Gadfly's Muse

Psalm 54-60: Because God is FOR Us.

Image: Glory Yet To Be Revealed, 2020, Severna Park, Md

Psalm 55:6  So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.

Psalm 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God, And the LORD shall save me.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 56:9 When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.

Psalm 60:12 Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.

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Even as we face the fear and inconvenience of the current pestilence, when we read these Psalms of David we realize that we don't have it so bad after all.  David is either cringing in a cave or peering out at the city around him and seeing blood in the streets and violence on its walls or anxiously looking at the combined armies of enemies hell bent on destroying him and his country.   Compared to these, COVID-19 is not that bad.

He sings plaintively about God's evident displeasure.  "O God, You have cast us off... broken us down." (60:1)  He pleads for deliverance from the "blood thirsty men" (59:2)  who lie in wait for him in the ominous darkness.  He calls upon God to rise up and break the teeth of the wicked (58:6).  He compares his helpless situation to that of being exposed in the wilderness and surrounded by hungry lions (57:4).  Most painful of all, perhaps, is the sting of betrayal.  There was the one who "broke his covenant (of friendship)" with David (55:20), a man who was his companion in both conversation and worship (55:14).  The life of a king had its perils and David's troubles threatened to overwhelm him.

But in all these perils there is a constant refrain.  David knew, in the most basic cellar of his heart, the He who was in him was greater than he who was in the world. (cf. 1 John 4:4)  Though the problems appeared insurmountable and, from the view point of mere human resources, were insurmountable, yet David had the advantage over all his enemies.  He knew, without question, the God was FOR David. (56:9)

What does this mean?  It means that David knew, and we can know, that there is nothing in God, on the negative side, that seeks our ultimate harm or failure.  It means, on the positive side, that God is absolutely committed to our ultimate well being.  He is passionately for us.  He, far more than the best human general in any earthly army, is not content that even one of His servants be lost.  Far from it.  He is absolutely committed to doing everything required for finding the lost souls belonging to Him so that they may be saved. (Luke 19:9-10)

Notice how this transformed David's entire attitude.  Yes, he was emotionally distraught. Yes, he had to fight off doubt, wondering why God appeared to have forgotten him.  Yes, he felt the physical, psychological and heart pain that came with his dire straits.  But in none of these Psalms do we see David giving up on God.  He "hung in there" because he knew that nothing could separate him from the love of God, which we know is clearly revealed in Christ Jesus.  God was FOR Him... who could be against him?  What could men do to him that his God would not turn against them?  He speaks it beautifully.  "Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall NEVER permit the righteous to be moved."  (55:22)  That is the faith the sustains us... no matter what we face.

And always, having reassured his soul even if his God had not yet removed the threats, there was the return to praise.  In the midst of trouble there is singing.  "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth!" (57:5)  "I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble." (59:16)  Whatever we Christians encounter, whether death or life, angels or principalities or powers, or things present or things to come... there is and always will be grounds for singing God's praise.

How can we not find these grounds and give forth praise for our hearts?  The God Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, is FOR us!  He is bound to us by covenant and it is a covenant from His heart.  His love for us, even in the face of our sin and doubt, is far wider and deeper than we can imagine and He, like all lovers, is passionately committed to our blessing.  This is our God... We are HIS people... and He shall never turn against us nor away from us.

 

Psalms 48-53: The Beauty of a Contrite Heart

Image: Emerging Beauty, Flowering Quince, 2020, Severna Park, Md

Psalm 48:9 We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, In the midst of Your temple.

Psalm 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me.

Psalm 50:23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”

Psalm 51:10–11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.

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Previously I posted an image of the flowering quince and mentioned how we looked forward to it blooming again.  Obviously it has and I have several new images of it to share.  I chose this one because it somewhat fits the theme of "emerging beauty."  The flower has just blossomed from the bud and it appears to be coming forth from the vase.  That's a bit similar to a "repentant soul" blossoming under the Lord's tender ministrations.  That in which He delights in us are "a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart."  He loves to see such a soul bursting forth from its bud.

Psalm 51 has a very special place in my heart.  God used this Psalm to teach me many lessons about true repentance.  I closed out each of my daily prayers, during a certain time in my life, with the plea: "create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10) along with verse 11.  It was the vivid experience of God's answer, when true repentance did show forth, that was burned into my heart.  When we first planted the Severn Run church we included a praise song based on these words into every service during the time of "confession and repentance."  Several members remarked over the years on how that portion of the service touched their hearts and at least one man later told me that he decided to join us on his very first visit because of that song.

Let's meditate on what these passages teach us.  

First - God delights in the "beauty" of a "broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart."  We might think this appears somewhat abusive.  Why should God "delight" in brokenness  Doesn't that imply that the person is miserable?  

