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 73:27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. Psalm 73:28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
Let’s remember the rollercoaster ride Asaph has spiritually taken. Early in the Psalm, he was paying attention to those in Israel who were finding success financially, who were enjoying a comfortable life, who had acquired image and power in the community. It seemed that these folk, that Asaph called “wicked” were doing just fine!
As a matter of fact, not only were they doing fine, it appeared God was allowing unrighteousness to gain a foothold, for those whom Asaph called “wicked” were snubbing their nose at God, ignoring the covenant they belonged to, without any negative impact.
Everything seemed so backwards for Asaph, and for all appearances, so real, so factual, so true, and so easy. No need for morning prayers, or torah reading. Observance of temple rituals could be ignored, and the required sacrifices were put on hold.
The life of the wicked that Asaph observed was the life to choose.
He wanted it, and was entering into the sin of envy, which was bringing him to the doorstep of idolatry. He freely admitted his conflict, and was experiencing an inner battle that was relentless, with the ultimate victor seeming to be the lifestyle of the wicked, with all the trappings of ease, comfort and possessions.
That is until he entered the sanctuary of God and he finally understood the reality instead of a image he perceived of both the wicked and his own life.
In our short passage this morning, Asaph is concluding his findings, and provides a stark difference of the future of both the wicked and the righteous. Earlier he had mentioned how his efforts had all been in vain, useless efforts for success in life.
Psalm 73:13 – All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
He sees things completely different now.
Any efforts Asaph performed in being near to God are no longer considered a burden, a vanity or a problem. He sees that the lifestyle and focus of the wicked is taking them farther and farther away from God. The term Asaph uses regarding the actions of the wicked is an adjective describing a removing, a departure, a going away from. The lifestyle and choices of the wicked are not neutral, and God has not provided any allowance for a wicked lifestyle. The judgement of the wicked’s lifestyle is that it takes the worker away from God.
God is still the center of all, and those chasing the life of the wicked are running far from God. They are becoming remote, and as they are moving away from God, the source of all life, it is obvious the end result is perishing.
No life! God will put an end to the unfaithful!
For Asaph, and for all who have any sense, it is good to be near God. He doesn’t speak of his end, or of his destiny as he did regarding the wicked, but of his current condition of seeking God, of his present blessing. For Asaph, his condition is “good”. The term speaks of wealth, prosperity, favor, goodness and of a better condition. All that Asaph was being lured away from God by the appearances of the wicked were supplied by the very nearness of God.
As we make the Lord our God our refuge from the temptations and lurings of the world and the wicked, we will find a life of reality, the best of life and enjoy satisfying blessings in God alone.
May we be full of the goodness of God in our lives such that we also tell of all the works of God with those we rub shoulders with, even boasting of the goodness of God when compared with the frail, unstable and fearful lifestyle of the wicked.
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 73:23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. Psalm 73:24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Asaph has been through a struggle. From temptation through inner trials and finally to a final triumph through a realization of the glories of God and his own sinfulness. He has finally settled in a good place. A place of rest, of peace before the Lord, and a deeper understanding his place before God.
Four areas of blessing are realized by this man of faith.
Security
While Asaph was in his struggle, watching the rich get richer, the wealthy dodge judgement, the prosperous avoiding discomfort and pain, Asaph was struggling to keep his heart pure. At times, I imagine his heart was not quite hitting the mark, slightly less pure than the desired goal! A bit impure, a bit jealous of the lost, a bit envious. And we know the seriousness of envy. It is the precursor to full blown idolatry.
Yes – Asaph was dancing with dangerous partners when he envied the ways of the rich. Even in his wanderings, Asaph confesses that the Lord was his security, his faithful God, his only hope through the dark, the hand that was ever present in his life.
Guidance
Asaph may have been breaching this topic in our previous verse when he speaks of God holding his right hand. He comes out and clearly states the guiding ability and performance of God in his life, specifically speaking of God’s counsel.
Counsel is another word for advice, and the Scriptures give abundant testimony to the wisdom of receiving counsel.
In Asaph’s specific case, I lean to understanding his referencing the inner counsel that he eventually became attuned to as he entered the sanctuary of God. To my fellow believers, we know that in the still quietness, if we are willing to hear, the Lord will provide guidance in alignment with his revealed Word.
As an aside to this topic, it is wise for the believer to consider the importance of counsel from other believers. I have for too long sought only the inner counsel, without allowing for believers to give guidance. Proverbs addresses this truth numerous times.
Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 24:6 for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
One note of clarity. The word speaks of a multitude of counsellors. Having one counsellor may be the equivalent of having an echo chamber. Not wise at all. Be wise and get bunches of counsel!
Sufficiency
What is it for something to be sufficient? Does it imply that for something or someone to be sufficient is the availability of everything you could imagine? Is it a way to denote that all things are good, or is it that nothing bad, or evil will enter my experience?
For something, or in Asaph’s case, for someone to be sufficient, simply means that God is enough. It is not referring to the limitless abilities of God to perform, provide or produce for His saint. For God to be sufficient for Asaph means that God is enough.
We humans are a temporal, time and space based creature. We are limited in every possible manner. We can’t even understand what it means to be limitlessness, to be eternal, to possess all powerful or all knowledge. We are limited creatures and have limited needs, though they may seem great to us as we live in our bubble.
God is bigger than our bubble!
Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
Though Paul speaks of God as being able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, for Asaph, his personal faith findings are that God is enough.
Paul spoke of the abilities of God, and they are truly limitless, but for sufficiency’s to be considered speaks the language of satisfaction, not abilities. Satisfaction of the saint’s deepest needs fulfilled in Christ. As for the wants of the believer, they may be ignored since they are but distractions, but that for which the saint was made for, satisfaction is found in God Himself. He satisfies the saint in areas he may not even understand!
There is a difference, and may I suggest that realizing the sufficiency, the “enoughness” of God in our hearts is a tremendous blessing for the believer to enter into.
Strength
My heart is ticking away. It has been ticking away for over 67 years. 2,817,995,627 beats, give or take. Close to three billion beats. That is crazy, and thankfully that ol’ ticker has never missed or skipped a beat!
That particular physical truth astounds me, and except for this past couple minutes, I have been blissfully ignorant of this exceptional display of the keeping power of God over my physical life.
How much more am I unaware of the strength God provides in the midst of trials and blessings, sickness and weakness, struggles and victories. One day, I will find out my incredible ignorance of God’s strength being provided to my insignificant life, the continual faithful infusion of His mighty hand, and His power provided despite my pride and arrogance.
To think I am the source and strength of all my blessings! Poppycock! (Of course, I blame Him for any and all my failures, but even in this, it shows my darkness of mind!)
He is my strength, especially in my weakness, in my realization that I have no real ability, no real strength, no real wisdom, knowledge or discernment. I could go on with what I am not, but to what profit?
He is our strength.
For Asaph, as he fought his way through this Psalm, and provides for us the wisdom he accrued through it, he can honestly say his head is screwed on straight now.
He is in a good place, seeing God for who God is, and Asaph for who Asaph is.
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 73:16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, Psalm 73:17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Psalm 73:18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. Psalm 73:19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! Psalm 73:20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms. Psalm 73:21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, Psalm 73:22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
Asaph, prior to our passage this morning, and after the last fifteen verses describing the perceived benefits of living as the wicked live, is in the middle of a inner battle I believe all believers must go through.
Psalm 73:14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. Psalm 73:15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
He speaks of being stricken and rebuked, over and over again, every morning. He knows once he speaks his heart, damage will fall on the faithful, but the evidence is so obvious. There just seems to be so much “proof” provided that it creates an inner conflict for the believer.
Psalm 73:16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
Asaph was being worn down, confessing that the situation he was considering was a wearisome task. The inner battle was wearing on him, and it seemed he was in a position of eventual defeat.
That is until. Until he entered the sanctuary of God. The solution for Asaph actually was available throughout his struggles. His perspective on life had been infected by the perceived and temporary ease of the wicked one’s life, without considering the actual and long term impact of the person of God.
Asaph as he entered the sanctuary of God, became aware of two truths.
Ruination of the wicked
Asaph understood no longer the perceived ease of the wicked, but the eventual, long term ruination of the wicked. Not only the ruination, but the very footing they consider to be stable, is a slippery place. One mistake, one happening, one uncontrollable incident, and everything they count on falls apart! There seemed to be a perceived future, but that was all smoke and mirrors, for Asaph say there was no actual future for the wicked. The ruination was certain, for he states that God Himself set them in slippery places, and God Himself makes them fall to ruin.
Sinfulness of the Saint
Being away from the Lord, for the saint is a very dangerous situation. After entering the sanctuary of God, Asaph faces his own heart as he looks to the Lord. He admits to his own sinfulness before God, how brutish he had become!
As he uses the term brutish, I think of violence, as in brutality, but the term speaks of foolishness, even stupidity. The term is used in Psalms two additional times.
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. Psalm 92:6 The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this:
He further defines him life before God as a beast, and this term usually refers to cattle or livestock. The Hebrew word for beast carries with it the idea of a mute animal, a silent beast. Might he be possibly referring to the wicked’s lifestyle as impacting his freedom of speech before the Lord and His people? He has mentioned earlier his reluctance to speak of his finding’s and this is to his credit!
But he was restricted in his communication to the people of God. Thankfully he restrained from speaking of his logical findings, but this also may have brought a hesitation of speaking of the goodness of God before the people.
He was silent, conflicted and strickened. What a sad, (and for myself, a familiar) place to be!
Asaph needed to enter the sanctuary of God. When he did, all the perceived benefits of the wicked disappeared!
For modern believers in the Messiah, what does it mean to enter the sanctuary of God? Many may consider that constant attendance to a church building is the equivalent for the saint today. This may be so, but I am hesitant to state this is a perfect application, for there are many church buildings that have been constructed in order to provide a sense of security, a sense of power and influence that may distract from the very person of God. Never mind the variable of the teaching disbursed from the pulpit. Many – not all thankfully – in today’s modern church have a teaching that is suspect, with a dependance on the Word being weak, and sometimes completely absent, or worse yet hostile to the Word.
With all of that said, to enter the sanctuary of God for the believer today is to draw near to the throne of God.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
For the New Testament believer, the sanctuary of God is present and available at all times and in every location, for the sanctuary of God is the Lord Jesus, His holy Spirit and the Father Himself. As we approach the throne of God in our formal and informal prayers, our thoughts are lifted away from the untoward methods and mealy, meager goals of the wicked, and to higher, loftier and eternal matters that can only be recognized as we dwell on the many glories of our God.
