SPIRITUAL DIARY
FOR 11/21/2012 9:52:12 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm 138
PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 138:1-8
Message of
the verses: We will begin looking at the 138th
Psalm in Today’s Spiritual Diary by looking at different commentators
introduction to this psalm.
“This psalm is generally thought to have been
written by David upon his being advanced to the throne; on account of which he
praises the Lord, who had supported him under many exercises, and had made good
his promise to him, at least in part; and he firmly believed the accomplishment
of the rest, that he would perfect what concerned him, #Ps 138:8. It seems as
if this psalm was composed between his being king over Judah and over all
Israel. Though Theodoret understands the psalm as a thanksgiving of the Jews
upon their return from Babylon, which David prophesied of. The Syriac version
calls it a thanksgiving with a prophecy; as indeed it is a prophecy of the
Messiah’s kingdom, and of the calling of the Gentiles in the latter day, as
appears from #Ps 138:4.” (John Gill)
“TITLE: A Psalm of David. This Psalm is wisely placed.
Whoever edited and arranged these sacred poems, he had an eye to apposition and
contrast; for if in #Ps 137:1-9 we see the need of silence before revilers;
here we see the excellence of a brave confession. There is a time to be silent,
lest we cast pearls before swine; and there is a time to speak openly, lest we
be found guilty of cowardly not confessing. The Psalm is evidently of a Davidic
character, exhibiting all the fidelity, courage, and decision of that King of
Israel and Prince of Psalmists. Of course the critics have tried to rend the
authorship from David on account of the mention of the temple, though it so
happens that in one of the Psalms which is allowed to be David’s the same word
occurs. Many modern critics are to the word of God what blowflies are to the
food of men: they cannot do any good, and unless relentlessly driven away they
do great harm.
“DIVISION:
In full confidence David is prepared to own his God before the gods of the
heathen, or before angels or rulers (#Ps 138:1-3); he declares that he will
instruct and convert kings and nations, till on very highway men shall sing the
praises of the Lord (#Ps 138:4-5).
Having thus spoken, he utters his personal confidence in Jehovah, who
will help his lowly servant, and preserve him from all the malice of wrathful
foes.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)
“This
is the first of eight psalms attributed to David. They form a special collection just before
the five ‘Hallelujah Psalms’ that climax the book. The psalm probably grew out of the opposition
of the neighboring nations when David became king of a united Israel (2Samuel
5; 8:1-14). It was God’s plan that David
reign over Israel (v.8), but the Jebusites, Philistines, and Moabites wanted a
divided Israel with a weak leader. David
knew God’s will, prayed for God’s help (v.3), trusted God for victory (vv.
7-8), and defeated the enemy. The psalm
does not mention the Lord until verse 4, but it is obvious that Jehovah is the
object of David’s prayers and praise.
The psalm helps us understand better what really happens when God
answers prayer.” (Dr. Warren Wiersbe)
Answered Prayer
Glorifies God’s Name (vv. 1-3): “1 A Psalm of David: I will give You thanks
with all my heart; I will sing praises to You before the gods. 2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple And
give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have
magnified Your word according to all Your name. 3 On the day I called, You
answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.”
David’s
desire was to glorify the Lord which is expressed in this section of this
psalm. Even though we don’t see the word
God here we do know that David is writing about God when he uses the word
“You.” In verse two we see the words
Holy Temple and we know that David had died before the temple was built by his
son Solomon, but this could be translated tabernacle, and so David was speaking
about the tabernacle and not the temple.
In
writing on verse two Dr. Wiersbe states that the third line in verse two in the
KJV and the NKJV “so as not to give the impression that God’s Word is greater
than God’s character and reputation (‘name’).
The meaning seems to be: ‘I trusted your promises and prayed, and the
Lord answered above and beyond anything that He promised.” This reminds us of Ephesians 3:19-20, “19 and
to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up
to all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly
beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within
us.”
Answered Prayer
Gives Witness to the Lost (vv. 4-5): “4
All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, O LORD, When they have
heard the words of Your mouth. 5 And they will sing of the ways of the LORD,
For great is the glory of the LORD.”