The answer is an emphatic "NO."  Although "breaking a person's spirit" in this fallen world may be very abusive and harsh, it is not so with God.  His methods of "breaking our hearts" is to show us the perfection of His grace.  He opens our eyes to the true blackness of our sins as David sings in 51:1-4.  Through His word and His Spirit we are brought face to face with our sinful nature.  Our sin is ever before us (51:3) and we see that it is OUR sin, our's alone, there is no excusing it nor do we allow for mitigating circumstances.  We are sinners!  And our sin is very personal.  We have sinned against God... in one sense, no matter who else is involved, we recognize that it is against God only that we have sinned and have done what is evil in His sight. (51:4)

We recognize that this is not what God wants from us.  Though we have been sinners from conception in our mother's womb (51:5), yet what God wants for us is "truth in the inward parts" (51:6).  God wants us to be not only "better", God wants us to be someone entirely different.  He wants us to "become children of God" and thus love Light and Truth from the heart.  

God doesn't do this by hammering us into grudging submission though He would be just if He did (51:4c&d).  Rather God reveals to us the purity of His love... a love that embraces us as sinners... a love that tenderly calls us and in so doing washes us from our iniquity and cleanses us from our sin (51:2).  

Secondly, this love works in us a specific, absolutely essential quality of true repentance: it always causes us to speak out and confess - "I am not worthy, O Lord, of this grace.  Who am I that you should love me this way?"  This is the flower of contrition that so delights the Lord.  It is when we see Him in relation to us!  When we are broken by the perfection of His love such that all we can do is respond in grateful thanksgiving.  God speaks to our hearts and says "No, I know you are not worthy... that's the whole point... it is by My Grace that you are cleansed of your sin and embraced in My family.  It is by grace and not by works lest you boast that you deserve My favor."  

This "first repentance" is a fundamental experience in every true Christian profession of faith although different people experience it differently.  But that is not the end of repentance.  Repentance is a life long process as God, in sanctification, reveals further defects in us and we confess our sinfulness and receive further assurances of our forgiveness.  Further, every true Christian profession of faith views this process of repentance as precious... it is not a source of despair but just the opposite.  It is fundamental to our fight against encroaching pride as well as distraction.  It is one way that God is always reminding us of His love... and that, to any true Christian, is more precious than any earthly treasure.

Thus, the budding flower of a contrite heart is a delight to God and a well-spring of joyous gratitude for us.  It is indeed that which enables us to sing, without hypocrisy, that in all things "It Is Well With My Soul."

 

Psalm 42-47: A Very Present Help

Image: Psalm 46:1-4, 2020, Severna Park, Md

Psalm 47:1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Psalm 46:1-4 in the graphic image above.

Psalm 42:1–2 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

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There is such a "freeing" quality to sincere worship, most especially corporate worship.  When the people of God come together, when they fill their souls with the sense of victory and express their joy by clapping their hands and "shout(ing) to God with the voice of triumph," then they truly sense the shackles binding their souls being loosed.   They know "freedom."  This is not a "mind game" of artificially worked up emotion.  It is that special quality of true worship wherein the celebrant senses the very Presence of his God.  He or she knows that God is there... and that He is the Object of their devotion... and also, they know that He is pleased to receive it.

Such worship not only imparts a sense of "release" from bondage, it adds the renewal and reinvigoration of hope.  Whatever dark clouds may hover about us, yet "we will not fear... even though the earth be removed... and all its waters roar and be troubled." (46:2,3)  This "hope" is not just something we intellectually apprehend... no... far from it.  Biblical "hope" is something that fills us and in which we "abound." (Romans 15:13)  "Hope" imparts its own unique flavor or quality to our lives.  It "lifts our head" and transforms our "down cast" visage.  If two people are encountered, the one who has hope will be readily distinguished from the one without it. "Hope" is fundamental to a flourishing life.  It's what leads us to say "life is good and it's going to get better."  A person with hope will say this even on their death bed.  "Hope" is something we rejoice in. (Romans 12:10-13)

So, from just that brief survey, we can see how true worship is so important to a transformed life, a life which becomes so precious to us.  When we are apart from congregational worship, as many of us are at the moment, then there is a special poignancy to David's words:  As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:1,2)  We know what he means.  Life is more empty, there is a missing vibrancy, when solid corporate worship with fellow believers is not possible.

No we are not prevented from worship entirely.  We know that worship is open to us in our individual prayer times, with our families, even perhaps through artificial "togetherness" over the internet or phones.  We also know the truth that seeking to "be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10) becomes a lifeline and His promise that He will be exalted in the earth does work some hope in us.  We, in the midst of tears, can hear His voice telling us the He is indeed our "refuge and strength, a VERY present hope in trouble" and we find the strength and the will to go on... to face what has to be faced with confidence.

However all those things which are so open to us in private or family worship are so much more abundantly present in corporate worship.  The synergy of the Holy Spirit's presence uniting our corporate hearts into one rhythmic cadence cannot be duplicated apart from fellowship.  The psalmist longs for that "river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most HIgh." (46:4)  It is this longing which lies deep in all our redeemed hearts.  It is a longing for that which we know is present in our corporate worship here in this life, but more than that, it is the longing for that which our corporate worship on earth is only a fore taste.

