Category Archives: Psalms
We are a Trifle, but Elect
“At such a time as when they were men of number,
Like a trifle, and sojourners in it,”
(Psalm 105:12)
The psalmist begins with a series of demonstrations of the faithfulness of God, and while this is just the beginning of a longer clause, it is prudent to see where he begins his words. Most English Bibles render the first part of the verse more idiomatically (“few in number”), yet the literal translation is “men of number” and indicates that the group was so small that they could easily be numbered by those who would take a count.
Of the thousands and millions of people who descended from Adam, God traced a direct line to Noah and saved just eight humans in the flood. In the generations between Noah and Abraham, millions were born, but once again, God chose to work through one man alone and brought his wife, his nephew, and their servants out of Haran and into the promised land. Of the many nations on the planet at the time of the great famine, God preserved 70 with Jacob as they entered into Egypt to become a nation in Goshen.
If you go through the Bible, one theme you will always find is that God’s elect are but a remnant. As Moses reminds the people of Israel, God did not choose them because they were large and powerful, but because they were small and insignificant (Deuteronomy 7:7) — a “trifle” in the eyes of the nations. And he does this so that His strength will be seen in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). That is the nature of election and that is why God saves by grace and not by the works of men.
Even today, while there are “churches” all around us and many claim to be “Christian,” little has changed. The True Church is scarce in our land and most people don’t even know what they are claiming when they call themselves Christian. Worship in many places looks more like a form of Neo-paganism with every man doing what is right in his own eyes rather than submitting to the Word of God. Yet, despite the fact that the True Church is small. Despite the fact that we are sojourners in a land that is not our own (Philippians 3:20). God is our inheritance. And, though we are weak, holding this great treasure in jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7), God makes Himself known through us and in spite of our best (or not so best) efforts. We are but a trifle in the eyes of the world; what makes us not a trifle is God’s election of us in Christ.
Our Allotted Possession
“To say, ‘To you I give the land of Canaan;
It is your allotted possession.”
(Psalm 105:11)
One of the essential elements of the Covenant that God made with Abraham was the Land. To Abraham, God gave the land from the Nile River in Egypt to the Euphrates River in modern Iraq to the east (Genesis 15:18-20). It is a wide swath of land that Israel never fully took possession of due to their persistent idolatry and sin. Yes, folks, God often restricts the blessings He gives to us due to our sins! The land was seen as Israel’s eternal inheritance — it was unalienable to them, in other words, it could not be given away, sold, or taken away. It was their hereditary property as a gift from God and the perpetual nature of that property was meant as a picture of the eternal home they had with God after this life was complete.
Yet, this opens up several questions. The most important of these questions has to do with how the Christians fit into the covenant. We certainly do not have an inheritance in the land, nor can we lay claim to such an allotment. So if we are the children of Abraham as noted before, and God gave that property to Abraham, where do we fit into the equation?
The Apostle Peter makes an essential contribution to the answer when he speaks of Christians as “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). Paul writes that there has been a change in the priesthood (Hebrews 7:11-14) and that the imperfect priesthood of Levi was replaced by the eternal priesthood of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:15-10:18). In Christ, we become members of this greater priesthood — a royal priesthood because Jesus descended from the tribe of Judah. Why is this significant? It is significant because the priests did not receive an inheritance in the land; instead, God was their inheritance (Deuteronomy 18:1-2). Likewise, as priests of the greater priesthood, we, too, do not receive an inheritance in the land (Philippians 3:20).
Are we then without an inheritance in the covenant? Not at all. For the priests, their inheritance was not in the land itself, but it was in God Himself (again, Deuteronomy 18:1-2). Similarly, Peter states that our inheritance is being preserved by God in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:3-5). The earthly inheritance given to the Jews only ever symbolized the greater inheritance promised to God’s people in Christ — an inheritance in the new creation, in the New Jerusalem, in the eternal presence of God, serving and ministering to Him as His rightful priests (see Revelation 21:1-22:5). This is our allotted possession. As God’s elect in Christ, it is our unalienable inheritance that can neither be taken away nor given away. It cannot be squandered or sold. It was bought at a price by Jesus and given to us as a gift of eternal grace. It is not of our doing; it is God’s doing. It is our place in God’s covenant of which we sing and give Him glory.
A Covenant Forever
“This he made with Abraham and His sworn oath to Isaac;
Which he established with Jacob to be a statute,
To Israel as a Covenant forever.”
(Psalm 105:9-10)
David circles back in these verses to add clarity as to the nature of this Covenant. It is the covenant that God made with Abraham, which he renewed with Isaac and then again with Jacob. It is everlasting and it came along with an oath. As Paul writes:
For when God was making a promise to Abraham, since he had nothing greater against which to swear, he swore against himself! Saying, ‘I will indeed bless you, and I will surely multiply you.’ In this way, remaining patient, he obtained the blessing, for men swear against that which is greater and, for all of them, an oath is taken for the final validation of a lawsuit — in which he abundantly desired to exhibit to the heirs of the promise his unchangeable purpose, so he guaranteed it with an oath.
(Hebrews 6:13-17)
Too often people in churches act as if the New Testament is the only thing of any value to them. I have even heard people call themselves “New Testament Christians” or speak of attending “New Testament Churches.” This phraseology is nonsensical at best. Without the Old Testament, we do not have the New Testament. God’s promise to his church is meaningless unless we find that promise grounded in the promise that he made to Abraham. As noted already, the church is the fulfillment of the promise that God made all of those years ago, when he swore an oath to Abraham (Galatians 3:29).
Thus, who is true Israel? Christ’s church. Such is the error of many dispensational writers, who wish to see Israel and the church remain as separate entities. Yet, how can they be, when Paul makes a direct connection between Christian faith and the promise of Abraham? No, the church began in Eden, continued through Abraham and through Israel and found its fullness in the church of Jesus Christ. Remember, not all Israel is true Israel, only those with faith in Jesus Christ through whom the promise of election has been worked out (Romans 9:6-8). To believers, it is a covenant forever.
God Remembers His Covenant Forever
“He eternally remembers his Covenant:
The word that He continually commanded to a thousand generations.”
(Psalm 105:8)
Were God to forget anything, He would hardly be worth our worship and praise. Yet, while there is no worry about God being forgetful, there is great comfort in knowing that God will remember His covenant with us as His people. That which He has promised to us will never be lost, cast aside, or forgotten. As God is eternal, so are the blessings and judgments that belong to His Covenant.
Of course, for those outside of God’s covenant, those who rebel against Him in pursuing sin and evil, God’s remembrance is a rather frightful thing. The judge will not neglect bringing every sin into judgment upon that day (Ecclesiastes 12:14; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Those outside of the judgment will receive in their bodies the judgment that they have earned for the sins of this life. Perhaps that is why the culture seems to take pleasure in presenting God as a kind of old senile grandfather rather than as the ruler and King of the universe.
And what is the nature of God’s covenant? It is the entirety of His Word which he has commanded to a thousand generations. Where do we find the blessings and cursings of the covenant? In the Scriptures. If we wish to know the depth of our sin, where do we look? In the Scriptures. If we wish to know of God’s promise of grace, where do we look? In the Scriptures. Have they changed? While the revealing of the Word was progressive in time across about fifteen-hundred years, the content remains consistent and thus we can say that the Word has been unchanging. Finally, are the stipulations a suggestion as to good behavior as many treat them today? No, they are commands that God has continually commanded throughout the generations and they will continue until the end of the heavens and the earth.
