PSALM 132 For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place (Ps. 132:13). Psalm 132 shows the inseparable relation between the kingdom of David and the sanctuary of God. God decreed nothing in relation to the kingdom but that which had a certain and established connection with the sanctuary. This … Continue reading “OUR KING AND PRIEST”
OBEYING GOD’S CALL
PSALM 131 Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty (Ps. 131:1). David sought to encourage his people to fight diligently under his banner by reminding them that they owed him obedience because God Himself called him to be their king. David did not act pridefully; he submitted to God’s royal commission. He … Continue reading “OBEYING GOD’S CALL”
WHO COULD STAND?
PSALM 130 If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? (Ps. 130:3). To understand the depth of God’s mercy, you must first apprehend the depth of man’s sin. All men are sinful and as such deserve only justice, punishment by the hand of God for our rebellion and ghastly crimes. Yet God … Continue reading “WHO COULD STAND?”
THE SWAY OF PERSECUTION
PSALM 129 The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked (Ps. 129:4). God, for His own glory, often subjects His church to severe persecutions. Irenaeus in the second century said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” While many Christians today have not encountered such … Continue reading “THE SWAY OF PERSECUTION”
MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU
PSALM 128 Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways (Ps. 128:1). In the preceding psalm we learned that all human affairs are grounded in the sovereign grace of God. All blessings, all prosperity are to be sought in Him alone. Psalm 128 is perhaps an appendage to Psalm 127, … Continue reading “MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU”
THE MASTER BUILDER
PSALM 127 Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it (Ps. 127:1). Psalm 127 sharply rebukes us when we forget that God providentially controls all things, both public and private. We need to be reminded that our society, the church, and our families depend entirely upon the good pleasure of … Continue reading “THE MASTER BUILDER”
FREED FROM CAPTIVITY
PSALM 126 Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy (Ps. 126:5). Psalm 126 consists of three parts: First, the writer exhorts the redeemed captives to thank God for His deliverance and for His abounding grace in bringing them home. Second, the writer leads Israel in a petition that God would perfect His own … Continue reading “FREED FROM CAPTIVITY”
A STEADFAST PROMISE
PSALM 125 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever (Ps. 125:1). “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever” (Ps. 125:2). This psalm resembles the former by focusing on the protection of God over His church. … Continue reading “A STEADFAST PROMISE”
REMEMBER GOD’S GRACE
PSALM 124 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Ps. 124:8). Many of the psalms we have studied contain petitions to the Lord for deliverance and relief from enemies. Psalm 124 looks back on a time when God delivered His people. In response the people are called to … Continue reading “REMEMBER GOD’S GRACE”
THE MERCY OF GOD
PSALM 123 Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt (Ps. 123:3). William Shakespeare described mercy as a gentle rain from heaven that drops upon the place beneath. Mercy, he said, is an attribute of God Himself, and when mercy seasons justice, earthly powers show themselves … Continue reading “THE MERCY OF GOD”