Praise the LORD!

1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

3 Put not your trust in princes,
    in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.

5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7     who executes justice for the oppressed,
    who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8     the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
    the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the sojourners;
    he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10 The LORD will reign forever,
    your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 146:1-10 ESV

The last five psalms are anonymous and form the final Hallel (praise) section of the Psalter. Due to the similarity of their content, they were likely written by the same author. Each begins with the same call to action: “Praise the LORD.” This imperative statement is not intended as a suggestion, but as a command to give Yahweh all the dignity, honor, worship, and praise He rightly deserves. The psalmist calls for wholehearted worship on the part of the people of God, and he sets the tone by declaring his sold-out allegiance to the Almighty.

I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. – Psalm 146:2 ESV  

His statement of devotion to Yahweh is reminiscent of the address Joshua gave to the Israelites near the end of his life. Ever since the death of Moses, Joshua had served as the God-appointed leader of the Israelites, helping them cross the Jordan River and begin their conquest of the land of Canaan. Over the years, Joshua led the Israelites in their effort to conquer the inhabitants of the land so they could take possession of the inheritance promised to them by Yahweh. They had fought and won many battles, and successfully occupied a large portion of Canaan, but Yahweh reminded them that He had been behind it all. 

“It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory. I gave you land you had not worked on, and I gave you towns you did not build—the towns where you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them.” – Joshua 24:12-13 NLT

Despite his leadership role, Joshua knew that he had been little more than an instrument in Yahweh’s hands. He had led the people into battle, but the victories had been the LORD’s doing. So, Joshua commanded the Israelites to show their gratitude to Yahweh by treating Him with honor and unadulterated reverence. 

“So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” – Joshua 24:14-15 NLT

Like the psalmist, Joshua tried to spur the people’s obedience by using himself as an example. He declared his intention to live out his final days in total submission to and reliance upon Yahweh, and he committed his family to follow his lead. 

Joshua warned the Israelites about the dangers of idolatry because he knew their history of spiritual infidelity. He had been there when Aaron made the golden calf in the wilderness, and he had witnessed the people’s response to this false god they had crafted from the plunder taken from the Egyptians.

The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry. – Exodus 34:6 NLT

Yahweh had delivered them from slavery in Egypt and given them victory over their enemies, but they gave their allegiance to a nonexistent god they had made with their own hands. 

The psalmist stressed a different problem facing his peers. He was less concerned about idolatry and the worship of false gods than their tendency to worship men. 

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
    there is no help for you there.
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
    and all their plans die with them. – Psalm 146:3-4 NLT

While idolatry continued to be a problem for the Israelites throughout their existence as a nation, their real struggle was the worship of men. Ever since the day they rejected Samuel's leadership and demanded, “Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have” (1 Samuel 8:5 NLT), the people of Israel had exhibited a preference for human kings over the King of kings. Yahweh would repeatedly warn them about their tendency to replace His authority with that of mere men.

This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
    who rely on human strength
    and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
    with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
    in an uninhabited salty land.” – Jeremiah 17:5-6 NLT

The psalmist knew his people well and wanted them to think twice about putting their trust in powerful men who could never measure up to Yahweh’s standards. As far as the psalmist was concerned, there was no comparison between mortal men and the infinite, all-powerful God of the universe.

He made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them.
    He keeps every promise forever.
He gives justice to the oppressed
    and food to the hungry.
The LORD frees the prisoners.
   The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down.
    The LORD loves the godly.
The LORD protects the foreigners among us.
    He cares for the orphans and widows,
    but he frustrates the plans of the wicked. – Psalm 146:6-9 NLT

No man could ever hope to compete with Yahweh. No king who ever lived could claim to hold a candle to Yahweh's glory and greatness. The anonymous author of Psalm 2 exposed the futility of earthly kings trying to oppose the one true King. 

Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the LORD
    and against his anointed one.
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The LORD scoffs at them.
Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury. – Psalm 2:1-5 NLT

The prophet Isaiah declared Yahweh’s superiority and supremacy over all mankind.

God sits above the circle of the earth.
    The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
    and makes his tent from them.
He judges the great people of the world
    and brings them all to nothing. – Isaiah 40:22-23 NLT

In Isaiah’s estimation, the worship of men was unwarranted and a waste of time. They would always be poor substitutes for Yahweh because they couldn't measure up to His glorious standards. Even Yahweh declared Himself to be incomparable and irreplaceable.

“To whom will you compare me?
    Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. – Isaiah 40:25 NLT

The psalmist understood that Yahweh’s immensity and eternality set Him apart from all false gods and every man with god-like aspirations. He deserved man’s praise because He was praiseworthy. Yahweh wasn’t a figment of man's fertile imagination and had not been formed by human hands. He was the maker of “heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them” (Psalm 146:6 NLT). Yahweh is the uncreated Creator of the universe who has no beginning and end. He is eternal and all-powerful. He is holy and wholly righteous. He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 ESV). With those thoughts in mind, the psalmist closes his song in the same way he opened it, with a call to praise the eternal, always-present, forever faithful God.

The LORD will reign forever.
    He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.

Praise the Lord! – Psalm 146:10 NLT

Father, I must confess that I do not always recognize and honor Your greatness. I say I believe in it but, far too often, my actions and attitudes reflect something altogether different. I don't praise You enough. I fail to trust You fully. I tend to put my hope in men, even in myself, rather than trusting in Your proven track record of greatness and goodness. While I could easily deny any worship of false gods, I know it would be a lie. My idols are far more subtle than those of the Israelites, but they are idols all the same. Anything I turn to instead of You is a false god that will always provide false hope. No man or human institution can replace you. No idealogy, political party, or human leader can replace You or hope to compete with You. Yet, it is so easy to put my trust in those things that will always prove untrustworthy. Help me to heed the psalmist’s call and learn to praise You for who You are and all that You have done. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Caves, Conflict, and Confidence

A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

1 With my voice I cry out to the LORD;
    with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.
2 I pour out my complaint before him;
    I tell my trouble before him.

3 When my spirit faints within me,
    you know my way!
In the path where I walk
    they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see:
    there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
    no one cares for my soul.

5 I cry to you, O LORD;
    I say, “You are my refuge,
    my portion in the land of the living.”
6 Attend to my cry,
    for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
    for they are too strong for me!
7 Bring me out of prison,
    that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
    for you will deal bountifully with me. – Psalm 142:1-7 ESV

This song of lament was written by David while hiding in the Judean wilderness in an attempt to escape the wrath of King Saul. At one time, David had been the hero of Israel, having slain Goliath, the Philistine champion, who had taunted the Israelite army and mocked their God. David's unexpected defeat of the giant from Gath not only elevated him in the eyes of the people but also got the attention of Saul. Before long, David was on Saul’s staff and serving as a commander in his army. However, over time, Saul grew disenchanted with David because he feared the young man's growing popularity would ultimately threaten his hold on the throne. The prophet Samuel had already warned Saul that his days as king were numbered. 

“…because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.

“The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you. And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!” – 1Samuel 15:23, 28-29 NLT

Despite Samuel’s dire warning, Saul was not immediately dethroned and replaced, but his suspicions of David increased rapidly. In time, his paranoia became so pronounced that he attempted to kill David with his own hands. 

Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night. – 1 Samuel 19:10 ESV 

Confused by the king's schizophrenic behavior, David ran for his life and sought refuge among the enemies of Israel. For some unexplained reason, he showed up in the city of Gath, the hometown of Goliath the Philistine, but the reception he received was less than welcoming.

So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men. – 1 Samuel 22:1-2 NLT

From the royal courtroom to the dank confines of a cave, David's fall from grace had been great. Months earlier, David could hear people singing songs about his exploits against Goliath and his victories over the Philistines. Now, he was persona non grata, a social pariah living like a fugitive from justice and surrounded by a ragtag group of disgruntled debtors, rebels, and malcontents. 

It was while living in this less-than-ideal circumstance that David wrote this psalm. 

I cry out to the LORD;
    I plead for the LORD’s mercy.
I pour out my complaints before him
    and tell him all my troubles. – Psalm 142:1-2 NLT

As David sat in the dark recesses of his literal “hole-in-the-wall” home, he poured out his heart to Yahweh, bearing his soul to the only one who could make a difference. He no longer had access to his mentor Samuel. He had been forced to leave his wife and his best friend behind. Jonathan, the son of Saul, had tried to restore the broken relationship between David and his father, but had failed. Now, with no one to turn to except the LORD, David held nothing back. In another psalm, written during the same difficult time, David expressed his need for Yahweh's help.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
    I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
    until the danger passes by. – Psalm 57:1 NLT   

Despite the presence of his family and a committed cohort of 400 men, David felt abandoned and alone. He was confused and unable to comprehend how his world had fallen apart so quickly. As he looked back on his anointing by the prophet Samuel, he must have questioned its meaning. Nothing made sense. His fall from grace had been quick, unexpected, and, from David's perspective, undeserved. On one occasion, David questions his friend and confidant, Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?” (1 Samuel 20:1 NLT). 

However, despite his many questions, David remained steadfast in his belief in Yahweh's sovereignty and providence. 

When my spirit faints within me,
    you know my way! – Psalm 142:3 NLT

David was confident that his all-seeing, all-knowing God was well aware of his predicament and had a plan in place. No matter how dire the circumstances were, David knew Yahweh was in control and would protect and deliver him.

My heart is confident in you, O God;
    my heart is confident. – Psalm 57:7 NLT

However, David’s confidence in God did not prevent him from voicing his concerns. Fear is not always a sign of a lack of faith; it may simply be momentary doubt in the face of mounting pressure. David knew he could be honest with God and expressed his feelings in blunt language meant to convey his confusion and uncertainty.  

Wherever I go,
    my enemies have set traps for me.
I look for someone to come and help me,
    but no one gives me a passing thought!
No one will help me;
    no one cares a bit what happens to me. – Psalm 142:3-4 NLT

My enemies have set a trap for me.
    I am weary from distress.
They have dug a deep pit in my path… – Psalm 57:6 NLT

David didn't attempt to sugarcoat his doubts with overly optimistic, glass-half-full rhetoric that sounded pious but lacked sincerity. He wasn’t trying to impress Yahweh with his faith; he was calling on Yahweh’s faithfulness. 

Then I pray to you, O LORD.
    I say, “You are my place of refuge.
    You are all I really want in life.” – Psalm 142:5 NLT

I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. – Psalm 57:2 NLT

When facing difficulty and uncertainty, David had learned to turn to Yahweh. The presence of problems caused David to seek the presence and power of God. Long before David took the life of Goliath, he knew he wasn't a giant slayer. He was just a shepherd boy who had learned to face life’s problems by leaning on the power of God. 

“I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” – 1 Samuel 17:34-37 NLT

Even in the darkness of the cave, David could see the light of God’s presence and hope in His deliverance. He was brutally honest about his conditions. 

I am surrounded by fierce lions
    who greedily devour human prey—
whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows,
    and whose tongues cut like swords. – Psalm 57:4 NLT

But his God was greater than his biggest problem. 

For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
    Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. – Psalm 57:10 NLT

No matter how bad things got, David maintained his confidence in God's goodness, glory, and greatness. For David, problems were an opportunity to witness Yahweh's power on display. That doesn't mean he sought out trouble or welcomed it with open arms, but when it inevitably showed up, he expected Yahweh not to be far behind. He had learned to view difficulty as an opportunity to witness God's deliverance. The Goliaths of life were not a problem for God. Lion, bears, and giants were no match for the God of the universe. 

In another of his psalms, David expressed his confidence in God's constant presence, even in the darkest moments of life.

…even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you. – Psalm 139:12 NLT   

David could hide from Saul in one of the many caves dotting the Judean landscape, but he knew there was nothing hidden from the all-seeing eyes of Yahweh. 

I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
    if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me,
    and your strength will support me. – Psalm 139:7-10 NLT

In the cave, Yahweh was there. In the face of doubt and fear, Yahweh was there. Entrapped, surrounded, hunted, and hounded, Yahweh was there. And David knew Yahweh cared. That is why he could confidently say, “Bring me out of prison so I can thank you” (Psalm 142:7 NLT).

Father, I want to trust You more. But I realize that trust is built in those moments where fear raises its ugly head and I doubt Your presence and power. It’s when I can’t see You that I am forced to trust You. It is when the difficulties of this world become overwhelming and insurmountable that I am forced to trust in Your strength and not my own. Help me to see the “caves” of my life as sanctuariies of Your presence; places where I can worship the light of Your goodness and greatness in the darkest moments of my life. I want to say with David, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life” (Psalm 142:5 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Self-Inflicted Sin of Self-Reliance

A Psalm of David.

1 O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!
    Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
    and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
    keep watch over the door of my lips!
4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
    and let me not eat of their delicacies!

5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
    let my head not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
6 When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
    then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7 As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

8 But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;
    in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
    and from the snares of evildoers!
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by safely. – Psalm 141:1-10 ESV

David was a man well acquainted with conflict, difficulty, and suffering. His life had been a roller-coaster existence with more than its fair share of ups and downs and twists and turns. He had risen from obscurity as a lowly shepherd in his father's house to rock star status as the slayer of the Philistinian champion, Goliath. He became so popular among the people of Israel that they sang songs about him. But his notoriety came at a high price because the higher his reputation soared, the greater King Saul's jealousy rose. Saul viewed David as a threat to his reign and repeatedly attempted to have him executed, ultimately forcing David into a life of exile.     

During his days as a fugitive with a bounty on his head, David had experienced many victories over Israel's enemies. Yet, he had also been betrayed and sold out by those who wanted to win favor with the king. He had been lied to, hunted like a criminal, robbed of his reputation, denied access to his wife, and forced to seek shelter in caves. 

Even when he became the king of Israel, David’s difficulties continued. His highly dysfunctional family was fraught with internecine conflict, including deceit, rape, murder, and betrayal. Two of his sons attempted to overthrow him and seize his throne. And he faced no shortage of external threats, forcing him to spend much of his reign fighting ongoing wars with the enemies of Israel.

Over the years, due to the seemingly endless wave of hardships, David had learned to seek the LORD’s help. Despite his reputation as a warrior, he knew he needed divine assistance if he was going to weather the storms of life. So, when David wrote this psalm, he opened it with a petition for Yahweh to treat his prayer as an offering. For David, turning to God was an act of willful submission and worship. 

O LORD, I am calling to you. Please hurry!
    Listen when I cry to you for help!
Accept my prayer as incense offered to you,
    and my upraised hands as an evening offering. – Psalm 141:1-2 NLT

But David wasn't just asking Yahweh to deliver him from the cares of life; he wanted divine help in avoiding the pitfalls that often accompany trials. David knew himself well and recognized his propensity to allow the sins committed against him to produce sin within him. That is why he asks Yahweh to guard his tongue and govern his conduct.

Take control of what I say, O Lord,
    and guard my lips.
Don’t let me drift toward evil
    or take part in acts of wickedness.
Don’t let me share in the delicacies
    of those who do wrong. – Psalm 141:3-4 NLT

When being attacked physically or verbally, it is only natural to respond in kind. Man’s predisposition is toward self-defense and retaliation. But David knew that responding to evil with evil was unacceptable. It was the apostle Peter who wrote: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9 BSB). Though he wrote this statement in the 1st century, it was based on an Old Testament teaching found in the Book of Proverbs.

Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.”
    Wait for the LORD to handle the matter. – Proverbs 20:22 NLT

In an earlier psalm, David expressed his understanding of this concept and his desire to trust God rather than allowing anger and rash actions to lead to further sin.

Be still in the presence of the Lord,
    and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
    or fret about their wicked schemes.

Stop being angry!
    Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
    it only leads to harm.
For the wicked will be destroyed,
    but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. – Psalm 37:7-9 NLT

But David seemed to know that anger management without God's help was impossible. He was an impulsive man with a tendency to speak first and respond quickly, but he had learned that waiting on the LORD produced far better outcomes in the long run. He had even learned the difficult lesson of accepting the rebuke of a loving friend. During his lifetime, David had numerous encounters with those who attempted to speak into his life, offering wise words in moments of crisis. 

Nathan the prophet had confronted David after his sin with Bathsheba. Joab provided him with blunt but much-needed counsel regarding his excessive and prolonged mourning after the death of his son, Absalom. In the aftermath of Absalom's failed coup, David refused to rejoice over the restoration of his kingdom, forcing Joab to deliver a harsh assessment of his actions.

“We saved your life today and the lives of your sons, your daughters, and your wives and concubines. Yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed of ourselves. You seem to love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that your commanders and troops mean nothing to you. It seems that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be pleased. Now go out there and congratulate your troops, for I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a single one of them will remain here tonight. Then you will be worse off than ever before.” - 2 Samuel 19:5-7 NLT

David learned that God often speaks through others, which led him to declare, “Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it” (Psalm 141:5 ESV). This same sentiment is expressed in the Book of Proverbs.

Better is open rebuke
    than hidden love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
    profuse are the kisses of an enemy. – Proverbs 27:5-6 NLT

Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
    than he who flatters with his tongue. – Proverbs 28:23 NLT

…correct the wise,
    and they will love you.
Instruct the wise,
    and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
    and they will learn even more. – Proverbs 9:8-9 NLT

David wanted to say and do the right thing. He deeply desired to respond to wickedness with godliness. He was a man who understood his weaknesses and was quick to rely on Yahweh's help, so that unwanted suffering would not lead to unnecessary sin.

But this reliance upon Yahweh did not prevent David from expressing his desire for judgment on his enemies. He reminds the LORD, “I pray constantly against the wicked and their deeds” (Psalm 141:5 NLT). This is an honest acknowledgment that expresses his understanding of Yahweh's sovereignty. David would have been very familiar with the promise Yahweh gave to the people of Israel. 

“Vengeance is mine, and recompense,
    for the time when their foot shall slip;
for the day of their calamity is at hand,
    and their doom comes swiftly.” – Deuteronomy 32:35 ESV

David was simply echoing Yahweh's words back to Him, and expressing his desire that the guilty party not just slip but get a helpful push over the edge.

When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff,
    the wicked will listen to my words and find them true. – Psalm 141:6 NLT

David was looking for vengeance and vindication. He wanted to be proven right by having his adversaries exposed as wrong. Their judgment would be his justification. Their demise would be his ultimate defense. But as David waited for Yahweh to act, he prayed not only for God to protect him, but to prevent him from doing anything rash or unrighteous — in word or deed. 

I look to you for help, O Sovereign LORD.
    You are my refuge; don’t let them kill me.
Keep me from the traps they have set for me,
    from the snares of those who do wrong.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    but let me escape. – Psalm 141:8-10 NLT

David knew that trials and difficulties were an unavoidable part of living life in a fallen world. He would always have enemies and faced the constant temptation to let their sins against him produce sin within him. So, he turned to the LORD. David knew God could protect him from the sinful acts of others, but he also knew God could prevent him from the self-inflicted sin of self-reliance. 

In another of his many psalms, David expressed his belief in Yahweh's faithfulness to preserve His own. The introduction to this psalm states that it was written “when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.” After years of running, countless threats against his life, and numerous temptations to return evil for evil, David was able to express his confidence in Yahweh's sovereign ability to not only protect him but also to prevent him from doing wrong. 

To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
    to those with integrity you show integrity.
To the pure you show yourself pure,
    but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
You rescue the humble,
    but you humiliate the proud.
You light a lamp for me.
    The LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.
In your strength I can crush an army;
    with my God I can scale any wall. – Psalm 18:25-29 NLT

Father, you helped David, and you continue to do the same for me. But far too often, while I long for your deliverance from difficulty, I don't ask for Your help in preventing suffering from producing sin in my life. I get angry. I seek vengeance. I think evil thoughts. I respond in un-Christlike ways. Like David, I ask you to take control of what I say and guard my lips. I want to trust You more and rest in the assurance that you can not only protect me from harm but prevent me from responding in sin. I want to be a man of integrity, purity, and humility, no matter the circumstances I face. But I know that is impossible without Your help. With David, I say, “I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord. You are my refuge” (Psalm 141:8 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I Will Sing of My Redeemer

1 By the waters of Babylon,
there we sat down and wept,
when we remembered Zion.
2 On the willows there
we hung up our lyres.
3 For there our captors
required of us songs,
and our tormentors, mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How shall we sing the Lord's song
in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand forget its skill!
6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
above my highest joy!

7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites
the day of Jerusalem,
how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,
down to its foundations!”
8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,
blessed shall he be who repays you
with what you have done to us!
9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones
and dashes them against the rock. – Psalm 137:1-9 ESV

This psalm is a song of lament, written sometime after the fall of Jerusalem to Babylonian invaders in 587 B.C.. After a 30-month-long siege, the city’s inhabitants were on the brink of starvation, a fact that the prophet Jeremiah describes in great detail in the Book of Lamentations.

See how the precious children of Jerusalem,
worth their weight in fine gold,
are now treated like pots of clay
made by a common potter.

Even the jackals feed their young,
but not my people Israel.
They ignore their children’s cries,
like ostriches in the desert.

The parched tongues of their little ones
stick to the roofs of their mouths in thirst.
The children cry for bread,
but no one has any to give them.

The people who once ate the richest foods
now beg in the streets for anything they can get.
Those who once wore the finest clothes
now search the garbage dumps for food.

The guilt of my people
is greater than that of Sodom,
where utter disaster struck in a moment
and no hand offered help.

Our princes once glowed with health—
brighter than snow, whiter than milk.
Their faces were as ruddy as rubies,
their appearance like fine jewels.

But now their faces are blacker than soot.
No one recognizes them in the streets.
Their skin sticks to their bones;
it is as dry and hard as wood.

Those killed by the sword are better off
than those who die of hunger.
Starving, they waste away
for lack of food from the fields.– Lamentations 4:2-9 NLT

Eventually, the Babylonians breached the city's walls.

By July 18 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, the famine in the city had become very severe, and the last of the food was entirely gone.Then a section of the city wall was broken down. Since the city was surrounded by the Babylonians… 2 Kings 25:3-4 NLT

After a slight delay, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the wanton destruction of Jerusalem and the capture of many of its citizens, who were taken back to Babylon as slaves. 

On August 14 of that year,which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard and an official of the Babylonian king, arrived in Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He destroyed all the important buildings in the city. Then he supervised the entire Babylonian army as they tore down the walls of Jerusalem on every side. Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took as exiles the rest of the people who remained in the city, the defectors who had declared their allegiance to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population. But the captain of the guard allowed some of the poorest people to stay behind to care for the vineyards and fields.– 2 Kings 25:8-12 NLT

The psalmist picks up the story sometime after the exiles arrived in Babylon. He describes them as weeping beside the rivers of Babylon, as they considered the full weight of their devastating circumstances. The depth of their sorrow is reflected in their decision to ban all music.    

We put away our harps,
hanging them on the branches of poplar trees.
For our captors demanded a song from us.– Psalm 137:2-3 NLT

Mocked relentlessly by their Babylonian overlords, the exiles mourned and wept in silence, refusing to assuage their grief with songs. This sad state of affairs should not have been a surprise to them, because Yahweh had warned it would happen.

“And now the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Because you have not listened to me, I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as my deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin forever. I will take away your happy singing and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard. Your millstones will fall silent, and the lights in your homes will go out.This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.” – Ezekiel 25:8-11 NLT

The former citizens of Jerusalem justified their actions, saying, “How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a pagan land?” (Psalm 137:4 NLT). From their perspective, they had no reason to sing. Their city had been destroyed, their homes burned, the Temple plundered and reduced to rubble, and they had been chained and forced-marched all the way to Babylon, where they would spend the next seven decades as slaves. Even if Yahweh's promise was true, and they would return to Jerusalem after 70 years, many of them knew they would never live long enough to see that day. 

Yet, the psalmist refused to give up. He couldn’t bring himself to give up and give in to despair. He wasn't minimizing their situation; he was simply attempting to remind himself and his fellow exiles that they still had reason to hope. 

If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand forget how to play the harp.
May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.– Psalm 137:5-6 NLT

When the Babylonians shouted, “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!” (Psalm 137:3 NLT), they were mocking the Israelites' practice of singing the songs of ascent as they made their annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem during the feast days. The psalms were designed to remind the Israelites of the unique status of Jerusalem, not just as their national capital, but as the home of the Temple, considered to be Yahweh's earthly dwelling place. As they made their way up the paths to Mount Zion, they could see the glorious Temple, which stood as a reminder that they served a holy, all-powerful, and covenant-keeping God.

I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth!– Psalm 121:1-2 NLT

The LORD keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.– Psalm 121:7-8 NLT

What if the LORD had not been on our side?
Let all Israel repeat:
What if the LORDhad not been on our side
when people attacked us?
They would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger.
The waters would have engulfed us;
a torrent would have overwhelmed us.
Yes, the raging waters of their fury
would have overwhelmed our very lives.– Psalm 124:1-5 NLT

But now, they sat by the rivers of Babylon, engulfed and overwhelmed by the reality that their God had not saved them. He had not been on their side. As they had walked away from Jerusalem in chains, their minds were seared with the parting image of their once-glorious Temple in ruins and their impregnable city reduced to rubble. 

But the psalmist wanted to remember Jerusalem as it had been before the Babylonians arrived. He longed to relish the halcyon days when Yahweh's Shekinah glory dwelled above the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies. He still held out hope that their God had not completely abandoned them. While their circumstances were bleak and their chances for survival seemed slim, he believed that Yahweh was still on His throne and would remain faithful to His covenant promises. He offered up a prayer to the LORD, begging Him to remember what the Edomites said as they gleefully witnessed the fall of Jerusalem.

O LORD, remember what the Edomites did
on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem.
“Destroy it!” they yelled.
“Level it to the ground!” – Psalm 137:7 NLT

The Edomites were descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob, and thus blood relatives of the Israelites. But the Edomites held a long-standing grudge against Jacob's progeny, and rejoiced in their destruction. The sight of Jerusalem being invaded by Babylonian troops spurred the Edomites to demand its complete destruction. They wanted the Israelites and their capital city wiped off the face of the earth. 

The psalmist called on Yahweh to act. Surely, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would not stand back and allow His chosen people to suffer permanent extinction. He had heard the cries of the prophets, warning the Israelites to repent of their sins or face God’s judgment, and he had lived to experience it firsthand. But he had also heard the prophets speak of God’s promise to redeem and restore them.

This is what the LORD says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the LORD. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” – Jeremiah 29:10-14 NLT

He might not live to see that day, but he was willing to trust that the LORD would bring it about. With the words of the prophet Jeremiah ringing in his ears, the psalmist expressed his belief that Yahweh would do what He promised to do.

“Listen to this message from the LORD,
    you nations of the world;
    proclaim it in distant coastlands:
The LORD, who scattered his people,
    will gather them and watch over them
    as a shepherd does his flock.
For the LORD has redeemed Israel
    from those too strong for them.
They will come home and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem.” – Jeremiah 31:10-12 NLT

Notice the emphasis on songs of joy. While the Babylonians mocked the Israelites' songs of ascent, the psalmist focused on the day when singing would be renewed because of God’s faithfulness. The highways and byways surrounding Jerusalem would once again ring with joyful praise as the Israelites made their way to a restored city and a rebuilt Temple, where they would enjoy a renewed relationship with their God. This news, coupled with Jeremiah's prediction of Babylon's eventual fall, produced hope in the heart of the psalmist.

“How Babylon is fallen—
great Babylon, praised throughout the earth!
Now she has become an object of horror
among the nations.
The sea has risen over Babylon;
she is covered by its crashing waves.
Her cities now lie in ruins;
she is a dry wasteland
where no one lives or even passes by. – Jeremiah 51:41-43 NLT

The tables will be turned, and the fortunes of Israel and Babylon will be reversed, which led the psalmist to end his song with an exuberant, if not macabre, refrain of praise and rejoicing.

O Babylon, you will be destroyed.
    Happy is the one who pays you back
    for what you have done to us.
Happy is the one who takes your babies
    and smashes them against the rocks! – Psalm 137:8-9 NLT

Father, when times get tough, it can be difficult to sing Your praises. Suffering seems to cause short-term memory loss, leaving us unable to recall Your many acts of grace, mercy, kindness, and love. Dark days can produce a cloudy recollection of Your power and providential provision of all our needs. We can find ourselves sitting by our “rivers of Babylon,” whining about our lot in life rather than singing about Your glory and goodness. Help me keep a song on my lips at all times because You are forever faithful, all-powerful, never unaware of my circumstances, and . always ready to act on my behalf. I have plenty of reasons to sing Your praises even when I can't sense Your presence. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Worthy of Praise

1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD,
    give praise, O servants of the LORD,
2 who stand in the house of the LORD,
    in the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
    sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel as his own possession.

5 For I know that the LORD is great,
    and that our LORD is above all gods.
6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does,
    in heaven and on earth,
    in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
    who makes lightnings for the rain
    and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    both of man and of beast;
9 who in your midst, O Egypt,
    sent signs and wonders
    against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10 who struck down many nations
    and killed mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    and Og, king of Bashan,
    and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and gave their land as a heritage,
    a heritage to his people Israel.

13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever,
    your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages.
14 For the LORD will vindicate his people
    and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
    they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
    nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
    so do all who trust in them.

19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD!
    O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!
20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD!
    You who fear the Lord, bless the LORD!
21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion,
    he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 135:1-21 ESV

Psalm 135 is yet another example of a Hallel or praise psalm. These psalms derive their designation from their repeated use of the word “praise,” which in Hebrew is hālal. It means “to praise” or “to boast,” and in these psalms, the focus of that praise is always on the LORD. 

Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good… – Psalm 135:3 NLT

The psalmist’s call for praise begins in the house of the LORD and is directed at the Levitical priests, musicians, and caretakers of the Temple. These men had the privilege of serving Yahweh by performing their sacred duties in the house that bore His name. Their jobs were essential for administering the sacrificial system that Yahweh had ordained. Without it, the people of Israel would have no means of receiving atonement for their sins. The entire religious apparatus of Israel was built upon the sacrificial system, which was dependent upon the abiding presence of Yahweh. Centuries earlier, long before there was a Temple or the city of Jerusalem, Yahweh had commanded Moses to construct a Tabernacle in which He would reside.

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.” – Exodus 25:8 NLT

Within the Tabernacle, in the Holy of Holies, Moses was to place the Ark of the Covenant, a gold-encrusted box containing the Ten Commandments, Aaron's staff, and a jar of manna. The lid on this sacred piece of furniture was called the Mercy Seat, and Yahweh said, “I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel” (Exodus 25:22 NLT).

Yahweh provided Moses with the plans for the Tabernacle as well as the instructions for administering the sacrificial system. Nothing was left to chance or up to the whims of the people; it was all divinely ordained, from the nature of the burnt offerings to the design of the priests’ robes. Yahweh had determined every detail concerning the Tabernacle and its functionality to ensure that His people could enjoy His ongoing presence, but, more importantly, experience the atonement for their sins that made a relationship with Him possible.    

“These burnt offerings are to be made each day from generation to generation. Offer them in the LORD’s presence at the Tabernacle entrance; there I will meet with you and speak with you.  I will meet the people of Israel there, in the place made holy by my glorious presence. Yes, I will consecrate the Tabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, and they will know that I am the LORD their God. I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the Lord their God.” – Exodus 29:42-46 NLT

The psalmist reminds all the people of Israel of their unique status as Yahweh’s treasured possession.

For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel for his own special treasure. – Psalm 135:4 NLT

He uses the two names of their ancestral progenitor, reminding his audience that they were the beneficiaries of the promise Yahweh had made to Jacob. 

“I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants.” – Genesis 28:13-14 NLT

Years later, Yahweh reaffirmed His covenant promise to Jacob and provided him with a new name in the process. 

“Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your name will be Israel.” So God renamed him Israel.

Then God said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.” – Genesis 35:10-12 NLT

The psalmist reminds his fellow Israelites that they were the fulfillment of that promise. Yahweh had kept His word and produced from Jacob a great nation that occupied the land He had promised as their inheritance. Because of Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness, the psalmist declares, “I know that the LORD is great, and that our LORD is above all gods” (Psalm 135:5 ESV).

Everything in Israel's history pointed to the reliability and supremacy of Yahweh. He wasn't just another god among many; He was the one true God, and was worthy of their praise, honor, and worship. And as if to jog their memories and renew their understanding of Yahweh's greatness, he recites the tales of His past acts of intercession and deliverance.

He destroyed the firstborn in each Egyptian home,
    both people and animals.
He performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt
    against Pharaoh and all his people.
He struck down great nations
    and slaughtered mighty kings—
Sihon king of the Amorites,
    Og king of Bashan,
    and all the kings of Canaan.
He gave their land as an inheritance,
    a special possession to his people Israel. – Psalm 135:8-12 NLT

From their days of captivity in Egypt to their conquest of the land of Canaan, Yahweh had been with them, proving His presence through indisputable displays of power and provision. The ten plagues, the Red Sea crossing, the defeats of the armies of Egypt, and the victories over the nations of Canaan had all been Yahweh's doing. 

These stories were well-known to the people of Israel, but were intended to be more than tales from the past. They were to serve as evidence of Yahweh’s unchanging character and unwavering commitment to His people. Times may have changed, but their God had not. He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

Your name, O LORD, endures forever;
    your fame, O LORD, is known to every generation. – Psalm 135:13 NLT

What Yahweh did for Moses and the ragtag remnant of Israelites who escaped Egypt and conquered the promised land, He could do again for His chosen people. The victories over superior enemies that Joshua and the people of Israel experienced were still possible because Yahweh remained just as powerful and capable as ever.

For the LORD will give justice to his people
    and have compassion on his servants. – Psalm 135:14 NLT

Yahweh is worthy of praise because He is the just, righteous, compassionate, faithful, and covenant-keeping God. He never reneges on a promise or fails to keep His word. He is reliable, trustworthy, personal, mighty, consistent, patient, and loving. 

The very next psalm echoes this idea of Yahweh's goodness and enduring, never-failing love.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever. – Psalm 136: 1-3 NLT

He is “the God of gods,” a distinction that Psalm 135 amplifies by comparing Yahweh with the worthless, unreliable gods of the nations. 

