PSALM 82
God is the Judge verse 1- 2
God stands in the congregation of the mighty
HE judges among the gods
How long will you judge unjustly
and accept the persons of the wicked? SELAH
Request to help the poor and fatherless verse 3- 4
Defend the poor and fatherless
do justice to the afflicted and needy
deliver the poor and needy
rid them out of the hand of the wicked
Wicked will be judged verse 5- 7
They know not – neither will they understand
they walk on in darkness
all the foundations of the earth are out of course
I have said
You are gods – and all of you are children of the most High
BUT you shall die like men
and fall like one of the princes
Plea for the God to judge verse 8
Arise – O God – JUDGE the earth
for YOU shall inherit all nations
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 “God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). gods – 430 אֱלֹהִים [ʾelohiym /el·o·heem/] n m p. Plural of 433; TWOT 93c; GK 466; 2606 occurrences; AV translates as “God” 2346 times, “god” 244 times, “judge” five times, “GOD” once, “goddess” twice, “great” twice, “mighty” twice, “angels” once, “exceeding” once, “God-ward + 4136” once, and “godly” once. 1 (plural). 1A rulers, judges. 1B divine ones. 1C angels. 1D gods. 2 (plural intensive—singular meaning). 2A god, goddess. 2B godlike one. 2C works or special possessions of God. 2D the (true) God. 2E God. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2001).
DEVOTION: The psalmist envisioned God presiding over an assembly of judges. The word gods (’ělōhîm) is used here for authorities in Israel (cf. 45:6; Ex. 21:6; 22:8–9). [The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, 854.] So many people think, feel and act like they are gods while serving in positions of authority. Whether you are king, ruler, governor, mayor, pastor, elder or parent the position can lead you to demonstrate unjust power! By God standing the psalmist is picturing the true leader and authority over all the others in attendance. He is challenging the other rulers to do the job for the people they are elected or appointed to do and not play favorites.
As leaders and people placed in positions of authority, we need to be careful to care for all the people under our supervision. The Supreme leader is evaluating and keeping a close record of our attitudes and actions!
CHALLENGE: Take a moment to evaluate how you are treating people around you! Don’t be a god, be a God-like example. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 2 How long will YOU judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah (4984 “accept” [mithnasse] means lift up, to take and lift upward, pardon, exalt, support, receive someone in a friendly manner, or raise high.)
DEVOTION: The present condition the Psalmist finds himself in is that it seems like the wicked are accepted and God is not doing anything about it. He doesn’t want the LORD to continue to allow the wicked to have their way in the world when he thinks that only those who are followers of the LORD should be blessing and the rest of the world cursed for their actions.
He wants the LORD to act quickly to remedy the situation. He wants those who are not following the LORD to not be accepted at all. He wants them to judged right away and those who are followers of the LORD to receive justice.
God does things in HIS own time and we need to realize that HE is going to act at just the right time and that we need to trust HIM.
Sometimes the LORD uses unjust people to get the attention of those who are HIS followers to turn closer to HIM and ask for HIS help.
A problem that many believers have is that they are not daily in times of study of the Word and prayer and think that everything should go fine even when they are not acting right.
God wants to get our attention at times to make sure that we are totally depend on HIM alone and we know this to be true and turn to HIM for help. HE is available at all times but we are not going to HIM enough usually.
CHALLENGE: If we see that things are not going right we need to go to HIM in prayer and ask for wisdom from HIM to know what to do about it.
_________________________________________________________________
: 4 Deliver the poor and needy; rid them out of the hand of the wicked. (6403 “Deliver” [palat] means to bring into security, deliver, to cause to escape, recovery or preservation from loss or danger, whether physical or spiritual.)
DEVOTION: The Psalmist Asaph wants the LORD to take care of the poor and needy. This is something HE does on a regular basis. HE knows what is going on in every person’s life. HE knows everyone’s needs.
Sometime or even most of the time we need to turn to HIM and ask HIM to help others as well as ourselves when we are going through a hard time in our life.
It seems at times that those who are not followers of the LORD have the life of Riley. They seem to not be bothered with anything and they even give those who are genuine followers of the LORD a hard time and don’t seem to suffer for it.
Our perspective is often not right. What we think is happening is not really happening at times. The LORD is working at all times. We need to ask the LORD for help to understand what is really going on in our world.
When we ask the LORD for help in this area HE is willing to show us through HIS Word and through the Ministry of the Holy Spirit. We need to be listening to what HE has to say to us through our prayer life and through our study of the Word of God.
God DOES use the wicked to judge those who are HIS followers for a time period. HE has used them throughout history to get the attention of believers to turn back to the LORD and beg HIM for help through prayer and through changed habits in our lives.
CHALLENGE: The LORD is working and HE is helping HIS followers but HE is also using the wicked around us to keep us looking to HIM for help.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High. (430 “gods” [elohiym] means magistrates, angels, judges, and mighty)
DEVOTION: This Hebrew word is the same word for God or Elohim. The context tells us whether it is referring to human men or the supreme God of the universe.
In this Psalm the psalmist is asking the God of the universe to judge the human judges or magistrates or mighty people in power. The human “gods” were mistreating the little people around them. The poor were being abused. The needy were being abused. The afflicted were being abused. The judges didn’t care for them. The judges were corrupt. The judges were walking in darkness. They were God’s representatives on this earth. They were the only human hope for justice among the children of Israel.
That happens in our day very often. We have been told that one lawyer working in the district attorney’s office said something about the mistreatment of some of those coming in front of them and he was riding out of town.
We heard of another lawyer who would not defend his client because the powers that be threatened that they would run him out of town. He chose to care for his family over caring for his client.
There are people who can afford to have a good lawyer and then there are others who get a sometimes good “public defender.” The psalmist is saying that the little people are taken advantage of and the judges or magistrates or mighty people don’t seem to care.
There is a warning in this Psalm: Judgment is coming to all people. We are all under the power of the God of the universe. One day HE is going to judge all the people of the earth. Those with the responsibility of making the laws of the land and those who are judges in the courts will answer to the LORD.
The poor, fatherless, afflicted and needy are crying out today to the LORD. The psalmist is saying that everyone is under the care and hand of God. Not everyone is a “saved” child of God. This verse is not teaching universal salvation for all. These verses are not teaching that all judges are followers of God. The problem is that these judges were part of the children of Israel. They were the people of God! It teaches universal standing before God for rewards or judgment.
Check out John 10: 34 as Jesus uses this verse to confront the religious leaders of HIS day.
CHALLENGE: If you have a position of power over others don’t abuse your power. If you have a legal position of power over the poor or needy, judge righteously. Help all those who fall into the category of poor or needy the best you can.
___________________________________________________
: 8 “Arise, O God, judge the earth: for YOU shall inherit all nations.”
(“Inherit,” 5157 נָחַל [nachal] 61 occurrences; AV translates as “inherit” 30 times, “inheritance” 19 times, “possess” five times, “have” twice, “divide” once, “heritage” once, “possession” once, and “strong’s synonym” twice. 1 to get as a possession, acquire, inherit, possess. 1a (Qal). 1a1 to take possession, inherit. 1a2 to have or get as a possession or property (fig.). 1a3 to divide the land for a possession. 1a4 to acquire (testimonies) (fig.) [Strong, J. (2001). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software]).
DEVOTION: This psalm is written about the contrast between God’s (righteous) judgment and man’s judgment. God is the one who is concerned about weak, fatherless, affected, and destitute people. Even this verse concludes the psalm with a plea for God to judge the earth!