And so, dear friends, the question lies with where you fall with respect to God’s covenant. If you are under the covenant, having been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, take comfort. God will not forget His promises to you. If you are outside of the covenant, rebelling against God’s call to obey His Word, then fear condemnation that is eternal. To the first group, I say, rest in the great truth of God’s promise. To the latter, I say, repent and believe.
Our God
“He is Yahweh, our God;
In all the earth are His judgments.”
(Psalm 105:7)
When we hear the language of God being our God, sometimes we don’t take time to think through the significance of that statement. For instance, as God, He has the right to demand obedience from us. He has the right to define the men and women we are to be, and He has the right to define what it means to be a man or woman. If He is our God, he not only can demand obedience but also worship. It means that no others can lay an absolute claim on our lives. It means that since He is God and we are creation, the relationship that we have with Him is one that He generates. To borrow the words of C.S. Lewis, if Hamler were ever to meet Shakespeare, it would have to be Shakespeare’s doing.
Because He is our God, that also means that God has revealed Himself to us in a manner that we can understand. At the same time, if we ever presume to add anything to the Scriptural revelation or take away from it, we create an idol of our own making. In such cases, God is not their God; they have settled for a poor replacement — a reflection of themselves with rhinestones and tinsel, devoid of true gold and glory.
Claiming Yahweh as our God is an important statement indeed. It makes demands on our lives and presumes that God has revealed Himself to us. It is a statement that not everyone can make. It is a statement that not everyone who claims to be “Christian” can make. It is the realization that you are not your own and that you have been recruited into the service of the Great King. That is what you are affirming when you claim that Yahweh is your God.
What else does the psalmist reveal? He reveals that the judgments of God go throughout the earth. There is a simple truth in this line as well. There is nowhere you can go in all of creation that will cause you to escape the presence of God. More importantly, in this context, there is nowhere you can go to escape the Law of God. You may find yourself amongst a non-Christian people who permit many immoral practices, but that does not mean you are free to join in. Nor does that mean that those people will escape eternal wrath. The adage, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” is not an acceptable philosophy for the believer when it comes to the Law of God. If God is truly our God, we will live like it in every sector of our lives.
God’s Elect Ones
“Seed of Abraham, His servant,
Son of Jacob, His chosen ones:”
(Psalm 105:6)
This verse is more of a clause than a sentence unto itself. It speaks of those to whom David is speaking as he writes the words of this psalm. It is this body of people who are to remember the works of God and who are to sing praises to Him for said works. To whom, then, is the psalmist speaking? He is speaking to all of those who are in Christ Jesus, for if you are in Christ Jesus, you are Abraham’s seed (Galatians 3:29).
What is interesting about the structure of this verse is that while they contain similar ideas, the first line speaks in the singular and the second is plural (in addition, this is quoted almost verbatim by Isaiah (Isaiah 41:8). Abraham is referred to as God’s servant twice in this psalm (also see verse 42), but it is also one of the designations that God gives to the early patriarch of the faith (Genesis 26:24).
So, what is the significance of shifting from the singular to the plural? Abraham has a singular role in God’s redemptive history which should be noted and honored. In contrast, those who descend from Abraham (through Isaac and then Jacob) will multiply greatly. And indeed, we who descend from Abraham are referred to here as “chosen ones.” And yes, when this verse was translated into Greek by the early Jewish rabbis, they used the term ἐκλεκτός (eklektos) — “elect ones.” So often those who squirm under the language of the sovereignty of God, like to overlook language like this. Yet, this is the language of Scripture. Just as God elected to save and work through Abraham, to too, does God elect to save and work through all of His servants — all of His “Elect Ones.”
Miraculous Works of God
“Remember His miraculous works, which He has done;
His signs and the judgments of His mouth.”
(Psalm 105:5)
Once again we find the language of the miracles of God. In verse 2, we were called upon to sing of these works. Here, the psalmist calls upon us to remember them. And, for much of the rest of the psalm, we have a procession of the mighty things that God has done in the life of the people. These are reasons to sing praises to Him. These are things to remember, that we may be encouraged of God’s covenant faithfulness during times of great sorrow and distress. What is very interesting is that in the second clause of this verse, David speaks of two aspects of God’s miraculous deeds: His signs and His judgments.
When we hear the language of “signs,” we often think of John’s Gospel in the New Testament. There, whenever Jesus would do a miraculous work, John referred to it as a “sign.” Why a sign? These were considered signs because they pointed to the person who Jesus is. Who can make the waves stand still? Who can multiply the loaves and fishes? Who can heal the blind? God alone can do these things, hence Jesus is God alone in the flesh. Because of this, we often think of these “signs” as being a New Testament phenomenon, yet thirty-five times, the word מוֹפֵת (mopheth) is used in the Old Testament to speak of the miraculous works of God done either by Him or through one of His prophets.
The second thing that the psalmist lists is the judgments of God. Often, we do not think of God’s judgments as “miraculous” things. Sadly, rather than welcoming the commands and judgments of God, we often grumble and groan about them. Now, while we ought not groan over God’s Laws because they teach us how to live in perfect blessedness, what is more important to our text is to recognize that they are a miraculous thing in and of themselves.
When God gave His commands, whether through a prophet or directly from Mount Sinai as He did with Moses and Elijah, we should recognize that act in and of itself as a miraculous thing. Here, the one who is transcendent and who is not a part of the natural order, is breaking through the metaphysical barriers and engaging with us in this fallen world. It is an impossible thing for us to ascend to heaven to engage in dialogue with God; He must descend to us to reveal His will for our life and practice. It is indeed, a miraculous thing.
One of the clearest illustrations of this principle can be found in Deuteronomy 30:11-20. There, Moses is speaking to the people and exhorting them toward obedience. In doing so, he states that the laws of God are not inaccessible to the people — they are not hidden in heaven that they cannot be discovered. No, they have been revealed so that they may be obeyed. Therefore, Moses continues, “Choose life that your descendants may live…”
And thus, when we meditate upon, when we remember, and when we sing about the miraculous things of God, we should sing not only about the works but the Law of God. Thus, while much of the content of the following verses speaks of the signs of God, do not fail to note the conclusion: observe His laws. Why? They too are miraculous works of God.
Seek God and His Might
“Seek Yahweh and His might;
Continually discover His face.”
(Psalm 105:4)
Many of our English translations are not helpful in seeing the continuity of this verse. There are two Hebrew verbs that are used in conjunction with one another. The first is the verb דרשׁ (darash) and the second is בקשׁ (baqash). Both words can be used to communicate the notion of seeking out something and thus, our English translators typically see the two halves of this verse as being in parallel with one another…the second intensifying the first as it is in the Piel stem (a continually repeated action). Yet, when these verbs are used together, as is found in Psalm 24:6, it can communicate the notion of seeking and then finding. That changes the thrust of what the psalm is telling us.
Thus, in seeking Yahweh and His might, what is the result for our lives (remembering that only the believer seeks for God)? The result is that we continually will see His face as we go to the Scriptures (for where else does one seek God?). And yes, the second verb is in the Piel stem, so it is a repeated action. As we commit ourselves to a life of seeking out God, His presence (symbolized by His face) will be constantly with us. We will perceive His hand at work.