Worship in heaven will be the joyous fulfillment of all that we can and should hope for.  It is that for which our heart pants.  It is the ultimate bonding that will come when "faith become sight" and hope for that which is promised becomes rejoicing in what is here.

Then we shall indeed "clap our hands" in triumph (47:1) and shout "Hallelujah" for His victory.   On that day we will sing, "Our God Reigns" with absolute clarity for it will be then the visible truth even though now it is hidden.

Come, let us exalt His name together. (Psalm 34:3)

 

Psalm 35-41: Delighting In His Will

Image: "Object of Delight", Flowering Quince, 2016, Severna Park, Md

Psalm 36:9  For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:30–31 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.

Psalm 40:6–8 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not  require. 7 Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”

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The principle of "election" is clearly the law in our household.  There are those birds (bluejays, starlings - the scum of the feathered world, etc) which are clearly "non-elect."  Others (Carolina Wrens, Mockingbirds, Cardinals, Chickadees, etc.) are objects of delight... they are the "elect."  In the floral category the Flowering Quince ranks at the top of the elect category.  Its delicate buds are just beginning to unfold at present but the full blossoms are eagerly anticipated... you could say that it is the "desire of our heart" to see the blooms.

My thoughts today center on "delighting in righteousness."  Now the theologian in me has to make a quick distinction.  That word "righteousness" is easily misunderstood and often used sloppily.  We must firmly keep in mind the difference (in definition) between "forensic" or "legal" righteousness and "moral" or "existential" righteousness.  The first use of the word concerns our standing before God.  We are "righteous" because of our status as being "in Christ" and therefore free from all condemnation before the Judge.  The second use speaks to "righteousness" as we encounter it in our lives.  It is fundamentally "moral" in that it is always reflective of God's "righteousness" or His goodness, justice, mercy, blessedness, etc.  Our righteousness is not just descriptive of our "will" though it can never be apart from it.  Our righteousness is concerned with having right emotions, right desires, right thinking, etc.  To be "righteous" is to exist in the image of Christ.

Can we do this perfectly in this life? No?  Can we do it at all?  The Scriptures plainly say "yes!"

Now, today, let's reflect on how these Psalms portray this type of life as "delight!"  The OT word shalom describes a state of "flourishing."  It involves "peace" but it is far more than the absence of strife.  It is the state of joyous contentment where we experience "delight" in our lives.  This state of "flourishing contentment", I assert, is the deepest desire of all human life.  It is the "highest good" to which we aspire.  Psalm 37:4 says that we are to "delight" ourselves in the LORD and He will give us the desires of our heart.  David is not here talking specifically about wealth and power or physical attractiveness or anything else that our secular world holds forth as being sources of happiness.  David is talking about finding shalom... of living in it... of loving it.  He says that we find it by having God Himself as the Object of our Delight.

To delight in God is to celebrate His perfections... to wonder at His goodness... to sincerely appreciate Him as a Person (Trinity that He is).  Just as a husband is to delight in his beloved (cf. Song of Solomon, 2:2 et al), so we will find our greatest blessedness when we truly "delight" in our God.

Essential to delighting in God is delighting in His Righteousness... the perfection and beauty of His moral Character.  We say that God is love and rightly so.  But John (1 Jn 4:8,16) is not focusing on the emotional aspect of love... the warm and fuzzy experience of love.  No, rather John is speaking of God's moral character of love.  He relates to His creation and especially His covenant people in love.  Love moves His actions and (cf. 1 Cor 13) love grounds those actions in righteousness.  To delight in God is to delight in His love and to long to live in that love, not just the experience of it but the practice of it.  We love because God first loved us and we delight in His love.

I submit that to live in love is to taste shalom and to see that it is good.

To delight in God is to open up our lives to "life" itself.  Psalm 36:9 tells us that God is the "fountain of life." Here we see the difference between "life" and "existence."  "Shalom" is a quality of life that is like light in the darkness.  When we delight in God we see Him as "light" (36:9) that reveals truth, goodness and purpose as they are truly... not as the darkness seeks to obscure them.  If we walk in that light, as John again exhorts us, then we truly enter into "eternal life" now and we, in turn, become lights in the darkness ourselves.

This becomes our nature because God's law is "in our heart" (Psalm 37:30-31).  It is not slavery to the burdensome edicts of a tyrant... God's law is rather that which reflects our will.  We want what God wants because we see Him in His law... and it is beautiful, righteous and holy.  Therefore it is what we want... and further it brings blessings in its trail.  We love His law not because it brings shalom but because loving it is shalom.

In all of this we see that shalom is nothing less than being transformed into the image of Christ.  Psalm 40:6-8 speaks of Jesus first and us second but both are present.  Jesus fulfilled this verse perfectly.  He came to do God's will because He delighted to do God's will and God's law was in His heart.  Doesn't this describe all that has been said thus far?  Jesus attained perfect shalom because He was given the desires of His heart... to serve God the Father and do His will from the heart.  This is our calling also.  To follow in Jesus' footsteps and grow in our love for God... to hunger and thirst for righteousness knowing that we will be filled.  If this is the desire of our hearts, God will certainly give it to us.

