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Meditations on the Psalms

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Volume Nine: Psalms 81-90

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations marked "NIV" are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Psalm Eighty-One
A Call to Celebrate

1 To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob.

2 Raise a song and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the lute.

3 Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast day.

4 For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob.

5 This He established in Joseph as a testimony, when He went throughout the land of Egypt, where I heard a language I did not understand.

6 I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from the baskets.

7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah

8 Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me!

9 There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god.

10 I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me.

12 So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels.

13 Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!

14 I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries.

15 The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him, but their fate would endure forever.

16 He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; and with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.

This psalm is a shout and a call to celebrate a new year and to give thanks for the harvest. The Lord had commanded the Israelites to celebrate each month by blowing the trumpets (Numbers 10:10). The seventh month was the first month of the Hebrew religious year, and at the same time the first month of the Hebrew civil year. The first day of the seventh month was always a special day. It was called "the memorial of blowing of trumpets" or "the day of blowing the trumpets" (Leviticus 23:24; Numbers 29:1). In the middle of this month, when the moon is full, the Israelites would sing this psalm while they gather the yield of the land and celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:39). This feast is one of the most festive one of all. During it they would stay in booths (tabernacles) built from palm branches in the city squares, on housetops, and on the mountains surrounding Jerusalem, as a reminder of their 40 years of wandering in the desert. It was also a chance to thank the Lord for the harvest, which He had also commanded: "Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest ... that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God" (Leviticus 23:39,43). The Feast of Tabernacles came after the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) during which the people were cleansed from their iniquities. During the Feast of Tabernacles they would read the Law of Moses once every seven years (Deuteronomy 31:10-11).

The psalm contains the following:

  • First: A call for celebration (verses 1-5)

  • Second: Divine advice (verses 6-10)

  • Third: The punishment of disobedience (verses 11-16)

First: A Call for Celebration
(verses 1-5)

In these four verses the psalmist presents the reasons for celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles:

  1. Because God is our strength: "Sing aloud to God our strength" (verse 1a). The first step to celebrating is to set the minds of the people into motion to remember God's power that saved them from Pharaoh, and to sing afresh Moses' song: "I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him" (Exodus 15:1,2). "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). The celebration reminds us that our salvation does not come from ourselves, but from God. The branches cannot yield fruit on their own without abiding in the vine; likewise, without God we cannot do anything (John 15:4,5).

  2. Because He is the God of the covenant: "Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob" (verse 1b). In celebrating the feast the people remember that God entered into a covenant with Jacob, their forefather, not because Jacob deserved it, but because He favored him and was pleased to call Himself "the God of Jacob". God still accepts every penitent sinner, counting him among His people who worship Him as their God. As the people of the Lord remember God's covenant, they shout for joy. Here are two occasions on which the people shouted:

    1. Shouting to the king: The people shouted when they saw the king that God chose, because there was none like him among all the people (1 Samuel 10:24). We also shout to the Lord of lords and King of kings, saying, "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11).

    2. Shouting to the victor: "Sing ... Shout ... Be glad and rejoice ... The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:14,17). We shout to the victorious King who defeated Satan, sin and death. We say, "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? ... But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:55,57).

  3. Because it is a feast day: "Raise a song and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the lute. Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast day" (verses 2,3). People celebrate the feast because it is a memorial of a happy occasion. Celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles reminded the people of God of the past event when God sustained a whole nation for forty years in the desert. It also prompts them to offer thanksgiving to God who gave the harvest. The people must thank God for what happened and what will happen, with a loud song accompanied by a timbrel. A timbrel is a small hand drum or tambourine. It has small jingles or pellet bells hanging round its edge. When the drummer shakes the timbrel, the jingles rattle, and with the fingers of his other hand he beats on the skin of the drum. It is accompanied also by a harp, which is a plucked, stringed musical instrument that may have as many as ten strings and is easy to carry. There is also a rebec, which is a high-pitched stringed instrument. Then there is a trumpet, which was like a horn. The priests' trumpets were made out of silver.

    The psalmist tells the people to sing to God with musical instruments of different resonance, yet harmonious. He requires them to "raise a song" that suits the Most High God, and to "blow the trumpet" with all their inward strength, with one mind and one heart to the One God.

  4. Because it is a duty: "For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob. This He established in Joseph as a testimony, when He went throughout the land of Egypt, where I heard a language I did not understand" (verses 4,5). The celebration of the feast is a duty and a statute for the people of the Lord, because He is worthy to be thanked. He had taken care of His people before the wandering years, as well as during those years. His care is from eternal past to eternal future, apparent to the sight, and it serves as a testimony to everyone. He said to Jacob, who was lying alone in the desert, "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go ... I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you" (Genesis 28:15). The Lord took heaven and earth as witnesses to His great care when He brought Joseph from Pharaoh's prison to make him the grand vizier of Egypt, without whose consent no man could lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt (Genesis 41:44). When a new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, came onto the scene and humiliated the children of Israel, the Lord went forth in might against the land of Egypt, punished Pharaoh, and released the prisoners.

    In the working-out of these miracles, the people of God heard a new language that was previously unknown to them. They heard the language of redemption, salvation and liberty. They had got used to humiliation and had never enjoyed a position of supremacy. Yet a new language announced to them: "The LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations" (Deuteronomy 7:9).

Second: Divine Advice
(verses 6-10)

  1. Let us remember God's wonderful act (verses 6,7):

    1. Freedom from slavery: "I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from the baskets" (verse 6). God did unique, extraordinary, supernatural and unforgettable things with His people. The Israelites used to carry bricks on their shoulders. God rescued the enslaved shoulder by removing its burden of bricks. He transferred it to a place of liberty and honor! They used to make baskets with their own hands, in which they carried mud and straw, but God turned their hands away from the making and the carrying of baskets.

    2. Deliverance from trouble: "You called in trouble, and I delivered you" (verse 7a). God relates the children of Israel, whom the psalmist was addressing, to their ancient ancestors. He says that they called on the Lord in their trouble and that He delivered them. For it is God Himself who said, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me" (Psalm 50:15). "Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God ... So God heard their groaning" (Exodus 2:23,24). This loving God "delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us" (2 Corinthians 1:10).

    3. The secrets of thunder: "I answered you in the secret place of thunder" (verse 7b). God revealed His power and salvation in the secret place of thunder (thunder as a natural phenomenon had no explanation among the people of antiquity). The point here is that God answered His people in a secret or mysterious way that they could not understand, but they could see its miraculous effects. "Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the LORD looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians" (Exodus 14:24). God revealed Himself also to His people through the giving of the Law in the secret place of thunder (Exodus 19:16). In thunder God revealed the mysteries of salvation and the secrets of the Law.

    4. Water to the thirsty: "I tested you at the waters of Meribah" (verse 7c). Meribah in Hebrew means "contention". It is the name of a spring of water that gushed out from the rock as Moses struck it by a divine command. This occurrence took place right after the Israelites contended with Moses for being thirsty. It is also called Massah, meaning "temptation". When the children of Israel were thirsty they wondered whether the Lord was in their midst or not (Exodus 17:7). One of God's unique acts is to still deal with contending people, who question His existence despite all His miracles. He continues to take care of them and to be good to them. He even waters them from the rock (see Numbers 20:8). The Scriptures warn us from repeating the mistake of the children of Israel, saying, "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: 'Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me' ... Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily ... lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:7-13).

  2. Let us obey the Lord (verses 8-10):

    1. A warning: "Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me!" (verse 8). The imperative "Hear" reminds us of the first and greatest commandment: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:4,5). At the beginning of advice to obey God, the Lord warns His people of the danger of disobedience and calls their attention to the blessings of obedience. This warning was repeated through the ages, as God said, "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: 'I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me ...' They have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward ... 'Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good ... If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword'" (Isaiah 1:2,4,16,17,19,20).

    2. A command: "There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god" (verse 9). The Ten Commandments started with the command: "I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me" (Deuteronomy 5:6,7). Christ also said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24). Because it is impossible to serve two gods, Elijah said to the people, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him" (1 Kings 18:21).

    3. A promise: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it" (verse 10). God was with His people and rescued them with the miracles of the exodus out of Egypt. He still wants to fill His people as much as His people believe in Him and wait upon Him. The wider a believer opens his mouth, thirsting and longing for grace, the more God fills his mouth with every good thing. After the recording of the Torah, Moses said in his song, "For the Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye ... He made him ride in the heights of the earth, that he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him draw honey from the rock, and oil from the flinty rock" (Deuteronomy 32:9,10,13). Christ also said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6). He said to those who came seeking Him, "According to your faith let it be to you" (Matthew 9:29).

Third: The Punishment of Disobedience
(verses 11-16)

  1. Handing over the disobedient to his disobedience: "But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels" (verses 11,12). When man disobeys God, he pays the price for his wrong choice, and God's wrath and punishment fall on him. The severest punishment for the sinner is to be left to do his own will! Bildad the Shuhite applied the same principle as he said to Job, "If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression" (Job 8:4). The principle itself was right, but its application to Job's children was wrong. The philosopher said, "They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies" (Proverbs 1:30,31). The Apostle Paul said about idol-worshippers, "[They] changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature" (Romans 1:23-26). Again he said of those who refuse Christ's salvation, "They did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). Let's pray to God to help us obey Him, and not leave Him alone for the foolishness of our hearts. Let us pray, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

  2. Depriving the disobedient of blessings (verses 13-16):

    1. Deprivation of the blessing of victory: "Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him, but their fate would endure for ever" (verses 13-15). God's people are supposed to be victorious in the Lord. They are His people and their enemies are considered His own enemies. Yet, this victory is dependent on their obedience to Him. If God's people walk in God's way, their adversaries and enemies would be defeated, because turning away from God brings destruction and humiliation. On the other hand, the Lord will always bring destruction on and subdue those who hate Him. His people, however, "their fate would endure forever," because they enjoy Him and His gifts in both their present and future life. They have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). God said, "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go. Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea" (Isaiah 48:17,18). But His people did not listen to Him, and they received the same fate that Jerusalem received. This fate is well represented in Christ's words: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate" (Matthew 23:37,38).

      This heavenly warning is meant to make us avoid defeat, and open our eyes to the way of victory. So let us abide firmly in the Lord and follow Him whole-heartedly, so that we may be able to say, "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).