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 73:4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. Psalm 73:5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. Psalm 73:6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. Psalm 73:7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. Psalm 73:8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. Psalm 73:9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. Psalm 73:10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. Psalm 73:11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” Psalm 73:12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. Psalm 73:13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. Psalm 73:14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. Psalm 73:15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
In our last post, we considered verses 4-9, where Asaph describes the conflict going on in his heart regarding the wicked one’s experience in life and his behavior. They enjoy a full and powerful life, even while abusing their neighbor and rejecting any authority God has in their lives. This is confusing for this man of God, but he is not willing to abandon his argument quite yet.
His thinking is quite logical, for he make an observation, and then comes to a conclusion, by stating “therefore” We will continue with his thinking this morning and find out where his logical pathway leads him, but before we go any further, let us read the passage once more.
No God No Justice No Followers
Psalm 73:10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. Psalm 73:11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
Asaph is coming to a dangerous tipping point in his logical argument. He sees the wicked’s life of ease with no apparent discipline being applied by God, and comes to a conclusion.
If this is the way the world works, why fight it? If God is allowing the wicked to flourish without any repurcussion, as all the evidence proves, the conclusion must be that God has taken His hand away from the personal lives of the people of His nation. Maybe God has revised His requirements? Maybe God has lowered His expectations, or realized He has demanded too much. Maybe God simply doesn’t care anymore.
Wow. This logical progression of Asaph takes us down a very dark and slippery slope, and I suspect this thinking has been the cause of many a followers downfall. Even as Asaph describes this thinking process, he comes to the conclusion that this situation actually provides, or might I say encourages the faithful to “turn back to them” and find “no fault in them”.
The faithful are turning back to the wicked, and find no fault in them. Is not Asaph describing those who have previously sought God turning away from Him. The faithful are seeing the abundance and freedom of the wicked, taking the bait, and by so joining the wicked, agreeing with the methods and attitudes of the wicked.
The result is a denial of God by those who seek the life of the wicked. Asaph has provided us the spiralling downfall of the faithful as they observe the wicked and make unholy choices.
Conclusion
Psalm 73:12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. Psalm 73:13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. Psalm 73:14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. Psalm 73:15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
Asaph makes his summary statements in these verses and repeats his foundational observation. The wicked have it easy, implying the righteous do not. The wicked have riches, implying the righteous do not.
In the midst of the righteous mans life of “struggle and poverty”, Asaph wonders if it is worth clinging to the old truth. The call of God demands a clean heart and innocent hands. What is the benefit? Why go through all this trial and trouble?
My friend, if I have followed Asaph’s thoughts and conclusions in my thinking once, I have followed his thinking a dozen times. Many times the believer observes the evidence provided, sees the logic of this train of thought, but has no real defense against it. After all, it is the way of the world.
Notice though, that Asaph provides the faithful man’s inner turmoil. All this evidence is tempting, yet he is strickened and rebuked every morning. He just can’t take that last step of joining the wicked, for his heart is telling him he is missing something, and if he succumbs to his logical conclusions, he will only add to the weakening of God’s people as he abandons the God of Israel. He knows the end result, even as he is hinting at it in this verse.
As turmoil and indecision enters our hearts over life changing decisions, we may need to consider the inner struggle as a blessing, a cleansing, even an renewing of our thinking. As we enter this struggle, it will be a battle to prove our devotion to the God of our salvation. Riches, ease and comfort can not be our gods, if we are to be called by His name.
Thankfully Asaph provides us good news in the next passage, a resolution to his thinking, a missed piece of evidence that changes all the perceived truth he has accumulated. Asaph’s struggle came to an end, and it came to an end decisively!
It is a solution for the faithful to consider as they may wander towards the lifestyle of the wicked.
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 73:4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. Psalm 73:5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. Psalm 73:6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. Psalm 73:7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. Psalm 73:8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. Psalm 73:9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. Psalm 73:10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. Psalm 73:11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” Psalm 73:12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. Psalm 73:13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. Psalm 73:14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. Psalm 73:15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
As we finished our last post on the first three verses of this psalm we found that Asaph confessed his heart, speaking of his envy of the wicked.
Psalm 73:3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Quite the confession for a man of God to openly declare. Remember, envy is directly linked to covetousness and is equal with idolatry.
Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
In this passage, Asaph describes the arrogant, and it is impressive. His perception of the arrogant leaves us with a life of leisure, fatness, image and status. He must surely have spent time witnessing the life of the arrogant, seen their success, and may have joined in their methods of gaining comfort.
He details his analysis of the wicked, of their experiences and finally describes his despair, for while he focuses on the wicked, he expresses he may have chosen the wrong side.
Our passage naturally breaks down into four portions, with each set of verses developing the foundation for the next. Notice the repetition of the word “therefore” in verse 6 and 10. To have the term “therefore” introduced in the passage is to indicate that the given data is the basis, or the reason for the following thoughts.
Lets consider.
No Need of God
Psalm 73:4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. Psalm 73:5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
Asaph begins his description of the wicked with the comfort they experience. No pangs until death, no hunger, no trouble, no suffering. They are a cut above the rest. While others have trials, they do not.
No challenges, trials, problems or concerns. They have a cushy life! So then why bother with God? Any claim of God’s authority being observed in their life is smothered by the apparent success they have in their sin. Although I may be jumping the gun regarding our proceeding through this passage, I can’t help but think of this concept in the Proverbs.
Proverbs 1:32 For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;
Comfort, ease, complacency all lead to a path of rejection of God. If it were not so, many in the developed nations should be flocking to praise God for the blessings they experience. But alas this is not so. Comfort puts us to sleep in relation to the God who provides. Ironically, comfort kills.
I was chatting with my daughter a few days back and she mentioned a friend that complained about the most insignificant issues in life. She off handedly told him he needs bigger problems.
My friends, we need to realize the bigger problems we have. The luxuries and comforts we have can become the first step to spiritual lethargy, luring us into a refusal to consider God in all His call in our lives.
No God – No Justice
Psalm 73:6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. Psalm 73:7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. Psalm 73:8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. Psalm 73:9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.
Asasph saw that the wicked were excelling in life and this must have confused him, for as a believer in the God of Israel, he knew the justice and righteousness of God. Why were these wicked not experiencing a commensurate justice in their lives These wicked had no trials in life, and that just seemed unfair!
Asaph speaks of the wicked being full of pride, and always involved in violence. Even in this sinful life, they experienced fatness, and they partied hard, enjoying the excesses their lives produced.
They had no mercy or love toward their fellow Israelite, but spoke hostile words, continuing in their sin by coercing and forcing their will on others. It didn’t stop with their fellow Israelites, their national brothers. This attitude naturally continued against God, for any hatred or abuse toward God’s people is a result of the hatred resident in the heart of the wicked towards God.
1 John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Asaph is confused throughout this psalm due to the apparent success of these wicked men, even in their continued brash behavior towards both man and God.
Many times I have experienced this confusion, this disconnect of how the world works and the lack of immediate justice that the wicked seem to live in. It is a great temptation to use the evidence we see as a reason to abandon the God we love.
In our next post, we will see that Asaph has not come to the end of his slipping. For now, let us consider the insidious temptation that Asaph is experiencing here, and if we find any evidence of his train of thought in our own thinking, understand the end result.
Envy of the wicked is a pathway of abandoning the God we serve.
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.
We are entering Book three of the Psalms, and as discussed in out previous post, Psalms for Psome – Ps 72.06, this section of Psalms has a theme that is similar to the book of Leviticus, and emphasizes the correct approach to our God, holiness in the believers life and actions and proper heart felt worship of the Lord.
We also will be missing the pen of David in this portion, with his input decreasing. New authors we may have never encountered in the Psalms will appear, even Moses in the 90th Psalm. For this Psalm, we meet again the author of Psalm 50, and we will be reading his writings from Psalm 73 through to Psalm 83.
He served as a chief musician and prophet during the reign of David, and produced some of the most difficult passages in the Psalms to understand. His influence was not quelled by his passing, for there was a group of musicians and poets that came behind him, calling themselves the sons of Asaph, continuing in worship even through the days of Ezra.
With this short introduction to our author, lets consider Psalm 73, a psalm that speaks of the importance of focus for the believer!
Psalm 73:1 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. Psalm 73:2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. Psalm 73:3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Asaph begins his message with a claim of the goodness of God, but he wants to be understood clearly. He may have simply stated “God is good to Israel”, but that was not clear enough for Asaph. He needed to define who Israel was that God was good to.
To those who are pure of heart.
We have previously discussed the concept of the remnant in this blog, and I simply want to remind my gentle reader that within the nation of Israel, within the population of the nation of Israel, there existed those who loved and followed after God. Those who had the faith of Abraham, and not simply some biological tie to the man of faith by claiming the blood of Abraham was coursing through their veins.
The only blood that mattered in God’s eyes was the blood of His Son. Bloodlines of the patriarchs of old, were only important in order to identify the Son, to provide a way of defining through which family of man the promised Messiah would come.
It has always been about faith, and any claim to superiority through some blood line has always been an affront to God, even in the days of the Messiah.
John 8:37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.
The very bloodline that was a claim to superiority before God was the same bloodline that crucified the God they claimed favored them.
Asaph is making clear that those who are of faith in God will experience the goodness of God. Yet even as I say that, those whose hearts are pure have times of weakness, times when focus is blurred, distracted and our minds wander into dangerous thinking. Such was Asaph’s experience in this Psalm.
To think that a man of God such as Asaph came so close to stumbling in his walk with God is so sad, and yet in his stumbling, he recounts for us his mistake, his error in his thinking, his error in focus.
And he get’s to the problem immediately in verse 3.
Envious of the arrogant
As a quick reminder, envy and jealousy are not synonyms, though they are related. To be jealous is related to the fear of loosing something one already has, be it a possession or a person. Envy is associated with what others possess, and is the act of desiring to have what they have. Envy is linked to covetousness, and is associated with idolatry.
Asaph is in trouble here!
One question I do have for my reader.
Is Asaph envious of the things the arrogant have, or might he be admitting to being envious of the ability to be arrogant. For those who can freely exhibit an arrogance tend to not hesitate to acquire, to obtain and to seek all they can.
Is he simply wanting things, or is he wanting the ability to get things?
What thinkest thou? Leave me a comment below if you have an opinion.
