SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
6/26/2012 8:59:38 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm 98 PT-2
Bible Reading &
Meditation Reference: Psalm 98:4-9
Message of the verses: In the last SD we looked at the introductions
from several Bible Commentators for Psalm 98 and then we looked at the first
three verses of the psalm. Today we will
look at the remaining verses.
A Joyous Celebration (vv. 4-6): “4 ¶
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy
and sing praises. 5 Sing praises to the
LORD with the lyre, With the lyre and the sound of melody. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout
joyfully before the King, the LORD.”
Dr. Wiersbe states that this
section is similar to what the prophet Isaiah wrote about when he spoke about
the Exodus of Israel from Egypt. We know
from the reading of many different Scriptures from the OT that Israel’s worship
of the Lord was made up of singing to the Lord along with joyful praises given
to the Lord. Let’s look at one of the
passages that speaks of this type of worship to the Lord by Israel: “10
Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD,
the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of
Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD according to the directions of King
David of Israel. 11 They sang, praising
and giving thanks to the LORD, saying, "For He is good, for His
lovingkindness is upon Israel forever." And all the people shouted with a
great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of
the LORD was laid. 12 Yet many of the
priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen
the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was
laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the
sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the
people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.” (Ezra 3:10-13)
I can look
at the celebration that the psalmist is writing about and also think of a time
in the future when the Lord Jesus Christ will return to earth, which is
described in the 19th chapter of the book of Revelations, and once
He finishes separating the sheep from the goats, and the temple is then built
and the earth is restored by the Lord, He will begin to reign in Jerusalem and
all the earth will worship and celebrate having the Lord on the throne. I believe that there will be the kind of
celebration that is written by the psalmist at that time.
A Glorious Expectation (vv. 79): “7 Let
the sea roar and all it contains, The world and those who dwell in it. 8 Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the
mountains sing together for joy 9 Before
the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with
righteousness And the peoples with equity.”
In Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary on
this section he states that this section also points to the second advent of
the Lord Jesus Christ, but also speaks of when the Lord delivered Israel from
the time they spent in Babylon.
In the
first section of this psalm we saw the psalmist write about the Lord as
Deliverer and then King, and now he writes about the Lord as the Judge of all
the earth, the One who will judge the world with righteousness. When I think of righteousness I cannot help
but think of what I believe is the most unfair, but also the best trade that
can be given. I am speaking of when the
Lord Jesus died on the cross and took my sin upon Him and in exchange for my
sin He gave me His righteousness so that when God sees me He sees the
righteousness of Jesus Christ. I cannot
get any better than that.
We see in
this section great praise given to the Lord from not only the people on the
earth, but also from God’s creation as well, as we see the rivers and seas clap
their hands in praise to the Lord along with the singing of the mountains. One of the most peaceful things a person can
encounter is going to the seashore and listen to the waves come in, and in this
the sea is praising the Lord according to the psalmist.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I realize that we live in a world that is
cursed from the fall of man, but according to what Paul wrote to the Romans one
day that curse will be gone and the earth is waiting for that to happen. 22 For
we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth
together until now. 23 And not only
this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we
ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the
redemption of our body. 24 For in hope
we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what
he already sees? 25 But if we hope for
what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” (Romans 8:22-26) One day soon we will see the Lord come in the
clouds to receive His bride and take her to heaven and then in a short time
after that He will return to earth with His bride and we will rule and reign
with the Lord on this earth for 1000 years.
We will see the curse lifted from the earth as the Lord will remake the
earth into something that will be similar to when He first created the
earth. All the earth at that time will
praise the Lord. What a day that will
be.
My Steps of Faith for
Today: Continue to abide in the vine
in order to produce the fruit that God has prepared for me to produce in
eternity past.
Memory verses for the week:
2Peter 2:1-3:
1.
Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus
Christ,
To
those who have received a faith of the same kind as our, by the righteousness
of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our
Lord; 3. seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining
to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His
glory and excellence.
6/26/2012 9:36:37 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment