#848 All Peoples

Praise the Lord, all nations!

Extol him, all peoples!

2 For great is his steadfast love toward us,

and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord! 

A Psalm exhorting praise to God from all peoples.

“Martin Luther devoted thirty-six pages to this psalm, expounding it in four important categories: (1) prophecy (the Gentiles will participate in gospel blessings), (2) revelation (the kingdom of Christ is not earthly and temporal but rather heavenly and eternal), (3) instruction (we are saved by faith alone and not by works, wisdom, or holiness), and (4) admonition (we should praise God for such a great salvation).” (James Montgomery Boice)

Praise the Lord, all nations - The Psalmist is prophetic in preaching, through this song, that which was prophesied to Abraham, by God, long ago. 

1 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”… Genesis 12: 1-3

The nation of Israel was set apart, chosen by God, as the physical representation of His redemptive plan for humanity. They held the oracles of God, recording the history of His redemption, the promise and foretelling of Messiah, making God's infinite opposition to sin known to all mankind. Sadly, they often held up lineage and tradition, form over function, and became hearers only, not doers of the Word. Therefore they were self deceived and often held in contempt those outside the camp, yet the Bible has clearly shown those sins outside were also in the heart of those who had the revealed Word of God, His law, revealing that all have sinned. God's Word spares no man or nation their pride, but has quite painfully and honestly shown what Israel shares in common with all mankind, utter depravity, gross unthankfulness, a very materialistic idolatry. 

iv. “The historical limitations of God’s manifestation to a special nation were means to its universal diffusion. The fire was gathered in a grate, that it might warm the whole house. All men have a share in what God does for Israel.” (Maclaren)

Extol him, all peoples - Extol means to praise enthusiastically. What was given to Israel, the revelation of God, His character, virtues, every aspect of His nature, crowned by His inherent Holiness, was made known to us through them. Every meticulous detail of the sacrifices, atonement, God's chastening of His people, His intervening in history, redeeming them from Egypt, and keeping a remnant always throughout every captivity and dispersion, is all praise worthy. We should be exceedingly thankful to the Creator that He has made Himself known to us, and pray for Israel to come to salvation. All this careful attention to detail has preserved in word, picture, example and progressive revelation, the Gospel according to God. See these passages for a few examples of God's progressive revelation.

Substitution Genesis 22

Passover

Psalm 22 Part 1

Psalm 22 Part 2

Psalm 22 Part 3

Isaiah 52: 13 - Isaiah 53

 

…21“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.… John 4: 21-23

…11 He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” 13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.… Acts 4: 11-13

For great is His steadfast love toward us - There is no room here for pride, for there is no way for the dead to raise themselves. This is not a gospel of human will or achievement, for the unregenerate heart is opposed to the things of God. God has made Himself known, has revealed His law, has convicted His sheep, and this is the greatest display of love, unmatched and undeserved. Praise Him most fervently. 

…16 From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.… John 1: 16-18

Read More

#847 I Love The Lord

I love the Lord, because he has heard

my voice and my pleas for mercy.

2 Because he inclined his ear to me,

therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The snares of death encompassed me;

the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;

I suffered distress and anguish.

4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;

our God is merciful.

6 The Lord preserves the simple;

when I was brought low, he saved me.

7 Return, O my soul, to your rest;

for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

8 For you have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling;

9 I will walk before the Lord

in the land of the living.

10 I believed, even when I spoke:

“I am greatly afflicted”;

11 I said in my alarm,

“All mankind are liars.”

12 What shall I render to the Lord

for all his benefits to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the Lord,

14 I will pay my vows to the Lord

in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord

is the death of his saints.

16 O Lord, I am your servant;

I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.

You have loosed my bonds.

17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving

and call on the name of the Lord.

18 I will pay my vows to the Lord

in the presence of all his people,

19 in the courts of the house of the Lord,

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord! Psalm 116 ESV

A Psalm of gratitude for redemption. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.