The reason behind the request for God to judge the earth is that God will inherit the nations. The psalmist probably had in mind all the peoples of the earth when he mentioned the nations, which is consistent with the Abrahamic covenant to bless all the nations through Abraham’s offspring. Right now, we see mankind in rebellion against God’s rulership, since the world has been delegated in part to the prince of the power of the air (Satan) during the time of God’s showing grace to fallen mankind.
But a time will come when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). Christ will take back the world from Satan’s dominion, and will reign in justice, righteousness, and peace. Both the righteous and the wicked will be judged perfectly by Jesus Christ based on His knowledge of how they lived their lives (Matthew 25:31-46).
How those of us who are believers in Jesus Christ long for that day to come! We want God to return to establish His kingdom. We need to remember, however, that this means He will also judge those who have not believed in Christ. This should motivate us in our evangelism.
CHALLENGE: What does the return of Jesus Christ mean to you? To what are you looking forward (pie in the sky by and by)? Or are you really seeking His glory in the here and now? Ask the Lord to motivate you to share His love by the knowledge of His Second Coming! (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)
___________________________________________________________
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Prayer for God to judge earth verse 8
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
________________________________________________________
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 1, 8
Judge verse 1, 8
Deliver verse 4
Most High verse 6
Inherit the nations verse 8
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Congregation of the mighty verse 1
Princes verse 7
All nations verse 8
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
False gods verse 1
Judge unjustly verse 2
Respecter of persons verse 2
Wicked verse 2, 4
Walk in darkness verse 5
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Defend poor and fatherless verse 3
Justice verse 3
Deliver poor and needy verse 4
Children of the most High verse 6
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Asaph verse 1- 8
Judges among the gods
Judge unjustly
Persons of the wicked
Defend the poor and fatherless
Justice for afflicted and needy
Deliver the poor and needy
No understanding
Congregation verse 1
gods = judges in Israel verse 1, 6
Poor verse 3
Fatherless verse 3
Children of the Most High verse 6
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Die verse 7
______________________________________________________________
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
______________________________________________________________
QUOTES regarding passage
5. Against the majority of commentators, who see this verse as an ‘aside’, a comment on the corrupt rulers, I take it to describe the plight of the misgoverned and misled, who are ‘destroyed for lack of knowledge’ (Hos. 4:6), and groping for lack of light or of any moral certainties (cf. Isa. 59:9ff.). ‘If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?’ (Kidner, D. (1975). Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, p. 329). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
__________________________________________________________
A charge drawn up against bad magistrates, who neglect their duty and abuse their power, forgetting that God standeth among them, v. 2, 5. Observe, 1. What the sin is they are here charged with; they judge unjustly, contrary to the rules of equity and the dictates of their consciences, giving judgment against those who have right on their side, out of malice and ill-will, or for those who have an unrighteous cause, out of favour and partial affection. To do unjustly is bad, but to judge unjustly is much worse, because it is doing wrong under colour of right; against such acts of injustice there is least fence for the injured and by them encouragement is given to the injurious. It was as great an evil as any Solomon saw under the sun when he observed the place of judgment, that iniquity was there, Eccl. 3:16; Isa. 5:7. They not only accepted the persons of the rich because they were rich, though that is bad enough, but (which is much worse) they accepted the persons of the wicked because they were wicked; they not only countenanced them in their wickedness, but loved them the better for it, and fell in with their interests. Woe unto thee, O land! when thy judges are such as these. 2. What was the cause of this sin. They were told plainly enough that it was their office and duty to protect and deliver the poor; it was many a time given them in charge; yet they judge unjustly, for they know not, neither will they understand. They do not care to hear their duty; they will not take pains to study it; they have no desire to take things right, but are governed by interest, not by reason or justice. A gift in secret blinds their eyes. They know not because they will not understand. None so blind as those that will not see. They have baffled their own consciences, and so they walk on in darkness, not knowing nor caring what they do nor whither they go. Those that walk on in darkness are walking on to everlasting darkness. 3. What were the consequences of this sin: All the foundations of the earth (or of the land) are out of course. When justice is perverted what good can be expected? The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved, as the psalmist speaks in a like case, Ps. 75:3. The miscarriages of public persons are public mischiefs. (Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 863). Peabody: Hendrickson.)
