Psalm 106

1 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endures forever.

2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise?

3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

4 Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou bears unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation.

5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so, he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.

12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

13 They soon forget his works; they waited not for his counsel:

14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord.

17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram.

18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.

19 They made a calf in Horeb and worshipped the molten image.

20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eats grass.

21 They forgot God their savior, which had done great things in Egypt.

22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

25 But murmured in their tents and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.

26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.

28 They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.

30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.

31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.

32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them:

35 But were mingled among the heathen and learned their works.

36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

39 Thus were they defiled with their own works and went a whoring with their own inventions.

40 Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.

42 Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.

43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel and were brought low for their iniquity.

44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:

45 And he remembered for them his covenant and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.

47 Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. (KJV)

After reading this psalm of how God dealt with Israel in the past and his future dealings with Israel the reader should realize that God is a merciful God, a God that is always willing to forgive. However, we as a nation should also take heed of our relationship with God today. I am afraid that we as a nation today represents Israel at the time of Elijah and that the true worshipers are a part of the seven thousand that have not bowed their knees to Baal. These are individuals that walk daily in God’s way and are not a part of a movement. Movements are man’s way of making things happen, however the more I study God’s Word and watch events happening in the world around me, it seems that God uses individuals moved by His Spirit to make things happen both on a local scale as well as on a global scale. These individuals have the characteristics that are found in verse three, they maintain justice and constantly do what is right. They strive at living a blameless life.

Paul used the example of this psalm in his warning to the Corinthians in I Corinthians chapter ten. In verses 5-11 he writes “Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer. Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.”. Yes, God is a merciful God, but if we are bent on rebellion when as verse forty-three states we will waste away in our sins. Chose then the correct way to conduct your daily walk.

It is amazing how God has embedded simple truths in his Word. As I study this psalm the words of verses nineteen through twenty-three speaks of our society today.

¹⁹At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
²⁰ They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass.
²¹ They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,
²² miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
²³ So he said he would destroy them had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.

The event that took placed at Horeb has been taking place in the course of history since the fall of man. Even in the very strong holds of religion itself we see God being exchanged for other gods. When you read Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” you must realize that this is the first of the simple truths that God reveals to men from the scriptures. This truth is that God started the process of the heavens and the earth by creating something out of nothing. This truth that God is a creator should shape and mold your understanding of everything that surrounds you. For without God nothing would or could exist. Therefore, to gain an understand of the world in which we live we must recognize God as creator. That is not the case with society today. In an article from the Houston Chronicle (6/21/2009) Opportunities to Fellowship With Other Humanists in Houston the author Hux (Brian Surratt) stated “The HOH seems to be getting stronger. I hope the options for humanists continue to grow overtime to include, say, more activities for families who desire to raise ethical children in a naturalistic tradition”.

What is a humanist? Just go to their website for the answer. In the Humanist Manifesto III, the American Humanist Association outlined the following basic principles of Humanism:

• Knowledge of the world is derived by observation, experimentation, and rational analysis.
• Humans are an integral part of nature, the result of unguided evolutionary change.
• Ethical values are derived from human need and interest as tested by experience.
• Life’s fulfillment emerges from individual participation in the service of humane ideals.
• Humans are social by nature and find meaning in relationships.
• Working to benefit society maximizes individual happiness.

At first glance these principles might sound great. However, a farther look at the Humanism definition of Humanism itself states “Humanism is a worldview which says that reason and science are the best ways to understand the world around us, and that dignity and compassion should be the basis for how you act toward someone else. Humanism is non-theistic. By this, we don’t mean to say that there is no God. Instead, we say that there is no proof for the existence of God, any gods, the supernatural or an afterlife. Therefore, we take very seriously the idea that “No deity will save us; we must save ourselves.” We are living the only life we’ll have; in the only world we know about. The responsibility for the choices we make are ours and ours alone.” This statement reflects exactly what the Israelites did here at Horeb, and what Paul describes in Romans chapter one as the condition that mankind now suffers. Then we look at the last two verses of this Psalm we see the psalmist requests to God: save us and gather us from the nations. If one of the fundamental beliefs of Humanism is that God does not save us, only we can; then I cannot abide in their company. However, like Moses may I stand in the breach between God and the Humanist and pray that they may see the light offered to them through Christ.

Psalm 105

1 O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.

3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

5 Remember his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.

6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

7 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac.

10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:

11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:

12 When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.

13 When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people.

14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sake.

15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.

17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.

20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people and let him go free.

21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.

23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.

25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtly with his servants.

