trusts God and still clings to Him. He has confidence in God who would deliver those who fear Him and trust Him. Despite the persecutions, despite the enemies plotting against him, despite the wickedness surrounding him, David had the peace and joy in the LORD, remembering that God would protect him and hide him in His secret place.

David closes with an encouragement:
"Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful"


Psalm 31

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

 1 In You, O LORD, I put my trust;
         Let me never be ashamed;
         Deliver me in Your righteousness.
 2 Bow down Your ear to me,
         Deliver me speedily;
         Be my rock of refuge,
         A fortress of defense to save me.
       
 3 For You are my rock and my fortress;
         Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
         Lead me and guide me.
 4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
         For You are my strength.
 5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
         You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
       
 6 I have hated those who regard useless idols;
         But I trust in the LORD.
 7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,
         For You have considered my trouble;
         You have known my soul in adversities,
 8 And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;
         You have set my feet in a wide place.
       
 9 Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble;
         My eye wastes away with grief,
         Yes, my soul and my body!
 10 For my life is spent with grief,
         And my years with sighing;
         My strength fails because of my iniquity,
         And my bones waste away.
 11 I am a reproach among all my enemies,
         But especially among my neighbors,
         And am repulsive to my acquaintances;
         Those who see me outside flee from me.
 12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;
         I am like a broken vessel.
 13 For I hear the slander of many;
         Fear is on every side;
         While they take counsel together against me,
         They scheme to take away my life.
       
 14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD;
         I say, “You are my God.”
 15 My times are in Your hand;
         Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
         And from those who persecute me.
 16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
         Save me for Your mercies’ sake.
 17 Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon You;
         Let the wicked be ashamed;
         Let them be silent in the grave.
 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence,
         Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
       
 19 Oh, how great is Your goodness,
         Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
         Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
         In the presence of the sons of men!
 20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
         From the plots of man;
         You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion
         From the strife of tongues.
       
 21 Blessed be the LORD,
         For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!
 22 For I said in my haste,
         “I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
         Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
         When I cried out to You.
       
 23 Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints!
         For the LORD preserves the faithful,
         And fully repays the proud person.
 24 Be of good courage,
         And He shall strengthen your heart,
         All you who hope in the LORD.

Psalm of Judgement Against the Wicked

David opens up the Psalm with praise to God, as we should also open our prayers. The theme to me seems to be about the righteous judgement of God over wickedness. God has prepared a throne of judgement, He will judge the world in righteousness. Yet at the same time, He is a refuge for those who need and trust in Him, "He does not forget the cry of the humble".

Although the judgement seems to be aimed against nations in this passage, it can also be applied to individuals. There is wickedness among individuals, there are also individuals who surrender and trust God. The chapter ends by asking God to put fear in them "That the nations may know themselves to be but men" - implying that men has thought of themselves as something more.



Psalm 9

To the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Death of the Son.”[a] A Psalm of David.

 1 I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart;
         I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
 2 I will be glad and rejoice in You;
         I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
       
 3 When my enemies turn back,
         They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
 4 For You have maintained my right and my cause;
         You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
 5 You have rebuked the nations,
         You have destroyed the wicked;
         You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
       
 6 O enemy, destruction are finished forever!
         And you have destroyed cities;
         Even their memory has perished.
 7 But the LORD shall endure forever;
         He has prepared His throne for judgment.
 8 He shall judge the world in righteousness,
         And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.
       
 9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
         A refuge in times of trouble.
 10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
         For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
       
 11 Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion!
         Declare His deeds among the people.
 12 When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
         He does not forget the cry of the humble.
       
 13 Have mercy on me, O LORD!
         Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
         You who lift me up from the gates of death,
 14 That I may tell of all Your praise
         In the gates of the daughter of Zion.
         I will rejoice in Your salvation.
       
 15 The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made;
         In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
 16 The LORD is known by the judgment He executes;
         The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
Meditation.[b]  Selah

       
 17 The wicked shall be turned into hell,
         And all the nations that forget God.
 18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten;
         The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.
       
 19 Arise, O LORD,
         Do not let man prevail;
         Let the nations be judged in Your sight.
 20 Put them in fear, O LORD,
         That the nations may know themselves to be but men.  Selah

Cities of Refuge

There is a few things commands from God which we see repeated and is dear to His heart. One of them is the caring for the widow, fatherless and the alien (foreigner). The other is the establishment of places of refuge so that the hunted may find protection. In particular it protects a person who has killed another person accidentally. The cities of refuge included:

Kedesh in Galilee, land of Naphtali,
Shechem in land of Ephraim,
Kirjath Arba (Hebron), land of Judah
Bezer in the land of Reuben,
Ramoth in Gilead, land of Gad,
Golan in Bashan, land of Manasseh.


Joshua 20

The Cities of Refuge

 1 The LORD also spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. 5 Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand. 6 And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.’”
7 So they appointed Kedesh in Galilee, in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and Kirjath Arba (which is Hebron) in the mountains of Judah. 8 And on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on the plain, from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh. 9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation.

