Psalm 92- Thoughts on Retirement (Day 1)

Ps 92:12 The godly grow like a palm tree;

they grow high like a cedar in Lebanon.

13 Planted in the Lordʼs house,

they grow in the courts of our God.

14 They bear fruit even when they are old;

they are filled with vitality and have many leaves.

15 So they proclaim that the Lord, my protector,

is just and never unfair.

NET Bible

I retired today, after 40 years, give or take, working in the paper mills... That sounds like a Biblical trial. But what are we to make of retirement? It's the American way, but what does the Bible have to say about retirement and old age? Consider Moses. He spent 40 years herding sheep in Midian until he "retired" and was called to be the deliver of Israel, and was the leader of the people for another 40 years. Or Joshua who spent 40 years following Moses around, until he "retired" from being an assistant and became the leader that led Israel into battle to take the promised land. So what to make of my 40 year journey and this transition?

In Psalm 92, the psalmist likens a godly old man to a tree. Given enough years, a palm tree can grow strong and lush in the desert, and a cedar can grow into a mighty and magnificent tree. Planted in the courts of the Lord, they grow true and strong. The promise here is that such a one will bear fruit and be filled with vitality even after growing old. I once had an older pastor friend who would often say "I'm not retired, I'm re-fired!”, and "the best is yet to come". Of course, I was young then and didn't pay enough attention to what he was saying. So now that I'm at that point, what is my story?

My sincere hope is that I will be one that bears fruit and has vitality in this season, and that I too will be able to proclaim that the Lord, my protector, is just and righteous. My life's calling has always been threefold: minister, musician and scientist, so I don't think that my purpose will be different, just a different balance. These last 40 years I've spent most of my time in the scientific arena dealing with computers, but in this next period, I will be able to focus more on ministry and music. If I'm able to abide in the courts of our God, like that palm, perhaps I'll see some of that abundant fruit.

What is Truth? Discourse in America

I was educated in the liberal arts tradition of public discourse, and I was trained in the scientific method. Both of these depend on all parties starting with a set of facts, or observations, and an agreed upon set of rules. With this foundation, you can argue either for or against the theory being proposed, but without this foundation you don't have a discussion, you just have an argument. In America today, I think we have lost the art of polite debate. George Orwell predicted this when he described a society in his book "1984" in which the meaning of words were reversed so that the people couldn't even think rationally about the issues of the day, never mind debate them in an intelligent and friendly manner. In “1984”, the "Ministry of Truth" was the propaganda arm of the government, much like the main stream press today. So if we can not even depend on the words being used, how can we know "what is truth?"

I have been very disturbed by the political discourse in this current campaign season. Much of it I have written off as "just politics", but lately I've been disturbed by the many lies being propagated against a local man that I've know, at least by reputation, for many years, who has been nominated for a high office. The arguments used to oppose his nomination do not line up with the facts of the matter, which are known to all in this community who have observed his lengthy career in public service in this community and state. How can you stand up for truth when the opposition refused to agree on the actual facts of the matter?

One critic, I encountered online, stated that the facts that I stated could not be true because I am a “straight, white, christian male”. What do race and gender have to do with the truth or falsehood of historical facts, you might ask? But I will acknowledge that religion may have some bearing on perception of truth.  I can’t speak for all religions, but the Judaeo/Christian tradition the only religious tradition that I am aware of that encourages one to ask the question “what is truth”.  This was the exact question the Pilot asked Jesus during his trial, described in the gospel of John 18:38. Jesus was not disturbed by the question in the slightest, but gave him an answer! In fact, a diligent search of the Bible will enable anyone to discover the answer to the question “what is truth”.

It is those in our society, who have rejected the Judaeo/Christian foundation of our society, who have trouble defining truth. We see this in scripture also.  In his letter to the Romans, Paul discussed those who “exchanged the truth of God for a lie”, and describes their fait in great detail. So we can see that the nature of people hasn’t really changed all that much in the last 2000 years, there are still those who seek the truth, and those who reject the truth, and even refuse to believe that their is a truth!

My plea then, to those who don’t understand me, or agree with me, is to at least be as open to discussion as those ancient greeks who congregated on Mars Hill to discuss the issues of the day.  In the book of Acts, chapter 17, we see where Paul was able to debate with them.  Not all agreed with him, but some among them were persuaded by his arguments and came to believe in God, as Paul did. But the starting place is to acknowledge that there is in fact objective truth, and we must begin by asking “what is truth?”.

John 18:38a Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?”...

Rom 1:25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen

Act 17:16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. 17 So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. 

Act 17:20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Psalm 46 - God is Our Refuge and Strength

Psalm 46 - God is Our Refuge and Strength

1 God is our refuge and strength,

   a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear,... KJV

"Fear not!" That phrase is used over sixty times in the scriptures, and most of the time the verse starts out with "fear not" as a command, and is usually followed by reasons that you were going to fear in the first place.  You know, "Fear not, for I am with you, when the xxx army comes...".  One pastor said, "When you hear God say 'fear not' put your ear to the ground to listen for the hoofbeats of the coming horsemen!" But this psalm switches this all around.  The psalmist starts out with the good things that God does for us, then says "therefore we will not fear".  And then he goes on to list the various disasters that we need not fear, because God is good, and we fear not.  I have been through several hurricanes and a couple of earth quakes, and let me tell you, it is good to know that God is our refuge and strength before the storm comes!

Selah

I suspect that most people breeze through reading the Psalms and either don't know or don't care about the selahs.  But to a horn player it's an important term.  Literally, it is the Hebrew term for musical interlude, but to a musician it's a heads up.  The cantor is going to be quiet for a bit and the choir is going to stop singing, and it time for a little solo.  The band, that is always. hidden in the back or off to one side gets a chance to praise the Lord with the horns and stringed instruments, not to mention the drums and cymbals.  In our church, that means we can "get down"! Not quite the way we did it in the country Methodist church when I was a boy, but it's a wonderful way for the band to praise the Lord!

Rivers of joy!  The next section is an ode to joy and a worshipful exclamation of the goodness and greatness of God.  We used to sing this in the Pittsburgh church as "City, O City, O City of God" and it was a beautiful and joyful song of praise. (I couldn't find a version on YouTube, so you'll just have to imagine it, if you remember that song.). It's good to have such a song to sing when nations are in an uproar and kingdoms are being overthrown, but we remember that "the Lord who commands armies is on our side!"

Come! Witness the exploits of the Lord.

First we were not fearful, then we were full of joy, now we can sit back and watch as the Lord brings devastation to the earth, but the reason is to bring an end to war and to shatter the dangerous armaments.  "Stop striving and know that I am God!"  That's a really good advice in times like these when we see devastation and wars all around, but we don't see the exploits of God on the ten o'clock news!  For those, we have to look with spiritual eyes, trusting in His almighty power and rejoicing in His goodness to us, and resting in the assurance that His plan will be the one that succeeds in the end!

Seals

Though I couldn't find "City of God" on YouTube, I did find an interesting version of Psalm 46 by the Applegate Psalms Project. Enjoy:

http://youtu.be/8SEfsG7Pw3s

Psalm 46

For the music director; by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; a song.

1 God is our strong refuge;

he is truly our helper in times of trouble.

2 For this reason we do not fear when the earth shakes,

and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea,

3 when its waves crash and foam,

and the mountains shake before the surging sea. (Selah)

4 The riverʼs channels bring joy to the city of God,

the special, holy dwelling place of the sovereign One.

5 God lives within it, it cannot be moved.

God rescues it at the break of dawn.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown.

God gives a shout, the earth dissolves.

7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side!

The God of Jacob is our protector! (Selah)

8 Come! Witness the exploits of the Lord,

who brings devastation to the earth!

9 He brings an end to wars throughout the earth;

he shatters the bow and breaks the spear;

he burns the shields with fire.

10 He says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God!

I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”

11 The Lord who commands armies is on our side!

The God of Jacob is our protector! (Selah)

The NET Bible

Psalm 45 - My Tongue is the Pen of a Ready Writer

Psalm 45 - My Tongue is the Pen of a Ready Writer 

I can only hope that my pen is as skilled as the writer of this psalm.  He was inspired to write this song for the king on the occasion of his wedding, and was apparently an excellent singer, as he proclaims that his tongue is like the pen of an experience scribe.  May my scribblings be equally excellent!  

I have found that it is nice to be skilled, but it is much better to be inspired.  If the Lord gives the song, and the Spirit works in the listener's heart to receive it, a lot of flaws in the performance will be overlooked.  That's one of the special blessings of being a church musician.  Once you lead the people into the presence of the Lord, the people don't really see and hear you any more, but are in a spirit of worship, in the presence of their King.

That seems to be the way this writer approached his King.  He credits the king with the beauty and strength that comes from honoring God.  A nation with a Godly ruler is indeed blessed!

In verse 6, the psalmist addresses the Lord himself, and expounds on his glories.  It is this verse that inspired Fred Hammond to worship God in his song "Blessing & Honor".

   45:6 "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; ..." NASB

Listen to Fred and the Radical for Christ choir below:

Fred Hammond and RFC - Blessing & Honor- Psalm 45:6

http://youtu.be/3XYoXWbT2tk

45:17 I will proclaim your greatness through the coming years,

          then the nations will praise you forever.

The psalm continues with the song describing the wedding party and then ends with a proclamation of greatness of the king, who is a type of Christ, so we today can join in and proclaim the glories and greatness of King Jesus.  May the nations praise Him forever!

Psalm 45

For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;” by the Korahites, a well-written poem, a love song.

1 My heart is stirred by a beautiful song.

I say, “I have composed this special song for the king;

my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.”

2 You are the most handsome of all men!

You speak in an impressive and fitting manner!

For this reason God grants you continual blessings.

3 Strap your sword to your thigh, O warrior!

Appear in your majestic splendor!

4 Appear in your majesty and be victorious!

Ride forth for the sake of what is right,

on behalf of justice!

Then your right hand will accomplish mighty acts!

5 Your arrows are sharp

and penetrate the hearts of the kingʼs enemies.

Nations fall at your feet.

6 Your throne, O God, is permanent.

The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.

7 You love justice and hate evil.

For this reason God, your God has anointed you

with the oil of joy, elevating you above your companions.

8 All your garments are perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cassia.

From the luxurious palaces comes the music of stringed instruments that makes you happy.

9 Princesses are among your honored guests,

your bride stands at your right hand, wearing jewelry made with gold from Ophir.

10 Listen, O princess!

Observe and pay attention!

Forget your homeland and your family!

11 Then the king will be attracted by your beauty.

After all, he is your master! Submit to him!

12 Rich people from Tyre

will seek your favor by bringing a gift.

13 The princess looks absolutely magnificent,

decked out in pearls and clothed in a brocade trimmed with gold.

14 In embroidered robes she is escorted to the king.

Her attendants, the maidens of honor who follow her,

are led before you.

15 They are bubbling with joy as they walk in procession

and enter the royal palace.

16 Your sons will carry on the dynasty of your ancestors;

you will make them princes throughout the land.

17 I will proclaim your greatness through the coming years,

then the nations will praise you forever.

The NET Bible

Psalm 44 - Remember What the Lord has Done

Psalm 44 - Remember What the Lord has Done

Psalm 44:1 O God, we have clearly heard;

   our ancestors have told us 

   what you did in their days,

   in ancient times.

2 You, by your power, defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land;

  

There are many similarities between Israeli and American history.  The Israelis  were delivered out of bondage in Egypt and settled in the promised land.  Our American forefathers  were delivered out of religious persecution in Europe and settled in the new world, our promised land. God performed many miraculous deeds for both nations to deliver them and to establish them in their new lands.  My own ancestors experienced persecution in 1600's Germany, and also experienced the mercy of God in granting them peace and prosperity in America, first settling in Pennsylvania with William Penn land grants in 1736, and later moving on to Illinois to help build the growing frontier. We need to remember what our ancestors have told us and thank God for his blessings to us.

(If you have not been taught these aspects of American history, the I recommend you read 

The Light and the Glory, by Peter Marshall

20 If we had rejected our God,

    and spread out our hands in prayer to another god,

21 would not God discover it,

    for he knows oneʼs thoughts?

Yet many forget.  The ancient Israelis were attacked, conquered, and carried off to Babylon because the forgot what their God had done.  So too, many Americans have forgotten what our God has done for us and we have abandoned His ways.  We've slaughtered our own unborn children, and been let into a seemingly unending series of wars and terrorists attacks. Our leaders say that they care for the poor and downtrodden, but our families are broken and our young men are unemployed and many are dead or in prison.  The war on poverty has become a war on the poor.  When will we return to the God that delivered us and blessed us?  When will we acknowledge that we have gone astray.  It is not God that has abandoned us, but we who have forsaken Him.

