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诗篇生命读经 · 第25篇

在神殿中享受神时，诗人从他们混杂情绪

The pious expressions of the psalmists uttered out of their complex sentiments
发出的虔诚发表
while enjoying God in His House
诗篇五十二至六十七篇（二）
PSALMS 52—67 (2)
1读经：诗篇五十八至六十二篇。
1Scripture Reading: Psa. 58—62
2历代以来，许多基督徒读旧约时，对诗篇并没有正确的领会。要有正确的领会，尤其是正确领会大卫所写的诗篇，我们需要考虑关于大卫与仇敌争战以及他属灵的光景。大卫被神兴起击败列国，尤其是以色列周围的迦南人。在创世记十五章十八节，神已应许赐给亚伯拉罕的后裔，『从埃及河直到伯拉大河之地。』后来在申命记，摩西嘱咐以色列人进入迦南地，据有那地，并击杀那地所有的居民，清理偶像之地。然而，以色列人没有顺从神。只局部据有那地，并让大多数的仇敌留下。士师记指明，当以色列软弱时，就被列国攻击；于是不同的士师被兴起，击败这些列国，但仇敌始终没有完全被击败，直到大卫的时候，才击败周围列国，并豫备那地好建立神的国，以耶路撒冷为中心、京城、以及圣殿要被建造的地方。
2Throughout the centuries, many Christian readers of the Old Testament have not had the proper understanding of the Psalms. In order to have such an understanding, especially of the psalms written by David, we need to consider David’s situation regarding his fighting against the enemies and regarding his spirituality. David was raised up by God to defeat the nations, especially the Canaanites, surrounding Israel. In Genesis 15:18 God had promised to give to Abraham’s descendants “this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.” Later, in Deuteronomy, Moses charged the children of Israel to enter the land of Canaan, possess the land, and slaughter all the inhabitants of the land, clearing the land of idols. However, the children of Israel did not obey God. Instead, they possessed the land only in part and allowed most of the enemies to remain. As the book of Judges indicates, when Israel became weak, they were attacked by the nations. Various judges were raised up to defeat these nations, but the enemies were not utterly defeated until the time of David. David defeated the surrounding nations and prepared the land for the establishing of God’skin gdom, with Jerusalem as the center, the capital, and the place where the temple would be built
3身为这样被神兴起的人，大卫豫表争战的基督。基督在地上时，是大卫所豫表争战的基督；但祂升天之后安息在诸天之上，乃是所罗门所豫表和平的基督。
3As such a person raised up by God, David was a type of the fighting Christ. While Christ was on earth, He was a fighting Christ, typified by David. But as the One at rest in the heavens after His ascension, He is the Christ of peace, typified by Solomon
4大卫在他的诗篇里，常为他的仇敌祷告神，甚至求神灭绝他们。（五四5。）就他被神兴起，毁灭神国的仇敌而言，他这样祷告是蒙称义的。不仅如此，因为他豫表争战的基督，他的确该击败仇敌，击杀他们，并且在这事上求助于神。
4David often prayed, in his psalms, concerning his enemies, even asking God to annihilate them (54:5). Insofar as he had been raised up by God to destroy the enemies of the kingdom of God, he was justified in praying this way. Furthermore, because he typified the fighting Christ, he should have defeated the enemies and slaughtered them, and he should have asked for God’s help in this matter
5然而，我们不仅需要从作争战之基督的豫表这面来看大卫，也需要从属灵这面来看他。大卫的诗指明他的属灵不完全。就属灵而论，大卫为著他仇敌的祷告，事实上不仅违反新约所说要爱仇敌的教训，（太五43～48，）也违反旧约的教训。也许有些人为大卫辩解说，旧约不要求圣徒爱仇敌，他们恨仇敌是蒙称义的。然而，这并不正确。罗马十二章二十节证明这点，那里保罗说，『你的仇敌若饿了，就给他吃，若渴了，就给他喝，因为你这样行，就是把炭火堆在他的头上。』这节实际上引自箴言二十五章二十一至二十二节。两处的『炭火』都表征焚烧的爱。因此，甚至旧约时代的圣徒也受嘱咐要爱仇敌。但大卫在他的诗里祷告，要他的仇敌被灭绝，被击杀。他的祷告似乎与他儿子所罗门在箴言二十五章二十一至二十二节所说的话牴触。大卫诗里的气氛和灵，与爱仇敌无关，却与恨仇敌有关。由此我们看见大卫虽是属灵的，他的属灵却不完全。
