Psalm 22- He dwells in the praises of His people

 Psalm 22- He Dwells 

Psalm 22 has been widely written about since it is one of the most descriptive messianic prophesies.

Psalms 22:1 (NKJV) To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. 

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? [Why are You so] far from helping Me, [And from] the words of My groaning?

Psalms 22:11-18 (NKJV) 

11 Be not far from Me, For trouble [is] near; For [there is] none to help. 12 Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong [bulls] of Bashan have encircled Me. 13 They gape at Me [with] their mouths, [Like] a raging and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 17 I can count all My bones. They look [and] stare at Me. 18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.

Psalms 22:31 (NKJV) 

Theywill come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done [this.]

I won’t comment further on these verses as most of us are familiar with the crucifixion story in the New Testament and can easily see how it was prophesied here. 

However there is one verse here that I want to comment on.

Psalms22:3 (NKJV) But You [are] holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

In this verse, we see the beginnings of the New Testament concept that the Lord dwells, or abides in His people. The Hebrew word yāšaḇ is translated “enthroned” here, but it also could be rendered as “dwell” or “abide”. This is a departure from most Old Testament verses that state that the Lord dwells on high, or between the cherubim in the temple. (Psa 2:4 He sits in heaven, Psa 99:1 He dwells between the cherubim). Dwelling in the praises of His people is a. It closer to the New Testament concept.

1 Corinthians 3:16

16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not yourown?

Ephesians 2:21-22

21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built togetherinto a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

It is fitting that this verse would be included with the messianic prophesies since is the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Messiah that initiated the new covenant in which the Holy Spirit is able to to dwell in his people. No longer do we have to look to a temple built with stone and timber to find the Lord. He is with us and in us wherever we go! 

In first Corinthians, Paul goes in to say how this should affect our behavior.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Basically he is saying , “the Spirit of God dwells in you so act like it!” Lord, help us to represent you in this world as the living, breathing temple of God.

Psalm 19- The Heavens Declare

Psalm 19- The Heavens Declare

Psalms 19:1-7

1 For the music director; a psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the sky displays his handiwork.

2 Day after day it speaks out;

night after night it reveals his greatness.

3 There is no actual speech or word,

nor is its voice literally heard.

4 t its voice echoes throughout the earth;

its words carry to the distant horizon.

In the sky he has pitched a tent for the sun.

5 Like a bridegroom it emerges from its chamber;

like a strong man it enjoys running its course.

6 It emerges from the distant horizon,

and goes from one end of the sky to the other;

nothing can escape its heat.

7 The law of the LORD is perfect

and preserves oneʼs life.

The rules set down by the LORD are reliable

and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.

Psalms 19:14

May my words and my thoughts

be acceptable in your sight,

O LORD, my sheltering rock and my redeemer.

Romans 1:18

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Romans 1:22

Professing to be wise, they became fools,

I was educated as a scientist, so this psalm has special meaning to me. It has been my life work to understand how things work and to bring order out of chaos. A scientist investigates the physical world, proposes theories of of how things logically work, and then tests these theories against reality with experiments. This is the scientific method (loosely described). in order to make sense out of the world, a true scientist must start with the faith that the world makes sense, that things happen with a precise mathematical order. Otherwise there is only chaos and no theory or mathematical formula can describe it. (setting aside chaos theory for the time being!)

The psalmist tells us that this is so because the heavens declare the glory of God. The order in the heavens does not declare an uncaring chaos, though some would say they believe that without ever explaining how such beautiful order can come out of chaos by chance. Darwin was desperate to prove that there can be an orderly world without God, so he came up with his theory of evolution. Scientists have embraced this theory and have expanded it ever since, but they still can not answer the question of why life should randomly come out of a chaotic soup of chemicals or what came before the big bang and why was suddenly everything created out of nothing! Only faith in a creator can explain why there is order in the universe and why everything in the environment of the Earth is optimized for human life. Of course the scientist would respond that science cannot answer “Why” questions, only “How”, so we will leave that for now.

The psalmist tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God. The Apostle Paul amplified this in Romans saying that it should be evident to everyone that God has made His invisible attributes visible in creation. Creation makes sense and has an order about it because it was created by a loving and all wise God. The heavens themselves speak to us about the glory God if we but listen. He even concludes that if you can’t see this, you may profess yourself to her wise, but you are a fool! Paul was not one to mince words.

In verse 7, the psalmist goes from talking about the world to talking about God’s law. It is the scientist job to discover and quantify the laws of nature. No one questions the law of gravity and they are not surprised that when they fall they hit the ground. But God created not only the physical world but also the spiritual. Why then are we surprised that the spiritual world also has laws and why do men so fiercely rebel against obeying God’s spiritual laws? It only makes sense that if you want to design an airplane, you need to understand the laws of gravity and aerodynamics. So why then do people try to fly through life without regard to the laws of God? It’s not logical!

The psalmist concludes the matter with a statement of the benefits of obeying the laws of God. He states that in keeping them there is great reward. His benediction to this psalm is a prayer that his words and thoughts would be acceptable to that he could be blessed.

Psalms 19:14

May my words and my thoughts

be acceptable in your sight,

O LORD, my sheltering rock and my redeemer.

I could go on and on about this topic, but for now, I just pray that you will look to the heavens and listen for the voice of God in creation. You will be blessed if you comprehend and follow the laws physical and spiritual laws of God.

Psalm 18- The Nations

 Psalm 18- The Nations

Psalms 18:49 (NKJV) 

Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

Psalms 18:49 (NET) 

So I will give you thanks before the nations, O LORD! I will sing praises to you!

Romans 15:9 (NKJV)

9and that the Gentiles might glorify God for [His] mercy, as it is written: 

[“For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name.”]

There is a lot in Psalm 18, but this morning I want to concentrate on one verse that is quoted in the New Testament. In the Old Testament we see many references to Israel as the chosen people that should separate themselves from the other nations, but there are prophetic hints here and there that the Lord has a larger plan for the nations. This is one example where the psalmist indicates that the nations will give thanks and praise God. The Apostle Paul expands in this in the letter to the Romans.

Romans 15:7-11

7Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcisionon behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,

“THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES,

AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME.” (Ps 18:49)

10 Again he says,

“REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE.” (Deut 32:43)

11And again,

“PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES,

ANDLET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM.” (Ps 117:1)

The word used here is goyem in the Hebrew and ethnos in the Greek. Both mean nations, gentiles or people, referring to the non Jewish nations of the world. Paul explains to the Romans that Jesus came to save all the peoples (ethnic groups) and not just the circumcised Jews. We do. It discount the place that Israel has in salvation history, for through them we have Moses, the prophets and the law (Torah). But as Jesus said, we need to go to all the nations to preach His gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 28:19-20

19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

I’m not sure how much the Old Testament psalmist understood of this, but in any case he was used of the Lord to prophesy of the time when all nations would sing Praise to God.

 

Psalm 18:49

ThereforeI will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

Psalm 17- Apple of Your Eye

 Psalm 17- Apple of Your Eye

Psalms 17:1-15 (NKJV) 

1 A Prayer of David. Hear a just cause, O LORD, Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer [which is] not from deceitful lips. 2 Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright. 3 You have tested my heart; You have visited [me] in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4 Concerning the works of men, By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer. 5 Uphold my steps in Your paths, [That] my footsteps may not slip. 6 I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, [and] hear my speech. 7 Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust [in You] From those who rise up [against them.] 8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, 9 From the wicked who oppress me, [From] my deadly enemies who surround me. 10 They have closed up their fat [hearts;] With their mouths they speak proudly. 11 They have now surrounded us in our steps; They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth, 12 As a lion is eager to tear his prey, And like a young lion lurking in secret places. 13 Arise, O LORD, Confront him, cast him down; Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, 14 With Your hand from men, O LORD, From men of the world [who have] their portion in [this] life, And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their [possession] for their babes. 15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

Psalms 17:8 (NET) Protect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye! Hide me in the shadow of your wings!

Matthew 23:37 (NET)

37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!

