SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/13/2012
9:30:22 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm 127
PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 27:1a
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 favour 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 honour and
happiness of their parents. It is THE BUILDER’S PSALM. "Every house is
builded 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
t 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 came in contact with 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 Chris 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. “1Pe 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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