5However, we need to consider David not only in the aspect of his being a type of the fighting Christ but also in the aspect of his spirituality. David’s psalms indicate that his spirituality was not perfect. As far as spirituality is concerned, David’s prayers regarding his enemies actually violated the teaching not only of the New Testament, in which we are told to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43-48), but also of the Old Testament. Some might excuse David by saying that the Old Testament saints were not expected to love their enemies and were justified in hating them. This, however, is not true. To prove this, I would ask you to read Romans 12:20. Here Paul says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will heap coals of fire upon his head.” This verse is actually a quotation of Proverbs 25:21 and 22. In both places “coals of fire” signifies burning love. Thus, even the saints in Old Testament times were charged to love their enemies. Yet in his psalms David prayed for his enemies to be annihilated, to be killed. It seems that his prayers contradict the word spoken by his son, Solomon, in Proverbs 25:21 and 22. The atmosphere and spirit in David’s psalms are related not to loving the enemy but to hating him. From this we see that David, although he was spiritual, was not perfect in his spirituality.
6现在让我们继续看诗篇五十八至六十二篇。我们研读这些诗时，要以诗人从他们混杂情绪发出的虔诚发表，作为认识新约里属灵之事的背景。
6Let us now go on to consider Psalms 58—62. In our study of these psalms, we will use the psalmists’ pious expressions uttered out of their complex sentiments as a background to know the spiritual things in the New Testament
柒 诗人对世人的定罪，和他愿他们毁灭的祷告
VII. The psalmist’s condemnation on the sons of men and his prayer for their destruction
7在诗篇五十八篇，诗人首先定罪世人，（1～5，）然后他祷告愿他们毁灭。（6～11。）一诗人对世人的定罪大卫在他对世人的定罪中说，他们心中不公正，他们的手『在地上秤出强暴』。（2。）然后，他又非常诗意的将他们比喻为虺蛇，最毒的蛇。（4～5。）
7In Psalm 58 the psalmist first condemned the sons of men (vv. 1-5) and then he prayed for their destruction (vv. 6-11). A. The Psalmist’s Condemnation on the Sons of Men In his condemnation of the sons of men, David says that in heart they perform injustice and that their hands “weigh out violence on earth” (v. 2). Then, writing very poetically, he goes on to liken them to a cobra, a most poisonous serpent (vv. 4-5
二 诗人愿恶人毁灭的祷告
B. The Psalmist’sPray er for the Destruction of the Wicked
8大卫在他愿恶人毁灭的祷告中说，『神阿，求你敲碎他们口中的牙齿；耶和华阿，求你敲掉少壮狮子的尖牙。』（6。）他接著将恶人比喻为流去的水、销化过去的蜗牛、和妇人坠落的胎。（7～8。）然后他宣告：『义人见仇敌遭报，就欢喜，要在恶人的血中洗脚。』（10。）见仇敌遭报就欢喜当然不是美德。大卫总结这篇诗说，『人必说，义人诚然有果子；在地上果有施行判断的神。』（11。）这里『果子』表征美好的结果，或某种公正的偿报。
8In his prayer for the destruction of the wicked, David says, “O God, break their teeth in their mouth; / Break off the fangs of the young lions, O Jehovah” (v. 6). He continues by likening the wicked to water that runs off, to a snail that melts and goes away, and to a woman’s miscarriage (vv. 7-8). Then he declares, “The righteous man will rejoice when he sees vengeance; / He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked” (v. 10). Surely it is not a virtue to rejoice at seeing vengeance. David concludes this psalm, saying, “Men will say, Indeed there is fruit for the righteous man; / Indeed there is a God who judges on earth” (v. 11). Here “fruit” signifies a good result or some kind of just compensation.
