tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34224683196609054462024-03-27T06:35:00.146+00:00Thoughts on the PsalmsMalcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-11828688479711410072023-07-29T18:07:00.004+01:002023-07-29T18:27:03.012+01:00Thoughts on Psalms 1-15<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Psalm
1 - The Blessed Man</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
first psalm describes a contrast between the godly and the ungodly person. It
opens with an exclamation of the blessednesses of the godly. The word
translated ‘blessed’ is plural, pointing to both the number of blessings each
godly person has received and to the intensification of each blessing in his
life as he journeys through this world.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
The psalmist first states the road on which the godly person will not travel.
Three descriptions are given of this road, with each increasing in depths of
sinfulness: to begin with, there is walking in the counsel of the wicked, which
leads to standing in the way of sinners, which leads to the sad state of
sitting with the scoffers. Many a person, when starting on the path of sin, did
not intend to end up a scoffer. But the path of sin is deceitful, and the
advice of the ungodly is opposed to the wisdom of God.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
In contrast, the godly man listens to and obeys the word of God. He does not
read it in a hasty manner, nor does he read a section and immediately forget
about it. Instead, he meditates over what he has read or heard. The image of
meditation here is not one of sitting in a chair, contemplating in a passive
manner some object of interest. Instead, it means to speak to ourselves about
what interests us.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
The psalmist illustrates the consequences of what both the godly and ungodly
listen to and reflect on. The ungodly are guided by the advice and opinions of
other sinners, and the outcome is that they are like chaff blown about by the
wind. Chaff is a worthless item, with no weight. Their lack of stability is
seen first in their inability to cope with the storms that come their way in
life, but it will be seen in a far more dramatic manner on the Day of Judgement
when the final storm of God’s anger will be revealed and the shallowness, as
well as the sinfulness, of their lives will be displayed, and judged. In the
end they will perish.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
In contrast, the godly man is like a tree that does not move in either the storms
of life or in the storm of the Day of Judgement. He has become a strong,
weighty person because he has nourished his soul on the word of God (the
streams that nourish the tree depict the Bible nourishing believers). Although
he may live in uncongenial surroundings, he will flourish because he has
perpetual access to the life-giving streams of Scripture. Like the well-watered
tree, which is fruitful and covered in green leaves, even if it is surrounded
by a desert, so the godly man who meditates on the Bible is always spiritually
healthy.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This
biblical lifestyle gives pleasure to the Lord. When the psalmist says that the
way of the godly man is known to the Lord, he does not mean that God merely
knows about it in an intellectual manner. He also means that the Lord knows
about it in an experiential way, that he has drawn near and tasted the sweet
flavour of the godly man’s fruits.</span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Psalm 2 - The King is Coming</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
the book of Psalms there are two types of Messianic psalm. For example, there
are psalms that are applied to Jesus in the New Testament, such as Psalm 22.
Another type are those psalms, such as Psalm 72, which are not quoted in the
New Testament with reference to Jesus, but which clearly describe aspects of
his life and work. Psalm 2 belongs to the first group because Peter quotes it
in Acts 4:25-30 and Paul in Acts 13:33. Incidentally, Peter says that David
wrote Psalm 2, although the Book of Psalms does not say so in the heading to
Psalm 2, which is an example of new revelation being given to the New Testament
apostles.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
verses 1 to 3, the psalmist describes the conspiracy against Jesus that
involved both Gentile and Jewish rulers. Because they refused to acknowledge
Jesus as the Messiah (God’s anointed), their opposition to him was also a sign
that they would not submit to God’s authority. The psalmist comments that their
united opposition to God was futile.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Verses
4 to 6 describe the response of God the Father. He treats with contempt the
attack by the rulers on the Messiah. The attempt to destroy Jesus by crucifying
him and burying his body was a stage on the road that would take him to his
throne. The Father announces the enthronement of Jesus in verse 6, which did
not occur in the earthly Jerusalem but in heaven. This divine announcement is a
statement of judgement on the rebellious rulers because the newly enthroned
king will work to overthrow their kingdoms, which he has done through his
control of providence. Eventually he will overcome all rulers that oppose his
rule.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
Messiah speaks in verses 7 to 9, revealing his identity as the divine Son of
God. The idea behind the word translated ‘declare’ contains the idea of
celebration as well as of announcement. Paul quotes in Acts 13:33 the words of
Psalm 2:7 (‘You are my Son; this day have I begotten you’) and says that they
were fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
remaining words in this section of the psalm refer to the Father’s promise to
his exalted Son that he would receive, upon his asking, all the nations as his
inheritance. This reception describes the way Jesus conquers sinners from all
the nations through the preaching of the gospel. At the end of history, a large
crowd, the number of which no person can count, will have been gathered from
all the nations to live with Jesus in heaven. Verse 9 is a reference to the Day
of Judgement when those who persist in rebelling against Jesus will be judged
and punished.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Who
speaks in verses 10 to 12? At one level, it is the psalmist. But given that the
Father has spoken in verses 4 to 6 and the Son has spoken in verses 7 to 9, it
may well be that the Holy Spirit is speaking directly to these rebellious
rulers in verses 10 to 12 (of course, the Spirit is also speaking in the sense
that he inspired the psalmist to compose the psalm). Mercy is offered to rebels
against King Jesus and they are given the opportunity to serve him. If they
refuse, all their strength will not prevent their destruction. Mercy is
received by trusting in Jesus, and all who do so receive blessings from God.</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 3 - When in Trouble<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
heading of this psalm says that David wrote it when he had to flee because of
the rebellion led by his son Absalom. This response of David is a reminder to
us, and a model for us, concerning what to do in situations of family trouble.
Of course, in Absalom’s case, his sin against his father was magnified because
he was also rebelling against the Lord’s chosen king.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
verses 1 and 2, David brings to God the sad facts that former friends had
joined the rebellion and his subjects assumed that God had rejected him (see 2
Sam. 15:12). Such people wrongly judged David’s situation by the number of
enemies he had; instead, they should have considered whose side God was on.
David knew that the Lord would not abandon him, no matter how many turned
against him. One of the responses we are liable to have in times of trouble is
to focus on the trouble, and if we do so, then the trouble will grow bigger and
bigger. Instead, we should focus on God, which was what David did here.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
verse 3 David details in prayer three ways in which God was related to him.
David could have selected many other ways, but he chose three that were
relevant to his situation. He was under attack, so he needed God’s protection;
he was rejected and scorned by many, so he needed God’s provision of future
glory; he was being humiliated, so he needed God to exalt him again. Spurgeon
describes this threefold divine relationship as ‘defence for the defenceless,
glory for the despised, and joy for the comfortless.’</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">David
had this confidence because he had committed the situation to the Lord (v. 4).
Verse 4 details his past prayer, probably on the previous evening. Because he
had handed his cares over to God, David had enjoyed a restful sleep while his
enemies planned his overthrow (v. 5). Again, Spurgeon comments: ‘We need not
fear a frowning world while we rejoice in a prayer-hearing God.’</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">When
David awoke, he saw that he was surrounded by many enemies (v. 6); (twenty
thousand of the rebel army were slain later that day). But he did not depend on
the previous day’s prayer for a new day’s situation. He prayed again to God to
deliver him (v.7a). God gave him a complete victory, far above what he had
asked or imagined.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This
provision by God reminded David of two things. First, true salvation, including
deliverances in providence, can only be given by God. Second, when God answers
the prayers of one of his people, it is a sign of favour to all his people.
David became a living example to the godly in Israel of what God was able to do
for any who asked for his help. This is one reason why we should tell the
church what God has done for us.</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 4 - About to Retire ...
for the night</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This
psalm is called an evening psalm because the last verse indicates the author
was about to retire for the night. Some commentators assume that there is a
connection with the previous psalm, which was composed by David when he was
fleeing from Absalom. They suggest that in verse 2 the psalmist is addressing
the men who joined the futile rebellion led by Absalom.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
the first verse, the psalmist pleads with the Lord for help because he is under
attack. Although he is the innocent party in the conflict, he is aware that he
still needs mercy from God. Therefore, he uses two arguments in his petition.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
first is an appeal to the Lord whom he calls ‘the God of my righteousness’.