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold,
    shaped by human hands.
They have mouths but cannot speak,
    and eyes but cannot see.
They have ears but cannot hear,
    and mouths but cannot breathe.
And those who make idols are just like them,
    as are all who trust in them. – Psalm 135:15-18 NLT

These mute, blind, and powerless figments of men's imagination aren’t gods at all. They are helpless, hopeless substitutes for the one true God. In his letter to the believers in Rome, the apostle Paul disclosed the genesis behind mankind's love affair with false gods by exposing their rejection of the real God. 

They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. – Romans 1:19-23 NLT

The psalmist points out the idiocy of idolatry, not to ridicule their pagan neighbors, but to remind the Israelites of their own sordid track record of pursuing the same powerless substitutes for Yahweh. From the very beginning, Yahweh had warned them about making replacement gods.

“You must not have any other god but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.” – Exodus 20:3-5 NLT

But they had disobeyed. Yet, Yahweh still considered them as His treasured possession. He had punished them for their sin and rebellion, but had not abandoned them. He remained their God, and they remained His people. And this amazing fact led the psalmist to issue a corporate call to praise Yahweh for His faithfulness, patience, and love. 

O Israel, praise the LORD!
    O priests—descendants of Aaron—praise the LORD!
O Levites, praise the LORD!
    All you who fear the LORD, praise the LORD! – Psalm 135:19-20 NLT

This psalm reflects an understanding that Yahweh alone is the source of all hope and deliverance. It is a reminder of God's goodness and faithfulness. He has been and always will be worthy of praise. His promises never fail because His nature never changes. The psalmist was convinced of Yahweh’s unchanging character and prepared to praise Him for not only His past providence but for the fulfillment of His promises that lie in the distant future. 

According to Yahweh's word, He will once again establish the city of Jerusalem as His permanent dwelling place. The day is coming when He will restore His people to their land and dwell among them. Despite their unfaithfulness, He will remain faithful. He will once again prove to be their refuge and strength. Because that is the kind of God we worship and serve. He is reliable and trustworthy. He is faithful and true. He is a covenant-keeping God who never abandons those He loves. No matter how bleak the circumstances may look, God is there. He is working behind the scenes in ways we can't see. He is faithfully and perfectly working out His divine plan. He is our refuge and strength.

Father, You can be trusted. You are always faithful. Your love for us never fails. Your plans for us never get derailed. You are and always will be our refuge and strength in times of trouble. So there is no reason for us to fear. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The LORD is Faithful

A Song of Ascents.

1 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—
    let Israel now say—
2 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
    yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back;
    they made long their furrows.”
4 The LORD is righteous;
    he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion
    be put to shame and turned backward!
6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
    which withers before it grows up,
7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand
    nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8 nor do those who pass by say,
    “The blessing of the LORD be upon you!
    We bless you in the name of the LORD!” – Psalm 129:1-8 ESV

As this psalm was sung by the pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem for one of the three annual feasts, it was meant to celebrate the many times Yahweh had delivered them from their enemies. The song begins with the repeated line, “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth…” This personification of Israel’s past difficulties was intended to remind the pilgrims that when the nation suffers, they suffer. By putting the words in their mouths, the psalmist drives home the point that, when the nation is delivered by Yahweh, they are the beneficiaries. They were Israel. 

It’s essential to recall how the nation of Israel got its name. It dates back to the story of Jacob, one of Isaac's sons. After having cheated his brother Esau out of his birthright and then deceiving his father to receive the blessing of the firstborn, Jacob was forced to escape the wrath of his betrayed brother by fleeing to his mother's relatives in Paddan-aram. On his journey, Jacob had a dream in which Yahweh delivered the following message:

“I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” – Genesis 28:13-15 NLT

While his stay in Paddan-aram was a lengthy one, and marked by further deceit and subterfuge, Jacob prospered. He ended up with two wives and 13 children, and, through a carefully planned strategy of deception, he amassed a large flock of sheep and goats that had once belonged to his uncle Laban. But in time, Jacob received another message from Yahweh.

“Return to the land of your father and grandfather and to your relatives there, and I will be with you.” – Genesis 31:3 NLT

As Jacob made his way home, he got into an argument with a stranger he met along the way. One evening, this “man” showed up unexpectedly and “wrestled with him until the dawn began to break” (Genesis 32:24 NLT). No explanation is given as to who the man was or why he picked a fight with Jacob, but the text states, “When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket” (Genesis 32:25 NLT).

This bizarre nocturnal wrestling match was a stalemate, and it was only when Jacob's hip was dislocated and wrenched from its socket that he backed off. The man, attempting to bring the match to an end, said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” (Genesis 32:26 NLT). But Jacob refused and demanded to receive a blessing from his unidentified foe. 

“I will not let you go unless you bless me.” – Genesis 32:26 NLT

It is not clear why Jacob made such a demand, but his opponent responded by asking Jacob his name. Then he delivered the following message:

“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” – Genesis 32:28 ESV

Not only did Jacob receive a dislocated hip, but he got a new name. In Hebrew, his name became yiśrā'ēl, which is derived from  śārâ, which means “to contend” or “to persevere,” and 'ēl, which translates into “God.” There is debate over how to translate this new name, with some suggesting “one who struggles with God” and others opting for “God strives.” But the bottom line is that Jacob had gone to the mat with the Almighty and lived to tell about it. His entire life had been a wrestling match with God as he attempted to fulfill God's promise through human means. Jacob had used deception and trickery to bring about the promise Yahweh had given to his mother. 

“The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.” – Genesis 25:23 NLT

Yahweh had assured Rebekah that her younger son would receive the blessing of the firstborn. Despite being the second to exit the womb, he would end up with the birthright reserved for the eldest in the family. This news contradicted all the established protocols for distributing the inheritance. But Yahweh was letting Rebekah know that He had other plans for Jacob and his brother Esau. Yet, Rebekah would ultimately try to help Yahweh by devising her own strategy for securing Jacob's future.  She and her son would ultimately resort to worldly means and deceptive plans to fulfill Yahweh’s will, and their scheme, while successful, would ultimately result in Jacob's exile and a fractured relationship with his brother. 

But Yahweh was not deterred by their actions. His promise remained in place, and His plans for Jacob were as solid as they had ever been. The exiled son returned home and eventually became the father of 12 sons whose descendants would become the 12 tribes of Israel. 

The pilgrims who made their way to Jerusalem singing the words of this song were all members of one of the tribes of Israel. They were descendants of Jacob the deceiver. But Yahweh had blessed them despite this fact. Yes, they had suffered many things in their long history as God's chosen people, but He had persevered with them. He had never forsaken them. 

The psalmist describes the suffering of the Israelites using agricultural language. 

The plowers plowed upon my back;
    they made long their furrows.”
The LORD is righteous;
    he has cut the cords of the wicked. – Psalm 129:3-4 NLT

These agrarian people could relate to the sight of plow marks across a barren field. This image was meant to illustrate their own suffering at the hands of their enemies. The New Living Translation puts it this way: “My back is covered with cuts, as if a farmer had plowed long furrows.” But despite their suffering, Yahweh had proven to be their faithful deliverer. 

But the LORD is good;
    he has cut me free from the ropes of the ungodly. – Psalm 129:4 NLT

Like their patriarch, Jacob, the Israelites were guilty of deception and dishonesty. They had failed to trust Yahweh and place their hope in His covenant promises. Instead, they had devised their own plans for living blessed lives. They replaced Yahweh's will with their own and ultimately suffered the consequences. 

This led the psalmist to call his fellow Israelites to place their hope and trust in Yahweh. Without Him, they would never have become a nation. Without His ongoing help, they would cease to exist as a nation. That is why he penned the words, “May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward!” (Psalm 129:5 ESV).

This refrain was intended to express the Israelites’ dependence upon Yahweh. It is a cry for Him to mete out justice and vengeance against all those who would wish harm on them. For anyone to hate Zion was like a declaration of war against Yahweh and His people. Zion was the mountain of God on which the Temple of the LORD sat. It was the location of Jerusalem, the city of David, and the capital of the Hebrew people. 

This song begs Yahweh to continue striving on behalf of His people. It describes the enemies of God as seeds of wheat that blew onto the rooftops and sprouted, only to die in the heat of the sun. They were misplaced and “as useless as grass on a rooftop, turning yellow when only half grown,  ignored by the harvester, despised by the binder” (Psalm 129:6-7 NLT). 

The Israelites had no reason to worry about their enemies because Yahweh was in complete control. He would take care of their adversaries, denying all those who opposed His chosen people any hope of receiving His blessing. 

…may those who pass by
    refuse to give them this blessing:
“The LORD bless you;
    we bless you in the LORD’s name.” – Psalm 129:8 NLT

Yahweh had reserved the blessing of the firstborn for Jacob, and He had promised Jacob that, not only would he be blessed, but he would be a blessing.

“Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go.” – Genesis 28:14-15 NLT

Yahweh had kept His word to Jacob, and He would keep His covenant commitment to Israel. They had been blessed by Yahweh and would continue to enjoy His presence, power, and provision because He was faithful and a covenant-keeping God. 

Father, I am always amazed when I look back and see Your track record of faithfulness to Your people. The Scriptures are filled with example after example of Your unfailing love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. You are patient, persevering, compassionate, longsuffering, and wholeheartedly committed to keeping Your promises. Jacob couldn't improve on Your promises, but he couldn't screw them up either. The people of Israel did everything in their power to derail and disavow Your covenant promises, but You remained faithful. And You will continue to remain faithful until each and every one of Your promises is fulfilled. Thank You for who You are and all that You have promised to do. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Learning to Wait on God

A Song of Ascents. 

1 To you I lift up my eyes,
    O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
    look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
    to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
    till he has mercy upon us.

3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
    for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than enough
    of the scorn of those who are at ease,
    of the contempt of the proud. – Psalm 123:1-4 ESV

In the previous psalm, David focused his attention on Jerusalem, which he referred to as “the house of the LORD” (Psalm 122:1 ESV). He reveled in his privilege to call the city his home and the dwelling place of Yahweh. But in this psalm, the author turns his attention to heaven, where Yahweh is enthroned. He seems to paint a different picture of God's presence, describing Him as somewhat distant and remote. He has a more transcendent view of Yahweh, and it seems to be related to the current circumstances surrounding the people of Israel. 

Describing their situation in desperate terms, he cries out to Yahweh for mercy. 

We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy… – Psalm 123:2 NLT

Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy,
    for we have had our fill of contempt. – Psalm 123:3 NLT

He provides little in the way of details, but leaves the impression that the nation of Israel is being treated with scorn and contempt by its enemies. The word “contempt” is bûz in Hebrew, and it carries the idea of disrespect and shame stemming from another's pride and arrogance. The enemies of Israel are casting dispersions on the people of God, denigrating them as a nation and showing disrespect for their God. The Israelites had witnessed this many times over the years. All the way back in Egypt, when Moses attempted to free them from their captivity, Pharaoh had responded, “And who is the LORD? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:2 NLT). 

Centuries later, King Sennacherib of Assyria threatened to destroy Jerusalem and warned its inhabitants that their God was too weak to deliver them from his hands.

“Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you by saying, ‘The LORD will rescue us!’ Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria? What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power? What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the LORD can rescue Jerusalem from me?” – Isaiah 36:18-20 NLT

Asaph, the author of the 73rd Psalm, described his frustration over the prideful arrogance of the wicked, who cast dispersions on Yahweh as they gloat about their own success. 

But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
    My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
For I envied the proud
    when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
They seem to live such painless lives;
    their bodies are so healthy and strong.
They don’t have troubles like other people;
    they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
    and clothe themselves with cruelty.
These fat cats have everything
    their hearts could ever wish for!
They scoff and speak only evil;
    in their pride they seek to crush others.
They boast against the very heavens,
    and their words strut throughout the earth.
And so the people are dismayed and confused,
    drinking in all their words.
“What does God know?” they ask.
    “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
Look at these wicked people—
    enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. – Psalm 73:2-12 NLT

The author of this psalm expresses his own growing frustration over the relentless ridicule of the godless. 

We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud
    and the contempt of the arrogant. – Psalm 123:4 NLT

His words convey a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness. He has had his fill of their disrespectful treatment, but is even more frustrated by his inability to do anything about it. So, he cries out to Yahweh for mercy. The Hebrew word for mercy is ḥānan, and it conveys the idea of favor, grace, and even pity. The psalmist calls on Yahweh like a slave would cry out to his master or a slave girl would look to her mistress for mercy. He is not suggesting that his relationship with God is that of a slave to his unjust and unmerciful master. He is simply describing his feeling of abject need and total dependence upon Yahweh for help. 

While the wicked cast dispersions on God's power and presence, the psalmist is casting his hope on Yahweh's favor, mercy, and pity. His God is enthroned in the heavens and sees all that is going on. Far from distant and disinterested, Yahweh is fully aware of what is going on and ready to do something about it. That is why the psalmist appeals to Him for mercy. Their lives are in Yahweh's hands, just as a slave is entirely dependent upon his master to meet all his needs.  

The psalmist describes their utter reliance upon Yahweh when he states, “our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us” (Psalm 123:2 ESV). This terminology is used throughout the Psalms to express a faith-based trust in the sovereign will of the Almighty. 

My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
    for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted. – Psalm 25:15-16 ESV

But my eyes are toward you, O God, my LORD;
    in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! – Psalm 141:8 ESV

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the LORD
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning. – Psalm 130:5-6 ESV

Each of these psalms reflects a patient reliance upon Yahweh even when things look bleak and hopeless. Rather than focusing on their circumstance, each author turns his attention to the LORD, whom he believes will intervene and rectify the situation. 

The apostle Peter recommended the same God-focused mindset, encouraging believers to cast all their worries, cares, and concerns on Him. However, Peter tied this reliance on God to a need for humility.

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:5-7 ESV

The psalmist illustrates what Peter had in mind, viewing himself as little more than a slave crying out to his master. He has no power of his own and no right to make demands of his master. There are no ultimatums given and no demands expressed. He simply asks that Yahweh show him unmerited mercy and favor. And he believes that His gracious LORD and Master will answer. 

Father, I can be a fairly demanding servant. I come to You far too often with a sense of entitlement, expecting You to give me what I want, when I want it. I tend to lack the attitude Peter talked about. Humility can be difficult and waiting can be next to impossible. Like the psalmist, I can get to the point where I have had my fill of the circumstance, and demand that You fix it, on my terms and according to my timeline. But I want to learn to wait expectantly, but also patiently. Forgive me for my presumption, impatience, and impertinence. Help me learn to fix my eyes on You so I can cast my cares on You. I spend far too much time focusing on my perceived problems, rather than fixing my eyes on the solution: You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Help Is On the Way

A Song of Ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
    who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is your keeper;
    the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
8 The LORD will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore. – Psalm 121:1-8 ESV

This psalm, the second in the songs of ascent, celebrates Yahweh’s undeniable and unfailing intervention in the lives of His chosen people. The author begins with a personal testimony to Yahweh's faithfulness in his own life.   

My help comes from the LORD,
    who made heaven and earth! – Psalm 121:2 NLT

He lifts his eyes to the hills surrounding Jerusalem, where the city sits on the heights of Mount Zion. That is where his help comes from because that is where the God of Israel chose to dwell in the Temple built by Solomon. 

“I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.” – 1 Kings 9:3 ESV

When Solomon finished his prayer of dedication for the newly opened Temple, Yahweh gave His new home His Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval in a dramatic and jaw-dropping fashion. 

As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD's house. When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” – 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 ESV

The psalmist viewed the Temple as God's dwelling place on earth, and Jerusalem was the city honored to contain this glory-filled residence of the Almighty. As he made his way to Jerusalem, he could see the Temple in all its glorious splendor, a fitting reminder of Yahweh's persistent presence and power. Poised on the precipice of Mount Zion, the Temple overlooked the Kidron Valley and stood as a symbol of hope and help to all who gazed upon it. 

But the psalmist wanted his audience to know that the Temple’s “royal resident” was more impressive than the building that housed His glory. Without Yahweh’s glory, the Temple was just another building. Its elaborate design and fixtures of gold and silver made it a sight to behold, but it was Yahweh who set the Temple apart. It was His presence that made the Temple holy and worthy of reverence. The occupant of their place of worship was not an idol made by human hands. He was not fashioned from clay, stone, or precious metal, but He was the one “who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2 ESV). 

The psalmist notes that Yahweh isn't a God who needs sleep or takes vacations. He doesn’t require assistance or periodic rest periods to regain His strength. This declaration by the psalmist echoes the words of the prophet Elijah, spoken to the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. As they cried out to their false god in a hopeless attempt to elicit his aid, Elijah mocked their futile efforts.

“You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!” – 1 Kings 18:27 NLT

The psalmist knew that Yahweh could be counted on. He reassuringly states, “He will not let you stumble” (Psalm 121:3 NLT). This somewhat obvious statement seems to point to the idiocy of idolatry. The Israelites didn’t worship a false god fashioned from wood that must be transported from one place to another by human hands. The God of Israel was a living being who was independent, transcendent, and all-powerful. He was unlike the gods of the pagans that the prophet Isaiah ridiculed mercilessly.

How foolish are those who manufacture idols.
    These prized objects are really worthless.
The people who worship idols don’t know this,
    so they are all put to shame.
Who but a fool would make his own god—
    an idol that cannot help him one bit?
All who worship idols will be disgraced
    along with all these craftsmen—mere humans—
    who claim they can make a god.
They may all stand together,
    but they will stand in terror and shame.