9对这篇诗里属灵的标准，你觉得如何？我对这篇诗无法有很高的珍赏。这里美好的东西很少。甚至祷告和赞美也是不可悦的。然而，有些基督徒仍喜爱这样的诗篇，并且盲目跟随，这是我作不到的事。
9How do you feel about the standard of spirituality in this psalm? I cannot have a high appreciation for this psalm. There is very little here that is good. Even the prayer and the praise are unpleasant. Nevertheless, some Christians may love such a psalm and follow it blindly, something which I cannot do
捌 诗人求神救他脱离仇敌的祷告
VIII. The psalmist’spray er for God’ss alvation from his enemies
10诗篇五十九篇是诗人求神救他脱离仇敌的祷告。
10Psalm 59 is the psalmist’spray er for God’ss alvation from his enemies
一 诗人藉著儆醒等候神，求神拯救的祷告
A. The Psalmist’sPray er for God’sS alvation by Watching for God
11诗人求神拯救他脱离仇敌。（1～。）他祷告神把他安置在高处，得脱那些起来攻击他的人。（1下。）九至十节指明，诗人藉著儆醒等候神而祷告：『我的力量阿，我儆醒等候你；因为神是我的高台。我的神要以慈爱迎接我；神要叫我看见那窥探我的遭报。』
11The psalmist asks God to deliver him from his enemies (v v. 1-3). He prays that God would set him on high, 3 secure from those who rose up against him (v. 1 b). Verses 9 and 1 0 indicate that the psalmist prayed by watching for God. “O my strength, I will watch for You; / For God is my high retreat. / My God in His lovingkindness will meet me; / God will let me look triumphantly upon those who lie in wait for me.”
二 求神惩罚万邦
B. Asking God to Punish the Nations
12在四至八节和十一至十五节，诗人求神惩罚万邦。他求神醒起，（4下，）不要怜悯诡诈行恶的人。（5下。）他继续祷告，求耶和华要用祂的能力使他们四散，且降为卑。（11下。）然后他祷告：『求你发怒，使他们消灭，以至归于无有；叫人知道神在雅各中间掌权王，直到地极。』（13。）
12In verses 4 through 8 and 11 through 15, the psalmist asks God to punish the nations. He asks God to awake (v. 4b) and to have no mercy upon any who treacherously perform iniquity (v. 5b). He goes on to pray that Jehovah will scatter them by His power and bring them down (v. 11b). Then he prays, “Consume them in wrath; consume them so that they are no more; / And men will know that God rules in Jacob / Unto the ends of the earth” (v. 13
三 诗人向神的赞美
C. The Psalmist’sP raise to God
13十六至十七节有诗人向神的赞美。这里大卫说，『我要歌唱你的力量；在早晨我要高唱你的慈爱。因为你作过我的高台。在我急难的日子，作过我的避难所。我的力量阿，我要歌颂你。因为神是我的高台，是向我显慈爱的神。』这赞美相当美好，但在此以前却有许多控告和定罪的经文。
13In verses 16 and 17 we have the psalmist’s praise to God. Here David says, “I will sing of Your strength; / And I will sing aloud of Your lovingkindness in the morning. / For You have been my high retreat / And a refuge in the day of my distress. / O my strength, unto You I will sing psalms, / For God is my high retreat, / My God of lovingkindness.” This praise is quite good, but it is preceded by many verses involving accusation and condemnation.
