David was born in a noble household, fully educated in Hebrew culture. It is preposterous to suggest he would have been so shallow as to have written these songs from a silly, Westernized literal mindset. We enter a series of shorter songs that contain a depth easily missed. Not merely in the artistry, but David hints at far deeper meanings that require an Eastern turn of mind to discern and understand.
David first declares that he has surrendered completely to God as Lord and Emperor. On the one hand, it’s obvious there is no risk of God failing. On the other hand, anyone who lived under an Eastern potentate realizes that this also means embracing that ruler’s whims and anger. Whether or not David enjoys how this turns out, he has no intention of searching other options. He was resigned to whatever fate attaches to his commitment to Jehovah.
Thus, well meaning advice to play it safe against very real world threats is almost insulting to David. It’s not as if David is unaware of the danger. When in human history have there not been people plotting against others? To take any throne is to paint a target on oneself. The psalm quotes a hypothetical question that wonders if Israel loses her righteous king — the foundation — how can she keep the kingdom standing?
To Western minds, David’s reply is a non sequitur. The Temple had not yet been built, so the reference is to God in His divine Temple Courts in Heaven. That is, Jehovah is not dependent on David’s continued existence; He is not harmed if Jerusalem is wiped off the map. Since God can read every human heart and knows all things before they transpire, He’s not up pacing and wringing His hands at the threats to David. If David’s God sits placid on His throne in Heaven, David can afford to remain perched on his where God put him on this earth.
It’s not as if God isn’t paying attention, either. He is active in human affairs. He is also sovereign and does things to suit His own counsel. For David to call down fire from Heaven on the heads of the wicked is a well-established image that only incidentally might turn out literal. So whether David sees literal wrath from God on their heads or not hardly matters, since the final judgment of God takes place in Heaven. God’s divine fire of wrath in that realm above is surely worse than anything He can do in this fallen realm. In like manner, those who obey Him here will surely get their reward there in the hyper-reality of Heaven, even if they see little reward here. Meanwhile, living obediently in moral justice is its own reward.