    2. Deprivation of satisfaction: "He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; and with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you" (verse 16). God satisfies His people who obey him with all His good things, so that they may say along with the psalmist, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over" (Psalm 23:1,5). God had already fed His people with "the finest of wheat" (Psalm 147:14) and "the choicest wheat" (Deuteronomy 32:14). He also gave them honey for food from the rocks of the Sinai Desert: "He made him draw honey from the rock" (Deuteronomy 32:13). And He still loves to satisfy His people, for He says through our psalmist, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it" (verse 10). Our understanding of the blessing of being full to satisfaction may increase as we see a bird feeding its fledglings in the nest. The fledglings open their mouths wide to get their portion of food. They cannot survive without the care of the mother bird. In like manner, we cannot live, move or exist without God's care of us. Why then do we deprive ourselves of all these blessings that He wants to give to us? The desire to receive all these blessings must prompt us to lead a life of obedience to our heavenly Father.

Questions

  1. The psalmist mentioned four reasons to celebrate. Write them down.

  2. In verses 11-16, what are the punishments of the disobedient?

Psalm Eighty-Two
Orders to the Rulers and Judges

1 A Psalm of Asaph. God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.

2 How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Selah

3 Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy.

4 Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.

5 They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are unstable.

6 I said, "You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.

7 But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes."

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall inherit all nations.

This psalm is designed for everyone who holds a place of authority and leadership. It emphasizes that these people are accountable to the Lord, the Master of all the earth. It is a psalm for the judges, in that it requires them to judge the people fairly. God delegated them to take His place and perform justice. He invested them with the authority to pronounce the death-sentence against one person, while pronouncing another innocent. They take His place and represent Him in performing justice by His own commissioning. This psalm is also designed for every employer, president and head of a household, calling on them to be just and fair with those God committed into his care. It is evident that the privileges granted by God to those in responsibility are not there for their own enjoyment only, but to serve everyone they were commissioned to serve. Every great privilege carries with it a great responsibility.

We do not know the exact occasion that prompted Asaph to write down this psalm. Most likely there was no special occasion. Injustice was everywhere -- and has not abated. Perhaps the psalmist was disturbed by hearing of a judge doing a poor widow injustice, a ruler who issued a law for his own interest, a husband who divorced the lady he married when he was poor to marry another after attaining wealth, or a father who discriminates against some of his children! The occasion for writing this psalm is everyday, as Isaiah said, "The LORD stands up to plead, and stands to judge the people ... 'What do you mean by crushing My people and grinding the faces of the poor?' says the Lord GOD of hosts" (Isaiah 3:13,15). Yet, the psalm shows us another aspect. At the end it declares that God is the Judge of all judges and those involved in litigation. He must establish the rules of justice, "For when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness" (Isaiah 26:9).

The psalm contains the following:

  • First: God watches the judges (verse 1)

  • Second: God takes the judges to court (verses 2-4)

  • Third: God rebukes the judges (verses 5-7)

  • Fourth: God the fair judge (verse 8)

First: God Watches the Judges
(verse 1)

  1. God is present in the courthouse: "God stands in the congregation of the mighty" (verse 1a). The word translated "mighty" is elohim, which usually means God. But it is occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates, noblemen or judges. Moses said to his father-in-law, "...the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws" (Exodus 18:15,16). Solomon said, "If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them" (Ecclesiastes 5:8). The church is the congregation of God, according to what Christ said, "For where two or three are gathered together [congregated] in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). Therefore the Scriptures say, "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?" (1 Corinthians 6:1).

  2. God judges through the judges: "He judges among the gods" (verse 1b). Judges enjoy a great position; therefore he calls them "gods". Their authority to judge comes from God, and they must judge according to God's law. When the officials who hold a high status come together to issue judgment, they must not presume that they are invested with authority simply to judge as they like. God stands in their midst and issues His judgments through them. They will certainly have to give Him an account of their stewardship. Right before he died, Moses said to the Lord, "'Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.' So the Lord said to Moses, 'Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight. And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient'" (Numbers 27:15-21).

    God styled the judges, the leaders and the officials with great titles. He made them His own representatives. What an honor, and what a responsibility!

Second: God Takes the Judges to Court
(verses 2-4)

  1. Because they showed partiality to the wicked: "How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Selah" (verse 2). In this verse and the next, God charges the judges with treating people unjustly and favoring the wicked at the expense of the poor. He asks them, "How long?" to alert them to evaluate their actions and to give them a chance to defend themselves. He had forbidden unjust judgment when He said, "You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor" (Leviticus 19:15). "Selah" is a pause, either for silence or for a musical interlude, or a chance to meditate on what one hears, for God gives the judges a chance to think about the charge that He lays at their door in order to get ready to answer it. God's rebuke here is like His rebuke of Pharaoh, "How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me" (Exodus 10:3). How often we get trapped in the mistake of favoring the rich at the expense of the poor. Even the believers of the early church brought the rich forward while letting the poor sit in an ignoble place (James 2:1-9). When the Indian leader the Mahatma Ghandi entered a church in South Africa, the ushers asked him to sit in the rows of the black people, not the white people. At this Ghandi said, "But for the Christians I would have been a Christian." We stand covered with shame in front of this verse because we make the same mistake as those judges who were thus rebuked by God.

