Today’s reading is the longest set of psalms
in our series. So get ready to read.
“Give it up to the LORD!” Almost like a late
night TV show host introducing his next guest is how Psalm 29 begins. “Give a
nice welcome to the LORD.” “Heeeerrrrres the LORD.” What are we to give up to Him? We are to
recognize His glory, strength, and the splendor of His holiness. To put it
another way, we are to acknowledge just how different from ourselves and just
how superior in every way He is. Words fail before they are even uttered at
capturing the greatness of the LORD. Verse 3-9 give small glimpses at the
LORD’s power. These are there as if to say, “Hey guys, look at nature’s power.
That is nothing compared to mine.” So give it up to the LORD!
Have you ever felt like your adversary was
“going for blood”? Psalm 59 records that feeling (Ps 59:2). The picture of dogs
waiting to viciously attack the writer appears twice in this psalm (vv6 &
14). The writer’s enemies pictured as dogs on the prowl for blood, his blood is
a pretty disturbing picture. He wants the LORD to intervene, to destroy them in
order to protect His people (vv12-13). The way he survives is to focus
periodically on the LORD (v16). He declares his dependence on the LORD. In our
society that teaches us to really rely on no one, this is a radical statement
for us. Radical, but true! We need to rely on the LORD.
“How is like you, LORD God Almighty” asks
the writer of Psalm 89. And the answer he gives is no one. His love (v4) and
faithfulness (v8), the creation itself, His righteousness and justice (14), and
His continued presence with David the king each speak of His unparalleled
nature. Even when His people fail, and He sends enemies to chasten, the LORD
remains faithful. As the writer now lives with the consequences of rebellion,
he cries out to the LORD, “Remember” (vv47 & 50). It is almost as if he
were trying to get the LORD’s attention.
Psalm 119 has three defining components.
First, every eight verses begin with the next letter in the Hebrew alphabet.
Most modern translations mark this with the inclusion of the Hebrew letter
before these sections, i.e. Aleph before verse one, Beth before verse nine,
etc. The second component is the fact that God’s Word is referred to in almost
every verse. Statutes, ways, precepts, decrees, commands, laws, word, promise.
The central and essential nature of God’s Word is celebrated and recounted. The
writer seems to spend a lot of time with His Word on his heart and mind.
Probably a pretty good practice for us to adopt. Lots of benefits from this practice.
Finally, the last component is the length of the psalm. It is the longest in
the Scriptures, although not the longest song in recorded history.
Sometimes the Psalms surprise us with their
content. Psalm 149:6-9 took me by surprise. As the writer is calling God’s
people to worship, he puts two seemingly incongruous elements together in these
verses. He puts praise of God and vengeance on their enemies in the same
context. Justice is not contrary to God’s nature, even when it means an enemy
is defeated. In fact, when God’s people are the instrument of that punishment,
the writer says it is to their glory! In the era of Jihad, an abhorrent practice
promulgated by a religion whose roots are evil, to read that the LORD’s people
might be involved in carrying out His justice with a sword is perhaps
surprising. But, surprising or not, God sometimes uses His people to carry out
justice.