The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool,
    pounding and shaping it with all his might.
His work makes him hungry and weak.
    It makes him thirsty and faint.
13 Then the wood-carver measures a block of wood
    and draws a pattern on it.
He works with chisel and plane
    and carves it into a human figure.
He gives it human beauty
    and puts it in a little shrine.
He cuts down cedars;
    he selects the cypress and the oak;
he plants the pine in the forest
    to be nourished by the rain.
Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire.
    With it he warms himself and bakes his bread.
Then—yes, it’s true—he takes the rest of it
    and makes himself a god to worship!
He makes an idol
    and bows down in front of it!
He burns part of the tree to roast his meat
    and to keep himself warm.
    He says, “Ah, that fire feels good.”
Then he takes what’s left
    and makes his god: a carved idol!
He falls down in front of it,
    worshiping and praying to it.
“Rescue me!” he says.
    “You are my god!” – Isaiah 44:9-17 NLT

Yahweh is reliable and fully capable of rescuing His children at all times. He watches over them constantly, protecting them from harm and providing all they need to survive in a dangerous world. In a harsh environment where the heat of the sun could kill a man, Yahweh served as a source of shade and comfort. He stood between His children and anything that could harm them. 

The LORD himself watches over you!
    The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night. – Psalm 121:5-6 NLT

Day and night, Yahweh stood like a sleepless sentinel, watching over His chosen people. This imagery conjures up His appearance before the Israelites during their escape from Egypt and their journey to the promised land. 

The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. And the LORD did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people. – Exodus 13:21-22 NLT

Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night. – Exodus 14:19-20 NLT

The same God who delivered the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt was still watching over His people centuries later. His glory and power had not diminished, and His presence was just as palpable and reliable as ever.  This truth led the psalmist to end his song with an uplifting stanza that celebrates Yahweh’s unwavering capacity to care for His people.

The LORD keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever. – Psalm 121:7-8 NLT

“The spirit of the psalm is to evoke trust in Yahweh, the Keeper of the pilgrim, and the Keeper of Israel, the Maker of heaven and earth. Often things that happen in the life of the pilgrim would not be his or her choice. But the psalm is not pointing in this direction. The direction is upward, toward God. The believer must recognize that life is a gift from God, the Giver of life. The pilgrim can rest confidently, knowing that God’s glory will prevail, and that justice . . . and righteousness . . . will ultimately rule.” – David G. Barker, “‘The Lord Watches over You’: A Pilgrimage Reading of Psalm 121, Bibliotheca Sacra 152:606 (April-June 1995):180-81.

The psalmist does not promise a trouble-free, blessing-filled life where all difficulties are eliminated. He does not promote a heaven-on-earth theology that guarantees your best life now. He simply reminds his audience that their God is trustworthy, powerful, and fully present. He isn't a lifeless, sightless, powerless idol but the God of the universe. He is alive, alert, and prepared to intervene at a moment's notice. Nothing escapes His attention. No circumstance proves too difficult for Him to handle. Trials will come. Suffering will still be a regular occurrence. But God’s children can count on Him to be with them day and night through thick or thin. Help is always on the way because Yahweh is always close at hand. 

Father, You are my help at all times. Yet, so often I turn elsewhere when facing difficulties. I tend to forget all that You have done for me in the past and allow panic to set in at the first sign of trouble. But I want to learn to embrace the words of the psalmist and turn my eyes to the hills, where my hope comes from. You have not gone anywhere. You have not abandoned me. You are always there and You are always powerful. Give me the strength to trust You because You are trustworthy. When tough times come, help me focus on You and not my problem. Let me remember that You will keep me from harm and watch over my life. Always, and forever. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Life Worth Living

Taw

169 O LORD, listen to my cry;
    give me the discerning mind you promised.
170 Listen to my prayer;
    rescue me as you promised.
171 Let praise flow from my lips,
    for you have taught me your decrees.
172 Let my tongue sing about your word,
    for all your commands are right.
173 Give me a helping hand,
    for I have chosen to follow your commandments.
174 O LORD, I have longed for your rescue,
    and your instructions are my delight.
175 Let me live so I can praise you,
    and may your regulations help me.
176 I have wandered away like a lost sheep;
    come and find me,
    for I have not forgotten your commands. – Psalm 119:169-176 ESV

The psalmist has reached the last letter in the Hebrew alphabet, bringing his lengthy poem to an end. Utilizing the pattern he has used throughout the psalm, he begins each sentence of these last eight verses with the letter taw or tav. This last strophe serves as the conclusion or coda of his psalm. 

As he prepares to wrap up his song, the psalmist intensifies his request for deliverance, begging Yahweh to listen to his cry and prayer. He not only wants to be heard, but he wants to experience Yahweh's intervention. Fearing death, he longs to live so he can continue to interact with God's word. Throughout this psalm, the author has repeatedly expressed his deep love and affection for the Scriptures 

I have rejoiced in your laws
as much as in riches. – Psalm 119:14 NLT

Your laws please me;
they give me wise advice. – Psalm 119:24 NLT

I long to obey your commandments!– Psalm 119:40 NLT

How I delight in your commands!
How I love them! – Psalm 119:47 NLT

Your instructions are more valuable to me
than millions in gold and silver.– Psalm 119:72 NLT

…your instructions are my delight.– Psalm 119:77 NLT

Oh, how I love your instructions!
I think about them all day long.– Psalm 119:97 NLT

How sweet your words taste to me;
they are sweeter than honey. – Psalm 119:103 NLT

Your laws are my treasure;
they are my heart’s delight.– Psalm 119:111 NLT

…no wonder I love to obey your laws! – Psalm 119:119 NLT

I stand in awe of your regulations. – Psalm 119:120 NLT

Truly, I love your commands
more than gold, even the finest gold.– Psalm 119:127 NLT

Your laws are wonderful.
No wonder I obey them!– Psalm 119:127 NLT

See how I love your commandments, LORD.– Psalm 119:159 NLT

I rejoice in your word 
like one who discovers a great treasure. – Psalm 119:162 NLT

I love your instructions. – Psalm 119:163 NLT

I have obeyed your laws,
for I love them very much. – Psalm 119:167 NLT

This isn't hyperbole or pious-sounding rhetoric. The psalmist sincerely means what he is saying. Over his lifetime, he has grown to love the word of God because it has proven to be faithful, true, reliable, wise, and encouraging. While his life has not been easy, his reliance upon the Scriptures has provided him with hope because it reveals the character of his God. 

The stories contained in God’s word portray His power, love, mercy, grace, justice, sovereignty, and righteousness. The Books of the Law reveal the righteous demands Yahweh has placed on His covenant people, but also outline the sacrificial system He provided to provide atonement when they failed to keep His commands. The psalmist had read the Books of History and seen how Yahweh had shown mercy and grace to His rebellious people. Yes, He had punished them for their sins, but He had also forgiven and restored them on more than one occasion. 

The Books of Wisdom had provided the psalmist with insight into God's nature, outlining the importance of godly wisdom and the need to pursue it with unbridled enthusiasm. 

Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD,
and you will gain knowledge of God.– Proverbs 2:2-5 NLT

This has been the pattern of the psalmist's life. He has taken to heart all the lessons found in Scripture and applied the many admonitions to make God's word a priority. But he longs for more. He is far from satisfied and not ready to end his quest to know God better. That is why he cries out, “rescue me as you promised” (Psalm 119:170 NLT). He is not ready for death, but longs to experience more of life so he can grow in his understanding of Yahweh. 

“Let me live so I can praise you” (Psalm 119:175 NLT), he pleads. For the psalmist, life was essential to experiencing God's presence and power; it was also vital for responding in praise. The psalmist's mindset reflects that of the prophet Isaiah when he wrote:

For the dead cannot praise you;
they cannot raise their voices in praise.
Those who go down to the grave
can no longer hope in your faithfulness.
Only the living can praise you as I do today.– Isaiah 38:18-19 NLT 

Another psalmist shared this same sentiment when he wrote:

The dead cannot sing praises to the LORD,
for they have gone into the silence of the grave.
But we can praise the LORD
both now and forever!– Psalm 115:17-18 NLT

These men were not discounting the idea of an afterlife, but their doctrine of life after death was not fully formed. The ancient Hebrews did not have a well-developed understanding of the hereafter. They believed in some kind of post-death existence, but found it difficult to understand its exact nature. For them, life was the realm in which Yahweh's blessings were experienced. Health, wealth, and prosperity were the signs of a blessed life. Suffering and sorrow were evidence of a disobedient life. That is why the psalmist is confused by the circumstances surrounding his life. He had been faithful and obedient to God's commands, yet he was suffering.

Many persecute and trouble me,
yet I have not swerved from your laws.– Psalm 119:157 NLT

I am insignificant and despised,
but I don’t forget your commandments.– Psalm 119:141 NLT

The psalmist wanted to live because he was not done pursuing God's word. He wanted to experience more of God's blessings and was convinced they could only be experienced in life, not death. He believed praise to be the purview of the living, not the dead. He desperately wants to live, not so he can experience more of what life has to offer, but so he can continue to experience the life-changing lessons God's word has to offer. 

O Lord, I have longed for your rescue,
and your instructions are my delight.
Let me live so I can praise you,
and may your regulations help me.– Psalm 119:174-175 NLT

Suffering wasn't enjoyable, and it didn't always make sense. But, for the psalmist, it was an opportunity to seek Yahweh's help and see His deliverance. The struggles of life drove him to his knees and made him increasingly more dependent upon the LORD. Problems were the launching ground for praise. Without a need for God's assistance and deliverance, praise would become unnecessary. But God’s rescue has a way of making His people rejoice. When God shows up, His people tend to shout out His praises. And the psalmist wants to live so he can continue to witness God’s presence, experience God's power, and respond in praise. 

The psalmist closes out his song with a cry of complete dependence upon Yahweh’s help. He describes himself as a lost sheep who has unintentionally wandered away from the fold and find himself in danger.

I have wandered away like a lost sheep;
come and find me,
for I have not forgotten your commands. – Psalms 119:174 NLT

This lost-sheep motif is found throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. God used this analogy to describe the state of His covenant people.

“My people have been lost sheep.
Their shepherds have led them astray
and turned them loose in the mountains.
They have lost their way
and can’t remember how to get back to the sheepfold.” – Jeremiah 50:6 NLT

Speaking on behalf of his fellow Israelites, the prophet Isaiah confessed their self-imposed state of spiritual lostness.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.– Isaiah 53:6 NLT

The psalmist could relate to this imagery of wandering sheep, and he longed for the Good Shepherd to seek him out and restore him to safety and rest. He desired to be back in the fold, where he could continue to experience the love and protective presence of his Master. It isn't farfetched to imagine that the psalmist had the words of David in mind as he concluded his psalm. It was the shepherd of Israel who wrote the following tribute to Yahweh’s faithfulness and love.

The LORD is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD
forever.– Psalm 23:1-6 NLT

The psalmist wanted what David described. He had experienced it before and was not ready for it to end. Life was worth living because it was the avenue through which Yahweh revealed Himself to men. Yes, life could be full of green meadows and peaceful streams. There were times of feasting and rejoicing.  But there were also dark valleys and fear-filled moments when the Shepherd seemed nowhere to be found. But, like David, the psalmist believed that God's goodness and unfailing love would pursue him
all the days of his life, so life was worth living. He truly believed that life was the key to loving and praising God, and would have fully agreed with the words of Psalm 150:6:

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Father, I want to love life, not because of all the perks and benefits it provides, but because it is the platform upon which I get to see and experience Your power and presence. Too often, I see the trials and troubles as setbacks and unnecessary bumps on the road of life. I try to avoid them like the plague or pray them away when eluding them fails. But it is in the difficulties of life that You show up. It is in those moments when I have no more tricks up my sleeve or any other options to pursue, that I tend to turn to You. My weakness makes me aware of my need for Your strength. When times get tough, my prayer life improves. When I don't know what to do, I am forced to turn to You. And when I do, You always show up. Thank you for life, not because it's always perfect and free from trials, but because it is the place where my weakness gets exposed and Your power is displayed. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Knowing God

Qoph

145 With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD!
    I will keep your statutes.
146 I call to you; save me,
    that I may observe your testimonies.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
    I hope in your words.
148 My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
    that I may meditate on your promise.
149 Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;
    O LORD, according to your justice give me life.
150 They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
    they are far from your law.
151 But you are near, O LORD,
    and all your commandments are true.
152 Long have I known from your testimonies
    that you have founded them forever.

Resh

153 Look on my affliction and deliver me,
    for I do not forget your law.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me;
    give me life according to your promise!
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
    for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Great is your mercy, O LORD;
    give me life according to your rules.
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
    but I do not swerve from your testimonies.
158 I look at the faithless with disgust,
    because they do not keep your commands.
159 Consider how I love your precepts!
    Give me life according to your steadfast love.
160 The sum of your word is truth,
    and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

Shin

161 Princes persecute me without cause,
    but my heart stands in awe of your words.
162 I rejoice at your word
    like one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor falsehood,
    but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you
    for your righteous rules.
165 Great peace have those who love your law;
    nothing can make them stumble.
166 I hope for your salvation, O LORD,
    and I do your commandments.
167 My soul keeps your testimonies;
    I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep your precepts and testimonies,
    for all my ways are before you. – Psalm 119:145-168 ESV

The psalmist's ongoing prayer for deliverance from his enemies was based on his desire to obey Yahweh's commands. He longed to live so he could continue observing and applying all the truths found in Yahweh's written word. 

I cry out to you; rescue me,
    that I may obey your laws. – Psalm 119:146 NLT

It would be an understatement to say that he was obsessed with God's word. He confesses to staying awake at night thinking about God's promises. The Scriptures were his hope for healing and deliverance because he knew obedience was rewarded with blessing. That is why he made the pursuit of God's word a high priority in his life. He had made a lifelong habit of putting the written word of God ahead of all else and was committed to spending the rest of his days seeking to know Yahweh by searching the Scriptures.

I have known from my earliest days
    that your laws will last forever. – Psalm 119:152 NLT

Life is filled with uncertainties, and the things of this earth will pass away, but the word of God is reliable and eternal. Yahweh's decrees are unchanging and completely trustworthy, through all generations. They don't change with the times or require updating due to the constantly evolving nature of world conditions. The psalmist believed in the constancy and consistency of God's word and wholeheartedly embraced the teaching of the prophet Isaiah.

“The grass withers and the flowers fade
    beneath the breath of the LORD.
    And so it is with people.
The grass withers and the flowers fade,
    but the word of our God stands forever.” – Isaiah 40:7-8 NLT

He expressed this belief earlier in this psalm.

Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. – Psalm 119:89 BSB 

And he states it again in the next strophe.

The very essence of your words is truth;
    all your just regulations will stand forever. – Psalm 119:160 NLT

His unwavering belief in the divine nature of Scripture and its timeless wisdom kept him going during the darkest moments of his life. Verses 153-160 contain some of the strongest statements regarding his current circumstances. 

Look upon my suffering and rescue me… – vs 153 NLT

Argue my case; take my side! – vs 154 NLT

Many persecute and trouble me… – vs 157 NLT

Give back my life because of your unfailing love… – vs 159 NLT

His situation was dire, but his dedication to God's word remained strong. He refused to allow the difficulties of his life to distract him or cause him to doubt God's promises. 

I have not forgotten your instructions. – vs 153 NLT

I have not swerved from your laws. – vs 157 NLT

See how I love your commandments… – vs 159 NLT

He accuses his enemies of not only neglecting God's word but of having no concern for it whatsoever. “They care nothing for your word” (Psalm 119:158 NLT), he declares. They refuse to give it the honor it deserves and reject its authority over their lives. But for the psalmist, the Scriptures are more essential to human life and flourishing than air, water, and food. He knows his life depends upon the life-sustaining power of God’s word. Earlier in this psalm, he described God's word as “sweeter than honey” (Psalm 119:103 NLT). This confession echoes the words ofJeremiah the prophet.

When I discovered your words, I devoured them.
    They are my joy and my heart’s delight… – Jeremiah 15:16 NLT

The psalmist would have been familiar with the story of Job and his epic bout with sorrow and suffering. But the beleaguered Job was able to write the following words during some of his darkest moments.

For I have stayed on God’s paths;
    I have followed his ways and not turned aside.
I have not departed from his commands,
    but have treasured his words more than daily food. – Job 23:11-12 NLT

It was King David who wrote:

The laws of the Lord are true;
    each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb.
They are a warning to your servant,
    a great reward for those who obey them. – Psalm 19:9-11 NLT

My soul thirsts for you;
    my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
    where there is no water.

You satisfy me more than the richest feast. – Psalm 63:1, 5 NLT

Like the great king, the psalmist found hope and sustenance in the word of God. They were more than words on paper or quaint stories from the ancient past; they were life-giving truths that revealed God's power and confirmed His presence among His people. That is why the psalmist could say, “I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure” (Psalm 119:162 NLT). God’s words were more precious than gold or silver. They were more nourishing than the finest feast and as vital to life as fresh water. 

But the psalmist found God's word more than life-sustaining; it was also praise-producing. 

I will praise you seven times a day
    because all your regulations are just. – Psalm 119:164 NLT 

The Scriptures are more than information on a page or stories in a book. They are the revelation of God to man and make the unknowable God knowable. They make the unapproachable God accessible and relatable. His words reveal His will and make His divine ways understandable and applicable. 

