August 5th
Psalm 87
A Psalm or song for the sons of Korah
Zion
1:
His foundation is in the holy mountains. 2:
The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of
Jacob. 3:
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah. 4:
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold
Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. 5:
And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and
the highest himself shall establish her. 6:
The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man
was born there. Selah. 7:
As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all
my springs are in thee.
A
song or Psalm for the sons of korah to the chief musician upon
Mahaleth leannoth
Psalm 88
Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite
A
Prayer for life
1:
O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
2:
Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; 3:
For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the
grave. 4:
I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that
hath no strength: 5:
Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou
rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. 6:
Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. 7:
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy
waves. Selah. 8:
Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me
an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth. 9:
Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily
upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee. 10:
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise
thee? Selah. 11:
Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy
faithfulness in destruction? 12:
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the
land of forgetfulness? 13:
But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my
prayer prevent thee. 14:
LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?
15:
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy
terrors I am distracted. 16:
Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off. 17:
They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about
together. 18:
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance
into darkness.
Today we have been
reading Psalm 87 & 88. In Psalm 87 we have a Psalm dedicated to
the sons of Korah, in which we have described the blessedness of
those who dwell in Zion. There are three verses all of which begin
with describing other dwellings, nations and peoples and they all are
in contrast to the city of God Zion. In the beginning the Psalmist
says that the foundations which the Lord has laid are situated in the
holy mountains of the Lord. Then he says, The Lord loves the gates of
Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. The gates of Zion are the
focus of the civil and religious life of Zion they are the means of
entrance for the people of God into the very presence of the Lord.
Then the Psalmist says that there are things which are spoken about
the city of God which bring glory to God. Then there is a pause in
the music to think about those things. He says I could talk of Egypt
(the ancient enemies of the Lord) and he says I could talk of Babylon
(which though Babylon claimed to be the greatest city in the world
does not have the blessing of God on her) Then he says, Look
Philistia and Tyre and look Ethiopia this man was born here. It will
become a matter of high status in the Messianic kingdom when a man
can say that he was born in Zion. The Lord himself will establish
Zion. When the Lord counts his people it will be a high honour for a
man or woman to say I was born in Zion. Think about that. The choirs
of the Lord will be in Zion and the springs of the Lord will flow out
of the city. It seems that this is a prophetic Psalm which describes
certain aspects of the Millennial kingdom and of Zion. In Psalm 88 we
are introduced to a teaching Psalm composed by Heman who was an
Ezrahite. Heman was a Kohathite 1Kings 4v31 and he is celebrated for
his wisdom. This Psalm has two verses both of which begin with
prayer. And then in both verses, he speaks of death, the wrath of God
and desolation. Heman begins saying, O Lord God of my deliverance, I
have wept day and night in front of you. Let my prayer be heard and
listen to my weeping. Then he says, my soul is full of troubles and I
am staring at an open grave. I am counted by the undertaker as a dead
man and I have no strength. Set me free from the dead O Lord, who you
have killed that they might never be remembered. You have laid me in
the deepest grave in the depths of the blackness of darkness. And
your wrath lies heavy on me. You have drowned me in your floods.
Think about that. You have separated me far away from my friends. I
am like a stinking corpse to them. I am buried so that I cannot rise.
My eyes mourn my own death O LORD. I have called everyday on you and
lifted up my hands to you. Will you show miracles to the dead? Will
the dead rise up to sing your praises? Think of that. Will your grace
be preached to the dead? Will they be taught your faithfulness who
lie in destruction? Can the dead see your wonders in the pitch dark?
Can they see your righteousness in the land of those who have no
memory? O Lord my prayer comes before you morning and evening. O Lord
why do you turn away from me? Why have you hidden your face from me?
Heman says, I have been afflicted by you and I have been ready to die
from my childhood and I am terrified to distraction. Your fierce
wrath comes over me like a flood and my fear of you destroys me. They
surround me everyday like a flood. You have taken from me my lover,
closest friends and my acquaintances.
- What does the Psalmist say about Zion?
- What is the Salvation that Heman longs for?
- Why is Heman so upset?
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