STUDY OF PSALMS - Chapters 93-97

PSALM 93 – “Yahweh malak”

Psalms 93-99 (with the exception of Psalm 94) are grouped together as “Royal”, “Kingship” or “Enthronement” Psalms (also includes Psalm 47). These psalms joyfully celebrate God as King over all creation. Ultimately, they give us a look forward to Jesus' eternal reign over the earth. It is believed that these poems were sung to remind Israel WHO God was. There are no titles or claimed authorship to these psalms.

Vs. 1 – “Yahweh malak” are the first words of this psalm and are interpreted as: “Jehovah reigns” or “Jehovah is king”. The Hebrew word for “reigns” (malak) is a verb that implies completed action or an established condition. “The Lord reigns” occurs in 93:1; 97:1, 96:10; and, 99:1.

Vs. 2 – Earthly thrones are temporary; only God's throne is eternal.

“There never was a time in which God did not reign, in which he was not a supreme and absolute Monarch; for he is from everlasting. There never was a time in which he was not; there never can be a period in which he shall cease to exist.” (Adam Clarke)

Vs. 5 – “Your testimonies are very sure”: “Testimonies” are a poetic reference to God’s Word. The psalmist understood that the might, sovereignty, and strength of God was powerfully expressed in and through His Word.

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PSALM 94 - “The Thoughts of Mankind are Futile”

This is a Community Lament calling out in the same spirit of “Thy Kingdom come”.

It puzzles scholars why this psalm is placed here, interrupting the sequence of divine kingship psalms. Perhaps it is placed here with the clear message that God will destroy kings and rulers who do not obey him.

“In this song we see how the very things which assault faith, and threaten to produce despair, may be made the opportunity for praise, in the place and act of worship.” (G. Campbell Morgan)

VERSES 1-2: THE INTRODUCTION

Vs. 1 – Rarely does “vengeance' apply to Israel.  It generally describes God's judgment on the nations. God's vengeance is vastly understood by unbelievers. It is based on righteous justice rather than angry revenge. Jeremiah 51:56 tells us, “For the Lord is a God of retribution; he will repay in full”.

VERSES 3-7: THE LAMENT

Vs. 7 – Foolish arrogance toward God could only come from not knowing Him.

“They were blindly wicked because they dreamed of a blind God. When men believe that the eyes of God are dim, there is no reason to wonder that they give full license to their brutal passions.” (Charles Spurgeon)

VERSES 8-11: THE APPEAL

Vs. 9 – “Can the one who shaped the ear not hear, the one who formed the eye not see?” How can the One who created the ears and eyes be deaf and blind? He is the Omnipotent, Omniscient God who will hold His creation to account.

Vs. 11 – “The LORD knows the thoughts of mankind; they are futile.” The Apostle Paul later quoted this verse in 1 Corinthians 3:20 and Romans 1:21, speaking of the futility of man's wisdom against that of God.

VERSES 12-23: THE CONFIDENCE

Vs. 12-13 – God will discipline those He loves to bring them back into relationship with Him.

💛NUGGET: God's blessings to His faithful are sometimes disguised as discipline.

Vs. 14 – Compare to verse 5... “For the LORD will not cast off His people”: This verse contradicts any notions of God abandoning Israel. He makes it abundantly clear: God will never forsake His inheritance.

Vs. 23 – “He has brought on them their own iniquity”: 

"When a man has once sinned, it is part of his punishment that he is inclined to sin again, and so on ad infinitum.”  (Charles Spurgeon)

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PSALM 95 – “Worship Cures Hearts”

This can be called a Historical Psalm in the sense that it is meant to help the readers learn from the mistakes of a rebellious and stubborn generation in Israel's history.  Although no author is given, it is accredited to David in a quote from Hebrews 4:7.

Psalm 95:7-11 is quoted extensively in Hebrews 3:7 through 4:13 to explain how the “Sabbath rest” is fulfilled in Christ. Without this perspective of Hebrews, it would be easy for us to miss the depth of this psalm.

VERSES 1-7a: INVITATION TO WORSHIP

(Exhortation to worship God in praise as the Creator of earth.)

Vs. 1-2 – Many forms of worship:

• Sing to the LORD
• Shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation
• Come before His presence with thanksgiving
• Shout joyfully to Him with psalms

💛NUGGET: Maybe we should start a Shouting Psalms Club?

Vs. 3 – Three names of God are celebrated with three different implications:

1. EL (God's strength)
2. JEHOVAH (The essence of God)
3. ELOHIM (God's covenant relation with man)

Vs. 5 – Jonah 1:9 quotes this verse about his identity.

Vs. 6 – Where verse 1 exhorted the readers to worship in PRAISE, this verse is an exhortation to worship God in HUMBLE REVERENCE. Both are important. Three words are used to illustrate a posture of humility:

1. PROSTRATE
2. BOW DOWN
3. KNEEL

"Let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker." Not before a crucifix, not before a rotten image, not before a fair picture of a foul saint: these are not our makers; we made them, they made not us. Our God, unto whom we must sing, in whom we must rejoice, before whom we must worship, is a great "King above all gods": he is no god of lead, no god of bread, no brazen god, no wooden god; we must not fall down and worship our Lady, but our Lord; not any martyr, but our Maker not any saint, but our Saviour: "O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation." Wherewith: with voice, "Let us sing;" with soul, "Let us heartily rejoice"; with hands and knees, "Let us worship and bow down: let us kneel"; with all that is within us, with all that is without us; he that made all, must be worshiped with all, especially when we "come before his presence". (John Boys)

Vs. 7a – He is our God AND our shepherd.

VIDEO:  "O, Come Let Us Worship" by Felix Mendelsshon

https://youtu.be/iCur8r7-QM0

VERSES 7b-11: WARNING OF WRATH

The following verses refer back to Israel's days of wandering in the wilderness. It was not their wandering, but their wondering that got them in trouble. They wondered why God wouldn't give them everything they wanted when they wanted it and they wondered why they even needed God and they wondered why they couldn't return to Egypt and their easy life of slavery. All that wondering hardened their hearts against God. The author of Hebrews found this “warning” about hard hearts important enough that he referenced these verses three times (Hebrews 3:7; 3:15; 4:7).

💛NUGGET: Hebrews 3:7, “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says”: leaves no doubt that the words of Psalm 95 were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Vs. 7b – Hebrews 4:7: “God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

Vs. 8 – The psalmist switches to first person. God is talking: “Harden not your heart as in the day of provocation (Meribah), and as in the day of temptation (Massah) in the wilderness.” Meribah and Massah were places named by Moses where the people tested God (Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:2-13). After all God had done for them, all the miracles they had witnessed, they complained because the Creator of the oceans and seas had left them thirsting for water. Their hearts had become hardened.

Hard hearts don't just happen. A hardened heart no longer has faith. A hardened heart is no longer in submission to God. That's why it's so important – especially during those times we're wandering in the wilderness – to heed God's warning of verse 8. Don't allow Meribah and Massah to enter your heart. Soft hearts are worshiping hearts. Soft hearts are submissive and surrendered to God.

💛NUGGET:  Even if you're parched, pucker up and praise God!

Vs. 9 – “When your fathers tested Me”: Just as the Israelites tested God by their unbelief, so do we. We test Him in small ways by our complaining and in big ways when we refuse to trust only in Him. 

Vs. 10 – ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.” They did not know God's ways, so they chose their own... to their demise.

Vs. 11 – “They will not enter my rest”: In the wilderness context, “God's rest” was to be found in the Promised Land, but it is also an image of enjoying God's presence forever (Hebrews 4:11). 

This psalm ends abruptly and not in a "happily-ever-after" way. We are presented with two ways to live: We can be people whose hearts are filled with joyful praise or we can be hard-hearted grumblers.

“There can be no rest to an unbelieving heart. If manna and miracles could not satisfy Israel, neither would they have been content with the land which flowed with milk and honey.” (Charles Spurgeon)

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PSALM 96 - “Sing, Sing, Sing!”

The psalm is often considered to be a continuation of Psalm 95.  While the previous psalm ended in Israel’s rejection of God, Psalm 96 moves forward to a new purpose and mission of proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles.

There is no authorship attributed, but this psalm contains some of the verses of the song David sang when he brought the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16:23-33), which suggests David as the author. In fact, the Greek OT (Septuagint) adds the superscription,“When the house was built after the exile. A song of David.”. 

This psalm also shares many common themes with Isaiah 40-66. 

VERSES 1-6: SING!

Vs. 1 – This “new song' was a new note of fresh praise to God for His invitation to ALL nations to hear of His salvation.

Vs. 1-3 – Four ways to glorify the Lord:

1. SING
2. BLESS
3. PROCLAIM
4. DECLARE

Vs. 4-6 – Four reasons God deserves praise:

1. He is great.
2. He is to be feared above all other gods.
3. Honor and beauty are before Him.
4. Strength and beauty are His sanctuary.

💛NUGGET: In verse 5, the words “gods” (elohim) and “worthless idols" (elilim) sound alike, making a play on words. In English, this play on words could be translated: “These mighty beings are mighty worthless!”.

VERSES 7-9: ASCRIBE!

Vs. 7-9 – The three repetitions of “ascribe” parallel the three repetitions of “sing” in verses 1-2. “Ascribe” literally means to “give”. No, we can't give God anything that is already His... and He lacks nothing. The idea here is to recognize God's majesty and to worship Him in recognition of that Glory. (Compare these verses to Psalm 29:1-2.)

Vs. 10 – The people of the world need to hear us proclaim that the LORD REIGNS over all the earth which He has FIRMLY ESTABLISHED and will one day JUDGE RIGHTEOUSLY.

VERSES 10-13: SAY!

Vs. 11-13 – This is a message of joy celebrated by all creation... HERE COMES DA JUDGE!

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PSALM 97 – “Those Who Love the Lord”

This psalm continues in the same theme as Psalm 96, while emphasizing God as Judge. Again, we do not know the history or the author of Psalm 96. Some attribute the song to David.  Others believe it to have been written after the exiles returned from Babylon.

This psalm pieces together phrases and verses from other psalms and OT passages. Alexander Maclaren described Psalm 97 as follows:

“The psalmist’s mind is saturated with old sayings, which he finds flashed up into new meaning by recent experiences. He is not ‘original,’ and does not try to be so; but he has drunk in the spirit of his predecessors, and words which to others were antiquated and cold blaze with light for him, and seem made for his lips.”

Vs. 1 – Like Psalm 93, this psalm begins with the proclamation: “The Lord Reigns”! And the entire earth should rejoice. The phrase “multitude of isles (or coast land)” refers to all the far corners of the earth.

Vs. 2 – Clouds and darkness and fire and lightning and melting mountains could describe nothing other than a state of Divine judgment.

Vs. 6 – The heavens declare the righteousness of the ‘LORD’ (Yahweh) and all the peoples see the glory of the ‘Lord’ (Adonai). Yahweh is the Lord of all heaven and earth.

Vs. 7 – We shake our head in wonder how any of the ancients could have worshiped gods made of stone and wood. But y'all... anyone who is not in submission to God has replaced Him with just another idol. If we boast in anything other than the Lord as our deliverer, we are boasting in stupid idols.

Vs. 9 – Compare to Ephesians 1:21: “...not only in the present age but also in the one to come”.

Vs. 10a – “Those who love the LORD.”  If you love God, you should hate evil. Period. As Christians, we have often focused on God's love to the exclusion of overlooking His “holy-ness”, which cannot look upon sin. We just skim right over verses like Psalm 5:5-6: “You hate all who do iniquity. You destroy those who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit”. And also Romans 6:23;12:9, Proverbs 8:13; 6:16-19, Psalm 119:104, Hebrews 10:26-31... just to name a few. God will not allow sin and evil to go unpunished.

Vs. 11 – What a beautiful picture these words paint of God “sowing” or planting light in our lives... a light that grows over time with the nourishment of His Word until our “upright hearts” are filled with gladness.

Vs. 12 – “Be glad IN THE LORD”: He is the only source of everlasting joy.

💛NUGGET: Joy that withstands all the darkness of the world can only be found in obedience to Him. We have to work for it.

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READING FOR TOMORROW:  Chapters 98-102

LINK TO READING PLAN:

https://bibleplan.org/plans/psalms-in-a-month/

STUDY OF PSALMS - Chapters 88-92

PSALM 88 – “Hello Darkness My Old Friend”

(Psalm of Sons of Korah)

This is the last psalm by the Sons of Korah. The superscription says: “according to Mahalath Leannoth” (may designate this as a psalm of penitence associated sickness) and “A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite”.

Heman was a Son of Korah and was known for his great wisdom. He was a singer, musician, prophet and the king's seer. He was also blessed with 14 sons and 3 daughters who were  musicians and singers (1 Chronicles 25:5-6).

This individual Lament Psalm is considered the saddest of all the psalms because it ends with very little hope of rescue. But God uses even our pain. And in this earnestly urgent petition for relief, the psalmist finds humility.

Psalm 88 is often linked together with Psalm 22 in traditional worship settings for Good Friday scripture reading.

Vs. 2 – Purpose of the psalm: “Let my prayer come before You.”

Vs. 3-5 – To summarize, “It feels like I am dying and there is no hope and there never will be and God hates me so I'm just gonna go eat worms.” (We've all been there... amiright?)

Vs. 6-7 – Heman tells us that God is the one who has caused him to be so desolate because of His wrath and anger against him. He never mentions that God's wrath is misplaced or unfair... just that it is overwhelming.

Vs. 8-9 – There are many similarities to Job's suffering in this psalm.  The suffering Job endured was also caused by God when He allowed satan to torment him. Like Job, Heman hangs on to the threads of his faith, continually calling out to God in helpless submission.

Vs. 10-12 – In the OT there was a great deal of uncertainty about the afterlife. They did not yet have the revelation of resurrection we gained through Jesus, which is clearly seen in the four rhetorical questions asked by Heman, who painted a bleak picture for life beyond the grave:

• Departed Spirits
• In the Grave
• Abaddon (place of destruction)
• The Darkness
• The Land of Forgetfulness

Vs. 15 – Whatever the source of Heman's distress, it had lasted his entire life.

Vs. 16 – Job also referred to the “terrors” of God (Job 6:4)

Vs. 18 – The prayer began in faith and ended in depression. Hello, darkness my old friend.

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PSALM 89 - “Steadfast Love of the Lord”

(Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite)

The title of this psalm is "A Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite".  Ethan the Ezrahite is thought to be another name for Jeduthun, who was one of the choirmasters (1 Chronicles 15:19). Like Heman, Ethan was also famous for his wisdom.

Although this psalm celebrates the Davidic covenant as a special gift from God, it is actually a Community Lament, expressing sorrow for God's wrath against the anointed. There is a sharp contrast between the two sections of this song.

SECTION ONE: VERSES 1-37 – THE COVENANT CELEBRATED

Vs. 1 - “I will sing about the LORD's faithful love forever”: From the very first words, the psalmist focuses on God's covenant love (hesed/chesed).

Vs. 2 – Faithful love is “built up” forever... a covenant promise.  

Vs. 3-4 – God's covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:8-16); God promised to establish David's seed forever and “build up” his throne for all generations. This promise began with Solomon but was perfectly fulfilled in the Messiah, the Son of David (Matthew 12:23).

💛NUGGET: When God says forever, He means it. He is the only One who knows what forever looks like.

Vs. 5-7 – Praise to God from His council of angels on High.

Vs. 8-10 – Praise to the God of Armies who can rule the raging seas and crush Rahab. (Jews thought of the sea as a dangerous place of chaos. Here – as in Job 9:13 – Rahab is understood to be a mythological beast of chaos.)

Vs. 11-12 – Praise to God from His earthy creations... the majestic mountains of Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at His name!

Vs. 13-14– God's strong right hand is exalted. Four essential attributes of Yahweh are given:

• Righteousness
• Justice
• Faithful Love
• Truth

Vs. 15-17 – God's people rejoice that they can walk in the light of God's face. When God's right hand is exalted, his people are exalted and strengthened.

Vs. 18 – The “shield” of Israel was their king, who belonged to the Lord.

Vs. 19 – The vision referred to is found in 2 Samuel 7:1-17 when God visitied Nathan the prophet (the “holy one”) in a dream.

Vs. 24 - “Horn” is used to represent strength or power.

“None of his enemies shall be able to prevail against him. It is worthy of remark that David was never overthrown; he finally conquered every foe that rose up against him. Saul’s persecution, Absalom’s revolt, Sheba’s conspiracy, and the struggle made by the partisans of the house of Saul after his death, only tended to call forth David’s skill, courage, and prowess, and to seat him more firmly on his throne.” (Clarke)

Vs. 26 – “He will cry to me, you are my Father”: This psalm was truly fulfilled in Christ, the Son of God.

Vs. 27 – “First-born is not always to be understood literally in Scripture. It often signifies simply a well-beloved, or best-beloved son; one preferred to all the rest, and distinguished by some eminent prerogative. Thus God calls Israel his son, his first-born, Exodus 4:22.” (Clarke)

Vs. 28 – God will never revoke His covenant.

💛NUGGET: Just as this psalm reassured God's people thousand of years ago, we can claim the same assurance that HIS STEADFAST LOVE NEVER FAILS.

Vs. 29 - “His seed also I will make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven”: This promise is only fulfilled in the forever reign of Jesus.

Vs. 30-34 – The consequences of dishonoring the covenant with God are outlined. Punishment – not death – is promised. “Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail.” Despite disobedience, the Lord promised to remain faithful to His covenant.

Vs. 35 – Only God can swear by God.

SECTION TWO: VERSES 38-51 – THE COVENANT IN QUESTION

Vs. 38-45 – The tone of the psalm abruptly changes as sharp accusations are made against the Lord, suggesting that God has broken His covenant with “His anointed”. “You have made his glory cease and cast his throne down to the ground.”

Vs. 46-51 – The frustrated psalmist questions God's motives and the purpose of life, in general. He switches to the first person in verse 47.

Vs. 52 – The psalm closes with a Doxology to end Book III. It includes a call to praise followed by a congregations response ("Amen and amen").

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BOOK IV – CHAPTERS 90-106

PSALM 90 - “Life is Short”

This psalm is titled, “A Prayer of Moses the man of God”. Generally, the OT uses “man of God” as a title for a prophet.

This is the only song of Moses in the psalms, but there are two other songs in the OT (Exodus 15; Deuteronomy 32), as well as the blessing of the tribes of Israel in Deuteronomy 33. This is the oldest psalm.

Psalm 90 is a Community Lament asking God to take mercy on His people and bless them. We should read and sing this song as heirs of the generation that came out of Egypt.

“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)

The psalm falls into four stanzas.

STANZA ONE – VERSES 1-2: THE LORD IS ETERNAL

Vs. 1 – The psalm begins and ends with an affirmation of who God is. If it was written by Moses during the wilderness trek to Canaan, God was their refuge, shelter and protection, both spiritually and physically.

💛NUGGET: With God as our refuge, we are never homeless!

Vs. 2 – God exists independently of His creation and is eternal.

STANZA TWO – VERSES 3-6: MAN'S LIFE IS FLEETING

Vs. 3 – Unlike God, humans are not eternal and will return to worm food at death. Genesis 3:19: “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

Vs. 4 – God is not held to human time constraints. In Hebrew, the expression “a thousand years” implies infinity. God carries the days and weeks and months and years away “like a flood”.

STANZA THREE – VERSES 7-11: WE ARE CONSUMED BY GOD'S WRATH

Vs. 9-10 – “We finish our years like a sigh.” Seventy or eighty years is neither a threshold or a limit, rather an estimated lifespan by the psalmist. His intent is to emphasize what he views as the futility of life: no matter the length of the years, they are filled with “labor and sorrow” and pass quickly until we “fly away”.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/uA4JyAONd_I

[If Moses sounds, a bit pessimistic here, it's understandable. Think about what was happening around him... corpses everywhere. In 40 years of God-imposed wilderness wandering, an entire generation (except Joshua and Caleb) died off. The number is estimated to be well over one million by commentator Adam Clark. So many funerals! So many graves in the desert! Moses had to be overwhelmed by the manifestation of God's wrath.]

STANZA FOUR – VERSES 12-17: TEACH US WISDOM

Vs. 12 – “Teach us to number our days”: Teach us to be wise and make the most of our short lives.

“Of all arithmetical rules this is the hardest – to number our days. Men can number their herds and droves of oxen and of sheep, they can estimate the revenues of their manors and farms, they can with a little pains number and tell their coins, and yet they are persuaded that their days are infinite and innumerable and therefore do never begin to number them.” (Thomas Tymme) 

Vs. 15 – Moses understood that we would need a little humbling in our lives. His prayer was for God to allow the joys of our life to balance the inherent sorrows.

Vs. 17 – This is a wonderful prayer, that God would “establish the work of our hands”. Moses was asking God to bring us success at in the pursuit that we are called to do... and that all we do be done to His glory. If God has called you to be a garbage truck driver, you can find favor in the fact that you are an Ordained Garbage Collector. (I'm pretty sure I am an Ordained Procrastinator.)

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PSALM 91 – “Under His Wings”

This is a Wisdom Psalm, written to instill greater faith in God's people. We are not given any information about this psalm and can only guess as to the authorship. Since there are some common themes with Psalm 90, some commentators believe Moses to be the author . Since it also shares similar themes to Psalms 27 and 31, others point to David as the psalmist.

 

“In the whole collection there is not a more cheering Psalm, its tone is elevated and sustained throughout, faith is at its best, and speaks nobly.”  (Charles Spurgeon)

Vs. 1-2 – God is our protector and refuge. This is the overlying theme of the psalm. If we are dwelling in the “shadow of the Almighty”, we must be standing very near to Him.

Four wonderful titles or names for God are used in these verses:

Most High (Elyon)
Almighty (Shadday)
The LORD (Yahweh)
My God (Elohay)

Vs. 4 – “His truth shall be your shield and buckler”: The Hebrew word for “buckler” refers to something that is wrapped around a person for his or her protection, i.e. protective armor.

Vs. 5 – If believers are constantly filled with fear, they are not embracing the promises of God as our protector and comforter.

Vs. 6-8 – Without a doubt, God's faithful are not immune to disease and calamity. These verses are describing events (plague, pestilence, destruction) that are sent by God in punishment to the wicked. Under those circumstances, the faithful are assured of God's protection and “will only see” the punishment of the wicked.

Vs. 9-10 – A repeat of the promise that during times of judgment, no evil or harm will come to those who have made God their refuge.

Vs. 11-13 – Send in the angels!! God also protects us and cares for us by placing his angels in charge over us. This verse verifies what I have always suspected – it takes more than one guardian angel to get the job done. I have an angel to take the wheel when I'm driving and an angel that keeps the plane in the air when I'm flying and an angel that helps me find my lost shoes...

If I had only one guardian angel, she would be exhausted.

NOTE: Verses 11 and 12 were twisted by satan as he tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:5-7; Luke 4:9-12). Satan left out the phrase, “to keep you in all your ways”.

Vs. 14-16 – In these final verses, God promises deliverance, protection and salvation to those who love Him. He promises to satisfy us with a long life... in eternity with Him.

💛NUGGET: God doesn't promise to deliver us OUT of trouble... but He does promises to be with us IN trouble (verse 15).

“There are blessings that some believers miss out on, simply because they are always fretting and do not trust God as they should. Here the psalmist quotes God as saying that the blessings are for those who love God and acknowledge his name (verse 14), call upon him (verse15), and seek satisfaction in what he alone can provide.” (Boice)

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PSALM 92 - “A Song for Sabbath”

This psalm is titled “A Song for the Sabbath day” and is the only song in the book that was especially written for the Sabbath day. The name of the author is not mentioned.

In Israel, the Sabbath was set aside for a day of rest and sacred assembly (Leviticus 23:3). This is a hymn of thanks and praise to God.

VERSES 1-5: GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF WHO GOD IS & WHAT HE HAS DONE

Vs. 1-3 – It is good to praise God at all times. These verses show different ways we can worship God:.

Thanksgiving
Singing
Declaration
Playing Instruments
Rejoicing
Shouting for Joy
Day and Night

VERSES 6-9: GIVE THANKS BECAUSE GOD WILL TRIUMPH OVER THE WICKED

The psalmist admonishes people who reject the wisdom of God. A contrast is drawn between the faithful and the unfaithful... God's enemies will perish.

Vs. 8 – This single verse is the central message of the psalm... “But You, Lord, are on high forever.” This is also central to our faith. God is the MOST High.

VERSES 10-15: GIVE THANKS BECAUSE GOD CAUSES THE RIGHTEOUS TO FLOURISH

Vs. 10a – “Lifted up my horn” denotes restored strength and vitality.

💛NUGGET: The original Greek translators translated the wild ox (now extinct) incorrectly as “one-horned”, which was subsequently translated as a UNICORN.  Yes, once upon a time, there were unicorns in the Bible. 

Vs. 10b – “Fresh oil, in such a context, speaks eloquently of a renewed anointing…or consecration, to serve God. There may be the additional thought of preparing a ‘living sacrifice’, since the verb is used elsewhere not for anointing but for moistening the meal-offering with oil before presenting it at the altar (Exodus 29:40).” (Kidner)

Vs. 12-14 – The cedar trees of Lebanon were known for their majesty, strength, durability, beauty, and usefulness... all traits of the righteous. God's faithful will continue to bear fruit in their old age. 

Vs. 15 – The righteous declare that the LORD is upright by the way they live. They “bear fruit” not to bring glory to themselves, but to bring honor to God and reflect His glory to others.

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READING FOR TOMORROW:  Chapters 93-97

LINK TO READING PLAN:

 https://bibleplan.org/plans/psalms-in-a-month/

STUDY OF PSALMS - Chapters 83-87

PSALM 83 - “Israel's Lament”
(Lament of Asaph)

[This is the final psalm attributed to Asaph.]

Psalm 83 is a community lament... a petition to God to upset the plans of Israel's enemies in such a way that they might look upon their shame and turn to God.

Vs. 1 – At a time of national crisis, Israel makes three urgent requests to God:

• Don't Keep Silent
• Don't Hold Your Peace
• Don't Be Still

Have you ever prayed during a crisis and were disappointed when God didn't immediately respond? From our earthly perspective, we want answers in real time --- preferably within 10 minutes of asking,  Central Standard Time.  We operate from the perspective of our finite human life spans, rather than eternity.

Vs. 2-3 – The enemies of Israel were enemies of God. Those who hate God's "sheltered ones” must hate Him, also.

Vs. 5-8 – Ten nations are listed as an alliance against Israel (and thus against Yahweh, the God of Israel). Most of the opponents listed happen to be relatives of the Israelites:

• Edomites: descendants of Jacob's brother Esau
• Ishmaelites: descendants of Abraham's first son Ishmael
• Moab / Ammon: descendants from Lot (and his incestuous daughters)
• Hagrites: descendants of Ishmael's mother Hagar

If you know anything about the conception and history of these nations, you know there was plenty of sinning going on. It's not surprising that satan found a fertile ground among those nations and used them in battle against God.  Satan's goal has always been to defeat God through the extermination of His people.

Some scholars regard this collection of 10 enemies as a general reference to the constant threat of annihilation that Israel endured in their ancient days. The same threat endures today. In modern times, the various Middle Eastern peoples listed above have fiercely opposed the people of Israel (including the modern Israeli state) and continue to conspire against them, either through war or terrorism. The nation of Israel continues to fight for survival against overwhelming odds.

Vs. 9-12 – Historical examples of two major victories are recalled. Midian is the story of Gideon in Judges 7:1-8:28, while Sisera and Jabin come from the story of Deborah and Barak (Judges 4; 5:24-27). Both are examples of God's divine intervention to defeat the mightier enemies of Israel. God uses the weak to bring glory to His strength and power.

Vs. 13-18 – These verses contain a colorful mix of both imprecation and intercession. The psalmist prays that God will defeat / consume / terrify his enemies forever... so that they might come to know God as Lord Most High. This is a prayer for Israel that remains pertinent even today.

“In all the annals of recorded history there has never been a people so encircled by foes or as persecuted as the Jews have been. Yet surprisingly, the Jews have prospered. In 1836 a world census indicated that there were then three million Jews living in many countries. A century later, in 1936, in spite of severe persecutions in which many Jews were killed, particularly in Russia, a second census indicated that the Jewish world population had risen to sixteen million, an increase of thirteen million in a century. The Nazis killed more than six million Jews, but today there are more Jews in the world than before the Nazi era. The only explanation for this growth is that the hand of God has been on this people and that he has blessed them.” (Boice)

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PSALM 84 - “How Blessed!”

(Psalm of Sons of Korah)

[REFRESHER: The Sons Korah were Levites from the family of Kohath. Levi was the third son of Jacob. Kohath was the son of Levi and the grandfather of Korah, which would make Korah a first cousin to Moses and Aaron. If you haven't read Korah's story – it's an eye-opener into the vengeance of God (Numbers 16). David appointed these descendants of Levi as gatekeepers to the temple (1 Chronicles 9:17:24). They have also made important contributions to the psalms.]

This is a psalm of pilgrimage in celebration of traveling to the temple in Jerusalem for a holiday or festivals. It focuses on the delight of God's people as they go to worship Him. It is similar in tone and perspective to Psalm 42, also attributed to the Sons of Korah.

VERSES 1-4: BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO DWELL IN THE TEMPLE

Vs. 3 – The psalmist wants us to know that peace is found at the altar of God. He is even jealous of the little birds who have unlimited access to the temple and the altar.

“My King and my God”: Charles Spurgeon notes: “The double ‘my’ is very precious; he lays hold upon his God with both his hands, as one resolved not to let him go till the favour requested be at length accorded.”

VERSES 5-9: BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE STRENGTH IS IN THE LORD

The pilgrims sing about making their way towards the temple with such desire that the rough desert paths become highways and the Valley of Tears (Baca) becomes a place filled with spring water as God blesses them with rain in the desert. They go from strength to strength... growing stronger as they reach their destination and appear before God in Zion.

💛NUGGET: Until we stop trying to worship God on our own terms and through our own strength, we will never experience the fullness of His strength within us.

VERSES 10-12: BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD
Vs. 10a – “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else.”

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/ZDzTh4Lv1AM

Vs. 10b – “I would rather be a doorkeeper...” This sentiment has added meaning, knowing that the Korahites (son of Korah) functioned as doorkeepers in the temple. Do you get the feeling that these folks just loved being around God??

Vs. 11a – God's abundant goodness:

The Lord is a SUN to us (sustainer of life and light!)

The Lord is a SHIELD to us (our Protector!)

The Lord gives GRACE to us (future tense – more grace to give!)

The Lord gives GLORY to us (the hope of coming glory!)

Vs. 11b – “No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” This is a promise under God's Old Covenant of blessings and curses. Under the New Covenant of Jesus, all “good things” come to us through the goodness of Christ.

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PSALM 85 – “My Soul Faints For You”

(Psalm of the Sons of Korah)

This is a community lament in which the people of Israel seek forgiveness for their unfaithfulness and petition God for national restoration.

VERSES 1-3: PAST MERCIES

(The psalmist begins by reflecting on God’s love and generosity in the past; all verbs are past tense – looking back)

•GOD WAS GOOD TO HIS LAND. God's land is Israel. He provided abundant crops.

•GOD RESTORED JACOB FROM CAPTIVITY. This phrase leads many scholars to believe this psalm was written after the Babylonian captivity. Others have in view the Exodus and still others, the period of Philistine domination in the later years of Saul’s reign (1 Samuel 28-31).

•GOD FORGAVE THEIR GUILT AND COVERED ALL THEIR SIN. Before sins could be forgiven, they had to be covered. The Hebrew word used for “cover” is kacah which means “to fill up hollows”. In the OT, sins are covered. In the NT, our sins are washed away by the Blood of the Lamb.

•GOD TOOK AWAY HIS WRATH AND TURNED FROM HIS ANGER. As long as there is wickedness and evil, God’s wrath and anger will be revealed. The Apostle Paul wrote, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” The Greek grammar conveys the idea of continuously being revealed.

“Israel is not pining for past glories, which are often an optical illusion…but remembering past mercies. This is realistic; it is also stimulating: it leads to prayers rather than dreams.” (Kidner)

VERSES 4-5: PRESENT ANGER

Vs. 5 – “Will You be angry with us forever?” In verse 3, the psalmist remember when God's anger was turned away from them. Here he was saying, “Forgive us, again.”

VERSES 6-7: PRAYER FOR REVIVAL

The psalmist prayed for revival and for God's faithful love (covenant love; hesed/chesed).

💛NUGGET: Revival can only come through God's mercy and salvation.

VERSES 8-13: FUTURE SALVATION

Here, the song shifts to first person. The people of Israel wait for God to speak.

Vs. 8 – “For He will speak peace...”

“He that will not hear the gospel of peace, shall never know the peace of the gospel. If you will not hear the Holy Spirit when he warns you of your sin, neither shall you hear him revealing peace through pardon.” (Spurgeon)

Vs. 9 – The “glory” of God's presence is His “Shekinah” (dwelling) glory, taken from the Hebrew word “to dwell”.

Vs. 10 – Four divine attributes:

• Mercy
• Truth
• Righteousness
• Peace

Where else do we find these wonderful traits? They are found in perfect harmony in Jesus Christ.

Vs. 13 – “Righteousness will go before Him and shall make His footsteps our pathway.”

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you 

leaving you an example, that you should follow His steps.”

(1 Peter 2:21)

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PSALM 86 – “Teach Me Your Ways”
(A Prayer of David)

[This is the only psalm of David in Book III. It is one of five psalms labeled “Prayer” or “Tephillah”.]

Psalm 86 is not an entirely original psalm.  It consists of quotations and phrases from other psalms and books (Exodus, Deuteronomy, Isaiah and Jeremiah). Stitched together, it becomes a heartfelt prayer of a desperate man who trusts in a God he has come to know very well.

VERSES 1-7: CALL FOR HELP

Vs. 2 – Since he is God’s servant, David rationalizes that God should protect him so that he can continue to serve. He affirms his trust in God.

Vs. 3a – “O Lord”: This is the first of seven times David refers to the Lord as “Adonai” (Master). His uses of this name, which indicates absolute Lordship, indicates David's complete submission and loyalty. 

Vs. 3b  – “For I cry to You all day long.” Here's a lesson for us about praying... even David had to keep coming back! (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Vs. 5 – I pray we all give this beautiful verse the weight it deserves. GOD IS READY TO FORGIVE. NOW. He is ready to forgive because He is abounding in faithful, merciful love to ALL who call on Him.

“We are blinded by sin, and cannot believe that God is ready to forgive. We think that we must induce Him to forgive, by tears, promises of amendment, religious observances…. Oh, clasp this word to your heart! Say it over and over again – ‘Ready to forgive, ready to forgive!’” (Meyer)

VERSES 8-13: PRAISES TO GOD

In a time that was filled with worthless gods, David knew that HIS God was real. Adonai alone is God.

Vs. 9 – The words of this verse are incorporated into a song in Revelation 15:4.

Vs. 11 – “Teach me Your WAY, Adonai”; “I will live by Your TRUTH”; “Unite my heart to fear Your NAME”.

💛NUGGET: GOD is our WAY, our TRUTH, and our LIFE. (John 14:6)

VERSES 14-17 – SAVE ME FROM MY ENEMIES

David names the source of his trouble: arrogant and violent men.

Vs. 15 – Compare these words to those of Moses in his encounter with God in Exodus 34:6-7 . This is one of the most frequently quoted texts of the OT and is referred to throughout the Bible.

Vs. 16 - “Turn to me, and have mercy on me”: David did not pray to God with a heart of pride. He knew he was undeserving and in need of God's mercy. And aren't we all thankful that God (in His mercy) doesn't give us what we really deserve?!

Vs. 17 – “Show me a sign”: David's request for a sign from God didn't come from a place of doubt, but rather as a request for encouragement.

💛NUGGET: My husband was only 10 years old when his Dad died. Heartbroken and confused, he went to bed one night and prayed as only an innocent child can pray: “God, I need to know where my Dad is. If he's with You, please give me a sign.” He opened his eyes just in time to see the bedside lamp flicker off and on. Coincidence? Not to a young boy who needed comfort and encouragement.

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PSALM 87 - “Born in Zion”

(Psalm of The Sons of Korah)

This is a psalm celebrating Zion as the chosen city of God. It was obviously written before the destruction of Jerusalem, during a time when God's sanctuary was perfectly intact.

Before we step into the scriptures, let's pause for a little geography lesson about the Holy Mountains of Zion. The city of Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains, two of which hold a significant place in Biblical history: Mt. Moriah and Mt. Zion (separated by the Tyropoen Valley). Mt. Zion was captured by King David and became his royal residence. When the Ark of the Covenant was transferred to the tabernacle, Mt. Zion became a holy place to God and Israel. Less than half a mile away, Solomon built his temple on Mt. Moriah (the Temple Mount). At that time, Mt. Zion and Mt. Moriah became interchangeable and the combined area (including Jerusalem) was referred to as “The Holy Mountain(s)” and “Zion”. Throughout the Bible, “Zion” is used to refer to the City of David, the City of Jerusalem, the land of Judah and the nation of Israel. About 2000 years ago, after the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple Mount was exclusively referred to as Mt. Moriah and “Zion” only to the mountain.

Vs. 1 – God is the founder and foundation of Zion. He made the mountains holy by choosing Zion for his dwelling place. But God chose more than a place... He chose a people to reveal His presence in this world.

Vs. 3 – “Glorious things” are said about the City of God because of all the significant events that happened on the Holy Mountains:

•Melchezidek, king of Salem (Jerusalem) and priest of God Most High, came from Mount Zion to bless Abraham (Genesis 14:18).

•Abraham led his son Isaac up to Mt. Moriah to be sacrificed. (Genesis 22:1-24).

•Jacob's dream of the stairway to heaven happened on Mt. Moriah (Genesis 28:10-18).

•David captured Mt. Zion and established his throne as the City of David (2 Samuel 5:6-9).

•The Ark of the Covenant was transferred to the Tabernacle on Mt. Zion (2 Samuel 6:17).

•Solomon's temple was built on Mt. Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1).

•Solomon brought the Ark up to Mt. Moriah (1Kings 8:1).

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/LQJUrK5vh4g

Vs. 4 – God makes a record of “those who know Me”, meaning those who are in fellowship with Him. Surprisingly, those named were enemies of Israel: Rahab (Egypt), Babylon, Philistia, Tyre and Cush. He promises these Gentile rivals that they will be regarded as “one who was born” in Zion and He will register them among God' people.