14玖诗人求神使他复兴的祷告六十篇有诗人求神使他复兴的祷告。这篇诗也包括神因祂应许百姓据有那地而欢腾，以及诗人求神拯救他脱离仇敌的祷告。一诗人求神使他复兴的祷告一至五节有诗人求神使他复兴的祷告。在五节诗人祷告：『求你应允我们，用右手拯救我们，好叫你所亲爱的人得救。』
14IX. The psalmist’spray er to God for his restoration In Psalm 60 we have the psalmist’spray er to God for His restoration. This psalm also includes God’s exultation in His promise to His people for the possession of the land and the psalmist’spray er for God’s deliverance from the adversary. A. The Psalmist’sPray er for God’s Restoration In verses 1 through 5 we have the psalmist’spray er for God’s restoration. In verse 5 the psalmist prays, “That Your beloved ones may be delivered, / Save with Your right hand, and answer us
二 神因祂应许百姓据有那地而欢腾
B. God’s Exultation in His Promise to His People for the Possession of the Land
15六至八节说到神因祂应许百姓据有那地而欢腾。在六节上半诗人说，『神已经指著祂的圣别说。』这里的『圣别』，原文也可译为圣地。神指著祂的圣别（或圣地）说，祂要欢腾，祂要分开示剑，丈量疏割谷。祂宣告基列和玛拿西是祂的，以法莲是祂的头盔，犹大是祂的权杖，摩押是祂的沐浴盆，祂要向以东抛鞋，非利士要因祂而欢呼。这里诗人表达他期望神要征服邻近列国，并使祂的子民归回他们的产业。关于在地上建立神的国，诗人的期望是正确的。然而，按属灵说，我们很难称义诗人在这里所说的话。
15Verses 6 through 8 are concerned with God’s exultation in His promise to His people for the possession of the land. In verse 6a the psalmist says, “God has spoken in His holiness.” The Hebrew word for “holiness” here may also be translated “holy place.” In His holiness, or holy place, God said that He would exult, divide Shechem, and measure out the Valley of Succoth. He declared that Gilead and Manasseh are His, that Ephraim is the helmet of His head, that Judah is His scepter, that Moab is His washbowl, that upon Edom He would cast His sandal, and that Philistia should shout aloud because of Him. Here the psalmist expresses his expectation that God will subdue the neighboring nations and restore His people to their possession. Regarding the setting up of the kingdom of God on earth, the psalmist’s expectation can be justified. However, spiritually speaking, it is hard to justify what the psalmist is saying here
三 诗人求神拯救他脱离仇敌的祷告
C. The Psalmist’sPray er for God’s Deliverance from the Adversary
16九至十二节是诗人求神拯救他脱离仇敌的祷告。十一至十二节说，『求你帮助我们脱离敌人，因为人的救助是枉然的。靠著神，我们才能奋勇而行，因为践踏我们敌人的就是祂。』诗人祈求好事临到以色列，恶事临到仇敌。这正是这一类诗篇的原则。
16Verses 9 through 12 are the psalmist’spray er for God’s deliverance from the adversary. Verses 11 and 12 say, “Give us help from the adversary, / For salvation from man is vain. / In God we will do valiantly, / And it is He who will tread down our adversaries.” The psalmist asks that good things will happen to Israel and evil things to the enemies. This is the principle in all these psalms
17拾诗人在神殿中对神的享受六十一篇说到诗人在神殿中对神的享受。
17X. The psalmist’s enjoyment of God in His House Psalm 61 is about the psalmist’s enjoyment of God in His house
一 藉著住在神的帐幕里，享受神作他的避难所
A. Enjoying God as His Refuge by Dwelling in the Tent of God
18在一至五节我们看见，诗人藉著住在神的帐幕里，在神翅膀的遮蔽下，享受神作他的避难所。三至四节说，『因为你是我的避难所；在我敌人面前，你是我的坚固台。愿我永远住在你的帐幕里；愿我避难在你翅膀的遮蔽下。』这指明诗人在神殿中享受神到一个地步，他愿永远住在神的帐幕里。这给我们看见诗人亲近神。五节继续说，『神阿，你原是听了我所许的愿；你将敬畏你名之人的产业赐给了我。』这里诗人的思想是：他既是敬畏耶和华的人，就有一分神的产业。他敬畏神的名，神也赐给他一分产业。
18In verses 1 through 5 we see that the psalmist enjoyed God as his refuge by dwelling in the tent of God under the covering of His wings. Verses 3 and 4 say, “You are a refuge to me, / A strong tower before the enemy. / Let me sojourn in Your tent forever; / Let me take refuge in the covering of Your wings.” This indicates that the psalmist enjoyed God in His house to such an extent that he wanted to dwell in God’st ent forever. This shows us that the psalmist was close to God. Verse 5 continues, “For You, O God, have heard my vows; / You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name.” Here the psalmist’s thought is that since he was one who feared Jehovah, he had a share of God’s inheritance. He feared God’s name, and God gave him a portion of the inheritance.