Surely, seeing God’s hand is easier when things are good, but God’s hand is still at work even when things are falling apart in our lives. That is why we are not simply to seek God in an abstract sense, but we are to also seek out His strength, that way we may face the horrors this life brings upon us as men and women of faith. Does not God say to the Apostle Paul, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9)?
We may be tempted to say, “but my situation is different!” Is it? Is it really that different than what has been faced through the ages? It was this same grace of God that sustained Adam and Eve when their older son murdered the younger. It was that same grace that sustained Noah when his youngest son defiled him. It was that same grace that sustained Abraham when he was instructed to take his beloved son, Isaac, onto the mountain to sacrifice him. It was the same grace that sustained Jacob when he realized his youngest son, Joseph was lost and it was that grace that sustained Joseph even though his brothers had betrayed him. It was the same grace that sustained Moses when his own brother and sister sought to usurp his authority and it was the same grace that caused him to keep his peace when he learned he would not enter the promised land. It was the grace that sustained Job when his sons and daughters, his servants, and his wealth was stripped from him in a single day.
In the end, we can walk generation through generation and see God’s hand sustaining his people through some of the greatest heartaches that can be known to man. Yes, my friend, your life may not be going the way you planned. Your world may be falling apart. God’s grace is sufficient strength for you. Seek God and His strength — they can ultimately be found in His Scriptures — and He will draw near to you continually with grace that is sufficient for you.
Reflexive Praise
“Give praise to His holy name!
May the hearts of those who seek Yahweh rejoice!”
(Psalm 105:3)
This verse of the psalm begins with the very familiar phrase: “Hallelujah.” Or, if we were going to pronounce it as it is written, “hithhalelu!” Why is that significant? It is significant because the verbal stem is what is called a “hithpael” (notice the “hith” sound at the beginning). In the Hebrew language, the Hithpael communicates the idea not only of an intensified action, but it is an intensified action with which the speaker participates (technically we would call this a “reflexive” verb).
Why is this important? It is important because David is not just commanding others to praise God, he is praising God himself. It is a reminder that those who would lead worship (pastors and the Elders; perhaps some assistants or musicians) are also to engage in worship. Too often, worship is treated more like a form of entertainment — whether through praise bands, choirs, or people singing special music — when worship is supposed to be something in which we all participate. Even the unbeliever is commanded to worship, as we saw earlier in this psalm. I have known Elders who have somehow seen themselves as being above singing in worship and I have seen congregations where only a small percentage of the people actually sing (many hoping that the volume of the band or the organ will cover for the fact that their singing is little more than a mumble).
No, my friends, we are all to engage in worship. Do you want a choir in your church? Indeed, let the entirety of the congregation be the choir. Do you want to practice so you know the music prior to Sunday morning? Indeed, bring the entire body together so that everyone can practice singing what will be sung on the following Sunday. This is especially important if you are learning a new psalm to sing (while not new to God, many will be new to the congregation). And the Elders should be the most visible leaders of worship. The same is true for the pastor. Our praise is reflexive by the very nature of what it is. The angels will join with you; the mountains and valleys will join with you. All of the created order will join with you. Worship he King.
What is the focus of our praise? God’s holy name. The term “holiness” is the Hebrew word קָדֹשׁ (qadosh). It means to be set apart for God’s sole purpose. Thus, the instruments of the Tabernacle and Temple worship were only ever to be used for worship in the Tabernacle or temple, respectively. They were never to be used for common chores. Hence, God’s name is Holy and is only ever to be used for the adoration of God’s people (this is why breaking the third commandment is treated so harshly). And, of course, we, as God’s people are called upon to be Holy. What does that mean? Every moment of your day is to be used in such a manner that you honor our God. Your life does not belong to you; you do not get to live as you see fit. It belongs to God and you are called upon to use it as He sees fit. Anything more than that is rebellion — it is sin.
So, praise His holy name. And, if you seek Yahweh, rejoice in seeking Him! Why rejoice in the seeking? First, the only reason you seek Him is because He has changed your heart and is drawing you to Himself. This is good news indeed! He will be found by those who diligently seek Him with their obedience to His Word (1 Chronicles 28:9). And where might you find God? He is not hiding in the woods or on the golf range. He is revealed in His Word. Finding God is not simply an experience that one may or may not have. Finding God is an intentional act of seeking Him where He may be found. And he may be found in the Scriptures, for that contains the full record of His self-revelation. Yes, experience is often a result of having discovered God in His Word, but it is not ever a stand-alone sort of thing.
So, seek God where He can be found (in scripture); worship His Holy Name (with reverence, as guided by Scripture)! God has not only instructed us to seek Him, but He has given us the means by which He may be sought (scripture) and He has taught us (in scripture) the ways in which He desires to be worshipped when we find Him (again, in Scripture!!!). What more is left than to live a life that honors Him who gave you life in the first place?
Sing a Psalm to God
“Sing a song to Him; sing a psalm to Him!
Speak loudly of all His miraculous works!”
(Psalm 105:2)
How shall we praise God? One of the most fundamental ways to do so is to sing to Him of his wonderful, or miraculous works. Those who object to Christian faith see this as an indication that God is needy, like a self-conscious child that needs people to offer empty platitudes to tell him that he has done well. With God, though, this could not be further from the truth.
No, we sing of God’s miraculous works not to make God feel better; we sing of God’s miraculous works for two primary reasons. The first is a reminder that we are paying attention to the works that God is doing and that we are giving Him His due. Thus, when we see something miraculous, we do not count it as a matter of chance or unexplainable providence; we see His hand at work. The second reason we sing of God’s miraculous works is that it reminds us of who we are worshipping. Sometimes it is easy to fall into a trap of going through the motions in our worship (both public and private). Sometimes it is easy to despair when things just don’t seem to be going the way they ought. But, when we engage in worship and remind ourselves of these works of God, we remember who He is and ought to be made more confident in what we have been called to do. As Asaph writes, he despaired until he came into the sanctuary of the Lord (Psalm 73:17). Worship has a remarkable way of putting things into perspective — giving us a heavenly perspective.
Commonly, English translations of the first portion of this verse will render the text: “sing to Him; sing praises to Him.” While that is a perfectly legitimate translation, in our text here, I wanted to highlight something taking place within the language. In Hebrew, there are many words that can be translated as “sing” or “sing praises,” which is a testimony to the importance of singing in worship — God commands it! Yet, some words are present to help us understand what we ought to be singing when we gather in worship.
In the Greek translation of the Hebrew psalter, there are three general categories of psalms that can be found: psalms, hymns, and odes. Some of the psalms are one or the other (see, for instance, Psalms 4, 5, and 6 are respectively described as a song, a psalm, and a hymn. Some psalms fill multiple categories. For instance, Psalms 66 and 75 are described as “a Psalm, a Hymn, and an Ode.”