This could mean that God has given him righteousness in the sense that he has
forgiven his sins. But I suspect he means that God’s righteousness is the
standard that David used in administering justice as the king of Israel, and he
is asking God as the Sovereign to deal justly with the rebellious situation
over which David has no control. David is willing to put the outcome into the
hands of God.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
second argument that David uses is the fact that God has answered previous
prayers that he offered. He believes that his Lord will be consistent, that he
will treat his servant’s current prayers in a similar manner to former prayers.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
verses 2 to 5, David addresses those who were causing the trouble. Verses 2 and
3 detail the futility of fighting against the one whom the Lord has chosen as
his king. In such a situation they are not fighting against a mere man, but
against a man whose prayers are heard by God. This is a useful way for us to
reason when we are being misrepresented or attacked. We should see the
opposition for what it is, mere humans engaged in a vain action. Instead of
looking at them, we should think about our relationship with God and rejoice
that we have access to his ear.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Verses
4 and 5 are David’s call to these men to stop sinning against the Lord and
instead to offer appropriate sacrifices. This advice reveals David’s merciful
heart because he wanted his opponents to be forgiven and to resume worshipping
at the tabernacle. There they could offer sin offerings as signs of repentance
and trust in the Lord. We too should want our opponents to be penitent, to
experience forgiveness, and to worship the Lord instead of opposing his
servants.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In
verse 6, David repeats to the Lord the idle threats of his enemies. He asks the
Lord to prove them wrong by giving to him the spiritual blessings of joy and
peace. These blessings of satisfaction and security only come from God, and
under his blessing they cannot be taken from his people, no matter the strength
of opposition they face. They can be ours just as much as they were David’s,
and they come to us through prayers that express our confidence in God.</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 5 - In the Morning</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This
psalm is called a morning psalm because of verse 3 which states the psalmist’s
resolve to pray early in the day. The thrust of the psalm is that David is
determined to participate in the public worship of God at the tabernacle (v.7)
and he needs strength from the Lord because of the many enemies that were
against him. (The psalm was written during the period when David was falling
out of favour with King Saul, but before he fled from the palace to hide in the
wilderness.) Therefore, the psalm contains guidance for us as to how we should
approach public worship.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
first thing that David does is remind himself that the Lord listens intently to
the prayers of his people. The image David uses in verse 1 is of a parent
bending his/her ear to the cry of a child. The heavenly Father bends his ear in
love to hear what his child has to say.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Then
David reminds himself of aspects of his relationship to God – the Lord is his
King and his God. To call him King is to say that we are delighted to be his
subjects; to call him God is to say that we are delighted to be his
worshippers. These two features always go together. We cannot serve him truly
without a sense of his greatness; we cannot worship him truly without an
attitude of glad submission to his rule. Because the Lord listens as a parent
to a child and because he responds to those who worship him devotedly, David is
confident that his prayer will be heard (v. 3).</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
verses 4 to 10 David considers his enemies. He realises that they do not please
God and that they need to be removed for God’s purposes of grace to be
fulfilled. Sometimes we find such imprecations (prayers for the destructions of
one’s enemies) difficult to understand. When we read such psalms, we should
remember that David, because he was chosen to be the next king of Israel, had
also to act as judge and implement God’s laws. David in making such requests is
asking God to fulfil his own promise to remove the wicked from the land and
extend his kingdom.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
verses 11 and 12, David turns to consider the righteous whom he will be joining
in worshipping God later that day. He describes them as those who both trust in
and love the Lord, a reminder that faith is a loving response to God. David’s
desire is that God’s people will have a fresh experience of the joy of the Lord
- rejoicing that is the outcome of realising that the Lord protects his people.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Like
us, David in public worship looked forward to enjoying fellowship with God and
his people, of engaging in prayer that his kingdom would advance, of
experiencing once more the joy of the Lord. But the psalm also reminds us that
there should be private preparation before we come to the public worship.</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 6 - Persist in Prayer</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This
is the first penitential psalm in the Psalter. The best-known penitential psalm
is Psalm 51. Although Psalm 6 has been classified as such a psalm, it is not
clear from the psalm that David is repenting of specific sins. Instead, the
background of the psalm is an occasion when enemies had risen against him, and
he was in danger of being overthrown as king. Some commentators link the psalm
to the rebellion of Absalom.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">If
verses 1-7, which deal with the sorrows of David, describe the initial stages
of Absalom's rebellion, then we can see how David could regard that providence
as indicating God was angry with him (v. 1). David was in danger of losing the
throne, and if he did so it would be an act of divine judgment. But the same
could be said of any adverse providence at an early stage. Many a Christian has
had experiences when the word spoken to God was 'Why?'</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
stress of the situation had affected David physically (v. 2) and emotionally
(v. 3). He had prayed earnestly for divine help (v. 4), particularly as he
thought death was a real possibility (vv. 4-5). So far, God had not answered
and, as we know, times of trouble accompanied by a silent God are exceedingly
difficult experiences. We can cope with troubles better if we sense God's
presence, but if we are afraid that he is against us, then our whole person
(body and soul) can be adversely affected. Many Christians have experienced
such dark nights of the soul and found it very hard to obtain spiritual
comfort. Instead, copious tears flowed. Of course, it is important to note that
David still realised that any deliverance for him would be an act of divine
mercy.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A
changed picture is evident in verses 8-10. God has heard David's weeping, which
is a reminder never to despise tears. Spurgeon says about them: ‘Let us learn
to think of tears as liquid prayers, and of weeping as a constant dropping of
importunate intercession which will wear its way right surely into the very
heart of mercy.’ As he prayed, David sensed that God had heard him and was
going to deliver him from his enemies. Sometimes God gives such assurance of
answered prayer that the very trouble which previously terrified us is now seen
as no longer a threat.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
obvious lesson from the psalm is that persistence in prayer in times of trouble
eventually brings deliverance.</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 7 - When falsely accused</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
heading of the psalm indicates that David wrote it after an incident involving
a Benjamite called Cush (this incident is not referred to elsewhere in the Old
Testament). Cush had made false accusations against David. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">His
response was to bring the matter to the Lord, which is the most appropriate
response to any difficulty. The fact that David wrote out his response could
point to the usefulness of this method as a means of clearing one’s thinking at
such times because we can often be confused when unjustly attacked.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">David
finds security in his relationship with the Lord, whom he addresses as my God
(vv. 1-2). It is important to be conscious of this personal bond with God when
strong opponents come against us (the opponent who is most likely to use
slander against us is the devil, although false accusations can also be made by
people).</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">David affirms his innocence of the accusations levelled against him (vv. 3-5). He
admits that if he is guilty then he deserves punishment. Since he is innocent,
however, he is confident that the Lord, who loves justice, will hear his plea.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Then
David calls to God to rise in judgement (vv. 6-9). We may ask why David did not
ask the Lord to be merciful to Cush. The answer is that David is functioning as
the king and not merely as a private individual. It was necessary for the
people of Israel to know that their king was innocent of the charges. The
existence of such unjust accusations causes him to pray for the removal of all
kinds of wickedness and the establishment of justice.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">David
contrasts God’s treatment of the righteous and the wicked (vv. 10-13). The
righteous are safe, whereas the wicked face his judgement. He mentions a solemn
reality, that God is angry with the wicked every day. If the wicked person
refuses to repent, then he will face judgement from God (which David likens to
an attack by a skilful and lethal soldier), from which he cannot escape.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The psalmist gives two perspectives on a sin. First, we don’t know the outcome of a sin, but
it will be ugly (v. 14). Second, sin is like a trap ready to destroy us
(15-16). These two features mark every sin that we commit, which is why it is
essential that we ask God for mercy.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Verse
17 indicates that the Lord heard David’s plea and delivered him. His response
was to praise his Deliverer.</span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 8 - The Last Adam</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This
psalm was written by David as he thought about the dignity that God had given
to people. Yet it is more than a reflection on humans in general because in
Hebrews 2:6-9 the writer applies the psalm to the exalted Christ.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
verses 1-4, David is thinking about God’s ability to create a marvellous
universe. Everything in it, whether on the earth or in the sky, points to the
greatness of God. His power and wisdom are so obvious that even young children
can see how great he is, and their praise is used by him to quieten those who
oppose him.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As
he looks at the heavens, David is reminded that they are under God’s control,
with each star and planet fulfilling the function God gave to it. He uses a
beautiful picture of the Creator – his fingers gently embroidered the heavenly
bodies into their locations. Yet David also realises that humans are small in
comparison to the vast universe. At the same time, he knows that God is
concerned about humans and provides for them. Why does he do this? David gives
the answer in verses 5 to 8.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
reason God cares for humans is found in Genesis 1. David reminds himself of the
place God gave to Adam. Adam was created as a king, ruling on behalf of God
over the animals, birds and fish. The only creatures above Adam at that time
were the angels.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We
know that Adam rebelled against God and as a result he lost his kingdom. Yet
that does not mean that man has lost forever this place of dignity. To find how
man has recovered his position of prominence we need to turn to Hebrews 2.
There the writer states in verse 8 that we do not yet see all things under the
authority of man (the word<i> yet</i> is especially important).
Nevertheless, we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour. So he has become
King.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jesus
is not only King of the earth, which was the extent of Adam’s domain. Instead,
Jesus is Ruler of all things, and even the angels, who were not under Adam’s
rule, are under the authority of Christ.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Since
Jesus is exalted, why do we not yet see all things restored under the authority
of man? The answer is that Jesus the King is waiting until all his brothers,
his fellow-rulers, are brought to glory. When they are all ready for their
inheritance, then the universe will be under the authority of Jesus and his
redeemed people.</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 9 - Celebrating victory</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
this psalm, David is celebrating another God-given victory over his enemies.
The psalm is in two parts: verses 1-12 contains praise for past rescue; verses
13-20 is a prayer for future help. The past deliverance was a reason for
anticipating future aid because God does not change his commitment to his
people.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
David’s case, the land had been invaded by foreign armies, but God had enabled
him to defeat them (vv. 3-6), an example of God’s ruling righteously in
providence (7-8). Through it all, David and his people had discovered God to be
a secure refuge (vv. 9-10), and having experienced victory they wanted to
praise him (vv. 11-12). Big as their enemies were, they discovered that God was
bigger.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Christians
are under attack from spiritual enemies (the world, the flesh and the devil),
but if we commit ourselves to the Lord, he will deliver us each time they
attack us. Sometimes the deliverance takes longer than we would like, yet when
it does come, we discover that it came at exactly the right time, and that the
victory reveals again that God is far greater in wisdom, power and love than we
imagined him to be. So, when the Lord does deliver us, we should praise him
privately and publicly.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
the remainder of the psalm, David prays for ongoing protection for Israel
because he realised that other enemies would come and attack them. He can pray
confidently because he knew that the Lord would also defeat them and bring them
to nothing. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Similarly,
we know that our spiritual enemies will often renew their attacks upon us, but
we are to remain confident in the Lord, knowing that he will continue to fight
on our behalf. And one day, these enemies will attack for the final time
because the Lord will yet give to all his people complete victory in heaven.</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 10 - Prayer and Humility</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
this psalm, the author meditates on a common anxiety that troubles God’s people
– the concern arising from the disdain that the wicked have for God and his
ways.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
contempt of the wicked is revealed in several characteristics that mark their
outlook: opposition to God’s people (the term ‘poor’ in the Old Testament is
often a synonym for humble believers, as can be seen by Jesus’ use of the term
to describe his people in Luke 6:20), practical atheism that never thinks about
God, prosperity in life which leads them to imagine that they don’t need God,
boastful words against God’s people, and contempt for God’s judgements (vv. 1-11).
Although the psalm was written 4,000 years ago, its description of sinful
humans is an accurate presentation of contemporary people – which is a reminder
that human sinfulness does not change as far as the heart is concerned.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
psalmist, however, knows what to do. First, he asks God to intervene (vv.
12-18). Prayer should always be our first response when facing a demanding
situation. This prayer was made despite the psalmist’s inability to understand
God’s apparent refusal to do something about the situation. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sometimes
providence can give guidance as to what we should pray for, at other times it
does not. Yet the confusion that affects us in times of God’s apparent
inactivity should not prevent us from continually asking God to intervene – because
he will respond eventually to the prayers of his people. The church in Scotland
has been praying to God now for several generations that he would come in a
great revival. So far, he has not given signs of answering this prayer. But he
may answer it the next time you pray, which is why we should continue in prayer
and not lose heart.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Second,
the psalmist reminds himself that he must maintain a humble attitude (v. 17).
Humility here is marked by the expectancy that God will one day judge those who
oppose his cause, and the psalmist is willing to leave the timing of the
judgement in God’s schedule. It is not always a sign of faith to demand that
God respond immediately to our most urgent requests for him to act (sometimes
it can indicate presumption). </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Only
the humble have God’s ear. Andrew Gray, a preacher in Glasgow in the
seventeenth century, once said, ‘He that sits nearest the dust, sits nearest
heaven.’</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 11 - Resolve</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Although
David wrote this psalm, it is not clear when he composed it. He refers to a
time when he was being pursued by enemies, which means it could have been written
during the years he was hunted by Saul or during the time when his son Absalom
rebelled against him. No one can say for certain what the background was. Yet
we can see from his words how we should respond in challenging situations.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
first verse of the psalm is David’s affirmation that he believes God can
protect him. It is an answer to the advice of his friends found in verses 2 and
3. They suggest that the righteous should flee when the attacks of the enemy
become too strong. But the psalmist realises that when the foundations are
being destroyed, the last thing to do is flee from the battle. Instead, he is
going to stay at his post, trust in the Lord and live a righteous life. William
Gurnall once commented that ‘sinning times have ever been the saints’ praying
times’. The darker things become, the more determined each Christian should be
to overcome them by dependence on God, holy living and determined prayer.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
verse 4 the psalmist points out that the Lord is still in charge, that he is
aware of what each person is doing. Verse 5 is a reminder that the Lord
arranges providence in two ways: the first way is designed to test the
commitment of his people and the second way is part of the process of
punishment on the wicked, a process that will eventually climax in complete
judgement. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Often
these two ways occur simultaneously; on one hand a situation is a test of his
people’s loyalty, on the other hand the same situation results in the overthrow
of the wicked. Usually, the wicked imagine they are progressing, but they are
not. The supreme example of this simultaneous occurrence is the death of the
Saviour: it was a test of his disciples’ faith, and it was an act of judgement
on Christ’s enemies even although they thought they had managed to get rid of
him.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
verse 7, David reminds himself of God’s attributes and activities, which is
what each of God’s people should do, particularly in times when the foundations
are being destroyed. The basic thought is David’s awareness of divine approval
of his determination to live a righteous life in a corrupt society. This
consciousness of divine approval gave David spiritual strength to remain
resolute whatever the situation. And that is the challenge that comes to us
today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 12 - In the Minority</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">David
wrote Psalm 12 during a period when faithful followers of God were decreasing
in influence and in number. As he considered this situation he realised that
one consequence was the decline of truthfulness whether at a personal level
regarding speech with one’s neighbour or at an official level when the false
words of those in power resulted in the persecution of God’s people (the poor
and the needy in verse 5 does not refer to those in financial poverty but to
those who have realised that they are totally dependent on God). The situation
at the time David wrote the psalm is like our situation today.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
verse 4, David records one of the first demands for freedom of speech. Sadly,
the freedom that such people wanted was to say what suited them in particular
situations, where they could use various features of wrong speech such as lies
(vanity), flattery and boastful claims. They imagined they were free of all
authority (v. 4), forgetting that God will judge them.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Of
course, David knew he could turn away from all forms of false speech and listen
to what the God of truth had revealed about his people, his purposes, and his
promises. He has promised to protect them in an evil generation (vv. 5, 7).
They can depend on his promises because he has the power to accomplish what he
says. His Word will never be destroyed (v. 6).</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">David
also mentions the Lord’s assessment of the boasts of unfaithful people: their
words are nothing but puff (v. 5), empty wind. They do not have the power to
accomplish what they boast they can do. This is how we should regard the
various boasts currently finding favour today regarding removing God’s demands
from our society. Negative changes do not occur because wicked people have more
power than God, but they happen because he allows these changes as a means of
judging a society. And when he chooses to reverse these trends, he can do so
very quickly and those opposed to him will not be able to stop him.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">David
mentions one manner of speech that pleases God in times when sinful speech is
predominant. This one manner is described in verse 5: ‘the sighing of the
needy.’ There is more power in a believer’s sigh than in all the strategies of
the wicked because the Lord responds to the sigh and helps him. Better to be a
sigher than a liar.</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 13 - By oneself with God</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">David
composed Psalm 13 when he was going through a period of distressing soul
trouble. He was experiencing a time of spiritual darkness and he brings his
situation to the Lord. His words indicate that there are times when the Lord
does not immediately answer the earnest prayers of his people. Such delays are
difficult to cope with, but we should remind ourselves that God designs them to
test our commitment to him. The fact that David persisted in coming to a silent
God was clear testimony that he was in a state of grace.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">David
is alone, without any human help. There was no-one with whom he could take
counsel, and he was left to his own considerations of his troubles (v. 2). His
experience was one of great sorrow, not primarily due to the activities of his
enemies but to the reality that God was hiding his face from him. When a
believer faces trouble, he or she usually has a sense of God’s favour and this
knowledge strengthens him or her to continue in the life of faith. When God
hides his face, it is a different story.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This
sense of the loss of God’s gracious approval was not unique to David nor is it
an infrequent experience for God’s people. Job experienced it in a very marked
way, as did others of the psalmists. When such experiences come to us, it is
important that we respond correctly.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">First,
we must remember that such dark experiences do not always mean that we are
guilty of unconfessed sin. It is true that if we don’t confess our sins, God
will hide his face from us. Therefore, when we sense the absence of God, we
should search our hearts to see if there is unconfessed sin. If we discover
that there is none, then we should realise that God is testing us.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Second,
we should speak to God about the matter, which is what David did. He told the
Lord about the sorrow and pain he was enduring and mentioned his fear that his
enemies would prevail. Daily, David put his sad case into the hands of God even
though he could not sense God’s gracious presence.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Third,
we should resolve to trust in the Lord (v. 5). David focussed on the attribute
of God that was most suitable to his need (God’s mercy). This helped him have
the assurance that he would yet experience God’s deliverance. He also recalled
previous occasions when God had helped him. Memory is one of the greatest helps
to faith in dark times. If we are in darkness, we should take the torch of
memory and let it shine into our hearts.</span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 14 - Don’t be a fool</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm
14:1 is the biblical definition of an atheist – ‘The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”’ Such a conclusion is not a sign of wisdom but of folly. In
biblical usage, fool and folly do not describe an uninformed person but an
individual who does not respond appropriately to clear information. God has
clearly revealed himself in creation and in the Bible. Wisdom is the ability to
use this knowledge correctly and results in an honourable lifestyle. Folly is
the inability to use this knowledge appropriately and results in sinful
practices, as the psalmist describes in the remainder of verse 1: ‘They are
corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.’</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Verses
2 and 3 depict God considering the thoughts and ways of people, assessing their
priorities. Instead of seeking God they engage in wrongdoing. Such behaviour
does not mark only a few; from the Lord’s perspective, which includes his
knowledge of the human heart, it marks every person who does not belong to his
people. Yet their blatant rebellion puzzles the psalmist because it suggests
they have no knowledge of God. The Lord is so real to him that he finds it
difficult to understand how others cannot see him.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Yet
the evidence is there that they do not seek God. They oppose his people and do
not pray to him (vv. 4-5). The psalmist had a particular occasion in mind
because he recalls that the Lord came to rescue and defend his people. On that
occasion, the enemies of God became very afraid because they realised that in
attacking God’s people they had been opposing God, and now he had come in
judgement on his foes.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">These
people had treated the counsel of the poor [God’s people] with contempt (v.6).
That counsel could be the wisdom to trust in God or it may have been advising
the wicked to take the Lord as their refuge.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This
psalm describes our society today: a refusal to acknowledge God, a
determination to rid our nation of his demands, and contempt for his people and
the gospel. But modern Britons cannot stop God assessing their hearts, being
present with his people, and coming with judgement. When that judgement falls,
they will wish they had heeded the counsel of God’s people.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Verse
7 is David’s prayer that the Lord would restore his church. It should be our
prayer too because when that happens, true joy and gladness will mark our
society.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm 15 - the man of God</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Psalm
15 is like Psalm 24, which may indicate that they were composed originally to
celebrate the same event. Psalm 24 was written when the ark of God, symbolising
his presence, was taken into the city of Jerusalem during the reign of David.
The psalm also has a richer significance because the entrance of the ark was a
picture of the entry of Jesus as the ascended Lord into the heavenly Jerusalem.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In
Psalm 15, David asks an important question: ‘Lord, who shall abide in your
tabernacle? who shall dwell in your holy hill?’ The question is important
because humans are sinful and, in themselves, unable to dwell in God’s
presence. So, when we read the list of qualifications for entry in verses 2–5,
we conclude that only a perfect person can live in God’s presence.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
reality is that only one human had these qualifications, and because he
possessed them he can live in the presence of God. Verses 2–5 are a character
profile of Jesus Christ, the only perfect man who has ever lived. Therefore, we
can go through the various statements in the psalm and think of incidents in
the life of Jesus that fits these descriptions.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">One
day, after the resurrection in the future, this list of qualifications will
also describe the people of God because they then will be fully conformed to
the likeness of Christ. The list details their righteous behaviour, their
truthful hearts, their pure speech, their love to God’s people, and their
consistent lifestyle (of course, there will not be the opportunity for usury in
the eternal state). The point is that the redeemed will then be perfect and so
will be able to dwell permanently in God’s presence.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Of
course, the same is true of all the Lord’s people who have already gone to
heaven. They have been made perfect in holiness as far as their spirits are
concerned. But what about believers who are yet on earth? They are still
sinful, although converted. Yet they can also dwell in the presence of the Lord
(Ps. 91:1) because (a) they have been given the perfect righteousness of Christ
as their title to heaven, (b) they are being cleansed daily from their sins by
the blood of Christ when they confess their faults to God, and (c) the law of
God is written on their hearts so that they now delight to obey it.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The
more Christlike we are, the greater will be our enjoyment of the presence of
God.</span></span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-70920140804876009812022-12-19T11:54:00.002+00:002022-12-19T11:54:21.085+00:00Psalm 142 - Prayer for deliverance<p style="text-align: justify;">According to the title, David
wrote this psalm when he was in the cave of Adullum, on the run from Saul. This
would fit with his description of his circumstances as a prison (v. 7) because
he was not free to move around the country of which he had been anointed as its
king. Circumstances did not seem to be in line with divine promises. So what
did he do? He brought his circumstances to the Lord.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">His prayer for divine help was
intense – he cried and pleaded. Yet his prayer was informed – he knew which
divine name to use and which divine attribute to focus on. Yahweh was the
covenant God of Israel and he is merciful and gracious (v. 1). Further, his
prayer was detailed and was delivered consciously in the presence of God (v.
2). David was aware of where he was and what he was doing when he prayed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">What did he say to the Lord?
David mentioned God’s awareness of his dangerous circumstances, the traps of
his enemies that he could not see, his isolation from others, the lack of
interest in him (vv. 3-4). He knew that whatever his opponents did God was on his
side. The Lord was his place of safety. Having the Lord was more valuable than
any other set of possessions he could have. It was better for him to have God
with him in the cave than to be in a palace without the Lord (v. 5).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Nevertheless, he prayed for
recovery and deliverance. Although he had defeated Goliath, David knew that in
himself he was weak in comparison to his opponents. He needed the Lord to help
him in this difficult situation even as he had been helped before.<o:p></o:p></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-18608559842204321672022-08-19T20:50:00.007+01:002022-12-31T20:52:21.522+00:00Psalm 134 - Speak well of God<p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Verse 1 indicates that citizens of Zion were addressing those who were
working through the night in the temple. There were twenty-four Levites, three
priests and the captain of the guard on duty in the temple. Verses 1 and 2
express the desires of the citizens for the priests and others who served
overnight in the temple; verse 3 is probably the response of the priests to the
citizens.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The citizens want the priests and others in the temple to speak well of
the Lord. This is what is meant by the call to ‘bless the Lord’. Their God had
done great things for them as a nation: he had revealed his mercy in delivering
them from enemies, he had blessed them with a land of rest in which they could
know his favour, and he had given to them many great and precious promises.
This was their desire, to hear their divinely-chosen leaders speak well of
their gracious Lord.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The priest and Levites on duty in the temple responded with the words of
verse 3: ‘The Lord who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!’ Immediately
we have an example of speaking well of the Lord. In saying this benediction,
the temple workers were giving assurance to the citizens that they were
remembering their God-given calling. They reminded the citizens of God’s great
abilities, of how he could bless them through his great power and covenant
faithfulness.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The ‘you’ in verse 3 is singular. The usage of a singular pronoun indicates
that each individual would hear the word addressed to themselves independently.
Of course, we sense this kind of effect when we listen to the Bible being read.
Its promises are addressed collectively and individually.</span></span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-65381734814980369852022-08-17T05:00:00.010+01:002022-12-31T20:40:25.721+00:00Psalm 133 - Life in the family of God<p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> <span style="text-align: justify;">The psalm was written by David during an occasion when he had enjoyed
the harmony and peace of the family of God. The psalm points to the privilege
of being allowed access into such fellowship, the pleasantness of enjoying such
fellowship, and the purpose of God that such fellowship should mark his people.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist likens this relationship to the oil with which the high
priest was anointed and to the dew that descended on the mountains of Israel.
The people had read the accounts of the anointing of their priest and would have experienced the refreshing dew as they travelled round the country.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Brotherly love has many benefits. Like the oil, it is refreshing, and
like the oil it spreads. Further, like the dew’s effect on vegetation,
brotherly love through the Spirit’s blessing becomes a means of daily growth so
that all the flowers that should be in the garden of our hearts will appear;
these flowers are described in the list of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal.
5:22-23).</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Unity of believers, as this psalm depicts, is a very desirable thing.
There are many ways by which unity can be presented. It is the case that the
Lord’s people should be one doctrinally, should be one practically, and should
be one internally from the heart. They should be one in public worship and in
their attendance upon the means of grace and other occasions of fellowship.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Old Testament believers lived in an age in which spiritual blessings were
not as full as ours. Our potential for fellowship is enhanced because the
Spirit has come in his fullness and can lead us into the riches of fellowship
that are found in having communion with the risen Saviour and his brothers
under the loving eye of the heavenly Father. May our fellowship together
stimulate us to want more of it and also strengthen us to live in a society
that does not even remotely understand the meaning of true fellowship.</span></span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-89720254270818704582022-08-16T12:11:00.000+01:002022-12-19T12:11:48.014+00:00Psalm 132 - Desiring a Great Temple and King<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In Psalm 132, the author begins by describing the search that David had led for a suitable place to locate a dwelling place for God (vv. 1-9). David’s seriousness in this task is revealed in the fact that he vowed to make this search the priority of his life, more important that building a palace for himself. The people celebrated when the ark of the covenant was brought to Jerusalem and worship was taking place there. The location for building the temple was found, although David was not given the actual task of building it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The reference to David’s role is part of a communal prayer written long after he lived, and we should note that there is a stress on the Lord as the Mighty One of Jacob. Those offering the prayer as they attended the annual feasts in Jerusalem after the exile knew that it would take divine power to restore the glory of the temple even as it took divine power to commence its existence.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The author of
the psalm knows that more is needed than the existence of the temple building.
Divine blessing was also connected to the presence of a faithful Davidic king
(vv. 10-12). Those who would have attended the feasts in Israel after the
return from the exile would have seen a much smaller temple and a weakened
royal line. Still they knew that the Mighty One of Jacob could change the
situation through his power.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It was
important for them to consider the desire that the Lord had to dwell on Mount
Zion among his people (vv. 13-16). They rehearsed what he thought of it. Not
only had he chosen it, he had dwelt there, not only in the sense of his
omnipresence, but particularly as a place of satisfaction. Even as God rested
on the seventh day of creation with delight, so he rested in the sanctuary
among his redeemed people. His pleasure was revealed by him meeting their needs.
The white clothing of her priests would picture the salvation he had provided –
his righteousness, and great joy would mark her worship.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Yet it would
have caused those attending the temple to wonder how things could get better.
The answer to that dilemma is found in verse 17 and 18. One would yet come from
the line of David who would defeat all his enemies and wear a permanent crown
of glory. Here we have a picture of Jesus, and we are told that when his time
for reigning comes, it will be a very prosperous period for Zion. We are living
in the period when his crown shines with permanent lustre in heaven, which
means that the future is bright for the people of God.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-68417107360296906482022-08-15T20:25:00.025+01:002022-12-31T20:28:32.519+00:00Psalm 131 - Growing Up<p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Warren Wiersbe comments that the problem with too many people is that
they have grown old without growing up. Sadly, this can also happen in the
Christian life, as is clear from 2 Peter 1:8-9 and Hebrews 5:12-14. The apostle
John refers to three stages of spiritual growth (1 John 2:12-14) found in
believers.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Psalm 131 is concerned about progress or development in the religious
life, and David uses the illustration of a weaned child to picture this
increase in spiritual stature. His ‘weaning’ seems to have been connected to
the Lord denying him a situation of great prominence which he describes in
verse 1.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">David describes the state of his heart and uses three pictures to
illustrate it. The first picture of a lifted-up heart tells us that David did
not think very much of himself. The
second picture of aspiring eyes tells us that he was not ambitious for a
greater position than what God had already given him. The third picture
illustrates the folly of trying to understand what we are not capable of
understanding.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">There are many things in the Christian life that can only be answered by
deeper experience. Two such features are strong doctrine and providence. Sometimes,
it takes personal experiences and spiritual maturity before we can appreciate what
God is saying in some passages of his Word. Regarding providence, the fact of
the matter is that we cannot know why God allows things to happen and not
happen in our lives. We will never have a book in our library that will detail
the significance of most things that happen to us. It is far better for us to
commit all these events to God and rest content in his arms, like a weaned
child.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It is important to note before whom the Psalmist is claiming this state
of heart. He is speaking these words expressing his humility to the Lord. This
is a reminder that we can be totally honest before him. We can speak truths
about ourselves to the Lord that would be inappropriate to speak before humans,
even Christians.</span></span></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Lord’s revealed will for his people is that they increase in
humility. References to this are so many in the Bible that they need not be
included here. The obvious benefit of such experiences is Christlikeness. The
humility of Jesus is a prominent feature of his beautiful character. It becomes
ours as we spend time with him and he weans us from our previous stage in the
spiritual life. At times, these periods of learning come after we have been
denied something by God.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: justify;">When a person is developing in the spiritual life, one sign of it is
that he thinks less of his own needs and more of the needs of Christ’s church.
This is what David expresses in verse 3: ‘O Israel, hope in the L</span><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify;">ord</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> from this time forth and forevermore’
(v. 3). He says to them, ‘I have discovered that the Lord guides my life,
sometimes giving me this and at other times denying me that; yet he himself
comes and comforts me when I trust in him.’ This understanding only comes by
experience. David, having tasted the faithfulness and the consolations of God,
exhorts others to also hope in the Lord. When we find such sentiments in our
hearts, we can conclude that we are being weaned.</span></span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-71279087708994499322022-08-14T17:11:00.001+01:002022-08-14T17:11:05.863+01:00Psalm 130 - Forgiveness<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">This psalm was one of the favourite psalms of Martin
Luther because of its emphasis on forgiveness. He sang it on many occasions no
doubt, but one well-known incident took place during a period of severe trial
when he was in the castle of Coburg and had fallen into a swoon. On recovering,
he asked his companions to sing this psalm in spite of the devil.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">In verses 1 and 2, the psalmist says that he is in the
depths, a graphic picture of a man overwhelmed by powerful waters. The verb
indicates that he has been there for a while. There are several reasons why a
believer could be in the depths: difficult providences in his personal life,
denial of hopes that he may have anticipated, a sense of desertion by God. The
psalmist’s mention of sin in verse 3 tells us what the cause of his dejection
was. Nevertheless, he knows where help could be found, and it is in the God
against whom he and others have sinned. Therefore, he turns to the Lord and asks
for mercy.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; text-indent: 14.15pt;">In verse 3, the psalmist confesses the holy character
of God and says that if the Lord treated him as he deserved he would have no
expectation of help. Of course, it would have been foolish for the psalmist to
look to the justice of God by itself. Yet he knows something wonderful about
God, an aspect of his character that brings comfort from all of God’s other
attributes and abilities. This aspect is God’s desire to forgive. As another
psalm says, ‘The L</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 14.15pt;">ord</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; text-indent: 14.15pt;"> is gracious,
and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy’ (Ps. 145:8).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">It is the knowledge of this characteristic of God that
makes a sinner bold and confident in the presence of the God whom he has sinned
against. We only need think of David in Psalm 51. How bold he is, and yet
how humble, as he confesses his sins and anticipates being restored to God’s
service.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">In verses 5 and 6, the psalmist likens the posture of
his soul to the watchmen who stood on the walls of a city looking for the
coming of daylight. There was expectancy of
deliverance in the heart of the writer. The reason for his confidence was not
in his earnest prayer but in the sure word of God. The reason why faith
perseveres is that the believer knows that what God will give is worth waiting
for. When deliverance comes, it will be marvellous.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: medium;">Out of his own experience, then, the psalmist can comfort others (vv. 7-8). His words in these verses are a reminder that
although each Christian has an individual path, it is a <i>similar </i>path to
other believers. Because he has been forgiven much and rescued from great
danger, he understands the needs of every other believer an</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">d he is sympathetic
to them and confident about their deliverance and forgiveness as well. </span></span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-12124043157456396222022-04-12T10:32:00.001+01:002022-05-11T10:36:42.542+01:00Psalm 129 - Prayer for deliverance<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This psalm is a reflection on the history of Israel by those who
gathered in Jerusalem for the annual feasts. As they looked back to the beginning
of their history (‘youth,’ v. 20), they saw that even then those who began
their nation had been afflicted – in Egypt. Since her youth in Egypt, there had
been many other powerful enemies. Yet although the enemies were so many, they
had not prevailed against Israel.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As the pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem, they were aware of the weakness
of God’s people because the nation of Israel was no longer a world power. She
had become under the control of other empires after the Babylonians – such as
the Persian and the Roman empires.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What this psalm calls for is a sense of realism among God’s people. This
psalm is a reminder that believers living in this world are travelling through enemy
country. In verse 3, the psalmist uses the illustration of a ploughman digging
a furrow repeatedly on a person’s back to describe the troubles of God’s
people. Obviously it is painful, but the illustration also suggests that the
troubles are malicious.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It is important to note the communal aspect stressed by the author. When
his enemies attacked him, they were adding to a deep wound that he already
possessed because of the spiritual link he had to previous generations of God’s
people. The psalmist identified with their troubles. It should be the same with
us, we should have this sense of identity with those before us who suffered for
the faith. Of course, this sense of community embraces other believers who are
alive today and who are suffering for their faith.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist’s comfort is that the Lord is righteous, that he will
remember his covenant commitments as he did when he came to deliver Israel from
Egypt, that eventually he will come to our help in a public way (although we
must also remember that he has been helping each of his people to go through
his or her particular difficulty).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In verses 5-8, there is a prayer for retribution. Many find fault with
this kind of prayer, even although they are common in the Psalter (about 36
psalms come into this category, known as the imprecatory psalms because in them
the authors call down divine judgement on their enemies). Critics suggest that
they lack the spirit of love that was exemplified by Jesus when he instructed
his disciples to love their enemies (Matt. 5:44-45). Of course, such sentiments
are not confined to the Old Testament. Note Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians
1:5-8.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The writer prays that the influence of evil people will be
brief. He likens them to seeds of grass that are blown on to a flat rooftop and
somehow take root in the small amount of ground that may also have been blown
there. Fortunately for the householder, such grass soon withered away.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The people the psalmist is praying against hate Zion (v. 5) and are
determined to destroy her. If God does not stop them, they will destroy Zion.
It is preferable that Zion be preserved, and her enemies removed. The reason
why they are going to be destroyed is not because they are sinners in general
but because they sin in a specific way. If they left Zion alone, then this
prayer would not have been offered. The psalmist does not want anyone to wish
success to such persons (v. 8).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">We see similar attempts made today by the enemies of the church (Zion).
As we pray about the situation, we only have two choices: one is that God would
convert them; the other is that, in one way or another, God would cause their
enmity against his kingdom to cease. We should pray that their influence would
be as minimal as grass growing on a housetop. When we pray earnestly for this,
it is evidence that we love Zion.</span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-26787200721147047592022-04-11T10:09:00.012+01:002022-05-11T10:15:06.084+01:00Psalm 128 - The blessing of fearing the Lord<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #444444;">The </span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;">primary focus of the psalm is not the blessings of family life (of which some are mentioned), but the blessings that come to believers through fearing the Lord. The English word ‘blessing’ or similar terms occur four times in the psalm (vv. 1, 2, 4, 5).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It used to be common for a Christian to be
described as ‘God-fearing’. Fear of God does not mean to be frightened into
spiritual paralysis by the thought of God. Nor does it mean a servile fear,
which is a response of a person who is trying to please God but who does not
understand the meaning of grace.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How can we know that a person fears God? He will
walk in God’s ways. The imagery of walking illustrates progress and a
destination, and such have God as their upholder, teacher and guide along the
path to heaven.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">But why does a person fear the Lord? He does so out
of his experience of the goodness of God. Because he has been pardoned his sin,
he reverences the Lord; because he has been accepted into God’s family, he
adores the Lord; because he can enjoy the Lord’s presence, he is careful about
his behaviour; because he has been given the promises of God, he venerates the
Lord. We could expand the list endlessly. What is important to note is that
reverence arises from experiencing the goodness of God.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What blessings are given to such? When this psalm
was written, the husband usually worked from home (v. 2). If he was a baker or
a carpenter, the bakery or workshop was attached to his house. Even if he was a
fisherman or a farmer, he was still regarded as working from home. In biblical
times, one could walk past a house and see the husband working at his trade,
his wife busy in the home, and the children sitting around the house. Work in
the ancient world was usually done in order to provide the basics of life. The
psalm promises that such will be provided to the person who fears God.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The next blessing concerns the man’s wife who is
described as a fruitful vine (v. 3). The vine in Israel was regarded as a
source of refreshment, shelter and fragrance. That is how the man who fears the
Lord will regard his wife. And just as the vine also symbolised joy, so such a
man finds great joy in what his wife brings to their home. His contribution is
to work for the security of their needs, her contribution is to provide the
beauty of their home.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">When there is such a husband and wife, then there
will be happy children. The father is likened to an old olive tree around which
younger plants are growing, partaking of his wisdom and knowledge. The imagery
also suggests that as the plants grow, they protect the older tree which has
become weaker through age. They learn from the way their parents interact with
one another, implying that they too are fearing the Lord.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Such a home is worth observing says the psalmist in
verse 4. We are to behold it, to contemplate with wonder what the Lord can do
in a home inhabited by sinful parents and children. A happy home is the
blessing often given to those who fear the Lord.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In verses 5 and 6, the psalmist describes public
blessings in addition to the private ones he mentions in the previous verses.
The statements in verses 5 and 6 can be interpreted as definite promises or as
prayer requests; probably both ideas are in mind because promises often are
fulfilled through earnest prayer.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist also mentions that the man who fears
the Lord will see his grandchildren. No doubt, there is the family joy of
descendants included in this promise. Further, and probably more important for
the psalmist, is the fact that the presence of grandchildren would indicate to him
the continuation of family inheritance, which was very important to a devout
Israelite because it indicated ongoing possession of the land God had promised.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalm closes with a benediction, probably
originally announced by a priest in the temple. We are assured that the Great
High Priest in heaven is also raising this benediction over us, ensuring that
the blessings promised to those who fear God will come to us. May he say to us
at this time, ‘Peace be upon Israel.’</span></span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-55589516897730472712022-04-10T09:48:00.015+01:002022-05-11T09:53:01.044+01:00Psalm 127 - Thoughts on divine providence<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #444444;">Some have noticed that the contents focus on
providence in civil life. The psalm is concerned about the healthy functioning
of society, and it tells how to relate to political authority, military power
and family responsibilities. The political authority is described in the words
of verse 1: ‘</span><span style="color: #444444;">Unless the LORD builds the house, those
who build it labour in vain</span><span style="color: #444444;">.’ The military
authority is described in the words of the second clause of verse 2: ‘</span><span style="color: #444444;">Unless
the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain</span><span style="color: #444444;">.’ The watchmen were those who stayed awake while
others slept in the city. The point stressed is that the mere presence of
political leaders and military strength does not remove worry.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The psalm teaches that nothing happens without our contribution
or without God’s contribution. In all that we do we are co-workers with God, be
it in our personal spiritual growth or in our families or in any other
legitimate aspect of life. There are three applications of this psalm at a
personal level: (a) the Christian and work; (b) the Christian and worry; (c)
the Christian and his family.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In verse 2, the writer is not saying that there is
anything wrong with getting up early or staying up late. What is wrong is the
assumption that such personal sacrifices will have any benefit if God is
omitted from the person’s perception of life. Work has been affected by the
curse given in Eden because of Adam’s rebellion and therefore much work is
difficult, tedious and uncertain. This means that they should pray for divine
help in their employments.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The great benefit that the Psalmist has experienced
is that of sleep. Spurgeon commented that ‘sleep is the gift of God, and not a
man would close his eyes, did not God put his fingers on his eyelids’. Again
the psalmist is not saying that lack of sleep is always the result of sin. Yet
it is the case that unnecessary worry deprives us of sleep just as much as
justifiable concern. We cannot expect to have pleasant sleep in general if we
do not trust in God day by day.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Verse 3 teaches that the children of believers
belong to the Lord and are given by him to be prized by their parents (the word
‘reward’ does not mean that they have earned their children by right living; it
means a ‘precious gift’). In Old Testament times it was essential for families
to have children in order to ensure the continuation of the family inheritance.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In verse 4, children of believers are likened to
arrows that believers shoot out into the world. Arrows have to be made from
branches by being shaped and smoothed. Similarly, believing parents have the
God-given task of shaping and smoothing the characters of their children. An
arrow was not designed to look pretty in a quiver but to have an effect
(defending against one’s enemies or providing food). </span></span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-89208210987115731652022-04-09T11:46:00.000+01:002022-04-09T11:46:00.237+01:00Psalm 126 - Prayer for revival<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In verses 1 to 3, the psalmist describes
what was said when the Jews were allowed to return to their land after the
collapse of the Babylonian Empire. Their return had been predicted long before
the exile commenced by prophets such as Isaiah and Jeremiah. But it had all
seemed so unlikely to happen from a human point of view.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So it is not surprising that those who
returned to the Promised Land were overjoyed, and even other nations observed the incredible nature of it, even accepting that the restoration indicated that the God of Israel is immensely powerful. No doubt, both the Jews and the Gentiles mentioned in these
verses would have anticipated further progress.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">But that did not happen, as we can see
from verse 4. Instead of growth, there had been decline. We can read about
aspects of their situation in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, and in the
prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah. The situation was so weak that only the
Lord could restore them. It was not enough for them to be in the Promised Land.
They needed the Lord to work on their behalf.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In what way did they want the Lord to
work? We can see their expectation in the reference to streams in the Negev,
the southern area of Israel which is a desert for most of the year. But in times
of rain, the water descends suddenly and in copious amounts, and in a matter of
hours streams and rivers form, and the consequence is flowers and plants appear.
The area briefly becomes fertile. Since God can do this in the natural world, he
can also bring refreshment and prosperity in the spiritual experience of his
people.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist refers to farmers sowing
seed in anticipation of the rain coming. Sowing in a hot climate was arduous work,
and no doubt caused tears for the sowers. But they knew that joy would be
experienced when the rains came and brought a harvest. If they did not sow,
there would not be a harvest. The lesson for us is obvious – if we want a
harvest in the future, we need to sow in the present.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">One frequent problem we have is that we
want the harvest without the sowing. Yet that outlook is not wise, and often is
only an expression of unbelief in God’s way of providing growth. We are to sow
the seed of the gospel and anticipate God’s blessing that he will send in his
own time.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-71983428799148549372022-04-08T14:16:00.000+01:002022-04-08T14:16:11.110+01:00 Psalm 125 – Praying with confidence<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Mount Zion or Jerusalem looked secure
because of natural defences provided by the mountains situated round the city.
It seemed immovable. As the author looked out on those mountains, he saw
them as a picture of the Lord who provides security for his people (vv. 1-2).
They are safe because he is on their side.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Yet their sense of protection raised a
couple of questions. First, is there a reason for this divine protection as far
as his people are concerned? Second, what should they pray for in situations
where his protection is obvious?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">A reason for their divine protection was
prevention of sin by them (v. 3). If an invasion occurred, there would have
been the possibility of the righteous engaging in sinful practices as they
sought to protect their property and inheritance. That is what other nations
would have done, but they had to do so because their gods were powerless to
help. In contrast, the people of God knew that he possessed a mighty sceptre, that
he ruled the nations, and they could depend on him. But they are reminded here that
God is also concerned about their sanctification, that he wants them to be kept
from sin.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Consideration of this truth led the psalmist
to pray for God to bless the good and punish the wicked. Such a prayer is an
appropriate response to knowing that the Lord is the almighty protector. The
travellers to the feasts could use this psalm because they wanted righteousness
to increase and wickedness to be dealt with. Answers to this kind of prayer
will occur in providence. But pthere is a possibility that those living
in calmer times will fail to pray earnestly for such growth of righteousness
and decline in wickedness.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">When the Lord answered in this manner,
the outcome would be peace for Israel. They would have spiritual and temporal
prosperity because their circumstances were in the Lord’s hands.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This psalm is almost the opposite of the
previous psalm, a reminder that the church can face different circumstances at
various times. In Psalm 124, the enemy was powerful and attacking; in Psalm
125, circumstances were calmer. Yet in both kinds of situations, prayer to God
and trust in him were essential.</span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-51958721171928298792022-04-07T14:11:00.001+01:002022-04-08T14:14:00.301+01:00Psalm 124 – Deliverance by God<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">David wrote this psalm to describe a God-given
deliverance provided at some stage in his reign over Israel. The deliverance
was given in unlikely circumstances because the military superiority of the
enemy seemed so great and their intention to destroy Israel was very strong (as
we can see from the illustrations David uses of them – they were like wild
animals devouring prey or a river in flood removing all in its path). But the
Lord was with his people, and he rescued them (vv. 1-5).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Therefore, David wrote this psalm to
celebrate God-given deliverance. Yet he also indicates that the deliverance
came at the last minute. They could see the teeth of the attackers and
they were in the snare of the trappers (vv. 6-7). The Lord had waited until
then to rescue them in order for all to see that he alone had done it.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">His deliverance was a reminder of his
covenant faithfulness as David points out when he says that their help is in
the name or character of the Lord. He does not change, which is why his people
were not consumed. Although he allowed trouble to come for a variety of
reasons, he eventually delivered them. And his deliverance is in line with the
power that he possesses as the Creator of the universe.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The travellers to Zion who used this
collection of psalms lived centuries after David. Indeed, they were aware of
greater deliverances that the Lord had provided from more powerful enemies than
David had. Military methods had moved on and godless regimes had more sophisticated
methods. But a visit to Jerusalem reminded the pilgrims that their God was
still in charge and knew when to deliver his people.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This reality is even greater for us. We
know the history of the church and how it has often been in great trouble. But
eventually the Lord has rescued his cause, and since he is the almighty
covenant God, we can expect him to do so repeatedly until Jesus returns. </span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-79354454453287969152022-04-06T10:19:00.001+01:002022-04-10T17:21:11.201+01:00 Psalm 123 – Prayer for help <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In this psalm there are
two prayers: that of the individual in verse 1 and that of others in the
remaining verses. We can see from verses 3 and 4 that the author lived in a
difficult time when God’s people were mocked by others.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The petitioner in verse 1
looks up to the sovereign God who reigns over the world. He knows that the only
One who can help them is the Lord. God cannot be removed from his position and
nothing on earth can change that reality. It is good to be reminded that we
have a sovereign God who can help his people in their difficulties.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The petitioners in verses
2-4 also confess the sovereignty of God. They also say that they are his
servants, ever ready to do what he wills, even as slaves in a household would
be alert for instructions from their masters and mistresses who would use hand
signs to convey their requirements.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The author takes this
imagery and says that what God’s humble servants desire is God’s mercy. It is
not so much mercy for their sins, although believers often ask for mercy in
this sense. Rather they wanted mercy to be shown by the removal of the sources
of contempt. They want God’s hands to move in the direction of dealing with
those concerns.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Their prayers were
simultaneously persistent and patient. This is how we show we are putting God
first – we bring the matter to him and plead humbly and expectedly with him
until he answers. The Lord is full of pity towards us, and he will listen
sympathetically to such a cry. Eventually he will answer if we persist in our
prayers.</span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-82599465541844173412022-04-05T12:46:00.012+01:002022-04-10T17:38:34.813+01:00Psalm 122 – Enjoying peace in the city of peace<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Psalm 122 describes a visit by David to the house of the Lord (v. 1), to the tabernacle (the temple of Solomon was not yet built, although when the psalm was used by the returned exiles, it would be the smaller second temple that was there). What mattered was not its size, but the fact that the Lord was present in it in a special manner as the holy One who pardoned sinners through an atonement.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It was an amazing experience for God’s people to be in Jerusalem (v.2). They observed its layout, its buildings and its capability to host the people of Israel when they came at the appointed times to worship the Lord and thank him for the many blessings he had given them. The presence of the royal family was also a reminder of God’s purposes – he had chosen David as king and made a covenant with him (vv. 3-5).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How should worshippers respond to what they saw? Verses 6 and 7 tell us that they were reminded to pray for peace in the city of peace, that the residents would know security from inward and outward attacks. Clearly, there was the possibility of attack by enemies. In David’s time, the city was strong, but prayer was still needed. In the period after the exile, the city was weak, but prayer was still the expression of dependence on God.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Verses 8 and 9 detail the response of David as an individual and also as an example. Since the people of Israel were both his family and his friends on the journey of life, his words would be ones of peace. So, too, would be his actions, as he dedicated himself to promote the worship of God that was led by those who worked in his house. David himself did that by making preparations for its future development, even although he himself would not be involved in the temple of Solomon when it was built.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Today, the house of God and the city of Jerusalem are very different. Zion is a heavenly city with inhabitants in heaven and on earth. Those on earth don’t travel to the city because they are resident in it wherever they are (Heb. 12:22-24). Yet they must pray for its ongoing peace and they each must resolve to promote what makes for peace in Zion.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-40433949143439874812022-04-04T18:00:00.000+01:002022-04-09T12:06:11.299+01:00Psalm 121 - Travelling together<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">There are at least two speakers in this psalm. One person speaks in verses 1 and 2, and he hears a response from one or more people in the remaining verses. The picture is of travellers conversing together, or to put it another way they are having fellowship together as they walk to Zion for the annual feasts.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As they walk along, one of them comments about the hills and does so in a manner that causes him to want the Lord's help. Two reasons were behind this concern. One is that bandits could hide on the hills and suddenly attack the travellers. Another is that pagan temples and other signs of idolatry could be seen on the hills, a reminder to the travellers that they were going through enemy country.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The speaker is thankful that he can tell his companions that he knows that the almighty God can help them. He has revealed his power in his creation, and if such a God is for them, what does it matter who or what is against them?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As we can see from the pronouns, he receives a response in verses 3-8. Travellers would worry about the condition of the roads - there could potholes or snakes to avoid. Those going to Zion have a Companion who is concerned about their feet, and who constantly watches each footstep. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Their Companion also is their guard from enemies - usually a band of travellers would post a guard at nightfall, but sometimes he would fall asleep. The Lord is not like that - he does not slumber but is always protecting his people. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In addition, the Lord functions as a shade for the travellers whether from the heat at noonday or from the cold at night. The obvious conclusion to be drawn from the faithfulness of the Lord is that he will guide, guard and shield his people as they journey through life.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">That was a good conversation for travellers to have. Now, what will we speak about today?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p><br /></p> <br />Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-35729557918325876642022-04-04T09:17:00.002+01:002022-04-08T14:34:21.086+01:00Psalm 120 - Isolation<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Psalms 120 to 134 were written by different psalmists at various times. The psalms were arranged as a set suitable for travellers to use as they attended the annual feasts in Israel after the return from the exile in Babylon. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Psalm 120 is the thoughts of a psalmist concerned by the society in which he lives. The attitudes that he sees around him are marked by lying and aggression (vv. 2, 6). He longs to be delivered from them, but he knows that such deliverance could only be provided by a powerful Warrior (vv. 3-4), which is his way of describing his great God.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist pictures himself as living in two places, each of which was far from Jerusalem (Meshech was in modern-day Turkey and Kedar was in the south of Arabia). Obviously, the psalmist could not be in both places simultaneously, but the double reference adds intensity to the feeling of isolation and unease that gripped him.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">His desire was for peace, and the place where that peace would be found was the city of peace, Jerusalem. He looked forward to experiencing what was symbolised there in the sacrifices and other activities taking place in the temple. They pictured reconciliation with God and fellowship with likeminded people. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist had prayed earnestly about the matter and the Lord had helped him with the difficulties that he encountered. But he also realised that he would be helped more if he could find another location, even if only for a brief time, such as attending one of the great gatherings in Jerusalem. Meditation on this psalm would help him anticipate the blessings found there.</span></p><p></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-25649498368398948592022-04-03T15:52:00.004+01:002022-04-08T15:55:27.773+01:00 Psalm 119:169-76 – Closing thoughts<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In verses 169 and 170, the psalmist wants his desire to come before the
Lord. He regards God as a king dealing with important matters. An earthly king
would have to give a lot of time to consider his response to such things.
With some of them he would recognise that he was unable to solve the matters because
he did not have the resources or the power to deal with them. But the psalmist
knew that God would never have such a dilemma.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist is concerned about two matters – ongoing instruction and
deliverance from his enemies. Those two concerns have appeared frequently throughout
the psalm, a reminder that some prayer requests are repetitive. The contents of
God’s Word were the answer to both his concerns. He knew that the Lord would
act according to his Word in both areas.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The outcome of understanding God’s Word for the psalmist would be
torrents of praise to his God. He would discover wonderful truths about the
Lord and be led regarding how to find the best quality of life in conformity to
his Word. His response will be one of intense gratitude to the Lord for
providing him with such blessings (vv. 171-72).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Nevertheless, he knew that he needed divine help even to perform what
he had freely chosen to do. So he prayed that the Lord’s hand would always be
ready to help him obey God’s precepts. The Lord’s hand is a wonderful picture
of how he helps his people obey him – personal, powerful, and persistent (v.
173).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Although he had endured prolonged opposition, the psalmist was
determined to follow God’s requirements. Yet he also longed for the time when
such hindrances to his spiritual enjoyments would no longer be a problem (v.
174). He wanted spiritual life within him, pouring out glad praise, and one
feature of such an experience was ongoing guidance found in God’s rules (v.
175).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In the last verse of the psalm, the author likens himself to two needy
positions. First, he was prone to wander like a lost sheep leaving the good
pastures of God’s Word. Second, he was a dependent servant, always needing
divine help. Despite his wanderings, he still retained a commitment to God’s
requirements, but he knew that only the Lord could ensure his progress in the
spiritual life. So he prayed for divine help.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-80194191747240044842022-04-02T11:34:00.003+01:002022-04-02T11:34:26.940+01:00 Psalm 119:161-68 - Life in the presence of God<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">God’s people can be opposed by all kinds
of people, some of whom are powerful and can speak with authority. Usually, their words are obeyed. But those who were
opposing the psalmist did not cause much effect on him because he was aware of
an infinitely higher Power who had spoken in his Word. God is the ultimate
sovereign, and his word is that of the King. He is not only to be obeyed, but
the authority and content of his Word is to be recognised as extraordinary (v.
161).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The psalmist likens God’s Word to a
location with substantial amounts of spoil in it. He had come into a palace in which
were found all kinds of pleasures and treasures (v. 162). Since he did not want
anything to spoil his enjoyment of God’s Word, he hated all untruths since they
are the opposite of his Word. His affection for God’s law showed itself also by
what he despised (v. 163).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In a previous section, he had mentioned
how he prayed at evening and in the morning. Now he says that he had arranged
for seven daily periods in which he would draw near to God and praise him for
his Word. The frequency revealed the intensity of his gratitude (v. 164).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">His experience had been that great peace
had been enjoyed when he obeyed God’s commandments. He had known the peace like
a river that Isaiah had said would be given to those who listened to those commandments. Another blessing that he had experienced from such a way of life
was protection from stumbling (v. 165). And he knew that this would be the experience
of all who did the same.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The psalmist refers to his inner
commitment to the Lord. He trusted in God for deliverance, and he showed his
gratitude by obeying God’s commandments. He kept those commandments from his
heart because he loved them deeply (vv. 166-67). He did so because he
recognised that he was living in the presence of God (v. 168). That was a
great privilege, but such access also had responsibilities.</span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-1134091891976103232022-03-31T09:50:00.011+01:002022-04-02T09:53:02.739+01:00 Psalm 119:153-160 – Praying to a God who is near<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;">The psalmist prays for deliverance from
his affliction. He addresses God boldly and asks him to look on his troubles. A
person is more sympathetic when he sees what is wrong with a person. The
psalmist is not suggesting that God has ignored him. Maybe he likens God to a
physician able to deal with what he sees. He knows that God will be faithful to
those who are faithful to him (v. 153).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;">In verse 154, he asks to be redeemed.
This could be a request for God to use his power and release his servant from
the kind of confinement he was enduring from his opponents. The greatest act of
redemption that he would have known about was the Exodus. When referring to
redemption and deliverance, he uses the greatest example as an argument for
receiving a lesser rescue. His request for life was a plea for him to be given
freedom to continue in God’s service.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;">Sometimes we learn about truth from its
opposite. In verse 155, the psalmist says that salvation is far from the wicked,
which means that it is near to the righteous. A wicked person does not follow
God’s requirements, but a righteous person does. Since God is near to him, he
can expect mercy from the Lord (v. 156). God will always follow his own
revealed will, which means that the psalmist can expect divine deliverance from
him.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;">His opponents are many, but their number
does not affect him in the slightest as far as adherence to God’s ways is
concerned (v. 157). He keeps on in a straight line. His avoidance is not merely
external. The psalmist hates the way of the wicked, those with no faith, and
their godless living disgusts him. He regards their disobedience and rejection
of God’s commands as something that is rotten to the core (v. 158).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;">In verse 159, he asks the Lord to look
at his obedient heart which is marked by love to God’s commandments. This is slightly
different from what he asked in verse 153 when he asked the Lord to look at his
affliction. When the Lord considered the psalmist’s good heart, he would give
more life to him as a loving gift. Love responds to love.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Lord loves truth, which is what his word
is about, and which remains the case for ever (v. 160). As Spurgeon observed, ‘There
is not one single mistake either in the word of God or in the providential
dealings of God.’ </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We should note that all his commandments
continue in force, which was what Jesus said when he stated that not a jot or a
tittle would pass away until all had been fulfilled. We should love the least
as well as the greatest of his commandments and promises.</span></span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-48348030204646172732022-03-30T10:40:00.000+01:002022-04-02T10:43:31.487+01:00 Psalm 119:145-52 - Praying to the God who is near<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Lord had taught the psalmist how to
pray. Real prayer requires whole heart involvement. Sometimes it includes loud
crying accompanied by intense longing for God’s answer. Why did he pray so
strongly? Because he wanted to keep God’s requirements. Doing so was his
passion (vv. 145-46).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">His passion for divine answers was also
seen in the times when he chose to pray. Before he rose from his bed in the
morning, he called for divine aid (v. 147); before he slept, he thought on God’s
promises (v. 148). His prayer was helped by his knowledge of God’s Word, its
promises encouraged him to pray, and its accounts and exhortations showed him
how to pray.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As he prayed, he also considered who the
Lord is. He is the covenant God who loves his people, he is the God who can act
justly in grace towards them because they have been reconciled to him. He has
given them spiritual life; therefore, he can be asked to give ongoing life in
their souls (v. 149).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In his prayer, he contrasted his
opponents with his God. The opponents drew near with evil intent to harm him.
Even as they did, the psalmist knew that his God was already near to him, and
continually near to him. The opponents drew near with sinful intentions, but
God was near with gracious designs to bless his servant with ongoing
understanding of his commandments (vv. 150-51).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What had he learned from God’s testimonies?
No doubt, many things. Together, they revealed to him that the Lord had
provided ongoing insight, guidance and blessing through them, and would
continue to do so and not depart from them (v. 152).</span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-4602015444273676992022-03-29T10:16:00.003+01:002022-04-02T10:44:26.762+01:00 Psalm 119:137-46 - Continuing<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It is good to think about the attributes
of God, even to take one of them and consider ways in which it is
revealed In God’s Word. Here the psalmist thinks of the attribute of
righteousness and observes that all God’s rules are also righteous (v. 137).
Because that is the case, he knows that whatever the Lord requires in his Word will
be righteous, and they will never express or suggest that he will be unfaithful
to his Word (v. 138).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The outcome of his realisation is that
the psalmist became very zealous in his obedience to God, and his determination to
serve God was not diminished by the number who were against him (v. 139). He had
known many experiences when God’s promises had been tested, but they had proved
true, and he had discovered repeatedly that God is faithful. Therefore, he loved
God’s promises (v. 140).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Neither was his commitment to God’s Word diminished by
his own place in society or by the dismissive attitude of others (v. 141).
Because he had meditated on God’s Word, those truths were in his mind, with the
result that he did not forget what God required. He was like the man in Psalm 1
who avoided wrong paths because of his awareness of what God said in his Word.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist knew that God’s divine
requirements would never be replaced by a superior system. They were not merely
the best that had appeared, but which could be surpassed eventually. If that
could happen, his Word would not be truth (v. 142). The psalmist’s testimony was
that God’s requirements brought delight to his soul even when he was in difficult
circumstances (v. 143).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The ongoing relevance of God’s Word
caused the psalmist to pray that he would be given continual instruction in its
requirements. He knew that he could still grow in grace, that he should still
grow in grace, and that he would still grow in grace. But prayer for divine instruction
is part of the process (v. 144).</span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-69245763006957896522022-03-28T09:44:00.003+01:002022-04-02T09:48:31.608+01:00 Psalm 119:129-36 – Prayer for deliverance<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist regards the word of God as
amazing (v. 129). The commandments are so attractive that he delights to obey
what the Lord requires. As he examines them and opens them up to scrutiny by
meditation and use, he discovers that they deal with all kinds of situations,
no matter how dark and difficult they might seem to be initially.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">At the same time, they provide guidance
for the unlearned and untrained (v. 130). They can be given to anyone, and
anyone will be helped by them as they are practised. Indeed, the
psalmist is like a person hungry for a delicious meal (v. 131). God’s word is
the only food that truly satisfies his soul.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As indicated in previous sections, the
psalmist was experiencing problems from other people. He therefore comes to God
with the Aaronic blessing in mind when he asks for divine favour (v. 132). Such
favour is the common experience of God’s people, and the psalmist is stating
here that God is faithful in providing grace to those who are in a covenant
relationship with him. Their love for God is evidence of that relationship, and
the love is described as an appreciation of his character (revealed in his name).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist confesses that he needs the
Lord’s enablement to walk correctly. He also knows that the Lord has
promised to provide him with guidance regarding the path he should choose, and
he realised that it was important to pray about his daily walk because it would
have been easy to make a wrong decision and find himself overcome by sin and
its consequences (v. 133).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The attacks of his opponents were
preventing him from serving God as best as he could. Therefore, he asked the
Lord to rescue him from their attempts to limit his influence (v. 134). He
wanted to obey God all the time, and he desired that his obedience be uncurtailed
by opposition.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #444444;">This would happen if the Lord was
gracious to him and continued to teach him (v. 135). He was distressed that
people did not keep God’s law. His face was marked by tears, but it was a face
that was pleasing to God (v. 136). It was a face fr</span>om whom the Lord would not
turn away his face. Therefore, the psalmist had hope.</span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-2141689707148191842022-03-27T09:28:00.002+01:002022-04-02T09:31:07.421+01:00 Psalm 119:121-28 - Commitment in Difficult Times<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist brings his circumstances to the attention of God. He has
disciplined himself to live for God, but he knows that his behaviour will lead
to strong opposition (v. 121). Therefore, he asks the Lord to give him a sign
of divine favour, and the sign that he requests is that his opponents will not
oppress him (v. 122). His request reveals that he recognised the sovereignty of
God in the lives of his opponents, that the Lord could prevent them harming his
servant.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The salvation that the psalmist desired was a visible one. He longed to
see God act on his behalf. His hope was in a promise that God had given, that the
Lord would come to his aid (v. 123). The promise was righteous in its content,
but also righteous in its source, the living God; it would also result in
righteousness, whether in the actions God took or in the blessings that the
psalmist would receive,</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The psalmist knew that he was God’s servant. He also knew that he had a
loving, faithful Master (vv. 124-25). A good servant wants to know how to
please his master. Here the psalmist comes to his Master requesting divine
instruction. He knows that he can expect to be taught because he knows that the
Lord is faithful to his people. This verse points to the instruction of Jesus
when he told his heavy-laden disciples to take his yoke and learn from him
because he is gentle and humble in heart, and he promised them that they would
find rest for their souls.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The society around the psalmist was in a mess, the result of ignoring and
disobeying God’s law (v. 126). Although the rejection was foolish, it was not a
sign that God had been defeated. The psalmist knew that God had the power to
turn it round and restore his rule. But he also knew that if God did not work,
things would continue to get worse, so he prayed for the Lord to act
powerfully.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Times of rejection of God’s law are not times for God’s people to reduce
their commitment. Despite what others thought, the psalmist’s estimation was
that God’s commandments were a great treasure to have (v. 127), more valuable
than the best that earth can give. His assessment was that all of God’s commandments
are right, and since that was the case, it meant that one like the psalmist who
loves God’s law must hate all that is false (v. 128). It is impossible for such
a believer to be indifferent about what is wrong.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3422468319660905446.post-40067987530313071252022-03-26T11:20:00.002+00:002022-03-26T11:20:00.146+00:00 Psalm 119:113-120 - Desire to serve God<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What kind of things does a person say to
God? No doubt, we could suggest some things. Would we include an expression of
hatred? The psalmist does here when he tells the Lord that he hates the
double-minded. A double-minded person is a hypocrite who tries to face both
ways at the same time. Like serving God and the world simultaneously. Yet that
is impossible. The psalmist was not like that because he loved God’s law. And
he had the comfort of knowing that he had God as his protector whatever dangers
were threatening him. He knew that God would be true to his word (vv. 113-14).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The psalmist’s position in society
caused him at times to be with evildoers (v. 115). Their presence was a barrier
to him as he served God. Perhaps he is referring to advisors or counsellors
whose words reduced the effect of what he advocated. He preferred that they
would be absent since they and he had nothing in common. He wanted to promote
God’s commandments.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Such a determination carried dangers for
him (vv. 116-17). Therefore, he called on the Lord for his protection, to keep
him from being overwhelmed or disgraced by his opponents. If the Lord upheld
him, he would be safe and could continue obeying consistently the statutes God had
given his people. His prayer for preservation was connected to his desire for
God’s glory.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Some of his contacts resorted to
cunning. Their methods were departures from God’s statutes, although those men
may have imagined that the end justified the means. God rejected
that method and turned those people away. They would experience the same divine
rejection that is shown to all who are wicked. God’s consistency in this regard
was a stimulus to the psalmist to love the testimonies he had received (vv.
118-19).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nevertheless, he realised that fear and
dread are appropriate responses to the holy God. When he acts in judgement, it
is a terrifying experience (v. 120). He knows everything about us.
And he has the power to punish. Even divine chastisement of his children is
unpleasant for them. When we see his judgements, we should be afraid.</span></span></p>Malcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02548638723362531874noreply@blogger.com0