SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/17/2012
10:21:24 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm 136
PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 136:1-9
Message of
the verses: We will begin to look at the 136th
Psalm in Today’s SD by looking at several introductions from different Bible
Commentators.
“We know not by whom this Psalm was written, but we do
know that it was sung in Solomon’s temple (#2Ch 7:3,6), and by the armies of
Jehoshaphat when they sang themselves into victory in the wilderness of Tekoa.
From the striking form of it we should infer that it was a popular hymn among
the Lord’s ancient people. Most hymns with a solid, simple chorus become
favourites with congregations, and this is sure to have been one of the best
beloved. It contains nothing but praise. It is tuned to rapture, and can only
be fully enjoyed by a devoutly grateful heart.
“It
commences with a threefold praise to the Triune Lord (#Ps 136:1-3), then it
gives us six notes of praise to the Creator (#Ps 136:4-9), six more upon
deliverance from Egypt (#Ps 136:10-15), and seven upon the journey through the
wilderness and the entrance into Canaan.
Then we have two happy verses of personal gratitude for present mercy
(#Ps 136:23-24), one (#Ps 136:25) to tell of the Lord’s universal providence,
and a closing verse to excite to never ending praise.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)
“This
is an antiphonal psalm, prepared to be used by a worship leader and a choir, or
a worship leader and the congregation, or perhaps two choirs. The rabbis called it ‘The Great Hallel’
(praise). The psalm reviews God’s
dealings with His people and turns history into theology and theology into
worship. If our worship is not based on
history—what God had done in this world—then it lacks a theological message and
is not true worship at all. The refrain
is a familiar one. It was sung at the
dedication of Solomon’s temple (2Chron. 7:3, 6) and also by King Jehoshaphat’s
singers when Judah was attacked by Moab and Ammon (2Chron. 20:21). (See also 106:1; 107:1; and 118:1 and
29.) The divine title ‘the God of heaven’
(v. 26) suggests a post-eilic date, for ‘God of heaven’ was a title used
frequently in that period (Ezra 1:2; 5:11-12; 6:9-10; 7:12, 21, 23; Neh. 1:4;
2:4; Dan. 2:18, 19, 44). The focus is on
giving thanks to God for who He is and what He has done for His people.” (Dr. Warren Wiersbe)
Antiphon: “Music sung in alternation parts, a hymn or
psalm performed by two groups of singers chanting alternate sections.” (Encarta Dictionary: English (North America)
The Creator—He Brings Forth (vv.
1-9): “1
¶ Give thanks to the LORD, for He is
good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 2
Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For
His lovingkindness is everlasting. 4 To
Him who alone does great wonders, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; 5 To Him who made the heavens with skill, For
His lovingkindness is everlasting; 6 To
Him who spread out the earth above the waters, For His lovingkindness is
everlasting; 7 To Him who made the great
lights, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: 8 The sun to rule by day, For His
lovingkindness is everlasting, 9 The
moon and stars to rule by night, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
The
psalmist begins right at the beginning to begin his praise to the Lord, as he
writes about the creation, and creation was performed by the One and only True
God who had made Himself known to His people Israel.
In
today’s world as we live in the 21st century in the United States of
America, creation is not a popular subject, in fact if the teaching on creation
in school is almost against the law.
There is a documentary entitled “Exposed” that tells about different
teachers who were kicked out of their schools for talking about creation. Why do people not want to hear the truth
about God who truly did create the world?
I believe the answer is that if people believed in a God who created the
world then they would have to be accountable to Him, and that is something that
they do not want to be.
Dr.
Wiersbe writes “Because humanity refused to be thankful for creation, mankind
began that terrible descent into ignorance, idolatry, immorality, and ultimate
judgment Romans 1:18ff.) In the day or
the night, whether we look up at the heavens or down at the earth and waters,
we should see evidence of the hand of God and realize that a Creator brought it
forth from nothing. In this creation is
all that we need for life and work, so let us thank Him.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I have a hard time understanding how people
can look up into the heavens and then down at the earth and think that it was a
big accident. How people can know what
time the sun will rise and then go down each and every day, to be able to chart
the times the tides come in and go out, to look at the human body, and how it
is made, to see animals and insects, and trees and plants and how they all
reproduce after their own kind and not see that it was all done by a loving creator. As stated earlier people do not want to be
accountable, but the sad thing is all people will someday be accountable to God
as they all will stand before Him. I
hope that I will have the opportunity of telling many about the God of Creation
and about His grace and mercy offered to them.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Continue to learn contentment, and continue
to be transformed by the Word of God through the help of the Holy Spirit.
Memory verses for the
week: Psalm 130:1-4
1 Out of the debts I cried to You, O Lord. 2 Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my
supplications. 3 If You, Lord, should
mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
11/17/2012 11:10:18 AM
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