26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.

27 They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

28 He sent darkness and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.

29 He turned their waters into blood and slew their fish.

30 Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.

31 He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.

32 He gave them hail for rain and flaming fire in their land.

33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.

34 He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillars, and that without number,

35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land and devoured the fruit of their ground.

36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.

37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.

39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.

40 The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:

44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labor of the people.

45 That they might observe his statutes and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord. (KJV)

This is an historical psalm that was written by David for the purpose of bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem from the House of Obededom. To get a full understanding of this psalm read I Chronicles 16.

As we looked at Psalm 104 yesterday we realized that God’s hand is visible in every aspect of His creation.  When we study nature we are amazed at the details that we find in everything on this earth.  In this psalm we see God’s hand in history.  David starts this psalm out by giving thanks to God and to the covenant God made to Abraham.  As David writes this psalm he looks back to the covenant God made to Abraham as a covenant to the nation of Israel.  As God was creating a nation that would observe his statues and keep his laws. 

As believers we can also see God’s hand in history.  As we study the scriptures we see glimpses of the ministry of Christ as well as the message of the salvation of the cross.  We also see God’s hand in the history as nations rise and fall.  As believers we must look to the future when there will be a new heaven and new earth.  For us we look and see that God’s promise to Eve that her seed shall bruise the head of the serpent, and to the promise made to David concerning Christ in II Samuel 7:12-16.  Just as Simeon in Luke chapter two looked to the promise of Lord’s Christ first coming; so, shall we be looking for the second coming of Christ. 

Psalm 104

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honor and majesty.

2 Who covers thyself with light as with a garment: who stretches out the heavens like a curtain:

3 Who lays the beams of his chambers in the waters: who makes the clouds his chariot: who walks upon the wings of the wind:

4 Who makes his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire:

5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed forever.

6 Thou covers it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder, they hasted away.

8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

10 He sends the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

13 He waters the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth.

15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengthen man’s heart.

16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted.

17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats, and the rocks for the conies.

19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knows his going down.

20 Thou makes darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

21 The young lions roar after their prey and seek their meat from God.

22 The sun arises, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

23 Man goes forth unto his work and to his labor until the evening.

24 O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

27 These wait all upon thee; that thou may give them their meat in due season.

28 That thou gives them they gather: thou opens thine hand, they are filled with good.

29 Thou hides thy face, they are troubled: thou takes away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

30 Thou sends forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renews the face of the earth.

31 The glory of the Lord shall endure forever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works.

32 He looks on the earth, and it trembles: he touches the hills, and they smoke.

33 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.

35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord. (KJV)

The theme of this Psalm is stated in verse one, Praise the Lord. The psalmist praises the Lord as the creator and the one who is fully controlling every aspect in his universe. Hebrews 11:3 illustrates how important our belief in God as the creator reflects how much we need to be thankful for the everyday events that that makes earth a wonderful creation. In our daily walk we wanted our daily meditations to be pleasing to God. So, as you read this Psalm, reflect upon these simple words of praise and remember that God is the creator and controller of this Universe.

This psalm covers the important framework of how the earth and everything on it exist.  In verse five we read that God created the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed forever.  When we study the relationship of the sun and the moon to the earth we see how perfect this relationship is to provide the prefect environment for life.  Just a study of the water cycle shows the complexity this one system has on our planet.  This psalm reflects the words of Psalms 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handiwork”.  How can man deny God’s existence?   As believers we see God’s hand in everything around us; however, we also see those around us deny God and his role creation of the earth.  To them we are a product of evolution. 

However, in Romans 1:21-24 we see that man just like Satan can’t deny God.  They see His glory but refuses to recognize God.  And instead become vain and change the glory of God into an image made to the likeness of corruptible man.  They changed the truth of God into a lie and worship and serve them self (the creation of God) more than God.  Then this happens wickedness grows and evil takes over the society in which we reside within.  But a wise soul might ask, “If God is in control then why does evil happen?” This question is not simple to answer; and even harder to understand. A reading of Genesis chapter three and an understanding of how sin entered the human race can start the explanation how the sinful nature of begin in the human race and why evil exist in our world today. To understand why God has let man become like God and control the world around him is a question that I could make as a focus on during my daily meditations.  However, last verses of this psalm points to the true focus of our meditations: “I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.  My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.”  This psalm ends with this prayer “Let the sinners be consumed and let the wicked be no more.”

Psalm 103

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgives all thine iniquities, who heals all thy diseases.

