TEXT: Psalm 96
OBSERVE: Verses 1-3: The psalm begins by summoning all the earth to join in the praise of God, and that praise is to take place among the nations. Verses 4-6: Here we read that God deserves worship because He is the Creator. He is the only God who deserves praise. In one sense, the other gods exist, but in another, they do not as they are just idols. Verses 7-10: The worship leader again calls on the whole world to Worship God by ascribing to him the glory and strength which are His. Verses 11-13: The psalm ends by having all of creation rejoice in God, because He is coming again in the future and He will set all things right again. INTERPRET: The psalm identifies itself as a new song, a victory shout that celebrates God as Victor, King and Judge. The psalmist is the worship leader who calls on the congregation to offer praise to God. They are to sing to God a new song, a phrase that normally occurs in warfare contexts and implies that it is a shout of victory. The psalmist calls on Israel, and indeed on the whole cosmos, to praise God as the One who saved His people form warfare, rules over them as King, and is coming in the future as Judge to set things right. God’s people are to come not only with their verbal praise, but also with their offerings given at the sanctuary. Because God is King and in sovereign control, the world is stable. The King is also the One who judges in accordance with what the people deserve. APPLICATION: In the New Testament, Jesus is our Warrior, but He fights against the spiritual powers and authorities, and not against “flesh and blood”. Thus Christians are not wrong to sing this song of praise to Jesus their Warrior, who has won their spiritual salvation. Our victory song should not only include praise for the victory that our Warrior God has won, but it should also include praise for all He continues to do for us and all that He has prepared for us. Jesus is our Victor, our King, and also the coming Judge who will restore all of creation to its original harmony. Let us sing this victory song each day, inviting the whole world to join us in praise of the one true God. PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I praise you with all my heart. You are my shield, I take refuge in you all the days of my life, and I am safe. I call to you, Lord, for you are worthy of all praise, and I am saved. In my distress I call unto you for I know this battle is not mine, it is yours. Reach from on high and draw me out of all my troubles. Help me to walk in victory. In Jesus’ name, I believe and pray, Amen. SONG: O God Beyond all Praising “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”
Psalm 95: 6-7 Psalm 95 (& Exodus 17: 1-7) Observe
Interpret This Psalm is a call to worship that harbours a sincere warning. As you read the first verses you can almost hear the church bells calling God’s people to worship on a beautiful Sunday morning. Verses that lift the soul! It is a Psalm that appears to be attributed to David (Hebrews 4: 7). The call to worship focuses the people on who God is and what He has done (3-5). This reality means the people can come to Him with genuine joy and thankfulness, desiring to truly praise Him (1-2). This because of the beautiful relationship they have with their God who is like a shepherd to the sheep, caring and providing for His people (6-7). As such the people need to humbly bow before God (6), heed His voice (7a) and walk in His way (10b); their hearts must belong to God. Here is where the warning comes in. The people are reminded about their ancestors who quarreled, grumbled against God and tested Him. The Psalm links back to Exodus 17: 1-7. The people had been miraculously saved from slavery in Egypt by God. They had just left the appropriately named Desert of Sin and promptly fell into sin when they ran out of water. Their hearts wandered away and they were ready to stone Moses their leader. In grace, God provided water from the rock for them. The people however did not enter God’s rest nor, that generation, the Promised Land. Application God provides liberation from sin and entry into His Kingdom with a new life for us. He has brought living waters (the Holy Spirit) from the Rock of Jesus Christ. We need to give our hearts to God in faith to enter this covenantal relationship with the Good Shepherd where we can receive His care and provision. Here is where the choice of bikes come in! There are potentially two cycles of behaviour at play here; the cycle of bitterness or the cycle of blessing. In the first our hearts wander from God, this lack of faith leads to grumbling and quarrelling. We test God and do not enter into His rest; this can become a cycle of bitterness in our lives, one where joy is absent. On the second bike we give our hearts to God and put our faith in Him. We praise Him for who He is and what He has done. This causes us to humble ourselves before Him, worship Him and walk in His ways. This is the cycle of blessing that brings us into His rest – real peace of mind heart and soul, a life with genuine joy. The Questions of Application These last two years have really challenged us. It is easy for us to lose our joy and thankfulness, grumble and fall into a cycle of bitterness. If however we keep our eyes on God and stand in faith on the rock we can genuinely know God’s blessing and rest. Which bike are you on at the moment? Prayer Almighty God, creator of all, we give you thanks for a world full of wonder, but above all because you have called us into a holy fellowship with you and with each other. Guide us in the ways of this your new creation, rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ the Rock and through Him we ask for living waters to keep us in your rest and enable us in this new life. Lord we give you our hearts, care for them and keep them from wandering. Amen Praise Rock of ages cleft for me by Chris Rice Lead me to the Rock by David Baloche Psalm 94
Observe: Psalm 94:1-3 begins with a cry for help to God as judge against the wicked. 4-7 describe the condition of society: the wicked are arrogant, they oppress the innocent and weak, and they think God doesn’t see them. 8-11 is a warning to anyone who thinks that God neither sees what we do, nor has any power to punish. 12-15 uses wisdom language to describe the righteous who follow God’s law, and who can therefore count on God’s protection, faithfulness, and justice. 16-19 expresses grateful confidence in God’s care and protection. 20-23 is a coda that repeats the themes of the psalm: God will judge powerful oppressors, and a final expression of trust. Interpret: Psalm 94 prays to “The Lord is a God who avenges, O God who avenges, shine forth.” Is vengeance part of God’s nature? Or is it that God’s nature is to be just, and so the powerful wicked can not be left to oppress the weak? The Psalmist also asks, in effect, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” There is no easy answer to that age old question. We live between God’s promises and fulfilment, in the already and the not yet. Knowing that God is a just judge, who cares for the victim more than he cares for the wicked, is a basis for all law derived from the Judeo-Christian tradition. Faith and ethics combine here: our justice is based on God’s justice. The wicked will get their due from God, therefore we who believe in God can not sit idly by while injustice is being done. Application: Even atheists base their sense of justice on preventing people getting hurt, and that requires systems of law that favor the weak. For Christians, who know that there is a higher and more final justice than our own, we should tremble to apply vengeance against wrongdoers, yet knowing that “God sees” means that we must work on behalf of the poor, the weak, and those wronged by the powerful who are a law unto themselves. In short, our public human justice must at least try to be a mirror of the Lord who avenges, who is the Judge of the whole earth. However, we as individuals living in the new covenant must leave vengeance against our personal enemies to God. Romans 12:17-21 is pretty much the last word on the limits on our own desire for personal vengeance. Yet Paul in the very next verses of Romans 13 leaves a lot of room for justice to be dispensed by public authorities; in Paul’s case, the Roman Empire! In the meantime, if we are hard pressed by injustice, we can cry out to God for relief, until, as it says in Psalm 94:13, “a pit is dug for the wicked.” Prayer: O God of all justice, protect the powerless from wicked people, while we work and wait for a justice that bows down to your final judgement, brought to us through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Hymn: O God of Earth and Altar (G.K. Chesterton) August 5th – Les Kovacs Psalm 93
Observe: Psalm 93 is a short, simple psalm dedicated to the awesome wonder of God. He is clothed in majesty, armed with strength and established the world firm and secure from all eternity. Three times the Psalmist says that the seas are lifted up, yet mightier than the great crashing of the waters is the Lord. His Word is unassailable, and He lives in holiness forever. Interpret: “The Lord reigns…” These are the opening words of the psalm and they set the tone for everything else that follows. It is a simple yet bold statement that establishes that God is supreme over everything. It sets no limits or boundaries on His Kingdom. It sets no conditions or parameters over His Supremacy. He simply reigns, as is right and good and natural for Him who brought all of creation into being by His will alone. There is nothing in the natural order that can compare to Him in strength or power or majesty or holiness. He is unique and perfect in every sense. And how ever much we frail and sinful human beings or nature itself might rail against Him, He stands forever, holy and majestic. The Lord is the ultimate Monarch. Application: Knowing that the Lord reigns absolutely in the heavens above and earth below should give us comfort and confidence to trust in Him in every circumstance. The imagery painted in the psalm is intense and can seem frightening. Many of us can relate these images to times in our lives when things have spun out of our control and left us feeling powerless in our futile efforts to bend our circumstances to our