This section will deal with the use of the Hebrew word Yshuwah, which is
translated "salvation". We take these from the writings of poetry
from the O.T.. For a proper description of this word, see the beginning of the
historical writings in the previous section.
We will notice that the word seems to gradually progress between deliverance
from enemies and catastrophes into a type of spiritual (individual) deliverance.
Though the people of the O.T. did not understand the concept of eternal life,
they did recognize that God was great and merciful. They understood that as
long as they tried to be faithful, that God would bless them accordingly.
By having peace, prosperity, and health, the people would realize that God was
in charge and responsible for their glory. As the people turned their back on
God, the problems would once again come upon them. We sometimes see in this
poetry the idea that the individual is responsible to God even though the nation
may be transgressing God's laws. The individual can still be blessed, even if
the rest of the nation is suffering.
Let us look at these passages of poetry and see how the word is used.
Job 13:16 (KJV)
He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before
him.
Job had just stated the famous quote; "Though He slay me, I will hope in
Him". Because Job had placed his trust in the Lord, his faith would bring
about deliverance from his trials. We find in the last chapter that God rewarded
the faith of Job greatly.
Psalms 3:8 (KJV)
Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy
people. Selah.
Who else has the capability to deliver the people?
Psalms 9:14 (KJV)
That I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion:
I will rejoice in thy salvation.
David makes the request to God to deliver him from his enemies. As a result,
David promises to declare unto the people and all peoples the great deliverance
that his God can provide.
Psalms 13:5 (KJV)
But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
David in this psalm has asked God to answer his prayer. He offers this reason
for accepting the salvation of God; his trust.
Psalms 14:7 (KJV)
Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD
bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall
be glad.
The salvation of Israel will come from the God that makes his physical home
in Zion. The captivity seems to reflect the constant attacks by the wicked upon
God's people. As prophecy, we will see that the people who return from captivity
will be restored to God's service because God delivered them.
Psalms 18:2 (KJV)
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength,
in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my
high tower.
This is the Psalm of thanksgiving as recorded in 2 Sam 22 and 1 Chron 16. The
Lord had provided salvation for David from his enemies.
Psalms 18:35 (KJV)
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right
hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Any greatness directed towards David most certainly has to be extended to Almighty
God.
Psalms 18:46 (KJV)
The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation
be exalted.
A continuation of the previous thought.
Psalms 20:5 (KJV)
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.
Some other versions use the word "victory" in place of "salvation".
God must receive the credit for our victories.
Psalms 21:1 (KJV)
To
the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The king shall joy in thy
strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
Psalms 21:5 (KJV)
His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou
laid upon him.
Both of these passages are describing the triumph of King David. As David gives
God the glory He deserves. David also attributes God for all of his own accomplishments.
Psalms 24:5 (KJV)
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the
God of his salvation.
This psalm is a prophetic utterance describing who may come into the presence
of God. Only the one with clean hands and a pure heart may enter that presence.
Jesus was the only one who ever approached God with clean hands and a pure heart.
Psalms 25:5 (KJV)
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation;
on thee do I wait all the day.
Though we can constantly repeat that salvation is a deliverance, we begin to
see in the writings of David that salvation is also self-realized within one's
own soul. Paul describes this as "the peace which surpasses all understanding"(Philippians
4:7).
Psalms 27:1 (KJV)
A
Psalm of David. 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?
With God as our shield, defender, and protector, who can possibly mount a successful
attack against us?
Psalms 27:9 (KJV)
Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast
been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
It is as if David is saying; "Lord, don't leave me, you are my protection".
Do not we also hope that God is near when we need Him? Of course God is always
near, yet sometimes we forget that fact.
Psalms 35:3 (KJV)
Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me:
say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
We might ask God to impress our memory banks with the thought that God is our
deliverer. This is so that we will not forget who to turn to when we cannot
handle a situation by ourselves.
Psalms 35:9 (KJV)
And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
The Lord does offer a salvation, and our hearts should be joyful when we realize
that God has blessed us and saved us from danger.
Psalms 37:39 (KJV)
But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength
in the time of trouble.
Salvation can come from no other source than Almighty God. Notice also, that
salvation is for the righteous.
Psalms 38:22 (KJV)
Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
David states that the Lord is the source of his salvation.
Psalms 40:10 (KJV)
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness
and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth
from the great congregation.
