This psalm was composed by one of the singers in the temple. His theme is the role of God as the Judge. He is a powerful judge, but he also judges as the One who is in a covenant relationship with Israel (seen in the name Yahweh). In the psalm he comes to judge his people and he calls all the earth to observe (v. 1).
His location is a place of great beauty and his appearance is awe-inspiring, disturbing the created order, similar to how he appeared at Mt. Sinai when he gave the law to Israel. Only now he appears on Mt. Zion. None of his people can hide because heaven and earth help him regarding the gathering. Those he is judging are privileged because they belong to him in a unique manner - they are his covenant people (vv. 2-5).
The Lord has come to rebuke them for their sins, including religious rituals. Their sacrifices have not been acceptable because of their lifestyles. They may have imagined that he needed those sacrifices as if they were a meal for him, but he reminds them that he already owns all the animals. Such a view of God was ridiculous. He did not want fed. Rather he wanted spiritual sacrifices of gratitude, obedience and prayer. He would delight in answering them, and they would praise him in return (vv. 6-14).
Instead they are practicing wickedness. They don’t value God’s requirements and hate his teaching about how to live. They approve of those who break God’s commandments against stealing, immorality and lying. Even family relationships are used for sinful speech. The worst sin is that they assumed God did not mind their behaviour because he had not punished them immediately. But eventually he will act, as he did here (vv. 15-21).
Such are exhorted to remember that God will eventually deal with rebellion. What is important is that we are marked by gratitude to God and live obediently for God. Those who do will experience his deliverances at many levels, including salvation and at times in his providence (vv. 22-23).
Where do we go when we go to church to a worship service? We come to meet with God, and one way in which he is there is as the Judge. He judges us by his Word. Peter reminds us that judgement begins at the house of God, and Hebrews 12 tells us that we, who have come to Zion, have also come to God the Judge of all. The psalm is a reminder that mere rituals, even when ordered by God, are of no value if our hearts are not right or if we are breaking his commandments.
No comments:
Post a Comment