SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
7/13/2012 9:47:23 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm 105 PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 105:1-15
Message of the verses: We will begin to look at Psalm 105 in Today’s SD by looking at the introduction of the psalm by several different Bible Commentators.
“This
psalm was penned by David, and sung at the time when the ark was brought from
the house of Obededom to the place which David had prepared for it; at least
the first fifteen verses of it, the other part being probably added afterwards
by the same inspired penman, as appears from #1Ch 16:1-7. The subject matter of
the psalm is the special and distinguishing goodness of God to the children of
Israel, and to his church and people, of which they were typical: the history
of God’s regard to and care of their principal ancestors, Abraham, Jacob,
Joseph, &c. and of the whole body of the people, in bringing them out of Egypt,
leading them through the wilderness, and settling them in the land of Canaan,
is here recited, as an argument for praise and thankfulness.” (John Gill)
“This
historical psalm was evidently composed by King David, for the first fifteen
verses of it were used as a hymn at the carrying up of the ark from the house
of Obededom, and we read in #1Ch 16:7, "Then on that day David delivered
first this psalm to thank the Lord, into the hand of Asaph and his
brethren." Such a song was suitable for the occasion, for it describes the
movements of the Lord’s people and his guardian care over them in every place,
and all this on account of the covenant of which the ark, then removing, was a
symbol. Our last psalm sang the opening chapters of Genesis, and this takes up its
closing chapters and conducts us into Exodus and Numbers.
The first verses are full of joyful
praise, and call upon the people to extol Jehovah, #Ps 105:1-7; then the
earliest days of the infant nation, are described, #Ps 105:8-15; the going into
Egypt, #Ps 105:16-23, the coming forth from it with the Lord’s outstretched
arm, #Ps 105:24-38, the journeying through the wilderness and the entrance into
Canaan.
We are now among the long Psalms, as at
other times we have been among the short ones. These varying lengths of the
sacred poems should teach us not to lay down any law either of brevity or
prolixity in either prayer or praise. Short petitions and single verses of
hymns are often the best for public occasions, but there are seasons when a
whole night of wrestling or an entire day of psalm slinging will be none too
long. The Spirit is ever free in his operations, and is not to be confined
with, the rules of conventional propriety. The wind bloweth as it listeth, and
at one time rushes in short and rapid sweep, while at another it continues to
refresh the earth hour after hour with its reviving breath.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)
“Just
as Pss. 103 and 104 were matched pairs; so are Pss 105 and 106, as they look at
Israel’s history from God’s perspective and then Israel’s vantage
respectively. This psalm possibly
originated by a command of David to Asaph on the occasion when the Ark of the
Covenant was first brought to Jerusalem (2Sam. 6:12-19; 1Chron. 16:1-7). Psalm
105 1:15 repeats 1Chron. 16:8-22.
“Psalm
104 magnifies the God of creation and 106 the God who chastens His people and
forgives them, but this psalm focuses on the God of the covenant (vv. 8-10) who
works out His divine purposes in human history.
‘Make known his deeds’ (vv. 1-2, 5) is the major thrust, referring, of
course, to God’s mighty acts on behalf of Israel. (See also 78, and note that 105:1-15 is
adapted in 1Chron. 16:8-22.) The psalm
does not go beyond the conquest of Canaan (v. 44) or mention the Davidic
dynasty, which suggests that it may have been written after the Babylonian
exile, possibly by one of the Levites who returned to Judah with the Jewish
remnant. The psalmist saw the hand of
God in the events of Jewish history, and this was the kind of encouragement the
struggling remnant needed. He reminded
them that they were God’s chosen people and that God worked according to His
schedule. Beginning with Egypt, the Lord
had already revealed His power over the Gentile nations, and He will always
keep His promises. Remembering these
truths can bring God’s people encouragement and any time in history! (v. 5)” (Warren
Wiersbe)
The
Patriarchs—God’s Gracious Election (vv. 1-15): “1 Oh give
thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. 3 Glory in His
holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. 4 Seek the LORD
and His strength; Seek His face continually. 5 Remember His wonders which He
has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth, 6 O seed of
Abraham, His servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones! 7 He is the LORD our God; His
judgments are in all the earth. 8 He has remembered His covenant
forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, 9 The
covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac. 10 Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
To Israel as an everlasting covenant, 11
Saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan As the portion of
your inheritance," 12 When they
were only a few men in number, Very few, and strangers in it. 13 And they
wandered about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people. 14 He
permitted no man to oppress them, And He reproved kings for their sakes: 15 “Do
not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.’”
In
the first five verses of this psalm we see ten commandments that the psalmist
gives to his readers, especially the nation of Israel, but not just for them,
for it is for all those who belong to the Lord.
We know that Israel was chosen by the Lord for we read this in verse
six, and the reason that
God chose them was because they were His sovereign choice, and there is no
other reason necessary.
Israel
was supposed to be a light to the Gentile nations, and this could have been
done by their giving thanks to the Lord, their praying and also their
singing. Sadly for the most part this
was not done on a regular basis. The
prophet Daniel, in his wonderful prophecy that he writes in chapter nine tells
of a number of things that the nation of Israel was to do in order to be
wittiness to the nations around them.
The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled most of these commands that is found
there: Daniel 9:“24 “Seventy weeks have
been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression,
to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting
righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy
place.”
The
psalmist speaks of the covenant that God made with Abraham, a covenant that is
still in effect to this day, as seen in verses 6, 9, and 42. This covenant is seen in the Book of Genesis
12:1-5 and 15:9-21; and also in Acts 7:1-8 where Stephen repeats it to those
who were about to stone him to death.
This covenant would apply to all of Abraham’s physical descendants as
well as for those who are believers today as they are his spiritual
descendants. See Luke 1:68-79; Galatians 3:1-9 and 29. Part of this covenant promise was the gift of
the land of Canaan, and we can see today that Israel lives in part of this
land, and for the first time in nearly 2500 years Israel is back in their land
having control of their nation there.
After the Babylonian exile they came back to Israel, but were subject to
the nations who had control over it, not so today. Dr. Wiersbe writes that “this covenant will
endure forever (vv. 8-11; Deut. 7:9).
Again this was an act of grace on the part of the Lord, for none of the patriarchs
had any claim to God nor did He owe them anything. They were homeless nomads—pilgrims and
strangers (Heb. 11:8-16)—who depended on the Lord to protect and guide them
(Gen. 34:30; Deut. 7:6-11; 26:5). Even
when they erred, the Lord protected them and even reproved kings on their
behalf (Gen. 12:10ff; 20; 26; 32-33).
God is sovereign, and though He does not turn men and women into robots,
He does rule and overrule when they disobey.
His will shall be done and His plans shall be fulfilled (vv. 8-11; 19;
22:11).”
Spiritual meaning for my life
today: Just as the Lord called the nation of Israel
to be His witness to a lost world He has also called the Church today to do the
same, and that is my desire too.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I desire to abide in the Vine so that the Lord can teach me and guide me and use me to do what He desires for me to do. I desire to tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ, the way the truth and the life.
Memory verses for the week: 2Peter 1:1-5
1.Simon Peter, a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have a received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2. Grace and mercy be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3. Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and righteousness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them we can become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
5. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
7/13/2012 10:41:20 AM
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