David led his people in the ways of God. The people were faithful because David
proclaimed the greatness of Jehovah God.
Psalms 40:16 (KJV)
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love
thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
Notice that salvation has come across the span from being just a deliverance
from physical problems into a spiritual type of trust placed in the great Deliverer
of us all.
Psalms 50:23 (KJV)
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation
aright will I show the salvation of God.
Here, David tells his people that anyone who will not follow God, is an enemy
of the state.
Psalms 51:12 (KJV)
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy
free spirit.
This chapter is the repentance that David shows after the child dies from the
adulterous relationship with Bathsheeba.
Only after contrite repentance, can one expect to see the salvation of the Lord.
This is the confidence in one's own heart that they are righteous in the sight
of God.
Psalms 51:14 (KJV)
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation:
and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
David says to God; "show me forgiveness, and I will praise your Holy Name
to everyone".
Psalms 53:6 (KJV)
Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth
back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
A repeat of Psalms 14:7
Psalms 62:1 (KJV)
To
the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. Truly my soul waiteth upon
God: from him cometh my salvation. Where else can our salvation
come from?
Psalms
62:2 (KJV)
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not
be greatly moved. God is the only one. None other can offer salvation.
Psalms 62:6 (KJV)
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not
be moved. Almost word for word with verse 2.
Psalms 62:7 (KJV)
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and
my refuge, is in God.
If anyone is to receive blessings, they will originate from God. God provides
all things for us and in Him, all things are kept together. In God only, can
we put our trust.
Psalms 65:5 (KJV)
By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation;
who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar
off upon the sea:
NASB reads: By awesome deeds, Thou dost answer us in righteousness, O God
of our salvation. Thou who are the trust of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest sea;
Psalms 68:19 (KJV)
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of
our salvation. Selah. God does
load us with blessings. Perhaps we are just too blind to see.
Psalms 68:20 (KJV)
He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord
belong the issues from death.
God blesses us beyond our comprehension and has control over our lives and our
death.
Psalms 69:13 (KJV)
But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O
God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
Here, David places a relationship between truth and salvation. They are inseparable
and go together. You cannot have one without the other.
Psalms 69:29 (KJV)
But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up
on high.
Humility is also required for us to receive this salvation.
Just read the rest of the passages and notice how the word is used. It might
help you to open your Bible and read the text within their contexts. Most of
these will be used in the sense of a personal satisfaction derived from the
knowledge of serving God. Also attributing to God what God is responsible for.
Psalms 70:4 (KJV)
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as
love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.
Psalms 71:15 (KJV)
My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all
the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
Psalms 74:12 (KJV)
For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the
earth.
Psalms 78:22 (KJV)
Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
Psalms 79:9 (KJV)
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver
us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.
Psalms 85:4 (KJV)
Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us
to cease.
Psalms 85:7 (KJV)
Show us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
Psalms 85:9 (KJV)
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell
in our land.
Psalms 88:1 (KJV)
A
Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth,
Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD God of my salvation,
I have cried day and night before thee:
Psalms 89:26 (KJV)
He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
Psalms 91:16 (KJV)
With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.
Psalms 95:1 (KJV)
O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock
of our salvation.
Psalms 96:2 (KJV)
Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; show forth his salvation from
day to day.
Psalms 98:2 (KJV)
The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he
openly showed in the sight of the heathen.
Psalms 98:3 (KJV)
He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all
the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Psalms 106:4 (KJV)
Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people:
O visit me with thy salvation;
Psalms 116:13 (KJV)
I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
Psalms 118:14 (KJV)
The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
Psalms 118:15 (KJV)
The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the
righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
Psalms 118:21 (KJV)
I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
Psalms 119:41 (KJV)
VAU. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation,
according to thy word.
Psalms 119:81 (KJV)
CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.
Psalms 119:123 (KJV)
Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
Psalms 119:155 (KJV)
Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
Psalms 119:166 (KJV)
LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
Psalms 119:174 (KJV)
I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
Psalms 132:16 (KJV)
I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall
shout aloud for joy.
Psalms 140:7 (KJV)
O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my
head in the day of battle.
Psalms 144:10 (KJV)
It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his
servant from the hurtful sword.
Psalms 149:4 (KJV)
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with
salvation.
Go to the next section Salvation In O.T. Prophecy
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