June 25th Psalm 1
1: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2: But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4: The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5: Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6: For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Psalm 2
1: Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2: The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3: Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4: He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5: Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6: Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7: I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8: Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9: Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 10: Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11: Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12: Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
A Psalm of David, when he fled from Abalom his son.
Psalm 3
1: LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2: Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3: But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4: I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5: I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. 6: I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. 7: Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8: Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
To the chief musician on Neginoth.
Today we begin studies in the Psalms. This is going to prove to be both very interesting and very blessed. In the first Psalm the poet describes the blessed man who lives in the fear of the Lord under the Mosaic Law. The blessed man has three negative things about his life. He does not live his life based on the ungodly advice of wicked men. Secondly he does not take his stand on the side of sinful men. Rather he crosses the valley to stand with the armies of the living God. Thirdly he does not sit in bitter mockery of those who try to live righteously before the Lord according to law. It’s easy to be grumpy and cynical but the blessed man is not like that. On the positive side the blessed man is a man whose absolute delight is in the meditation of the word of the Lord. He thinks about it day and night. The word of God is never far from his thinking. He thinks about it in the busy round of daily work and at night in his wakeful moments. Then the poet changes into an artist to paint a picture of a tree which he likens to the blessed man. This tree is no wild tree it is planted by the gardener to be in exactly the right place. It is planted by an endless source of sustenance and therefore it bring forth fruit that is fully developed and in the right time. And the tree opens its branches and bathes in the light of heaven. Then the poet breaks the picture to say that this man – the blessed man is prosperous in all he does. Then the scene changes and he describes the ungodly. They are life the chaff the wafer of husk that surrounds the kernel of grain which is light and the slightest breeze blows it clean away never to be seen again. Then the Poet declares that the ungodly WILL NOT STAND in the judgment. They have no honour and prosrate themselves before the judge of all men in terror. They will not be part of the assembly of the righteous in the coming kingdom. Why is this so? Because the Lord knows the life that the righteous live and he will make sure that the life style of the ugodly will be obliterated forever. The second Psalm is a series of expressions of incredulity regarding the plans of evil men to thwart the Messianic reign of Christ. When Christ comes to establish his everlasting kingdom the kings of the earth will not like it one bit. They will rage against him and think that they can over come him my military might. They will plan to invade the Holy land. They will plan to overthrow his rule. But the Lord will laugh and then he will come on them in his fierce anger. God will set his son in Zion on his holy hill. He will say of his this is my son. He will break his enemies with a rod of iron and break them in pieces like a clay pot. You nations – be wise. Kneel and kiss the son of God Lest he be angry and you perish from the earth. But the blessing of God will rest on all those who put their trust in him. The third Psalm is an expression of the troubles that come to the man of God in the course of his ministry. They taunt him saying there is no help for him in God. If there is no help in God then he is lost forever. Then the Psalmist rises up to contradict the words of men declaring that The LORD is a shield for him and his glory and the lifter up of his head. He is able to face men eye to eye and lift up his head to see the Lord his Saviour. He says l called on the Lord and he heard me in Zion his holy hill. He says l laid down to sleep and l woke up because the Lord sustained me. So l will not be afraid of 10,000 who surround me. He calls on the Lord to save him. He says the Lord has judged his enemies and saved him and blessed him – Think of that.
Steve
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