For our time this morning, Asaph provides us a warning, and the warning is for the believer to maintain correct focus, to look to the goodness of God, not the abundance of garbage the arrogant obtain!
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.
Before we begin this psalm that refers of the true king, pictures the Messiah, and describes the ultimate kingdom, it may be good to mention there is some discussion on the author. Per the ESV, verse 1 seems to speak of this psalm as originating (humanly) from Solomon, David’s son. There is an argument that the psalm was written by David himself (see the last verse) and he wrote it “of Solomon” in his reign, as David looked into the future potential of his son.
Although I am of the opinion David wrote this psalm, no matter how you see this topic, let us delve into this psalm that speaks over and over again of the greater Son of David, the true King of all.
Psalm 72:18 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Psalm 72:19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen! Psalm 72:20 The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.
This last few verses contain the doxology of the second book of the Psalms. This idea of the psalms being comprised of “books” was not mentioned before in our studies, but it is an interesting concept to consider.
For my readers interest, I have provided a simple table to describe the concept and for your consideration.
Prior to digging into the doxology, it is good to remember that when David ends this psalm, he refers to it being the end of the prayers of David. So an obvious question I can hear my reader offer is – How can that be, if we find David’s writings in later psalms, such as 86, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 121, 133, and 138-145. There are a number of possible explanations.
The author may simply be speaking of the end of his prayers in Psalm 72. He may also be referring to the end of a collection of David’s psalms. Psalms added to the book of Psalms may not be in the authors mind at the time of writing.
Nevertheless, David has provided us a Psalm that includes his hopes and prayers for the Solomonic kingdom, and in so doing has given us a Psalm that shows us Jesus Christ as King.
In the final doxology, the author expresses his desire and hope for not only his son, but that the name of the Lord God of Israel be blessed forever, and that the whole earth be filled with His glory.
David knew the end game, for he expressed God’s will perfectly in this last passage, even as Moses and Habakkuk spoke of their desire.
Numbers 14:21 But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD,
Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
My question for my reader to consider this morning is this.
While David, and the other prophets were expressing this great desire of the saints, would they have understood it included the death of the Son of God to accomplish the will of God?
My friends, we know how serious God is in completing Hios plan for all of creation, for it took the death of His Son to seal the deal. We have this truth, and we have this confidence, that as the Father brought the Son out of the grave, He also will accomplish His will in spreading the glory of God throughout the whole earth.
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.
Before we begin this psalm that refers of the true king, pictures the Messiah, and describes the ultimate kingdom, it may be good to mention there is some discussion on the author. Per the ESV, verse 1 seems to speak of this psalm as originating (humanly) from Solomon, David’s son. There is an argument that the psalm was written by David himself (see the last verse) and he wrote it “of Solomon” in his reign, as David looked into the future potential of his son.
Although I am of the opinion David wrote this psalm, no matter how you see this topic, let us delve into this psalm that speaks over and over again of the greater Son of David, the true King of all.
Psalm 72:15 Long may he live; may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day! Psalm 72:16 May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field! Psalm 72:17 May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!
This portion of the psalm speaks of the abundance of the Kingdom, prosperity flowing throughout the Kingdom with the focus rightly so on the King Himself. The poor and needy that was previously spoken of in the previous post is under King Jesus, offering up gifts of gold to the King.
I take the subject of these verses to be the King, and specifically King Jesus prophetically. As throughout this psalm, so much is provided to correspond with the Son in His reign that it over shadows the possible immediate intent of David’s desire for His own son Solomon’s earthy reign.
Gold is given to the King, not silver or some inferior metal, but only the finest of materials.
The fields are so heavy with grain, when the wind blows, the grain acts as the cedars of Lebanon, the cedars of Lebanon that were so famous. The agricultural prosperity spoken of here describes the waving action of the grains to not be unlike the wind whipping through the massive cedars of Lebanon. A picture in my mind of oversized grain stalks so large that as they move in the wind, a cracking occurs as with the cedars in their movements.
This picture of prosperity is incredible, but the psalmist goes further. He speak of the waving action of this grain to be on the tops of the mountains. Not the valleys, where all the lush rich earth is, but on the top on mountain tops, where the rain and wind typically erode the good soil and create a barren area. No successful farmer sought out the top of mountains or hills for farming, yet under the King, even the top of hills or mountains brought forth abundance.
And yet when I sat down this morning, my focus was not on the prosperity of the land, great as it is under the King, but on the King Himself, as David describes Him, for he speaks of the King living, or as he starts this portion out as – Long may he live. Let’s take a moment to consider.
Live
Live is the translation of the Hebrew word חָיָהchâyâh, to live or preserve, even quicken recover or retore to life. This term may simply refer to life, to the standard meaning we all accept, but it also was used of the restoration of life. Consider the following passages where we find it being used.
2 Kings 13:21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
Job 14:14 If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come.
Isa 26:14 They are dead, they will not live; they are shades, they will not arise; to that end you have visited them with destruction and wiped out all remembrance of them.
1Kings 17:22 And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.
Ezekiel, as he is questioning the Lord in the famous chapter on dead bones, uses this term multiple times to describe life coming back onto the carcasses he sees.
Even the apostate king of Israel, most likely Jehoram, knew of God’s ability to raise up from the dead.
2 Kings 5:7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”
Again and again in the Old Testament, this term is used revivification, of quickening, of restoration.
Is David speaking of the resurrection of the King, of the eternal life that He accomplished for mankind at His resurrection? How could a believer not see David’s claim here describing the greatest feat of Jesus, and of his continual “long living of the King”, describing the Kingdom ruled by Him who lives forever!
But there is more. (Man this passage is great!) He not only speaks of the length of the Kings life, but of the Kings continuance. To describe the Kings continuance is not specifically speaking of the length of His reign but more so the manner of the Kingdom’s increase!
Increase
Increase is the translation of the Hebrew word נוּןnûwn, to propagate, or increase. The term is only used once in the Old Testament, and it has the meaning of to propagate by shoots, to multiply, as many plants do by shoots!
The increase of the King’s fame, and of His Kingdom is described as the propagation of His life in the same manner that a plant does through shoots.
Can anyone hear the Lord speaking of this increase in John 15, where we are the branches and He is the Vine. Without Him, we can do nothing. Consider the message the Lord is sharing with His disciples in this. In Him, we propagate out the Kingdom.
John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
David may be describing in one word a concept the Lord expanded on with His disciples! Though a grain of wheat was buried, the life that exploded out of that burial produced the greatest fruit imaginable. All increase through each believers connection with the King, the natural propagation of life through the shoots finding their life in the root!
John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
All of the previous actions, the life from the dead and the propagation, or increase of His fame has the fallout of blessing on the people, and that all nations are blessed.
Again, as I have been studying in the Old Testament, I have come to see the many times the nations are included into the plan of God, that from the very beginning, all of creation was to experience the blessing of God.
Here again, the promise of God to Abraham echoes, speaking of the nations being blessed through Abraham.
Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
In Abraham, all the families of the earth will be blessed, and we know that the complete fulfillment of this blessing is found in and only through Abrahams Greatest Son, King Jesus who truly lives forever, escaping the grave and reigning as His Kingdom continually expands, increasing His fame throughout the world.
What a great piece of Scripture! May the Lord increase His fame in each of our lives, so that we reflect it to those we rub shoulders with each and every day.
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.
Before we begin this psalm that refers of the true king, pictures the Messiah, and describes the ultimate kingdom, it may be good to mention there is some discussion on the author. Per the ESV, verse 1 seems to speak of this psalm as originating (humanly) from Solomon, David’s son. There is an argument that the psalm was written by David himself (see the last verse) and he wrote it “of Solomon” in his reign, as David looked into the future potential of his son.
Although I am of the opinion David wrote this psalm, no matter how you see this topic, let us delve into this psalm that speaks over and over again of the greater Son of David, the true King of all.
Psalm 72:12 For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. Psalm 72:13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. Psalm 72:14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.
How different the True King is from those who lead nations in this age.
Of course the True King is all powerful, always present, ever faithful and continually offering deliverance and salvation, both in the absolute sense, and in the daily general sense. He is the Savior of our souls, the provider of life and the One who delivers us from ourselves, the world and the accuser!
Yet in this passage, is David speaking of the day to day needs those in the kingdom have, that the King Himself will be the One who is available when they need help? Notice David goes so far as describing the King as responding when the needy calls.
You know, I have sons, and I think they are awesome and powerful, and capable and greater than any other “average” man, but for David to say this about Solomon is more than simple fatherly bias, more than mere hyperbole about the capabilities of Solomon.
As I have postulated throughout this psalm, David is speaking of the True King, the One who has unlimited resources, that has His ear bent to those who call on Him. This King that David describes is not like those who lead in this world, taking our resources only to distribute a pittance back, consuming the resources taken by law and then incapable (or unwilling) to properly respond to the truly needy. The leaders of this world are severely limited in their abilities (and desires) to actually perform the tasks David speak of in this passage.
I speak only of the physical in this regard, and surely David speaks of the needy in a much broader and deeper way. His focus, as believers will agree, is most assuredly not simply the feeding of our bellies, or the defense of a nation.
This King is described as One who takes care of the needy. David uses this term multiple times in this short passage. As a a matter of fact, this term has come up before in verse 4. It seems to be a common refrain, that this King looks to the needy, the poor, the weak, and to them that have no helper.
This begs a question.
Is my relation to the king directly linked to my understanding of my need? If I am constantly telling myself that I can handle a problem, that I have the strength to get through a problem, that I am self sufficient, is that the same as saying the King is not needed, that I am rejecting His authority over my life?
Ok – so that is not just a question, but the topic got away on me! I would humbly suggest that if we seek to know the King better, we would reject any assumption that we are capable on our own to solve our problems.
For heavens sake, we are the problem!
Needy
Let’s spend a moment considering the term “needy”.
To be needy is to be destitute. The Hebrew word is אֶבְיוֹןʼebyôwn, and it describes a beggar, a poor man, one who is destitute. Now where have I heard teaching about being destitute before?
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus used the Greek word πτωχόςptōchós, translated as poor, in this verse. It also means destitute, helpless, powerless, to be a pauper, even acting as a cringing beggar. He did not mince words here and sought to make a point of those who would be blessed in His Kingdom.
Thoroughly beggarly, poor, needy souls, who know their condition before the Lord, willing to accept the condition of their souls will be ministered to by the King Himself!
How diametrically opposed to the kingdoms of this world!
Admit your poverty before the True King, and look to the Him, for He is the One who has His ear bent to hear the needy!
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.
Before we begin this psalm that refers of the true king, pictures the Messiah, and describes the ultimate kingdom, it may be good to mention there is some discussion on the author. Per the ESV, verse 1 seems to speak of this psalm as originating (humanly) from Solomon, David’s son. There is an argument that the psalm was written by David himself (see the last verse) and he wrote it “of Solomon” in his reign, as David looked into the future potential of his son.
Although I am of the opinion David wrote this psalm, no matter how you see this topic, let us delve into this psalm that speaks over and over again of the greater Son of David, the true King of all.
Psalm 72:8 May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth! Psalm 72:9 May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust! Psalm 72:10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! Psalm 72:11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!
As mentioned previously, this psalm may have been intended to describe Solomon’s kingdom as David was in the Spirit, but for goodness sake, even David knew the seeds of destruction were resident in the kingdom he had built under God.
Speaking of sea to sea, David may have meant from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. But David had already bequeathed that region to his son Solomon. What pray tell may he have truly anticipated? What else may be implied by this phrase?
I assume this is the very implication we discussed in the previous post on Mark 12. David meant all the seas throughout creation, and that seems obvious with the next phrase he interjects into his plea to God. From the River to the ends of the earth.
It is no coincidence (is it?) that the True King of Israel, the Greater David, used this same terminology when He commissioned His subjects to spread His Kingdom to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
His enemies would lick dust, reminiscent of the words of the curse, and the beginning of the end for the accuser of the brethren. As an enemy would approach a victorious king, they would typically kiss the earth in a show of humility before thier conqueror. Those who approached the True King would not only kiss the earth, they would lick the dust. A true sign of complete domination.
David speaks of His Son as the One whom all would fall before, even those distant from the promised land, no matter their standing, even kings of other nations. To mention Sheba and Seba, Tarshish and the isles, represented some of the farthest countries from Israel, and this implied total dominion over the known world.
All nations shall serve Him. This is the truth, for the Resurrected One is reigning even now, and though not all have bowed the knee, it is only the patience and loving kindness of God that is providing time for repentance to erupt, for each one to realize the truth of the Person of Jesus.
He is the King. It is best we acknowledge this truth, love the King and serve Him with our heart mind and soul.
May He be praised in all our lives, and throughout His everlasting reign!
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.
Before we begin this psalm that refers of the true king, pictures the Messiah, and describes the ultimate kingdom, it may be good to mention there is some discussion on the author. Per the ESV, verse 1 seems to speak of this psalm as originating (humanly) from Solomon, David’s son. There is an argument that the psalm was written by David himself (see the last verse) and he wrote it “of Solomon” in his reign, as David looked into the future potential of his son.
Although I am of the opinion David wrote this psalm, no matter how you see this topic, let us delve into this psalm that speaks over and over again of the greater Son of David, the true King of all.
Psalm 72:5 May they fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations! Psalm 72:6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth! Psalm 72:7 In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
In our last post on Psalm 72, we found that David was speaking of righteousness as the basis of the Kingdom.
Even as I remind my reader that, I can hear a “little voice” arguing with me. But Carl, is not the Kingdom to be based on love. Does Paul not mention love as the overarching guiding principle of the kingdom?
1 Corinthians 13:13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Yes he does, and the question is valid, little voice. So how does righteousness and love relate in the believers life.
As mentioned previously, righteousness is the acting out of all of God’s characteristics without the diminishing of any. It is unlike that of the worlds righteousness, such that it favors no person. Righteousness in my little world often favors my interests, my desires, my wants and delegates the needs, or even rights of others to a lower standard of consideration in the outcome of righteous judgements. This is the worlds righteousness.
To practice righteousness is to know all the facts of a situation, understand the actions taken by all, discern motivations, and execute judgement, all without departing or diminishing the character of God. To practice righteousness is to not favor one characteristic over another, like favoring mercy over holiness in the decisions made.
For our verses this morning, we shall consider the eternal fear of God’s righteousness, the universality of God’s righteousness, and the peace and prosperity of God’s righteousness.
Eternal Fear
Note in verse 5, as David hopes for the fear of the king to endure while the sun endures and as long as the moon is in the sky, he is looking for a kingdom to provide a continuous “fear of the King” for it’s people.
In God’s Kingdom, there is rightly to be described the element of fear, whether you are experiencing deep respect for the King due to His greatness, or a dreaded fearful expectation due to foolish actions. Fear is a valid and correct response to God’s righteousness being exercised in the Kingdom.
Consider though that David’s description of this Kingdom is ultimately referring to the reign of the Son. His reign is forever and ever through the resurrection from the dead, and the Father’s setting of Him on His holy hill.
Note the direct link between the raising of Jesus in Acts with the passage in Psalm 2. To be begotten refers to the resurrection in verse 2 per the apostles teaching!
Acts 13:32 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, Acts 13:33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’
Psalm 2:6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” Psalm 2:7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
From that day forward the Kingdom exhibited the righteousness of God to all, and the King was set on His throne for all eternity. May all fear the True King of all creation, for godly fear is a natural outgrowth of knowing the King, and following after Him.
Universality
Since the King has be enthroned, the truth of God’s universality in the Kingdom has been exhibited. Now be careful for I have not said the universality of the kingdom began with the appearance of the Son, for we see evidence of God’s working outside of His people often prior to the gospels. But it seemed rare, indicating glimpses of favor to those “outside” for those who were in the chosen people.
Not so as the Messiah appeared. God’s universality, His desire for all to know Him, was one of the most offensive aspects of the Son’s ministry, for He often spoke of those outside as being accepted!
David expresses the universality of God’s righteous kingdom through the picture of rain falling on the earth. Consider the inescapable nature of a rain shower. Every inch of the fields are impacted by the falling rain, and for the one who is caught in the rain, shelter is the only escape. Rain is often considered a universal blessing to those who receive it, and the withholding to be the sign of God’s displeasure.
Yet it is more than simply indicating the pleasure/displeasure of the Lord, for did not the Lord speak of rain as being sent to the just and the unjust?
Matthew 5:45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
For the kingdom to be described as rain falling speaks of the blessing of God on the Kingdom, and of the universality of the gospel invite. Those outside of the Kingdom may and do experience the blessing of God, providing a motivation to enter the Kingdom, and to know the King the One who blesses!
To think of the King favoring those outside of the Kingdom in order to expand His Kingdom is just the type of King we worship. He sees no distinction between any people groups, for we are all needy, broken, blind and crippled up.
Romans 3:22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
Romans 10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
His love is universal for a lost people!
peace and prosperity
In David’s Kingdom being described, he is speaking of a kingdom that does not principally consider the ones in power, those who by association with the powerful may have gained power or authority to be experiencing peace and prosperity. It is the righteous, those determined by their actions and not associations are those who experience the benefits of the Kingdom, namely peace and prosperity in this passage.
Notice that David speaks of flourishing as being associated with righteousness, and not necessarily as we often see is this worlds kingdom. This worlds kingdom provides flourishing depending on personal association with those in power. This is absent in God’s Kingdom, at least in relation to varying degrees of flourishing.
It is obvious that to be in the Kingdom requires the righteous ones to be related to the Ultimate authority, that is King Jesus. This is the assumption within this discussion! Beyond that, earthly associations pay no dividends, and may hurt the righteous in that our dedication to the King may be weakened.
Nevertheless, it is instructive to note that this world’s authority structure is rejected in the Kingdom of God.
Luke 22:25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. Luke 22:26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.
Let’s remember Jesus spoke this truth to the disciples due to the turmoil their ego’s were creating within themselves and the group! No prosperity, no peace! Simply self promotion was being exercised in the group, and for peace and prosperity to be realized, self promotion was to be rejected in the Kingdom .
One caveat in relation to the the peace and prosperity I am seeking to describe. Let us not think the teaching of prosperity in the Word refers strictly to worldly wealth, to riches and dollars, bricks of silver or vaults of possessions. This is a beggarly way of understanding prosperity as found in the Word.
Prosperity speaks of abundance, of greatness, of a life blessed. There is much more to life than the acquisition of possessions. Paul provides corrective teaching to the modern outbreak of greed being glorified in the church, by speaking of the uncertainty of seeking riches, and directs us to seeking God, who provides us “with everything to enjoy”.
1 Timothy 6:17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
David links this prosperity, this abundance with peace in this verse. Might he be speaking of a prosperity that is linked, or that is associated with inner and outer peace that can be found in the Messiah’s Kingdom?
Return to my question
In all of this discussion it is important to understand that there has to be another element brought into any circumstance, that will allow God’s righteousness to be exercised. I referred to love at the beginning of this post as the guiding overarching principle of the Kingdom, and then proceeded to describe righteousness as the foundational character of the Kingdom.
It is the expression of love, of a self sacrificing love that is the act that provides for the experience of righteousness, God’s righteousness in the believers life.
His self sacrifice opened the doors to the Kingdom for each of us. Without His sacrifice, the holiness of God could not allow His mercy and grace to be provided to such a group of sinners as we.
Even on a daily basis, to be of the self sacrificial mindset, to think of others more highly than ourselves, is to be of the correct mindset.
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
David’s kingdom described in these three verses provided me an opportunity to translate my thoughts to the reader in a very open way. I look forward to comments, and would appreciate your input.
In all of our studies, and in day to day our lives, may we see Jesus just a bit clearer, and understand that which we are granted to comprehend.
Ephesians 3:18 – 19 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
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.
Before we begin this psalm that refers of the true king, pictures the Messiah, and describes the ultimate kingdom, it may be good to mention there is some discussion on the author. Per the ESV, verse 1 seems to speak of this psalm as originating (humanly) from Solomon, David’s son. There is an argument that the psalm was written by David himself (see the last verse) and he wrote it “of Solomon” in his reign, as David looked into the future potential of his son.
Although I am of the opinion David wrote this psalm, no matter how you see this topic, let us delve into this psalm that speaks over and over again of the greater Son of David, the true King of all.
Psalm 72:1 Of Solomon. Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! Psalm 72:2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! Psalm 72:3 Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! Psalm 72:4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!
David opens this psalm with one overarching topic, a topic that is of top priority in any government. This topic, if found in the government will provide the foundation for a lasting kingdom, providing security and prosperity to the people.
The topic is righteousness, and David uses multiple terms to describe this characteristic of the kingdom he foresees
72:1 – 0 Give the king your justice
justice (מִשְׁפָּט mishpâṭ, H4941) This term speaks of the act of judging, an action that rightly belongs to God Himself, who can judge properly and correctly at all times, for He alone is able to know all things affecting the decision, and to weigh the intangible aspects of the act (motivations and intent) being judged. David knows of the challenge this is for the King, and understands the critical need for God to provide!
72:1 – righteousness to the royal son
righteousness (צְדָקָה tsᵉdâqâh, H6666) Can you see the root of one of God’s name in this Hebrew word? JEHOVAH TSIDKENU In that earlier post we spoke of how there may be two righteousness’s in a culture or kingdom, one based on lies and violence and one based on peace and love. Of course, we live in a world where the claim of righteousness is based on lies and violence, but for David, he sought that righteousness that was not logical, not common, not familiar, but of God.
David is asking that the royal son be different than those kingdoms that surround him, that the son would listen to God for instruction in righteousness and not the neighbor kingdoms. And that God would grant him this righteousness!
72:2 – May he judge your people
judge (דִּין dîyn, H1777). This Hebrew word speaks of contending, or of pleading a cause. Might David be hinting to the act of directing the people, or a singular person, prior a decision to be made? Of course as a human king, David must be considering this for Solomon in relation to his inner court, for how could he anticipate all the judgements of his people.
And yet, this may be observed in Solomons judgement to cut the baby in half to bring to the truth the identity of the living child. In his “harsh” judgement, he plead the emotions of the true mother, and found the truth!
72:2 – he judge your people with righteousness,
righteousness (צֶדֶק tsedeq, H6664) This term is of the same root word as in verse 1, and as is obvious, connected with the description of God as righteousness.
72:2 – poor with justice!
righteousness (מִשְׁפָּט mishpâṭ). David speaks the same term here as in verse 1. He reiterates the need of the King to have God provide the correct understanding of each act needing a decision from the king, and produce the desired effect on the kingdom.
Note that he associates the poor (or afflicted) with the kings declaration of justice. It is too often the poor’s only defense against the powerful that the judgement of the government can be called upon. Thus the emphasis on the poor, for the powerful take whatever they want!
72:3 mountains bear prosperity … in righteousness!
Any government worth it’s salt is to provide a condition within the kingdom that provides the ability of it’s subjects to prosper. The environment needed for any within the kingdom to prosper is
72:4 May he defend the cause of the poor
Defend (שָׁפַט shâphaṭ, H8199). David continues his cry for the king to exercise righteousness, in the act of defending the afflicted. He has referred to the connection between righteousness and the poor in verse 2, and speaks again of the responsibility to judge rightly, or to govern in righteousness for the sake of the powerless, the poor and afflicted.
Some passages translate this term as “vindicate”. Is David speaking of not only a defensive position, but a proactive attitude, of not merely rescuing the afflicted, but fighting for them in righteousness? That seems obvious in theory, but David seeks it to be in practice for his royal son.
Consider
In all of this discussion on righteousness, David is setting the stage for the establishment of a kingdom that will endure.
Although we are directed to think of this psalm as being “of Solomon”, or describing the hopes David has for his direct son, in reality, this psalm speaks to the Son of David, the Messiah. Throughout this psalm David speaks of this king’s reign “to the ends of the earth”, that his name “enduring forever”, that “all kings fall down before him”, that his fame “continue as long as the sun” and that “all nations serve him”.
As we venture through this psalm, we will continually bump into statements that bring the Lord Jesus to mind, of the kingdom Jesus will (has) established.
For our passage this morning, note the basis upon Jesus’ governance will be established. He is the Righteous King, and has been granted this right not only through the fact He is God, but that He has suffered and bled for us, leading His kingdom through love, peace and self sacrifice.
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.
Before we begin this psalm that refers of the true king, pictures the Messiah, and describes the ultimate kingdom, it may be good to mention there is some discussion on the author. Per the ESV, verse 1 seems to speak of this psalm as originating (humanly) from Solomon, David’s son. There is an argument that the psalm was written by David himself (see the last verse) and he wrote it “of Solomon” in his reign, as David looked into the future potential of his son.
Although I am of the opinion David wrote this psalm, no matter how you see this topic, let us delve into this psalm that speaks over and over again of the greater Son of David, the true King of all.
Psalm 72:1 Of Solomon. Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! Psalm 72:2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! Psalm 72:3 Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! Psalm 72:4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!
David opens this psalm with one overarching topic, a topic that is of top priority in any government. This topic, if found in the government will provide the foundation for a lasting kingdom, providing security and prosperity to the people.
That topic is righteousness, and David uses multiple terms to describe this characteristic of the kingdom he foresees.
72:1 – 0 Give the king your justice
justice (מִשְׁפָּט mishpâṭ, H4941) This term speaks of the act of judging, an action that rightly belongs to God Himself, who can judge properly and correctly at all times, for He alone is able to know all things affecting the decision, and to weigh the intangible aspects of the act (motivations and intent) being judged. David knows of the challenge this is for the King, and understands the critical need for God to provide!
72:1 – righteousness to the royal son
righteousness (צְדָקָה tsᵉdâqâh, H6666) Can you see the root of one of God’s name in this Hebrew word? JEHOVAH TSIDKENU In that earlier post we spoke of how there may be two righteousness’s in a culture or kingdom, one based on lies and violence and one based on peace and love. Of course, we live in a world where the claim of righteousness is based on lies and violence, but for David, he sought that righteousness that was not logical, not common, not familiar, but of God.
David is asking that the royal son be different than those kingdoms that surround him, that the son would listen to God for instruction in righteousness and not the neighbor kingdoms. And that God would grant him this righteousness!
72:2 – May he judge your people
judge (דִּין dîyn, H1777). This Hebrew word speaks of contending, or of pleading a cause. Might David be hinting to the act of directing the people, or a singular person, prior a decision to be made? Of course as a human king, David must be considering this for Solomon in relation to his inner court, for how could he anticipate all the judgements of his people.
And yet, this may be observed in Solomons judgement to cut the baby in half to bring to the truth the identity of the living child. In his “harsh” judgement, he plead the emotions of the true mother, and found the truth!
72:2 – he judge your people with righteousness,
righteousness (צֶדֶק tsedeq, H6664) This term is of the same root word as in verse 1, and as is obvious, connected with the description of God as righteousness.
72:2 – poor with justice!
righteousness (מִשְׁפָּט mishpâṭ). David speaks the same term here as in verse 1. He reiterates the need of the King to have God provide the correct understanding of each act needing a decision from the king, and produce the desired effect on the kingdom.
Note that he associates the poor (or afflicted) with the kings declaration of justice. It is too often the poor’s only defense against the powerful that the judgement of the government can be called upon. Thus the emphasis on the poor, for the powerful take whatever they want!
72:3 mountains bear prosperity … in righteousness!
Any government worth it’s salt is to provide a condition within the kingdom that provides the ability of it’s subjects to prosper. The environment needed for any within the kingdom to prosper is
72:4 May he defend the cause of the poor
Defend (שָׁפַט shâphaṭ, H8199). David continues his cry for the king to exercise righteousness, in the act of defending the afflicted. He has referred to the connection between righteousness and the poor in verse 2, and speaks again of the responsibility to judge rightly, or to govern in righteousness for the sake of the powerless, the poor and afflicted.
Some passages translate this term as “vindicate”. Is David speaking of not only a defensive position, but a proactive attitude, of not merely rescuing the afflicted, but fighting for them in righteousness? That seems obvious in theory, but David seeks it to be in practice for his royal son.
Consider
In all of this discussion on righteousness, David is setting the stage for the establishment of a kingdom that will endure.
Although we are directed to think of this psalm as being “of Solomon”, or describing the hopes David has for his direct son, in reality, this psalm speaks to the Son of David, the Messiah. Throughout this psalm David speaks of this king’s reign “to the ends of the earth”, that his name “enduring forever”, that “all kings fall down before him”, that his fame “continue as long as the sun” and that “all nations serve him”.
As we venture through this psalm, we will continually bump into statements that bring the Lord Jesus to mind, of the kingdom Jesus will (has) established.
For our passage this morning, note the basis upon Jesus governance will be established. He is the Righteous King, and has been granted this right not only through the fact He is God, but that He has suffered and bled for us, leading His kingdom through love, peace and self sacrifice.
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 71 is a psalm written by an aged saint, a man who had walked with the Lord through many trials and triumphs. Some think this psalm represents David’s thoughts as he approaches the grave, as he ages and finds his life coming to a close.
One thing that is obvious in this psalm, that whoever wrote this psalm had an intimate experience with the Word of God. I have heard the claim that in the 24 verses of this psalm, there are up to 25 references, allusions and hints of other psalms within this reflection of an old saint. He has saturated his life with the Word, to the point that even phrasing of the old book comes through this old man’s message.
It is truly a witness of the wise to engage in an early and consistent immersion into the Word of God for every saint.
Let’s take a moment to consider
Psalm 71:22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. Psalm 71:23 My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. Psalm 71:24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt.
In our last post, we reviewed the hope of this ol’ saint, the hope of resurrection, of being raised from the depths of the earth. In verse 23, he continues describing the works of God in his soul’s redemption.
God is elevated in His many works by this ol’ saint and not in the simple ways, but in resurrection and redemption. He speaks of God’s “righteous help all the day long”, and in that, it show’s the ol’ saint is watching for the work of God, that he expects and looks for the work of God in his life. He seeks the help, anticipates the help, observes the help and is thankful for the help.
As a matter of fact, the emphasis in this verse is on the righteousness of the help, specifically in this case of the shame and disappointment falling on his adversaries, who wanted to hurt the ol’ saint.
It is good to recognize the help of God as He works righteous acts in and through our lives.
But there is a concern I sometimes trip over as I seek to thank Him for all things. There have been too many times I have praised the Lord for something that favors my lot, yet may not exactly be righteous. Yes we are to give thanks in all circumstances, as 1 Thessalonians directs us.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
You see there is a difference between thanking Him for all things, and thanking Him in all circumstances.
Some things that occur in the believers life may be terrible, and may cause much heartache, disappointment and even despair. These things may even be the righteous acts of our loving Father, and in the pain, the believer may have to submit, but to be thankful for the pain is a difficult concept for me to understand. Yet as 1 Thessalonians speaks, it doesn’t address the believer to be thankful for the pain, but that in the circumstances, God is in the middle of it, and that is the focus of the thanks. It is looking to the source of the circumstance, the hand of God, and not the result of the righteous act, which may be causing great pain.