A
friend of mine was helping to coach his son’s little league team and the coach
of the team revealed that he was unhappy at his job. My friend told him that he would pray for
him. A few weeks went by and then the
coach told my friend that out of the blue he was able to change his job. This answer to my friend’s prayer was a
wonderful witness to this man. David’s
prayers were also a witness to the surrounding Gentile nations as can be seen
in 2 Samuel 5:11&12, “11 Then Hiram
king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and
stonemasons; and they built a house for David. 12 And David realized that the
LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his
kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.” We read in the life of David that Hiram was a
good friend of David’s and so David could be a good witness to him.
David
writes that all the kings of the earth will give thanks to the Lord, and this
could be a prophetic statement for we read the following in Revelations 21:24, “The nations will walk by its light, and the
kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.” This part of the book of Revelations is about
the eternal kingdom of God, and this all happens after this present world has
been destroyed, (2Peter 3:10). There is
a New Jerusalem that comes down from God and it is unknown whether it is placed
upon the new earth or is suspended in space or if it sits upon the earth, but
at any rate the kings of the earth will bring glory to the Lord.
Answered Prayers
Accomplishes God’s Purposes in Our Lives (vv. 6-8): 6 For
though the LORD is exalted, Yet He regards the lowly, But the haughty He knows
from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You
will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right
hand will save me. 8 The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Your
lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your
hands.”
We
know that the Lord is the highest of the high and that He is the greatest of
the great, and yet the Lord still “regards the lowly.” “5 For He did not subject to angels the world to
come, concerning which we are speaking. 6
But one has testified somewhere, saying, "WHAT IS MAN, THAT YOU
REMEMBER HIM? OR THE SON OF MAN, THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HIM? 7 "YOU HAVE MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE
LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND HAVE
APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; 8
YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET." For in
subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But
now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. 9 But we do see Him who was made for a little
while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death
crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death
for everyone.” Hebrews 2:5-9
which speaks of the lowliness of Jesus.
Jesus is the highest of the high and the greatest of the great, but
Jesus was more humble than anyone ever born to woman. I can’t comprehend how the Lord Jesus Christ
could be beaten by the very people that He created. Jesus had power under control something that
very few men can handle. I suppose I do
know the answer to this question is LOVE.
“4 ¶ Love is patient, love is kind and is not
jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek
its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but
rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all
things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1Cor. 13:4-7) Look at these verses and you see Jesus Christ
in them for Jesus is patient, kind, not jealous, does not brag, is not
provoked, He did not take into an account the sufferings of wrong He went
through, He never rejoiced in any unrighteousness, but He did rejoice in the
truth. Jesus bore all things, believed
all things, He hoped all things and He surely endured all things. Since I have again memorized this 13th
chapter of 1Corinthians I could not help but see that God is love as this
chapter describes God’s love.
Dr.
Wiersbe concludes his commentary with these words, “It has well been said that
the purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven but to get God’s
will done on earth, and this was demonstrated in David’s life.”
Spiritual meaning for my life
today: I have been a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ for almost
39 years and can still say that prayer is a complicated adventure, something
that I still don’t fully understand, but continue to learn more about it. I realize that to tack on “in Jesus’ name,
Amen,” does not assure me of having a positive answer to my prayer. I have learned that my prayer must be in the
will of God so that it will bring glory to God.
I have learned that I am to pray about things that the Lord has already
promised in His Word. (Look at the first
23 verses of Daniel chapter nine.) I
have learned that I have to have a short list with the Lord in order for God to
hear my prayers. I have learned that I
am to treat my wife in a godly manner to have my prayers answered. My prayers must be sincere. I have learned that God wants me to pray
Scripture back to me. I have learned
that prayer is a privilege and that my prayers should reflect that and that I
should be passionate in my prayers. But
there is still much more to learn about prayer.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Be
passionate in my prayer. Be more content
in my life, and be transformed by His Word.
“Establish my footsteps in Your word, And do not let any iniquity have
dominion over me.” (Psalm 119:33)
Memory verses for the
week: Psalm 130:1-5
1 Out of the
debts I 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.
11/21/2012 11:48:29 AM
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