READING FOR TOMORROW:  Chapters 88-92

LINK TO READING PLAN:

 https://bibleplan.org/plans/psalms-in-a-month/

STUDY OF PSALMS - Chapters 78-82

PSALM 78 - “Learn From the Past”

(Psalm of Asaph)

[This is the second longest psalm in the book, after Psalm 119.]

Psalm 78 is a Wisdom Psalm, intended to teach the people of Israel the importance of following God's law, as well as understanding His saving mercy.

Vs. 1 – This teaching psalm begins with Asaph calling for the attention of his fellow Israelites. The discourse is reminiscent of Moses speaking to his people in Deuteronomy 32:1.

Vs. 2 – This verse is quoted in Matthew 13:35 as being a word of prophecy about Jesus speaking in parables. He did so that only those with “ears that could hear” and understand His teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Vs. 4 – The purpose of the psalm was to pass these things along to the next generation:

• The praises of the LORD
• His power and greatness
• His wonderful works

Vs. 5-7 – Five generations appear to be mentioned. God established the teaching of His Word for the purpose of being passed down to all generations of both the Jews and Gentiles. The Lord chose Israel to reveal Himself to the world. Or as Jesus said: “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22).

“Those who forget God’s works are sure to fail in their own.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Vs. 8 – A stubborn and rebellious generation stopped trusting in God. They had a heart problem.

VERSES 9-72: SONS OF EPHRAIM

Ephraim was a son of Joseph (along with Manasseh). In this psalm “Ephraim” is representative of all Israelites who have fallen away.

Vs. 9-12 – They refused to fight for Israel; did not keep God's covenant and did not live by His law; forgot all that God had done for them and their ancestors.

Vs. 12-16 – To remind the Israelites WHAT God had done and WHO He was, four miracles are given as evidence:

1. The plagues in Egypt
2. The passage through the Red Sea
3. The cloud of fire
4. The water from the rock.

Vs. 17 – Notice the change from “he” to “they”? “They” continued to sin against God.

Vs. 18-20 – “Can God...?” The ungrateful and untrusting Israelites didn't trust God's ability to provide food for them in the wilderness. They tested Him with their questioning and their lack of faith. They did not believe that The One who put the stars in the sky could provide a banquet in the wilderness.

💛NUGGET: Entitlement. When we have ungrateful hearts that focus on what we don't have, we are blinded to God's blessings and all that we do have.

Vs. 21-22 – God's anger against a stubborn, rebellious and sinful people caused his judgment to come down upon them in a deadly fire. (Numbers 11:1-3).

Vs. 23-25 – Manna – the “bread of angels”.

“Tis called ‘angels’ food,’ not because the angels do daily feed upon it, but because it was both made and ministered by the ministry of angels, and that phrase sets forth the excellency of it.” (Ness)

Vs. 32-39 – In spite of God's provisions and miracles, the people of Israel continued to sin. They refused to belief that their God was big enough to deliver them and fell into cycles of unfaithfulness followed by punishment ➡ repentance ➡ forgiveness ➡ insincere worship ➡ sin ➡  punishment. Yet through it all, God was compassionate with them and did not destroy His remnant.

Vs. 41-55 – God's miracles and redemption for His people as they journeyed from Egypt to Canaan are reviewed, once again. By now, it's plain to see that these stubborn people willfully chose to forget God's good works. Ungrateful usurpers of unprecedented Glory.

Vs. 56-64 – Only a generation after entering the Promised Land, the Israelites forgot. They forgot God's Law. They forgot God's testimonies. They forgot God. They began to worship idols instead. So, God left them. He abandoned the tabernacle at Shiloh and gave up His Ark of the Covenant to the Philistines (1 Samuel 4). His Glory departed from Ephraim and He surrendered Israel to the swords of their enemies.

Vs. 65 – Don't you love how the roles are reversed here? Asaph tells us that God woke up, while in reality... it's always men that need to be awakened and revived.

💛NUGGET: KJV translates verse 66 as “He smote his enemies in the hinder parts.” Though they deserved a good spanking, God gave them something worse: Hemorrhoids. For reals. (1 Samuel 5:6-10)

Vs. 67-72 – God traded Ephraim for Judah and Shiloh for Mount Zion. And He chose a shepherd boy for His king. Neither of these were impulsive choices on God's part. Remember when Jacob was blessing his sons before he died? To his son Judah he said: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” (Genesis 49:10). God had already chosen Judah over Ephraim before the Israelites even left Egypt!

“If Israel’s record is her shame, God’s persistent goodness emerges as her hope (and ours) for the unfinished story.” (Kidner)

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PSALM 79 – “Where Is Their God?”

(Lament Psalm of Asaph)

This psalm was likely written by a descendant of David's Asaph, as it was believed to have followed the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC.

Psalm 79 is a Community Lament in which Judah acknowledges their sin and begs for God’s mercy.

VERSES 1-4: DESTUCTION OF JERUSALEM & THE TEMPLE

These verses detail the horrible curses God warned about if His covenant was disobeyed. (Deuteronomy 28:15–68)

VERSES 5-7: GOD'S ANGER

Vs. 5 – “How Long...?”

Vs. 6 – While his people's blood was poured out like water (vs. 3), the people asked God to pour out His wrath on their enemies.

[Verses 6 and 7 are very similar to Jeremiah 10:25 and may have been influenced by Jeremiah.]

VERSES 8-10: RESCUE US FOR YOUR GLORY

Vs. 9 – The psalmist asks God to provide atonement for Israel's sins, as the temple and altar were destroyed and they were unable to provide sacrifices for themselves.

Vs. 10 – The Gentiles taunt a defeated Israel with the question: “Where is their God?”.

Vs. 13 – A vow to give thanks as the sheep of His pasture. The psalm begins with a city in ruins and ends in a pasture. Surely the Good Shepherd can't be far away...

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PSALM 80 - Revival

(Lament of Asaph)

Most scholars place this psalm sometime before Israel's Northern Kingdom fell to the Assyrians in 722 BC. At that time, Israel was still one nation consisting of 12 tribes within two kingdoms.

Psalm 80 is a Community Lament Psalm petitioning God for deliverance and is attributed to a descendant of Asaph. (If written by the Asaph of David’s day, it would have been written in the spirit of prophecy.)