It is to look to the Savior, to be thankful He is with us, that though we may find pain and trial, to know that the hand of God is with us, that He has led the way and been faithful, that is what we can give thanks for.
This ol’ saint was thankful for the righteous acts of God in his life, and the way God rescued him from his very enemies. He is a saving God, a God who may bring struggles, but as we come to know Him as the loving God He has proven Himself to be, we can go through the trial with a thankful heart.
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 71 is a psalm written by an aged saint, a man who had walked with the Lord through many trials and triumphs. Some think this psalm represents David’s thoughts as he approaches the grave, as he ages and finds his life coming to a close.
One thing that is obvious in this psalm, that whoever wrote this psalm had an intimate experience with the Word of God. I have heard the claim that in the 24 verses of this psalm, there are up to 25 references, allusions and hints of other psalms within this reflection of an old saint. He has saturated his life with the Word, to the point that even phrasing of the old book comes through this old man’s message.
It is truly a witness of the wisdom to engage in an early and consistent immersion into the Word of God for every saint.
Let’s take a moment to consider
Psalm 71:17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. Psalm 71:18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. Psalm 71:19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? Psalm 71:20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. Psalm 71:21 You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.
This old man, this old saint who has known God, even from the womb somehow, who leaned on the Lord from before birth, speaks of the teaching work of God in his life. Out of this teaching ministry, the result for this ol’ saint was that he proclaimed the wondrous deeds of God.
He did not proclaim the wondrous works of God out of a vacuum, but had been taught, trained, led by God through many experiences, many trials, many troubles and calamities (vs 20). Given this experience of the leading of God, this ol’ saint does not presume upon his history, but is reaching out to God, seeking that God would continue teaching, that God would not forsake him in his old age.
What a tremendous spirit this ol’ saint had, that he still had a deep resolve to follow, tinged with the fear of God, not assuming but continuing to seek God in his last days.
One additional impression I have of this ol’ saint is that he doesn’t whitewash his pilgrimage with God, but admits that God made him experience trials and troubles.
Did I say one additional impression? Get a load of vs 20. Is that saying what I think it is saying?
Psalm 71:20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.
Yes, the ol’ saint has seem his many troubles and calamities, directly from the hand of God, but in this statement, he speaks of reviving, even bringing him up from the depths of the earth.
Now I have been told by some very respectful Bible teachers that the Old Testament does not speak directly of a resurrection for the faithful very often. One passage that stands out is Daniel 12:2.
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Granted, there are a number of passages that refer to, point to, imply of, and hint at the bodily resurrection of the faithful, but many are pictures of this truth, as in the Shunammite’s child, being resuscitated from death, only to eventually face death later on! 2 Kings 4:18–20, 32–37
Some are super clear, as in Job 19:25–27, and consider verse 26
And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God
Additional passages in the Old Testament that provide the hope of resurrection in various ways may be found at the end of this posting for those interested.
For our passage today, in verse 20, this ol’ saint provided a declaration of resurrection that is as clear as any in the Old Testament. As the Lord was dwelling on the Word, how this short passage must have impacted Him, speaking of the faithfulness of God to this ol’ saint, and the hope of resurrection for him in his last days. Jesus would soon enough face his last days, though as a much younger man, but the hope of resurrection was on His mind and in His heart, fanned by the promise of God to His saints!
Might Paul have had in mind this passage as he wrote to the Ephesians of the resurrection “process” of the Lord Himself?
Ephesians 4:9 ….He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?
He may have, especially in speaking of the lower regions, the earth, and that the psalmist spoke of the depths of the earth.
As believers age, and have followed after the Lord during our pilgrimage, we can take the place of this ol’ saint, finding confidence in the faithfulness of God, even of the resurrection, for our God is the only God that has proven Himself to crush death under His heal!
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 71 is a psalm written by an aged saint, a man who had walked with the Lord through many trials and triumphs. Some think this psalm represents David’s thoughts as he approaches the grave, as he ages and finds his life coming to a close.
One thing that is obvious in this psalm, that whoever wrote this psalm had an intimate experience with the Word of God. I have heard the claim that in the 24 verses of this psalm, there are up to 25 references, allusions and hints of other psalms within this reflection of an old saint. He has saturated his life with the Word, to the point that even phrasing of the old book comes through this old man’s message.
It is truly a witness of the wisdom to engage in an early and consistent immersion into the Word of God for every saint.
Let’s take a moment to consider
Psalm 71:14 But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. Psalm 71:15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. Psalm 71:16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.
Remember our psalmist is in the midst of a battle that is possibly going to consume him, take his life and snuff him out! Was it not just a few verses previously, that he spoke of his enemies consulting to take his life?
Psalm 71:10-11 For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.”
I bring this to our memory, for he begins this portion with hope and praise. He has not won some lottery, or received a promotion at work, but is experiencing a life changing, life altering, possibly life ending event in this passage, yet has the eye of faith that will hope and praise God.
He has a history with God, and is entering his last days, but though weakened, he has a history with God, knowing that God is a faithful and loving God. With this history and the knowledge of the faithfulness of God in his life, he has the strength of spirit to raise up praise in the midst to trial, to hope in a seemingly hopeless situation!
And he isn’t shallow in his experience with God, for he speaks of “talking up” God all day long! He has a deep well of experiences to draw from, of a life where God showed up on a consistent basis, providing a deliverance for the saint, whether small or great, exhibiting His faithfulness.
But let me settle on verse 16, for that is a verse that speaks of the Lord Jesus.
16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.
Did He not come to rescue us?
Did He not come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD? So many miracles! So many chances for the soul to admit He is the One!
Did not the Lord Jesus declare the righteousness of the God of Israel, the God of the fathers, the eternal God?
Did not the Lord Jesus remind us of the “onlyness” of God’s righteousness? Granted, I don’t think “onlyness” is a proper word, but hopefully you get my intent. Jesus spoke of God’s righteousness alone, and not of any others, but God’s alone! He minced no words in declaring that God alone is truly righteous, and that all others are not!
He spoke the truth for us, and though it is difficult to hear, His words are a balm for the weary soul, even as we submit to the truth that only God is righteous, and that we are not.
Jesus came with mighty miracles, reminding us of such a righteous God and our need for Him.
And He provided us the way, the truth and the life!
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 71 is a psalm written by an aged saint, a man who had walked with the Lord through many trials and triumphs. Some think this psalm represents David’s thoughts as he approaches the grave, as he ages and finds his life coming to a close.
One thing that is obvious in this psalm, that whoever wrote this psalm had an intimate experience with the Word of God. I have heard the claim that in the 24 verses of this psalm, there are up to 25 references, allusions and hints of other psalms within this reflection of an old saint. He has saturated his life with the Word, to the point that even phrasing of the old book comes through this old man’s message.
It is truly a witness of the wisdom to engage in an early and consistent immersion into the Word of God for every saint.
Let’s take a moment to consider
Psalm 71:12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! Psalm 71:13 May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt.
The psalmist has revealed his enemies thoughts in the previous verses, speaking of how God had forsaken him, and that this was the perfect opportunity to strike.
Psalm 71:11 and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.”
Remember, this psalmist is a man who is aged, with grey hair and strength that was fading, as with all men who age. If this was David, he was a mighty warrior, and in his old age, had lost capabilities to defend as before. His mental and physical energy, stamina and strength has decreased, and for a warrior, this strikes at the heart of who he was.
With his weakening, and the constant trials he had went through, remaining faithful to God, it appears to be a perfect opportunity for his enemies to strike. After all, those outside of faith do not understand that the trial we as believers go through is a proof of God’s commitment to us, no a denial of His loving concern.
Hebrews 12:6 – 7
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
Truly, those of the world do not understand the life of a believer.
1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Nevertheless, as the psalmist ages, and his enemies are emboldened, he cries out to God. He cries out to God, and you can almost hear his voice cracking as he begs for God to be near, and then again, but with even greater passion, owning the God he has followed all his life. O my God, make haste to help me!
The psalmist has less strength, the enemies have greater confidence, and who does this aged man of faith turn to? The One he has followed since his birth, the God who has led him through many trials.
I imagine this man to be without resource, without strength, without defense and without support. At the very least he has judged his situation to be dire and immediate. He cries out to his God for immediate help, that God would make haste!
It is true that the more immediate the need, the greater passion I have expressed to the God who is timeless. When I have plenty of time, and things are not crushing down on me, I tend to be somewhat lassiez-faire, somewhat indifferent, but let the pressure build, and then the passion erupts. Often times, in those times of crushing, God has provided his answer and provision, his wisdom and thankfully His peace. Rarely though, when my self imposed deadline for deliverance comes and goes, the Lord is in the midst of it, allowing for a period of instruction, or a realignment of my priorities.
But back to our couple verses!
Our aged man is looking for some answers to his prayers, that his śāṭan (for that is the transliteration of accusers in our verse) would experience shame.
This is a tantamount harm to inflict on an enemy, for our psalmist lived in a shame based society, a culture that defined success and failure though the estimation of a mans honor. Wealth and family were important, but nothing came close to the need for honor in a man’s life. It was the paramount goal of a man to gain honor, in the midst of all other goals.
Note also that this aged saint is praying against the śāṭan of his soul. A few of the more literal word for word translations include this idea.
Psalm 71:13 (NASB) May those who are enemies of my soul be putto shame and consumed;
Psalm 71:13 (ASV) They are ashamed, they are consumed, Who are opposing my soul, They are covered with reproach and blushing, Who are seeking my evil,
He is concerned about the only thing in this world that will last beyond the grave, for he sees this trial coming and understands the situation as an attack on his soul, not as the theft or loss of his wealth, or possibly even the harming of his family, but an attack on his very person. This is, in his cry to God, a critical fight, a fight that will cost him his own soul if he looses it.
Understanding what is at stake, he looks to God, crying out that his adversaries (śāṭan) would be covered with reproach and dishonor. Note that the honor of his enemies is the psalmist’s focus, for this is what is at stake, the highest estimation of a man’s social standing, and this is our psalmist’s desire, that the adversaries fall into disgrace.
And what is worse, (or better, depending on your point of view) is that when he seeks them to be covered, he is speaking of their very plans to backfire on them. To be covered in this verse, is to wrap oneself up, to enwrap. A self inflicted harm. Some act or plan that not only avoids harming the psalmist but falls on the protagonist, the adversary essentially falling into his own trap.
