2/26/2012 8:27:27 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: God the Judge
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 50:1-6
Message of the verses: “Title. A Psalm of Asaph. This is the first of the Psalms of Asaph, but whether the production of that eminent musician, or merely dedicated to him, we cannot tell. The titles of twelve Psalms bear his name, but it could not in all of them be meant to ascribe their authorship to him, for several of these Psalms are of too late a date to have been composed by the same writer as the others. There was an Asaph in David’s time, who was one of David’s chief musicians, and his family appear to have continued long after in their hereditary office of temple musicians. An Asaph is mentioned as a recorder or secretary in the days of Hezekiah #2Ki 18:18, and another was keeper of the royal forests under Artaxerxes. That Asaph did most certainly write some of the Psalms is clear from #2Ch 29:30, where it is recorded that the Levites were commanded to "sing praises unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer," but that other Asaphic Psalms were not of his composition, but were only committed to his care as a musician, is equally certain from #1Ch 16:7, where David is said to have delivered a Psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. It matters little to us whether he wrote or sang, for poet and musician are near akin, and if one composes words and another sets them to music, they rejoice together before the Lord.
“Division: The Lord is represented as summoning the whole earth to hear his declaration, #Ps 50:1-6; he then declares the nature of the worship which he accepts, #Ps 50:7-15, accuses the ungodly of breaches of the precepts of the second table, #Ps 50:16-21, and closes the court with a word of threatening, #Ps 50:22, and a direction of grace, #Ps 50:23.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)
“Every seventh year, during the Feast of Tabernacles, the priests were obligated to read the law to the people and explain its meaning (Deut. 31:9-18; Neh. 8), and this psalm may have been written for such an occasion. The emphasis is on the consistent godly living that should result from true spiritual worship. Asaph was one of David’s worship leaders (see Ps. 39 introduction and 1Chron. 15:17ff and 16:4ff). A group of eleven psalms attributed to Asaph is found in 73-83. God the Judge summons the court (vv. 1-6) and confronts two offenders: the formalist, to whom worship is a ritual to follow (vv.7-15), and the hypocrite, to whom worship is a disguise to cover sin (vv. 16-21). The psalm closes with a call to all worshipers to be faithful to God (vv. 22-23).” Warren Wiersbe
In today’s SD we will be looking at Psalm 50 and as the commentators above have mentioned this is the first psalm of Asaph, and others will follow in Book Three, chapters 73-83. I have used introductions by Charles H. Spurgeon who was a Baptist Pastor in England in the late 1800’s. This is what Wikipedia has to say about Spurgeon, Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon (19 June 1834 – 31 January 1892) was a British Particular Baptist preacher. Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians of different denominations, among whom he is known as the "Prince of Preachers". He was a strong figure in the Reformed Baptist tradition, defending the Church in agreement with the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith understanding, and opposing the liberal and pragmatic theological tendencies in the Church of his day.
“In his lifetime, Spurgeon preached to around 10,000,000 people,[1] often up to 10 times each week at different places. Spurgeon was the pastor of the congregation of the New Park Street Chapel (later the Metropolitan Tabernacle) in London for 38 years.[2] He was part of several controversies with the Baptist Union of Great Britain and later had to leave the denomination.[3] In 1857, he started a charity organization called Spurgeon's which now works globally. He also founded Spurgeon's College, which was named after him posthumously.
“Spurgeon was a prolific author of many types of works including sermons, an autobiography, commentaries, books on prayer, devotionals, magazines, poetry, hymns and more.[4][5] Many sermons were transcribed as he spoke and were translated into many languages during his lifetime. Spurgeon produced powerful sermons of penetrating thought and precise exposition. His oratory skills held throngs of listeners spellbound in the Metropolitan Tabernacle and many Christians have discovered Spurgeon's messages to be among the best in Christian literature.”
There are many believers today who still look to some of the sermons and commentaries to which Spurgeon wrote and preached. I learned that Spurgeon had given his resignation to those who were in charge of Metropolitan Tabernacle many times only to be turned down by them. He suffered from some type of depression, perhaps Bi-Polar Mood Disorder, but God used him, and is still using him through what he preached and wrote today.
“The Holy Judge” (vv. 1-6): “1 «A Psalm of Asaph.» The Mighty One, God, the LORD, has spoken, And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth. 3 May our God come and not keep silence; Fire devours before Him, And it is very tempestuous around Him. 4 He summons the heavens above, And the earth, to judge His people: 5 "Gather My godly ones to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice." 6 And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is judge. Selah.”
While studying the book of Job which we began on October 21, 2011 we saw that there were many times that Job wanted to go to court with God because he knew that he was innocent of the charges that his friends were charging him with, and that was that the reason he was in such a difficult situation was because of his sin. We now see from Psalm 50 a court scene in which the Holy One of Israel is presiding over. This is none other than Elohim, the Lord or Jehovah the Most High. When we come into a court room and the judge enters we have to rise, but when the Lord is presiding over the court His glory is seen, the bright light of His glory. This is not unlike what the children of Israel saw when they came to Mt. Sinai when God revealed His holiness and greatness. Dr. Wiersbe writes, “When we forget the transcendence of God, we find it easier to sin.”
In 1Peter 4:17 we read, “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” The godly ones that is seen in verse five speaks of believers and we as believers are in need of judgment from God in order to have fellowship with Him, but Peter then states if the judgment begins with the godly ones then what kind of judgment will those who reject the Gospel of God. These are sobering thoughts.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I like so much the last two verses of Psalm 139 which say, “23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” There is a song called “Search Me” and it must have been inspired by these two verses. Living in the world today with all of its technical advances makes it easier to study the Word of God for all we have to do is get onto the internet to find help, but technology can also be used of Satan to cause people to fall, even believers are tempted by the technology today and are in need of cleansing. God loves His own so much that He cannot allow them to not confess their sins so that they can have fellowship with Him, something He desires very much. As we look at these verses in Psalm 50 we need to take them to heart, to look inside ourselves and to ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts so that we will have wonderful fellowship with the Lord.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
1. Psalm 139:23-24.
2. Romans 12:1-2.
3. Hebrews 4:12.
4. Ephesians 6:10-18.
5. Proverbs 3:5-6.
6. Mark 14:38.
7. Phil. 4:11b.
2/26/2012
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