Bible Questions Answered:
“If your …..how can you say there is no purgatory, explain the glaring truth of Psalms 142:7 that states -bring my soul out of prison?????”
Gail/ Sydney, Australia
Bible Answer:
We must never exegetically define a verse, without its “whole” context.
Psalm 142:1-7 KJV
1 I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
2 I poured out my complaint before Him; I shewed before Him my trouble.
3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
5 I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my Refuge and my Portion in the land of the living.
6 Attend unto 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 thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
At the heading of this Psalm we read the following:
Maschil* of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave.
*Maschil-Hebrew-Maskiyl-(Mas-keel): Instructive, i.e. a didactic poem.
Abingdon/Strong's concordance of the Bible.
On several occasions David hid in caves from his enemies.
I Samuel 22:1,2 NLT (Cave of Adullam.)
1 So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there.
2 Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men.
I Samuel 24:1-3 KJV (Cave of Engedi)
1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
3 And he came to the sheep cotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
This instructional poem of David, is to show one and all that our hope, our refuge in time of trouble (Certainly not any purgatory, mans invention.) is none other than the Lord, the Rock of Ages.
Are you in a prison of pain and suffering, loneliness, abandonment, friendless, oppressed on every hand? Than do what David did, turn with all of your heart to someone who can help you! Turn to the Lord, of Glory.
Deuteronomy 33:27 KJV
The eternal God is thy Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
II Chronicles 16:9 KJV
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.
Psalm 28:6-8 KJV
6 Blessed be the Lord, because He hath heard the voice of my supplications.
7 The Lord is my Strength and my Shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him.
8 The Lord is their strength, and He is the saving strength of His anointed.
Psalm 34:7 KJV
The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.
Psalm 37:1-40 KJV (A Psalm of David)
1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.
6 And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for He seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.
18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22 For such as be blessed of Him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of Him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and His seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not His saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.
Isaiah 41:10 KJV
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.
John 10:28 KJV
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
II Timothy 4:18 KJV
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
II Peter 2:9 NLT
"... the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.
The next time trouble knocks on your door, threatening to confine you to oppression and fear, read again the wonderful promises of God, and have faith in the Lord.
Psalm 3:1-6 KJV
1 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
3 But thou, O Lord, art a Shield for me; my Glory, and the Lifter up of mine head.
4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill. Selah.
5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
Psalm 20:5-8 KJV
5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the Lord fulfil all thy petitions.
6 Now know I that the Lord saveth His anointed; He will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
Psalm 23:1-6 KJV
1 The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm 27:1-6 KJV
1 The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the Strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a Rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
Psalm 46:1-3,10 KJV
1 God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present Help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
10 And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar (gray) hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Psalm 112:7 KJV
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
Isaiah 12:2 KJV
Behold, God is my Salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my Strength and my Song; He also is become my Salvation.
Isaiah 43:1-3 KJV
1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob (God's people), and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour..."
Hebrews 13:5,6 KJV
5 "... He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my Helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Be sure to read the blog posting.....
Salvation Prayer