How does this help us to understand our text? In the first portion of the first line, the Hebrew word שׂיר (siyr) is used. This is the verbal form of the Hebrew word that is translated as an “ode” or a “song.” In the second half of the first line we see the Hebrew word זמר (zamar) being used. Again we have a verbal root, but this time it is the Hebrew wroot for the word we translate as “psalm.” What is the implication of this? Hebrew uses parallel ideas to add force or clarification to what has been previously stated. So, what is conveyed, David is saying, “sing a song to God! What kind of song? Sing Him a Psalm.” Even the final clause is helpful to understand the full thrust of the command. “What kind of Psalm? One that tells of His mighty deeds!”
David is ushering a command in these words: sing psalms that tell of God’s power and might. They put life in perspective (we are small and God is mighty!). They also give you confidence when you see the wicked prospering (at least in a worldly sense). God is enthroned on high; we should worship like it! Further, this psalm will give us an example of exactly what that looks like.
Honor God
“Show favor to Yahweh, call in His name!
Make known to the peoples His deeds!”
(Psalm 105:1)
Psalm 105 is a psalm of praise to God for all He has done. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, it is what is called an “Alleluia Psalm” and is clearly the basis for the festival hymn found in 1 Chronicles 16, which joins this psalm along with Psalm 96, which dates this psalm back to the Davidic reign. Often, people ask me, “Why not sing some of the other songs found in the Bible?” Yet, given that these other songs have commonly either been drawn from a psalm or are the basis for a psalm, why bother when the psalms serve the same purpose?
This is one of nine psalms (9,75,105,106,107,111,118,136,138) that begins with the word ידה (yadah), which, in the Hiphil stem, means to show favor or honor to someone (typically to God). Thus, this is a psalm of praise to be sung by the people to show their love and honor to God. And, what is the content of this psalm? The mighty works of God. In other words, one of the ways in which we show honor to God is by honoring His works, praising Him for his good providence, and worshipping Him for His faithfulness to His covenant.
But, you will notice something. It is not just that the people of God are to praise God for His works. The people of God are to call out to the peoples of the earth — to the pagan nations — and call upon them to praise God for His works. Even though the wicked, the reprobate, those dammed to eternal destruction, have no hope of grace, it is good and proper for them to give God honor for His faithfulness to us — to His people. This is a theme that we find throughout the psalms (Psalm 117 is a good example), but it is also something that should shake our practice in life.
Thus, the Christian can say to the idolater, “You should honor my God. My God has been faithful throughout the generations and your god can do nothing. So, repent and believe, but also praise Him. And praise Him even if you never repent and believe!” It is a gutsy way of speaking in our modern culture, but we basically are saying that the one we worship has been faithful to us; has the one you worship been faithful to you? In the end, false gods will always leave you wanting and lost. The God of creation will deliver His elect. The rest, He leaves to their own condemnation. He leaves them under His own wrath to demonstrate His power (Romans 9:22-23).
So, give God glory and honor by telling those you meet of the great and faithful deeds of our God.
Kings and Magistrates
“In the mornings I will bring to ruin all the wicked in the land,
To cut off from the city of God all who make a practice of iniquity.”
(Psalm 101:8)
What is the role of the King? What is the role of a magistrate? Biblically, their role can be summed up by the notion of rewarding those who live righteously and punishing those who are wicked (2 Peter 2:14; Romans 13:3-4). How does one do that? One of the ways that one does so is that he works to bring ruin to the wicked in the land.
One of the reasons that God hates corrupt judges so much is that they fail to do just this (Proverbs 24:23-25; Deuteronomy 27:25). Thus, as we look around our own land, how God must be burning with rage over how many of our judges, governors, and magistrates abuse the law for their own gain and ambition. People pursue an agenda that benefits themselves, their party, and their power, often ignoring the people they have been called to serve.
Worse yet is when the Elders, essentially human magistrates in the church, use their position to preserve their own influence or establish their personal agenda in the life of the church. How rarely we see men leading with Peter’s instruction before them, to exercise oversight without compulsion (1 Peter 5:2). At best, those of us who serve in such a capacity are under-shepherds, serving in the name of the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. He will call us to account and we will be he will hold us doubly accountable for how we have handled our responsibility.
The final words of this psalm speak of a practice that is altogether rare in the church of Jesus Christ — that is: excommunication. What shall he leaders do with the wicked who refuse to repent? In the end, the answer is to remove them from the body so that they do not infect others with their sin. And so, just as in ancient times, those who practice iniquity will be cut off from the blessings and protections of the city (as well as the central worship in the temple), so too, those who practice iniquity should be cut off from the means of grace and corporate worship. This is the heart of what Jesus teaches in Matthew 18:15-20. Truly, the goal of church discipline is the repentance of the sinner, but it is also for the preservation of the “weaker brother,” who might be drawn into the sin the wicked practice.
Such was Solomon’s job. Such was the job of the king. The historical records demonstrate how poorly the kings and judges practiced Solomon’s counsel. To what end? God cut them off from the land through exile. Yet, what will happen in the church when they fail to submit to and practice God’s law? Jesus’ words to the church in Ephesus should have a particular sting as he warned that their lamp stand will be removed from its place (Revelation 2:5). In other words, they too will be cut off from the land. How many churches fall into that category today, who make themselves arbiters and kings rather than submitting to the Kingship of Christ?
False Witness in our Midst
“No one who dwells in the midst of my house shall practice deceit or utter lies.
No such one shall be fixed before my eyes.”
(Psalm 101:7)
How commonly do we take for granted the notion that people will lie to us? In addition, how commonly do we dismiss it? Too often, we permit lies in our midst because they seem easier or perhaps because we don’t want to feel bad about our own lies. And, sometimes, we are guilty not only of lying to our children, family members, employees, etc…, but we are also guilty of lying to ourselves.
Yet, for the man who would govern his home wisely, for the man who would genuinely meditate on the mercy and justice of God, lying must not be tolerated. It violates the ninth commandment, which is condemnable in its own right. In addition, it violates the trust given to us. As we mentioned before, many have seen this psalm as David’s instructions to the magistrates. If our judges tolerate lies, justice will quickly flee from the courtrooms.
As I view the state of our own legal system in America as well as the system of politics that uses the legal system for their own gain, I think that all involved need to hear these words of King David. We must not tolerate lies in the midst of our houses of government on any level. We must not tolerate judges and other officials in the courts of law to lie or manipulate the truth for their own gain. Yet, that will mean little if we also cannot eliminate lying from our homes and from our churches. Will you covenant with me to never lie and never tolerate a lie in your presence? This, indeed, is where it must begin.
The Path that is Perfect
“My eyes are on the faithful of the land who dwell with me:
Those who walk in the path that is perfect.
They will continually serve me.”
(Psalm 101:6)
In contrast to those who are worthless and who slander, which David will destroy, David says that he will gather to himself those who are faithful. What constitutes faithfulness? The second line of this verse exists to explain the first. The faithful are those whose walk — their life and their practice — is on the path that is perfect. Note, faithfulness does not require perfection. None but God is perfect and lives with perfect righteousness. No, the path may be perfect, we will only walk on it imperfectly. The question, though, is whether we are walking on that path!
What is that path, then? It is a path defined by obedience to the word of God. Our salvation may be a work of God’s complete and infinite grace to us, but we demonstrate our gratitude to God by being faithful to walk on the path that He has laid before us in His word. To walk a path is like following directions on a map. It requires that one be intentional and careful to not be led astray from the path laid before you. God’s Word lays down that path. The question is whether or not we are striving to live according to the path laid out before us by God. Typically, we prefer to make our own way. But our own way is not God’s way.