How often we see this in the Word, where the saint stands back, and the very trap the antagonist lays for the saint is the very trap the antagonist suffers. Without a doubt, I think of Esther and Haman as an example of this principle. How utterly satisfying, to not take revenge, and yet see justice!
How critical it is for us as believers that we find our strong refuge in God Himself and not our own strength, our own cunning, our own abilities. In a very real and personal way, as I am entering my sunset years, I need to view this weakening, this loss of ability as one of God’s intended gifts to a receptive believer. May it be so!
I had also hoped, as I aged, that my adversaries may also weaken with me. If this psalm has wakened me to a specific truth, it may be that according to the wisdom of God, my adversaries may not lessen. They may increase in confidence over me, increase in ability compared to my strengths. They may see weakness, well and true, yet I have a strong tower to resort to.
May we all, as we travel through our last years, though we be 18 or 80, have the clarity of mind and desire of heart to cling to the One who gave it all for us.
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 71 is a psalm written by an aged saint, a man who had walked with the Lord through many trials and triumphs. Some think this psalm represents David’s thoughts as he approaches the grave, as he ages and finds his life coming to a close.
One thing that is obvious in this psalm, that whoever wrote this psalm had an intimate experience with the Word of God. I have heard the claim that in the 24 verses of this psalm, there are up to 25 references, allusions and hints of other psalms within this reflection of an old saint. He has saturated his life with the Word, to the point that even phrasing of the old book comes through this old man’s message.
It is truly a witness of the wisdom to engage in an early and consistent immersion into the Word of God for every saint.
Let’s take a moment to consider
Psalm 71:7 I have been as a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. Psalm 71:8 My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. Psalm 71:9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent. Psalm 71:10 For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together Psalm 71:11 and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.”
Our aged psalmist continues, describing himself as a portent. That is a word not much used in our modern parlance, and I had to look it up, for which I am grateful.
This particular word speaks of the psalmist as a wonder, a sign or miracle, even a token of a future event. Even as his enemies brought trouble and trial into our psalmist’s life, his commitment to God, and the allowance of suffering he experienced in the midst of his trust in God, surely amazed his tormentors.
How so even today, that as the believer may be experiencing trials or troubles, his attitude of trust and his demeanor of praise to God must surely stump the wicked.
Yet even more so, consider Jesus, the Son of God, suffering under the hand of God, coming to die for sins, not of His own, for He was the sinless One, but for those who hated Him and His Father. What a sign, or a mystery for not only the lost to grapple with, but also the saints, for this act of grace truly is beyond reason, beyond logic, beyond the earthly thinking we are saturated with daily. Sacrifice for the enemy? Love those those who hate?
But let us not miss that for the psalmist, and by extension for the Lord Jesus, that they found their strong refuge in God, the One who is over all and in all. The psalmist did not look to his inner strength, his strong personality, or his cunning abilities, but outside of himself, to the Father above.
In his past, he had exhibited his faith in the trials of his life, and his detractors have been mystified. Though he has a past record of faithfulness, he does not sit on his laurels and coast though the last days of his existence. He continues to seek God, asking not to be cast off, not to be forsaken. He is not a saint that assumes all is well, but he has a passion to continue with God, to seek mercy from God, to continue to seek the will of God and to hang on, even as those around him claim God has forsaken him.
Even as Jesus was providing a full and final salvation for the worst of His enemies, they claimed God had forsaken Him. For the Sinless One to be considered forsaken by those who hated Him must have been hurtful beyond my thoughts.
Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
But note the passage above, that this claim of those who hated Him actually became a truth Jesus suffered though, for the Lord turned away from the Lamb of God, forsaking His only Son. How brutal, how extreme, how utterly painful without comparison.
This claim of being forsaken by God is a common attack on those who trust God. How powerful for the enemy to make this claim to the faithful follower for it is of the deepest cut to the believers heart. Such a claim may cause the believer self doubt, which in itself may be beneficial, for we, as we age, tend to trust ourselves too much, due to our past walk with Him.
This claim may be allowed by God Himself to provide us a check, a test for our own faith, to give us opportunity to consider who we are trusting as we grow older. Some of us may have wealth we trust, or skills we trust, or relationships we trust.
A short period of self assessment may be of benefit if, and only if, we end up before the throne of Heaven again, confessing our need and admitting our weakness.
We have a promise that God will never forsake the believer, and for that we can be so thankful. We need to check our hearts to see that we have not forsaken Him, the One who was forsaken for our sakes.
May His name be praised and lifted up, and may we follow in His steps more faithfully.
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 71 is a psalm written by an aged saint, a man who had walked with the Lord through many trials and triumphs. Some think this psalm represents David’s thoughts as he approaches the grave, as he ages and finds his life coming to a close.
One thing that is obvious in this psalm, that whoever wrote this psalm had an intimate experience with the Word of God. I have heard the claim that in the 24 verses of this psalm, there are up to 25 references, allusions and hints of other psalms within this reflection of an old saint. He has saturated his life with the Word, to the point that even phrasing of the old book comes through this old man’s message.
It is truly a witness of the wisdom to engage in an early and consistent immersion into the Word of God for every saint.
Let’s take a moment to consider.
Psalm 71:4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. Psalm 71:5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth. Psalm 71:6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.
Our psalmist continues with his pleas in the next few verses of our psalm, specifically referring to the history he has with God. He opens this short portion of the psalm with a plea to rescue him from the wicked man, and then reminds the Lord of the trust he has had even from the womb.
As mentioned in an earlier post on this Psalm, the author is saturated in the Word, specifically the Psalms, and as we read Psalm 71, we find echoes of other Psalms in his writings. Verse 5 & 6 of Psalm 71 may be one of these echoes, for the same general thoughts are expressed in Psalm 22:9-11.
Psalm 22:9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. Psalm 22:10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Psalm 22:11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.
Note that in chapter 71 the Psalmist speaks of God as the One he leaned from from before his birth.
verse 6 …I have leaned from before my birth
Even in the womb, (before his birth!) the Psalmist confesses to his utter dependence on God.
Which raises a question.
Was there a sense of consciousness in the womb? By that I mean, was the Psalmist self aware, was his personality developing even in the womb? Was he exercising a faith before he could breathe fresh air?
Though I have never met anyone who has a memory of this time in their lives, this does not remove the possibility. Personally, as my wife and I entered into our parenting life with the birth of our five children, we notice a definite difference with each little life as my wife carried them.
One little child was very passive, moved very little and when found a position of comfort, stayed there. One little child was not. That particular child moved and shoved and kicked and squirmed and poked and never gave up! That little child wanted to exercise his will! One little one impacted my wife in her diet, in ways that were different than the others.
Each acted somewhat differently in the womb, and in a way, their activity in the womb somewhat mimics their general personality. That one child that moved and shoved and kicked and squirmed and poked is a very very strong willed child. The one who seemed passive in the womb is the peacemaker, the passive one who seeks to find solutions to differences.
All of that to say, if personality of some type is present in the womb, does that imply a self consciousness, even a God consciousness?
I know of no Scripture that might prove this, other than a passage such as we are looking at that may hint at it. Nevertheless, to think that from the very inception of life that God has been present and known to be with us is a great comfort, for though we don’t recall the time of utter dependence, out Father was there, and possibly in a conscience relationship with us.
It is truly humbling to realize that the little that I do know of God and His creation is becoming increasingly less and less by the day. Realizing the many things we do not know has one effect (of many) on my thinking. My increasing ignorance of this glorious creation only elevates the One who knows all, who is full of wisdom and has provided such a great salvation for us to grow into.
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 71 is a psalm written by an aged saint, a man who had walked with the Lord through many trials and triumphs. Some think this psalm represents David’s thoughts as he approaches the grave, as he ages and finds his life coming to a close.
One thing that is obvious in this psalm, that whoever wrote this psalm had an intimate experience with the Word of God. I have heard the claim that in the 24 verses of this psalm, there are up to 25 references, allusions and hints of other psalms within this reflection of an old saint. He has saturated his life with the Word, to the point that even phrasing of the old book comes through this old man’s message.
It is truly a witness of the wisdom to engage in an early and consistent immersion into the Word of God for every saint.
Let’s take a moment to consider.
Psalm 71:1 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! Psalm 71:2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me! Psalm 71:3 Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
Our saint must have been considering Psalm 31 recently in his times with God, or there has been circumstances in his life that brought the psalm to mind, for these verses are built on the first three verses of the 31st psalm.
Consider the likeness!
Psalm 31:1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Psalm 31:2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! Psalm 31:3 For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
The cry for rescue was heartfelt in Psalm 31, as it is in this psalm. The timing is different, and the problem may be different – heck the person crying out to God may be different, but it is the same God we look to, the same Savior who is always waiting for our admission of weakness and need. Even if this elderly saint had copied the passage verbatim, it takes nothing away from the desire of the saint for God’s rescue.
I may have mentioned this in earlier posts, but to refer to shame in this passage reminds me that the Israeli man speaking this lived in a shame based culture, where the goal of a man or woman was not primarily appearance of wealth, or intelligence, or influence, as it may be in our society. No, the highest goal for a faithful Israeli was to be honored amongst his or her peers, and even more so, how the man’s honor or shame reflects on the Lord whom he follows.
In our first verse, this elderly man, this faithful saint is not looking for rescue from poverty, as we modern believers may seek, but from shame. The word originally referred to being “pale”, and did not relate to being embarrassed, or to blushing, but was associated with a terror. It spoke of a troubled mind, one who was characterized as disturbed or confused, not of a right mind, a soul that experienced a failure of hope. This shame referred to an expectation not realized. A loss of esteem from associates. To be disgraced amongst others.
For you see, in a shame based society, to be honored amongst family, peers and even strangers was the highest goal for a man in this culture. (Our modern society, I fear, lacks in this goal, even amongst some believers!)
This saint sought to be “in the Lord” and found “in Him” refuge from shame. At the very least, this is his plea. Is this not our plea. Shame may be directed to us from those we rub shoulders with, that those we know may consider us a disappointment, even a disgrace – even rightly so – yet we can turn to Jesus and seek His comfort, To learn from Him that even in the shame He experienced, He looked beyond, He obeyed the Father, and was eventually delivered from it.
This old saint sought to never be put to shame. Oh how we should seek that also, to honor God with an honorable life, yet we are weak, mere dust and dirt.
My reader may be experiencing a period of shame even as he/she reads this. Do not loose faith in Him, for as the world poured shame on the only truly honorable Man that has walked this earth, we should not expect different treatment. Shame poured on the believer by the world due to being “in the Lord” may be a believer’s lot for a period of time.
As James once said
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
Our old saint sought to be rescued from shame. We know that the One who suffered the greatest shame was rescued and now has the name that is above every name. As we follow Him, we can be assured of our rescue from any shame we experience in this life.
As I close for this morning, may I mention that shame associated with a sinful decision or action before the Lord is to be responded to in repentance! Forgiveness from the Lord is abundant, quick and assured upon a true repentance before Him.
Remember – It is to be “in the Lord”, and not against the Lord that we find our refuge.
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 70 is essentially a repetition of a portion of Psalm 40. There are some differences that may prove to be instructive, and provide opportunity for comment. The following tables will provide my reader an opportunity to quickly compare each verse between the two psalms and consider the differences for themselves.
As before, variations between the two Psalms will be noted by italicized font. Earlier comments for this first portion may be found at Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.07
Let’s consider the last two verses.
Psalm 70
Psalm 40
4 – May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
16 – But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually,“Great is the LORD!”
The difference in this verse when compared with the parallel in Psalm 40 is the psalmist’s reference to God. In Psalm 70, he uses the common name for the creator God. Our psalmist speaks of God in the more general terms, where in Psalm 40, the psalmist refers to God by using the more personal name of Jehovah. Two short posts are available for my reader if they are interested in following up on these names.
5 – But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
17 – As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!
In our final verse, we see the psalmist repeating his immediate need, and removes the description of “the Lord takes thought for me”. This seems to reflect an intentional “depersonalizing” of the Psalm, yet the psalmist refers to God with the more personalized name of God in the end.
No matter how we interpret this adjustment to the message of this man in need, it is refreshing to hear in both the 40th and 70th psalm that these men knew their place. They were poor and needy.
They knew their position before the God they prayed to. May we remember also, that we are but poor and needy people, looking to the Lord God for our assistance.
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 70 is essentially a repetition of a portion of Psalm 40. There are some differences that may prove to be instructive, and provide opportunity for comment. The following tables will provide my reader an opportunity to quickly compare each verse between the two psalms and consider the differences for themselves.
Variations between the two Psalms will be noted by italicized font. Earlier comments for this first portion may be found at Psalms for Psome – Ps 40.06.
Prior to getting into the Psalm, it may be good to consider that this Psalm begins with “To the choirmaster. Of David, for the memorial offering.”
This Psalm is stated as related to an offering associated to a past occurrence, a memory, and may refer to Psalm 40, basing this psalms cry to God on the previous Psalm.
This may give the modern believer justification for the repetition of prayers and petitions that are not original from the saint. This thinking is somewhat foreign in my circles, but I have met good and honest believers, those who “merely repeat”, prayers. My judging of this practice is wholly unfair, for what man can judge another man’s motives in his prayers?
Let’s consider the first three verses.
Psalm 70
Psalm 40
1 – Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!
13 – Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!
It seems this prayer is motivated by an immediate need, more so than the original request. Hurry up O God.
Psalm 70
Psalm 40
2 – Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt!
14 – Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt!
The apparent difference between “confusion “and “disappointed” is translational, for the Hebrew word is the same, but the concept of the disappointment not being complete or “altogether” in psalm 70 may imply the Psalmist is looking for an individual, instead of a group of enemies.
Psalm 70
Psalm 40
3 – Let them turn back because of their shame who say, “Aha, Aha!”
15 – Let thosebe appalled because of their shame who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”
The difference in this verse may be seen in Psalm 70, and that the psalmist is praying for them to be “turned back” or to retreat from any advancement on his life. To be appalled is a much more forceful word in that it describes a desolation, or a ravaging.
Psalm 70, for the minor differences, seems to present to God a prayer of an immediate need, or at least a greater concern with a response from God without delay. The psalmist has modified the prayer to God in Psalm 40, presenting his need as more urgent, and somewhat less concerned with the treatment of his enemies. He is more focused on his salvation than the retribution of his enemies.
A question for my readers. How should a believer, one who has trusted in the Messiah and understood His message, consider the retribution of those who seek his harm?
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 69 is a psalm of sorrow, of apparent defeat and deep emotional stress, of a distress in the heart and of being overwhelmed, of a weariness of soul, and of a waiting for an answer from God. It is a psalm that speaks of loneliness, of disappointment and of extended trials.
As we venture through the psalmist’s deep confession, his pain and his sorrow, we will encounter passages that will be referred to in the New Testament, providing a recounting of the sorrow of Jesus.
Let’s read the last three verses of this revealing psalm.
Psalm 69:34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. Psalm 69:35 For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; Psalm 69:36 the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.
It’s been over three months since we started this psalm of distress, weariness, fear and anger. It contained some of the harshest judgments wished upon the enemies of David in the Psalms. Not the harshest in my opinion, but we will wait until Psalm 137 to consider that passage.
Throughout the passage the psalmist begged for deliverance, referring to the steadfast love of God, of His faithfulness, and of his enemies pursuing him, poisoning him, and providing him sour wine to drink (vs 21). Does this not hint at not only an exterior enemy, but an enemy within the camp?
He had suffered every angle of treachery, was on the edge of destruction, spoke of the flood sweeping over him, of the pit closing up on him. He was a death’s door, and with no one in sight to assist, no one that he could trust.
All alone.
Of course he wasn’t all alone, for he had the God of Israel, and he sought His help.
There was One was was completely, utterly all alone, and whom was saved after death took Him.
For David, he was rescued from death, and due to his rescue, Israel would become a world power. As we think of Jesus, we know that through His death, all heaven and earth shall praise Him, literally all of creation. This praise will be the direct result of the Lord having erupted out of the grave, for all of creation has been groaning in agony.
Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
He goes on the declare that God will save Zion, and build up the cities of Judah. Of course this has been accomplished in the reign of David, as he took control of Judah, at least the first 7 years of his reign.
For the completion of the saving of Zion, we need to look to the Son of David, as…
He is the One who comes to Zion for salvation
Matthew 21:5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
He is the One who is salvation.
1 Peter 2:6 For it stands in Scripture: Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
He is the One who builds the True Zion, the church
Heb 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,
And He is the One who delivers Zion
Romans 11:26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
Yes Jesus is the complete fulfillment of the salvation of Zion, the building of the cities of Judah (praise), and of the character of those resident in Zion. Note that those that inherit this salvation are the offspring of His servants, those who are of service.
Did not Jesus echo this truth in the beatitudes?
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Even as He echoed this truth, He expanded it to include the earth, and not just the single hill of Zion near Jerusalem. No – the entire earth will be the inheritance of the meek, lowly Man named Jesus, and with Him His servants.
His salvation was hinted at in the Old Testament, but the realization of what is now, and what is about to be, is far more than we can think or imagine!
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 69 is a psalm of sorrow, of apparent defeat and deep emotional stress, of a distress in the heart and of being overwhelmed, of a weariness of soul, and of a waiting for an answer from God. It is a psalm that speaks of loneliness, of disappointment and of extended trials.
As we venture through the psalmist’s deep confession, his pain and his sorrow, we will encounter passages that will be referred to in the New Testament, providing a recounting of the sorrow of Jesus.
Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:31 This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs. Psalm 69:32 When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. Psalm 69:33 For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.
Let’s return to the passage I started to discuss last week, but as you may remember, got a bit distracted from the text by realizing I am more like Michal than David. To say the least, my discovery of a certain aspect of praise certainly took me aside last week, but for this time together, let’s consider more than just one of the words David used for this portion of Psalm 69.
As I read this four verse portion of Psalm 69, I am struck with how New Testamental David sounds in expressing his faith. He speaks of how praise and thanksgiving is greater than the prescribed sacrifices of bulls and oxes. This attitude, in an age dominated and ordained with a sacrificial system that was required by the faithful in order to approach God formally – this is a massive spiritual understanding of the priority of God’s desires.
Note that David refers to the humble seeing “it”. What is it that the humble see?
Is he reaching back to verse 29, speaking of God’s salvation in setting the distraught saint on high? Or might he be thinking of the universal opportunity to approach God based on humility, brokenness, poverty and desire?
Of course, the end result is that the salvation of God set’s the undeserved on high, but I think the humble rejoice in “how” this occurs, from the standpoint of the saint.
First, note that verse 30 speaks of praise, songs, magnification and thanksgiving. These attitudes or characteristics are not restricted from the believer due to their financial class, at least no due to their lack of finances. There is something to be said about how abundance can dull the saints proper stance before God, but we speak of the humble here.
Vere 33 gives more justification to think the humble rejoice in the “how” of approaching God and not specifically the end result of being lifted up. The verse speaks of the needy, and of prisoners, those who have no resources other than their hearts and souls before God.
Yes, the humble rejoice in that they are provided no restrictions in approaching God, that they are not “buying” time with God, but simply expressing a deep need for the Lord, and this is what pleases God, even more than sacrifice!
This is such a freeing concept, a freeing understanding of the type of God we have, that he sets no restrictions to our approaching him in humility and brokenness, and yet I fear we sometimes approach Him in our pride and a wholeness that must nauseate the Master.
As you may know, I got me some grandkids and I love those little rugrats, but when they come to me thinking they are equal, or that they want to manipulate me, or that they can boss ol’ gramps around, that turns my nose up. Don’t get me wrong, I still love them, and I wanna hug em all the time, but a period of repositioning the child in the family has to occur for rightness to occur in the relationship.
But I do have a short story if you don’t mind me sharing, for we had a bunch of my favorite people together for a long weekend. My youngin’s and I were a drivin and singing together, playing old Macdonald, going 75 mph on the highway, when all of a sudden, the group got real quiet. That is a rare situation with four grandkids and grampa, but it happened – no joke! During that interlude, I looked back at one of those youngins, and he simply looked me in the eye, and completely out of the blue, said clear as a bell…
“I love you grandpa”
I can’t communicate the inflection in his voice or the softness of his eyes, the gentle smile on his face or the innocence of the moment, but trust me – at that moment in my life, all was well in my world!
Now, imagine God in a similar circumstance. Since He created us in His image, and though we be a broken and weak reflection of Him, if a simple expression like that melts an ol fella like me, might our simple, humble confession, especially out of the blue, capture God’s attention?
That is the type of God we serve. An active God that is alive and relatable. He is a loving God.
Considering the Bible 