Psalm 30-34: Created To Sing...

Image: "Songster", 2009, Hermit Thrush, Severna Park, Md

Psalm 30:5 5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

Psalm 30:12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Psalm 34:3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.

Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.

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I was looking at some pictures on FaceBook this morning of friends holding their new grand-baby.  You can imagine their expressions.... pure delight.  Grandkids will do that to you.  Whatever difficulties have attended your path simply vanish from your thinking.  You are occupied with joy and often that joy erupts into expression, ... sometimes into song.

The cares and worries of this world can sometimes cause us to forget that we were created to sing.  It is not only the cheerful birds perched outside our windows who have a purpose in their song.  There is something intrinsic to human nature that makes "singing" a necessity... even if, in this life, we can't carry a tune in a tin bucket.  There are very few of us who do not ever sing.  People who will not open their mouths in the congregation will bellow like bulls when alone in the car listening to a favorite melody.  As Psalm 30:12 explicitly teaches, the purpose of redeemed humanity, the "end" toward which it was created, was that it will be our "glory" to sing praise to God.  Singing is an aspect of our present human existence.  Singing will be a characteristic of our eternal lives.

And of what will we sing?  Our songs, as is the case with Biblical examples, will be our response to things that God has done.  They, like David's songs, will flow from our personal experience of God's love in the manifold ways He has poured it out on us.  

For example, going back to the grandparents in their first joy of holding that new baby.  How many tears did they shed during their time raising that child's parent?  Was there a long night's vigil beside a sick bed, as fever raged and worry consumed their hearts?  Perhaps there was a time of rebellion and there was serious concern about the youngster's choices and developing character.  Truly every loving parent can bear witness to the "weeping" endures for the night, but also, in due time, most will testify that "joy comes in the morning."  

And that is only one example of the ways that God's love gives us something about which to sing.  34:19 reminds us that "many are the afflictions of the righteous but the LORD delivers him out of them all."  There are no "exceptions".  Sometimes we are delivered from our afflictions by death itself... but unto what end is our death?  If we are among those whose righteousness is grounded in the saving work of Jesus, the Christ of God, then verse 22 says that "none who trust in Him shall be condemned."  Thus even in death we will see the certainty that the LORD delivers all His children from their afflictions.

But most of God's many showers of grace do not require our death.  We find sustenance when we were desperate for food.  A friend unexpectedly provides a word of comfort at just the right time and the dark clouds lift.  We discover the power of God working through us to do good unto others.  Many are the evidences of God's love in our lives.  They are there even when the clouds of trouble render them only in dim outline.  God is good to us... He is "near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit." (34:18)

The whole point is simply this:  we have something to sing about!  God ensures that this is the case because He created us to sing and especially to sing His praises in thanksgiving.  Therefore He, in order to achieve His own ends in creating us, gives us reasons to sing.

God especially wants us to sing in company with our brothers and sisters.  It is the "joyful assembly" which presages our eternal joy.  The Revelation of John consistently pictures the Redeemed of the Lord singing and our heartfelt songs in this life are a downpayment on that ultimate fulfillment.  Psalm 33:21 speaks of our corporate singing when it says "for our heart(s) shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name."  This is why we are to be united to our brothers and sisters.  It is to be our corporate joy to sing of our corporate salvation.

So therefore, let us "magnify the LORD... and exalt His name together!" (34:3)  "Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!  For praise from the upright is beautiful... sing to Him a new song..." (32:1ff)  There is no excuse for not singing, no matter how difficult life may be at the moment.  What we will discover is that the sheer ministry of singing to our God will reveal to us that perhaps it is not so difficult after all.

We were created to sing... let's be about the purpose God has ordained for us.

 

 

Psalm 24-29: Let Us Not Waste This Opportunity!

Image: "Creation", 2020, Annapolis, Md.

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.

Psalm 25:22 Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles!

Psalm 27:1  The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 29:11 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.

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I confess that I am apprehensive about this current pandemic.  I don't want to see people I love contract it and possibly die.  But I must admit that it is not the pandemic itself which is my most severe worry.  I see COVID-19 as a passing thing to be endured, survived if it is God's will and then as a source of "lessons learned."  What may have longer term effects are the weaknesses this emergency has highlighted in our government and social order.

On the whole I think the US is doing OK.  The overall impact of the virus may produce hundreds of thousands of deaths... it's possible but at present not likely.  What cannot be estimated at this time is the economic and political impact.  We know there will be a lot.  What I fear is that the post-virus necessity of "coming together" to rebuild what has been damaged will dissolve into finger pointing and hyper-venting rage.  What we will need is a common framework for seeking unity and cooperation.  At present, with the rejection of "America" as a vision more than a "thing" by large segments of the population, such a framework is missing.