The psalmist had discovered the viability and reliability of God's word. The Scriptures contained the truth concerning His power, trustworthiness, and love. They revealed His character and affirmed His covenant faithfulness. And as another psalmist put it, they were the proof of God's presence and the key to wisdom. 

All he does is just and good,
    and all his commandments are trustworthy.
They are forever true,
    to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.
    All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. – Psalm 111:7-8, 10 NLT

Father, Your word is reliable. From Genesis to Revelation, we have a compendium of insights into Your character and a powerful reminder of Your goodness, greatness, mercy, and love for Your people. But it is so easy to treat Your word flippantly by seeing it as nothing more than a historical narrative of ancient peoples and past events. But Your word is alive and active. It is relevant and powerfully productive in bringing about life change and heart transformation. But it takes a commitment to reading it and allowing the Holy Spirit to apply it to our lives. Help me to see Your word as more vital than food and water and more valuable than silver or gold. May it become the highest priority in my life so that I might become more Christ-like and praise-prone. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Revelation of God

Ayin

121 I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Give your servant a pledge of good;
let not the insolent oppress me.
123 My eyes long for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant; give me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies!
126 It is time for the LORD to act,
for your law has been broken.
127 Therefore I love your commandments
above gold, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;
I hate every false way.

Pe

129 Your testimonies are wonderful;
therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name.
133 Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
134 Redeem me from man's oppression,
that I may keep your precepts.
135 Make your face shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136 My eyes shed streams of tears,
because people do not keep your law.

Tsadhe

137 Righteous are you, O LORD,
and right are your rules.
138 You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
and in all faithfulness.
139 My zeal consumes me,
because my foes forget your words.
140 Your promise is well tried,
and your servant loves it.
141 I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is righteous forever,
and your law is true.
143 Trouble and anguish have found me out,
but your commandments are my delight.
144 Your testimonies are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live. – Psalm 119:121-144 ESV

While the psalmist continues his practice of using three new letters of the Hebrew alphabet to start each sentence of these three sections, his theme remains unchanged. In fact, one might say he is somewhat repetitive. These three strophes contain little in the way of new information but simply reiterate and reinforce his overall message. 

He begins by defending his faithful adherence to Yahweh's commands. He is not claiming sinless perfection but is declaring his commitment to make the word of the LORD his highest priority. In his mind, he has done nothing to deserve judgment or punishment for disobedience.

Don’t leave me to the mercy of my enemies,
for I have done what is just and right. – Psalm 119:121 NLT  

Yet, he finds himself oppressed by arrogant people who violate the instructions of the LORD. These law-breakers are making his life miserable, and he can think of nothing he has done to deserve their wrath. He continues to be perplexed by Yahweh's delay in providing deliverance.  

My eyes strain to see your rescue,
to see the truth of your promise fulfilled.– Psalm 119:123 NLT

There is a sense of urgency in his words. Like a watchman on a tower, he strains his eyes scanning the horizon for some sign of his rescuer’s arrival. From his study of the Scriptures, he knows that Yahweh is faithful and redeems His people from their troubles. He has read the passages that speak of Yahweh's lovingkindness.

“I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.” – Exodus 20:6 NLT

“Yahweh! The LORD!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.” – Exodus 34:6-7 NLT

So, he begs Yahweh, “Deal with me in unfailing love” (Psalm 119:124 NLT). But even as he waits for Yahweh's intervention, he desires to grow in his understanding of Yahweh's words and ways.

…give me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies! – Psalm 119:125 ESV

The word “testimonies” is another synonym for the Ten Commandments. In Hebrew, it is the word ʿēḏûṯ, and it speaks of God's witness two His divine character through His righteous Law. The Book of Exodus often refers to the Ten Commandments as the Tablets of Testimony.

And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. – Exodus 31:18 ESV

In a sense, the tablets “testified” to Yahweh's expectations of His people. They contained the written code of conduct that would set them apart as His chosen people. The words covenant and testimony refer to the conditional agreement made between God and the children of Israel at Mount Sinai. 

God’s commands were clear, concise, and etched in stone, but that didn't mean His people understood or obeyed them. That is why the psalmist repeatedly asks Yahweh to teach him so that he might understand His testimony. He knew God's laws were far more than imperatives and prohibitions to be obeyed; they were a witness to God's glory and goodness. Each command revealed some aspect of Yahweh's character and was designed to aid the Israelites in their understanding of and appreciation for His holiness. 

The psalmist knew the Ten Commandments were more than a list of shalls and shall-nots. Yahweh had given His commands, not to see if the Israelites could live up to them, but to expose their sinfulness and their need for His help. The apostle Paul would later write, “Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins” (Galatians 3:19 NLT). He explained to the believers in Rome, “Am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, ‘You must not covet’” (Romans 7:7 NLT). 

The psalmist wanted to look behind the curtain and understand the purpose behind God's commands. Why had God forbidden coveting, adultery, lying, and stealing? If an ungodly person refrained from adultery, did that suddenly make them godly? Was a relationship with God based solely on one's ability to adhere to a set of rules? The psalmist knew there had to be more to it than that. He wasn’t satisfied with knowing God's commands; he wanted to understand them.

The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.– Psalm 119:130 ESV

The psalmist was a simple man who longed to know Yahweh better. He was doing everything he could to live up to Yahweh's exacting standards, but he somehow knew that was not enough. Law-keeping did not necessarily produce a knowledge of and love for God. So, he begged Yahweh to be His teacher, enlightening him to the more profound truths hidden within the word. 

Make your face shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes. – Psalm 119:135 ESV

The psalmist longed for enlightenment. He knew that God’s revelation required explanation. Adherence to a list of commands was not enough. Knowing what God expected of His people was not the same as understanding the why behind it. The Israelites prided themselves on their knowledge of God's word. They were well-versed in the stories of Scripture and able to recite God's commands. But according to God, their hearts were far from Him. 

“These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” – Isaiah 29:13 NLT

Because they knew God's laws and half-heartedly attempted to keep them, they claimed to have a relationship with Him. They boasted in their status as God's chosen people. They took great pride in their knowledge of His law. They bragged about the many blessings He had showered on them as His treasured possession. But Yahweh warned them that they had missed the forest for the trees. 

Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” – Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV

The psalmist wanted to know God. He longed for an intimate and personal relationship with the Lawmaker. While he might not be able to grasp the intricacies of God's laws, he was convinced of the integrity of the One behind them.

O LORD, you are righteous,
    and your regulations are fair.
Your laws are perfect
    and completely trustworthy. – Psalm 119:137-138 NLT

Your justice is eternal,
    and your instructions are perfectly true. – Psalm 119:142 NLT

He understood that the law was an extension of the Lawmaker. They were a means to an end, not the end itself. The laws were not the point – God was. But he loved God’s commands because they revealed God's justice, righteousness, lovingkindness, patience, and power. As he searched the Scriptures, he saw examples of God's faithfulness and love. As he examined his own life, he could see proof of God’s presence and power. Yahweh had a track record of faithfulness. 

Your promises have been thoroughly tested;
    that is why I love them so much. – Psalm 119:140 NLT

So, despite his less-than-ideal circumstances and his far-from-perfect adherence to God's commands, he remained committed to pursuing obedience and seeking understanding. 

As pressure and stress bear down on me,
    I find joy in your commands.
Your laws are always right;
    help me to understand them so I may live. – Psalm 119:143-144 NLT

Difficulties have a way of breeding disobedience. When things don't go as planned, we tend to replace God's will with our own. Disappointed in God's failure to deliver results, we devise our own strategy for success. We bend the rules or reject them altogether. We compromise our convictions and cut corners. We make spiritual concessions and choose worldly means to solve our problems. But the psalmist encourages us to stay the course and remain faithful to God's word. He promotes commitment over compromise and obedience over abandonment of God's commands. 

Knowing God is the key. Trials can either draw us to God or away from Him. Life's difficulties can reveal His presence and serve as opportunities to experience His power, or they can drive us to seek our own path. The psalmist would remind us of this timeless truth found in God's word. 

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
 – Proverbs 14:12 ESV 

Father, like the psalmist, I want to know You better. I want to grow in my knowledge of Your will and ways, and You have chosen to reveal Yourself through Your word. Give me an ever-increasing love for the Scriptures because they reveal You. As Jesus Himself said, “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (John 5:39 NLT). The Scriptures are a means to an end and You are that end. I want to understand and know You better with each passing day. I want to discover the truth of who You are in the revelation You have provided. Produce in me a growing love for Your word so I will grow in my knowledge of You. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Whem Life Doesn't Make Sense

Yodh

73 You made me; you created me.
    Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
74 May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy,
    for I have put my hope in your word.
75 I know, O LORD, that your regulations are fair;
    you disciplined me because I needed it.
76 Now let your unfailing love comfort me,
    just as you promised me, your servant.
77 Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live,
    for your instructions are my delight.
78 Bring disgrace upon the arrogant people who lied about me;
    meanwhile, I will concentrate on your commandments.
79 Let me be united with all who fear you,
    with those who know your laws.
80 May I be blameless in keeping your decrees;
    then I will never be ashamed.

Kaph

81 I am worn out waiting for your rescue,
    but I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes are straining to see your promises come true.
    When will you comfort me?
83 I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke,
    but I have not forgotten to obey your decrees.
84 How long must I wait?
    When will you punish those who persecute me?
85 These arrogant people who hate your instructions
    have dug deep pits to trap me.
86 All your commands are trustworthy.
    Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause.
87 They almost finished me off,
    but I refused to abandon your commandments.
88 In your unfailing love, spare my life;
    then I can continue to obey your laws.

Lamedh

89 Your eternal word, O LORD,
    stands firm in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness extends to every generation,
    as enduring as the earth you created.
91 Your regulations remain true to this day,
    for everything serves your plans.
92 If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy,
    I would have died in my misery.
93 I will never forget your commandments,
    for by them you give me life.
94 I am yours; rescue me!
    For I have worked hard at obeying your commandments.
95 Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me,
    I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.
96 Even perfection has its limits,
    but your commands have no limit. – Psalm 119:73-96 ESV

The psalmist continues to describe his less-than-ideal circumstances, using descriptive imagery to heighten the tension and emphasize his reliance upon Yahweh. Whatever was going on in his life, he saw Yahweh as the only solution, and he viewed his love for Yahweh's word as the basis for his hope. In verse 78, he describes the “arrogant people” spreading lies about him. These unidentified individuals were making his life miserable, and the only thing worse than their slanderous words was the stress-inducing delay waiting for Yahweh's deliverance.

I am worn out waiting for your rescue,
but I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes are straining to see your promises come true.
When will you comfort me? – Psalm 119:81-82 NLT

He describes himself as “shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke” (Psalm 119:83 NLT). This rather cryptic-sounding imagery suggests that his life quality had been radically altered by his circumstances. A wineskin was usually filled with life-giving liquid “that gladdens the heart of man” (Psalm 104:15 BSB). But as a result of the unrelenting attacks of his enemies, the psalmist's life was empty and void of joy. He was a dried-up, smoke-infused shell of his former self and in great need of Yahweh's help and healing. 

How long must I wait?
When will you punish those who persecute me?
These arrogant people who hate your instructions
have dug deep pits to trap me.– Psalm 119:84-85 NLT 

But despite the difficulty of his situation and the disappointing delay in Yahweh's response, the psalmist declares his unwavering trust in Yahweh's promises as found in His word. 

I have put my hope in your word… – vs 74 NLT

…let your unfailing love comfort me,
just as you promised me… – vs 76 NLT

…your instructions are my delight…  – vs 77 NLT

My eyes are straining to see your promises come true. – vs 82 NLT

I have not forgotten to obey your decrees.– vs 83 NLT

I refused to abandon your commandments.– vs 87 NLT

His persistence was fueled by his understanding of Yahweh's character. He knew the LORD was trustworthy, faithful, and reliable. As the Creator and sustainer of all things, Yahweh was all-powerful and sovereign over all that happens on earth. In verse 73, the psalmist acknowledges that he was the byproduct of Yahweh's creative power. He echoes David's words found in Psalm 139.

For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well. – Psalm 139:13-14 ESV

But while the psalmist gratefully acknowledged Yahweh's role in giving him life, he wanted more.

…give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. – Psalm 119:73 ESV 

In a sense, he was saying, “You created me, now equip me with understanding.” He prayed for divine enlightenment to better comprehend God’s ways because much of his experience made no sense. He viewed his predicament as having come through the hands of God, but that didn’t mean he understood the why behind it.

I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair;
    you disciplined me because I needed it.
Now let your unfailing love comfort me,
    just as you promised me, your servant. – Psalm 119:75-76 NLT 

The psalmist was willing to trust that the attacks of his enemies were part of Yahweh's plan for his life. He viewed their assaults as disciplinary in nature because he believed Yahweh had sent them. He just didn't understand why and wrestled with knowing how long his suffering would last. His attitude reflects a healthy confidence in God’s sovereignty. The One who made him could also enlighten him.

“He only who gave life to our bodies can give light to our minds, and if our minds are enlightened by His Spirit, His word will teach us how to do His will.” – Thomas Cobbin

Verses 81-88 honestly portray the psalmist's confusion and frustration over his situation. He believes in Yahweh, but is wrestling with the prolonged nature of his suffering. Whether the psalmist was familiar with Psalm 22 is unclear, but his words echo David's pain.

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
    Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. – Psalm 22:1-2 NLT

But as bad as things seemed, David didn't lose hope.

Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
Our ancestors trusted in you,
    and you rescued them.
They cried out to you and were saved.
    They trusted in you and were never disgraced. – Psalm 22:1-5 NLT

Like his ancient ancestors, the psalmist cries out to God, begging to understand what He is doing.

How long must I wait?
    When will you punish those who persecute me? – Psalm 119:84 NLT

He pleads for divine intervention so that he might continue to live a life of obedient submission to the word and will of God.

In your unfailing love, spare my life;
    then I can continue to obey your laws. – Psalm 119:88 NLT

These verses and Psalm 22 could have been written by Jesus Himself. In fact, Jesus quoted the words of David during His final moments on the cross.

The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” – Matthew 27:41-46 NLT

Just hours earlier, when Jesus and His disciples gathered in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, Jesus prayed the following prayer: “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42 NLT). Facing the reality of His pending death by crucifixion, Jesus displayed his human nature by declaring His desire to escape such a gruesome and painful end. But He was committed to doing His Father's will. 

When he appeared in human form,
    he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. – Philippians 2:7-8 NLT 

Jesus was willing to suffer and die to fulfill His Father's will. He trusted His Father's plan and wholeheartedly committed Himself to carrying it out. And the psalmist reflects the same determination and dedication to trusting Yahweh's will for his life. 

Your eternal word, O LORD,
    stands firm in heaven.
Your faithfulness extends to every generation,
    as enduring as the earth you created.
Your regulations remain true to this day,
    for everything serves your plans. – Psalm 119:89-91 NLT

He may not have liked what was happening in his life, and he certainly didn't understand it. But he was willing to trust Yahweh with it. This was a man who wrestled with the uncertainties of life. He loved the LORD with all his heart and tried to live in keeping with His Word, but things didn't always turn out as expected. But he kept trusting and remained hopeful. His God was eternal and faithful. The words of God were non-negotiable but also reliable. Things might not go as planned. Life could be difficult and disappointing. But he remained faithfully committed to Yahweh's words, will, and ways. 

Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me,
    I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.
Even perfection has its limits,
    but your commands have no limit. – Psalm 119:95-96 NLT

For the psalmist, a life of perfect peace and tranquility was wishful thinking. Nothing in this life will last. Nothing man makes will endure. Everything has its limits, except the word of God. No matter what the future held, he knew that Yahweh held his future. 

Father, we all want the good life and, as believers, we somehow think it's guaranteed because of our faith in Jesus. When He said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 ESV), we hear Him promising our best life now. We conjure up images of a trouble-free, blessing-filled life that looks a lot more like heaven than earth. We want to define the “abundant life” on our terms and then demand that You deliver it. But, like the psalmist, we end up discovering that this life is not always easy and things don't always turn out the way we want. Yet You are always faithful and reliable. You are unchanging and unwavering in Your love for us and Your willingness to mold us into the likeness of Your Son. Give me endurance to suffer well and to never lose hope in Your sovereignty plan for my life. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Like-Minded Love for God's Law

Zayin

49 Remember your word to your servant,
    in which you have made me hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
    that your promise gives me life.
51 The insolent utterly deride me,
    but I do not turn away from your law.
52 When I think of your rules from of old,
    I take comfort, O LORD.
53 Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
    who forsake your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs
    in the house of my sojourning.
55 I remember your name in the night, O LORD,
    and keep your law.
56 This blessing has fallen to me,
    that I have kept your precepts.

Heth

57 The LORD is my portion;
    I promise to keep your words.
58 I entreat your favor with all my heart;
    be gracious to me according to your promise.
59 When I think on my ways,
    I turn my feet to your testimonies;
60 I hasten and do not delay
    to keep your commandments.
61 Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
    I do not forget your law.
62 At midnight I rise to praise you,
    because of your righteous rules.
63 I am a companion of all who fear you,
    of those who keep your precepts.
64 The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love;
    teach me your statutes!

