As we have been venturing through the Psalms, getting lost in the volume of the book, and the many nuggets of truth laid out for believers, I have come to realize (again and again) the beauty of the book, the depth of the book, the expanse of the human experience the book describes and allows us to join into.

We started with a quick dip into one of the most amazing chapters in the Word, one that has impacted my life in various stages of my Christian faith. It is a psalm that spoke to my wife and I as we were reading that night, but it began a journey through the psalms that has continued for over a year, and I suspect may continue to hold me.

With that said, I would like to offer those who read my bumbling efforts to understand one of the great books of the greatest book ever delivered to the human race, an ongoing summary of the findings and blessings I have enjoyed discovering.

As you can tell from the expanding list of posts, the Psalms have got a hold on me!

Psalms for Psome – Ps 31

Psalms for Psome – Ps 32

Psalms for Psome – Ps 33.1

Psalms for Psome – Ps 33.2

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.1

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.2

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.3

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.4

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.5

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.6

Psalms for Psome – Ps 34.7

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.05

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.06

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.07

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.08

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.09

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.10

Psalms for Psome – Ps 35.11

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.00

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.05

Psalms for Psome – Ps 36.06

Psalms for Psome – Ps 37.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 37.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 37.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 37.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 37.05

Psalms for Psome – Ps 38.00

Psalms for Psome – Ps 38.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 38.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 39.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 39.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 39.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 39.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.03

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.04

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.05

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.06

Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.07

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 52:5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
Psalm 52:6 The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying,
Psalm 52:7 “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

David just completed the introductory verses of Ps 52, describing the boasting of the mighty man, referring to Doeg the Edomite, as he ratted on David to Saul.

We noticed in our last study that Doeg and David had some similarities, in that they were both men associated with a deceitful tongue. Remember that David was lying to Ahimelech when he spoke of his circumstances. Granted we may readily admit that Doeg was a man who sought to deceive, destroy and devour, whereas David fell into deception at a weak point in his life. All that may be true, but as we spoke last time, David will speak of the outcome of a deceitful, destructive devouring tongue, even though David fell into that very condition for a short time. Yet, David did not shy away from the holiness and righteousness of God, even if it condemned him. That, in my mind, is a wonderful testimony of the truth and inspiration of the Word. Sin isn’t covered up, even by the author who performed a sin.

Nevertheless, our passage today speaks of God’s judgement on the mighty man who devours, destroys and deceives, and the reaction of the righteous when the mighty man is broken.

Verse 5 begins with the statement that God will break the mighty man down forever. Reading it for the first time, I assumed David was speaking of Doeg’s destruction, his death and eternal judgement. Even as I say that, I am not sure that is what David intended me to understand, for as we read the following verse, David speaks of the mighty man torn from his home (tent) and uprooted from the land of the living. Yes, seeing land of the living may refer to the death of the mighty man. That may be the intent of David’s message.

But, consider what it means to be broken. God will break the mighty man down forever. May this expression be synonymous to a humbling of the mighty man? God is able to humble the mighty man, we know that. And I think you may agree with me that being taken into captivity (or at least from his home and land) is a most humbling event.

Still though Carl, when David refers to the land of the living, he must be speaking of Doegs death. Well might that be, but consider that the land of the living may also reference a land full of vibrant life, much vegetation, wildlife, plenty of water and resources for a population. The land of the living may be our present condition, pre-death.

Consider Psalm 27:13

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!

This makes some sense to this feeble mind, even as David continues in verse 6, stating that the righteous will see and fear the outcome of the mighty man. And laugh at him!

If David is describing what we consider to be eternal conscious torment, how would laughing be appropriate for the righteous man? I am not convinced that David, or any OT prophet had the understanding of the afterlife – especially for the unrighteous – that we say we have today!

David finished this three verse middle portion of Psalm 52 with a statement from the righteous man’s lips, speaking of the mighty man’s own destruction, how the life of the mighty man showed that he was in reality seeking refuge in his own destruction!

What a difficult truth to grapple with! To seek refuge in our own destruction. What is it for us to seek our own hurt, our own pain, to avoid life and turn from it? I believe if my reader has walked with the Lord for any period of time, they will admit to the pull of the old man, dragging us away from life, away from real blessing, away from the fountainhead of all goodness.

He rescues us from the guilt of sin in our initial salvation, but our walk with Him is our rescue from a life of sin, a life of rebellion, a life of seeking death. Sanctification during our time on earth is the battle to say no to seeking our own hurt, and to pursue the blessing of knowing the One True God.

Let us admit that our daily lives are not simply a time for us to wait for the end to be delivered to heaven, but that even today, He is actively working in us to do His good will, to conform us to His dear Son, to imitate God, walking in the way of love.

My friends, this condition is somewhat common amongst both the mighty and the humble. The difference is that only the humble understand how treacherous and strong the old man is, for the mighty man never challenges the old man, but simply follows his whims.

Follow after Him and say no to your old man. It is the path He walked.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
Psalm 52:2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
Psalm 52:3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
Psalm 52:4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.

The background to this story is found in1 Samuel 21:1-2, where David is fleeing Saul. Jonathon had just challenged his father regarding David and realized Saul’s desire to kill David. Jonathon, a faithful friend, informed David and he took to running. His suspicions of Saul’s murderous intent had been verified, and now David, who once was celebrated in Israel, is now an enemy of the state!

Ahimilech

Twelve miles from Jerusalem was the priestly city of Nob, where many priests lived. One of those priests was Ahimelech, a descendant of Eli the High Priest. It appears the news feed of Saul’s intent hadn’t been updated when David approaches Ahimelech, and surely the priest assumed David was in good graces with the King. After all, David was the son in law to the King!

First thing out of Ahimelech’s mouth was David’s condition – that is, What da heck are you alone for? His general demeanor was that of fear, for the passage speaks of Ahimelech trembling. Something wasn’t right!

David used this situation to spin a yarn (tell a lie). The secrecy of the throne was a useful tool to take advantage of, and David used it to settle Ahimelech’s concern. I’m on a secret mission, with men that I need to meet up with. Don’t say anything Ahimelech. Very top secret. By the way, do you have any food?

Ahimelech eventually provides David (and his non-existent men) bread to eat. Notice that David has misled Ahimelech as to his reason for being alone, and the reason was his need of bread. There were no men that he was joining with – He was on the run all alone! David then requests a weapon, and eventually receives the sword of Goliath.

Doeg

All of this discussion happens in front of Doeg the Edomite. The name Doeg actually is the Hebrew term for “fearful”, and may give us a look into his inner demons. He was an anxious man, that was controlled by suspicions and fear. We shall see it was the wrong type of fear to be controlled by.

Doeg was a man in charge of Saul’s herdsmen, a chief of the herdsmen, and he happened to be at Nob “detained before the Lord”. An Edomite detained before the Lord? He wasn’t of the chosen people, and as we will see in the Psalm, he was not a man seeking after God’s heart. Many think he was simply at the tabernacle to fulfil some ceremonial requirement to keep his position under Saul. No matter why he was there, he heard David and Ahimelech, saw the food and weapon transfer and couldn’t wait to get back to Saul. What great information to share with the King. How advantageous to be at the right place and at the right time! How providential!

David

With that background, let’s consider Davids opening to this psalm

Psalm 52:1 To the choirmaster. A Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day.

David is referring to Doeg when he speaks of the “mighty man” in this opening verse and describes him as one who boast’s of evil. He sets the tone of Doegs character by associating him with evil.

Let’s stand back here for a moment.