4 Who redeems thy life from destruction, who crowns thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies.

5 Who satisfies thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The Lord executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear him.

14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children.

18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom rules overall.

20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul. (KJV)

Reading the verse, I realized that it is in all my daily activities that I should praise the Lord. As I praise the Lord, I must not forget all his benefits to me. The psalmist list a few of these benefits in this psalm: forgives all my sins, heals all my diseases, redeems my life from the pit (grave), crowns me with love and compassion, satisfies my desires with good things so that my youth is renew like that of an eagle.

As I did a Google search on the phase “Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being” I was amazed at the number of hits (2,510,000) I received from this phrase. This made me realized that one common theme that all Christians share is their desire to praise the Lord. It is this one common, however very diverted way that we have to worship the Lord. When we get to heaven it will not be a time that we as believers finally realize if our plan of salvation was the best way to present the gospel to others. It will not be a time to exalt our good works. But it will be a time when we praise and worship God. The great secret is that some believers realize that praising the Lord does not have to wait till we get to heaven.

Probably one of the best commentaries on this psalm was written by Charles Spurgeon:

Our attempt at exposition is commenced under an impressive sense of the utter impossibility of doing justice to so sublime a composition; we call upon our soul and all that is within us to aid in the pleasurable task; but, alas, our soul is finite, and our all of mental faculty far too little for the enterprise. There is too much in the Psalm, for a thousand pens to write, it is one of those all-comprehending Scriptures which is a Bible in itself, and it might alone almost suffice for the hymnbook of the church.

So, as we embrace this psalm remember that within these words is the golden thread that will bring together all believers when we get to heaven “praise the Lord”.  The phase in verse eight “The Lord is slow to anger” is highlighted in II Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” as to the true goal of the Lord’s second coming.   We must remember that John 3:16 was addressed to who-so-ever which includes all of the human race.  Sometimes I wonder why the wicked person lives to a very old age and the answer here seems simple, the Lord is not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.   However, there will come a day when this repentance will not be available for those who reject Christ, as Peter writes in verse ten “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up”. 

This psalm starts out with us blessing the Lord and not to forget none of his benefits.  The next three verses give us these benefits: pardons all of our iniquities, heals all our diseases, redeems our life from the pit, and crowns us with loving-kindness and compassion satisfies our years with good things and our youth is renewed like the eagle.  It ends with the phase “Bless the Lord, O my soul”.  As believers we have the Lord’s loving-kindness for everlasting to everlasting for those who fear him.  This psalm represents what a personal relationship with the Lord is like. Read this psalm slowly and let the words speak to you as a believer on how important you are to the Lord.

Psalm 102

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee.

2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.

4 My heart is smitten and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.

5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.

7 I watch and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

9 For I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with weeping.

10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.

11 My days are like a shadow that declines; and I am withered like grass.

12 But thou, O Lord, shall endure forever, and thy remembrance unto all generations.

13 Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come.

14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favor the dust thereof.

15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16 When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.

19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth.

20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to lose those that are appointed to death.

21 To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem.

22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.

25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a venture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee. (KJV)

When I read verses 1-11, I am reminded of the opening verses of Job. These could have been the words of Job after Satan put forth his hand against him. When these events happened Job’s, wife said to him “Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast your integrity? renounce God and die.” His answer to her was like verses 12-28 of this psalm “Thou speak as one of the foolish women speak. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” Job’s view of God was solid which caused him to be blameless in the eyes of the Lord ” In all this did not Job sin with his lips”.

How does a person measure their relationship with God? The answer to this question varies on your beliefs about the character and attributes of God. Over the past several years that I start my journey of reading five psalms a day to help my prayer life I have seem that both my beliefs about God’s character and his attributes change. This is because my relationship with Him has changed. God is now not someone who I turn to in my time of need but is now someone who I desire to fellowship with daily. The events in my life are not always characterized by the first opening verses of this psalm; however, I have learned that God’s character is unchanging. Verse twelve states that the Lord sit enthroned forever, his renown endures through all generations. God will always be God. By staying daily in the psalms, I have realized that my knowledge of God grows daily and with this my relationship with him becomes deeper. To those who state that you cannot know God, fail to heed Christ’s words found in Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”.

Verses 25 through 27 are used by the author of the opening chapter of the book of Hebrews in verses 10-12. Verse eighteen “Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD” points to the coming salvation from God that is available through work of Christ.

Psalm 101

1 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.