  2. Because they wronged the poor: "Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked" (verses 3,4). The rulers and the judges represent the justice of God who demands that they defend the poor and fatherless, listen to their complaints, and give them a chance to request justice. He commands them to do justice to the afflicted and needy, give them their legitimate rights, and free them from the hand of the unjust and wicked men. This command repeats itself often in the pages of the Book of God: "Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow" (Isaiah 1:17). It is also a frequently repeated warning: "Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice, and to take what is right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless. What will you do in the day of punishment, and in the desolation that will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help?" (Isaiah 10:1-3).

This is a divine call from God to the judges and the heads of any establishment to do justice: the judge to his people, the ruler to his subject, the boss to his employees and the head of the house to his wife and children.

Third: God Rebukes the Judges
(verses 5-7)

  1. God rebukes the foolish judge: "They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are unstable" (verse 5). Before applying the law, the judge first has to acquaint himself with it. This is his responsibility and the first prerequisite for functioning in that office. Solomon prayed, "Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" (1 Kings 3:7,9). Those judges, however, neglected the law, chose not to understand the word of the Lord, assumed an arrogant attitude, and put on injustice for a cloak. Yet God calls out, "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20). The light of dawn is bound with returning to the law and the testimony, which are "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). "When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things" (Proverbs 2:10-12). "For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life" (Proverbs 6:23).

    As a result of the foolishness of the judge who says, "There is no God", all the foundations of the earth are unstable, because the moral bases are unsettled. And "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3). Indeed "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6), because "men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:19,20).

  2. God reminds the judge of his status (verse 6): In rebuking the judges, the Lord reminds them of the elevated status he conferred upon them:

    1. They are gods: "I said, 'You are gods'" (verse 6a). In case the thief was not known, the law required that "the master of the house shall be brought to the judges (elohim) For any kind of trespass the cause of both parties shall come before the judges (elohim); and whomever the judges (elohim) condemn shall pay double to his neighbor" (Exodus 22:8,9). The judge is a representative of God Himself; he is commissioned by Him to apply God's law "for the judgment is God's" (Deuteronomy 1:17). King Jehoshaphat said to the judges, whom he had appointed, "Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment. Now therefore, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes" (2 Chronicles 19:6,7). The New Testament says, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves" (Romans 13:1,2). Christ was quoting this verse when He declared, "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30). "The Jews, however, picked up rocks to stone him, so He said to them, 'Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?' The Jews answered Him, saying, 'For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.' Jesus answered them, 'Is it not written in your law, "I said, 'You are gods'"? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, "You are blaspheming", because I said, "I am the Son of God"? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him'" (John 10:31-38).

    2. They are the children of the Most High: "And all of you are children of the Most High" (verse 6b). This second title shows that the first one "You are gods" was definitely a spiritual title, because this second title also has a spiritual sense. There is no bodily birth from God, but there is a birth from above, of water and the Spirit (John 3:3,5). It is what Christ came to give freely to those who believe in Him. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12,13). This how they would become "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). How great is the love that God has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God (1 John 3:1). But it is our responsibility to be pure just as He is pure, and holy as He is holy. "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct" (1 Peter 1:15).

  3. God declares that a judge is liable to punishment: "But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes" (verse 7). It is true that God delegated to them some of His authority, yet their failure to accomplish His expectations makes them liable to punishment by death, just the same as any soul that sins and dies (Ezekiel 18:4). Everyone who disobeys God's word judges it and condemns himself: "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The next psalm (Psalm 83) relates the reports of the kings and the princes who fell and perished on account of their injustice (Psalm 83:9-11).

Fourth: God is the Fair Judge
(verse 8)

"Arise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall inherit all nations" (verse 8). The psalmist knew that God judged the judges of his people who did not do justice to the poor, fatherless, afflicted and needy. Therefore he decided to take his case to the just Judge who would do him and all the wronged people justice. At the introduction of his psalm he saw God standing, but the judges obstructed the divine justice. So he entreated God to take control of the situation in all the earth, because He held full authority and possessed all the peoples. "The LORD shall judge the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness" (Psalm 7:8). "For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth" (Psalm 47:2). He is the fair judge who changes the injustice of the wicked into a blessing for the believer, just as Joseph told his brothers, "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20).

Believer, your case has never and will never be in the hands of humans. It is always in the hand of the Lord. He will solve it through those whom He chooses to solve it, or through His personal intervention. So let us turn for refuge to the King of all the earth, to hear from His lips the sweet words: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18).

"For You shall inherit all nations."

Questions

  1. Why does God rebuke some judges?

  2. What comfort do you get from knowing that God is your judge?

Psalm Eighty-Three
A Cry for Help against the Alliance of the Wicked

1 A Song. A Psalm of Asaph. Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God!

2 For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head.

3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones.

4 They have said, "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more."

5 For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against You:

6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites;

7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

8 Assyria also has joined with them; they have helped the children of Lot. Selah

9 Deal with them as with Midian, as with Sisera, as with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,

10 Who perished at En Dor, who became as refuse on the earth.

11 Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb, yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

12 Who said, "Let us take for ourselves the pastures of God for a possession."

13 O my God, make them like the whirling dust, like the chaff before the wind!

14 As the fire burns the woods, and as the flame sets the mountains on fire,

15 So pursue them with Your tempest, and frighten them with Your storm.

16 Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O LORD.