Teth

65 You have dealt well with your servant,
    O LORD, according to your word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
    for I believe in your commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
    but now I keep your word.
68 You are good and do good;
    teach me your statutes.
69 The insolent smear me with lies,
    but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;
70 their heart is unfeeling like fat,
    but I delight in your law.
71 It is good for me that I was afflicted,
    that I might learn your statutes.
72 The law of your mouth is better to me
    than thousands of gold and silver pieces. – Psalm 119:49-72 ESV

Life for the psalmist was full of ups and downs and twists and turns. He knew what it was like to experience Yahweh's blessings and the difficulties that come with living in a fallen world. He had his share of setbacks and sorrows, but remained faithful to Yahweh and committed to keeping His law. 

The “words” of Yawheh gave him hope (vs 49) and provided comfort in the face of affliction (vs 50). As the psalmist considered the entirety of the Hebrew Scriptures, he found them to be filled with messages of Yahweh's sovereignty, power, and provision for His chosen people. The stories of Israel's past confirmed Yahweh’s promise that He would dwell among His people. 

“I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.” – Exodus 29:45-46 ESV

“I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.” – Leviticus 26:11-12 ESV

Yahweh had remained with them through thick and thin. Despite their disobedience and spiritual infidelity, He had maintained His covenant commitments. This did not mean that He overlooked their apostasy or that their sins went unpunished. Their track record of unfaithfulness cost them dearly, because Yahweh eventually followed through on His promise to punish them for their disobedience. Long before the Israelites had set foot in Canaan, Moses warned the Israelites that failure to obey Yahweh's commands would prove costly. 

“But if you refuse to listen to the LORD your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you:

Your towns and your fields
will be cursed.
Your fruit baskets and breadboards
will be cursed.
Your children and your crops
will be cursed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
will be cursed.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
you will be cursed.

“The LORD himself will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in everything you do, until at last you are completely destroyed for doing evil and abandoning me.” – Deuteronomy 28:15-20 NLT

Yet, the psalmist knew that Yahweh’s judgment was justified; the people of Israel had gotten what they deserved. But he also knew they had received what they didn't deserve: Yahweh's mercy and forgiveness. He had redeemed and restored them. That message of Yahweh's persistence and patience with His unworthy people resonated with the psalmist because he also needed that undeserved grace. 

The psalmist knew he was far from perfect. He struggled with sin just like everyone else, but strongly desired to live obediently. 

LORD, you are mine!
I promise to obey your words!
With all my heart I want your blessings.– Psalm 119:57-58 NLT

Evil people try to drag me into sin,
    but I am firmly anchored to your instructions. – Psalm 119:61 NLT

He shared the experience of the Israelites, having chosen the path of disobedience until the LORD lovingly rebuked and restored him. 

I used to wander off until you disciplined me;
    but now I closely follow your word. – Psalm 119:67 NLT

When he writes, “You are good and do only good,” (Psalm 119:68 NLT), he echoes the words of a song written by Moses. 

I will proclaim the name of the LORD;
    how glorious is our God!
He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
    Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong;
    how just and upright he is! – Deuteronomy 32:3-4 NLT

Though he had experienced Yahweh's judgment, he was not bitter or angry. Instead, he was grateful for having his eyes opened and his heart softened by the gracious hand of the LORD. 

My suffering was good for me,
    for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.
Your instructions are more valuable to me
    than millions in gold and silver. – Psalm 119:71-72 NLT

This personal experience with Yahweh's loving discipline made him all the more committed to the integrity and efficacy of Yahweh's commands. He had discovered the truth behind the ancient proverbial statement:

My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
for the LORD reproves him whom he loves,
    as a father the son in whom he delights. – Proverbs 3:11-12 ESV 

Rather than despise the LORD's discipline, the psalmist despised those who dismissed or disobeyed God's commands. 

I become furious with the wicked,
    because they reject your instructions. – Psalm 119:53 NLT

He had no patience with the godless and lawless. He refused to tolerate or associate with those who promoted profligate living. Those who had chosen to disobey God's commands were constantly tempting him to join in their camp, but he wasn't taking the bait.

Evil people try to drag me into sin,
    but I am firmly anchored to your instructions. – Psalm 119:61 NLT

Yahweh's commands were his anchor in the storm. The word of God was the solid rock on which he built his life and depended upon for peace, contentment, hope, and assurance for tomorrow. This reliance upon God's truth prompted him to seek the company of like-minded individuals.

I am a friend to anyone who fears you—
    anyone who obeys your commandments. – Psalm 119:63 NLT

Surrounded by wicked and lawless people, he knew he needed the companionship of other faithful men and women who shared his love for and commitment to Yahweh's commands. Godliness is not a solo activity; it is a team sport that requires the combined efforts of all those involved. The psalmist seemed to understand the concept that Paul expressed to the church in Corinth. This was a divided congregation suffering from unhealthy competition and infighting over spiritual gifts. Rather than working together for the good of the body, they were clamoring and competing for supremacy based on their individual spiritual gift. So Paul 

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.

Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. – 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 NLT

God’s commands were given to the entire community, not just individuals. Faithfulness is a group endeavor that benefits everyone, which the psalmist and Paul both understood. A love for God's law that lacks love for others is of no value to anyone. The apostle John summed up this need for communal love and a unified commitment to God's commands.

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. – 1 John 4:20-21 NLT

Father, it's so easy to turn my pursuit of Christlikeness into a solo sport that leaves everyone else out of the picture. We are prone to practice a form of Lone Ranger Christianity that misses the point of the body of Christ and our need for unity. It is amazing to consider that many of Your laws were horizontal in nature; in other words they had to do with the relationships between individuals. That is why Jesus gave a new commandment, that we love one another. Obedience to Your law without a love for Your people is useless. That is what the Pharisees practiced. Give me a love for Your Word that manifests itself in a love for others and a desire to live in unity with all those who share a common faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Power to Obey

Daleth

25 My soul clings to the dust;
    give me life according to your word!
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me;
    teach me your statutes!
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
    strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
    and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
    I set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O LORD;
    let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
    when you enlarge my heart!

He

33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes;
    and I will keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
    and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments,
    for I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to your testimonies,
    and not to selfish gain!
37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
    and give me life in your ways.
38 Confirm to your servant your promise,
    that you may be feared.
39 Turn away the reproach that I dread,
    for your rules are good.
40 Behold, I long for your precepts;
    in your righteousness give me life!

Waw

41 Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD,
    your salvation according to your promise;
42 then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
    for I trust in your word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
    for my hope is in your rules.
44 I will keep your law continually,
    forever and ever,
45 and I shall walk in a wide place,
    for I have sought your precepts.
46 I will also speak of your testimonies before kings
    and shall not be put to shame,
47 for I find my delight in your commandments,
    which I love.
48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
    and I will meditate on your statutes. – Psalm 119:25-48 ESV

The psalmist's life was anything but easy. Following Yahweh's law had not guaranteed him a trouble-free life or provided him with immunity from sin and sorrow. He flatly states, “My soul clings to the dust” (Psalm 119:25 ESV), describing his current state of mourning. He provides no specifics as to his predicament, but adds, “My soul melts away for sorrow” (Psalm 119:28 ESV). He is struggling with deep depression and reaches out to Yahweh for help and healing.

“Revive me by your word,” he pleads (Psalm 119:25 NLT) because he is filled with doubts and doing battle with his own inner demons. False ideas fill his mind, and wrong conclusions about his problems wreak havoc with his self-confidence. He can't seem to decide whether his pain is self-induced or the result of disobedience to God's commands. Is he being punished for his sins or simply reaping the consequences for his unfaithfulness?

It almost seems he is grasping at straws as he searches for an explanation to his dilemma. He even brings up the love of money and materialism.

Give me an eagerness for your laws
    rather than a love for money!
Turn my eyes from worthless things,
    and give me life through your word. – Psalm 119:36-37 NLT

This is a man in turmoil, who longs to be restored to a right relationship with Yahweh. But he knows the key to his restoration is found in God’s commands.

…revive me by your word – vs 25 (NLT)

…encourage me by your word – vs 28 (NLT)

…give me the privilege of knowing your instructions – vs 29 (NLT)

Teach me your decrees – vs 33 (NLT)

Give me understanding – vs 34 (NLT)

Make me walk along the path of your commands – vs 35 (NLT)

Give me an eagerness for your laws – vs 36 (NLT)

…give me life through your word – vs 37  (NLT)    

The psalmist knows that something is missing. He understands the value of God's decrees but seeks more than mental assent to a set of regulations. Knowing God's laws and keeping them are not the same thing. Knowing what God commands is useless if the heart doesn't grasp the why behind it. That’s why he pleads, “Help me understand the meaning of your commandments” (Psalm 119:27 NLT) and “expand my understanding” (Psalm 119:32 NLT). 

Laws can do little to regulate the lives of those who fail to comprehend their underlying purpose. Without understanding why God gave His statutes, men will always view them as restrictive and repressive. They will become a burden rather than a delight. But the psalmist inherently knew God's laws were not just a list of prohibitions to be obeyed; they could bring joy, pleasure, peace, comfort, security, and an overwhelming sense of God's presence and delight.

That is why the psalmist says, “I have determined to live by your regulations” (Psalm 119:30 NLT). He claims to cling to them like a drowning man grasps a life preserver. He pursues them with a vengeance because he comprehends their value. He knows true happiness is found only when one obeys God's commands. Disobedience doesn't bring delight. Freedom from the law doesn't emancipate or make one the master of one's fate; it enslaves and entraps. The apostle Paul understood this reality and warned the believers in Rome not to allow their desire for freedom to end up enslaving them to sin.

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. – Romans 6:16-18 NLT

The psalmist also understood the danger of pursuing freedom at all costs.

Help me abandon my shameful ways;
    for your regulations are good.
I long to obey your commandments!
    Renew my life with your goodness. – Psalm 119:39-40 NLT

He knew that God's laws were good, holy, and had a divine purpose behind them. They were not a set of arbitrary rules designed to restrict and repress, or the sadistic musings of some cosmic kill-joy intent on keeping humanity from having a good time. They were the gracious gift of a good God who longed for His children to experience His blessings by living according to His holy standards. Once again, the apostle Paul provides insight into man's love-hate relationship with God's law. 

…it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good. – Romans 7:7-12 NLT

The psalmist was content to give Yahweh the benefit of the doubt. He didn't fully understand all that was going on in his life, but he knew that the answer was to be found in the law, not apart from it. He longed to experience God’s love as salvation from his doubt, despair, and difficulties.

LORD, give me your unfailing love,
    the salvation that you promised me. – Psalm 119:41 NLT

His salvation would be found in keeping the law. But to keep the law, he would need help. He described God's laws as his only hope (vs 43) and understood Yahweh was his only source of help to live obediently. This entire psalm is a tribute to the efficacy and integrity of God's law and a declaration of the psalmist's commitment to remaining obedient in the face of opposition and uncertainty.

I will keep on obeying your instructions
    forever and ever.
I will walk in freedom,
    for I have devoted myself to your commandments. – Psalm 119:44-45 NLT  

This anonymous psalmist represents all God’s children who have ever wrestled with doubts concerning God's commands. Even New Testament believers, who embrace the doctrine that they have been set free from the law of sin and death, wrestle with the concept of obedience. When they hear Jesus say, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15 NLT), they question the validity of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone. Jesus’ words sound a lot like works, and it doesn't help when He later states, “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me” (John 14:21 NLT).

The disciples wrestled with Jesus’ words because they did not yet have the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. In fact, Jesus told them their ability to obey would be made possible through the Spirit's power.

“All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.…when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” – John 14:23-24, 26 NLT

But even with the power of the Spirit of God present within him, the apostle Paul described the ongoing state of confusion and conflict that would plague the life of every believer, including himself.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. – Romans 7:21-25 NLT

But Paul knew that Jesus was the solution to his ongoing sin problem. Jesus was not just the source of salvation, but also of being restored to a right relationship with God the Father. He was the key to our ongoing sanctification, the transformation of our lives into His own likeness as we live in obedience to His commands in the power of the Holy Spirit. For the psalmist and Paul, obedience was the key to God's blessing, and God was the key to obedience, so none of us might be tempted to boast (Ephesians 2:9). 

Father, You demand obedience but You also supply the power. Your law is not onerous or impossible; it is holy, righteous, and good. And while we are incapable of keeping it in our own strength, You sent Your Son to live according to Your law – without sin. He kept every aspect of Your law. He was fully obedient at all times, even to the point of suffering death on the cross in keeping with Your will for Him. And because He obeyed and we believed, we have received His righteousness. We are made new and fully acceptable to You. Not only that, we have received the presence and power of Your Spirit, empowering us to live obediently to Your commands – not perfectly but persistantly and willingly. With the psalmist I pray, “Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good.
I long to obey your commandments!” (Psalm 119:39-40 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Pervasive and Powerful Presence of God

1 When Israel went out from Egypt,
    the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became his sanctuary,
    Israel his dominion.

3 The sea looked and fled;
    Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams,
    the hills like lambs.

5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
    O Jordan, that you turn back?
6 O mountains, that you skip like rams?
    O hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the LORD,
    at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turns the rock into a pool of water,
    the flint into a spring of water. – Psalm 114:1-8 ESV

This psalm commemorates two significant events in the history of the nation of Israel. Both entail miraculous interventions by Yahweh that symbolize His power and provision for His chosen people. The first goes all the way back to their final days in Egypt, when God delivered them from 400 years of captivity and helped them escape from their Egyptian overlords by providing a way of escape across the Red Sea.

When the Israelites escaped from Egypt—
    when the family of Jacob left that foreign land—
the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary,
    and Israel became his kingdom.

The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! – Psalm 114:1-3 NLT

In these verses, the psalmist summarizes God’s miraculous deliverance and its stunning outcome. The Book of Exodus provides additional details that would have been familiar to every Israelite. 

Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!

When all the Israelites had reached the other side, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and charioteers.” So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea. Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived. – Exodus 14:21-22, 26-28 NLT

The story of Yahweh’s parting of the Red Sea and His defeat of the Egyptian army had been passed down for generations. It was a well-known and oft-told tale that provided the Israelites with comfort and confidence. The same God who had delivered their ancestors was with them and remained just as powerful and prepared to rescue them in their time of need. 

In fact, the psalmist highlights that Yahweh’s deliverance had established Israel as His chosen possession.

…the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary,
    and Israel became his kingdom. – Psalm 114:2 NLT

Yahweh’s plan had been to return His people to the land He had given them as their inheritance. Centuries earlier, Yahweh warned Abraham that his descendants would end up as slaves in a foreign land, but that He would deliver them.

“You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years. But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth. (As for you, you will die in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.) After four generations your descendants will return here to this land, for the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction.” – Genesis 15:13-16 NLT 

Yahweh later reiterated that promise to Abraham. 

“This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.” – Genesis 17:7-8 NLT

In delivering Abraham's descendants from their captivity in Egypt, Yahweh fulfilled His promise. He led them from Egypt all the way to Canaan, and along the way, He established Himself as their God and King. At Mount Sinai, He gave them His Law and the plans for the Tabernacle. He intended to live among them, dwelling in the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle. His Law was designed to set them apart as His holy people, providing them with a code of conduct that set them apart from all the other nations. But because He knew they would fail to live up to His holy standards, Yahweh provided them with the sacrificial system to provide atonement and forgiveness for their sins. 

When the people of Israel left Mount Sinai and began the final phase of their journey to Canaan, Yahweh warned them:

“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.” – Exodus 19:4-6 NLT

Yahweh expected His chosen people to live differently from all the other nations. He had set them apart for a reason. The Tabernacle was to be His earthly throneroom, where He would rule as King in their midst. His Law was perfect and holy, providing His people with a non-negotiable code of conduct based on divine righteousness, not man-made laws. 

But there is a second miracle Yahweh performed for His people. After their 40-year journey across the wilderness, the Israelites faced another body of water that served as a barrier to their future. They would have to cross the Jordan River to enter the promised land, and, as before, God stepped in.

The water of the Jordan River turned away. – Psalm 114:3 NLT

The Book of Joshua fills in the details of this miraculous event.

So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.

Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground. – Joshua 3:14-17 NLT

The Ark of the Covenant served as Yahweh's literal throne in the Tabernacle. Its lid was known as the Mercy Seat, above which the Shekinah glory of God dwelt. As the priests stood in the middle of the riverbed carrying the Ark of the Covenant, the presence of God held back the waters of the Jordan and allowed the people to walk across on dry ground. 

In a few short verses, the psalmist summarizes Yahweh’s unforgettable demonstrations of His power and provision for His people. 

The mountains skipped like rams,
    the hills like lambs!
What’s wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way?
    What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away?
Why, mountains, did you skip like rams?
    Why, hills, like lambs? – Psalm 114:4-6 NLT

The mountains is probably a reference to Mount Sinai, where Yahweh appeared in smoke, fire, thunder, and lightning. 

On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled. Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. – Exodus 19:16-18 NLT

The mountain shook because of Yahweh's presence. The waters of the Red Sea and the Jordan River had parted at the presence of Israel's God. Creation was subject to the will of the Almighty. His divine presence made the mountains shake and the waters part. To drive home his point, the psalmist adds one last proof of Yahweh's power. 

