Numbers 14 / Psalm 41

Numbers 14

1 - 12 The People Rebel

After the men give a bad report, the Isrealites become upset. Then they complain to Moses, and they want to go back to Egypt (Wow, they prefer bondage under the pharoah to fighting!). Moses reminds the congregation how good the land is and that "If the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey." He tells them not to rebel against the Lord. The people threaten to stone him. Later the Lord appears before Moses in the tent. "How long will this people despise me?" He promises to strike down the people in the land.

13 - 25 Moses Intercedes for the People

Moses suggests to God that if He forgives the people and helps them, everyone will see how great the Lord is. The Lord forgives them, but says that the people who saw the previous miracles and didn't obey him won't see the new land. He tells them to go to the wilderness.

26 - 45 An Attempted Invasion

They try to enter the land from the south, but fail.

Psalm 41

Assurance of God's Help and a Plea for Healing

1 - 3 The Psalmist praises the Lord for helping the sick and poor. Happy are those who consider the poor" - starts out like a Beatitude.

4 - 11 Many people believe that their illness is God's punishment and have given the psalmist a hard time.

12 - 13 But the psalmist knows that God is pleased with him because the enemy hasn't prevailed.

Verse 13 is a doxology for the end of the first book of psalms! "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen."