Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Psalm 2

Enough of politics for awhile... Perhaps my greatest passion is worshiping the Lord by reading, praying, studying and singing the Psalms. Psalms is sort of who I am. I've been helped on my worship journey by many great Bible teachers. One of the best was Ern Baxter. Brother Ern was a tall, lanky Canadian with a proper Canadian/English accent. He had started out as a worship piano player and became a great Bible teacher. One of my favorite teachings of his is one that he did on Psalm 2. PSALM 2 The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed. 1 Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. NASB

Ern would open with a story from his boyhood. His uncles were also tall, with long arms, and when Ern was a little boy they would tease him and egg him into a fight. Ern would build up his childhood fury and attack his uncles with both fists flying. One of his uncles would then reach down with his long arm, placing a hand on Ern's forehead, holding him back, and they would laugh as poor Ern pounded nothing but air! It is this image that Ern would invoke to describe verses 1 thru 4. Can't you just see the kings and politicians of the world pontificating, scheming, and raging on the earth, as God sits on His throne in heaven and laughs! Ern's hearty laugh would then punctuate the story, and you could just hear the Lord laughing at those kings. Sometimes we get too caught up in the struggles and campaigns of the world. I'm as guilty as anyone of worrying about the state of the world. It's in times like these that you need to remember Psalm 2 and imagine the Lord sitting and laughing at the foolishness of our earthly leaders. It's not that these things aren't important and will certainly affect our future, but in the grand scheme of things, the Lord has everything under control, and His plans will prevail in the end. Psalms 2:6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” The Kingdom of God was one of Ern's favorite topics. He could explain the sovereignty and goodness of God with a clarity of few other Bible teachers. And hearing Ern explain it, in his deep majestic voice, you could literally hear the voice of God, and feel His goodness. Brother Ern is gone now, gone to his eternal reward, but I can just see him, sitting in heaven with the king of kings and lord of lords, laughing at the silly rantings of the kings of the earth. Maybe we need to take time out and laugh a little too, as we worship and rejoice as the psalmist instructs us:  

Psalms 2:11-12 Worship the Lord with reverence And rejoice with trembling. 12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

How blessed indeed... Amen

1 comment:

  1. I love what you said, Dave...I also have a wonderful Bible teacher that God gave me (Jeneane)and always hear her voice in my ears. That's a really special thing... I'd like to read more of your thoughts on the psalms. One of my favorites is Psalm 40... Someone in my small group once called me a "psalmist" (I always brought the opening song) and I took it as a high compliment.

    ReplyDelete