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
    at the presence of the God of Jacob.
He turned the rock into a pool of water;
    yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock. – Psalm 114:7-8 NLT

During their days in the wilderness, the Israelites made a habit of complaining about the difficulty of their journey. At one point, they ran out of water and voiced their displeasure to Moses, who took the matter up with Yahweh. In response, God provided a solution.

“Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. 6 I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on.” – Exodus 17:5-6 NLT

But the text goes on to reveal that thirst was not the Israelites’ real problem; it was their lack of faith. 

Moses named the place Massah (which means “test”) and Meribah (which means “arguing”) because the people of Israel argued with Moses and tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord here with us or not?” – Exodus 17:7 NLT

In their minds, the lack of water proved that Yahweh was not present. He must have abandoned them along the way. But Yahweh was there, and He proved it by providing water from a rock. That is why the psalmist ends his song by stating, “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the God of Jacob” (Psalm 114:7 NLT). 

At the presence of Yahweh, mountains shake, the seas part, and water flows from a rock. The earth trembles at His presence, but why don’t we? What prevents us from sensing His nearness and responding in awe at His holiness? Why do we find it so difficult to believe that God is in our midst? The psalmist recounts the physical evidence of God's power and provision in the lives of the Israelites. He uses the lyrics of his song to remind others of Yahweh’s all-pervasive presence. In our times of greatest need, Yahweh is there. Whether we face uncrossable seas, vast tracts of wilderness, a lack of resources, or unconquerable enemies, Yahweh is with us and for us. His presence remains even when the conditions of life point to His seeming absence. And, like the earth itself, we need to learn how to tremble at the presence of the LORD. He is great and greatly to be praised. 

Father, You are always with me, whether I can sense it or not. My circumstances are a lousy barometer of Your presence because they deceive me into believing You are not there or You simply do not care. But difficulties are not evidence of Your absence, they are opportunities to experience Your presence. The Red-Sea moments of life are designed to reveal the unseen presence of the One who can part seas, shake mountains, and provide life-giving water from a lifeless rock. Nothing is too difficult for You. So forgive me for doubting Your presence. Far too often, I have followed the lead of the Israelites and said, “Is the Lord here with us or not?” But I want to live in faithful expectatoin of your presence and in constant awe of Your power. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Lord is Coming

A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD says to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”

2 The LORD sends forth from Zion
    your mighty scepter.
    Rule in the midst of your enemies!
3 Your people will offer themselves freely
    on the day of your power,
    in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
    the dew of your youth will be yours.
4 The LORD has sworn
    and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
    after the order of Melchizedek.”

5 The Lord is at your right hand;
    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
6 He will execute judgment among the nations,
    filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs
    over the wide earth.
7 He will drink from the brook by the way;
    therefore he will lift up his head. – Psalm 110:1-7 ESV

This is a somewhat confusing psalm. It was written by David, but he appears to be talking about someone else. In the opening line, David writes, “The LORD (Yᵊhōvâ) says to my Lord ('āḏôn),” using two different Hebrew words that are translated in English as “Lord.” But who is David referring to, and what is the context of this somewhat cryptic psalm? Some scholars speculate that David is speaking of his own son, Solomon, who crowned David's successor while David was still alive. 

When it appears in all caps, the term LORD is a designation for Jehovah, the name of God. Adon is the Hebrew word for an owner, lord, master, or king. LORD is used three times in the passage, while Lord is used twice. But who is David referring to? Is he talking about himself or someone else? Are all the statements in this passage referring to him or another person? In the Hebrew culture, the term, The Lord, was understood to be a reference to the Messiah, the coming Savior of Israel. So in the psalm, David is referring not to himself, but to the future Messiah, God’s divinely appointed ruler over Israel.

Perhaps David believed his son Solomon would serve in that role. Like any father, David had high hopes for his son and longed for him to be the future deliverer of Israel. But what David didn't know was that this Spirit-inspired psalm was a prophetic vision concerning one of his future descendants who would rule in righteousness for eternity.

It is easy to see how David could have had his son Solomon in mind when writing this psalm. Years earlier, the prophet Nathan conveyed a message to him from Jehovah (the LORD).

“…the LORD (Yᵊhōvâ) declares to you that the LORD (Yᵊhōvâ) will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:11-16 ESV

David's son Solomon did build a house for God. He carried out his father's wishes and constructed the Temple in Jerusalem. But this grand accomplishment did not solidify his kingdom or prevent him from becoming unfaithful to the One for whom the Temple was built. Solomon was wise, wealthy, and powerful, but he also had an unbridled love affair with women. At one point, his harem included 300 wives and 700 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). This obsession with the opposite sex was in direct violation of God's decree. 

“The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.” – Deuteronomy 17:17 NLT

Solomon accumulated great wealth and many wives. 

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. The LORD had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.

In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the LORD his God, as his father, David, had been. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the LORD’s sight; he refused to follow the LORD completely, as his father, David, had done. – 1 Kings 11:1-6 NLT

So it is clear that the “Lord” referred to in Psalm 110 cannot be Solomon. He kingdom was not eternal. It came to an end because of his unfaithfulness. In fact, because of Solomon's idolatry and apostasy, the LORD split his kingdom in half. 

“Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. But for the sake of your father, David, I will not do this while you are still alive. I will take the kingdom away from your son. And even so, I will not take away the entire kingdom; I will let him be king of one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, my chosen city.” – 1 Kings 12:11-13 NLT

So, who is David referring to when he writes the following?:

The LORD will extend your powerful kingdom from Jerusalem;
    you will rule over your enemies.
When you go to war,
    your people will serve you willingly.
You are arrayed in holy garments,
    and your strength will be renewed each day like the morning dew. – Psalm 110:2-3 NLT

This psalm is a prophecy concerning Jesus and His future role as the conquering Messiah. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David prophesied about the Millennial reign of Jesus, which would take place at His second coming. David knew there was a day coming when all the enemies of Israel and God would be completely destroyed by the King of kings and LORD of Lords, but he had no way of knowing it would be Jesus, the incarnate Son of God.

The book of Matthew records an incident between Jesus and the Pharisees, where Jesus used this very passage to point to himself.

Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

They replied, “He is the son of David.”

Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said,

‘The LORD said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
    until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’

Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.  – Matthew 22:41-46 NLT

Jesus knew this Psalm predicted a future event that had not yet occurred. But there was no doubt in Jesus’ mind that Psalm 110 spoke of Himself. This Old Testament passage serves as a reminder to us that there is a day coming when Jesus, as the Christ (the Greek word for Messiah), will return to the earth to complete the plan of God for Israel and all mankind. Jesus’ work is not yet done. He currently sits at the right hand of the Father (Colossians 3:1), but when God is ready, He will send Jesus to finish what He began with His death and resurrection.

He will strike down many kings when his anger erupts.
He will punish the nations
    and fill their lands with corpses;
    he will shatter heads over the whole earth.
But he himself will be refreshed from brooks along the way.
    He will be victorious. – Psalm 110:5-7 NLT

As a king, David saw this as a wonderful picture of victory over his enemies. He knew that someday God would give Israel complete victory over every one of their foes. David lived in a time when battle was a daily ordeal. He was surrounded by enemies and regularly confronted by war. There was never a day when someone didn’t want to destroy him or the nation over which he ruled. So the idea of final victory and perfect peace was appealing to him. And it should be to us as well.

Like David, we are surrounded by enemies who oppose God and His ways. They live for this world and are influenced by the Prince of this world, Satan himself. Every day, we do battle with our flesh, the world, and the devil. We are under constant attack. There is never a time when we can take a day off or remove our armor. We must be constantly prepared to defend ourselves because the war and the casualties are real. We see them in the form of broken marriages, rebellious children, addictions, depression, anxiety, and disease.

This psalm assures us that a day is coming when God will set all things right. His plan will be finalized. His Son, the Messiah, will complete what He came to do. In His first advent, Jesus came to provide a means of salvation for mankind. He made it possible for sinful humanity to be restored to a right relationship with God. Through the sacrifice of His life, He offered men and women a means by which they could escape the coming wrath of God against all who refuse Him.

But there is a day coming when Christ will return a second time, but not as Savior, but as a conquering King. He will do battle with all those who stand opposed to God and He will be victorious. The enemy will be defeated once and for all, and Christ will set up His kingdom on earth and rule from the throne of David in Jerusalem. There will be peace in the world for the first time since the creation of the world. Order will be restored, and shalom (peace) will be present again. 

The apostle John was given a vision of this fulfillment of the scene that David tried to describe.

No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever. – Revelation 22:3-5 NLT

Jesus will return someday. He will complete the assignment given to Him by God the Father, and the glorious future David envisioned will come to pass. David did not live long enough to see it. Neither did Solomon. But the promise remains, and its fulfillment is assured because God is faithful and all-powerful. 

This is a Messianic Psalm. It predicts the coming return and reign of Christ on earth. It is short and sweet, painting the future rule of Christ in just a few lines. It establishes Jesus as a descendant of David and his Lord and Master. He is the Messiah.

This psalm should comfort all who call themselves Christ-followers. It is a reminder of how the story ends. Even though we see a lot of suffering in the world and even question how this whole mess will sort itself out, David reminds us that Christ still reigns and rules in heaven, and one day He will return and put all things right.

Jesus may have come as an innocent baby the first time, but He isn’t going to return that way. He will be the conquering king and warrior who defeats all the enemies of God and sets up His righteous rule on earth. That is not just a hope; it is a certainty. It will happen, and we can count on it. It is all part of God’s divine plan. When Jesus returns, He will judge the nations justly and righteously. He will make all things right. And that future hope should bring us present peace.

Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless king
through all eternity. – Matthew Bridges, “Crown Him With Many Crowns” (1851)

Father, in the midst of the daily battles of life it is so easy to get defeated by what appears to be a hopeless cause. It can be so easy to want to give up and give in. Our efforts seem to make no difference. The battles we fight don’t seem to be winning the war. But in the Psalm You remind us that the ultimate victory is Yours, not ours. David had to fight his battles, but he rested in the knowledge that You will one day bring about complete victory. Never let me forget that. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

An Uncomfortable But Honest Prayer

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 Be not silent, O God of my praise!
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
    speaking against me with lying tongues.
3 They encircle me with words of hate,
    and attack me without cause.
4 In return for my love they accuse me,
    but I give myself to prayer.
5 So they reward me evil for good,
    and hatred for my love.

6 Appoint a wicked man against him;
    let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
    let his prayer be counted as sin!
8 May his days be few;
    may another take his office!
9 May his children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow!
10 May his children wander about and beg,
    seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
11 May the creditor seize all that he has;
    may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
12 Let there be none to extend kindness to him,
    nor any to pity his fatherless children!
13 May his posterity be cut off;
    may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD,
    and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!
15 Let them be before the LORD continually,
    that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!

16 For he did not remember to show kindness,
    but pursued the poor and needy
    and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
17 He loved to curse; let curses come upon him!
    He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!
18 He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
    may it soak into his body like water,
    like oil into his bones!
19 May it be like a garment that he wraps around him,
    like a belt that he puts on every day!
20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD,
    of those who speak evil against my life!

21 But you, O God my Lord,
    deal on my behalf for your name's sake;
    because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
22 For I am poor and needy,
    and my heart is stricken within me.
23 I am gone like a shadow at evening;
    I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak through fasting;
    my body has become gaunt, with no fat.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
    when they see me, they wag their heads.

26 Help me, O LORD my God!
    Save me according to your steadfast love!
27 Let them know that this is your hand;
    you, O LORD, have done it!
28 Let them curse, but you will bless!
    They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!
29 May my accusers be clothed with dishonor;
    may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!

30 With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD;
    I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
    to save him from those who condemn his soul to death. – Psalm 109:1-31 ESV

One word comes to mind when I read a psalm like this: Uncomfortable, or maybe even shocking. I read it and am surprised that these words came from the pen of David, the man after God's own heart. But here they are for all to see and read in all their black and white glory.

May his children become fatherless,
    and his wife a widow.
May his children wander as beggars
    and be driven from their ruined homes.
May creditors seize his entire estate,
    and strangers take all he has earned.
Let no one be kind to him;
    let no one pity his fatherless children.
May all his offspring die. – Psalm 109:9-13 NLT

To say that David is feeling vindictive would be a mild understatement. He is incensed, and his words are incendiary. Remember, this is a song, and is addressed to the choirmaster. It was meant to be sung and performed as an act of worship. Yet, it is filled with shockingly blunt and surprisingly hateful petitions aimed at an unnamed enemy of David. 

Psalm 109 is what is known as an imprecatory prayer. It is a prayer for evil or misfortune to come upon someone else, usually an enemy. In the Bible, an imprecatory prayer is the prayer of a righteous man asking God to carry out justice by bringing punishment or destruction on those who have done evil and mistreated or abused him. A first read of this Psalm can be a little disconcerting.

David's requests are severe and seem motivated by extreme hatred. He is obviously upset and has been suffering greatly at the hands of this enemy. David doesn't disclose the identity of his enemy, but he wishes nothing but ill will against them. He makes it painfully clear what he wants God to do to them. He basically wants him dead, leaving his wife a widow and his children little more than beggars.

Is David wrong for praying this prayer? Is he letting his anger get the best of him? If so, why does God include this psalm in the Bible?

While David's requests may make us uncomfortable, we can probably relate at some level. We have all had similar thoughts concerning someone in our lives. Perhaps we never put those ideas into the form of a prayer, but we definitely conjured up images of those individuals getting their just desserts. We may not have been quite as harsh as David, but we likely wanted to see some kind of harm come to the one who had harmed us.

This is a purely human reaction. We want revenge and desire vengeance to be done. This is not necessarily wrong, especially if what was done to us is truly evil and sinful. But David knew something we all need to know: Vengeance is God's business, not ours. That is why David took his issue to God. 

Help me, O Lord my God!
    Save me because of your unfailing love.
Let them see that this is your doing,
    that you yourself have done it, LORD. – Psalm 109:26-27 NLT

I think there is a point at which David knew that what this person had done to him was in direct opposition to the will of God. David had shown them love, and their response had been evil.

I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations
    even as I am praying for them!
They repay evil for good,
    and hatred for my love. – Psalm 109:4-5 NLT

Their actions were sinful and ungodly, and David knew that God was opposed to everything they had done to him. So he took his case to the Lord, pleading for justice in the form of vengeance. He was familiar with God's declaration found in the Book of Deuteronomy.

“Is not this laid up in store with me,
    sealed up in my treasuries?
Vengeance is mine, and recompense,
    for the time when their foot shall slip;
for the day of their calamity is at hand,
    and their doom comes swiftly.” – Deuteronomy 32:34-35 ESV

This passage is part of another song, written by Moses near the end of the Israelites' 40-year journey from Egypt to the promised land. The elderly liberator and leader of God's chosen people is nearing the end of his own earthly journey and preparing the people of Israel for their conquest of Canaan. He would not be going with them, and so he pens this epic poem to remind them of their need to leave behind their apostasy and idolatry and obey God. His record of God's promise of vengeance was directed at the people of Israel, not their enemies. Moses was warning them that God would not tolerate their infidelity and unfaithfulness. Their successful conquest of the land would require obedience and obeisance, their willing submission to God's will. 

But David had a different kind of vengeance in mind that was not self-directed but other-oriented. He was asking God to vindicate him by turning the tables on his enemy and giving him a taste of his own medicine. Basically, David was asking God to let this man reap what he sowed.

It gets really uncomfortable for most of us when David starts asking for bad things to happen to the guy's wife and kids. This seems a bit extreme. But this does not mean David had unbridled hatred for the man's family. It only reveals David's understanding of how things worked in their society. These were the natural consequences of life in the culture of David's day. A man and his offspring were inseparably linked. The actions of one directly influenced the other. This man's sins and punishment would be felt by his wife, children, and ancestors. That was the way things worked in their society. So David is praying for the natural consequences of this man's deserved punishment.

David knew God hated sin and injustice, so his prayer was not inappropriate or sinful. He was simply expressing a hatred for sin that mirrored that of God. He wanted to see God's will done. Sure, he was not shy in expressing his own opinion as to what that will should be, but at the end of the day, he wanted to see God mete out justice and vengeance on someone he believed to be an enemy of God.

But what balances this psalm out is David's request that God express His love and faithfulness to him.

But deal well with me, O Sovereign LORD,
    for the sake of your own reputation!
Rescue me
    because you are so faithful and good. – Psalm 109:21 NLT

David understood that God wanted to bless the righteous and punish the wicked. That is what this prayer is all about. It is a request for God to be God, and do what only God can do. Only God could rescue David and turn the evil that this person intended into a blessing. Only God could punish this individual justly and righteously, returning on him the kind of evil he had been dishing out.

Imprecations are effective only when we see sin from God's point of view and ask Him to deal with it according to His Word. David was simply praying back to God what he knew to be true about His character and His divine outlook on sin. David was praying for the kind of punishment for sin God had already expressed as proper and just.

The most crucial point is that David prayed with a pure, innocent heart. He had done nothing to deserve the treatment he had received. He was innocent, which is critical when praying an imprecatory prayer. Had David been guilty of mistreating this man, his prayers would have been improper and unheeded by God. But he stood guiltless before God and suffered unjustly, so he knew God would intervene. God protects His own. He defends His sheep.