What will David do with people who walk this perfect path? He will draw these people to himself as ministers and servants. The term that David employs here is שָׁרֵת (sharath). What is interesting is that this word is used in three contexts in the Bible. The first deals with those who are servants and ministers of the King in an official sense. The second deals with those who fulfill a priestly function. The third are those who serve God in an official capacity. Here, then, we find a parallel. Who does David call to serve as his ministers and servants? Those who are faithful. Likewise, who does it please God to use in His service? Those who are faithful and who walk on the path that is perfect. It should give us all pause to examine the path that we allow our feet to tread.
I will not Tolerate this!
“Those slandering their neighbor in secret,
I will silence —
Those with an arrogant eye and a greedy heart.
I will not tolerate.”
(Psalm 101:5)
The structure of this verse is a little irregular. Ordinarily, we would expect to see a couplet where the second half of the couplet either compliments or reinforces the first half. At first glance, when translated in English, this verse seems to carry that same structure. The problem is that when one looks at the ancient Hebrew, something a little different is seen. In this case, Hebrew verses contain a series of accent marks. Some tell you how to pronounce words, others tell you how words group together (for public reading).
The “atnack” is an accent mark that indicates where the logical center of the verse happens to be. In other words, this accent tells you where the idea break is between the parallel ideas. In this case, the atnack falls after the word “heart.” That breaks up the parallel nature of the verse. One must be clear that the system of accents found in the Old Testament is not part of the inspired text, yet they are one of the most ancient tools in place to help preserve the integrity of the Hebrew text. So, the question remains, then, why this irregular placement of the accent? To some degree, we are entering into speculation as we cannot go back and ask David specifically why he structured the verse as he did. At the same time, in poetry, whenever changes from a set form are made, they are typically used to set off and emphasize an idea…namely the final idea in the verse: “I will not tolerate.”
If we presume that David is emphasizing the last clause, then we can interpret the first clause as a kind of heightening of his anger at those who practice injustice (remember, David is pondering God’s justice and mercy). What injustice does he most condemn here? He condemns those who slander their neighbor in secret. Why does he hate such injustice? It is because such injustice stems from a person whose eye is arrogant and whose heart is greedy. If we read the text in that way, with the third line being the formal cause of the first line, then we can see a certain degree of unity in all three initial lines that leads up to David’s final declaration that he will not tolerate this.
As King, David functioned not only as the primary leader of the armies, but he was also the supreme judge of the people, applying the law of God to questions that were set before him. The ancient Hebrews referred to this psalm as “the Mirror for Magistrates” and Luther similarly referred to this psalm as “David’s Mirror for Magistrates.” How does a judge look into the mirror to examine his heart? The judge must do so by looking at his judgments. Indeed, every Christian can and should do the same as we examine the actions we have taken.
A few other notes of interest. I have translated the second line: “I will silence.” Many of our English Bibles will render this as “I will destroy.” While destroy (or bring to ruin) is the most common rendering of the word צָמֵת (tsamat), the term communicates the notion that the object of destruction will no longer be able to commit the actions that caused them to be under wrath. In the context of the passage, then, to silence the tongues of such people is the notion being communicated, hence my choice of terms.
Finally, we arrive at the last line, which is the thrust of David’s statement. Literally it renders: “I am not able.” In Hebrew, the idea of ability conveys not just the notion of ability to participate in an action, but it also communicates the inability to comprehend (or justify) said action. David is essentially stating that there is no excuse for secret slandering and he will not hear anyone’s vain attempt to do so. In a world that is marked by excuses for everything under the sun, King David’s words are a welcome reminder that there is no place in the life of a believer for such things. The Greater David, our Lord Jesus Christ, makes it clear: slandering defiles the person and makes one impure (Mark 7:20-23). Indeed, such is and has always been the Law of God (Leviticus 19:16).
The Twisted Heart
“A twisted heart will be separated from me;
Evil, I will not know.”
(Psalm 101:4)
Of what is David speaking when he speaks of a “twisted” heart? In Hebrew, the notion of עִקֵּשׁ (‘iqqesh), or twisted, is used to describe those who are corrupt (Deuteronomy 32:5), unjust (Isaiah 59:8), and devious (Proverbs 2:15). A man with a twisted heart will not discover what is good (Proverbs 17:20) and is an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 11:20). Indeed, as Solomon would later write:
Better is a poor person who walks in his honesty
Than one who is twisted of lip [speech] and is a fool.
(Proverbs 19:1)
Never once does the Bible state anything positive about one whose life is twisted. Yet, notice what David says. He does not simply say that he will avoid those whose hearts are twisted. He states that a twisted heart will be removed from him. In other words, David recognizes the twisted nature of his own heart and that one of the benefits of meditating on the justice and mercy of God is that the twisted heart he has will be restrained and, little by little, removed from his life.
It is often easy to point to the twisted hearts of others. Yet, how often our own hearts remain twisted in ways or with respect to certain sins to which we cling. The heart is deceitful above all things, Jeremiah writes (Jeremiah 17:9) and it is incurable (at least by Human medicine). Hence, we do not allow our hearts to lead our paths. We ask that God guides our souls and instructs our minds in the things that are righteous, just, and true that we might not be an abomination to Him. Then, when the twisted heart is rejected, we will also strive also to reject the knowledge of evil.
One must confess, though, that we live in a twisted generation…and thus, in a generation that is an abomination to God. Unrighteousness is not only practiced, it is flaunted and evil is made the plaything of children and the source of entertainment. What shall a young man do to keep his way pure (see Psalm 119:9)? In this case, David says to meditate and ponder the character of God — ponder His justice that will be poured out against the wicked and ponder His mercy which has been given to you.
Useless Men
“I will not set my eyes upon anything that is useless.
The work of transgressors I hate;
It will not cling to me.”
(Psalm 101:3)
To begin with, some clarity needs to be given to the language of setting your eyes on a thing. The psalmist is not saying that he will never see something that is useless. That would be impossible to control as useless things are often thrust in our face while we are unaware. Who can control a casual glance? What David is stating is that he will never fix his attention on things that are worthless. He will never ponder such things. He will never give his eyes over to the study of such useless things. Why? He is preoccupied with the things of God. The point is simple; one of the best ways to control our actions and thoughts so we can focus on eternal things is to control what we give our attention to.
But of what does David speak when he mentions “useless” things? The Hebrew word in question is בְלִיַּעַל (beliyya’al). In Hebrew, it means to be “good for nothing” or to be prone to mischief and evildoing. It refers to things or people that are nothing but troublemakers. For instance, the sons of Eli were referred to as “worthless men” because they abused the power of their priestly position for their own ends (1 Samuel 2:12). When Jezebel sought to steal Naboth’s vineyard for her husband, she hired worthless men to condemn him of cursing God and the king (1 Kings 21:10). At the end of his life, David would later say that such worthless men are like thorns to be thrown away (2 Samuel 23:6).
By the time we get to the Greek New Testament, בְלִיַּעַל (beliyya’al) had taken on a life of its own, as it were, and was often personified as a demon. Hence we get the word Βελιάρ (Beliar), which is most commonly translated as Belial (see 2 Corinthians 6:15). So, the demonic symbol of unbelief derives from the notion of that which is worthless and good for nothing. Indeed, much of the destruction and perversion of society can be attributed to unbelief. David is committing that he will guard his eyes from contemplating anything that would lead to such worthless destruction.