will. We may have made plans with people who eventually disappointed us and left us hanging. We may made one bad decision after another until no matter what we do we can’t seem to disentangle ourselves from the mess we’ve made. We may be trapped in an untenable situation through no fault of our own. We may have relationship, finance, or health issues that we just can’t seen to be able to resolve. Our human condition is subject to no shortage of challenges, some of which we deal with using the gifts God gave us, some of which we deal with in community with our brothers and sisters, and some of which are seemingly too difficult for any human effort to overcome. Sometimes we come to the end of our rope, and it looks like a noose. Yet the psalmist says, “The Lord reigns”. If you believe that the Lord reigns absolutely over all the universe, then is no obstacle He cannot overcome, no challenge that is immune to His sovereign will. And, if there is no problem the Lord cannot solve, why do we resist coming to Him with all our needs? Why do we wait until there is no other alternative before we come to Him for rescue? Even those problems that we can resolve by our own actions would have better outcomes if we brought them to the Lord and sought His will, His “good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Rom 12:2) The Lord reigns over all creation because it is His rightful place to do so. Let Him reign in your life also, because it is right to do so. Prayer: Father God, what a comfort it is to know that no matter what situation we may be in, we can trust in you because you reign over all our hopes and plans and hearts. We have a hope in you that cannot be shaken. Amen. Song: The Lord Reigns – Gateway Worship https://youtu.be/vq-nuyHafkY Psalm 92
Observe Q. What’s good to do? A. To praise the Lord in prayer and song, give Him thanks, hear His powerful Word, ponder His works and enjoy His unending love. (1-3) Q. Does everyone do this? A. God’s enemies refuse to recognize His great works and ponder His deep thoughts; their end is destruction. Israel watches their downfall while safe in Him. (5-9,11) Q. What does God do? A. For those who love the Lord, beauty and growth flourish as worshippers are renewed moment by moment in His righteousness and accept His gift of rest with thanks. (12-15) Q. Who is this God? A. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. (15b) Interpret A Sabbath song, as tradition goes, celebrating the blessing of gathered worship, morning and evening (2). There is sharp contrast between evildoers who seem to flourish for a time then vanish, and His people’s permanent, ever-flourishing dwelling in the courts of God (13). The stately date palm (12a) and cedar of Lebanon (12b) suggest longevity, rooted in God’s grace, fruitful, beautiful, and useful. And the last few verses offer a foretaste of God’s eternal Sabbath song. Apply It’s hard to get everyone, or oneself, out of the house (think ‘winter’!) and into the church before the service, making time to prepare for active worship. A “prelude” of quietness (admittedly difficult in all the preparations before worship begins), we tune out distractions, focus minds and hearts, pray, read the day’s Scriptures. Difficult but not impossible, it’s worth working at because our approach and attentiveness honour God. Is ‘going to church’ onerous? Maybe we need to examine what our worship truly could be. In the company of God and our church family (local and worldwide, persecuted and free), we - enter the narthex wanting to meet Him, together - sense His Presence among us by His Spirit, - consider our presence as we settle into our places, - sing to Him from the heart, in various musical styles, - listen carefully to the Word, read and preached, considering how to live it, - declare our Creed with conviction, - join the prayers of the people as His people, - ask Him to give us what we need, especially His mercy, - humbly confess, aware of our failures, and - know Jesus forgave and we share His peace, knowing that - forgiven, we enter and enjoy His Communion feast, to - rejoice in being together after this brief, extraordinary time, then - rest thankfully in His gracious welcome, on His Sabbath. Ask How do I come to church? Rushed, harried, distracted -- late? Do I realize that I am in God’s presence (overwhelming!) so briefly? Do I come expecting God to transform me in learning to worship with His family? Pray Almighty God, who has given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto You, and promises that where two or three are gathered together in Your Name You will grant their requests, fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of Your servants as may be most expedient for them, granting us in this world knowledge of Your truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting. Amen. (BCP, Collect at a Retreat) Sing Psalm 92 Poor Bishop Hooper A Song for the Sabbath Psallos - Maker of the Stories Observe: Psalm 91 is all about dwelling in safety and security. Verses 1-8 give us assurance of God’s protection and this assurance is repeated in verses 9-13. The psalmist ends with God’s promises (verses 14-16).
