Psalm 69

 Psalm 69

We must never discount or forget the two main sources of evil that come into our lives. And in this Psalm we will look at both and consider what will become of each. The first source of evil is the evil people around us, verses 1-4. These people are like a flood sweeping us away; we feel like we are in quicksand and can have no foothold, no way to help ourselves out of the trouble in which we find ourselves. Overwhelmed by evil people, we are dependent upon their mercy, and they have none. The second source of evil in our lives is ourselves, verses 5-12. We suffer because of our own foolish behavior and sin.  Even when we try to live right and to turn things around, our past hangs on us like a monkey bent on our misery. (Note that v. 9 is applied to Jesus. This song is not predictive of Jesus, but portions are applied to him; that difference is important.)

In the misery, the Psalmist pleads for help in verses 13-19. Between evil people and our own self-inflicted evil, the only hope is God's loving-kindness and his tender mercies. We are sometimes reluctant to be honest in our prayers.  We want to sound good and religious and pious.  It is pointless for us to try to pretend. God knows our sins and the affliction our enemies cause. Confession will never surprise God but is the only way we can be honest to and with ourselves.

We see the power of the gospel of Christ when we look at the contrast between verses 22-28 and the prayers of the New Testament. These verses are fully appropriate under the old covenant of the law, but the cross changes how we view our enemies and how we pray for them. “Father forgive them” were among the agonizing words of Jesus as He approached death. Stephen’s last words were, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” What a striking contrast to “May they be blotted out of The Book of Life.” The cross makes the difference.

The song concludes on a hopeful and positive note. Even in the midst of pain there is hope because God sees and notes suffering. So the Psalmist has plans to worship and offers preemptive praise because God will save his people.

“Help me, Lord, to be different because of the cross. AMEN”

Psalm 68

 Psalm 68

Adam Clark, whom I believe to be one of the best scholars on the book of Psalms, says the Psalm 68 is the most difficult of all the Psalms.  It may have been a Psalm built on prior Psalms.  The general theme is of God’s people traveling after God.  We see glimpses of the Exodus, the Ark being moved into Jerusalem, and Israel returning from Babylon.  Travel is always hard, and in the middle of the psalm is a beautiful promise.  In verse 19 we read, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, the God who is our salvation.”

Travel in ancient times was one of burdens.  Few owned a beast of burden, and fewer still owned a cart or wagon, and there were certainly none of the vehicles that make travel for us so easy. The rule was if you wanted it, you carried it.  We think of traveling light as 1 or 2 bags we carry or roll a few hundred feet to the car or plane.  They carried their baggage or burdens all the way all the time. This was especially difficult for the solo traveler.  In this complex Psalm we find the simple, hope-filled truth that God daily bears our burdens.  Ours, in many ways, is a different kind of journey; it is nonetheless difficult, but we have the same hope: Daily the Lord bears our burdens.

“Lord, help me to lay my burdens down and trust You as the One who bears my burdens. AMEN.”

Psalm 67

 Psalm 67

If you don’t know the proper use for something, you will end up abusing it, misusing it, and ultimately losing it.  It is difficult to imagine a case where this is not true.  We often ask God for blessings in our lives without knowing the purpose of those blessings.  As a result, many of those blessings are abused, misused, and ultimately lost.  This Psalm explains the purpose of blessings in our lives.  The first two lines in verse 1 are the quintessential Hebrew blessing.  But the purpose for blessing is given in verse 2, that God’s way and salvation can be known worldwide.  We are blessed to bless others, not to acquire luxury, pleasure, and ease for ourselves.  This Psalm is an evangelistic Psalm and directs that our blessings are for a testimony and witness to the world.  It is natural that under the new covenant of the Cross and in the community of evangelism and faith of the church that we would see the support of missionaries and benevolent efforts as the proper use of our blessings.  

We receive no blessing if we try to keep it only for ourselves and try to use it only to gain more or to be used to gain selfish pleasure; we cut ourselves off from the purpose of the blessing and eventually from the source of the blessing Himself  In contrast to this selfish attitude, we see in verses 5-6 that in the investment in blessing others there develops a repeating cycle of blessings, so that the earth yields its produce.  Stewardship, the godly use of God-given resources, extends not just to our money but also to our environment, indeed to the whole of creation.  This Psalm concludes with verse 7’s summation: God’s blessing came to us so all the earth may fear the one true God. 

“Lord, help me use Your resources to honor You. AMEN”

Psalm 66

 Psalm 66

This Psalm that calls for and expresses praise to God because of His wonderful works and answers to prayer. It holds for us some unexpected insights that help prepare us for the realities of life.  Notice in the first section, “Because of the greatness of Thy power Thine enemies will give feigned obedience.” We are sometimes surprised that we find wicked people in worship or that wicked people in positions of power, social or cultural, pretend to be an adherent of God.  There are those who give deceptive obedience because they perceive in that an advantage for themselves.  Often it is these people who are the source of our hardship and suffering.  It is understandable that we might be disappointed, but with such warnings we should not be surprised. 

