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 favor 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 honor and
happiness of their parents. It is THE BUILDER’S PSALM. "Every house is
built 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 encountered
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. “1 Pe 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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