"This Psalm is a threefold engagement of the Psalmist unto thanksgiving unto God, for his mercy unto him, and in particular for some notable delivery of him from death, both bodily and spiritual. The first engagement is, that he shall out of love have recourse unto God by prayer, Ps 116:1-2; the reasons and motives whereof are set down, because of his former deliverances, Ps 116:3-8, the second engagement is to a holy conversation, Ps 116:9, and the motives and reasons are given in Ps 116:10-13; the third engagement is to continual praise and service, and specially to pay those vows before the church, which he had made in days of sorrow, the reasons whereof are given in Ps 116:14-19." David Dickson

I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy - We love Him because He first loved us. I am not sure who the Psalmist is here, but whoever he is, he would not know of God unless God had made Himself known. It is the first and greatest commandment, "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all your heart, your soul and mind." It is the writer's testimony, that God has heard his pleas for mercy, whether in sickness, inner turmoil, or from some outside threat, and He has delivered him. 

…9 This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. 10 And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.… 1 John 4: 9-11

Therefore I will call on Him as long as I live - Because He inclined His ear, He heard me, listened to me in this weakened state. I am reminded of Hannah, the mother of the great prophet, Samuel, who put the burden of her heart before the Lord. She was tormented by another woman, and considered a caste below, not blessed, for she had no fruit of her own womb. These trials and condemnations from men are more blessed then their commendations, if they lead us to earnest prayer. That You would hear me, a person who stumbles in prayer, cannot find words fitting, that You would condescend to one of such low estate, so poor in spirit, I will forever run to You. On the premise that You have heard me once, answered me this time, I am now filled with hope that You will answer me again.

The snares of death encompassed me - I have watched death come, and he is not so far from the door of some close to me even now, but this is no tragedy if it causes us to turn our affections toward heaven. The pangs may hurt us here, but they will be swallowed up for those who put their trust in Christ. I am not looking for my best life here, now, and you can keep such a message to yourself, for I want no part in it. God, let me see with the eyes of faith, that everything You have said is true, and that which has not come to past yet, will surely happen as You have decreed it. Let me face death smiling, knowing that for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

The Lord preserves the simple - I have watched many a man speak, who thought much of their degrees, the eloquence of their oration, the splendor of their pulpit, but was left wondering whose words they loved more? There was a man, who I have never heard preach, but whose words leap off the page like a lion, roaring with great force over much distance. This same man said that all the theology and doctrine he would ever need to know, he learned from an old cook at his school as a young man. Lest I find myself too high minded, I use this same man's Treasury of David, to draw me back to the place of my first love. His great passion was Christ, in Him, he saw and found all he ever needed. The Apostle Paul said, he didn't come with excellency of speech, but in the Spirit and with power. He also said, I set aside to know nothing among you, except Christ, Him crucified and risen from the dead. These men were not ashamed of the gospel, to give the whole counsel of God, to preach about sin, the doctrine of men's depravity and so our utter inability to be justified by our own works and perceived righteousness. Don't coat it with sugar, keep all your scribes, your so called sages and gurus, give them an island to themselves, where they can applaud each other for their many words. The man who loves God, who opens the word of God, who boldly proclaims it without apology, savoring every word, to those men I will consider myself in debt. Don't look for the one who says what you want to hear, who says it the prettiest, no, look for the one who is afraid to say what God has not said because he loves Christ. 

…67 So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?” 68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”… John 6: 67-69

My feet from stumbling - The disciples once asked the Lord to teach them how to pray, and in there is the line, "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." I look back at times I did not act upon the wickedness of my heart, and can only thank God, for it was in me to do otherwise, and for that I must confess. I still sin, so I must still repent.

I am greatly afflicted - Even when I said this, I still believed. Where else can I go, I know God to be true.

All mankind are liars - He seems to have spoken in haste, from misery. I have said much in frustration, far too much, and have held out no hope for those who were, as I saw it then, the bane of my existence.

- Speaking in haste is generally followed by bitter repentance. It is much better to be quiet when our spirit is disturbed and hasty, for it is so much easier to say than to unsay; we may repent of our words, but we cannot so recall them as to undo the mischief they have done. If even David had to eat his own words, when he spoke in a hurry, none of us can trust our tongue without a bridle. C. H. Spurgeon

What shall I render to the Lord - Oh Hannah, how precious was your faith, you remembered your vows. True faith always produces fruit, hence faith without works was not real, it was dead. The Spirit gives life and with that comes the desire to obey.