We Christians can play a decisive role in that post-trauma narrative, because we, alone in the world, possess just such a framework.  Our strength will not be the "logic" of the message we bring... it will be the "truth" of that message.  We should be able to simply brush off the inevitable scoffing and derision, those things are inevitable, and focus on the message.  We should confidently expect that we will get a hearing among those ordained to hear.  "The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him and He will show them His covenant." (25:14)  God will use these present troubles to arouse "fear" in the hearts of many and those fears are an open door to hearing the truth.

How should we go about preparing for what's coming?  We start on our knees. "Redeem Israel, O God, out of all their troubles." (25:22)  We should never mistakenly identify the national state with "Israel."  But within our land the "Israel" of God is present.  There are those already called and those yet to be called and our prayer is for both sets.  We should be crying out "O God, show us your glory!  Use this time to bring about a return to sanity among our people.  Let not our enemies, Your enemies, triumph over us (cf. 25:1) but rather lead us in truth and teach us how we should carry your Word not only in our hearts but on our lips and in our actions. Save Your people and bless Your inheritance.  Shepherd us and bear us up forever!" (28:9)

This type of prayer now plus a sincere patience intent to "wait on the LORD and be of good courage" (27:15) is our present task.

But as we begin to come out of our hiding places and reenter the common life of our people, then we must not be distracted.  The desire to "pick up where we left off" will be strong but it must be treated as secondary.  We will have to strike while the iron is hot.  As we encounter people whose confidence has been shaken, who have seen that life can change over night and that all we thought secure was, in fact, unstable, then we must exploit that opportunity.

We must proclaim that all that has happened and all that is before us must be understood in terms of an overarching and all encompassing truth.  "The earth is the LORD's and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell within." (24:1)  We must confront people with the TRUTH!  Their lives are not their own.  Every man, woman and child belongs to God and was created to be servants in His household.  We must remind them that those who have never known this, that heretofore they had lived as enemies of God and under the dire warning that they must repent or else!  This pandemic, scary as it is (was), is nothing compared to the God who is a flaming fire.  We must tell them how they "may ascend unto the hill of the LORD ... (and) stand in His holy place." (24:3)  They must be cleansed of their impurities by the efficient blood of a Holy Sacrifice.  They must look to Jesus of Nazareth and discover in Him that such a Sacrifice has been made.  In doing so then and only then will they become part of "Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek (His) face." (24:6)

Then next we must be prepared to instruct them in the elements of their new life.  We must condition them to long for the ways of God... the smooth path of His service and help them pray for God to teach them, daily, how they should walk. (27:11)

I am convinced that if the Church of Jesus Christ sincerely undertakes to bear witness to Christ in the coming months that "the LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace." (29:11)  What we should see are fruits greatly out of proportion to our efforts.  We should expect the Lord to show us His power and help His people, walking in paths of righteousness, to be a stabilizing force for good.  It is because of our trust that our land "is the LORD's" as well as all "those who dwell therein" that our testimony will be effective.  What we have is the truth.... and that will be our sword.

Psalm 20-23: All We Need Is.......

Image: Sunset on the Chesapeake, 2013, Vicinity of Bay Bridge from Cruise Ship

Psalm 20:7  Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Psalm 21:4–5 He asked life from You, and You gave it to him— Length of days forever and ever. 5 His glory is great in Your salvation; Honor and majesty You have placed upon him.

Psalm 22:1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?

Psalm 22:30–31 A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, 31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.

Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.

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Attempting a short meditation on Psalms 22 & 23 alone borders on the criminal.  How much more adding other Psalms also.  I can only ponder the overall impact of these writings though deeper exegesis is always the desire of my heart.

Psalm 20 is a prayer of David but is unusual in being designed for others to sing about the king.  In other words the congregation would sing this on behalf of the king and the nation in times of trouble. (cf. James Boice's commentary on the Psalms).   Its purpose is to beautifully express the national or corporate faith.  We, as Christians, must be bound together at the most intimate level by a common recognition that "in the day of trouble" God is He to Whom we must look for help and comfort.  We, certainly in our private lives, but most especially in our self-identification with our Christian community, must reject secular foundations for hope.  While others "trust in chariots, and some in horses, ... WE will remember the name of the LORD our God" and cry out to Him "Save, LORD!"

Psalm 21 is the corporate thanksgiving for answered prayer.  It is clearly sung by the congregation  for the king receiving "his heart's desire." (vs. 2)  The people gather to express their joy in vindicated hope... hope in God which proved more powerful than all the king's enemies and all the people's worst nightmares.  With victory comes celebration and God's people unite in exalting the LORD and confidently expecting to "sing and praise" His power. (vs. 13)

Psalm 22 is a treasured possession for all God's people.  The Lord Christ, on the cross, sanctified this Psalm beyond David's Spirit inspired writing.  There, Jesus, by crying out in agony the words of vs. 1, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" clearly intended for all who heard Him on that day and all who learned of His sacrifice later, to look at this Psalm in order to understand what He was doing.  Jesus knew the answer to "Why..."  David, the original writer, foresaw this terrible vision and his words reflected his wonder at "why?"  Jesus used the quote as an arrow, pointing to the rest of this Psalm in its entirety so that we may have insight into His atoning work.