17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you

    or violated your covenant with us.

18 We have not been unfaithful,

    nor have we disobeyed your commands.

Fortunately, there remain those who can say, with the psalmist, that they have not rejected God nor disobeyed His commands.  These are those who are admonished by the writer of Chronicles to turn from their wicked ways and to call upon His name, that He might heal their land. (2 Chron 7:14). If those who still remember how the Lord has blessed us join together, maybe we can yet one more time, cry out, with the psalmist:

26 Rise up and help us!

     Rescue us because of your loyal love!

Amen

Psalm 44

For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song.

1 O God, we have clearly heard;

our ancestors have told us

what you did in their days,

in ancient times.

2 You, by your power, defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land;

you crushed the people living there and enabled our ancestors to occupy it.

3 For they did not conquer the land by their swords,

and they did not prevail by their strength,

but rather by your power, strength and good favor,

for you were partial to them.

4 You are my king, O God!

Decree Jacobʼs deliverance!

5 By your power we will drive back our enemies;

by your strength we will trample down our foes!

6 For I do not trust in my bow,

and I do not prevail by my sword.

7 For you deliver us from our enemies;

you humiliate those who hate us.

8 In God I boast all day long,

and we will continually give thanks to your name. (Selah)

9 But you rejected and embarrassed us!

You did not go into battle with our armies.

10 You made us retreat from the enemy.

Those who hate us take whatever they want from us.

11 You handed us over like sheep to be eaten;

you scattered us among the nations.

12 You sold your people for a pittance;

you did not ask a high price for them.

13 You made us an object of disdain to our neighbors;

those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.

14 You made us an object of ridicule among the nations;

foreigners treat us with contempt.

15 All day long I feel humiliated

and am overwhelmed with shame,

16 before the vindictive enemy

who ridicules and insults me.

17 All this has happened to us, even though we have not rejected you

or violated your covenant with us.

18 We have not been unfaithful,

nor have we disobeyed your commands.

19 Yet you have battered us, leaving us a heap of ruins overrun by wild dogs;

you have covered us with darkness.

20 If we had rejected our God,

and spread out our hands in prayer to another god,

21 would not God discover it,

for he knows oneʼs thoughts?

22 Yet because of you we are killed all day long;

we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block.

23 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord?

Wake up! Do not reject us forever!

24 Why do you look the other way,

and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated?

25 For we lie in the dirt,

with our bellies pressed to the ground.

26 Rise up and help us!

Rescue us because of your loyal love!

The NET Bible

Psalm 43 - Send Out Your Light

 Psalm 43 - Send Out Your Light

Psalm 43

1 Vindicate me, O God!

   Fight for me against an ungodly nation!

   Deliver me from deceitful and evil men!

2 For you are the God who shelters me.

   Why do you reject me?

   Why must I walk around mourning

   because my enemies oppress me?

3 Reveal your light and your faithfulness!

   They will lead me,

   they will escort me back to your holy hill,

   and to the place where you live.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,

   to the God who gives me ecstatic joy,

   so that I express my thanks to you, O God, my God, with a harp.

5 Why are you depressed, O my soul?

   Why are you upset?

   Wait for God!

   For I will again give thanks

   to my God for his saving intervention.

The NET Bible

I must confess, lately I've felt more like verses 1 and 2 that 3 and 4.  It seems like we are now living in the "ungodly nation" of verse 1.  How did that happen?  When I was a kid, we were proud to be a Christian nation.  We weren't perfect, but we had just rescued Europe from the Nazis and South Korea from the Communists in the north.  We had not yet gotten bogged down in Vietnam and we were a proud nation, with an optimistic young president, and were on our way to the moon.  With the assassination of JFK, the Vietnam war, civil rights struggles and such, something changed... Still, even though the psalmist faced similar troubles he went on to say "why must I walk around mourning...?"