Interpretation and Application: We dwell in God’s protection. What does dwell mean, anyway? It means a permanent residence. We have a permanent residence in the Lord’s protection (shelter). We can rest in His shadow. Shadows (or shade) provide a place of protection. How often in summer do we seek out shade to get away from intense heat? Imagine now that we can run to God and rest in His shadow for protection. He is our refuge – our place of safety and protection. There is a similar word in Psalm 32:7 in which the psalmist declares God as his “hiding place”. Did you ever as a child have a hiding place – your own secret little place where no one could find you and you felt safe and secure? Just the other day my husband David was describing to our granddaughter of such a place he had when he was growing up on the farm so he wouldn’t be found and have to do more chores! (He would rather read his book.) Imagine God letting us use Him as our hiding place. We have total rest there. I’m sure we all know stories of fire consuming barnyards or nests and afterwards finding live chicks under the dead mother’s wings. The same is true for us. God protects us from the harshness that the world might throw us – He is covering us with His wings. He did so ultimately by Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross. No matter what comes, He is our refuge. It’s interesting to note that verses 11 and 12 were quoted by Satan (Matthew 4:6) when he was trying to tempt Jesus. He knew the Scriptures! But Jesus answered back by quoting His own verse from Deuteronomy 6:16. (“Do not put the Lord your God to the test”.)We need not fear anything when we flee to God and make Him our hiding place. Paul affirms this in Romans 8:35-39. Nothing shall separate us from the love of God (and His protection). The psalm ends with 8 (yes, count them, 8!) promises for us as believers. God will: 1. Rescue us, 2. Protect us, 3. Answer us, 4. Be with us in trouble, 5. Deliver us, 6. Honour us (I find that one quite mind-blowing!), 7. Satisfy us with long life and 8. Show us His salvation (He will see our deliverance and victory). We need not fear…God has us under His protecting wings! Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your presence…your Almighty Shadow. Thank you that you go before us and cover us with your wings. Thank you for your protection and security. Help us to always remember that nothing can come between us when we seek your refuge. Amen. Song: On Eagle’s Wings (Kitty Cleveland) Psalm 90
Observe: Psalm 90 is a particularly unique one; at face value it appears relatively similar to the others which extol the greatness of God, underscore the sins of His people, and plead for His mercy and pity. As is always the challenge when writing blog after blog, I tried to find a unique angle on whatever Psalm I’m assigned but was having a rather difficult time of it. Each Psalm is different, if only subtly so sometimes. What is it about Psalm 90 that sets it apart from the rest? The answer finally came to me as I read it and its commentaries with fresh eyes; this is “A prayer of Moses, the Man of God.” I glossed over this single, slightly smaller line more times than I care to admit, even when I wrote out the entire Psalm by hand a week ago. It is this line of authorship that changes the way you read it, for “If we connect it with any particular time in the life of Moses, the best suggestion is the time described in Numbers 20. “The historical setting is probably best understood by the incidents recorded in Numbers 20: (1) the death of Miriam, Moses’ sister; (2) the sin of Moses in striking the rock in the wilderness, which kept him from entering the Promised Land; and (3) the death of Aaron, Moses’ brother.” (James Montgomery Boice) This is one of three songs of Moses and the only one found in the Psalms. The other two are found in Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 32. Knowing how great and many the trials of Moses and the Israelites were gives us fresh eyes and a new perspective when we read the following 17 verses. These include four parts that, though they are separate, bleed from one into the next. Moses begins by acknowledging God as the dwelling of Israel, the one and true eternal God who holds all things in His hands. He goes on to humble himself and others before God, pointing out the frailty and lowly nature of mankind as well as their sin and wretchedness, all in contrast to the might and perfection of this eternal God. Moses then submits to the righteous judgement of God before appealing once again to God’s mercy – “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Interpret: Given that this Psalm is most likely written by Moses himself makes it the oldest Psalm in the entire book! In it we see the enormity of what was at hand for himself as Israel’s leader: a righteous, perfect, gracious, just, holy God and a stubborn, stiff-necked, obstinate, grumbling, selfish, sinful Israel. Moses had a special relationship with God, as like a friend and faithful servant. He knew exactly who Israel had committed themselves to all the way back on the slopes of Mount Sinai. He also knew full-well the duplicitous nature of those whom he led. Both of these realities are wrapped up in Psalm 90 where we see a declaration of God’s holy nature in full contrast with mankind’s evil nature. There is no attempt to sugar-coat sin, no attempt to escape the right and good justice of God. One can sense that the words Moses recorded in this particular Psalm are not the first or even tenth time he prayed them. It appears that he had a deep understanding of the problem of sin and the condition of the human heart borne of many fiery trials and judgements; the sons of Asaph, the wandering in the wilderness, and more. This understanding served him as a vantage point with which he could see beyond the concerns for the day – he saw the futility of those who seek to cover their own sin, the brevity of the human life, and the holiness of God as the end of all things. He also saw the kindness and patience of God, His willingness to forgive and show mercy, and His supremacy as the one true eternal God. More than that, Moses was