Notice that the Psalm has two parts: (1) the agony and (2) the ecstasy.  "The Agony" is expressed in verses 1-21b.  "The Ecstasy" commences with 21c, "You have answered Me." and continues through the end of the Psalm.

The vivid description of Jesus' agony is a prophetic miracle.  It describes so completely the horrid torture of crucifixion yet that particular form of execution was relatively unknown in David's day.  Certainly no Israelite would conceive of such a gruesome death for the Messiah when to "hang (someone) on a tree" was an abomination for any one, even their enemies.  But, as the gospels fully disclose, Jesus' crucifixion follows the script of this Psalm right down to the response of the bystanders.  We read these words and our hearts melt.  O Christ... you did this for me!

The "ecstasy" verses describe Jesus' resurrection and continued ministry.  He stands before God in the "great assembly" surrounded by His brothers and sisters, "those who fear" God. (vs. 25)  He confidently proclaims the certainty of victory in His continued work of taking His gospel to the ends of the earth through His Church (vs. 27) and looks forward to that day when the "kingdom" (vs 28) will be manifested in physical reality and He will in fact rule over all the nations.  The resurrection is certain and we are comforted by the knowledge that "all those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him." (vs. 29)  He will have His posterity... a posterity of people yet to be born... who will bear witness that "He has done this." (vs. 31)

Psalm 23, following close on to Psalm 22, can be taken as a prayer of the Messiah as well as a prayer that we, being included in Christ, can pray for ourselves.  Notice how it centers on perfect faith, the unyielding faith that never strays into doubt.  Only our Christ had such perfect faith... ours only approximates it.  But we also, with Him can call God our Father our Shepherd.  We can trust in Him for all that we need.  We can look to His rod and staff (His Holy Word) to comfort us as we wall through even the valley of death.  We know that He will lead us in righteousness as He did Jesus because it is for "His name's sake" and He is jealous for His name (cf. John 17:1-3).  And with our Christ we can confidently assert that we have a table set before us... that we are anointed with His oil of gladness and we will receive goodness and mercy throughout all our earthly journey.  But our greatest happiness is to know... because of Christ and guaranteed by His continuing live, that we also will "dwell in the house of the LORD.... forever."

These are such powerful passages.  How can anyone read them and not have their hearts warmed and softened and made alive?  All these Psalms (20-23) are either directly or indirectly about our Christ and when we see them as such we are confirmed in our faith.  "All we need is Christ... and we have Him!"

 

Psalm 19: Look Around You.... Then Look Up

Image: Moonrise, 2013, Saguaro National Pk., Arizona

Psalm 19:1–4 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. ...

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Today, rather than galloping through 3 or 4 Psalms I want to just rest in Psalm 19 for a bit.  

It is such a calming song.  It invites us to stop, take a breath and "look up and see the glory of God." 

The actual weather outside, as I write this, is a bit dreary.  It's dampish-cold with a settled foggy low ceiling to the clouds.  It is a day which does not invite a brisk, invigorating walk.  But I know what is beyond those low clouds... in my mind's eye I can revisit the scenery of the upper atmosphere where the surrounding cyan-blue at your level gradually filters into deep blue above and directly overhead becomes almost black.  Depending on time of day the stars will twinkle and if it is near moonrise the crystal clarity of the atmosphere gives majesty to the event.  It is said that there are no atheists in a fox-hole... I don't think there can be any at 40,000 feet altitude either.

It is the contrast of the dreary scene outside my window and that which I know is there far above my head that occupies my thoughts this morning.  Here, looking horizontally at the world about us, things can appear miserable.  Not only that, but, because they are "right outside my window," they can appear important.  What the opening verses of this psalm remind us is that they really aren't "important", not in the most important sense.

Hermann Witsius in his outstanding magnus opus, "The Economy of the Covenants", considered this psalm and other passages like it and thought about what happens when we, in our heart and mind's eye, rise up into the heavenly precincts and "traverse the whole universe".  He said that from that perspective the whole world which so occupies are normal thoughts is just an "insignificant spot." The various toils and turmoils of the nations struggling against each other, competing for resources, warring for petty gains, appear as if they are an "excursion of ants, toiling within a scanty compass"  (a small circle).  

Witsius concluded that no matter how 'important' the things which normally occupy our lives are presently viewed, yet unless he was ultimately "admitted into these (heavenly) regions" for his eternal rest then his "birth has been in vain."  His summation is worth quoting directly: "Without this inestimable good, life is not of such value, that I should sweat and fatigue myself therein. O! how contemptible is man, unless he is advanced above what is human!”  (see reference below for link to this work)

This is a good day (perhaps they all are) to stop in our worrisome way and think high thoughts like these.  No matter how dismal our surroundings, yet the heavens above "declare the glory of God" and show forth that they are His handiwork.  This present plague may be world wide in scope but so is God's heavenly witness.  "There is no speech nor language where (the voice of heavenly witness) is not heard."  The testimony of Creation has "gone out through all the earth" and His words to "the end of the world."   