9 So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 10 In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. 11 And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.”… 1 Samuel 1: 9-11

…24 Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. 25 And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. 26“Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.…

…27 I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him, 28 I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there. 1 Samuel 1: 24-28

Precious in the sight of Lord is the death of His saints - 

- They shall not die prematurely; they shall be immortal till their work is done; and when their time shall come to die, then their deaths shall be precious. The Lord watches over their dying beds, smooths their pillows, sustains their hearts, and receives their souls. Those who are redeemed with precious blood are so dear to God that even their deaths are precious to him. The deathbeds of saints are very precious to the church, she often learns much from them; they are very precious to all believers, who delight to treasure up the last words of the departed; but they are most of all precious to the Lord Jehovah himself, who views the triumphant deaths of his gracious ones with sacred delight. If we have walked before him in the land of the living, we need not fear to die before him when the hour of our departure is at hand. C. H. Spurgeon 

Read More

#846.5 Not To Us Part 2

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,

for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2 Why should the nations say,

“Where is their God?”

3 Our God is in the heavens;

he does all that he pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

5 They have mouths, but do not speak;

eyes, but do not see.

6 They have ears, but do not hear;

noses, but do not smell.

7 They have hands, but do not feel;

feet, but do not walk;

and they do not make a sound in their throat.

8 Those who make them become like them;

so do all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord!

He is their help and their shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!

He is their help and their shield.

11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!

He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;

he will bless the house of Israel;

he will bless the house of Aaron;

13 he will bless those who fear the Lord,

both the small and the great.

14 May the Lord give you increase,

you and your children!

15 May you be blessed by the Lord,

who made heaven and earth!

16 The heavens are the Lord's heavens,

but the earth he has given to the children of man.

17 The dead do not praise the Lord,

nor do any who go down into silence.

18 But we will bless the Lord

from this time forth and forevermore.

Praise the Lord! Psalm 115 ESV

A Psalm to the glory of God's name.

O Israel, trust in the Lord - You are God's chosen people, set apart to know Him, to come out of the bondage of ignorance. Where else can you go, He holds the words of life, that which was able to make you wise unto salvation. He does not say trust in your lineage, your self, your works, the might of your own arm, but rather, trust in the Lord. 

1 Now this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine! 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.… Isaiah 43: 1-2

He is their help and their shield - This is repeated each time, for the remnant, the priests, and all those who fear the Lord. We have seen that an idol is nothing, so why should anyone bow to what has to be made and protected by human hands? Whether Jew or Greek, there is only One true Lord over all. 

…3 But the one who loves God is known by God. 4 So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords),…

…6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist. 7 But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.… 1 Corinthians 8: 3-8

O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord - These were the part of Israel set apart to the work and ministry of the Lord. They were responsible for the tabernacle, keeping of the ordinances, pronouncing the law of God to the people. They were of the tribe of Levi and there inheritance was not in the land, but in the Lord Himself. This will be the breaking test of so many ministers, to serve God against the culture may mean less food and money in the coffers, but you belong to the Lord, His kingdom, His glory, trust in the Lord. 

ii. “You who are nearest to him, trust him most; your very calling is connected with his truth and is meant to declare his glory, therefore never entertain a doubt concerning him, but lead the way in holy confidence.” (Spurgeon)

…6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination. 7 As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach— not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money. 8 Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.… 

9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it was taught, so that by sound teaching he will be able to encourage others and refute those who contradict this message. 10 For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision, 11 who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.… Titus 1: 6-11

You, who fear the Lord - This is the beginning of wisdom to all who believe. The Lord is faithful to those that choose the fear of Him over the approval and applause of men. They have thrown away such idols, known their own hearts to be deceitful, and long for every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 

May the Lord give you increase - The church starts at home, and there is a spiritual aspect to the command, "be fruitful and multiply", as Abraham's seed would be a blessing to all nations. Those, who have received of His spirit, will well up like an Artesian  spring and overflow. Teach your children, exercise your gifts to the edifying of the body, and go into all the world and preach the gospel. 

i. We take comfort that the small are mentioned first, meaning they will not be forgotten. “God’s blessing is for you, whoever you may be, if you will only stop trusting in yourself and your own devices and instead begin to trust God.” (Boice)

But the earth He has given to the children of man - The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, but He has granted dominion of it to men. We are His stewards, belonging to Him, and should take the greater care of our Father's work. What a lovely place, yet men will work hard at plundering it's beauty to the glory of themselves and the destruction of good.

iii. “All is his, but we are his substantial heirs and trustees. There is generosity in the phrase, ‘the earth he has given’; there is responsibility as well, for we are not its makers, nor is it simply ‘there’ as meaningless matter to exploit. Behind the gift is the Giver.” (Kidner)

Read More

#846 Not To Us Part 1

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,

for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2 Why should the nations say,

“Where is their God?”