17 Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; yes, let them be put to shame and perish,

18 That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.

The reader of the Book of Psalms will find in many psalms that a powerful enemy stands against the believer and attacks the people of God. He finds out that an evil kingdom stands against the kingdom of God. Although the godly become afraid and are sometimes shaken, they always run to their abiding and steadfast Lord for their only shelter. They have set their love upon Him to deliver and help them. All through history, when the enemies of the Lord besieged the people of the Lord, and the godly people were unable to face up to them, God's providence intervened on behalf of His people.

This psalm was composed for the occasion of an attack on the people of the Lord that they were unable to meet. The divine hand intervened, to push the enemies away and protect God's weak people. The divine promise declares, "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him" (Isaiah 59:19). The occasion for writing this psalm could have been the coming up of a powerful alliance against Jehoshaphat. The biblical historian says, "It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, 'A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar' (which is En Gedi). And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD" (2 Chronicles 20:1-3). He said, "... nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." Then the LORD sent Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, upon whom was the Spirit of the Lord, to say to the king and the people, "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's ... stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you" (2 Chronicles 20:12-22). Truly, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe" (Proverbs 18:10). "My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:2).

Thank God for Jehoshaphat and all the oppressed that see God above all antagonistic powers! "For he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they" (Ecclesiastes 5:8 KJV). This is true of the safety of the people of Lord, both physically and spiritually. When the devil captures somebody and they fail to cut themselves loose from his clutches, the high, powerful and divine hand of God lifts them from the ring of death and transport them to the vastness of life. And in order to save mankind from the captivity of Satan, the hand of divine love, in Christ, reached down to the depth of human despair to save them and grant them the liberty of the sons of God. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth ... And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:14,16,17).

The psalm contains the following:

  • First: A description of peril (verses 1-8)

  • Second: Encouragement from history (verses 9-12)

  • Third: A cry for help (verses 13-18)

First: A Description of Peril
(verses 1-8)

  1. God kept silent: "Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God!" (verse 1). It seems to the frightened and terrified person that God keeps silent and holds His peace. It appears that He is not doing anything. But this same person knows what He has done and how He rushed to his rescue. So he might well turn to Him and cry out, "Do not keep silent, O God!" Frightened believers all through the ages have echoed such a prayer, "To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: Do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit" (Psalm 28:1). Some others said, "'The LORD has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me,' but He answered them, 'Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands'" (Isaiah 49:14-16).

  2. The enemies are getting ready: "For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head" (verse 2). The psalmist identifies his own enemies as though they were the Lord's enemies who hate Him. Although he sees the impending danger all around him, he still sees God by his side- and no wonder, because the believer abides in Christ just as the branch abides in the vine (John 15:2). Anyone who is out to hurt the branch will necessarily harm the vine, and he who touches you touches the apple of the Lord's eye (Zechariah 2:8). The enemies of the Lord make such tumult and racket. A tumult is the noise of the large number of soldiers who come to attack the psalmist and his people, as Isaiah said, "The multitude of many people who make a noise like the roar of the seas" (Isaiah 17:12). The enemies have lifted up their head with pride, as though they were certain of victory: "But God will wound the head of His enemies" (Psalm 68:21).

  3. The enemies plot together: "They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones. They have said, 'Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.' For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against You" (verses 3-5). The enemies got ready; they sat down to plot and consult together against the congregation of God, cut them off so that none could remember them anymore. The psalmist perceives that such an evil conspiracy targets, above all, the divine interests. The conspiracy is formed against the people of God, and the goal is to cut off His sheltered ones, whom He promised shelter and preservation. These ones are those who say, "For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me" (Psalm 27:5). The psalmist considers the confederacy that the enemies formed together to be a confederacy against God Himself, just as much as it is against His people. In spite of the tremendous number of the enemies and diversity of their languages and races, the conspiracy was taken up with full determination and zeal.

    The enemies' conspiracy against God's people will not succeed. Christ said to Peter, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). The gates of the ancient cities led to a spacious square in which the ruler, the noble men and the judges sat. Likewise, Satan and his minions sit at the gates of Hades plotting together against God's people. But they will not prevail against them, because Christ said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand" (John 10:27-29).

  4. The enemies are many: "The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagarites; Gebal, Ammon and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them; they have helped the children of Lot" (verses 6-8). The psalmist cried out for the Lord's assistance, because those who plotted against him were many. They surrounded him. Assyria, the major northern political power at that time, recruited a group of nations against the people of God. The Edomites came from the southeast. Although the Edomites were the descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother, they turned against their cousins. They lived in the hill country between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The Ishmaelites, who were nomadic Bedouins, came from the northeastern borders of Egypt. Gebal also came, who lived in the mountains to the east of Idumea. The Ammonites came too. They hailed from the Transjordan and were the traditional enemies of the Israelites. The Amalekites came, as well, who were the first enemies to strike the Israelites as they left the land of Egypt (Exodus 17). The Philistines came from the West and the inhabitants of Tyre from the North. "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed!" (Psalm 2:1,2). To whom but God will the psalmist resort while his helpless people are going through all this, to complain to Him of the impending danger?

Second: Encouragement from History
(verses 9-12)

The psalmist recalls two historical events that took place during the time of the judges, which was the darkest era in the history of the Israelites. God granted his helpless people victory over two powerful enemies: the Canaanites and the Midianites. He says, "Deal with them as with Midian, as with Sisera, as with Jabin at the Brook Kishon, who perished at En Dor, who became as refuse on the earth. Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb, yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, 'Let us take for ourselves the pastures of God for a possession'" (verses 9-12).

  1. Victory over the Canaanites: Sisera was the commander of the army of King Jabin, the king of Hazor. His kingdom lay on the eastern bank of the Brook Kishon, allowing him to control the road between the valley and the Mediterranean Sea. He used this advantage to humiliate the Israelites for twenty years. Deborah, a judge of Israel, encouraged a man by the name of Barak to fight Sisera. The battle took place at the foot of Mount Tabor. Sisera was defeated and fled away on foot. He arrived at the tents of Heber the Kenite where Heber's wife killed him by driving a tent peg into his temple while he was asleep (Judges 4). The psalmist says that Jabin and his army perished at En Dor, a city that lay in the same valley where Taanach and Megiddo lay (Judges 5:19; cf. Joshua 17:11). The bodies of Jabin's soldiers, under the command of Sisera, fell like refuse (dung) on the earth.

  2. Victory over the Midianites: The princes Zebah (sacrifice) and Zalmunna (the god of darkness) were kings over the Midianites. Two commanders lead their army; one was named Oreb (raven) and one was Zeeb (wolf). The ancients used to give their children such unusual names in hopes that they would grow up to be fierce when attacking the enemy and defeating them. The Midianites used to plunder the crops of the children of Israel after the harvest, and leave them as prey to hunger. The Midianites gathered themselves in the Valley of Jezreel to fall upon the children of Israel. So the Lord assigned the judge Gideon along with three hundred men to launch an attack at night against them. Chaos spread in the ranks of the Midianites and they killed each other. Oreb and Zeeb were also killed, and Gideon captured Zebah and Zalmunna. It was such memorable day of triumph and was called "the day of Midian" (Judges 6-8).

The psalmist closes this part by saying that the enemies of his people said, "Let us take for ourselves the pastures of God for a possession." The Book of Judges does not mention that either the Canaanites or the Midiantes said this. But the Scriptures say that King Jehoshaphat said in his prayer, "And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir ... rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit" (2 Chronicles 20:10,11). The psalmist is sure that what happened during the time of the judges will be repeated with Jehoshaphat and those who will come after him. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Third: A Cry for Help
(verses 13-18)

  1. A request for removing the enemy: "O my God, make them like the whirling dust, like the chaff before the wind! As the fire burns the woods, and as the flame sets the mountains on fire, so pursue them with Your tempest, and frighten them with Your storm" (verses 13-15). The psalmist asks the Lord to take the enemies away from his country as the whirlwind drives away the dust and the chaff. He asks God to burn them as the fire burns the woods on the mountains during the time of dryness. During that time neither rain comes down to put the fire out, nor can a man go up to it to put it out. Isaiah's prediction applies to it, "Moreover the multitude of your foes shall be like fine dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones like chaff that passes away; yes, it shall be in an instant, suddenly. You will be punished by the LORD of hosts with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with storm and tempest and the flame of devouring fire" (Isaiah 29:5,6). God says about the enemies of His people, "I will scatter them like stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness" (Jeremiah 13:24).

    The psalmist here uses the Old Testament language, the "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" style (Leviticus 24:20). But we lift up this prayer in the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the New Testament, which is expressed in these words spoken by a wise Christian: "Slay your enemies by making them your friends. Kill your enmity with love, and kill your negative attitudes toward them by giving them the message of Christ."

  2. A request for the repentance of the enemy: "Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O LORD. Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; yes, let them be put to shame and perish, that they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth" (verses 16-18). The psalmist requests the repentance of the enemy in two steps. First, shame and fear should make him realize the mistake he made; and second, the enemy should know what is right and seek to know the Lord:

    1. The realization of the mistake: The psalmist asks the Lord to thwart the enemies' attack and defeat them, filling their faces with shame, astonishment and dismay. They clashed with an unexpected superior power, God's divine power. It is God's wisdom that makes man fail, in order to realize his own inadequacy and seek God's face. Thus, his mistake should lead him to search for what is right. In this humbled state he declares, "Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day" (Psalm 25:4,5).

    2. Knowing what is right: When the enemies' faces are filled with shame, they seek the Lord's face. When they are dismayed and many fall dead, they seek to worship the Lord, the Most High over all the earth, because He is the Lord of lords, the One who inhabits heaven, the Creator of heaven and earth and all that is upon them. He is Jehovah, the Lord of life, who is and who was and who is to come. He is the First and the Last, the Most High over all that is high and lifted up.

    Our failure to reform ourselves is a definite blessing, because it leads us to seek new life from God. Our weakness helps us take shelter in God. Our poverty compels us to resort to God's riches. Our lowliness makes us seek God's exaltation. Let every believer pray to God to make his enemies God's beloved ones, to subjugate his foes to the divine glory, so that they would receive a blessing. In this the believer himself is also blessed.

Questions

  1. What happened with Sisera and Zalmunna?

  2. Reading verses 16-18, what are the two steps that lead to the repentance of a sinner?

Psalm Eighty-Four
Longing for the Courts of the Lord

1 To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts!

2 My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young -- even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.

4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You. Selah

5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools.

7 They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.

8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

9 O God, behold our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed.

10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!

