Friday, April 24, 2020

Psalms 66-69

What does it say?
Praise God, because of his power, your enemies will obey you even from a rebellious heart. God is all powerful; therefore, the rebellious should not exalt themselves. God has refined his chosen with fire and water; now they are in a place of abundance and should fulfill their vows made while in distress. The psalmist invites all who fear God to hear what God has done for him. May all of the nations of the earth fear God, praise God, be glad and sing for joy. May the wicked perish before God and may the righteous rejoice. God is a father to the fatherless and a judge for widows. God provides for the poor. God protects his sheep, covering them with wings of silver and gold. The Lord will dwell on his chosen mountain forever. God is our deliverance and our salvation, he will shatter the head of his enemies. The king has proceed into the sanctuary and God is glorified. Kings will come to the temple to bring gifts to God. The psalmist exhorts the kingdoms of the earth to sing praises to the Lord. The psalmist calls out to God for salvation. The Lord God knows everything about the psalmist, which includes his folly and wrongs. The psalmist ask God to deliver him from his enemies. The psalmist evokes the lovingkindness of God to save him. There is no one on the earth to comfort him; they give him bitterness for his hunger and for his thirst a sour drink. The psalmist prays that those who increase his pain be blotted out of the book of life. When God saves him, the psalmist vows to magnify God with thanksgiving. The psalmist trust that God will save Zion and he praises God. 

What does it mean?
There is no mistrust among the righteous. The righteous are not righteous because they do no wrong but are are righteous by association. The Lord God is their righteousness. The righteous trust in the salvation of the Lord even while in diversity. The Lord God uses diversity to cleanse the righteous. The wicked see this as an opportunity to add pain to pain; however, their end will be destruction and the one who trust in God will be saved. God is a righteous judge. He knows what everyman has done. He will judge the earth righteously but his lovingkindness is for those who trust in him to save them. Trust in God, for salvation is of the Lord to all who call on the name of the Lord to save them.

What shall I do?
Salvation is of the Lord; therefore, I shall trust in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to save me from all of my enemies. I shall praise God in thanksgiving. I shall honor God and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ among the nations.