二 求神加添他的年日
B. Asking God to Add Days to His Days
19在六至八节，诗人求神加添他的年日。『你要加添王的年日；他的年岁必存到世世代代。愿他永远住在神面前；求你豫备慈爱和信实保佑他。』（6～7。）要繙译七节的『豫备』，并不容易。美国标准本说『豫备』，达秘说『给与』。诗人求神不仅仅赐给，并且豫备慈爱和信实保佑他。
19In verses 6 through 8 the psalmist asks God to add days to his days. “You will add days to the days of the king; / May his years be like generation after generation. / May he dwell forever before God; / Appoint lovingkindness and faithfulness, that they may preserve him” (vv. 6-7). It is not easy to translate the Hebrew word for “appoint” in verse 7. The American Standard Version says “prepare,” and Darby says “bestow.” The psalmist is asking God not simply to give but to appoint lovingkindness and faithfulness that they may preserve him
20『这样，我就歌颂你的名，直到永远，好天天还我所许的愿。』（8。）这里诗人的话似乎很好，但事实上这是一种他与神之间的商业交易。神豫备慈爱和信实，然后诗人藉著歌颂神的名回报祂。这就是说，歌颂神的名，是诗人为著『购买』神的慈爱和信实而『付款』。这里诗人的行动多少有点像商人。原则上，我们今天也作同样的事。例如，我们会祷告：『主，我们赞美你，因你这样爱我们。』这赞美乃是一种商业交易。如果在我们的印象中神没有这样爱我们，我们会作甚么？真正的爱不是接受，乃是单单给与。我们若期望接受甚么回报而爱，那就不是真实的爱－那是交易、买卖、商业。在马太十九章，彼得有这样商业的观念。他在主耶稣说过财主进国度的路以后，就对主说，『看哪，我们已经撇下所有的跟从了你，这样，我们将来要得甚么？』（27。）彼得和诗人一样，以商业条件为考量。他若说，『主，无论发生甚么事，我仍然爱你，』那就是真正的爱。
20So will I sing psalms to Your name forever, / As I repay my vows day by day” (v. 8). The psalmist’sword here seems good, but it actually involves a kind of commercial transaction between him and God. God appoints lovingkindness and faithfulness, and then the psalmist repays God by singing psalms to His name. This means that the singing of psalms to God’s name is the psalmist’s “payment” for the “purchase” of God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness. Here the psalmist is acting somewhat like a businessman. In principle, we may do the same thing today. For example, we may pray, “Lord, we praise You, for You love us so much.” This praise is a kind of commercial transaction. What would we do if, to our impression, God did not love us so much? Real love is a matter not of receiving but only of giving. If we love with the expectation of receiving something in return, that is not genuine love—it is trade, business, commerce. Peter had such a commercial concept in Matthew 19. After the Lord Jesus had spoken about the way for a rich man to enter into the kingdom, Peter said to Him, Behold, we have left all and followed You. What then will there be for us?” (v. 27). Peter, like the psalmist, was thinking in commercial terms. If he had said, “Lord, no matter what happens, I will still love You,” that would have been real love
拾 壹诗人对神作他高垒的享受
XI. The psalmist’s enjoyment of God As his high retreat
21诗篇六十二篇的主题是诗人对神作他高垒的享受。
21The subject of Psalm 62 is the psalmist’s enjoyment of God as his high retreat
一 诗人对神的享受
A. The Psalmist’s Enjoyment of God
