SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/23/2012 10:34:00 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm
97 PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm
97:1-2
Message of the verses: We will begin to look at Psalm 97 in today’s
Spiritual Diary by looking at several introductions from different Bible
Commentators in order to get understanding as to what this psalm is about and
how we will be able to apply it to our lives in order to bring glory to Jesus
Christ.
“This psalm dwells upon the same
subject, and is set to the same tune, with the foregoing psalm. Christ is the
Alpha and the Omega of both; they are both penned, and are both to be sung to
his honour; and we make nothing of them if we do not, in them, make melody with
our hearts to the Lord Jesus. He it is that reigns, to the joy of all mankind
(#Ps 97:1); and his government speaks.”
(Matthew Henry)
“As the fast Psalm sung the praises
of the Lord in connection with the proclamation of the gospel among the
Gentiles, so this appears to foreshadow the mighty working of the Holy Ghost in
subduing the colossal systems of error, and casting down the idol gods. Across the sea to maritime regions a voice
cries for rejoicing at the reign of Jesus (#Ps 97:1), the sacred fire descends
(#Ps 97:3), like lightning the gospel flames forth (#Ps 97:4), difficulties
vanish (#Ps 97:5), and all the nations see the glory of God (#Ps 97:6). The
idols are confounded (#Ps 97:7), the church rejoices (#Ps 98:8), the Lord is
exalted (#Ps 98:9). The Psalm closes with an exhortation to holy steadfastness
under the persecution which would follow, and bids the saints rejoice that
their path is bright, and their reward glorious and certain. Modern critics,
always intent upon ascribing the psalms to anybody rather than to David, count
themselves successful in dating this song further on than the captivity,
because it contains passages similar to those which occur in the later
prophets; but we venture to assert theft it is quite as probable that the prophets
adopted the language of David as that some unknown writer borrowed from them.
One psalm in this series is said to be "in David," and we believe
that the rest are in the same place, and by the same author. The matter is not
important, and we only mention it because it seems to be the pride of certain
critics to set up new theories; and there are readers who imagine this to be a
sure proof of prodigious learning. We do not believe that their theories are
worth the paper they are written upon.”
(Charles H. Spurgeon)
“The psalmist, though recognizing
the Lord’s universal rule at the present (v. 9), anticipates a new coming of
the Lord to judge the earth. The imagery
of the Lord’s presence may, in fact, be the basis of some NT passages’
descriptions of the second coming (cf. Mat.24; Rev 19). Special emphasis is also placed on the Lord’s
totally righteous judgments on the world in His kingdom, as well as His
obliteration of false religions.” (The
John MacArthur Study Bible)
“The psalm is picked up the theme in
96:13 and described the King coming to judge His enemies and reward His
people. In 95, the emphasis was on God’s
people, and 96 focused our attention on the nations of the world. This psalm combines both themes and tells us
that Jehovah is ‘the Lord Most High’ in heaven (v. 9 NASB) who has all things
under His control. Believers today see
Jesus as God’s exalted King (see Acts 2:32-33; 5:31; Eph 1:17-23; Phil. 2:5-11;
Heb. 1:3; 1Peter 3:22; Rev. 3:21).” (Dr.
Warren Wiersbe)
The Lord Is Exalted on His Throne (vv. 1-2): “1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
Let the many islands be glad. 2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.”
It was the job of Israel to let the
light of the Lord shine through them in Old Testament times, and now it is the
job of the Church today to let the light of the Lord to shine throughout the
entire world. There are times, in fact
many times, in our lives when we find it hard to believe that God reigns over
all the earth, but the fact of the matter He does and He is sitting on His
throne at this very moment reigning over all of the earth. “Then I heard something like the voice of a
great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty
peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty,
reigns.” (Rev. 19:6) Now what are the reasons that we have a hard
time believing that the Lord reigns on the earth all of the time? I suppose that the reason that many people
think of is that there is so much injustice going all around the world. This is true, for there is injustice going on
all around the world all of the time.
Let’s look at a favorite verse of many people to help us better
understand this: Romans 8:28 “And we
know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love
God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This verse is directed to believers stating
that God causes ALL things to work together for good to those who are His
own. All is a very small word, but has a
very big meaning for all means everything, which means there is nothing that we
can think of that can happen to us that is not in the scope of the word all in
this verse. One of the things that are
involved in that word all is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ; in fact I believe
that is right in the center of the “alls” of life. If God, (and He can) use the worst thing that
has ever happened on planet earth to turn out to be the best thing that ever
happened on planet earth to work out for good, then nothing else can even come
close to God using all things to work together for good for His children.
This psalm starts out in darkness
which is seen in verse two, but will end in light for those who are righteous
in verse eleven. Dr. Wiersbe writes
“Though His throne is surrounded by clouds and darkness, and we do not fully
understand the mysteries of His providence, we know that His throne rests on
righteousness and justice and that ‘the Judge of all the earth [will] do right
(Gen. 18:25).”
Spiritual meaning for my life
today: Knowing that God reigns and
will always reign give comfort to my heart, and so I can rejoice in this
wonderful truth.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Continue to abide in the Vine in order to
trust that the Lord will cause me to do the works that He planned for me to do
before the earth was made.
Memory
verses for the week: 2Peter 1:1-3 “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of
Jesus Christ,
To those who have received a faith
of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus
Christ: 2. Grace and peace be multiplied
to you by the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord; 3. Seeing that His divine power has granted to
us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of
Him who called us by it is own glory and excellence.”
6/23/2012
11:44:47 AM
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