Given that David is on the run, and Doeg is an employee of Saul, is it not Doeg’s responsibility to report back to the King? Is this not the right thing for Doeg to do? King Saul is the God appointed leader of the nation of Israel. Although this will provide an opportunity for Doeg to advance in Saul’s eyes, it is also an opportunity provided to Doeg, seemingly providentially. Surely this is the will of God for Doeg to provide security to the King in informing him of his enemies whereabouts.

Is this not a plausible argument for Doeg? I suggest that many in our culture would side with Doeg, in finding an opportunity to “rat” on someone to gain favor of a government official. Of course, in Doeg’s case, this information led to the slaughter of 85 priests in the city of Nob. Sometimes an advantageous situation simply leads to death and destruction, and we need to recognize that. Such is the nature of the kingdom of this world.

Doeg’s decision is typical for those who side against the kingdom of God, in that they seek power over others, to gain self advantage in any way possible, and to find opportunities of self advancement, even as being provided by God Himself. God provides opportunities for each of us in our daily lives, but we are to be wise in determining the use of the opportunity. Consider David a bit later in his life. He was providentially provided an opportunity to kill King Saul, his enemy, yet did not for He was not seeking self advantage, but God’s honor.

Doeg was seeking his own self advantage, and David calls him out on this. This psalm contrasts the man of destruction against the man who takes refuge in God, and in our first portion of this psalm, David describes this man of destruction.

Psalm 52:2 Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
Psalm 52:3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
Psalm 52:4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.

• He boasts of evil
• His tongue plots destruction, as a razor cuts
• He loves evil more than good
• He loves lying more than speaking truth
• His words devour
• He is a liar

David doesn’t mince words here. And yet I can’t help but think David, during his time of flight from Saul, also entered into this life of deceit and lies when he spoke to Elimelech.

This Psalm doesn’t protect David from some personal incrementation, and the fact that David is bold in proclaiming God’s truth even in an instance where it condemns himself – I find that to be refreshing. How often do we see some believers padding the truth to protect their own image, decisions or habits. To honor God means that we are not honored. He is the only One who is honorable, when it comes to being a truthful witness. We have that pull in us to defend ourselves, to blame someone else, to claim it wasn’t my fault, or it was an accident. May I suggest to my gentle reader that we must admit we have that pull in us, that self desire that seeks to take advantage, to pursue our own agenda.

To realize this weakness, to agree with this truth, to live in this fact, is a much needed characteristic in the modern church nowadays. We are so often taught that we deserve God’s love, deserve God’s blessing, deserve God’s attention, because we do some act of charity or attend church once a week. Yet we turn away from the mirror when we see a bit of Doeg in us, and decide that we would rather have the affirmation of the world.

My friends, consider your base nature, as how active it is in your life. Do you find yourself speaking lies to avoid uncomfortable times, boasting of your accomplishments out of insecurity, cutting others down with your tongue in gossip and slander? Jesus spoke of taking up his cross daily. We know the cross is an instrument of death, and the death we have to face is not pleasant, affirming or enjoyable. We are to decide against ourselves, and seek to honor God, even to our own detriment. Jesus is the ultimate model of self sacrifice to honor God, and He is truly the One to follow after.

1 Peter 2:21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Doeg was a man committed to evil and it led to the murder of 85 of God’s priests, and the continued persecution of God’s newly chosen king.

David was a man after God’s heart, and yet had periods in his life where he was dominated by that pull of self, the desire to trust in his own thoughts, to succumb to his fears. I identify with David in these times where his humanity sneaks out and reveals itself. A man that sought God’s honor beyond his own self interests.

May we have the courage to do likewise!

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

As we have been venturing through the Psalms, getting lost in the volume of the book, and the many nuggets of truth laid out for believers, I have come to realize (again and again) the beauty of the book, the depth of the book, the expanse of the human experience the book describes and allows us to join into.

We started with a quick dip into one of the most amazing chapters in the Word, one that has impacted my life in various stages of my Christian faith. It is a psalm that spoke to my wife and I as we were reading that night, but it began a journey through the psalms that has continued for over a year, and I suspect may continue to hold me.

With that said, I would like to offer those who read my bumbling efforts to understand one of the great books of the greatest book ever delivered to the human race, an ongoing summary of the findings and blessings I have enjoyed discovering.

Psalms for Psome – Ps 21

Psalms for Psome – Ps 22

Psalms for Psome – Ps 23

Psalms for Psome – Ps 24.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 24.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 25.01

Psalms for Psome – Ps 25.02

Psalms for Psome – Ps 26

Psalms for Psome – Ps 27

Psalms for Psome – Ps 28

Psalms for Psome – Ps 29

Psalms for Psome – Ps 30

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 51

18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

David is closing his prayer of contrition with these final verses, and expanding his prayers beyond his own life.

His first desire is that God will do good to Zion. This is God’s heart for His people and David is expressing his own heart in connection with God. He is seeking the prosperity of Jerusalem, and this must mean the spiritual prosperity of Jerusalem, for he immediately refers to God delighting in right sacrifices.

After this entire psalm, if there is one thing that stands out, it is that the sacrifices God prescribed in the Old Testament were not only to be physically performed, but that the practice of sacrifice had a much greater meaning than a simple offering of an animal.

The greatest message of sacrifice is of the Lord Jesus Himself, and of His full and complete provision of our salvation through his sacrifice on the cross. This is the focus of the Word and we (at least I) need to be remined of it daily.

Yet David speaks to the believer also in this psalm, describing the sacrificial system in the believers life, not only of physical sacrifice, but of the sacrifice of our will to God’s will, of the acceptance of a verdict of death in our own lives.

As he closes he speaks of “then bulls will be offered..” Bulls and goats, sheep and doves were being offered in sacrifice even as he wrote this psalm, yet David speaks of the sacrifices of a humble and contrite (broken) spirit in the believer, that is to accompany acts of worship and remembrance. When the believer humbles himself, accepts the truth of his rebellion and obstinacy, openly confesses his dark heart, and seeks renewal and restoration after a period of sin, this is when the sacrifices become pleasing in the sight of the Lord.

May God open our eyes to our own condition before Him so that we may gladly offer up sacrifices to Him in spirit and in truth!

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

In our last post I needed to stop on the last thought, that of praising God, and just settle in that mindset for a short period, for it is a good thing to do. He really is good, you know.

This next couple of verses, they also are super famous, with songs a plenty being written based on them. Yet David continues to amaze me, for he is describing concepts that go beyond what was available for the common Jewish man of his day.

During David’s time, to approach God involved sacrifice. Sacrifice of animals was the primary (only) way to approach a holy God. God established a sacrificial order to deal with personal sins, iniquities, transgressions and rebellion. Beyond the sacrificial system, which is a picture of the Christ, the Jewish man had no way to enter into God’s presence. God had provided a way for the covering of sin, but it was highly specific, detailed and required multiple steps, even an intermediary, as in the Levitical priests that would provide this service.

But read the verse above once more.

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

Sacrifice was the prescribed method of approach to God, given by God in that time. Yet David says God does not delight in sacrifice, nor is He pleased with a burnt offering. What type of heresy is David teasing us with? Or is David a New Testamental believer that is far beyond some of our own understandings of God and His ways?

I would suggest the latter, for David understands the relationship connection with the Almighty, and the secondary religious priority of sacrificial offerings. This is not to say David no longer went to the temple to offer up sacrifices of bulls, lambs and goats, but that his thinking had shifted. Maybe he had always understood this prioritization of relationship over religion. Maybe those days in the fields with his sheep had been times of understanding God’s ways.

God is looking for sacrifices, that is true, but we understand in the church that the vicarious death of animals was a picture of the Lord Jesus, and always has been. David takes the concept of sacrifice and internalizes it, speaking of his brokenness and regret. And expresses his realization of the nature of God in that He will not despise one who comes to Him broken, humble and open to Him.

God will not despise this heart attitude. As we approach Him in humility and brokenness, we can have confidence that the Lord of Glory will receive us, minister to us, heal us and save us. One of my favorite set of verses in this vein of thinking may be found in Matthew 12:18-20, where the Lord Jesus is describing Himself, God’s Chosen Servant, and the character the Servant would display.

Matthew 12:18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
Matthew 12:19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
Matthew 12:20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;
Matthew 12:21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Did you catch it. A bruised reed has no strength. A smoldering wick has no life. He will not quarrel or shout, but understands the condition we are in. He is approachable in our very weakness and contrition. His character is to heal, not to destroy or to take advantage of any weakness we come to Him with.

As we walk the way, following after Him, we may stumble, even rebel against the good life. Do not hesitate to return to Him, admitting to and confessing your sin, for He is a great Father, One who delights in truth in the inward being.

Praise Him.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

As we have been venturing through the Psalms, getting lost in the volume of the book, and the many nuggets of truth laid out for believers, I have come to realize (again and again) the beauty of the book, the depth of the book, the expanse of the human experience the book describes and allows us to join into.

We started with a quick dip into one of the most amazing chapters in the Word, one that has impacted my life in various stages of my Christian faith. It is a psalm that spoke to my wife and I as we were reading that night, but it began a journey through the psalms that has continued for over a year, and I suspect may continue to hold me.

With that said, I would like to offer those who read my bumbling efforts to understand one of the great books of the greatest book ever delivered to the human race, an ongoing summary of the findings and blessings I have enjoyed discovering.

Psalms for Psome – Ps 11

Psalms for Psome – Ps 12

Psalms for Psome – Ps 13

Psalms for Psome – Ps 14

Psalms for Psome – Ps 15

Psalms for Psome – Ps 16

Psalms for Psome – Ps 17

Psalms for Psome – Ps 18

Psalms for Psome – Ps 19

Psalms for Psome – Ps 20

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 51

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

David has just reviewed his sins, laid them all out to the Lord, begged for forgiveness, and asked God for an act of creation, no small request. He knew he needed a clean heart, and after referring to washing away of his iniquities and purging of his sins, he still understood that the heart was the matter, the dead weight holding him down, the unrighteous influence in his pursuit of God. His heart was not in need of a repair, or medicine, as if it had any redeeming value.

He begged for the creation of a clean heart!

As the new heart is created, the natural fruit of a clean heart is described in the next three verses.

A Teacher of Transgressors

The clean heart can’t help but to share the truth with those who have it not. Whether it is with a believer who may be sliding a bit, or a lost soul who has never understood the grace of God, a clean heart is motivated to declare God’s goodness.

A Tongue of Singing

Recently, I have been listening to the old hymns, and when I am alone, I sometimes sing them to myself. (I restrict my singing around others as an act of love towards them!) At the Cross – what a hymn. Of course I usually only sing the chorus,

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight, And now I am happy all the day!

What great lyrics to dwell on in the body of the song itself.

Alas, and did my Savior bleed?   And did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head   For such a worm as I?

Was it for sins that I had done  He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity! grace unknown! And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide,   And shut His glories in, When Christ, the mighty Maker, died For man, His creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face While His dear cross appears. Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, And melt mine eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay The debt of love I owe; Here, Lord, I give myself away, ’Tis all that I can do.

A Mouth of Praise

A praising mouth. The joy of expressing praise to God. Of speaking of His glories, of His faithfulness, of His steadfast love, of His mercy.

Recently I have been meditating in the morning about what it mean for God to be the Highest of all. That there are no gods like Him, that none are as lofty, or above Him. The implications of this truth is growing in my mind and heart, and the blessings are such that I can not explain. Oh to try, but words fail me!

Let us pickup on verse 16 in our next post, and give yourself some time this day the Lord has given us, to consider the One who has provided all things to us, and to take a few moments to meditate on Who He is. It shall transform you!

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 51

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Super famous verses, some of the first verses out of the Old Testament that I memorized. Songs have been written based on David’s confession and request for restoration after his rebellion. Very famous passage!

Yet, as I reflect on the passage, I sense in the King a continuing admission of his helpless state. He begs God to do what only God can do. He begins this section in verse 7 where he refers to his need of cleansing. We have discussed the cleansing David requested in previous posts, (See Psalms for Psome – Ps 51.02) and he recalls the request again in front of the only One who can cleanse.

David then continues with a request for God, to allow, no – to provide the ability to experience joy and gladness, to hear with right ears and to find joy in the very discipline (broken bones) he experienced in his rebellion.

He pleads God to hide His face from his sins, and to blot out his iniquities. How much greater experience we have to know that His sacrifice for our sins allows us to experience forgiveness based on His mercy and love in dying for us. We no longer have to request the Father to “hide His face” from our sins, for He has dealt with our sins on the cross. We are most blessed, for we as believers have the gospel shining into our hearts, giving us light, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

David then breaches the famous words!

Create in me a clean heart. No longer is he asking to wash his sins away! He “cuts to the core” and speaks of his heart condition, realizing he is in desperate need of a new heart, for the old heart will only drag him back into the rebellion he is desperately clawing away from. No – a new heart is what he needs, and he knows it. The depth of David’s understanding of self is astounding.

One other time in the Old Testament, the term “clean heart”:” occurs, and that is also in the Psalms, in chapter 73, verse 12. Asaph speaks of maintaining a clean heart, but some translations refer to it as a pure heart. Ezekiel is the prophets that speaks of a new heart, that of those who in the New Covenant will be granted, as they look to the Messiah.

A clean heart. A pure heart. A new heart. Out of a sinful existence this is a very real possibility for those who wish it. The freedom that comes from a clean heart, the boldness, the restfulness and openness a clean heart provides. Oh to have a clean heart continually!

He speaks to God concerning his fear of being cast away, of having the Spirit of God taken from him. This is a topic I would like to reserve for a separate post in the Conditional Security series I am venturing though. Watch for it.

He finally requests God for restoration. He has confessed, he has requested, now he looks to God for his restoration, and not only restoration, but that God would uphold him in this restoration. For you see, David claimed the very same thing Jude spoke of in his book where it is written..

Jude 1:24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

In the midst of trials and troubles, self inflicted pain and worries, as we look to Him for help, He may be found. As you may be going through confession and contrition over sin, realize that it is a sign of life. Do not refuse it, do not ignore it, for He looks to those who are brokenhearted, and delights to see truth in the inward man, in the heart!

God is good, all the time.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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As we have been venturing through the Psalms, getting lost in the volume of the book, and the many nuggets of truth laid out for believers, I have come to realize (again and again) the beauty of the book, the depth of the book, the expanse of the human experience the book describes and allows us to join into.

We started with a quick dip into one of the most amazing chapters in the Word, one that has impacted my life in various stages of my Christian faith. It is a psalm that spoke to my wife and I as we were reading that night, but it began a journey through the psalms that has continued for over a year, and I suspect may continue to hold me.

With that said, I would like to offer those who read my bumbling efforts to understand one of the great books of the greatest book ever delivered to the human race, an ongoing summary of the findings and blessings I have enjoyed discovering.

Psalms for Psome – Ps 1

Psalms for Psome – Ps 2

Psalms for Psome – Ps 3

Psalms for Psome – Ps 4

Psalms for Psome – Ps 5

Psalms for Psome – Ps 6

Psalms for Psome – Ps 7

Psalms for Psome – Ps 8

Psalms for Psome – Ps 9

Psalms for Psome – Ps 10

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 51

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

David is rehearsing his sins before the Lord, recounting his knowledge of them, informing the Lord of the constant reminders of his rebellion. He can not avoid the knowledge of his sins, and his witness is not to inform the Lord of His sins, for the Lord knows! David is giving us the result of the sin, that is the ever present remembrance of the sin against his God running through his thoughts. The sleepless nights, the constant looking over his shoulder, the fear and suspicion he is experiencing because of his sin.

Yet I would suggest it isn’t the sin that is the problem. Wait wait wait – don’t hang up on me right yet. For when you compare David with another King, say Manasseh, or one of the rebellious northern kings later on, would you not agree their sins were as offensive as David’s? But I suspect the killing and raping performed by the other kings were not haunting them as they were David.

So why such a heavy burden David? Why are you in such a struggle over your sin? Can anyone guess?

You see, David was a man in love with the Lord and his sins were a personal affront to the One He worshipped. He hurt his Master, and this betrayal to his first love is what struck his heart.

This is so instructive, for there is a lesson for us in this history of the King of Israel. Upon an act of sin, the true believer is struck with a sense of condemnation, a guilt of conscience and a foreboding fear that is the result of being a believer. If you can freely sin in front of the Lord, take note, for this may be telling you more than you want to admit to. Note that some may claim “freedom in Christ” as a cloak of covering for their habitual sins. My friend – if you know you are in opposition to God’s will for your life, claiming “freedom in Christ” must be seen as a ludicrous claim.

Of course, after the rebellion, confession of sin is available for the believer, but once sin gets ahold, confession can become a difficult exercise to perform. Who wants to go before the Lord out of a period of rebellion? True confession is not a flippant repetition of words, but a coming clean, an admission of wrongdoing. For some acts of sin, confession may not be enough, for restitution towards those we sin against is often described in the Word as necessary.

But even as we must come before Him in our shame at times, we know He is a loving God, a forgiving God and a merciful God. Our God is One who delights in truth, even the truth of admitting to our sin.

Story time

Years ago, as we had a young family, my chillun would sometimes seek to do it their way as opposed to obeying their parents. Of course at times things would blow up for them and then they had a decision to make. Fess up, come to Mom and Dad and accept the resultant consequences, or hide it and damage relationship with Mom and Dad.

When they chose to come to us and fess up, my heart was literally warmed that they wanted to be right with us. The critical issue wasn’t that they admit we were right, but that they wanted to maintain communication between us. I delighted in seeing them come to me even though their previous actions may have caused pain.

How much more for the Lord, who delights in truth within the inner being, of the believer admitting to an offense in order to repair a relationship, and not simply a recitation of some rote repetition of words to follow a religious requirement.

If you have something nagging you in your conscience – rejoice! It is good to be in a state of conviction. No conviction of sin before the Lord may mean a hardened conscience which is definitely bad news, very bad news! Note that I did not say it is good to remain in a state of conviction – Get to the cross and admit your sin. Ask Him for forgiveness, for His is a merciful God, who delights in seeing His children come to Him in contrition.

Praise Him for His many mercies to us in our weakness and frailty. He is good, all the time

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 51

1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

I honestly tried to finish the above two verses in our last post but the mercy concept just ate me up. Can we revisit this passage for a short time, and consider verse 2?

As I mentioned in the earlier post, David is taking the sacrificial system that the priests worked at, and as prescribed by God, and internalized it, applying the washing and cleansing performed at the brazen altar to actions he needs for his life, actions that need to be done by God.

Let’s consider the first phrase – Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

Wash

Out of the 51 times this term is found in the Old Testament, Leviticus has the overwhelming number of occurrences (31 times), and is used for the cleansing of those that have been defiled. It is used of anyone who has become defiled, and the required cleansing of the garments (and/or his flesh) required to be performed in order to become clean before God and remain in the camp of Israel. Leviticus is the book of holiness and as such speaks of the methods required to be practiced by the Israelites to walk before the Lord in a prescribed way. Without this cleansing, approaching the Lord was not allowed, with the person actually retaining his iniquity.

Leviticus 17:16 But if he does not wash them or bathe his flesh, he shall bear his iniquity.”

When I hear of washing spoken, especially in this reference, I have the picture of water flowing over my heart, like a waterfall, crystal clear, warm and comforting, gently washing any filth off my “skin”. I’m afraid this picture is simply not the image I should imagine as I read this passage.

The term translated as washed in the second verse is כָּבַס kâbaç kāḇas, and is related to a term which means to trample. The term describes the washing of garments by the stamping of the feet. This type of washing is not the image I had in mind above! The garment is being scrubbed with much force, underfoot and seemingly without mercy. I have an image in my mind of being down at the river bank, with the garments being rubbed/scrubbed against the rocks, a somewhat forceful undertaking. No gentle flow of water comforting the subject, but of trampling, crushing, scouring.

David is begging the Lord to wash him, to “trample on him” in order to produce the cleansing required, that the washing would rid him of his iniquity. This term “iniquity” isn’t used much nowadays, but it speaks of perversity or depravity, a moral evil, and we certainly can see a connection with this concept in David’s past actions. He has, in one decision on the roof of his house, fallen into a depravity that seemed impossible prior to it’s occurrence. This was the man who followed after God’s heart, and yet fell to such a depth of sin. Consider this for our own lives my friend.

1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

cleanse

This term is what I expected, but it does have a few implications that are of interest. Again, it is a term that the book of Leviticus uses heavily (43 times out of 80 verses in the Old Testament), and relates to the cleansing of the defiled one who seeks to be clean before the Lord. The term speaks of purity, and of a cleansing both ceremonially and morally. It came from a root term meaning “to be bright”. It is used very often in relation to the cleansing of leprosy.

David connects this cleansing to his “sin”, the familiar term we associate with evil in our lives. Since this psalm is speaking of confession sin, it may be good to review all of the ways David speaks of sin in this Psalm

Phrase or Word	Hebrew	Synonyms
v1 …blot out my transgressions	פֶּשַׁע peshaʻ	Rebellion, trespass, revolt
v2…my iniquity	עָוֺן ʻâvôn	Perversity, depravity, iniquity
v2…my sin	חַטָּאָה chaṭṭâʼâh	Sin, sinful, guilt of sin, condition of sin
v3…my transgressions	פֶּשַׁע peshaʻ	Rebellion, trespass, revolt
v3…my sin	חַטָּאָה chaṭṭâʼâh	Sin, sinful, guilt of sin, condition of sin
v4… I sinned	חָטָא châṭâʼ	To miss the mark, to lose oneself, to induce sin, to cause to sin
v4…done what is evil in your sight	רַע raʻ	bad, disagreeable, malignant, unpleasant, adverse, wrong
v5…brought forth in iniquity	עָוֺן ʻâvôn	Perversity, depravity, iniquity
v5… in sin did my mother conceive me	חֵטְא chêṭᵉʼ	Sin, fault, grievously offence
v9…my sins	חֵטְא chêṭᵉʼ	Sin, fault, grievously offence
v9…all my iniquities	עָוֺן ʻâvôn	Perversity, depravity, iniquity
v14.Deliver me from bloodguiltiness	דָּם dâm	Bloodshed

David expressed his sin in multiple terms, and multiple ways to make his confession before God. Granted two of the references are possibly speaking of David’s conception (brought forth in iniquity, in sin did my mother…), yet it is David’s description of not only his deeds in relation to God, but his condition before God, his history, his very existence.

