Psalm 78:37-72

God’s Continued Guidance in Spite of Unbelief

As we read yesterday, this psalm is a Biblical history of Israel from Moses to David.  When we left off yesterday, we saw how the Israelites affronted God with their idolatries once they came into Canaan, and were slack in their repentance.  In verse 37 today, we see that their repentance was hasty and superficial, and only a passing ‘mood’ that quickly disappeared.

Verse 38 tells us of God’s compassion for His people in their weakness.  I love the description in verse 39:

For He remembered that they were but flesh,

A breath that passes away and does not come again.  ~ Ps. 78:39

In today’s passage, we see what great mercies God had bestowed upon Israel, how provoking they had been, what judgments He had brought upon them for their sins and yet, how even in judgment, He remembered mercy at last.

Verses 43-51 give a recount of the plagues God brought upon Egypt (except the flies, boils, and darkness).

In verses 67-72, we see that God rejected the northern kingdom represented here by the tripe of Ephraim and He chose Judah as the tribe and Mount Zion as the place where His sanctuary should be located.

After the reign of David's son Solomon, the kingdom of Israel split in two: 
Israel was the northern kingdom, Judah became the southern kingdom

The psalm ends with God choosing David to be king of Israel.  Matthew Henry makes this note:

He set a good government over them, a monarchy, and a monarch after His own heart.  David was not bred a scholar nor a soldier, but a shepherd, as Moses was - for God delights to put honor upon the humble and diligent.  David, having so great a trust put into his hands, obtained the mercy of the Lord to be found both skillful and faithful in the discharge of it. 

He fed God’s people, he ruled them and taught them, guided and protected them, according to the integrity of his heart, aimed a nothing but the glory of God and the good of the people committed to his charge.  With good reason does the psalmist make this the finishing crowning instance of God’s favor to Israel, for David was a type of Christ, the Great and good Shepherd. 

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God is long-suffering with His people,  but He will not be silent against sin
• God is a righteous Judge
• God provides for His people, even in His judgment of their sin.  This is most prevalent in our need for a Savior - what God requires of His people, He provides for them! 

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise the Lord for this Biblical account of His faithfulness – that is has been told through the generations ‘so that I might set my hope in God.’
• I praise God that He remembers that I am but flesh (weak)
• I praise God that He made a way of forgiveness for the sins of His people through His Son Jesus Christ

PRAYER:
     O Lord, thank You for this great psalm and the account of Your faithfulness to Your people throughout the generations.  How often I find myself like the Israelites . . . I am weak in my flesh.  I sin against You continually.  I forget You, I turn  my back on You, I create for myself idols of other things . . . and yet You continue to show Yourself faithful to me.  Thank You, Father, for Your lovingkindness and Your mercy to me and my family.  Please forgive me for my sins against You . . . I say with King David, 'Against You only have I sinned.' 
     Thank You that the righteousness that was my great need You provided through Your Son Jesus Christ, and that You brought me to saving faith in Him.  I pray the same for each member of my family - In Jesus' name ~ Amen  
    

Psalm 78:1-36

God’s Continued Guidance in Spite of Unbelief

In a song of praise, this psalm reviews the sacred history of Israel from enslavement in Egypt to the reign of David.  We will look at this psalm over 2 days.  Verses 1-8 open the psalm with a statement of purpose and the following verses are:

• a rehearsal of God’s care in the wilderness
• a reminder of the Egyptian plagues
• a summary of the judges period, culminating in the choice of David as Israel’s king. 

The purpose of this psalm is to serve as a warning against rebellion and a reminder of God’s promises.  We have seen over and over in the psalms a need to remember the goodness of God and His faithfulness to His promises in times past.  The message is this: 

God was faithful then, He is faithful now, and He will be faithful in the future. 

We are reminded again in verses 4-8 to tell God’s story to the ‘generations to come.’ The purpose of this is

That they may set their hope in God

And not forget the works of God,

But keep His commandments.  ~Ps. 78:7

My Bible makes this note:

The Biblical history of Israel covers 1,800 years and represents a marvelous panorama of God’s gracious working through promise, miracle, blessing, and judgment.  Israel begins as only a promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:2).  For over 400 years, the people of Israel rely on that promise, especially during the period of bondage to Egypt. 

The nation of Israel, fleeing Egypt through the Red Sea

Finally, in God’s perfect time, He brings the nation out of Egypt with the greatest series of miracles known in the entire OT (Exodus 7-15).  This event is called the Exodus, meaning “a going out.”  Since it constitutes the miraculous birth of a nation, it is to this great act of redemption that the nation always looks back as the foremost example of God’s care for His people. 

Once God has redeemed Israel, He establishes His covenant with them at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:5-8).  From that point forward, the nation is truly the Lord’s possession, and He is their God.  The covenant foretells gracious blessings for obedience and severe judgments for disobedience.  The rest of Israel’s history demonstrates the certainty of that prophecy.  Through the periods of conquest judges, monarchy, exile, restoration and Gentile domination, Israel is blessed when she obeys and judged when she disobeys. 

The nation is finally destroyed in AD 70; many prophecies, however promise a future redemption of Israel.  (Rom 11:26)

Yet He had commanded the clouds above . .  .
had rained down manna on them to eat,
and given them of the bread of Heaven.

Men at angels’ food;

He sent them food to the full.

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God is covenant-maker, and He is the covenant-Keeper!
• God desires my obedience to His word
• God is my Deliverer – even my circumstances seem impossible
• God is my Provider
• God is long-suffering with His people

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise God for His word – for the history of the faithfulness to His promises to His people.
• I praise God for His promise of provision for my needs – may I trust Him more and more
• I praise God for His continued guidance in spite of unbelief

PRAYER:

      O Lord, this psalm is such a reminder of Your goodness, Your faithfulness . . . and of the unbelief and weakness of Your people.  How I see myself in the behavior of the Israelites . . . my faith is strong one day, then it seems like the next day I am faltering again.  I fall into the same sins over and over . . . and yet, You are longsuffering with me. 

     Thank You, Father, for Your lovingkindness towards me, and for Your provision.  May I come to You daily for my spiritual “manna” – may I ‘feed’ daily on Your word.  May I dialogue daily with You – You speaking to me through Your word, and me speaking to You through my prayers.  May I become rooted and grounded in this spiritual discipline and area of my life.

     In Jesus’ name I pray ~ Amen

Psalm 77

When Overwhelmed, Remember God’s Greatness

A memorial is something established to commemorate an event or a truth.  In the Old Testament, God continually told His people to erect physical, visible memorials to commemorate His acts on behalf of His people.  Our memories are frail – when we are experiencing life’s trials, we tend to believe that God is far away.  His memorials were established so that the Israelites and the generations after would remember the power of God demonstrated to His people. 

 

When your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’

Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord;

When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.

And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.  ~ Josh. 4:6-7

 In this psalm of Asaph, the psalmist is clearly undergoing a great difficulty.  For his solace and comfort, he is reminding himself of God’s past mighty works on behalf of His people. 

I will remember the works of the Lord;

Surely I will remember Your wonders of old,

I will also mediate on all Your work.  ~ Ps. 77:11

  

Your way was in the sea,

Your path in the great waters,

And Your footsteps were not known.  ~ Ps. 77:19

God’s saving Presence was in the Exodus deliverance.

“my soul refused to be comforted” – the wording of this psalm suggests the ordeal he is writing about was a long one.  These words about ‘refusing to be comforted’ indicate commendable persistence until God intervenes to resolve the problem. 

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God hears my voice!
• The Lord is there in my day of trouble
• The Lord IS faithful – to generations past, to generations future, and to ME!
• The works of the Lord are mighty to save
• Nature obeys the voice of the Lord
• The Lord leads His people like a flock

 HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise God for His Word – that I can read & learn of His faithfulness to His people – thus, I can “remember the days of old” and know that God will be faithful to me too!
• I praise the Lord that He hears my voice – the God of the Universe attends to my prayer!
• I praise the Lord for the works of His hand – for His deliverance of His people throughout history.
• I praise the Lord that I am one of His flock

 PRAYER:

     O Lord, my heart blesses You today as I “consider Your works of old.”  My heart praises You for Your faithfulness, for Your deliverance of Your people.  Thank You for Your word, where I can read and learn of You.  May Your Holy Spirit keeps Your truths fresh in my memory, especially when life’s trials come.

     Thank You, Lord, that You are the Great Shepherd – that You lead Your people like a flock.  Thank You that, through Your Son, You made me a member of that fold. May I learn to trust the Shepherd more and more each day.  In Jesus' name I pray ~ Amen

Let me not dwell on the past, my Father, as though it held the best.  May I dare to believe the best is yet to be, and that though You are filling my life with the rain of tears, every one of them will one day yield the wine of joy. ~ F.B. Meyer, Daily Prayers

Psalm 76

The Glorious Might of God

This psalm also seems to have been penned upon the occasion of some great victory.   My Bible notes that verses 5 & 6 may refer to the defeat of the Assyrian army as described  in II Kings 19. 

