SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
6/23/2012 10:34:00 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm 97 PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 97:1-2
Message of the verses: We will begin to look at Psalm 97 in today’s
Spiritual Diary by looking at several introductions from different Bible
Commentators in order to get understanding as to what this psalm is about and
how we will be able to apply it to our lives in order to bring glory to Jesus
Christ.
“This psalm
dwells upon the same subject, and is set to the same tune, with the foregoing
psalm. Christ is the Alpha and the Omega of both; they are both penned, and are
both to be sung to his honour; and we make nothing of them if we do not, in
them, make melody with our hearts to the Lord Jesus. He it is that reigns, to
the joy of all mankind (#Ps 97:1); and his government speaks.” (Matthew Henry)
“As the
fast Psalm sung the praises of the Lord in connection with the proclamation of
the gospel among the Gentiles, so this appears to foreshadow the mighty working
of the Holy Ghost in subduing the colossal systems of error, and casting down
the idol gods. Across the sea to
maritime regions a voice cries for rejoicing at the reign of Jesus (#Ps 97:1),
the sacred fire descends (#Ps 97:3), like lightning the gospel flames forth
(#Ps 97:4), difficulties vanish (#Ps 97:5), and all the nations see the glory of
God (#Ps 97:6). The idols are confounded (#Ps 97:7), the church rejoices (#Ps
98:8), the Lord is exalted (#Ps 98:9). The Psalm closes with an exhortation to
holy steadfastness under the persecution which would follow, and bids the
saints rejoice that their path is bright, and their reward glorious and
certain. Modern critics, always intent upon ascribing the psalms to anybody
rather than to David, count themselves successful in dating this song further
on than the captivity, because it contains passages similar to those which
occur in the later prophets; but we venture to assert theft it is quite as
probable that the prophets adopted the language of David as that some unknown
writer borrowed from them. One psalm in this series is said to be "in David,"
and we believe that the rest are in the same place, and by the same author. The
matter is not important, and we only mention it because it seems to be the
pride of certain critics to set up new theories; and there are readers who
imagine this to be a sure proof of prodigious learning. We do not believe that
their theories are worth the paper they are written upon.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)
“The
psalmist, though recognizing the Lord’s universal rule at the present (v. 9),
anticipates a new coming of the Lord to judge the earth. The imagery of the Lord’s presence may, in
fact, be the basis of some NT passages’ descriptions of the second coming (cf.
Mat.24; Rev 19). Special emphasis is
also placed on the Lord’s totally righteous judgments on the world in His
kingdom, as well as His obliteration of false religions.” (The John MacArthur Study Bible)
“The psalm is
picked up the theme in 96:13 and described the King coming to judge His enemies
and reward His people. In 95, the
emphasis was on God’s people, and 96 focused our attention on the nations of
the world. This psalm combines both
themes and tells us that Jehovah is ‘the Lord Most High’ in heaven (v. 9 NASB)
who has all things under His control.
Believers today see Jesus as God’s exalted King (see Acts 2:32-33; 5:31;
Eph 1:17-23; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 1:3; 1Peter 3:22; Rev. 3:21).” (Dr. Warren Wiersbe)
The Lord Is Exalted on His Throne (vv.
1-2): “1 ¶ The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; Let
the many islands be glad. 2 Clouds and
thick darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of
His throne.”
It was the
job of Israel to let the light of the Lord shine through them in Old Testament
times, and now it is the job of the Church today to let the light of the Lord
to shine throughout the entire world.
There are times, in fact many times, in our lives when we find it hard
to believe that God reigns over all the earth, but the fact of the matter He
does and He is sitting on His throne at this very moment reigning over all of
the earth. Then I heard something like
the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the
sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our
God, the Almighty, reigns.” (Rev.
19:6) Now what are the reasons that we
have a hard time believing that the Lord reigns on the earth all of the
time? I suppose that the reason that
many people think of is that there is so much injustice going all around the
world. This is true, for there is
injustice going on all around the world all of the time. Let’s look at a favorite verse of many people
to help us better understand this:
Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for
good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This verse is directed to believers stating
that God causes ALL things to work together for good to those who are His
own. All is a very small word, but has a
very big meaning for all means everything, which means there is nothing that we
can think of that can happen to us that is not in the scope of the word all in
this verse. One of the things that is
involved in that word all is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, in fact I believe
that is right in the center of the “alls” of life. If God, (and He can) use the worst thing that
has ever happened on planet earth to turn out to be the best thing that ever
happened on planet earth to work out for good, then nothing else can even come
close to God using all things to work together for good for His children.
This psalm
starts out in darkness which is seen in verse two, but will end in light for
those who are righteous in verse eleven.
Dr. Wiersbe writes “Though His throne is surrounded by clouds and
darkness, and we do not fully understand the mysteries of His providence, we
know that His throne rests on righteousness and justice and that ‘the Judge of
all the earth [will] do right (Gen. 18:25).”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Knowing that God reigns and will always reign
give comfort to my heart, and so I can rejoice in this wonderful truth.
My Steps of Faith for
Today: Continue to abide in the Vine
in order to trust that the Lord will cause me to do the works that He planned
for me to do before the earth was made.
Memory verses for the week:
2Peter 1:1-3 “Simon Peter, a
bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those
who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our
God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2. Grace
and peace be multiplied to you by 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 it is own glory and excellence.”
6/23/2012 11:44:47 AM
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