You might notice in the table above a repetition of 3 Hebrew root words, that speak of an escalation of evil in the human experience.

châṭâʼ – to miss the mark. May refer to an unintentional sin. May speak of inability to hit the mark, or lack of skill in hitting a mark.

ʻâvâh – to bend or distort. To know the good and to twist or distort.

pâshaʻ – to rebel or revolt. to act defiantly, to know the good and to fight against it

King David was asking for forgiveness, yet he did not shy away from expressing the multiple ways he had offended God. He sought a washing and a cleansing from his sin, and he knew the only One who could provide this was the One whom he had offended.

His name is Jesus and He is the One who not only knows your sin, He entered into our existence in order to deliver us from all our inabilities, distortions and rebellion. Will you look to Him for your salvation, for your deliverance from a wasted life, from a life of distortion and revolt against the truth?

He is the Savior and He is the Lord. Confession of sin is to be addressed to Him, for He died to provide full forgiveness to those who seek Him.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 51

1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

David was so New Testamental!

I have this picture in my mind of an Old Testament saint, after committing sin, getting a sacrifice in order, finding a priest and providing the sacrifice to the priest in order to absolve the saint of sin. After all the sacrificial system was set up in order to take care of our sins, right?

When David is confronted by Nathan, and he comes to realizing the depth of his sin, how in his desire for another man’s wife, God’s laws were trampled on, how his action caused the complete decimation of God’s second tablet of the law, including his acts of murder, adultery, theft, lies and coveting, his reaction is not what I would have considered typical for the Old Testament Saint.

No, he takes the sacrificial system provided by God, and transforms it from a physical approach to an altar to an personal inner approach directly to God.

His first thought is to depend on the living God, and not on a system of sacrifice, a set of rules that the living God provided. He goes directly to the source, not depending on any human intermediary. In approaching God (full of sin) he asks for mercy first and up front. He has just committed a minimum of breaking six of God’s laws, and has the audacity to request mercy.

This speaks of the nature of mercy, does it not? For mercy to be exercised by the giver, it implies the mercy giver is in the position of strength, that is that the one offended has the right to exercise his justice upon the one who is in the wrong.

God is a righteous judge, and David knew this, yet his request for mercy is actually an effort to disarm God of his rightful choice of demanding retribution upon a sinful and thankless saint, a rebellious man who had experienced being personally lifted by God from being a lonely shepherd in the back 40 of his fathers ranch into the highest office of the land. Beyond this, God promised David an eternal Kingdom through his Son, a covenant referred to as the Davidic Covenant. No small commitment! And after all these expressions of love God showers on David, he goes off and runs ragged over the commandments of God.

And then seeks mercy! Let’s take a moment to understand what he is asking for from God. Three Hebrew terms are translated as mercy in the Old Testament.

כַּפֹּרֶת kappôreth refers to the mercy seat, originally defining a “covering”. The mercy seat was the top of the ark and emphasized, not the judgement that may be due, but the mercy afforded to the one who approached, though it be infrequent (yearly) and by the high priest only.

רָחַם râcham is to be compassionate, or to show compassion. The term is not restricted to God showing compassion or love, for David himself, in earlier days expressed his râcham to God in Psalm 18:1.

Psalm 18:1 … who addressed the words of this song to the LORD on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O LORD, my strength.

חָסִיד châçîyd is often translated as steadfast love in the Old Testament, and refers to a faithfulness in showing love. A love that is shown at the worst of times, Consider

Isaiah 54:10 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

When our limits of expressing love ends, this steadfast love continues

Lamentations 3:31-32 For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;

This last one is the term David uses in relating to God’s character. It is not referring to the mercy seat, as I may have expected, or to compassion as the second term emphasizes. David goes to the character of God, the very heart of the One who he has to face. David is looking to the One who is steadfast love. It is who God is, and David understood this. Oh that I would understand God as the One who is steadfast in His love.

Yet I have missed the first term David used when requesting mercy, for when David states “Have mercy”, he uses the Hebrew term חָנַן chânan. This term is often translated as gracious, as in 2 Samuel 12:22

2 Samuel 12:22 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’

David, in Psalm 51 seeks grace from God in relation to his sin before God. Months later, when the child who is the result of this sin is born very sick, David again reverts to asking for grace in relation to this child. Boy oh boy – David had hutzpah, nerve, gall! How dare he continue to ask for mercy, for grace. Maybe he knew something we sometimes forget about the God we serve.

In closing, as I opened up this post, I mentioned that David was so New Testamental. Lets take a few moments to remind ourselves of the grace we live under.

Matthew 9:13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

In adding Matthew 5:7, I want to leave my readers with the challenge of expressing mercy to those around you in your daily lives. Let us be like the God David called out to, and show mercy to those who do not deserve mercy, for that is the very nature of mercy!

Be blessed and walk in peace towards those who you come in contact with!

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 50:22-23

22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! 23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Two short verses to finish our time in the 50th Psalm

God is delivering His final judgement, and that is of a coming discipline, a coming trial. God speaks of a tearing apart. This term is often used in the Old Testament of the fate of one at the hand of a ravenous animal.

Exodus 22:13 If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn.
Job 16:9 He has torn me in his wrath and hated me; he has gnashed his teeth at me; my adversary sharpens his eyes against me.
Psalm 7:2 lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.
Psalm 22:13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
Jeremiah 5:6 Therefore a lion from the forest shall strike them down; a wolf from the desert shall devastate them. A leopard is watching their cities; everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many, their apostasies are great.

The tearing apart is that of one being consumed, of being a true victim, of the end of a life. God does not mince words here, for there have been previous times where the nation or people of God were destined to be torn apart, but for the deliverance of God in their lives.

When God is tearing, there are none to deliver. How could there be, for the Lord is delivering His verdict, His judgement upon a thankless people, to a people who do not consider His guidance to be of any worth.

Even in His judgements, God offers hope. Offer thanksgiving for the privilege of knowing the eternal One. If you are not of a thankful spirit, it may be wise to examine yourself, to see if you are in the faith. How could one know God and be thankless? Bow the knee to Him, confess your rejection of His love and provision, seek to know Him through intentional acts, such as reading the Word, praying to the Father, fellowshipping with saints, and sharing what you find with other’s.

He who orders his way rightly will see the salvation of God.

Be thankful and order your lives according to His Word. And see the salvation of God in your life.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 50:16-21

16 But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? 17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. 18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers. 19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. 20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. 21 These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

In our last post, God spoke to Israel, to His people. He corrected them in the sacrificial service, not in the actions but in the attitudes they were to live in.

This portion of Psalm 50 speaks to the wicked. OK, the problem with introducing the wicked is whether they are of the people of God also or a separate group outside of the nation of Israel? Let me explain my conundrum.

Is the nation of Israel the people of God, even in the Old Testament? Although I have previously understood the entire physical nation of Israel, (that is every person with Jewish blood coursing through their veins) to be of the people of God, I fear this passage does not support that thinking.

God is addressing two groups within the physical nation. His people, as in our previous post, where God gives direction to be thankful and pay their vows, and this group, designated as wicked. As we see in verse 16, when describing the wicked, God brings to our attention that they recite His statutes and take His covenant on their lips. The nations did not have His statutes or covenant. The only people that had his covenant and statutes were the physical nation of Israel, which requires us to understand the wicked were of the nation of Israel.

In all of this, the teaching of the remnant throughout the Word has become clearer and clearer to me as I stumble through my studies. Within the physical nation of Israel, there were two groups. The possessors and the professors. The same condition exists within the church.

To the wicked, God brings a stinging rebuke. Unless you are going to walk the walk, don’t talk the talk.

Do not take the name of the Lord in vain, use His law as a (religious convenience), refuse His direction and reject His counsel. The wicked literally cast His words behind them. The term cast in this passage refers to something hurled down, or thrown down. It is the picture of rejection as of something thrown out.

This is not ignorance but rebellion on the part of the wicked. This does not describe the believer, the one who has faith in God. A believer cannot simply toss His words behind him, reject the counsel He gives. Struggle with it, wrestle with it? Yes. Reject it as one who throws litter on the ground? This does not make sense to me.

Does this passage apply to you? Do you reject His counsel, His teaching, His direction? God is looking for those who would seek His deliverance. As believers, we need to accept discipline (vs17), rebuke thieves and adulterers (vs 18), keep our mouths free of evil (vs 19), and speak well of our brothers (vs 20).

All these actions are the hallmarks of a believer. Those who reject His counsel automatically fall into the opposing actions as described above.

Trust God and do good. Do good according to His directions, counsel and guidance, not according to your understanding!

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 50:7-15

7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. 8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me. 9 I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds. 10 For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. 12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

God identifies Himself in the courtroom, and brings the general testimony against the defendant. God is presenting His case against Israel, and in the midst of this presentation, seeks to clearly define the case He has against Israel. His first clarification is regarding the sacrifices Israels brings to Him. The fact of the sacrificial system being performed is not the issue. The nation has continually performed the action of sacrifice on the altars as prescribed in the Law of Moses.

Yet God speaks of not accepting the offerings being dutifully placed before Him, by His people. The actions were being performed and God provides no rebuke of the religious ceremony being followed.

The issue that becomes apparent is that the people of God had an incorrect understanding of the sacrificial observance, in that they began to consider the offerings something that God required. This is often a shortsightedness of God’s people, thinking that whatever we are directed to do will add something to God, provide Him some service that is necessary for Him.

He is the self existent eternal God.

Prior to our arrival on the scene, He existed with no lack. Upon our creation (which we had no part in), we were totally dependent upon Him for our breath and life. During our time on earth, He provides our necessities, not the other way around. He supplies our needs (and many of our wants), even in our rebellion. If at some point we become aware of His existence, we default to thinking He needs something we have, or something we can do. How does that occur?

I would suggest this is a core principle of religion.

God does not need anything we could provide. He provides for us, and the natural response from a receiving people should be a thankful heart.

We so often consider our God someone we are to serve and obey, and rightly so, yet we also become confused in our understanding of Who we are relating to. He is not a god who demands sacrifice in order to be satiated, or draws us into some agreement to our destruction and enslavement. He is in need of nothing, and provides all to a needy people.

As the psalmist comes to a conclusion in this portion, two actions are directed to the people of God. Two actions as a result of this judgement brought against the people of God.

1. Offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving
2. Pay thy vows unto the Most High.

Thankfulness

Funny, even in judgement, God is demanding not only that which is right, but that is also to our benefit, releasing us from a spirit of duty into a spirit of thankfulness. As we practice this spirit of thankfulness, I am sure you will find that it is most pleasurable, that the benefit of offering thanks to God for His many blessings is a blessing in itself. But that is the type of Savior we have – One who is a blessing to us, even in the midst of a time of judgement.

Paying Vows

Thankfulness is not the only judgement handed down. In your thankfulness, pay the vows you have declared to Him. Be faithful to those promises you have made to Him. The removal of required duty, replaced with a thankful service to the God who has delivered us is the message we need to hear from this psalm.

If you are sensing an drudgery of obligation in your relationship with the Father, if in your service unto the Savior is not surrounded and infused with a thankful spirit, beware! This psalm is addressing this very concern, but have no fear, for the Lord immediately encourages us to call upon Him, even in the day of trouble.

Even as judgement may be touching your life in regards to your very relationship with Him, He is available to call upon for help, for He will deliver us.

He is good all the time.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 50:4-6

4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 “Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” 6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah

In our previous post, we were introduced to the Mighty One, God, the LORD, who invited all the earth to courtroom proceedings, where He will pronounce judgement, where the wind and fire encircled Him as He approached for the proceedings, where His voice WILL be heard, and there shall be no silence. Other than from the defendents!

Today’s verses, when I first read them years ago shook me, for I was expecting the rankest of sinners to be judged, those foul, evil souls that spend thier day conjuring up ways to spit in God’s face, look for ways to hurt or defame the name and person of God. How surprised to find that He calls those who are in covenant with Him, those who are His people. He does not call for judgement on those I would consider the rank and file sinner, the prostitute or the pimp, the drug user or the cheating husband, the crook or the liar, but on those who claim His name, who have entered a covenant with Him. He calls them His faithful ones! This seemed so backwards! How can this be? What am I missing?

I had the same reaction when I first read a passage similar to this in the New Testament, where Peter teaches us that judgement must begin at the house of God.

1 Peter 4:17

17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

This is a topic that stuimped me for years and I fear is not understood by many that I chat with. Yet after four decades of following Him, I confess I still sometimes struggle with it.

Those whom God loves He disciplines.

In my horizontal life, that is between other souls and myself, I have learned that when someone comes to me to challenge me, or to expose my weakness (call it sin Carl), I automatically set up my defences. Of course many may come to me with evil intent, seeking at the very minimum to simply discourage me, yet there are some in my life who seek my good by challenging me in certain behaviors and actions that are simply wrong.

For the LORD to call on His faithful ones for judgement, may initially communicate to me that they are doomed, that judgement will fall and crush those on whom it falls. And I have to remind myself that the term “judgement” is not synonymous with condemnation, but in it’s simplest form speak of an accurate and correct revealing of facts for the sake of the one being judged.

Yet as I read Psalm 50:6, something pulls me to Romans 1. Something about the heavens declaring / revealing righteousness ties these two passages together for me, I fear this challenge presented before the faithful ones in Psalm 50 may not have been fully recieved or held onto by His faithful ones. The nation this Psalm was written to became the nation that actually crucified the Author of the Psalm. Truly tragic.

Even as I consider this connection, we should not confuse outcome with intent. The Lord’s intent in delivering this Psalm may be best understood as coming from the heart of a Father. He longs for their change of heart, a change of life that would reflect His nature and character. For as I age in the Lord, I would like to consider a possible alternate perspective on what is going on when God comes to judge. Psalm 50 is a time of judgement on the faithful ones, and yet hope is still offered to the faithful ones, as noted in later verses.

As we go through this Psalm, many of the rebukes given to His people milleniums ago, are just as applicable today. We need to recieve those rebukes as we hear Him speak to us through His Word. Remember He is the Mighty One, God, the LORD who has delivered up His Son for us. His judgement is true and faithful, seeking for His faithful Ones to repent and grow, to be open to His message. The Psalm may have a message that hurts at times, but we can be assured that the intent is good, and holy, and from a Fathers heart.

Will you turn away when a truth touches a soft spot in your life? Join me as we hear His testimony against his faithful in our next post.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 50:1-3

1 A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.

The psalmist begins this psalm, immediately drawing the readers attention to who it is that is speaking.

It is the Mighty One, God, the LORD.

Mighty One – English translation of the hebrew אַיִל, transliteration  ēl, primarily denoting strength, might and power.

God – English translation of the hebrew אֱלוֹהַּ, transliteration  ‘ĕlōhîm, the plural of our first word, and denotes multiple gods, in this case speaking of the multiple persons in the Godhead, of which as believers we understand to be three, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

LORD – English translation of the hebrew  הָיָה, transliteration Yᵊhōvâ, the proper name of the eternal, self existant God.

Asaph comes out identifying our God with three of the most majestic, power filled names available to describe Him. Whatever message Asaph records God as declaring, it is with the authority associated with these names.

In this psalm, God is calling all inhabitants to a court room, to a judgement hall in order for witnesses to be present during the proceedings. He is calling all of the earth, all inhabitants of the earth to witness the judgement that will be laid out.

God shall come, and God will not perform his judgement in a vacuum, but in the witness of many, in the witness of all. He will speak, and not keep silence. The envelope of judgement is typified as fire rolling out before Him, devouring all, consuming all before Him. A tempest encircles Him, a storm of horror, swirling violence whipping around Him, sweeping away all that is near. This is a terrifying picture that Asaph is rolling out for our sight. God is approaching in judgement, and it is everyones worst nightmare!

Asaph is delivering a psalm of judgement, a psalm that will not be likened to the comfortable, peaceful tone of Psalm 23, or of the many psalms that bring our hearts together in praise and wonder, but for much of this psalm we will, if we have breath in us, will not be comforted, but challenged to consider how our lives line up with our confession.

At first glance, as I consider the message of these court proceedings, there is a great temptation to turn away, to go on to another psalm, or look for an alternate topic, but the 50th psalm was given for our edification, encouragement and exhortation, in order for a cleansing to occur in our hearts. May God work in our hearts, bringing our confession and profession closer to each other.

May we walk the walk we talk of.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 49

16    Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
his glory will not go down after him.
18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed
—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,
who will never again see light.
20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Our Psalmist returns to the initial concern of the saint – Fear of the wealthy. The psalmist gives us the conclusion of his thoughts, and the solution to the fear of the saint. Consider the inevitable end of those you fear.

This solution is a recurring theme in the Word, and I usually think of Psalm 73:17 when this topic comes up. I look forward to studying that psalm when we get there, but let us remain in Psalm 49 for our time together.

Notice that the psalmist refers to the possessions the rich trust in, the accumulation of goods that seem to reinforce the wisdom of his choice to trust in them. Not only does the appearance of his accumulated wealth reinforce his philosophy of idolatry, but he also counts himself blessed.

In the midst of this final portion of Psalm 49, the psalmist makes a sideways comment of receiving praise when you do well for yourself. Might this be a comparison of the rich man’s accumulated earthly wealth, with the saints accumulation of good works? Also kindly notice that the rich man convinces himself of his blessedness, where the saint receives praise, presumably from outside of himself, from others.

Yet the end is certain. We all know it, for when we attend a funeral of a friend or relative, their possessions are left behind; it is only the person who has departed, alone and separated from that which they may have trusted in.

How different for the saint, for though the saint cannot see his God, and that he is not physically with his Savior, (though we have the blessed Spirit of God to comfort us), when we pass away, we will enter into the presence of the One whom we trust.

How upside down is our experience on this earth, in that appearance and truth so often seem to conflict. It looks like the wealthy have all the cards, all the influence, all the abilities and rights, all the strength and power. Yes it certainly appears to be so, yet as we listen to the Psalmist, we can step back, get a bigger picture and realize we live in an upside down world.

The rich man who trusts in his possessions, who had the power over others in this life, his very soul has a set destination that will be lightless. Lightless.

As mentioned in a previous post, we all are deserving of a darkness, for we tend to be attracted to darkness. Consider John’s testimony in his gospel

John 3

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

We tend to hide in the darkness because of our own works. John speaks of our admitting to the wickedness of our own works in the very response we have to light. We seek to hide from exposure, because we know of the evil of our deeds. We seek darkness, and if we pile up possessions to hide the light from us, we may get what we “want”, a darkness as a settled state for our lives.

Note that John speaks of those who come to the light. It is those who do what is true. This is an amazing passage, for when considered with Psalm 49:19, the correlation is spot on. Those who trust in idols, their possessions and things, their wealth and riches, commit iniquity over others in order to feed their idol. Those who worship an idol do not do what is true. They do what they can. The idolater may have somewhat of a moral code he follows, may appear to be upright in his community, yet if push comes to shove, what does he do? If he were to consider our Psalm, at the very least he may gain some understanding and begin to do what is true, right and good. He may start to see light.

The Psalmist ends our passage with a final concluding statement

Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish

Understanding. Understanding from the Psalmist. We need this understanding the Psalmist provides. A clear view of our end, of a correct view of the universality of death to provide us relief from fear, guidance to truth and light for our lives.

Don’t be like the beast that simply exists, only to perish, only to end in darkness. Trust in the God who sent His Son to ransom your soul. He has provided the currency to redeem your soul and supply you light for this dark world.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 49

13    This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;
yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me. Selah

In our earlier post, we spoke of the universality of death, the futile hope of the rich fool, of “those who trust in their wealth, and boast of the abundance of their riches” (Ps 49:6)

Our psalmist begins this portion of the psalm describing their path, the path of those who exercised their faith in a foolish confidence, an idol that could not deliver. The second half of verse 13 is somewhat disturbing, for I fear that many in the modern church fall under this influence. Lets read it once more

Psalm 49:13 This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah

The wealthy make boasts of influence, of their power and authority and how they trust in their possessions. And people left behind approve of their boasts.

By the way, did you hear how Beyonce is worth gazillions of bucks? How about Elon and his thoughts? He is so wealthy, so he must have good ideas. How about Lebron? He certainly has some wisdom we may tap into.

I know I am being facetious above, yet for those who do not follow after God only have these folk to find guidance from. With the family unit crumbing about us, the celebrity is fast becoming a primary influence on those who need guidance. (Help us O God, for we are desperately in trouble!).

What is most discomforting, is the reliance on the wealthy of those who claim to follow after God. Does this make any sense? We have One who has provided objective truth and the Spirit of God to help us in our discerning and application of this truth to our daily lives and relationships, yet we look to the wealthy and those who abuse the poor for guidance.

Take this test. Next time you attend a service, note the amount of time believers spend in discussing popular figures on TV or the internet. How these lost souls sphere of influence has increased, even within the body of Christ. As many of you know, I have been a believer for a bit over forty years, and have attended a number of very good churches. Some churches have actually found a way to introduce the pop culture directly into their worship service, using movies as a basis for their message.

As a reader, I am interested in your thoughts on this method of worship. Is it depending / trusting in the pop culture for topics, possibly diverting from the core of the gospel? Let me know.

Enough of my rant – Lets get back to the Psalm.

The wealthy man exchanges the Good Shepherd for death, for in following after idolatry (otherwise known as trusting in wealth) they exchange the truth for a lie (Romans 1) , and forsake the steadfast love of God for a vain idol (Jonah 2:8). The sheepfold they are assigned to is Sheol, the grave, the pit that will consume them. What a horrible end!

But let us be clear for this is the deserved end of all. We all follow after vanities and worthlessness. How often have we chased after smoke and mirrors, shadows of promises that were never realized but kept leading us on, giving us hope for some peace. How often have our eyes looked to an idol instead of God Himself. So very often, my eyes have been diverted by shiny objects, promises that were not based on the person of Christ, and of some thinking that convinced me of alternate methods of living.

Yet I am not my Savior. I am not the One who died for me. I am not the One who can satisfy the price of redemption, with my paltry earthly financial resources.

God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me.

He will receive me. The psalmist is speaking of his redemption from the power of the grave! Yet after considering this passage for a moment, I would like to clarify my thoughts somewhat. The psalmist, I believe, is not referring to himself, or by extension to you and I, but to the Christ, the One whose soul (life) was ransomed from the power of the grave. Death could not hold Him, for the resurrection defeated the power of the grave. God received Him.

Romans 1

4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

He has the power of an indestructible life.

Hebrews 7

16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.

Death no longer has any authority over the Son of Man. He is the One to whom we need to rely on, look to, receive guidance from, trust and follow after.

1 Corinthians 15

55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have a claim on living forever, through the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not be distracted by the psalmist’s reference to God and think you may choose the name of the God you may worship. The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that the only One who has been granted power over death is the One who entered into death and came out of the grave victoriously.

He is the One we are to be “in” if we are to be received by God.

Are you “in”?

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 49

10    For he sees that even the wise die;
the fool and the stupid alike must perish
and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves are their homes forever,
their dwelling places to all generations,
though they called lands by their own names.
12 Man in his pomp will not remain;
he is like the beasts that perish.

The psalmist continues with a description of what the rich man observes, the consistency of death, even the necessity of death for both the wise and the fool.

It may be good to remember at this point of the psalm, that a reference to a fool does not describe the IQ of the man, or the educational training of the man, or even the personality of the man, but the man’s attitude or standing in relation to God. Brilliant men, according to this world, are often virulently against any concept of God’s existence and fully refuse to consider God as an authority to answer to. No wonder they seek to avoid the ultimate reality of death.

The psalmist brings to the reader the futility of wealth accumulation, in that money not only provides absolutely no bargaining power in death, but that all the rich man’s possessions remain on earth, distributed to others. All of his efforts in accumulating a resource for self sufficiency becomes a massive disappointment, a final defeat in his philosophy of life, and a failure in rescuing him at a time he needs help the most.

Which brings us back to idolatry, and its effect for both the rich and poor. We so often think of ourselves as modern, enlightened, progressive and intelligent. Yet our modern society has converted the practice of idolatry to an artform, dressed it in a different suit and paraded it about as an ideal. Very few of us physically bow to a statue in the home or a sanctuary in the neighborhood, but if we are trusting wealth instead of the Father, idolatry is still the result.

Let’s take a moment to consider a few verses regarding the the identification of idolatry, it’s powerlessness and the effect on the one who chooses idolatry.

Idolatry – Identified

Col 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Paul is straightforward in identifying idolatry in the book of Colossians and of course it seamlessly reinforces our psalmists theme of money and possessions being the focus of the idolater.

Idolatry – It’s Power

Judges 10:14 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.”

Although the psalm we are in spends time in describing the effects of idolatry on the worshipper, it is not alone in the Word in providing warnings of the disappointing deliverance of idolatry for the worshipper. The verse in Judges actually challenges those who have followed vain idols to continue to trust them, mocking their worship and abandoning the worshippers to a futile end. This brings us to the effect idols have on the worshipper.

Idolatry – It’s Effect

Jonah 2:8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

A man may only worship one philosophy, one ideal, one person. This is an unalterable truth. No multitasking in our worship. Joan is clear in that when we seek after a vain idol, we actually cut ourselves off from God’s love, His steadfast mercy and kindness that we all deeply seek after and need. When we move toward an idol, we move away from God!

Back to Psalm 49, where the author speaks of the wealthy mans efforts of extending his influence (instead of his physical life) into the future, by calling lands by their own name. They seek to be remembered, yet in all of the wealthy man’s efforts, it simply becomes a failed attempt to extend their self sufficiency and self imposed honor on those who are left behind.

The end result. The rich are cut down like the beast of the field, brought to silence and cut off from those they had influence over, those they abused. Earlier in the psalm, the author speaks of the poor man’s fear in the midst of the rich man’s iniquity, and of the cheating of the rich man, how he trusted in his riches (vs 5,6). It seems the fear, though so very real at the time, when considered as the psalmist does, is answered by faith, and is the solution for the believer.

As believers, we must rest on the fact that death is a universal condition for each of us, rich and poor, wise or fools. Many are continuing to rely on their wealth or influence to avoid the unavoidable, even to the abusing of the poor and weak, but this will be addressed within the next 100 years, for all reading this post will have entered that gate, the passage from physical life to spiritual existence.

A day of equalization is coming, when all will realize the futility of depending on any idol in place of God Almighty.

Seek Him, for He is good, all the time!

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 49

5    Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom another,
or give to God the price of his life,
8 for the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever
and never see the pit.

The psalmist starts out with the topic of fear, yet not his fear of death, but of those who trust in their riches. During his description of his fear he introduces the universality of death. All die. Rich and poor alike. Yet in the reflection of the psalmist, he centers in on the difference between the rich and poor in death. This comparison between the rich and poor is carried on throughout the psalm. Our standing in life, whether we are rich or poor, influences us in relation the death. Our standing in life creates an environment that fosters certain attitudes during our life regarding our eventual death.

Verse 5 begins with the poor asking himself why he is experiencing fear in relation to the sins of others. The rich cheat and steal, perform iniquity with abandon and the poor man experiences this abuse, for the rich man has the power! Surprisingly the abuse is not the focus though, for the poor speaks of fear in troubling times. Can you identify with the poor man?

On a personal note, it seems obvious that in our day, fear is not simply a by-product of the rich man abusing the poor, but is actually a vehicle to influence the poor to gain power over them. It seems troubling times are ever present with us, dangers continually nipping at our heals. A continual state of fear is bubbling up in our society. For the believer, how are we to relate to this?

We must understand that for the psalmist, his wisdom brings to us the truth that death is the great equalizer. We all die, and the rich have no advantage.

Verse 7 is central. The psalmist continues the theme of how money (or possessions) impact a mans relation to his death. The passage hearkens back to the law in Exodus 21:30

If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him.

This ransom speaks of paying a price that a crime requires in order to make restitution, or to balance the books due to some injustice. We often think of ransom in relation to a kidnapping, yet this is not the intended message.

The context of the Exodus passage above is that some rich man owns an ox that is known for hurting others, yet does not keep it secure, allowing the ox to gore again. If the ox kills the victim, the owner shall suffer a like sentence. He shall be put to death. Justice is harsh!

Yet the law of God allows an opportunity for the victim’s family to accept payment from the ox owner as a ransom, providing an alternate outcome for the owner. He gets to live! This ransom of the owners life is accomplished with money, whatever amount the victim’s family decides. The psalmist hearkens back to this passage with his reference to ransom, and flatly states in verse 7, there is no ransom that may be paid for the life of a man,. You may think that this is a contradiction, but consider.

The passage in Exodus did not rescue him from death, but simply delayed the eventual time of death. He will still die.

That is the very point of Psalm 49. Everyone will die, and the rich have no advantage over the poor. Money is useless when death comes knocking.

The psalmist continues with the theme of cost, and brings together the two types of men in this psalm. Money cannot ransom the rich man, nor redeem the poor man. The currency required to ransom or redeem a man’s life cannot be carnal possessions of an earthly value system. This is the stock of idolatry! To be trusting in earthly goods is not an equally good choice when compared with trusting in God, but but an affront, an insult to the Lord. Earthly goods cannot ransom a rich man, and the poor man cannot be redeemed with things under heaven.

1 Peter 1:18-19

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

This portion of Psalm 49 provides the conclusion that no one shall live forever, that all will see the grave. The author speaks of the desires of the rich man who would live on this earth forever, avoiding the death that is universal.

Some who obviously have no knowledge of this psalm speak of living on earth forever. This desire is becoming mainstream news in our very lives. (Don’t get me going on the trustworthiness of news headlines, but take it for what it is worth!)

The psalm stands. We all die! Face it and prepare. Run to the One who has provided the “currency” that pleases God for the redemption of each man’s soul. His blood is the precious “coin” that provides the ransom/redemption that rich and poor alike need.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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