22一至七节说到诗人对神的享受。他在二节说，『惟独祂是我的磐石，我的拯救，我的高垒；我必不很动摇。』他在六节重复这话。这话虽好，但无法与新约里的教训相比。
22Verses 1 through 7 speak of the psalmist’s enjoyment of God. In verse 2 he says, “He alone is my rock and my salvation, / My high retreat; I will not be greatly shaken.” He repeats this word in verse 6. This is good, but it cannot compare with the teaching in the New Testament
二 诗人对众民的劝告
B. The Psalmist’sAd vice to the People
23八至十二节有诗人对众民的劝告。他在八节他说，『你们众民当时时信靠祂，在祂面前倾心吐意；神是我们的避难所。』他继续说，下流人不过是虚幻，上流人也是虚假。然后他劝告说：『不要仗势欺压，也不要因抢夺而骄傲。若财宝加增，不要放在心上。』（10。）这关于财宝的劝告很好，但没有提前六章里保罗的话那么好。诗人下结论说，『神说了一次，两次，我都听见，就是能力都属乎神。主阿，慈爱也是属乎你；因为你按各人所行的报应他。』（诗六二11～12。）这话似乎很好，但与新约相比，属灵水平却很低。我们在本篇信息中所说的诗篇，其功用可作为一种背景，帮助我们领会新约里所启示真正属灵的事。这些诗篇与伦常范围里的人性有关，因而缺少属灵的分量。诗篇里没有一处说到照著灵生活、行8:4事为人。但在罗马八章四节，保罗说到照著灵而行；在加拉太五章二十五节他说，『我们若凭著灵活著，也就当凭著灵而行。』不仅如此，在腓立比三章十节他说，『使我认识基督、并祂复活的大能、以及同祂受苦的交通，模成祂的死。』诗篇里没有甚么比得上这个。反之，诗篇所论及的都是公平、正直、持守自己的纯正这样的事。然而我们需要领悟，公平、正直、和纯正不是属灵；属灵乃是那灵。既然只有那灵才是属灵，就凡我们在那灵以外所有的，都不是属灵。
23In verses 8 through 12 we have the psalmist’sad vice to the people. In verse 8 he says, “Trust in Him at all times, O people; / Pour out your heart before Him; / God is a refuge to us.” He goes on to say that men of low degree are but a vapor and men of high degree, a lie. Then he gives this advice: “Do not trust in oppression, / And do not become vain through robbery; / If wealth increases, / Do not set your heart on it” (v. 1 0). This advice regarding wealth is good, but it is not as good as Paul’sword in 1 Timothy 6. The psalmist concludes by saying, “Once has God spoken; / Twice have I heard this, / That strength belongs to God. / To You also, O Lord, belongs lovingkindness; / For You repay every man according to his work” (62:11-12). This word may seem somewhat good, but its spiritual level is very low compared to that of the New Testament. The psalms we have covered in this message may function as a background to help us understand the real spiritual things revealed in the New Testament. These psalms concern humanity in the ethical field, and thus they are lacking in spiritual weight. Nowhere in the Psalms do we have a word about living and walking according to the spirit. But in Romans Paul speaks about walking according to spirit, and in Galatians 5:25 he says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” Furthermore, in Philippians 3:10 he says, “To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” Nothing in the Psalms compares to this. Instead, the Psalms speak about things such as being just and upright and holding on to our integrity. We need to realize, however, that justice, uprightness, and integrity are not spirituality. Spirituality is the Spirit. Since only the Spirit is spirituality, whatever we have apart from the Spirit is not spirituality.
24身为新约的信徒，我们若不经充分的分辨，就接受诗人从他们混杂情绪发出的一切虔诚发表，这是不正确的作法。我们该使用他们虔诚的发表为背景，叫我们认识新约里属灵的事。我们需要看见诗篇与新约里所启示的属灵之间的对比。我们不该追求在诗篇里所看见的公平、正直、和纯正。反之，我们该追求我们在新约里所看见真实的属灵；这属灵实际上是藉著那灵全备的供应，从我们活出的神圣生命。这是真正的属灵。我们若实行这样的属灵，就不会祷告求主毁灭我们的仇敌。反而会祷告说：『主，赦免他们，因为他们所作的，他们不晓得。主，怜悯他们，使他们悔改，并藉著信入你而接受你。』我们不该盲目跟随诗篇，因诗篇搆不上新约标准之水平，不是给我们跟随的绝对榜样。我们不该跟随诗篇，只该珍赏诗篇所给我们的帮助，这帮助就是作为背景。让我们看见包罗万有之基督的启示。基督是神经纶的中心和普及，祂才是我们所该追求那完全的一位。
24As New Testament believers, it is not right for us to take, without adequate discernment, all the psalmists’ pious expressions uttered out of their complex sentiments. We should use their pious expressions as a background for us to know the spiritual things in the New Testament. We need to see the contrast between the Psalms and the spirituality revealed in the New Testament. We should not pursue the justice, uprightness, and integrity we see in the Psalms. Instead, we should pursue the genuine spirituality we see in the New Testament—a spirituality which is actually the divine life lived out of us by the bountiful supply of the Spirit. This is real spirituality. If we practice such a spirituality, we will not pray for the Lord to destroy our enemies. On the contrary, we will pray, “Lord, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing. Lord, have mercy on them that they may repent and receive You by believing into You.” We should not follow the Psalms blindly, for they are not the absolute pattern up to the level of the New Testament standard for us to follow. Instead of following the Psalms, we should appreciate them for the help they give us—the help of being a background for the revelation of the all-inclusive Christ. Christ is the centrality and universality of God’secon o my, and He is the perfect One whom we should pursue
25由我们对圣经的研读，我们能看见，在旧约时代和新约时代有许多人，包括一些敬虔的人，都曾因著对神话语的错误应用而受到误导。有些人受误导到一个地步，如主耶稣所说的，以为杀信徒就是事奉神。（约十六2。）历代以来，许多基督徒因著对圣经的错误应用而受误引。由此可见，我们不该对圣经的源头、经过、路线、和原则没有充分的领悟，就跟随圣经，我们若要正确的领会圣经，就必须认识圣经的源头、经过、路线、和原则。在提后二章十五节，保罗属咐提摩太说，『你当竭力将自己呈献神前，得蒙称许，作无愧的工人，正直的分解真理的话。』正直的分解真理的话，意即将神话语的各部分，正确、正直、毫不曲解的揭示出来。这就是我尽力在作的事，要帮助你们照著主话的路线和原则来认识主的话。
25From our study of the Bible, we can see that in both the Old Testament times and the New Testament times, many people, including some godly ones, have been misled by the wrong application of God’sword. Some have been misled to such an extent that, as the Lord Jesus said, they have thought that by killing the believers they were offering service to God (John 16:2). Throughout the centuries, a great many Christians have been misled by the mistaken application of the Bible. From this we see that we should not follow the Bible without adequate realization of the sources, courses, lines, and principles of the Bible, and we must know the Bible’s sources, courses, lines, and principles if we are to understand the Bible in the right way. In 2 Timothy 2:1 5 Paul charged Timothy, saying, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman, cutting straight the word of the truth.” To cut straight the word of the truth means to unfold the word of God in its various parts rightly and straightly without distortion. This is what I am trying to do by helping you to know the Word according to its lines and principles.
26我若不爱诗篇，就不会研读这么多。然而，我要强调一个事实，就是诗篇的功用搆不上新约教训的标准。论到关于基督的豫言，诗篇是特出的；但在别的事上，诗篇落在新约教训的标准之下。诗篇劝我们要信靠神，相信神，并等候神；这也许很好，但仍远在新约属灵的水平之下。新约的属灵包含十字架、复活、神永远的生命、赐生命的灵、以及那灵将三一神应用到我们这人身上，为著神性与人性的调和，以成就神关于召会的永远经论。这是新约属灵的水平，诗篇属灵的水平比这个差多了。
26If I did not love the Psalms, I would not study them so much. However, I want to emphasize the fact that the function of the Psalms is not up to the standard of the New Testament teaching. Concerning the prophecies related to Christ, the Psalms are outstanding, but in other matters the Psalms are below the standard of the teaching of the New Testament. The Psalms advise us to trust in God, to have confidence in God, and to wait on God. This may be good, but it is far below the spiritual level of the New Testament. New Testament spirituality involves the cross, resurrection, the eternal life of God, the life-giving Spirit, and the Spirit’s application of the Triune God to our being for the mingling of divinity with humanity in the accomplishment of God’s eternal economy concerning the church. This is the spiritual level of the New Testament, and the spiritual level of the Psalms is much inferior to it