This psalm describes the joy of the heart that longs to be in the house of God, because it is full of enthusiasm for serving Him. It is similar to Psalm 42 and 43, which express longing for the house of the Lord and the pain of being deprived of worshipping in it. There is also a lot of similarity between the themes of Psalm 27, 61, 63 and this psalm, which may have been written on a Sabbath when the psalmist was unwillingly deprived of being in the house of God. He hoped that he would not go without worshipping in it for long, and blessed those who had the chance to worship. He said, "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You" (verse 4). It is like health, which is a crown on the head of the healthy that is seen only by the sick. So one can say that the psalmist regards worshipping in the courts of the Lord as a crown on the head of the worshippers, seen only by those who are deprived of it.

But the psalmist considers himself to be part of those blessings. He says, "Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage" (verse 5). Although he had no chance to be in the house of the Lord, he was still happy because his heart was set on pilgrimage. All the hymns, prayers, chants and recitations of the word of God in the temple still filled his heart and mind. He concluded the psalmist by saying, "O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!" (verse 12). Although he was physically far away from the courts of the Lord, he still trusted that he would receive forgiveness from the Lord through animal sacrifices, which the Mosaic Law required, and through divine fellowship. There is as great promise that says, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

The psalm contains the following:

  • First: The reasons for yearning for the Lord's temple (verses 1-4)

  • Second: The blessings of the Lord's temple (verses 5-7)

  • Third: A prayer to the Lord of the temple (verses 8-12)

First: The Reasons for Yearning for the Lord's Temple
(verses 1-4)

The psalmist present four reasons for his yearning for the house of the Lord:

  1. Because of the Temple's loveliness: "How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts!" (verse 1). The Lord's tabernacle is lovely because there God lives among His people, as He said to Moses, "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8). In the tabernacle was the brass altar for the burnt offering, on which they offered the main sacrifice. The people also came there with their sacrifices for the priests to lay hands on them; and the people would confess their sins and receive forgiveness (Leviticus 1:4). Ark of the Covenant of the Lord was also there. It contained the two tablets of the law given to Moses by God, a pot that contained manna, with which God had fed the children of Israel for forty years in the Sinai Desert, and Aaron's rod that budded to prove God's election of Aaron to be a priest. And above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. There God met His people on the basis of the blood of sacrifices that was shed. "Without shedding of blood there is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22). In the tabernacle of the Lord the people hear His sweet words. The psalmist said, "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:7-11).

  2. Because of his love for the Lord: "My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God" (verse 2). The man who is far away from God is dead in his trespasses and sins. He settles for material satisfaction only, although he knows full well that it is not by bread alone that man should live, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). The man who is spiritually alive, however, is satisfied only by the living God, in whom he lives and moves and has his being (Acts 17:28). He also knows how much God longs for him. God had lived among his old people in the "tabernacle of meeting" in the Sinai Desert, and in the fullness of time He dwelt among us in Christ, His Word, who became flesh (John 1:14). The soul (i.e. the will) of the psalmist longs for the courts of the Lord, and his heart (emotions) and flesh (mind) cry out for the living God. In the courts of the Lord he meets with the Lord, who is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). When he comes to the house of the Lord, he joins the Greeks who asked to see Jesus. He sees Him, hears the announcement of His love for him, and experiences His goodness (John 12:20,21). Then Christ's words would apply to him: "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:21,23).

  3. Because of his security in the Lord: "Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young; even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God" (verse 3). The psalmist envied the sparrow and the swallow because they found a safe place in the house of the Lord, where they could build their nests and leave their young while they fly away to look for food! All those who find satisfaction for their soul in the Lord and His house want their children to find the same satisfaction from the very source! How happy is a godly father whoe sees his children in love with the Lord and eager to hear His word. Through the mention of the swallow and its young nestlings, the psalmist indicates that when he comes to the house of the Lord, he finds reassurance and peace. The sacrifice offered at the altar, according to the Mosaic Law, ensures that God forgave his sins. And as we grow weary, we take shelter in the house of the Lord, to find an open door welcoming us, and a word of encouragement that says, "So by my woes to be nearer my God to Thee, nearer to Thee." We know that God forgave us our sins and atoned for our transgressions through His great sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself up as a ransom for us.

    The psalmist calls the Lord certain titles, such as "LORD of hosts", "my King" and "my God". The great and mighty God of the kingdom is the Lord of the psalmist. What a King who loves His people, and what an intimate and deep relationship it is for the psalmist that gives him reassurance and fills his soul with peace!

  4. Because of his unity with the believers in the temple of the Lord: "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You" (verse 4). The psalmist blesses the servants of the Lord who stay in His courts and praise Him in His house, lifting up songs of praise to Him from all of their hearts all the while. Those are truly "the household of God" (Ephesians 2:19). Deprived of worship, the psalmist desires to be blessed himself in meeting God's servants and the believers who love and praise the Lord. He seeks to be united with them in spirit and truth, because far away from God, he meets people that are vastly different from Him in terms of interests, doctrine and worship. In the holy house of the Lord, however, he joins his voice with those who agree with him on loving and praising God. His heart is then reassured, and he receives a charge of spiritual power with which he goes joyfully out to the world. He thus proceeds to proclaim to all those who are far away from the Lord the joy of living with Him. He bids them come and join in it. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! ... It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing; life forevermore" (Psalm 133:1,3).