What is the result of keeping guard against unbelief? He hates the work of sinners — or he hates the work done in sin. Paul will write that whatever does not proceed from faith is sin (Romans 14:23). The corollary to that, then, is that we should hate all works that do not an cannot proceed from faith. Yet, how often do we allow ourselves to be given to such matters? And, what is the result? The work of the wicked tends to stick to us, at least metaphorically. In our contemporary age, we sometimes use the phrase: “garbage in — garbage out.” If we consistently feed our lives with worldly things, our lives will develop a worldly character. If we set our attention on worthless things, we will grow worthless. Yet, if we set our minds on the things of God, we will grow in godliness. David says that he will meditate on the things of God so that he does not become like the worthless men who bring nothing but destruction.
Preoccupied with the Eternal
“I will contemplate the path that is perfect;
When will you come to me?
I will go about with purity of heart in the midst of my house.”
(Psalm 102:2)
So how does the believer live? What does he love and what does he hate? David begins with the profound statement that he will contemplate the path that is perfect. The Hebrew word used in this context is שָׂכַל (sakal), which means to ponder something, to meditate upon an idea, or to gain insight from it. Whose way is perfect? Indeed, that belongs to God and to God alone. And thus, he is saying to us much the same as is Paul in Romans 12:2, when he speaks of learning to discern the will of God: “What is good and acceptable and perfect.”
That may sound good to our ears, but the real question is as to whether we really strive to do this as Christians. We are bombarded by the thoughts of the world and our attention is often drawn to things earthly rather than to eternal things. Indeed, we do have obligations and responsibilities in this world, but it is very easy for us to let priority be given to the temporal. David is saying “no” to this kind of thinking. Instead of going about life thinking on worldly responsibilities (and David had many), we should be going about life thinking about eternal matters. Instead of taking a break from worldly things to think about God (worship, Bible study, etc…), we should spend the majority of our energy thinking about the Eternal One.
That does not mean that we shirk our temporal and physical responsibilities. What it does mean is that when we are laboring to fulfill our earthly duties, we always do so from an eternal perspective. And, when we have time to rest, rest in thoughts of the eternal. We should have an eternal preoccupation that governs our work, our pleasure, our rest, our worship — that governs the entirety of our lives. Too often people come to church expecting the service to meet their needs; but church is not about our needs. It is about God’s glory (for He needs nothing). Church is only properly understood when we approach it as one preoccupied with God and His will. Yet, such is also true for the entirety of our existence. It only makes sense from a Divine perspective, not from a human one. So, contemplate the path that is perfect and, as the psalmist concludes this verse, strive to live it out in all that you do.
The language of this verse is designed to take your mind back to Deuteronomy 6:4-9. How are we to express the reality that we belong to God? We are to love Him with the totality of our being? What does this look like? We talk of God when we are in the house and when we are on our way, when we are at work and when we are at rest, we write his Word down and set it before our eyes so that we might not forget it and we order our steps so that we may obey His commands. We contemplate it in our hearts in the midst of our homes (with the implication that such contemplations will guide and affect all who dwell in our homes.
There is one little clause in this verse that causes consternation amongst some of the commentators. What does David mean when he writes: “When will you come to me?” It seems somewhat out of place when it comes to the line of thought in the first and last portion of this verse. Commonly, commentators connect these words with a plea for deliverance from his enemies. While there is great truth in that, I think that remembering that this psalm was written by David helps us to understand more deeply what he is crying out with these words.
Theologians often like to use the Latin phrase Athanasius Contra Mundum (Athanasius against the world) to describe the period of time when Athanasius stood alone defending the divinity of Christ against the Arians who had taken power in the church. At one point, Athenasius wrote: “If the world be against the truth then I will be against the world.” It was a period of time when he could only have found solace in the words of our Lord: “If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18).
If one could speak of Athenasius as being against the world, one certainly can apply that phrase to David. The surrounding nations opposed him; the descendants of Saul opposed him, members of his own family opposed him. He spent much of his life on the run in fear for his life. He penned numerous psalms during these times of crisis, trusting in God to deliver him. Yet, it is not just deliverance that David sought from God. It was comfort. And we see this in psalm after psalm, but the words of Psalm 27:4 drive the notion home in a familiar way:
“One thing I have asked from Yahweh —
This I continually seek:
That I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life
And to gaze with pleasure on the kindness of Yahweh
And to study his temple.”
Remember, David was not a priest and the physical temple had yet to be built. Thus these are not words of a hope found in the physical world, but in the presence of God eternally.
David’s understood that without the nearness of God we cannot cope in this world and we cannot stand against the waves of foes that our enemies will launch in our direction. He understood that God’s closeness is our only source of strength and hope for tomorrow. David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) because he was truly a man preoccupied with God. Shall we not do the same?
Singing of the Mercy and Justice of God
“A Psalm of David.
Of mercy and justice I will sing;
To you, Yahweh,
I will continually sing praises.”
(Psalm 101:1)
While singing is not the only way we praise our God, it is an essential aspect of our praise. God not only provides us resources for our singing in the psalms, but he commands that we use them for His glory and honor. In fact, Hebrew contains a wide variety of words that reflect different aspects of our sung praises, two of which are contained in this verse.
In the first phrase, we have the Hebrew word שׁיר (syr), which simply refers to singing a song — or a spiritual song (see Colossians 3:16). This is one of the major divisions of psalmody, with thirty-two psalms being classified as שׁיר (syr) within their superscriptions. In the latter clause, the word זמר (zamar) is used, which typically means to sing music that is accompanied by an instrument, for God has done gloriously (Isaiah 12:5). We should also note that זמר (zamar) is found here in the “Piel” stem, which indicates that this is to be a repeated and continual action. Just as we are to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and the Apostle Paul sets before us a model of praying for the church without ceasing (Romans 1:9-10), the psalmist is instructing us that he sings praises without ceasing.
Of what does the psalmist sing? He tells us that he sings about the mercy and the justice of God. The word we translate here as mercy is the Hebrew term חסד (chesed), which refers to the covenant faithfulness of God despite our covenant unfaithfulness in return. The term we translate as justice is the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּת (mishpat), which is a legal term that refers to the commandments, judgments, rules, or laws of God. In Hebrew, מִשְׁפָּת (mishpat) provides the essential standards by which the life of the faithful was to be measured (in light of this, even what we would call the blueprints for a building in Hebrew were called mishpat).
So, why has the psalmist joined these two ideas in psalm? The most natural reading of this text is that when we spend time reflecting on the judgments and commands of God, our natural response should be to think about how merciful God has been to us. Indeed, we deserve to be struck down immediately for the wide range of sins we pursue in life, yet God does not do so. We deserve to be condemned to Hell for our actions and for the wicked nature of our heart; but God redeems us from the pit. And thus, these two ideas, mercy and justice, go hand in hand. One will never understand how deep the mercy of God is until they come face to face with the condemnable nature of their own sin.