How can we comprehend the marvelous lovingkindness of the Lord? The psalmist is a poet and likens the Lord’s care for us to how much we protect our eye, and especially the central part, the apple or pupil. He also likens the Lord’s love and protection to a mother hen sheltering her chicks under her wing. Maybe part of why I have so much difficulty receiving the love of the Lord is that much of this poetic imagery is lost on me. After all, the pupil of the eye is nothing but a hole. The magic is in other parts like the cornea that keeps the vitreous fluid in while letting light pass through, and the lens that magically focus on far or near as needed. Then there is the retina that converts the light to an image to sends it to the brain and the macular layer that protects the retinal. My wife and I have had problems with many of these parts of the eye, so are very aware of protecting those parts and have intimately knowledge of the blindness that will follow if any on of them is damaged.

Likewise, I wouldn’t have picked a mother hen as the ideal protective mother. I raised chickens as a youth and am not an admirer of a chickens protective instincts. A mother hen will shelter her chicks under her wing to protect them and keep them warm, but that is about the extent of her motherly care. Other than that, the chicks pretty much have to fend for themselves and find food where they can. I would have picked a mother dog or cat as a better mother that actually cares for her young, but then that is not as poetic as “gathers her chicks under her wings”.

That being said, the Lord’s marvelous lovingkindness is greater than all that. He protects our innermost being and shelters us under his wings when we are surrounded by multitudes of enemies. 

What enemies are you surrounded by? Fear, anger, want, loneliness, anxiety, hurts and disease can be found all around us. The psalmist cries out “Arise, O LORD, Confront him, cast him down; ”. Likewise, we can cry out to the Lord to cast down our enemies. There are spiritual forces in high places that wish to harm us (Eph 6:12) These are our enemies and our best and only protection comes from the Lord. Remember that the Lord will keep you, like the apple of his eye and will shelter you under his wings. Calling on Him and having faith in his lovingkindness toward you will enable you to say, with the psalmist, “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”

Psalm 16- Fullness of Joy

 Psalm 16- Fullness of Joy

Giving and Thanksgiving

 Psalms 16:1 (NASB)

The LORD the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Deliverer in Death.

A MIKHTAM OF DAVID.

1 Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.

2 I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord;

I have no good besides You.”

3 As for the saints who are in the earth,

They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied;

I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,

Nor will I take their names upon my lips.

5 The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

You support my lot.

6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

7 I will bless the LORD who has counseled me;

Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.

8 I have set the LORD continually before me;

Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will dwell securely.

10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

11 You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Continuing on our previous thoughts on Psalm 15 about abiding, we see hear that the psalmist takes refuge in the Lord. In taking refuge in, and thus abiding in the Lord, he reaps many bountiful blessings. “I have no good besides You.” and “In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” It’s hard to describe all the blessings and goodness of the Lord, but the psalmist makes a good beginning of that here.

5 The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

You support my lot.

6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

I can agree with the Psalmist in the sentiments in verses 5 and 6. Though I was joking with my wife about verse 5 in the NKJV

Psalms 16:5b …You maintain my lot.

If the Lord is maintaining my lot, then why do I spend so much time cutting grass and trimming trees?

But seriously, The Lord has provided for us bountifully. Probably the biggest surprise in retiring was to realize the the Lord had provided for us even more generously than we could have imagined. We have given tithes and offerings for decades and so we shouldn’t have been surprised if we just had had a little faith! I was aware of God’s bountiful provision while I was working as that seemed natural, to work hard and reap the benefits, but to quit working and still be provided for was a pleasant surprise. We had heard many stories of how people retire and then have to cut back and pinch all their pennies, but that has not been the case with us. Thus I can agree with the Psalmist:

6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

It is important to continue on, as the Psalmist does in verses 7-11, to bless the Lord and thank Him for his lovingkindness. I think that two of the most important a actions to do to enjoy a blessed life is “giving” and “thanks giving”. It is hard for many new Christians to accept the principle of tithing. It seems counterproductive, in the world’s view, to get increase by giving away a major part of your income, but in the Kingdom of God, that is the way that economics works. By generously giving, the Lord provides, and then it is our obligation and joy to thank Him for His provision. Parting with at least 10% of your income may seem like pain in the beginning, but in the end it leads to fullness of joy.

11 You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Also, note that buried in this text is a prophecy about Jesus.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will dwell securely.

10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

This is quoted by Peter in his sermon in Acts 2:31 as one of the proofs from scripture that Jesus is the true Messiah and savior of the world. And that is just another reason to bless the Lord and to be thankful for His goodness towards us.