SPIRITUAL DIARY
FOR 10/13/2012 9:30:22 AM
My
Worship Time Focus: Psalm 127
PT-1
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 127:1a
Message of the verses: In Today’s
Spiritual Diary we will continue with our look at the book of Psalms by looking
at Psalm 127. We have been looking at
the Book of Psalms since the 10th of December, 2011 and by God’s
grace we will finish it before the end of 2012 as we now have twenty-four more
psalms to look at including the one for today.
I have been trying to use some introductory commentary from different
Bible commentators in order to better understand things about the psalms that we
are looking at. The book of Psalms is
different than the other books of the Bible because each psalm is a story in
itself which is unlike the other books of the Bible. David wrote many of the psalms, and many of
David’s psalms were written when he was on the run from Saul, so this gives more
light to events that were sometimes recorded in other books of the Bible. Other psalms were written about different
events in the history of Israel by authors that we have no idea who wrote them,
but one thing is for sure and that is the Holy Spirit of God has put all of
these psalms in the hearts of those that He wanted to write them for the glory
of God and also for the benefit of the Church Age. “1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the
weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of
us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 3 For even
Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "THE REPROACHES OF
THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME." 4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for
our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the
Scriptures we might have hope (Romans 15:1-4).” “6 Now these things
happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they
also craved. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written,
"THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY." 8 Nor
let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in
one day. 9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by
the serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the
destroyer. 11 Now these
things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our
instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come (1Cor. 10:6-11).”
“Title: A Song of Degrees for Solomon. It was meet that the
builder of the holy house should be remembered by the pilgrims to its sacred
shrine. The title probably indicates that David wrote it for his wise son, in
whom he so greatly rejoiced, and whose name Jedidiah, or "beloved of the
Lord," is introduced into the second verse. The spirit of his name,
"Solomon, or peaceable," breathes through the whole of this most
charming song. If Solomon himself was the author, it comes fitly from him who
reared the house of the Lord. Observe how in each of these songs the heart is
fixed upon Jehovah only. Read the first
verses of these Psalms, from Psalm 120 to the present song, and they run thus:
"I cried unto the Lord," "I will lift up mine eyes to the
hills," "Let us go unto the house of the Lord." "Unto thee
will I lift up mine eyes," "If it had not been the Lord,"
"They that trust in the Lord."
"When the Lord turned again the captivity." The Lord and the
Lord alone is thus lauded at each step of these songs of the ascents. O for a
life whose every halting place shall suggest a new song unto the Lord!
“Subject” God’s
blessing on his people as their one great necessity and privilege is here
spoken of. We are here taught that builders of houses and cities, systems and
fortunes, empires and churches all labor in vain without the Lord; but under
the divine favour they enjoy perfect rest. Sons, who are in the Hebrew called
"builders," are set forth as building up families under the same
divine blessing, to the great honour and happiness of their parents. It is THE
BUILDER’S PSALM. "Every house is builded by some man, but he that built
all things is God," and unto God be praise.”
(Charles H. Spurgeon)
“The author is Solomon (cf. Ecc 12:10), but the occasion is
unknown. The major message of God being
central to the sovereign in life sounds much like portions of Solomon’s
Ecclesiastes (cf. Ecc. 2:24, 25; 5:18-20; 7:13, 14; 9:1). Psalms 112 and 128 also develop a strong
message on the family.” (The John MacArthur
Study Bible)
“No amount of human sacrifice or toil can accomplish much
unless God’s blessing is upon His people.
That is the major message of this psalm.
It is assigned to Solomon, who was both a builder and a father, but the
message also seems to fit the post-exilic times of Nehemiah. The population of Jerusalem was small and the
people had to build and repair the buildings.
Houses were desperately needed for families or else the struggling
Jewish nation had no future (Neh. 7:4).
Surrounded by numerous enemies, Jerusalem needed strong gates and walls
and watchmen on the alert day and night (Neh. 4:9ff; 7:3). Note that the psalm deals with the same
elements Jeremiah wrote about in his letter to the Jewish exiles (Jer.
29:4-7). But the psalm also speaks to us
today and reminds us of some privileges we have as the people of God in a
dangerous and demanding world.” (Dr.
Warren Wiersbe)
After reading over these different commentators and what
they had to say it does remind me of the two verses that speak of the things
that happened in the OT being for the benefit of those who read about them in
the Church age. I don’t often disagree
with what Warren Wiersbe writes, but in this case, for what it may be worth, I
believe that Solomon wrote this psalm and I also believe that this psalm could
have been used by those who returned from exile as they began to rebuild the
temple and other buildings that needed to be built. I also agree with John MacArthur as he states
that the psalm is about the family, and we who are a part of the family must
realize that we need the help of the Lord in order to build a strong family
that will bring honor and glory to the Lord.
Charles Spurgeon states that all things are built by the Lord, and in a
sense that is true for God is the Creator of all of the things that man uses to
build anything that is built.
Building
(v. 1a)
“Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who
build it.”
As we go through the Scriptures we see a lot
of building, but we also see a lot of destruction. For example we see that the Lord Jesus
Christ, before He began His public ministry, was a carpenter who built
things. While He was teaching and
preaching to the people whom He came in contact with He was building in the
lives of the men who would be used of Him to build the Church. “"I also say to you that you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not
overpower it.” This verse, Matthew 16:18
states that it is Jesus Christ who is building His Church. We see in Romans 15:20 these words from the
pen of the Apostle Paul, “20 And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where
Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s
foundation.”
Now as far
as destroying things Paul wrote of how dangerous it is to destroy the Church
that is being built by the Lord when he wrote to the Corinthians “11 For no man
can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man builds on the
foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the
day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself
will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has
built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned
up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
“16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that
the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If
any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God
is holy, and that is what you are.”
There is
no more important thing to do than to build character into the members of your
family, especially done through the Word of God, and in the Gospel of John we
get some insight into how this is done when we read these words from our Lord,
“’I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he
bears much fruit, for
apart from Me you can do nothing.”
I have been writing about this verse in my Spiritual Diaries off and on
for some time now and this says to me that believers must stay connected to the
Lord Jesus Christ who is the Vine and the way we do this is to stay in His Word
so that the Holy Spirit can cause us to grow.
“1Pe 2:2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so
that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” There is more than milk in the Word of God,
but just as a new born baby can only begin to feed on milk in order to grow
stronger and bigger in order to then feed on other foods, so we as believers
need to grow on the milk of the word in order to move on to more of the “solid
food” of the Word. “12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers,
you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the
oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For
everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of
righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who
because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14)
Spiritual
meaning for my life today:
I desire to build my life on the Word of God as seen in the verse from John,
and I also desire to help to build character into the lives of my grandchildren
when given the opportunity.
My
Steps of Faith for Today: Remain or Abide in the Vine.
Memory verses for the week:
1Cor. 13:8-10
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy,
they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is
knowledge it will be done away. 9 For we
know in part and we prophecy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes the partial
will be done away.
10/13/2012 10:33:12 AM
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