able to see that there is a desperate need for wisdom amongst the people of Israel. He pleads for them to gain such a perspective as his in which they might see the reality of their own human frailty; “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” To know that we are dust and to dust we shall return is to acknowledge that, even in the strength of youth, we all must one day come to an end. We are not mighty, nor are we strong, nor are we good, “For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.” To live each day with this knowledge is to confront the end we all must face and the God before which we all must stand. To live like this is to depend daily on Him, to see our sin for what it is and repent, and to submit to His authority. Application/Question: Each day we are crowded with an infinite number of things that threaten to obscure our vision of, and relationship with, God Almighty. Each day there are new to-dos, emails, notifications, and activities. Each day there are new temptations, pains, struggles, and hurts. There are unlimited ways in which we can distract ourselves from focusing on what truly matters; God Almighty and our relationship with Him. Now obviously we cannot only think about God, for we have children to pick up, tasks to accomplish, friends to see, and so on. We must not be so heavenly-minded that we are of no earthly use! It all comes down to priorities. When you start your day, do you check your phone first or do you take a moment, breathe deeply, and thank God for another day? Do you spend any time with Him in prayer each day or do you insist that you are too busy? Do you seek to justify your sins, no matter how small, or do you submit all things to Him in penitence, thanksgiving, and humility? My brothers and sisters, each one of us who know Christ ought to know Him as the highest importance in our life. We dare not put up idols in His place, for the days are evil and time is short. We are here but for a breath, so let us make each breath count – in an intimate, loving, ongoing relationship with Him! Prayer: Oh God, we thank you for the cool and rainy days of this month. Thank you for the roof over our head and the food we have to eat. Thank you for the technology that brings us all closer together. Please, Lord, let none of these things become a hindrance to seeing you or an excuse to avoid spending time with you. Stir us up to greater love, first for you and then spilling out to others. Let us base not only our goals but our each and every day around your presence. Amen! Song: Psalm 90 - Satisfy Us With Your Love (Shane & Shane) “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.”
Psalm 89: 14-15 Psalm 89 Observe
Interpret This Psalm is often referred to as the ‘Covenant Psalm’ and concludes the third book of the Psalms. Its author is named as Ethan the Ezrahite who was probably a musician during David’s reign and into Solomon’s. The Psalm will therefore have been written in his old age as he witnessed trouble upon trouble coming the way of God’s people. The focus is upon the character of God, especially His faithfulness. This faithfulness is seen within the covenantal relationship God created with His people. God’s character is described as: faithful; loving; strong; powerful; merciful; righteous; and wonderful. He is a God of justice who is to be feared. The descriptions are truly beautiful and enable us to know, ‘see,’ God that little bit more. A covenant is basically a binding agreement, a promise, between two parties; it is relational and bilateral. In other words both parties need to fulfil their part. God made His covenant with the people of Israel promising blessings and life. The people were to be obedient and live as a witness to the nations around them, proclaiming the truth of God. This Psalm pays tribute to God, His faithfulness and the blessings and protection He provided. The Psalmist then calls upon God to return and save His people; they had gone astray. They had not fulfilled their side of the covenant and were suffering. “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments,” Deut. 7: 9. In this Psalm we see that God is faithful to His Word, the Covenant and His own character (or name). Application God has made a new covenant with His creation in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. He will redeem our lives through the self-sacrifice of Christ, if we put our trust in Him. By His grace we are saved through faith (Ephesians 2: 8). In His faithfulness He makes forgiveness available to us if we confess and repent (1 John 1: 9). The life He gives is full and eternal (John 6: 40). God’s faithfulness means that we can absolutely trust these promises and blessings that He describes and offers. We can face all that life throws at us with complete confidence in God Almighty. His Word is solid, concrete and trustworthy. He remains the same, yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13: 8). His truth remains the same, it is eternal. This is an utter blessing but it also means that we must not alter His truth, water it down or in other ways try to diminish its authority. We are to love and obey our God. God cannot, nor will not deny His faithfulness towards His character, Word or covenant. He is THE God of truth, justice, mercy and love. Praise be to the Lord forever. Amen and Amen! (Ps. 89: 52) The Questions of Application Is God’s truth, love and faithfulness your foundation in life? Prayer O God, you make covenants with your people, and you keep them from generation to generation; you are ever faithful. We receive the grace of the New Covenant from you. Help us to be faithful to our word as you are to yours. Thank you for never giving up on us, despite all the ways that we fall short. By your grace purify our character that we may imitate Jesus Christ our Saviour. We praise and thank you for your faithfulness for your name, for your character and for the salvation you offer through Jesus our Lord. Amen Praise Great is thy faithfulness by Maranatha Music Never walk alone by Hillsong Worship Observe: This psalm is a lament, a desperate prayer for healing, by someone who has been close to death for a long time.
