Day #150
Scripture Reading: Psalms 72 - 74 …
As you begin today, reading Psalm 72 is confusing
if you don't understand who Solomon is writing about. Solomon was a great
king in Israel. His father, David, was even greater in God's eyes.
But Solomon says some things here that could not possibly apply to any
earthly king! He begins by praying, "Endow the king with Your
justice, O God, the royal son with Your righteousness" (72:1).
That could apply to Solomon, the son of King David. But then he
goes on to say, "He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the
moon, through all generations" (72:5). That cannot refer to any
human king!
And there's more: "He will rule from
sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth" (72:8). "All
kings will bow down to Him and all nations will serve Him" (72:11).
"May His name endure forever … All nations will be
blessed through Him, and they will call Him blessed" (72:17).
And he concludes, "Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to His glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen" (72:18-19). Surely, these words point to the One who will
reign forever ... to JESUS!! Solomon was
inspired by the Holy Spirit and was writing about Jesus almost a thousand years
before He was born.
Asaph, the writer of the next few Psalms, begins
Psalm 73 with a testimony and then reveals how easily we can slip into
discouragement when our minds and hearts are not where they should be:
focused on God. He says, "Surely God is good to Israel, to
those who are pure in heart" (73:1). So far so good! "BUT
as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For
I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (73:2-3).
Who has not been there?! Who has not at least thought, if not
expressed the feelings in words, "God, why does it seem like those who
don't know you have an easier life than I do?!"
Asaph is honest when he expresses his feelings:
"Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed
my hands in innocence" (73:13). In other words, why try to do
things the right way when those who do things wrong seem to "get
ahead"? Have you had these thoughts? Have you said these
words, or similar ones? Have you asked the questions? Have you
presented your complaint to God? Maybe you are there right now.
Perhaps the circumstances of your life appear unfair because you have put
your hope in God and you feel like He has let you down. Listen carefully
to what God wants you to hear today …
"If I had said, 'I will speak thus,' I would
have betrayed Your children. When I tried to understand all this, it was
oppressive to me … TILL I entered the sanctuary of God" (73:15-17).
When the Psalmist turned to God and set His mind on what he knew about
God and allowed the Spirit of God to give him wisdom, he understood that God
wasn’t finished yet … either with his circumstances or those of the wicked.
The wicked walk on slippery ground and it is only a matter of time before
they face the consequences of their sinful rebellion against God. God
sees it all and He WILL deal with sin, either in this life or in eternity - or
both.
And what about believers? What about those
who truly know God and who love God and who are seeking to follow His ways?
Listen to this testimony … to our testimony … and I pray to YOUR
testimony: "Yet, I am always with You; You hold me by my right
hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into
glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I
desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but GOD is the
strength of my heart and my portion forever!" (73:23-26).
If you would memorize some verses of Scripture, make it these!!
This testimony leads to Asaph's conclusion: "Those
who are far from You will perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.
But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the
Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds" (73:28).
Have you entered the sanctuary of God and listened to Him speak to You
through His Word? No wonder that another Psalm says, "Your Word
is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).
Right now, where you are, no matter what your circumstances, you can
enter into God's presence in prayer by faith in Jesus and pour out your heart
to Him. But don't forget to listen! Too often we present our
requests (complaints, desperate cries and wants) to God, but don't hear what He
says. We need to be students of His Word for in His Word GOD SPEAKS!!
And finally, Psalm 74 expresses more questions,
that when taken along with Psalm 73, have already been answered. The
temple was destroyed by enemies, but GOD cannot be destroyed! Men can
burn God's earthly sanctuary (74:7), but they cannot touch His heavenly one;
and one day God will establish His sanctuary on the new earth and the King of
Righteousness will reign forever. By faith in Jesus you and I can enter
God's sanctuary TODAY! "But you, O God, are MY King from of old;
YOU bring salvation upon the earth" (74:12). "It was
YOU" … who did great and mighty things before. It is
YOU who do them today. And it is YOU who will do them in the future,
until Your kingdom comes and Your will is done on earth as it is in heaven!!
THAT must be our prayer … the prayer Jesus taught
His disciples to pray. We will never understand all the events in our
lives and in the world around us, but this we KNOW: God is ruling over it
all and when we enter into His sanctuary and gaze upon His majesty, all the
rest will be forgotten, as Isaiah writes in Isaiah 65:17: "Behold,
I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be
remembered, nor will they come to mind." Enter God's sanctuary
today and find the peace you are looking for.
"Heavenly Father, it is so comforting to know
that You ARE the Sovereign LORD in whom we may find refuge and strength.
Keep me close to You and help me to set my heart and mind on things
above, where Jesus is seated at Your right hand. And remind me, in those
times when I forget and become confused and worried, that Jesus is still on the
throne and the angels are singing … and give me grace to join them in
praising You, my God. In Jesus' name, Amen"
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