Truly all of man's endeavoring, his anxious and sometimes panicked attempts at control, his "me first" greed in hoarding supplies and wealth, are really nothing more than "an excursion of ants."  God is there in heaven, ruling the rising and setting of the sun, determining how the stars will shine, where rain will fall and where blue skies will predominate, and He is not perturbed.  He is not worried.  He is there and He calls us to "look up" and see Him there.  The testimony of creation and the absolute, infallible, inerrant Scriptures make this abundantly clear.

Yes, we have work to do... perhaps we have inconvenience to experience... some of us may suffer pain.... some of us may die... but look at how these things stack up against eternity.  As Witsius said so beautifully, if we have been admitted into the heavenly precincts through the Holy Spirit's testimony to our souls, then these things appear insignificant.  The Lord Jesus died and rose from the dead to secure for us a place with Him.  Having done so can we not surely rest in the truth that He will thus give us all things beside?

A person with "born again" eyes will see the world, even on dismal days, as beautiful beyond compare.  For nothing can dim the glory of God to which it testifies.  The dreary days bring nourishing rain... the sunny days bring joyful hearts... all things work together under God's direct, immediate provision.  Certainly the circumstances of our lives, created beings that we are, will testify to that same loving care.

If the world looks grim... look up... the heavens declare the glory of God.

[Witsius, H. (1837). The Economy of the Covenants between God and Man: Comprehending a Complete Body of Divinity. (W. Crookshank, Trans.) (Vol. 1, p. 312). London: T. Tegg & Son.] You may read it HERE

Psalm 16-18: Promises To Treasure

Image: Psalm 17:15, 2020, Severna Park, Md

Psalm 16:5–6 O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.

Psalm 16:10  For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

Psalm 18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

Psalm 18:46 The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.

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Psalms 16-18 run the gamut from desperate hope to joyful praise as hope is realized.  There are many promises to treasure in these verses, especially as apprehension dominates the culture.  We Christians can relax... we can, along with our forefathers for thousands of years, simply believe: "Our God's got this!  Whatever happens, I and my brothers and sisters in the faith will be OK."

A friend of mine whose vocation involved highly classified information often traveled to some scary places.  He was cautioned about being kidnapped and threatened with execution if he did not reveal what he knew.  His answer in such a case, he said, would be "So, you are threatening me with Paradise?"  I doubt he would have been very calm in saying it but he was right.  "Even if it means my life on earth is cut short yet I will be blessed."  This is the great confidence and freedom that our God wants us to embrace when we face peril as evidenced in these Psalms.

Psalm 16 is a Messianic psalm which, though written by David is prophetic of the life of Jesus.  Verse 10 is quoted by Peter in Acts 2 and applied directly to Christ's resurrection.  But notice the context as it was fulfilled in Jesus.  Vs. 1 He cries out that, though facing great peril, yet He was placing His trust in God.  It is and will continue to be God who is His "inheritance" and His "cup" and therefore His inheritance is secure. (vs. 5-6)  Even the grave will not be victorious over Him because God would not leave His soul in Sheol forever. (vs. 10)  God will show Him the "path of life" wherein the fullness of Joy will be lived in God's very Presence.

Brothers and sisters, this Psalm's prophetic content was fulfilled in Jesus but, as Jesus Himself proclaimed, all we who are "in Christ" can sing it also.  What was true for Him is true for us.  Our God will sustain us in this life and resurrect us in the next where we will rejoice in the Presence of our Lord and our God forever.  Nothing facing us in this life can alter this.

Psalm 17 builds on this theme.  The Psalmist recognizes his special place as the "apple" of God's eye and that he has a refuge "under the shadow" of God's wings. (vs. 8)  But there are perils all about him and there are "deadly enemies" about him (vs. 9).  He cries out for help, for whatever is necessary to face the pending peril.  He asks for deliverance. (vs. 13)  but he realizes that however God responds, whether he succumbs to the present peril or not, yet that is not the end.  He knows that he will see God's "face in righteousness" and be "satisfied" when He awakes in His likeness. (vs. 15)  What an amazing comfort this is.  To know that all the scary clouds that gather on the horizon, whether illness, economic disaster or even warfare, none of it will eternally matter.  What is important is that one day we will not only awake in God's Presence but we will be transformed ("glorified") into a fuller expression of His likeness.  One day we shall be as our Christ is now... with His humanity fully transformed to show forth His eternal reality... and we will be transformed into in His likeness.  Amazing.

Psalm 18 is a song of triumph and vindication.  It was sung first by David (cf. 2 Sam 22) when God delivered him from the power of Saul.  Notice that David sings of being vindicated as righteous by God's actions but, more importantly for us, is that David's hope and trust in God was vindicated.  Though David had hidden in the strongholds of the desert yet it was the LORD who was his rock and fortress... it was God who had been his strength and shield. (vs. 1,2)  Therefore it was the LORD on Whom he called and therefore was saved from his enemies (vs. 3).  David remembers how desperate were his circumstances... he looked around and saw no way to escape... but God acted in a mighty fashion, moving as it were, the heavens and the earth on behalf of His beloved servant. (vs. 7-19)  David's faith was his "righteousness" (vs. 20) and therefore he claimed the privilege of the saints to trust himself to God's justice and mercy.  (vs. 25-26).  