3 Our God is in the heavens;

he does all that he pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

5 They have mouths, but do not speak;

eyes, but do not see.

6 They have ears, but do not hear;

noses, but do not smell.

7 They have hands, but do not feel;

feet, but do not walk;

and they do not make a sound in their throat.

8 Those who make them become like them;

so do all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord!

He is their help and their shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!

He is their help and their shield.

11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!

He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;

he will bless the house of Israel;

he will bless the house of Aaron;

13 he will bless those who fear the Lord,

both the small and the great.

14 May the Lord give you increase,

you and your children!

15 May you be blessed by the Lord,

who made heaven and earth!

16 The heavens are the Lord's heavens,

but the earth he has given to the children of man.

17 The dead do not praise the Lord,

nor do any who go down into silence.

18 But we will bless the Lord

from this time forth and forevermore.

Praise the Lord! Psalm 115 ESV

A Psalm entreating the honor of God.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory - I try the repetition of this on my own tongue, and it seems, in the meditation, that the latter causes one to contemplate the intent of the former. What has beckoned me into this debate? What has caused me to hold up this sign? The T-shirt or the cross, which will it be? 

- The prayer is evidently tinctured with a consciousness of unworthiness; because of their past unfaithfulness they hardly dared to appeal to the covenant, and to ask blessings for themselves, but they fell back upon the honour of the Lord their God--an old style of argument which their great lawgiver, Moses, had used with such effect when he pleaded, "Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people." Joshua also used the like argument when he said, "What wilt thou do unto thy great name?" In such manner also let us pray when no other plea is available because of our sense of sin; for the Lord is always jealous of his honour, and will work for his name's sake when no other motive will move him. - C. H. Spurgeon

"Where is their God" - Is Fox's Book Of Martyrs evidence against the existence of a God Who cares, Who is Being, Who is intimately acquainted with His creatures? This is not a question posed only by those outside the faith, or maybe more appropriately, outside the building. That question has even reshaped much of what would call itself the church today. If the oracles are carried by those that are suffering, that seem abandoned, is theirs a credible case? We want it to be up for vote, to sway the majority, and call it upon the new popularity. Your sick, where is your God? Your poor, where is your God? If what you say is true, then why has your God left you in this way? God has been reduced in our hearts to the level at which the culture will accept Him. He is a compilation of wise sayings, self help cliches, and "a" way rather than "the" way. 

…2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.… Romans 5: 2-4

Our God is in the heavens, He does all that He pleases - He is where He should be, on His throne, above all things, Sovereign. No disputes of men will settle or unsettle His predetermined will. "If you are the Christ's, the Son of God, then come down from there, and save us too." 

Hello angels, he's suffering, aren't you going to do anything

It was so much easier standing by

I was stronger by your side

But now their staring, watching me

I've gotta go now, before they see

I know, I watched you heal the sick and the lame

But now I hear the rooster calling my name

Calling my name, call my name

But call down angels, your suffering, why won't you say anything

Call down angels, it's belittling, aren't You going to do anything

Calvin "Cheese Grits" Yerke

Their idols are silver and gold - Metals of value to men, but they do not create life, and are subject to the hands they are in. The smith is of infinitely more value than his creation, since he is made in the image of God, and has a soul that cannot be imparted from himself to his idol, his work. All false systems remove value from the person by either denying his Creator or putting up an image or idol in God's place. Wanting something to be true, is considered by many today as the only necessary qualifier for it's being true. I like it, it appeals to me, it looks good, good enough.

How strange that a man should think that he can make a god! Can madness go further? Our God is a spirit, and his hands made the heavens and the earth: well may we worship him, and we need not be disturbed at the sneering question of those who are so insane as to refuse to adore the living God, and yet bow their knees before images of their own carving. We may make an application of all this to the times in which we are now living. The god of modern thought is the creation of the thinker himself, evolved out of his own consciousness, or fashioned according to his own notion of what a god should be. Now, it is evident that such a being is no God. It is impossible that there should be a God at all except the God of revelation. A god who can be fashioned by our own thoughts is no more a God than the image manufactured or produced by our own hands. The true God must of necessity be his own revealer. It is clearly impossible that a being who can be excogitated and comprehended by the reason of man should be the infinite and incomprehensible God. Their idols are blinded reason and diseased thought, the product of men's muddled brains, and they will come to nought. C. H. Spurgeon

Those who make them, become like them - Fakes, knock offs, pretending at being wise, they become fools. They strive at making the gold worth more than themselves. It is mute, and so the only words are their own.

