SPIRITUAL DIARY
FOR 12/12/2012 5:43:22 PM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm 148-PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 148:1-6
Message of
the verses: We are fast coming to the end of the book of
Psalms with only three remaining. This study
began on December 10, 2011 and so it will take more than one year to finish the
study of these 150 psalms. We will begin
to look at Psalm 148, which is another psalm of praise, and as we have been
doing in the past we will look at several introductions from different Bible
commentators on this psalm.
“This psalm is a most solemn and earnest call to all
the creatures, according to their capacity, to praise their Creator, and to
show forth his eternal power and Godhead, the invisible things of which are
manifested in the things that are seen. Thereby the psalmist designs to express
his great affection to the duty of praise; he is highly satisfied that God is
praised, is very desirous that he may be more praised, and therefore does all
he can to engage all about him in this pleasant work, yea, and all who shall
come after him, whose hearts must be very dead and cold if they be not raised
and enlarged, in praising God, by the lofty flights of divine poetry which we
find in this psalm.
“
I. He calls upon the higher house, the creatures that are placed in the upper
world, to praise the Lord, both those that are intellectual beings, and are
capable of doing it actively (#Ps 148:1,2), and those that are not, and are
therefore capable of doing it only objectively, #Ps 148:3-6.
“ II.
He calls upon the lower house, the creatures of this lower world, both those
that can only minister matter of praise (#Ps 148:7-10) and those that, being
endued with reason, are capable of offering up this sacrifice (#Ps 148:11-13),
especially his own people, who have more cause to do it, and are more concerned
to do it, than any other, #Ps 148:14.”
(Matthew Henry)
“The song is one and indivisible. It
seems almost impossible to expound it in detail, for a living poem is not to be
dissected verse by verse. It is a song
of nature and of grace. As a flash of lightning flames through space, and enwraps
both heaven and earth in one vestment of glory, so doth the adoration of the
Lord in this Psalm light up all the universe, and cause it to glow with a
radiance of praise. The song begins in the heavens, sweeps downward to dragons
and all deeps, and then ascends again, till the people near unto Jehovah take
up the strain. For its exposition the chief requisite is a heart on fire with
reverent love to the Lord over all, who is to be blessed forever.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)
“The word ‘praise’ is used thirteen
times in these fourteen verses. The
psalm begins in the highest heavens and ends with the little nation of
Israel. If any psalm reveals the glory
and grandeur of the worship of the Lord, it is this one, for it is cosmic in
its dimension and yet very personal in its intentions. How anyone could trivialize the privilege and
responsibility of worship after pondering this psalm is difficult to
understand.” (Warren Wiersbe)
The Heavens Praise the Lord (vv.
1-6): “1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; Praise Him in the
heights! 2 Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! 3 Praise Him, sun and
moon; Praise Him,
all stars of light! 4 Praise Him, highest heavens, And the waters that are
above the heavens! 5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, For He commanded and they were
created. 6 He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree
which will not pass away.”
We see the word “praise” nine times
in these six short verses. The Hebrew
word that is translated “praise” is found 117 times in the KJV and it is also
translated glory 14, boast 10, mad 8, shine 3, foolish 3, fools 2, commended 2,
rage 2, celebrate 1, give 1, marriage 1, renowned in the KJV. Praise and fools do not seem that they could
come from the same Hebrew word, but they do:
“2c) (Pual)
2c1) to be praised,
be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise
2d) (Hithpael) to
boast, glory, make one’s boast
2e) (Poel) to make a
fool of, make into a fool
2f) (Hithpoel) to act
madly, act like a madman”
The psalmist begins his praise in
the heavens and then moves to the angels and all the hosts (armies of heaven),
which means angels and planets and stars and all of these praise the Lord. When we look in the Bible we see few
descriptions of praise and worship, but we do see it in Isaiah chapter six,
Daniel 7:9-10; and also in Revelations 5:11-14.
As believers we praise the Lord who
made the heavens and the earth and all that is seen, but there are times when
the unbelievers worship the things that are made on this earth, things like
idols that have ears that do not hear, and eyes that do not see, and a mouth
that cannot speak, and also a nose that cannot smell anything.
The psalmist speaks of the waters
that are on the earth and those that are above the earth, and this can be seen
in Genesis 1:6-7 and 7:11.
Dr. Wiersbe finishes his commentary
on these six verses with these words, “Why should the hosts of heaven praise
the Lord? Simply because He made them
and gave them the privilege of serving Him and His people and bringing glory to
His name. We have many more reason for
praising Him, and yet too often, we do not do it.”
Spiritual
meaning for my life today: Psalms
145-150 all speak of praising the Lord and I am glad to be studying these
psalms because that is one thing lacking in my walk with the Lord.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Praise the
Lord, continue to learn contentment, and continue to memorize and study God’s
Word so that my mind will be transformed from the inside out.
Memory verses for the
week: Psalm 130:1-8
1 Out of the depths I have cried to
You, O LORD. 2 Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of
my supplications. 3 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could
stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait,
And in His word do I hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord More than the watchmen
for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel,
hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is lovingkindness, And with Him is
abundant redemption. 8 And He will redeem Israel From all his iniquities.
12/12/2012 6:16:28 PM
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