In Judah God is known;

His name is great in Israel.  ~ Ps. 76:1

As we read verse 1 of this Psalm, I am actually in Israel!  An incredible experience to get to see the Holy Land and the actual places we are reading about in these Psalms.  The Bible truly "comes to life" when one sees the actual places on earth where some of these events took place.

Give to God our "gifts" of prayer, praise & our hearts

Make vows to the Lord your God and pay them.  Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him . . Ps. 76:11 

Matthew Henry comments about verse 11:

Take an oath of allegiance to God and make conscience of keeping it.  And, having taken Him for our King, let us bring 'presents' to Him.  Not that God needs any present we can bring but prayers, praises, and especially our HEARTS are the present we should bring to the Lord our God. 

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God is more glorious and excellent than the mountains
• God is to be feared
• God will deliver all the oppressed of the earth

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise God for His glorious might
• I praise the Lord for His glory & excellence
• I praise the Lord that He is a righteous Judge

PRAYER:

      O Lord, Your name is great all over the earth!  Thank You that You are the God of the universe, the mighty God, the Holy One of Israel.  Thank You that Your Son came to this earth in the likeness of men and was obedient unto death so that I might live.  Please accept my prayers, my praise, and my heart as my gifts to You, O Lord!  May I hold nothing back from You.

     In Jesus' name I pray ~ Amen



Psalm 75

God is the Judge

Commentator Matthew Henry notes this about Psalm 75:

This is a psalm of Asaph; however, it agrees with David’s circumstances so exactly at his coming to the crown after Saul’s death that most interpreters apply it to that juncture, and suppose that either Asaph penned it as David’s poet-laureate, or that David penned it and delivered it to Asaph as procentor of the temple. 

In this psalm, David returns God thanks for bringing him to the throne of Israel.  He promises to lay out himself for the public good in the use of the power God had given him.  He notes God’s sovereign dominion in the affairs of the children of men. 

In verses 4 – 5, the ‘horn’ refers to an animal's horn – a symbol of strength.  To lift one’s horns is to act arrogantly.  The “stiff neck” is also an expression for rebellion and arrogance. 


Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck. ~ Ps. 75:5

Verses 6 & 7 in this Psalm reminds us that it is from God alone that kings receive their power!   

For exaltation comes neither from the east

Nor from the west nor from the south

But God is the Judge

He puts down one

And exalts another

It is comforting to remember this truth, especially in light of wicked rulers over nations of the earth.  They are in God’s hand . . . they are in power only by His decree.  

The “cup” in verse 8 is used figuratively of God’s divine judgment.  He will pour His judgment out of the wicked. 

I love this prayer-poem by Ruth Harms Calkin - it is a wonderful reminder that, as His children, we are covered with the righteousness of Christ!  We do not need to fear or dread the judgment of God - we have been washed whiter than snow - may we live our lives as such!

His Sheep am I

              ~ Ruth Harms Calkin

Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.  ~ Ps. 51:7

Lord, now that You

Have washed me

Whiter than snow

Don’t let me wallow

In filth and mud again –

For I am a sheep

Not a pig.

I'm a sheep, not a pig!

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God’s wondrous works declare His name is near
• God is the Judge
• God will judge uprightly
• God is the One who determines kings & rulers on this earth - this is also reiterated in these verses below in the Book of Daniel: 

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

For wisdom and might are His.

And He changes the times and the seasons;

He removes kings and raises up kings;

He gives wisdom to the wise

And knowledge to those who have understanding.   ~ Daniel 2:20-21

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise the Lord that He is a righteous Judge . . . that I can trust Him to judge rightly. 
• I praise the Lord that I will be judged on the righteousness of Christ . . . not my own merit!
• I praise the Lord that He determines the rulers of this earth!

PRAYER:

     O Lord, when I read the words of this Psalm, my heart is filled with gratitude. I truly marvel that You will judge me in light of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and that I have been washed white as snow by His blood.  Thank You forever for my salvation.

     Father, at times my heart is filled with fear when I consider wicked rulers of nations on the earth.  May I remember this Psalm and the words in the Daniel – that You are in control – You remove and raise up kings.  Their might is nothing compared with Yours.  Thank You for the comfort I find in that truth.  I pray that You would raise up righteous people to serve the government of the democracy of the United States, and that You would bless our nation and place Your hedge of protection around her. 

    In Jesus’ name I pray ~ Amen

Psalm 74

Request for God to Remember His Covenant

 

Matthew Henry notes that this psalm is also entitled Maschil - a psalm to give instruction, for it was penned in a day of affliction, which is intended for instruction.  The displeasure of God against His people was the cause and bitterness of all their calamities. 