David's prayer came from a firm understanding of who God was and what He stood for. This song is much more than an expression of hatred for his enemy. His prayer was driven by a desire to see justice done and for God to intervene.

I will give repeated thanks to the LORD,
    praising him to everyone.
For he stands beside the needy,
    ready to save them from those who condemn them. – Psalm 109:30-31 NLT

David wanted to see God's will done and His power manifested to all those around him. God's glory was David's foremost desire, and he was willing to wait on God to intercede on his behalf. He believed justice would be done, and he was ready to praise God even before the deliverance became a reality.

Father, give me a hatred for evil that is more powerful than my hatred for any particular individual and what they might do to me. May I learn to see any injustice done to me as an injustice done to You. This is more about You than me. May I learn to desire Your glory by seeing Your will be done – in my life and circumstances. Give me a greater understanding of Your hatred of evil and the manner in which You punish it, so that I might pray according to Your will and not mine. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our Hope Is In Him

A Song. A Psalm of David.

1 My heart is steadfast, O God!
    I will sing and make melody with all my being!
2 Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
3 I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
4 For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!
6 That your beloved ones may be delivered,
    give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

7 God has promised in his holiness:
    “With exultation I will divide up Shechem
    and portion out the Valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah my scepter.
9 Moab is my washbasin;
    upon Edom I cast my shoe;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Have you not rejected us, O God?
    You do not go out, O God, with our armies.
12 Oh grant us help against the foe,
    for vain is the salvation of man!
13 With God we shall do valiantly;
    it is he who will tread down our foes. – Psalm 108:1-13 ESV

David is ready. He is prepared to face anything because he is strong and confident. But this psalm is not a boastful display of self-reliance but a confession of his hope and trust in God. He knows that with God's assistance, he can face any situation with confidence and peace.

With God’s help we will do mighty things,
    for he will trample down our foes. – Psalm 108:13 NLT

There is no enemy too powerful or problem too big for God. David has learned that fear is futile and pointless when God is on your side. Trying to take matters into your own hands is absurd when you have the God of the universe fighting for you. David's awareness of this fact causes him to sing God's praises. He can't help but express gratefulness for God's unfailing love and faithfulness.

My heart is confident in you, O God;
    no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart! – Psalm 1-8:1 NLT

He has witnessed God's deliverance in the past, and he is confident that he will see it in the future, all because of God's unchanging nature. God has promised to rescue His people "by His holiness" (Psalm 108:7 NLT). His very character assures that He will do what He has promised to do. He will come through. He will answer. David would have been very familiar with the words of Balaan recorded in the Book of Numbers.

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? – Numbers 23:19 NLT

But when the storms of life rage, it is easy to forget that God is faithful. When you find yourself surrounded by trouble, doubting that God will keep His promises can be tempting. Like David, we can question God’s presence and power.

Have you rejected us, O God?
    Will you no longer march with our armies? – Psalm 108:11 NLT

During those times of doubt and despair, we must remind ourselves that God is faithful. He rescues. He restores. He may not do it according to our schedule or how we would like it done, but He will act. In those moments when God appears inactive or unresponsive, we can be tempted to turn to someone or something else for help. I

Often, we are tempted to trust ourselves to come up with the solution we're looking for, despite our abysmal track record. But David knew better. In his experience, he had found all human help to be useless (Psalm 108:12b NLT). He had learned from painful experience that anything he turned to as a substitute for God eventually failed. But with God's help, he could do the impossible.

As king, David was responsible for protecting the people of Israel from their enemies. He was the warrior king who led the troops of Israel into battle against the Philistines, Moabites, and Edomites. David recites God's promise to defeat these perennial enemies of Israel.

“Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant,
    and I will wipe my feet on Edom
    and shout in triumph over Philistia.” – Psalm 108:9 NLT

Long before Israel began their conquest of the land of Canaan, Moses assured the Israelites that their efforts would be successful. 

“When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you. When the Lord your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy.” – Deuteronomy 7:1-2 NLT

Hundreds of years later, David continued what Joshua and the Israelites had begun, and he was still trusting in the LORD for His success.

Now rescue your beloved people.
    Answer and save us by your power.
God has promised this by his holiness:
“I will divide up Shechem with joy.
    I will measure out the valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine,
    and Manasseh, too.
Ephraim, my helmet, will produce my warriors,
    and Judah, my scepter, will produce my kings. – Psalm 108:6-8 NLT

The land was theirs. Each of the tribes had received its allotment of territory but the enemies of Israel remained. This was not because God had failed to keep His word but because the people of Israel had failed to do what He had commanded. Moses had made God's expectations clear.

“…you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy. You must not intermarry with them. Do not let your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters, for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you.” – Deuteronomy 7:2-4 NLT

But the Book of Judges reveals the truth about Israel's compliance with God's command.

…the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. – Judges 1:21 NLT

When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely. – Judges 1:28 NLT

Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them. – Judges 1:29 NLT

Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them… – Judges 1:30 NLT

And the list goes on and on. By the time David ascended the throne of Israel, the 12 tribes had begun to intermarry with the surrounding nations, making treaties and alliances that directly defied God's command. But David remained committed to carrying out the LORD's divine mandate. Yet, he knew he could not do it in his own strength or without the LORD's assistance. 

This is a lesson only learned through experience. It can be taught, but it is rarely caught until we are forced to experience it firsthand. Relying on God takes guts. When everything in you says to take matters into your own hands, trusting takes faith. But as our understanding of His character grows, we become increasingly more confident and quick to place our trust in Him and Him alone. Then we can sing along with David, “My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!
Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens” (Psalm 108:1-4 NLT).

Father, continue to teach me to trust You. Thank You that my heart is more confident in You today than it has ever been. I still have a long way to go, but You have never given me a reason to doubt You. The enemies of life remain. The threats against Your people are real. But You are always faithful and true. Your strength has not diminished. Your promise to fight for Your people has not been reneged or removed in any way. So, help me to trust You when times are tough. Keep me from turning to other sources of help and hope that can't deliver. Prevent me from relying on myself and trying to play god because my efforts are useless without You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Some Things Never Change

A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

1 Hear my prayer, O LORD;
let my cry come to you!
2 Do not hide your face from me
    in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
    answer me speedily in the day when I call!

3 For my days pass away like smoke,
    and my bones burn like a furnace.
4 My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
    I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of my loud groaning
    my bones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
    like an owl of the waste places;
7 I lie awake;
    I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8 All the day my enemies taunt me;
    those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9 For I eat ashes like bread
    and mingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your indignation and anger;
    for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
11 My days are like an evening shadow;
    I wither away like grass.

12 But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
    you are remembered throughout all generations.
13 You will arise and have pity on Zion;
    it is the time to favor her;
    the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants hold her stones dear
    and have pity on her dust.
15 Nations will fear the name of the LORD,
    and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16 For the LORD builds up Zion;
    he appears in his glory;
17 he regards the prayer of the destitute
    and does not despise their prayer.

18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
    so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
19 that he looked down from his holy height;
    from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners,
    to set free those who were doomed to die,
21 that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD,
    and in Jerusalem his praise,
22 when peoples gather together,
    and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

23 He has broken my strength in midcourse;
    he has shortened my days.
24 “O my God,” I say, “take me not away
    in the midst of my days—
you whose years endure
    throughout all generations!”

25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you will remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27     but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28 The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
    their offspring shall be established before you. – Psalm 102:1-28 ESV

This is one of those psalms most of us can relate to because we've all had times in our lives when we felt just as the psalmist did. He cried out to God, asking that his prayer be heard, but felt as if God had turned a deaf ear to his plight. Things were so bad that he couldn't sleep, had lost his appetite, and felt like everything was caving in on him.

My heart is sick, withered like grass,
    and I have lost my appetite.
Because of my groaning,
    I am reduced to skin and bones. – Psalm 102:4-5 NLT

Does that sound familiar? It does to me. The fact is, we all go through moments like that because we live in a fallen world. We are surrounded by hurt and heartache. People do mean things to other people. Difficulties and trials come, and almost always at the wrong time. It was true in the psalmist's day, and it is true in ours as well. Some things never change. Centuries pass, generations come and go, but the sinful state of humanity remains the same as it always has been.

Yet, while describing his life's dark and depressing circumstances, the psalmist breaks up his lament with the word “but.”

But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
    you are remembered throughout all generations. – Psalm 102:12 ESV

He recognizes that there is one other unchanging feature surrounding his life: The consistency and constancy of Yahweh. While his sorrow and heartache remained, he reminded himself that his God was still on His throne and in complete control of all the affairs of men.

For the psalmist, the Temple in Jerusalem was the dwelling place of God. In the Holy of Holies, the glory of God rested over the Mercy Seat on top of the Ark of the Covenant. This manifestation of God's presence and power was meant to provide His people with assurance and confidence. It was in the Most Holy Place that God met with His people. But the psalmist describes a scene in which the Temple and the city of Jerusalem were in disarray and needed God's intervention. 

You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem—
    and now is the time to pity her,
    now is the time you promised to help. – Psalm 102:13 NLT

Something had happened. Not only was the psalmist's life in turmoil, but the capital city had also suffered some significant loss. Yet, the psalmist knew that God was still enthroned on high, and from His unique vantage point, He could look down on the sufferings of mankind and intervene. God could hear the groanings of the prisoner set free those doomed to death. God was not bound by time or limited in how He could deal with our difficulties.

The psalmist compares the brevity of his own life to God’s eternality.

He broke my strength in midlife,
    cutting short my days.
But I cried to him, “O my God, who lives forever,
    don’t take my life while I am so young!” – Psalm 102:23-24 NLT

Man is finite, but God is infinite and will outlast the world He created. He will be around long after we are gone. Unlike those He made, Yahweh's years will never end. He has no birth date or death date. And while our lives will end, God will still be there faithfully and sovereignly interacting with those who follow after us.

Suffering and God's sovereignty are part of life. When we think everything is out of control, we need to remind ourselves that He is not. He remains unchanged and unaffected by the affairs of life. His strength never weakens, His sovereignty never wanes, and His ability to hear and respond to the needs of His people never diminishes. God sits on His throne and rules over the affairs of men, whether we recognize it or not. So, despite his personal circumstances and the current conditions surrounding Jerusalem, the psalmist can say, “You are always the same; you will live forever.
The children of your people will live in security. Their children’s children will thrive in your presence” (Psalm 102:27-28 NLT). 

No matter what happens in this life, God remains unchanging and reliable. He is always consistent, caring, powerful, and present, even when our circumstances seem to prove otherwise. God said of Himself, “For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken” (Isaiah 54:10 NLT). He promises to show His children mercy. And Jeremiah, who was known as “the weeping prophet,” echoed his confidence in Yahweh's unwavering mercy and compassion.

For no one is abandoned
    by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
    because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
For he does not enjoy hurting people
    or causing them sorrow. – Lamentations 32:31-33 NLT

God is unchanging, and His compassion is unwavering. Even when He appears distant or disinterested in our circumstances, He is there and cares. He hears and answers. His power remains constant, and His plans for our lives remain firmly established and unstoppable.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Father, help me to continue to learn to focus on You and not my circumstances. You are the unchanging one. You are the ONLY thing I can count on in this life. You are consistent and constant, faithful and unfailing. And Your eternalness reminds me that I have a secure future – forever. This life is NOT all there is. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The LORD of All the Earth

1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
    let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him
    and burns up his adversaries all around.
4 His lightnings light up the world;
    the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
    before the LORD of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
    and all the peoples see his glory.
7 All worshipers of images are put to shame,
    who make their boast in worthless idols;
    worship him, all you gods!

8 Zion hears and is glad,
    and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
    because of your judgments, O LORD.
9 For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;
    you are exalted far above all gods.

10 O you who love the LORD, hate evil!
    He preserves the lives of his saints;
    he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown for the righteous,
    and joy for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,
    and give thanks to his holy name! – Psalm 97:1-12 ESV

While this psalm is not the first to promote God's universal kingship and sovereignty, it appears to be predicting a future reign when Yahweh comes to rule on earth. The psalmist opens by placing his emphasis on the earth, not heaven.

The LORD reigns.
Let the earth be happy.
Let the many coastlands rejoice. – Psalm 97:1 NLT

The location of the LORD’s realm has shifted from heaven to earth, where His righteous rule will radically alter the political, social, and spiritual landscape. The LORD’s appearance will be dramatic and life-altering for all those who are alive when this epic event takes place.

Dark clouds surround him;
equity and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him;
on every side it burns up his enemies.
His lightning bolts light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of the whole earth. – Psalm 97:2-5 NLT

The psalmist uses figurative language to describe the LORD’s arrival on earth and paints a foreboding picture of divine judgment against all wickedness and unrighteousness. The imagery of dark clouds, fire, and lightning is meant to convey God’s power and holiness. It is the same language used by Moses to describe God's presence on Mount Sinai.

On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled. Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the LORD had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply. The LORD came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. – Exodus 19:16-20 NLT

Moses emphasized the LORD's arrival on Mount Sinai by stating that He descended on it in the form of fire. The LORD “came down on the top of Mount Sinai,” and His arrival was epic and frightening. Moses describes the impact of God's dramatic entrance on the people of Israel.

When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear.

And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!” – Exodus 20:18-19 NLT

The psalmist seems to have had this event in mind when he penned the words of his song. He envisioned another display of divine glory and judgment as the LORD makes a second unforgettable entrance into the realm of men. His arrival will be impossible to miss and prove, once and for all, that He is the one true God.

The sky declares his justice,
and all the nations see his splendor.
All who worship idols are ashamed,
those who boast about worthless idols.
All the gods bow down before him. – Psalm 97:6-7 NLT

With the LORD’s dramatic appearance, all doubt in His existence and sovereignty will disappear. His arrival will be visible and so impactful that any further belief in false gods will be impossible to maintain. Their feasibility will fade in the light of His glory.

The apostle John was given a glimpse of this future event and he recorded what he saw in the Book of Revelation.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. – Revelation 19:11-16 NLT

But the prophets had predicted this event long before John penned his words. God had given them an insight into His future plans to send His Son to rule and reign on earth as the King of kings and Lord of all lords.

“On that day the Lord will defend the people of Jerusalem; the weakest among them will be as mighty as King David! And the royal descendants will be like God, like the angel of the Lord who goes before them! For on that day I will begin to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.” – Zechariah 12:8-10 NLT

In that day the Lord will punish the gods in the heavens
    and the proud rulers of the nations on earth.
They will be rounded up and put in prison.
    They will be shut up in prison
    and will finally be punished.
Then the glory of the moon will wane,
    and the brightness of the sun will fade,
for the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will rule on Mount Zion.
    He will rule in great glory in Jerusalem,
    in the sight of all the leaders of his people. – Isaiah 24:21-23 NLT

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. – Daniel 7:13-14 NLT

In the opening chapter of Revelation, John relays a message he received from Christ.

He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven.
    And everyone will see him—
    even those who pierced him.
And all the nations of the world
    will mourn for him.
Yes! Amen!

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” – Revelation 1:6-8 NLT

The psalmist depicts an as-yet-future day when God will manifest His glory on earth again. But on this occasion, it will be the Son of God who makes a dramatic entrance into the world of men. Unlike His first advent, Jesus’ second coming will be marked by power and sovereignty. He will come to rule and reign over all the earth, and He will mete out judgment upon all those who stand opposed to His Kingdom and are unwilling to recognize Him as their Lord and Savior. But the people of God will rejoice when they see the arrival of their King and the inauguration of His earthly Kingdom.

Zion hears and rejoices,
the towns of Judah are happy,
because of your judgments, O LORD.
For you, O Lord, are the Most High over the whole earth;
you are elevated high above all gods. – Psalm 97"8-9 NLT

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will return one day and establish an earthly Kingdom over which He will reign for a thousand years. At the end of that time, another epic event will take place that will dramatically alter the universe by renewing God's creation and reestablishing His relationship with mankind once and for all. The apostle John describes this remarkable reality in the closing chapters of the Book of Revelation.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” – Revelation 21:3-4 NLT

No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever. – Revelation 22:3-5 NLT

The psalmist had no way of knowing the details concerning these future events, but he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and foreshadowed their coming. And he closed his psalm with a call to worship God for His faithfulness, sovereignty, and holiness.

You who love the LORD, hate evil!
He protects the lives of his faithful followers;
he delivers them from the power of the wicked.
The godly bask in the light;
the morally upright experience joy.
You godly ones, rejoice in the LORD.
Give thanks to his holy name. – Psalm 97:10-12 NLT

The LORD reigns, whether we recognize it or not. He is sovereign over all, whether we believe it or not. And one day, He will demonstrate the reality of His power and the scope of His sovereign rule when He sends His Son to right all wrongs and prepare the way for His presence to dwell among men for eternity.

Father, these truths are diffiicult to understand and even harded to believe. The world in which we live appears to be out of control and at odds with the idea of Your sovereignty. The majority of earth's population stands opposed to Your very existence and refuse to acknowledge Your right to rule their lives. Even as believers, we wrestle with doubts and question whether You are in control.. But this psalm reminds us that You reign at all times and You have a plan to renew and remake this world according to Your terms and in keeping with Your promise to make all things new. Help me keep my eyes on the prize and not get distracted by the cares and concerns of this world. Your Son is coming again and He will finish what He started. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.