God preserves our life and keeps us from slipping (vs. 8-9), but have we considered how He does this?   Here is our second insight. We see in the middle of this Psalm the “secret formula” that prevents our slipping.  The list provided in vs. 10-12 is no vacation brochure and is not very likely to be a popular message for those wanting to please a shallow audience.  What is that formula that keeps us from slipping?

He tries us.

He refines us like silver (read into this a smelting furnace).

He entraps us in a net, like the capture of a bird or animal.

He places oppressive burdens on our loins-this may refer to the burning pain we feel in extreme terror or fear.

He makes men ride over our heads.  This likely refers to defeat in battle, after which the beaten army is made to lay down before the victors.

We have gone through fire and water, either of which is fatal for people, but used by a blacksmith finishes the work and provides maximum strength to the metal.

How does God keep our feet from slipping by the training of difficulties?  Only after these do we find the last line of verse 12, “Thou didst bring us out into a place of abundance.”

The third insight comes from the last section of the Psalm.  God has delivered and rescued and the Psalmist praises, but he notes that if he had “regarded wickedness” in his heart God would not have heard him.  There is a necessary integrity, not to be mistaken for perfection, that we must have or God will reject our pleas no matter how pious they may sound.  No doubt these struggles will purify us and of the things that must be removed are the hidden agendas of our hearts. People who are thoroughly corrupt can obtain earthly wealth. But the great blessings of God, temporal and relational, only come in our walk with Him and that sometimes requires significant heart conditioning.  

“Lord, if need be purify me and make me strong by hardships. AMEN”

Psalm 65

 Psalm 65

It takes considerable effort to not worship God.  If we are silent, really silent for a moment, it is easy to glimpse God’s greatness.  If we think about God’s perfect moral law, both in the individual points and in its totality, it fits together beautifully.  When we silently contemplate the wonder of creation, from the expanse of the universe to the careful details of the smallest particles, it works.  Whenever we find ourselves viewing a peaceful valley, majestic mountains, a roaring seashore, rushing rapids, or expansive wetlands, we see majesty that points to a majestic One.  In the marvel of a clear night sky, exploding sunrise, or settling sunset, we see Someone behind it all.  Even the cycle of agriculture with rain or harvest, pasture, and livestock can be an opportunity to worship if we are silent long enough.  

Sadly, our world is almost never silent.  So much of our lives are wrapped up in the inanity and banality of hearing and sharing opinions.  Perhaps there needs to be in our lives a discipline of silence.  It might take some time, but by listening less, we might hear more.  

“Lord, grant me the grace of listening for You in the silence.  AMEN.”

Psalm 64

 Psalm 64

In verse 6 the same word is used, in three forms, to describe the activity of the wicked. The root word (chaphas) means to examine, seek out, or investigate.  The wicked carefully and thoroughly plan out the evil they do.  Their plan seems foolproof, perfect, and absolutely flawless.

What they fail to bring into their calculation is God’s action.  Not only does their plan fail because of God’s involvement, but He turns their plan onto or against them.  In verses 2-3 the evil sharpen their tongues and prepare poison arrows.  But in true irony they are the ones who end up being shot, and their sharpened tongues inflict their own wounds.

While we don’t know what prompted the Psalmist to pen this poem, we can see the same story in our world.  The forces of evil are at work planning their advantage and the fall of the innocent.  But God is still at work, and while in the midst of it all we may not see the Lord’s victory, it is coming. One of the tools the Lord uses is the powers of evil.

“Help me to never fear the plans of the evil, because, Lord, You will be victorious. AMEN.”

Psalm 63

 Psalm 63 

With the rise of ever-advancing technology, there has been a disturbing rise in ‘virtual’ relationships and connections.  As video began to stream over the internet, churches began to attempt to draw people to ‘watch their services’ online.  This accelerated in response to the Covid pandemic.  Many in the church community laud this as a great benefit to the church.  Certainly there are good uses of internet-available teaching.  But the gathering of worship via individuals connected only by watching is like looking at a video of a campfire; it is only a shallow representation of the real thing.  As Christians, or even emotionally healthy people, we find a digital girlfriend, boyfriend, or spouse disturbing.  How can we imagine that a digital worship experience is adequate?

In contrast to this, when David was on the run, he longed for the worship of God, and that longing was rooted in his experience with God in the sanctuary.  In the forms, the sights, the smells, and the total experience of being in God’s presence, David was bound to God spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically. Shaped by worship, when David was away, he wanted to be in God’s presence.  Day or night, David’s thoughts and heart turned toward God.  If that was true in the time of David, how much more ought it to be true for us in the time when the people of God are His temple?  If worship in the community of faith is absent from our lives, very likely our longing for God will be as well.

“Lord, help me to desire deeply to be with Your people, Your temple. AMEN.”