 

The burning / destruction of Jerusalem & the temple in 586 B.C.

Nebuchadnezzar

 

 

 

In Psalm 74, the psalmist is declaring a community lament over the burning and destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, most likely in 586 B.C. by the Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. 

 

 

As we have seen in previous psalms, verses 12-17 are a reminders to God's people of His deliverance in times past.  Though the enemy has wrought great havoc, it is not to be compared with the salvation (deliverance) God had previously given His people. 

 

For God is my King from old.  ~ Ps. 74:12

 

The psalmist is also reminding God of His covenant to His people (as if God needed to be "reminded" of anything!) 
Have respect to the covenant.  ~ Ps. 74:20

 

C.I. Scofield offers this definition for covenant:  A covenant is a sovereign pronouncement of God by which He establishes a relationship of responsibility between Himself and another entity (individual, nation, family, etc.)

 

Covenants are normally unconditional in the sense that God obligates Himself in grace despite any failure on the part of the person or people with whom He covenants. The human response to the covenant is always important, leading to blessing for obedience and discipline for disobedience.  But human failure is never permitted to block the covenant's fulfillment.  This is the beauty of God's covenants, and it is upon this truth that the psalmist is making his appeal to God!

 

Arise, O God, plead Your own cause.  ~ Ps. 74:22

The psalmist is, again, pleading to God to remember His people.  Israel's cause is God's cause also.  The same is true for the modern believer today:  God has a stake in those who carry His name.

 

The day is Yours, the night is also Yours;

You have prepared the light and the sun.

You have set all the boarders of the earth;

You have made summer and winter. 

~ Ps. 74:16-17

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God allows our adversaries' reproach at times
• God is my King from old
• The day, the night, the seasons - everything is the Lord's
• God keeps His covenant - He IS faithful

 HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

•  I praise the Lord for His faithfulness to His covenant - that His grace makes His covenants with His people unconditional.  I praise God that human failure is never permitted to annul the covenant or block its fulfillment.  
• I praise God that He won't cast His people off forever
• I praise God for His might

PRAYER:
      O Lord, I marvel at Your grace.  I bless You that You are a covenant-keeping God - that Your faithfulness is never dependent upon my own.  Thank You, O God, that even in Your discipline, Your faithfulness never wavers. 
     You are Almighty God, and my heart is full of awe.  Grant to me great understanding to know You more fully.  In Jesus' name I pray ~ Amen
    

Psalm 73

The Perspective of Eternity

 We start "Book Three" of the Psalms today - Psalms 73-83 are psalms of Asaph, who was one of David's chief musicians. 

 

The psalmist gives us an account of his inner conflict with the temptation to envy the prosperity of wicked people.  He tells us how he got into the temptation, how he got out of the temptation, and what he learned and how he was better having experienced it.

 

The psalmist opens with this statement: 

Truly God is good . . . ~ Ps. 73:1

My Bible notes that this is a proverbial saying - the truth of it seemed to be contradicted by the experiences of the psalmist.  Based on what he saw, he questioned God's love and justice.  So severe was this struggle that the psalmist almost stumbled.

 

I was envious of the boastful
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
  ~ Ps. 73:3

Have you ever struggled with this - with seeing others prosper doing wickedly while you are trying to do the right thing and not seeming to get anywhere?  Remember:  God sees!

 

POINT TO PONDER:  Our greatest "felt" need is not always our greatest need!

 

Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.  ~ Ps. 73:23

Remember that secure feeling of your parent holding your hand when you were small?  That safety is how we can feel as God's child!  Also, my Bible notes that to be grasped by the right hand is symbolic of being honored.  God does not reject people merely because they sometimes fall prey to doubts.

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God IS truly good
• God is not fooled by wicked ones and their seeming prosperity
• God will hold me by my right hand - I am continually with Him
• God will guide me with His counsel
• God will receive me to glory
• God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever
• God is trustworthy

 HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

•  I praise the Lord that He sees the whole picture!  Most of the time my view is only partial and dim, like looking through a parade through a peephole in a fence.  The Lord sees the entire parade from beginning to end!
• I praise God that He IS truly good!
• I praise God that He is my portion forever - what peace is found in that truth

 PRAYER:
     O Lord, forgive me for the times that I, like this psalmist, am foolish & ignorant and am besieged with doubts. When I am in despair at those times, may Your Holy Spirit bring to the forefront of my mind & heart that I am continually with You.  I have put my trust in You.  Be pleased to hold me by my hand, guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.  May I desire none upon the earth besides You.  In Jesus' name I pray ~ Amen