"Reveal your light and your faithfulness!" Remember that the darkness in the world cannot overcome the light. (John 1:5) Keeping our eye on the light will lead us "back to your holy hill... To the alter of God... Who gives me ecstatic joy."    I must admit that the psalmist is a little ahead of me hear with that "ecstatic joy", but I'm with him when he talks about expressing his thanks to God with his harp.  One of my instruments just has 5 strings, but playing it does bring a lot of peace and joy.  I'm just an old bass (and trombone) player, but participating in the praise and worship is a very uplifting experience.  It's definitely more uplifting that concentrating on the problems in the world!

"Why so downcast, O my soul?" I never noticed until now that the two final verses of Psalm 42 and 43 are identical. I guess it must be important, to bear repeating!   At any rate,  these verses make a wonderful song.  I included the link to one version by Marty Nystrom in the last blog.  But I also remembering my friend, Steve Israel, playing it on his guitar, and that always encouraged me.  So, bottom line, buck up Bucky, and praise the Lord and keep your eye on the light instead of the darkness.

Send Out Your Light- Psalm 43

http://youtu.be/-2BPyJkzo20

Psalm 42 - As the deer panteth for the water

Psalm 42 - As the Deer

Psalm 42:1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks,

so panteth my soul after thee, O God. KJV

Picking a song to go with this psalm was pretty easy. My friend Marty Nystrom wrote this song about 1984.  It was not long after that, that he was living in Mobile, and taught a class in song writing to a few of us at Covenant Church of Mobile. That was quite an experience as Marty is a very talented song writer and has a real heart to worship.  I learned a lot during that time and really appreciate the things he taught me about worship.

This song really expresses the attitude toward worship that can be found throughout the Psalms. Longing for the Lord, thirsting for Him like a deer that has been running a long way to find the stream, is a great image to show what it means to seek the Lord. Have you ever been in such a place, where you were so dry and thirsty that you just had to have a touch from the Lord to continue?  Have you been as desperate as the psalmist in verse 3, "I cannot eat, I weep day and night"?  I am not personally that much of a weeper, but I know some Christians who really know how to cry out and travail until the Lord shows up.  When you need an answer to prayer, when you are desperate for healing or deliverance, that is the kind of brother or sister that you need to pray through with you!

5 "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? 

    and why art thou disquieted in me?

    hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him

    for the help of his countenance.

    Why art thou cast down, O my soul? 

    and why art thou disquieted in me?

    hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him

    for the help of his countenance." KJV

Verse 5 is another great encouragement when you are feeling down.  The psalmists talks to himself, "why so downcast, O my soul?", and answers his own question, "Hope in God!" and "I shall yet praise him".  Some may think you are crazy if you talk to yourself, but sometimes you really need to encourage yourself and telling yourself the good things the Lord has promised you can be a big help.   If you set it to music, like Marty does below, then people don't know you're talking to yourself, they just think you are singing with your iPod! 

So keep encouraging yourself and singing to the Lord, and listen to older tunes that came out of Integrity Music in Mobile, part of my personal history...

The Best of Marty Nystrom- As The Deer

http://youtu.be/tdY4Nx0EprI

Marty Nystrom- Why So Downcast (Live)

http://youtu.be/vA-S_0LcRWs

Psalm 42

For the music director; a well-written song by the Korahites.

1 As a deer longs for streams of water,

so I long for you, O God!

2 I thirst for God,

for the living God.

I say, “When will I be able to go and appear in Godʼs presence?”

3 I cannot eat, I weep day and night;

all day long they say to me, “Where is your God?”

4 I will remember and weep!

For I was once walking along with the great throng to the temple of God,

shouting and giving thanks along with the crowd as we celebrated the holy festival.

5 Why are you depressed, O my soul?

Why are you upset?

Wait for God!

For I will again give thanks

to my God for his saving intervention.

6 I am depressed,

so I will pray to you while I am trapped here in the region of the upper Jordan,

from Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

7 One deep stream calls out to another at the sound of your waterfalls;

all your billows and waves overwhelm me.

8 By day the Lord decrees his loyal love,

and by night he gives me a song,

a prayer to the living God.

9 I will pray to God, my high ridge:

“Why do you ignore me?

Why must I walk around mourning

because my enemies oppress me?”

10 My enemiesʼ taunts cut into me to the bone,

as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

11 Why are you depressed, O my soul?

Why are you upset?

Wait for God!

For I will again give thanks

to my God for his saving intervention.

The NET Bible