2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

3 I will set no wicked thing before my eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

4 A forward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.

5 Whoso privily slanders his neighbor, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

7 He that works deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that tells lies shall not tarry in my sight.

8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord. (KJV)

This Psalm written by David reflects the way in which he tried to rule as King of Israel. The key to the way he ruled and lived his life was to live a blameless life.  I use the word blameless as it is found in verse two of the NIV instead of the word perfect as found here in the KJV.  The word blameless can be defined as free of guilt, not subject to blame, of irreproachable character, an unimpeachable reputation. Blameless does not mean sinless, nor does it imply perfection. A blameless lifestyle is a characteristic of one’s life that others encounter during our daily activity. Living a blameless life before others is not easy and usually is very difficult. Because the perception of living a blameless to others is viewed by our actions and not our motives a blameless lifestyle is very difficult to show to others. Unlike our physical appearance which people can see, our motives are not visible and must be weigh over time. So how do I groom my life to be blameless? The key is like the way I get my physical body ready every day. As I must get up each morning and make my physical appearance presentable before I venture out of the house each morning, I must also examine my heart to make sure that is it blameless before God and man. As you read this psalm considered the following examples that are in the Bible for us to model our walk after:

This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. (Genesis 17:1)

I (David) have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. (II Samuel 22:24)
In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. (Job 1:8)

Studying these four men, I realized that their blameless lifestyle is the result of a living a life of integrity. One key to this is to eliminate anything that causes me to harm others in a deceitful way. In our process of communicating with others we usually try to filter out the differences between what the other person is saying and that they really mean. In our process of communication, we must stop and examine the true motive behind our words and actions. Is what I say really what I mean, or is there a hidden agenda behind my words? So, one of the first steps in living a blameless life is the process of eliminating all secret motives from my words and my actions and be trueful in the way I communicate.  There are hundreds of verses from the New Testament that would reinforce this in the Christian life.  However, I Peter 2:1 is probably one of the best verses to consider as it states we are to lay aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies and all evil speaking.

Another step would be to remove all the vile things from my life. The word vile is defined as loathsome, disgusting, unpleasant, or objectionable. It is also used to describe behavior as contemptibly, miserably poor and degrading, wretched, morally depraved and wicked. In Psalm one this is one of the two steps in living a blessed life. The first step is to move toward God and seek him, and the second step is to stay away from those things against God’s way (vile things).   When you are with those that do not fear God and do not love the Bible you conversation changes to either not discussing the things of God or defending your belief in the personal relationship you have with the Lord.  The key in any walk is found in the book of III John.  We are to love the truth, walk in the truth, be fellow helpers to the truth, and having a life that bears witness that we walk in the truth.  We are not to follow after that which is evil, but that which is good. 

The final step is to read and mediate on God’s Word daily. Just read Psalm 119 for this truth to set in. The Word of God will lead you to live a blameless life.  In II Timothy 3:16,17 we are instructed to study the scriptures for doctrine (teaching), for reproof, for correction, and for instruction for righteousness so that the man of God will be perfectly furnished to provide good works for God.  The more we study the scriptures and apply them to our everyday living the more we will be able to give to the Lord a vessel meet for the master’s use.  

Psalm 100

1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name.

5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endures to all generations. (KJV)

This is one of the first psalms (along with psalm 23) that we teach our children. Yes, it was from the King James Version that most of us remember. As we read the truths found in this psalm, we must also ask how much we apply these truths to our daily routine. Do we truly worship the Lord with gladness, or do we question His actions or lack of actions in the affairs of man? Do we come before him with joyful songs or does our praise seem to focus on the deeds of fallen man whom we have elevated above the common man? Do we look to him as creator when we look at the world around us, or do we try to explain the existence of this universe to other forces? When we said the phrase “we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” does our daily activity reflect his righteousness and truth in every aspect of our labor? The phrase “the sheep of his pasture” should reflect a total guidance of our daily activities being led by him. Do we even in the darkest of times know that the Lord is good, and his love endures forever? When we consider the phase “and his truth endures to all generations” do we stop and reflect upon this truth? In John 14:6 Christ states that He is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to God, but through Him.

One of my many ready made for the moment sermons is found in I John chapter five.  The words found in this chapter is like this psalm, in that all you have to do is read it and the message is clear and does not need any explanation.

I. Witness of Victorious living found in verse four. For whatsoever (our faith) is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.

II. Witness of men found in verse nine.  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God.

III. Witness of God in you found in verse ten. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.

IV. Witness of answer Prayer found in verses fourteen and fifteen. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

V.  Witness of a clean life found in verse eighteen. We know that whosoever is born of God sins not:  but he that is born of God    keeps himself and that the wicked one touches him not.