VERSES 1-3: PRAYER FOR RESTORATION

Vs. 1-2 – Just as the previous psalm ended with the sheep, this one continues with the same metaphor, addressing God as the Shepherd of Israel. “Joseph” was a name often used for the northern tribes of Israel which included Ephraim and Manasseh (sons of Joseph). Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh are all descendants of Rachel (Jacob's wife) and also marched together from encampment in the wilderness (Numbers 10:22-24).

Vs. 3 – “Restore us, God”: He will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

VERSES 4-7: HOW LONG?

Vs. 4 – The people wonder how long God will be angry with them. God was so mad, in fact, that even their prayers angered Him. (The Hebrew word here is “smoked”.) They were arrogant enough to pray for God's deliverance even while stubbornly allowing sin in their lives. They needed revival to bring them to genuine repentance and restoration.

Vs. 5 – God was serving up bowls of tears for their breakfast, with a side of tear juice to drink.

“The psalmist points to an angry God, a weeping nation, and mocking foes, a trilogy of woe.” (Maclaren)

VERSES 8:13: ISRAEL AS A VINE

Vs. 8-13 – Israel is compared to a vine transplanted from Egypt to Canaan that grew and grew, spreading out all over the land God promised to them. But then, God tore down the protective hedges and the vine became plucked and trampled. The vine and fruit (Israel) were destroyed by the Boars and creatures (foreign nations) until the entire vineyard was bare.

VERSES 14-19: REVIVE THE VINE

Vs. 17 – “Son of Man”: Perhaps Asaph wrote these words with the present king of Israel (Hezekiah) in mind. But ultimately, the Man of God’s right hand can only be Jesus Christ (Hebrews 8:1). Therefore, it is reasonable to understand this as an early messianic reference.

Vs. 19 – The prayer for revival, “Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved” is a repetition of verses 3 and 7. There is, however, a building crescendo in the way the psalmist addresses God:

Verse 3: “O God”

Verse 7 : “O God Almighty”

Verse 19: “O Lord God Almighty”

💛NUGGET: “Revive us” means, “give us life”. The ultimate fulfillment of our prayers for revival will be when Jesus comes in power and glory to reign.

Like the psalmist, we may or may not see revival in our day. But we should never stop praying towards that end. When it's hard to tell the saints from the sinners... we need a revival, y'all.

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PSALM 81 - “God Gave Them Over”

(Lament Psalm of Asaph)

This song was sung on a feast day of Israel, most likely during the Feast of Trumpets or the Feast of Tabernacles.

VERSES 1-5: LIFT UP A SONG!

“Franz Delitzsch, one of the great German commentators, points out that the summons in verse 1 is to the whole congregation; the summons in verse 2 is to the Levites, who were the appointed temple singers and musicians; and the summons in verse 3 is to the priests who had the specific task of blowing the trumpets.” (Boice)

VERSES 6-16: NO REASON TO SING

In direct contrast to the joyful singing, God shares a message of mournful lament about what might have been if His chosen had not blocked His blessing.

Vs. 6-7 – God speaks of how He delivered Israel from slavery and the “burden from their shoulders” (Exodus 1:11).

“The story of Israel is only our own history in another shape. God has heard us, delivered us, liberated us, and too often our unbelief makes the wretched return of mistrust, murmuring, and rebellion.” (Spurgeon)

Vs. 9 – Idolatry is no less Israel's sin than ours. Instead of making God our focus, we are guilty for worshiping the gods of wealth, fame, pleasure and power.

Vs. 10 – “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it”: He wants to supply our every need.

Vs. 11 – God chose Israel to be “His” people and they repaid Him with disobedience. Right from the get-go they began quarreling with Moses because they were thirsty and could find no water in the desert (Exodus 17:7). But their real quarrel was always with God because of their stubborn hearts.

Vs. 12 – As a result of their disobedience God “gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart to walk in their own devices”. One of the worst ways God can punish us is to leave us alone with our own foolishness. John Trapp wrote that it was as if God had “left them as a ship without a rudder; as a horse without reins, to go whither they would, and do what they would.”

💛NUGGET: Sin deceives us into thinking that we can get what we want, left to our own devices.

Vs. 13-16 – God's lament over Israel, “Oh, that My people would listen to Me” is echoed centuries later in Jesus' lament for Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37).

“I would have satisfied you...” 

This psalm ends on a sad note of looking back at wasted years and unfulfilled potential. We may have our own wasted years of disobedience that we grieve... but the message of this psalm is that we can look forward with hope. We serve a God who is full of grace and mercy. He is ready to forgive and satisfy us with honey from the rock.

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PSALM 82 – “Judging the Judges”

(Psalm of Asaph)

[Asaph delivers a brief word from God on unjust rulers and judges (companion of Psalm 58).]

VERSE 1: DIVINE ASSEMBLY

God, as the Chief Justice of the Highest Supreme Court, is standing in the midst of the gods or “mighty ones”. The word for “gods” used here is Elohim, plural for the generic word for “god” in Hebrew. These are likely mere mortals in roles of leadership, comparable to our political leaders of today. The assembly would likely be filled with the High Priests and priests, a system God established with Moses and Aaron. Initially, the system of priests functioned well for the people of Israel. But by the time Jesus arrived on the scene, the priesthood was being sold to the highest bidder. Corruption seeped through their ranks like a bad stink. Does that smell familiar?

VERSES 2-5: ACCUSATIONS

Vs.2 – “How long will you judge unjustly?” Can you imagine God's frustration? He had given these people the most complete set of laws and ordinance possible – a judgment for every situation including wearing linen and wool mingled together – and they STILL could not judge righteously or defend the weak and oppressed.

Vs. 5 – “Foundations of the earth are shaken”: We can bear personal witness to the fact that when leaders rule unjustly, God's moral order is blown to smithereens.

VERSES 6-7: VERDICT

Vs. 6 – “You are gods... children of the Most High”: After Jesus angered the Jewish religious leaders by declaring Himself as the “Son of God”, He further confounded them by quoting this verse. Jesus used their own scriptures to remind them that God had referred to human beings as "gods" (John 10:34-38).

💛NUGGET: All of us were created by God for noble life.

Vs. 8 – “For You shall inherit all nations”: Considered to be a Messianic prophecy.

“Does not this last verse contain a prophecy of our Lord, the calling of the Gentiles, and the prevalence of Christianity over the earth? Thus several of the fathers have understood the passage. It is only by the universal spread of Christianity over the world, that the reign of righteousness and justice is to be established: and of whom can it be said that he shall inherit all nations, but of Jesus Christ?” (Clarke)

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READING FOR TOMORROW:  Chapters 83-87

LINK TO READING PLAN: 

https://bibleplan.org/plans/psalms-in-a-month/