Two Witnesses and Cities of Refuge

The civil law that God introduced to His people to practice are not only just but have protection for the innocent. One aspects is the availability of places of refuge. In the Israelites had three cities of refuge. They allow those who are wrongly accused or unjustly accused to be protected within the refuge area. However it is clear that if the accused is actually guilty and had the intention behind the crime, then the elders would bring them out of the cities of refuge to face the accusers.

The second aspect in protection of the innocent is that anyone who is accused need to have two or more witnesses. The witness of one person will not be strong enough to bring a conviction. In addition, false witnesses would pay the same penalty as the accused if they are discovered. This prevents people from simply accusing each other.

                               

Deuteronomy 19

Three Cities of Refuge

 1 “When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land the LORD your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, 2 you shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess. 3 You shall prepare roads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, that any manslayer may flee there.
4 “And this is the case of the manslayer who flees there, that he may live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, not having hated him in time past— 5 as when a man goes to the woods with his neighbor to cut timber, and his hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live; 6 lest the avenger of blood, while his anger is hot, pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and kill him, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated the victim in time past. 7 Therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall separate three cities for yourself.’
8 “Now if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you the land which He promised to give to your fathers, 9 and if you keep all these commandments and do them, which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and to walk always in His ways, then you shall add three more cities for yourself besides these three, 10 lest innocent blood be shed in the midst of your land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus guilt of bloodshed be upon you.
11 “But if anyone hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises against him and strikes him mortally, so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities, 12 then the elders of his city shall send and bring him from there, and deliver him over to the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13 Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you.

Property Boundaries
 
14 “You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which the men of old have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

The Law Concerning Witnesses
 
15 “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established. 16 If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, 17 then both men in the controversy shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days. 18 And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, 19 then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you. 20 And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you. 21 Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Cities of Refuge for the Accidental Killer

Still planning for the division of land God instructe the Israelites not to forget the Levites who will not be allocated the land for inheritance. Instead the other tribes are to plan for common-land around their cities which the Levite could live in along with their animals. The 12 tribes are to give 42 cities to the Levites, in addition there will be 6 other cities designated as refuge.

Following the plan to have cities of refuge, the need of these places were explained. In fact the cities of refuge is to protect innocents from those seeking revenge. In partilcur, if someone accidentally kills another person, then the family may seek revenge, but God offers the accidental offender some level of protection. The law is that as long as the accidental offender reaches and stays in the city of refuge, the avenger has no right to harm him. The offender need to live there until the death of the high priest and then he can return home. But if the offender comes out of the city of refuge before that time, then the avenger has the right to take revenge. The city of refuge however, does not protect the murderer who killed with intent.

Several other conditions of the law is given:
- the murderer who killed with intent shall be put to death.
- the death penalty cannot be applied based on the testimony of only one witness.
- the murderer sentenced to death cannot reverse this sentence buy paying any amount of money. This law will be good at preventing those who are rich from getting away with murder.
- the offender in the city of refuge cannot pay any amount of money to reverse the law that required him to remain in the city until the death of the high priest. This law should be useful in those who are rich, from buying out their criminal sentencing.

These few minor provisions of the law are quite interesting in that it not only showed God concerning of the details, but it also implements the law in a very fair way by treating all people (rich or poor) the same. The law in modern society also has some similarities here.


Numbers 35

Cities for the Levites

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, saying: 2 “Command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession, and you shall also give the Levites common-land around the cities. 3 They shall have the cities to dwell in; and their common-land shall be for their cattle, for their herds, and for all their animals. 4 The common-land of the cities which you will give the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around. 5 And you shall measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, on the south side two thousand cubits, on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits. The city shall be in the middle. This shall belong to them as common-land for the cities.
6 “Now among the cities which you will give to the Levites you shall appoint six cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. And to these you shall add forty-two cities. 7 So all the cities you will give to the Levites shall be forty-eight; these you shall give with their common-land. 8 And the cities which you will give shall be from the possession of the children of Israel; from the larger tribe you shall give many, from the smaller you shall give few. Each shall give some of its cities to the Levites, in proportion to the inheritance that each receives.”

Cities of Refuge

9 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there. 12 They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment. 13 And of the cities which you give, you shall have six cities of refuge. 14 You shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you shall appoint in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.
16 ‘But if he strikes him with an iron implement, so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he strikes him with a stone in the hand, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20 If he pushes him out of hatred or, while lying in wait, hurls something at him so that he dies, 21 or in enmity he strikes him with his hand so that he dies, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
22 ‘However, if he pushes him suddenly without enmity, or throws anything at him without lying in wait, 23 or uses a stone, by which a man could die, throwing it at him without seeing him, so that he dies, while he was not his enemy or seeking his harm, 24 then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood according to these judgments. 25 So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled, 27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood, 28 because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.
29 ‘And these things shall be a statute of judgment to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 30 Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty. 31 Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. 32 And you shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the priest. 33 So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. 34 Therefore do not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.’”