VI. Witness of true love found in verse twenty-one. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Summary verse twelve.   He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath   not life.

By knowing the Lord, we can fulfill the first two verses “make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.”  This gives the believer the peace that passes all understanding.

Psalm 99

1 The Lord reigns; let the people tremble: he sits between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.

2 The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.

3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.

4 The king’s strength also loves judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executes judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.

7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.

8 Thou answers them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgave them, though thou took vengeance of their inventions.

9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy. (KJV)

One of the first areas that I must address in my study of philosophy (the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct) is to define God. This Psalms gives these attributes of God (our Lord):

• The Lord reigns
• he sits enthroned between cherubim
• he is exalted over all the nations
• his name is great and awesome
• he is holy (use three times in this psalm)
• he is mighty
• he loves justice
• he has established equity
• he answers whose who call on him
• he is the God of Jacob and of Israel
• he spoke to Israel
• he gave them statutes and decrees
• he answers them and forgives them
• he punished their misdeeds
• he is to be exalted and worship.

This psalm gives us this list of the above attributes that those who walk in the way of the Lord see in their God.  May I be like those who make up the group that includes Moses, Aaron and Samuel.   This is not so for the ungodly.

I love the phase from verse six “he answers whose who call on him”.  It is amazing how much technology was developed in the last twenty-five years.  We can speak to a phone and will connect us to anyone in the world.  So when those around us question our prayer life, we can reply back “he answers whose who call on him” and I have had my request answered.  I John 5:14 “And this is the confidence we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” informs me that God answer prayers long before we had the technology to communicate with others across the world.  Man can marvel in the achievements that he has created in the world around him, however, when compared to the creation of God, who just spoke and the universal was created, they are just a reflection of the godlike nature that God instilled in man when He created him. 

Psalm 97

1 The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

3 A fire goes before him and burns up his enemies round about.

4 His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

8 Zion heard and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord.

9 For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.

10 Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserves the souls of his saints; he delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.  (KJV)

As I researched the phase “righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne” this morning I realized that righteousness and justice have very different meanings to a wide vary of people. The more I researched the more complicated the definitions of righteousness and justice became. Righteousness is simply defined as an attribute that implies one’s actions are justified. It is a term in theology that is used to describe a person who is in a right relationship with God. Justice is simply defined as the concept of moral rightness. However, in my research I quickly came to the realization that the definition of moral rightness is really based upon the person’s view in which you are having a conversation with at the time. Of course, the definition of moral righteousness would change with every conversation. However, the book of the Psalms makes it clear who defines righteousness and that is the LORD.

As we go about the process of living in this world, we seem to have a misunderstanding of the order in which we place your priorities. It is His righteousness that should be the main priority that we seek and not our daily needs. In Matthew 6:33 the Lord states “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you”. As we consider our daily conversations with friends and family the topic of the problems in the daily events in our live usually rise to the surface and can become a major part of the conversation. Yet we must realize that this topic should not really be a concern for the believer. If we seek God’s righteous and justice, then all the things we need will be provided to us. Therefore, our priority in life should be living a blameless life seeking the kingdom of God, and not worrying about tomorrow.

As I look at the opening statement of this psalm it reads “The Lord reigns” I am reminded of the song I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day and recall some of the words of this song that Henry Longfellow wrote during the time of the Civil War:

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

As I look around me with all the wars and evils in this world today, I can see why people can ask “with so much evil how could God be in control?” Yet one hundred and sixty years ago Henry Longfellow had the answer. His answer “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevails”. The foundation of God’s throne is righteousness and justice. Paul declares this righteousness of God as a righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. We need never to forget this important fact of God’s righteousness. He did not just forgive our sins because he felt sorry for us; our sins were forgiven because they were atoned by the cross. Oswald Chambers writes about this forgiveness of God in his November 20 devotional:

“Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace. The cost to God was the Cross of Christ. To forgive sin, while remaining a holy God, this price had to be paid. Never accept a view of the fatherhood of God if it blots out the atonement. The revealed truth of God is that without the atonement He cannot forgive— He would contradict His nature if He did. The only way we can be forgiven is by being brought back to God through the atonement of the Cross. God’s forgiveness is possible only in the supernatural realm.”

We must not forget that even though the foundation of God’s throne is righteousness and that justice had to be satisfied. It took the cross to make our unrighteousness right before God. This cost of this price to God can never be fully understood by us, but we can delight in it, and I believe that this delight brings pleasure to God.