With God on our side, no enemy, either physical or spiritual, plague or economic catastrophe, can hold us back.  With God we also can "run against a troop... leap over a wall."  Jesus told us that we who followed Him will do even greater things than did He.  We can do all things through the Holy Spirit who strengthens us... no viral outbreak or anything else will defeat us.

Our comfort is to call out with David that "His way is perfect... His word is proven... and He is a shield to all who trust in Him."  These are promises to treasure and we should lock them away in our hearts and show the world a witness of hope.

Psalms 12-15: Tiresome Reality....

Image: Sir Hiss, 2020, Severna Park, Md

Psalm 12:3–4 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, And the tongue that speaks proud things, 4 Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; Who is lord over us?”

Psalm 14:2–3 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3 They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.

Psalm 15:1–2 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? 2 He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart;

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It's been quite a few years since this creature discovered that someone in this world cared for him.  Previously feral, he had "made do" as best he could until suddenly he found regular meals, a warm place to sleep and even regular brushings.  You would think he would be grateful.  He is aptly named "Sir Hiss" because (less so now) even when being brought food this dumb cat would lay back his ears and hiss at you.   To this day he runs whenever one of us comes out of the house.  This cat is a near perfect definition for "ungrateful wretch."  

Our Psalms today teach us just how much we have in common with this stupid cat.  The "tiresome reality" of continued human existence, ever since Adam's fall, is that we are a bunch of ungrateful wretches.  We also live in "God's House"... we feast on food given from His hand... our comfort is from sovereign restraint, not treating us as we deserve.  Yet God, in His gracious providence, gives us time to repent... His Holy Spirit to transform our souls... His Word to guide our steps... and our Christ to intercede for us in heaven.  For those of us who have experienced His irresistible grace these are our greatest treasures.

But the "tiresome reality" is that for the great mass of humanity sin still exercises oppressive dominion.  God's people are surrounded by radical "ungrateful wretches" to such an extent that, with David, we may think that the "godly man" has ceased and the "faithful" have disappeared from the earth. (12:1)  We know from painful experience how deceitful men with "flattering lips" have gained power and wealth by manipulating others (12:4).  We look around us and sadly acknowledge that "the wicked prowl on every side when vileness is exalted among the sons of men." (12:8)

As we struggle in this darkness we are sometimes brought so low that we wonder if God has forgotten us forever (13:1).  We seem to "have sorrow" in our hearts daily. (13:2).  We wonder why God tarries in His righteous judgment when He "looks down from heaven" and sees that "they have all turned aside... become corrupt... and that there is none who does good, No, not one." (14:3)  Our consolation is God's promise but there are times when the burden of sin in the world makes us long for "salvation.. to come out of Zion", for the LORD to "bring back (from) captivity His people" so that His Church (Jacob) could rejoice and be glad. (14:7)

This kind of contemplation can really bring us down.  The daily news communicates suffering on top of suffering.  We lose faith in politicians and the media because we suspect they speak with lying lips. The problem of violence in our cities appears unsolvable.  The current plague adds worries about our future economy.  This is our "tiresome reality."

But it is exactly when we are close to drowning in bad news that "Good News" flashes into our hearts and minds.  God's Holy Spirit reminds us that in the face of suffering God has "dealt bountifully" with us. (13:6)  We have no earthly reason, at all, to be ungrateful.  Though this world is fallen yet in it there is abundant grace and provision.   God reminds us that His words are pure, like highly refined silver, and that He will keep His word to His people forever (12:7).  

This is all true because there is One who does "dwell" in God's "holy hill." (15:1)  There is One who has always walked uprightly and worked righteousness and spoken truth from His heart. (15:2)  Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God, never spoke evil with His tongue nor did evil to His neighbor (15:3).  He it is who did in fact "swear to his own hurt and did not change" (15:4) when He promised to endure all the wrath of God on our behalf so that we would be forever justified and the guilt of our sin purged from our eternal account.  This is our Christ and no power of evil can ever sway Him (15:5) from His continue work in gather us, His people, to Himself so that we may rejoice with Him forever.

Psalm 15 also teaches us what God is doing in us.  Through His indwelling Spirit He is transforming us into the image of Christ so that what was just said of Jesus becomes more and more our character also.  We are being transformed so that the evil in the world about us does not dominate our lives and God, looking down from heaven, as He did with Job, speaks to Satan and proudly declares that we also are righteous before Him.  It is the testimony of the indwelling Spirit that God Himself is present in us as He moves us, bit by bit, down the pathway of sanctification to its ultimate conclusion, our glorification.

So... evil in this world is a tiresome reality in its far-reaching scope but it is not the fullness of reality.  There is a God in this world and He is God of His People, His Church of Jesus Christ, and that truth supersedes all others.