…9This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as a vine. Pass your hand once more like a grape gatherer over the branches.” 10To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it. 11But I am full of the LORD’s wrath; I am tired of holding it back. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the young men gathered together. For both husband and wife will be captured, the old and the very old alike.… Jeremiah 6: 9-11

Read More

#845 It Will Be Like Squeezing Water From A Rock

When Israel went out from Egypt,

the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,

2 Judah became his sanctuary,

Israel his dominion.

3 The sea looked and fled;

Jordan turned back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams,

the hills like lambs.

5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee?

O Jordan, that you turn back?

6 O mountains, that you skip like rams?

O hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,

at the presence of the God of Jacob,

8 who turns the rock into a pool of water,

the flint into a spring of water. Psalm 114 ESV

A Psalm or song of The Exodus.

When Israel went out from Egypt - This is a loaded line since there is much that leads up to their departure. They were a slave nation living among a people strange to them. There has been over 400 years passed since the time of Jacob. Their numbers are now greatly increased, which has caused them to be seen as a threat, and so the object of a holocaust, where their young were slaughtered to control their numbers. God has taken a man, who, in his youth, would have rallied support for a rebellion, but his own would not receive him. God's timing is always best, and for 40 years of time in the rural life Moses learned to be a shepherd, and the power of meekness was bestowed upon him. He returns for God's chosen people and works many signs and wonders before their captor. The man, who sees himself as god, is confronted by a shepherd and his brother. Egypt will learn that there is a God above Pharaohs, kingdoms and nature.

Exodus

Judah became his sanctuary - Some have seen the separation of Judah from Israel in this verse, which has become to them a measure for it's time. In their minds, it would place the writing after the separation of the northern tribes and Judah, which occurred during the reign of Solomon's son. I don't think that is the case here because they were referred to separately before that time. Judah leads the people out. It is the capital tribe, the tribe that Messiah will come from, where the ark will rest in Jerusalem and the temple will be built.

…9 Judah is a young lion—my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his. 11 He ties his donkey to the vine, his colt to the choicest branch. He washes his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.… Genesis 49: 9-11

The sea looked and fled - They are reminded of God making a way where there was none, and delivering them from their enemies by that same way. He parted the Red Sea, and later with Joshua, He parts the Jordan.

The mountains skipped like rams - This is a statement beyond my normal reference, poetic hyperbole perhaps describing an earthquake, maybe, but was it not God, Who brought these things into existence by His word? I think of mountains in such a fixed way, places on a map that I can visit at any time, driving the same road each time. Here, the mountains and the hills are animated by the presence of the Creator. 

- Nothing is immovable but God himself: the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but the covenant of his grace abideth fast for ever and ever. Even thus do mountains of sin and hills of trouble move when the Lord comes forth to lead his people to their eternal Canaan. Let us never fear, but rather let our faith say unto this mountain, "Be thou removed hence and cast into the sea, "and it shall be done. - C. H. Spurgeon

What ails you - When God appears, even the rocks cry out, the water parts, but when the one, who thought himself a god, comes to reclaim what God has redeemed, then he is drowned beneath the waves.

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob -

…27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.… Matthew 10: 27-29

Who turns the rock into a pool of water - 

- As for our spiritual necessities they are all met by the water and the blood which gushed of old from the riven rock, Christ Jesus: therefore let us extol the Lord our God. Our deliverance from under the yoke of sin is strikingly typified in the going up of Israel from Egypt, and so also was the victory of our Lord over the powers of death and hell. The Exodus should therefore be earnestly remembered by Christian hearts. Did not Moses on the mount of transfiguration speak to our Lord of "the exodus" which he should shortly accomplish at Jerusalem; and is it not written of the hosts above that they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and of the Lamb? Do we not ourselves expect another coming of the Lord, when before his face heaven and earth shall flee away and there shall be no more sea? We join then with the singers around the Passover table and make their Hallel ours, for we too have been led out of bondage and guided like a flock through a desert land, wherein the Lord supplies our wants with heavenly manna and water from the Rock of ages. Praise ye the Lord. - C. H. Spurgeon 

Read More

#844 Needy

Praise the Lord!