In the verses that follow, the psalmist holds out the contrast between mercy and justice while also setting before us a model for how we are to think about the unjust things that take place all around us. Indeed, we commonly dismiss certain sins. Sometimes it is because these are pet sins that we hold to; sometimes it is because these sins have not affected us or our families directly. Regardless of the reason, the David reminds us that we are to look upon sin as God looks upon sin while also singing praise for the mercies and the laws of God.
Praise Yahweh!
“The ones who are raised up from the dust are the poor;
from the garbage heap, he lifts high the oppressed
to make them sit with noblemen;
with the noblemen of his people.
Making the barren woman dwell in a house—
a joyful mother of sons.
Praise Yahweh!”
(Psalm 113:7-9)
The last three verses of this psalm are a direct allusion to the prayer of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:8), Hannah praising God for his providential grace in opening her womb and in giving her a son. Indeed, in Hannah’s case, she would not only go from being a barren woman with an empty house to being the mother of Samuel, the last Judge of Israel, but she would bear an additional three sons after Samuel as well as two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21). What grace that God showed to this humble woman, and that grace is a sign of the wonderful care that God takes in lifting the poor and broken-hearted out of their sorry estates and raising them on the heights of joy on eagles wings. Indeed, not only does God have a heart for ministering to the downtrodden, but should it be such a surprise that God commands our worship to also be one that is focused on the care of the poor, the orphan, and the widow (Isaiah 1:17; James 1:17)? Richard Sibbes, the great Puritan writer, once wrote that God has two heavens: one that is glorious and high above and the second is the broken heart, which is a place that you just can’t keep God out of. Indeed, how we must too be about our father’s work.
The question, though, that we must also dwell upon, is why, when God chooses to elevate some from the depths of their despair and barrenness, why does God not choose others who desire and pray earnestly that they might be given children? Certainly, the obvious answer is that God is sovereign and does not need the council of men, but how do we see God comforting one for whom it is not in his plan to bring children? There are several answers that we must give. First, we must learn to trust in God’s providence. God is sufficient in himself to bring joy even to the most wounded and broken heart. Certainly that requires us to trust him to bring us such contentment, but he is more than able to bring contentment even to the most downtrodden soul. Oh, how we fall prey to the lies of this world that our contentment can be found in other gods—even the god of family. How we see being surrounded by family as the only solution to the loneliness that we often feel, whether it be children or a spouse that you long for or whether it be family that has been separated from you (by distance or death) that you miss. Beloved, let it be God who brings solace to your troubled heart; let it be God that you surround yourself with during the day; let it be God that brings you rest; and let it be God who fills your home—none will fill your life more richly or more fully than he.
Second, we must ask ourselves, how is God is using these events, as deeply as they may grieve our souls, for the good of his glory. God has promised us that he will work all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28), but we must always understand events by God’s standard of good, and not our own. We often define good as that which is comfortable or easy; God defines good as that which reflects his character and brings him glory. Beloved, how different a mindset that is than the mindset by which we usually operate. Oh, how we should praise God even for the great trials of faith that we face, for these trials draw us closer to God and draw us deeper into his abundant mercies. We may not understand the purpose behind the events of God here in this life, for which of us who are fallen and finite humans, can acts as a counselor to God, but we can be assured that God has good purposes in all his actions.
Loved ones, rejoice in God’s good providence, even if it does not unfold in your life the way that you think it ought. Trust God and cling to his mercies that all that takes place in your life takes place in such a way that it honors him and brings him glory—and that it does so in such a way that men and women—unbelievers—are drawn to faith through you. Remember that these psalms of praise that we know as the Hallel psalms carry with them evangelistic overtones. Yet there is one other piece of the puzzle we must remember. Not only are these psalms given for the purpose of evangelizing the nations—that the nations might see God’s goodness to his people and be drawn to praise (Psalm 117)—but they are also given for the purpose of evangelizing our children. How our children need to see in us the joy that we feel in our God. If they don’t see God being gloriously and magnificently gracious to us, then what will attract them to Christ?
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O Praise Him! Allelulia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in one!
O Praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelulia! Allelulia! Allelulia!
-St. Francis of Assisi
Who is Like our God?
“Who is like Yahweh, our God,
Who makes a high place to dwell;
Who upon the lowly ones will look—
Those in the heavens and the earth.”
(Psalm 113:5-6)
The psalmist poses a challenge to adherents of all other religions: “Who is like Yahweh, our God?” In other words, he is saying, “Go, look at your gods; bring them to bear in comparison with our God. Either your god is puny and bound upon the earth (or even bound to the heavens), or your view of God is that he is so transcendent that he cannot communicate to his believers.” Our God, though, is unlike all of these false gods. Our God is great and mighty and transcendent and created not only the heavens and the earth—but everything in the heavens and the earth as well! Why worship the sun or the moon when our God put the sun and the moon into their orbits? Why worship the animals when our God made the very animals in all of their majesty and variety? Yet, as high and mighty as our God is—and there is none who is mightier—our God condescends to have a relationship with us as his people. What an amazing God we have! What a God we worship! He is God above all other gods, and he alone should be worshipped!
Friends, have you ever stopped and thought about just how wonderful it is that we have a God that, though he is almighty, he comes down and forms a relationship with us. And, beloved, do not let the world fool you, that relationship is initiated, formed, and empowered by God’s sovereign work—not because you or I pursued God in just the right way. We have a God that pursued us because he chose, in his wonderful grace, to reveal himself to us and to have a relationship with us. Oh, loved ones, do you not know that we could know nothing of the infinite God if he had not designed to reveal himself to us? Do you not know that we could never have gazed upon his beauty had he not revealed that beauty to us, nor could we have known the wonder of salvation had Christ not come to earth to bear the guilt of our sins and had God not inspired the prophets and apostles to write for us the words of truth and life that we know as the Holy Scriptures.
Beloved, do not take this privilege and gift lightly, it was given at a great cost of Jesus, God’s son, himself. For had Christ not chosen to bear our iniquity, we would know nothing of our God apart from the wrath of his judgment. How often we take for granted the wonder of the God we have. How often we take lightly our own sin and the price that our sin caused our God to pay. How often, in our conceit and arrogance, we think that we know all things about God when the fact that we can even apprehend God is a marvelous gift given to us—yet, how can the finite begin to comprehend the infinite—we simply cannot. Cherish this remarkable privilege and gift, and rejoice in the one who has given such a gift to you—who has chosen to condescend and to have a relationship with you even in this lowly world.
Let Yahweh be Exalted!
“Exalted over all the peoples is Yahweh;
Above the heavens is His glory!”
(Psalm 113:4)
Oh, beloved, how great is our Lord and how worthy he is to be praised. He is higher than the heavens—as far as we can see, we cannot see beyond him. If we extend our technology to fathom the breadth and depth of the great sea of space we call the universe, we cannot exceed Him or escape his power. God’s glory is demonstrated in all of his creation and as we gaze upon that creation we should simply stare in awe at what our God has done, and that awe should drive us to worship. Yet, what is more, God’s glory not only eclipses the glory of the universe, God is to be praised by all the peoples of the earth. Everywhere that mankind has left his mark; God is to be exalted.