The lament, in the form of a complaint lodged against God, is also a plea for God to show himself. The psalmist does not seem sure that God is listening. Verses 13 & 14 read, “I cry to you for help, in the morning my prayer comes before you. Why Lord do you reject me and hide your face from me?” The psalm describes the depression and isolation that comes with severe chronic illness. Pain, not people, is a daily companion. God is distant, yet the prayer speaks to God. The illness may be physical, mental, or spiritual, but appears to be chronic, even lifelong. Verse 15, “Wretched and close to death from my youth up…” Several phrases amount to, “I am as good as dead, I have one foot in the grave.” Whatever the malady, God has done this to the psalmist, and so the psalmist’s plea is for God to intervene. No answer is given. Interpret: A prayer of desperation is directed to God. Most psalms that have a complaint or plea for help have a turning point, after which some answer comes from God. Psalm 88 contains no such turning point. God is experienced not as presence but as absence. Is God listening? Great faith believes that God is listening, even when no sign is given. The sign that the psalmist believes this is in the simple words, in verse 13, “BUT, I cry to you…” This is the “nevertheless” of faith when the face of God is hidden. Application: “Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again.” So sang Simon and Garfunkel in The Sound of Silence in 1964, in a song about feeling isolated and alone in a world indifferent. St. John of the Cross wrote about “the dark night of the soul,” a spiritual crisis in the journey towards being united with God. Psalm 23 speaks of walking through the valley of the shadow of death. And finally, there is Christ dead in the tomb from Friday afternoon to dawn on Sunday. All is darkness. Can we hope for anything when all seems hopeless? If we have the final crumb of faith that God is real, we will say to God, “Where are you when I need you?” That is an act of faith, which clings not to the good things of life, the blessings and the consolations, but clings to God alone. “If I could just touch the hem of his robe, I will be healed.” Psalm 88 is the desperately chronically ill woman weaving through the crowd towards, seeking one thing only, to touch Jesus. Can we dare to talk about God in this way to the person contemplating a medically assisted suicide? Are they so absolutely sure that God has abandoned them, so that they have no choice but to make God’s decision for themselves about when they die? Psalm 88 is a sign that God is there, even in the darkness, and we can tell God what it is like to be in pain. Pray: “Into your hands I commit my spirit. Deliver me, O Lord, thou God of truth.” (Psalm 31:6) Song: “Abide with me, fast falls the eventide.” TEXT: Psalm 87
OBSERVE: Verses 1-2: The psalmist immediately turns our attention to Zion, the mountain made holy by God’s presence dwelling in the temple that was built there. Verse 3: Glorious things are said of Jerusalem, the city of God where Zion was located, because God chose to make his presence known there. Verses 4-7: The remainder of the psalm is a divine pronouncement, in which God incorporates foreign nations into the holy city. INTERPRET: This psalm celebrates Zion, the location of the temple, the place where God makes his glorious presence known in the world. During the period of the Old Testament, the foreign nations were enemies, but this psalm looks to the future when peoples from the nations will find their spiritual home in Zion. The psalmist praises God by recounting the glorious things spoken about Zion, the place where the temple of God was built. The psalmist foresees the day when not only Israel, but all the nations of the world, will find their spiritual home in Zion. For other Zion hymns see Psalms 46, 48, 76, 84, 122 and 137. APPLICATION: In the New Testament, God makes his presence known through Jesus, and the nations are invited to participate in the good news and enter into a relationship with God through him. We are perhaps to hear an echo of our psalm in Paul's figurative contrast between enslavement to the law of Sinai and the freedom won by the gospel. Paul may also have this psalm in the back of his mind when he reminds his readers in Philippi that “our citizenship is in heaven”. Most significantly, in light of our psalm, we think of that future day in the New Jerusalem when “the glory and honour of all nations will be brought into it” (Rev 21:26). What a wonderful picture we can draw from this psalm of all nations approaching Zion with praise and worship for the God of all nations. Today, as we come to have a relationship with God through Jesus, we too begin this march. May the world hear the sound of the saints as we sing “Hallelujah” and “Amen”. Let us never stop praising God as we experience all the glorious things he offers us in our eternal dwelling with him. Prayer: Holy Lord, our citizenship is in heaven.. we are your children.. open our eyes to the beauty of your city that we may live as faithful citizens and live in ways that draw others to your heavenly Kingdom. Amen. SONG: Sound of the Saints |
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