Praise, O servants of the Lord,

praise the name of the Lord!

2 Blessed be the name of the Lord

from this time forth and forevermore!

3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,

the name of the Lord is to be praised!

4 The Lord is high above all nations,

and his glory above the heavens!

5 Who is like the Lord our God,

who is seated on high,

6 who looks far down

on the heavens and the earth?

7 He raises the poor from the dust

and lifts the needy from the ash heap,

8 to make them sit with princes,

with the princes of his people.

9 He gives the barren woman a home,

making her the joyous mother of children.

Praise the Lord! Psalm 113 ESV

A Psalm of blessing and praise. Pray it with me.

Praise the Lord - You are worthy.

Praise, O servants of the Lord - If you are His body, His church, then lift Him up.

Praise the name of the Lord - There is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved. Jehovah (Your name is Holy), Immanuel (God with us), You have given us of Yourself in Christ. Praise the name of Jesus.

Blessed be the name of the Lord - For as many as believed in Him, the only begotten Son of God, to them You have given Your Spirit, Your name is written on them, we are adopted sons and daughters of the Most High.

From this time forth and forevermore - What a name, what an honor, forever a part of the family of God. Let us come alive unto this and walk with You from now unto all eternity. 

From the rising of the sun to the setting - No matter where in the world, let us rise to Your name, walk in Your light, and forever lift up the name of Jesus.

The name of the Lord is to be praised - There is no place or occasion that can ever separate us from Your love, so let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable unto You.

The Lord is high above all nations - Rulers, kings, presidents, emperors and angels, will all bow down to You. Your name is above all systems, there is no kingdom like Yours. You are Sovereign from eternity.

And His glory above the heavens - You look down from the highest place. I say the word eternity but without understanding. It is a word without a picture. You are above space and time, the Creator of all.

Who is like the Lord our God - No one.

Who is seated on high - Only God, there is no other like You.

Who looks far down on the heavens and the earth - Only You, I cannot fathom the vastness of Your creation, so I am at a loss to even speak beyond that, to imagine beyond to where eye hath not seen nor ear heard the wonders of Your majesty.

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap - That is me, I am dust, I am needy.

To make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people - You breathed life into dust, and the dust did not fail, but the heart of man grew proud and death came to all men. Yet You send Your Son to pay for my sin, and You breath the life of Your Spirit into me, and now You seat me with Your royal family. Who am I? Again, I can only praise You.

He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children - You raise up children where it seems impossible. Sarah became a mother of a great nation, though passed the time of her cycle. Like Lazarus in his tomb my soul has come alive, come forth. Here I am, send me. 

Praise the Lord - How good it is to praise Him, Praise Him forevermore.

Read More

#843 With Fear and Trembling

 Praise the Lord!

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,

who greatly delights in his commandments!

2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;

the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches are in his house,

and his righteousness endures forever.

4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;

he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.

5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;

who conducts his affairs with justice.

6 For the righteous will never be moved;

he will be remembered forever.

7 He is not afraid of bad news;

his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.

8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,

until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.

9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;

his righteousness endures forever;

his horn is exalted in honor.

10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;

he gnashes his teeth and melts away;

the desire of the wicked will perish! Psalm 112 ESV

A Psalm of God's glory lit upon the upright.

Praise the Lord! - This because, as in the prior passage, is due His name, for it is above all. Now see here too, that He is worthy of praise because of him who fears the Lord. We do not come to know that but by His grace in manifesting Himself through His Holy Word, by His Holy Spirit. If a man walks in an upright manner, then let us praise God, for it is His glory that shines upon the face of His children. The fear of Lord was counted as the beginning of wisdom, so we must praise God, Who gives this as well.

Who greatly delights in his commandments - This is not someone who puts on the face of mourning to go in obedience to God's commandments. He is not a sage or ascetic, making much of his proper duty and chief end. It is not for the sake of other men's praise, but rather his delight in serving the One who set him free. His desire is to look like his Master, and to have the words of instruction from Him is surely to be counted blessed. Let all the world choose it's own way, he only knows joy in obedience to the will of God. 

…16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3: 16-17

12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good pleasure. 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,… Philippians 2: 12-14

20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13: 20-21

…9 For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them— yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.… 1 Corinthians 15: 9-11

The generation of the upright will be blessed -

- If the promise must be regarded as alluding to natural seed, it must be understood as a general statement rather than a promise made to every individual, for the children of the godly are not all prosperous, nor all famous. Nevertheless, he who fears God, and leads a holy life, is, as a rule, doing the best he can for the future advancement of his house; no inheritance is equal to that of an unblemished name, no legacy can excel the benediction of a saint; and, taking matters for all in all, the children of the righteous man commence life with greater advantages than others, and are more likely to succeed in it, in the best and highest sense. The generation of the upright shall be blessed. The race of sincere, devout, righteous men, is kept up from age to age, and ever abides under the blessing of God. The godly may be persecuted, but they shall not be forsaken; the curses of men cannot deprive them of the blessing of God, for the words of Balaam are true, "He hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it." Their children also are under the special care of heaven, and as a rule it shall be found that they inherit the divine blessing. Honesty and integrity are better cornerstones for an honourable house than mere cunning and avarice, or even talent and push. To fear God and to walk uprightly is a higher nobility than blood or birth can bestow. - C. H. Spurgeon

And his righteousness endures forever - 

…5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a Righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness. Jeremiah 23: 5-6

…20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5: 20-21

Light dawns in the darkness for the upright - 

- He will have his days of darkness, he may be sick and sorry, poor and pining, as well as others; his former riches may take to themselves wings and fly away, while even his righteousness may be cruelly suspected; thus the clouds may lower around him, but his gloom shall not last for ever, the Lord will bring him light in due season, for as surely as a good man's sun goes down it shall rise again. If the darkness be caused by depression of spirit, the Holy Ghost will comfort him; if by pecuniary loss or personal bereavement, the presence of Christ shall be his solace; and if by the cruelty and malignity of men, the sympathy of his Lord shall be his support. It is as ordinary for the righteous to be comforted as for the day to dawn. Wait for the light and it will surely come; for even if our heavenly Father should in our last hours put us to bed in the dark, we shall find it morning when we awake. - C. H. Spurgeon

It is well with the man who deals generously and lends -

- Having passed beyond stern integrity into open handed benevolence he looks kindly upon all around him, and finding himself in circumstances which enable him to spare a little of his wealth he lends judiciously where a loan will be of permanent service. Providence has made him able to lend, and grace makes him willing to lend. He is not a borrower, for God has lifted him above that necessity; neither is he a hoarder, for his new nature saves him from that temptation; but he wisely uses the talents committed to him. He will guide his affairs with discretion. Those who neglect their worldly business must not plead religion as an excuse, for when a man is truly upright he exercises great care in managing his accounts, in order that he may remain so. It is sometimes hard to distinguish between indiscretion and dishonesty; carelessness in business may become almost as great an evil to others as actual knavery; a good man should not only be upright, but he should be so discreet that no one may have the slightest reason to suspect him of being otherwise. When the righteous man lends he exercises prudence, not risking his all, for fear he should not be able to lend again, and not lending so very little that the loan is of no service. He drives his affairs, and does not allow them to drive him; his accounts are straight and clear, his plans are wisely laid, and his modes of operation carefully selected. He is prudent, thrifty, economical, sensible, judicious, discreet. Men call him a fool for his religion, but they do not find him so when they come to deal with him. "The beginning of wisdom" has made him wise, the guidance of heaven has taught him to guide his affairs, and with half an eye one can see that he is a man of sound sense. Such persons greatly commend godliness. Alas, some professedly good men act as if they had taken leave of their senses; this is not religion, but stupidity. True religion is sanctified common sense. Attention to the things of heaven does not necessitate the neglect of the affairs of earth; on the contrary, he who has learned how to transact business with God ought to be best able to do business with men. The children of this world often are in their generation wiser than the children of light, but there is no reason why this proverb should continue to be true. - C. H. Spurgeon

He is not afraid of bad news - He has seen providence, not only knows the doctrine of God's sovereignty, but walks in the firm and settled belief of it. His motto is, "As the Lord sees fit, as He permits, and always, praise the Lord."

The wicked man sees it and is angry - If the wicked see you do well then they will envy. If he can by force take what he sees as treasure away from you, yet you remain solid in your faith, he shall not be satisfied with your purse, his anger will increase all the more. 

…5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Psalm 1: 5-6

Read More