Second: The Blessings of the Lord's Temple
(verses 5-7)

The psalmist could not be present at the Lord's temple, because outward circumstances kept him from doing so. So, in his spirit, he turns to it, as though he were saying, "Create in me a clean heart, O God" (Psalm 51:10). And behold, his heart itself became a holy temple in which the Lord dwells. Likewise each and every believer must be a moving temple, as much as every family must be a praying church. There the husband, the wife and the children gather together to pray, so that Christ's promise to them is fulfilled: "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). Let both our houses and bodies be dwelling-places and courts for the Lord, to say with Joshua, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15).

In the psalmist's turning to the Lord's temple in spirit, he gets three blessings:

  1. The blessing of being strengthened by the Lord: "Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage" (verse 5). How fortunate they are because they made the Lord the source of their strength. He is truly a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10). Blessed be he that will trust in the LORD (Psalm 40:3) whose hope is in the LORD his God (Psalm 146:5). In spite of being separated from the temple in the flesh, the psalmist still blesses himself because the pilgrimage to the Lord's holy place is written in his heart. This impresses him deeply, so much so that he can say what Paul said to his disciple Timothy, "I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also" (2 Timothy 1:5). He not only knew the way to the house of the Lord, but also set his heart on pilgrimage to it. Today we need to engrave God's ways deeply in our hearts, not only to follow them with our eyes. We must be able to say, "Your words were found, and I ate them" (Jeremiah 15:16). And since God is the source of our strength and power, let us also make His word a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Thus we may receive more strength and power from Him, moving up from one level of power to another, just as Christ promised us, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). God wants to give us spiritual power, so He nourishes us with His word and fills us with Holy Spirit. This way it may be said about us, "I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one" (1 John 2:14). By the word of God and the work of His Spirit our faith increases and everything becomes possible for us, because all things are possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23). Then we can say along with Paul, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

  2. The blessing of rejoicing in the Lord: "As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools" (verse 6). The Valley of Baca was a dry and arid valley. Balsam trees abound in it because they do not need so much moisture. Whenever these trees are cut, a liquid flows out of it, like the sap of rubber trees. For this reason the ancient Hebrews derived its name baca from a root that means "to weep". The pilgrims used to go through the Valley of Baca on their way up to Jerusalem. Yet their faith turned it into a spring. The Hebrew for "spring" could also be read "blessing". The pilgrims were indeed joyful, because the joy of the Lord filled their hearts even in the most trying circumstances. They do not derive their joy from things around them, but rather from the spiritual joy that the Lord gives them. When those who love the Lord pass through the valley of tears, they turn it into a source of true blessing. "The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail" (Isaiah 58:11).

    It is worthy of mention that the first part in verse 6 says, "As they pass through the Valley of Baca," not "As they dwell in the Valley of Baca." There is a contrast between this statement and the one in verse 4 that says, "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house." We pass through the Valley of Weeping (this is what baca also means), but we dwell in the house of God. The Scriptures says in Psalm 23, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." It does not say, "Though I stop in the valley of the shadow of death", or "though I tarry in the valley of the shadow of death." The period of trouble and suffering is temporary and impermanent. It must pass away, because God promised the believers to come to their rescue.

    "The rain also covers it with pools." The Hebrew moreh (for rain) can be derived from a root that means "bitter". Now the hill of Moreh was the place where the Midianites attacked the people of the Lord. The Lord granted His people victory through the judge Gideon, as it was said, "Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley" (Judges 7:1).

    So when we come to the valley of tears, we turn it into a spring of blessing and joy. When the enemy attacks us by the hill of bitterness, we cover it with blessings, because God turns our sufferings into blessings. He says to us, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). His overcoming the world becomes ours when we unite with Him the way the branch unites with the vine.

  3. The blessing of growing in the Lord: "They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion" (verse 7). The pilgrims who go to worship in the house of God receive strength on their way up to Jerusalem. Their strength and joy even increase the closer they get to the temple, because they get encouraged, move on from strength to strength, and grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord (2 Peter 3:18). "But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31). Of the fullness of the Lord they have all received, and they grow from glory to glory (John 1:16; 2 Corinthians 3:18). The New Testament believers long to worship in the spiritual Zion, amongst the multi-racial congregation of the believers. Paul established two churches that had no buildings; one on the riverbank, which claimed Lydia (a seller of purple) among its members, and the other in a stranger place: a prison. It was from that prison that Paul's and Silas' hymns were lifted up and heard by the prisoners, which led the jailer and his household to believe. The Lord did a great miracle. The believers in Philippi went from power to power, and the people saw them before God in His church.

Third: A Prayer to the Lord of the Temple
(verses 8-12)

  1. Because He is the Lord of hosts: "O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!" (verse 8). The "LORD God of hosts" is the one of whom David said to Goliath, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts" (1 Samuel 17:45). His hosts are all the created things (Genesis 2:1): His people whom He chose (Exodus 7:4); the sun, the moon and the stars (Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3); and the angels (Luke 2:13). He has all authority in heaven and on earth. With all the greatness of "the LORD of hosts", the psalmist is not terrified of Him, but rather warms up to Him, because He is the "God of Jacob", the God who made a covenant with His friend