Yet, dear friends, how can that happen if God is not made known. These psalms carry with them a missionary call. God is commanding all of the peoples of the earth to proclaim His excellencies, thus, it falls upon our shoulders, as those who do know His excellencies, to share the truth with those who don’t. That means the neighbor down the street who is living apart from faith, the coworker who is living in sin, the sister or cousin who has rejected God, and the people from far away nations where the Gospel ministry has been suppressed, oppressed, or otherwise barred from reaching. Loved ones, you who know the wonderful and sacrificial love of Christ, how we must tell the world of the marvelous sufficiency of our God. Oh, how we are given a call to tell the nations—beginning with those nations that live in the house next door.
We’ve a story to tell the nations,
That shall turn their hearts to the right,
A story of truth and mercy,
A story of peace and light,
A story of peace and light.
For the darkness will turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of live and light.
-Henry Ernest Nichol
Praise the Lord All the Day!
“From the sun’s rising to its setting;
Let the name of Yahweh be praised.”
(Psalm 113:3)
When God speaks to Joshua, he tells him to take the writings of Moses (scripture) and to study them day and night so that he may walk faithfully before the Lord (Joshua 1:8). There is an old story of a young rabbi who wanted to go study Greek philosophy. His elder rabbi cited this verse from Joshua and told him to “go and find the hour that is neither day nor night and in that hour you may study Greek philosophy.” In other words, if God thought that it was essential that Joshua, a man of great faith and integrity, keep the Scriptures before his eyes at all time so that he may walk faithfully, ought not we consider it of the same importance in our own lives?
Though the psalmist is speaking about praise and not specifically the study of God’s word, the principle expressed in both of these passages holds true. How essential it is for us to give our lives to the praising of our Great God and King. How essential it is for us to live out our lives in a deliberate way so as to bring glory and honor to the King of Kings! How our lives need to be characterized by the praise of our God! What a wonderful thing it is to worship our God, what a necessary thing it is to our well-being, but what a neglected thing it is for the people of God—especially if you only understand worship in terms of that which you do Sunday morning.
Beloved, worship of God is for all of life. The psalmist says nothing of the Sabbath in this verse. The psalmist says nothing of being in the gathering of the saints in this verse. The psalmist simply says, from the sun’s rising to its setting—all of your waking hours—let your life praise the name of Yahweh. How good it is for us, loved ones, to nurture this practice and mindset within our lives. How important it is, if we are going to stay faithful to God, that we seek to live out our praise in all of life. Beloved, be deliberate in seeking ways in which your daily, waking, activities can be used in the praise of our Great and infinitely praiseworthy, God and King.
Let the Name of Yahweh be Blessed!
“Let the name of Yahweh be blessed;
From now until eternity!”
(Psalm 113:2)
Oh, beloved, how the psalmist continues with his words of praise! It is as if the psalmist has been so taken in delight as he sets forth to praise our God and King that he simply cannot contain it in a single verse, but continues on, elevating his praise to a new and more wonderful level. And here he sets forth a wonderful command: let the very name of Yahweh be praised, and let it be praised now and forever! What a wonderful statement. It is as if the psalmist is speaking to us through the generations and saying, you who fear the Lord, do not forget to honor and praise the name of our God in all you do whenever you do what you do. What a statement it is that he sets before us.
When God gave us the Ten Commandments, the third commandment was to not take the Lord’s name in vain. Usually, in modern times, we understand this in terms of slang and vulgarity, and certainly it is quite inappropriate to use our God’s name in such a way. At the same time, the Hebrews understood this commandment to mean so much more. They understood this commandment to also speak of using God’s name for empty or vain purposes—don’t take an oath in God’s name if you never intend to fulfill your part of the bargain, for example. The word “vain” in Hebrew refers to something that is empty or insubstantial, and God commanded that in every use of his name, we are to do so in a substantial way. Now, historically, the Hebrews eventually became so superstitious about not using his name properly, they stopped using his name at all. Yet, here, the psalmist is teaching us how to use the name of Yahweh in a way that is not vain or empty—we are to praise it. Just as God is holy, everything associated with him is holy and righteous and wonderful, and so, too, his name is worthy of our praise. And, indeed, to take this principle to its logical end, we must look to Jesus, who was given the name which is above all other names, for he is God (Philippians 2:9).
Sometimes, loved ones, we struggle with this. Sometimes we have a bad tendency to use God’s name in such a way that it is meant to gain us advantage. Sometimes we simply tell people that we are Christians because we think that is what they want to hear. Sometimes we do what is worse, and we use, if even accidentally in a slip-up, we use God’s name in a dirty, vain, and vulgar way—or we allow others in our presence to do so without telling them how offensive it is to us. Beloved, the psalmist is reminding us that there is only one good and proper way to use God’s name, and that is to praise it! Oh, loved ones, let us set our hearts and lives to doing just that, and let us speak truth into the lives of others to encourage them to do the same. Let us honor the name of our God by lifting it up in praise and honor.
Jesus! The name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
‘Tis life, and health, and peace.
-Charles Wesley
Praise Yahweh!
“Praise Yahweh, praise him you servants of Yahweh!
Praise the name of Yahweh!”
(Psalm 113:1)
Oh, beloved, how good it is to praise the name of Yahweh! It nourishes the soul, it strengthens the resolve, and it guides the man or woman of faith in all decisions that they make. We are a people of praise, set apart for the praise of God! Praise defines who we are and it shapes our relationship not only with God but with other believers who come alongside of us to praise God’s holy name. And God is praise-worthy! He is true, he is righteous, he is holy, he is infinite and perfect in all of his attributes, he knows all, he can do all that is righteous and holy, and he is at all places all of the time. He is more praiseworthy than the sun, the moon, the stars, the creation of human hands, the imagination of the human mind, or of anything else in the created order. He is God, thus, he is to be praised.
The sad thing is that as wonderful as it is to praise God for who he is, there are many in our world today that do not praise God for who he is or even for what he has done. Some of these would praise God for these things if they knew the truth about God, yet no one has come to them with the message of the good news. Some have chosen to reject the message of the good news that has been presented to them and which pervades their culture. And some fail to praise God because they think that they are praising God, but have just fallen into a ritualistic routine, and since they are sitting in a church week in and week out and since they do some good deeds, they comfortably think of themselves as believers, yet do not have a relationship with the one in whom they profess belief. And to these, Jesus will say, “I never knew you” and cast out into utter darkness and torment (Matthew 7:21-23).
One thing that these Hallel psalms constantly set before us is the importance of genuinely praising God for who he is and for what he has done. In addition, they are a reminder that we are to labor to help others to understand the importance and the wonder of praise. The praise of our God is praise for the whole world, for even the unbeliever owes God praise for all of the blessings that are found in this life (food, family, friendships, etc…). Does not God bring rain on the just and unjust in this world (Matthew 5:45)? Indeed, for the unbeliever to fail to worship God is an offense of the greatest degree. How much greater, then, for the ones who know the truth?
Beloved, you are servants of Yahweh; praise his holy name. Praise him with the words of your lips and with the actions of your life. Praise him in your waking hours and praise him when you rest. Praise him in your private hours and praise him in the congregation of the faithful, and call others to praise him as well! Let your life be a life that sings forth praise and let that praise draw others to our great and praiseworthy Lord and High King as well.
Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! Hail Him! Highest archangels in glory;
Strength and honor give to His holy Name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children,
In His arms He carries them all day long:
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Tell of his excellent greatness.
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Ever in Joyful Song!
-Fanny Crosby
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