__________________________________________________________
82:2–5. The indictment (v. 2), given in the form of a rhetorical question, is that His people were unjust and partial. (On the words how long, see comments on 6:3.) Instead they should judge fairly and champion the cause of the oppressed (including the weak … fatherless … poor, and needy). This is the essence of righteous judging.
However, the human judges under God’s indictment roam the earth without spiritual or intellectual understanding and in moral darkness so that the foundations of the earth are shaken, that is, law and order are undermined (cf. 11:3). (Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 854). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
____________________________________________________________
82:5 darkness. Signifies both intellectual ignorance and moral iniquity. foundations of the earth are shaken. When leaders rule unjustly, the divinely established moral order which undergirds human existence is undermined. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ps 82:5). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
____________________________________________________________
Ver. 5. They knew not, &c.] The Targum adds, to do well. This is to be understood of unjust judges and wicked magistrates, who know not God, and have not the fear of him before their eyes, though he stands in the midst of them, and judges among them; which is the source of their unjust judging and unrighteous proceedings: for because they know not God, nor fear him, therefore they regard not men: nor do such know themselves; they are called gods, and they think they are so, and don’t consider they are but men; they are the ministers of God, deputies under him, and are accountable to him: nor do they know their duty before pointed out; it is for them to know judgment, what is right, and what is wrong, that they may pronounce righteous judgment, Mic. 3:2 but they do not know it, at least so as to practise it: nor did the Jewish rulers know Christ, which was the reason of their unrighteous dealing with him and with his followers; they put him to death, and so they did them, because they knew him not, 1 Cor. 2:8; John 16:2, 3 neither will they understand; the Targum adds, by way of explanation, the law, the rule of judgment, which judges ought to understand; so the Jewish rulers, Pharisees and Sadducees, were upbraided by Christ with ignorance of the Scriptures, and the law of God, their false glosses of which he refutes, Matt. ch. 5 see ch. 22:29 and their ignorance was wilful and affected, they shut their eyes against light and evidence, especially with respect to Christ; they could discern the face of the sky, but not the signs of the times. Matt. 16:3 who so blind as they that will not see? and such were the Jewish rulers; see Isa. 42:19 they walk on in darkness; they chose darkness rather than light, and so were blind leaders of the blind, and were wilfully so, having their eyes blinded with gifts, Deut. 16:19 all the foundations of the earth are out of course; or shaken or moved: by the perversion of justice, towns, cities, commonwealths, kingdoms, and states, are thrown into the utmost disorder and confusion: as the king by judgment stablisheth the land; Prov. 29:4 so when judgment is not executed, it is unsettled, and thrown into confusion; or though the foundation, &c. though this is the case, yet unjust judges will go on, perverting judgment, even though, as at the deluge, the foundations of the earth were shaken and moved, for the violence, rapine, and oppression, the earth was then filled with, which Kimchi thinks is here referred to; and though a dissolution of the Jewish polity, civil and ecclesiastical, was threatened, because of such injustice; that God would once more shake the heavens and the earth, remove their church and civil state, when they should cease to be a nation, their city be destroyed, and their temple, not one stone left upon another; and yet such was the obstinacy of their wicked judges, that they would persist in their wicked ways. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 4, pp. 51–52). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
___________________________________________________________
5. “They know not, neither will they understand.” A wretched plight for a nation to be in when its justices know no justice, and its judges are devoid of judgment. Neither to know his duty nor to wish to know it is rather the mark of an incorrigible criminal than of a magistrate, yet such a stigma was justly set upon the rulers of Israel. “They walk on in darkness.” They are as reckless as they are ignorant. Being both ignorant and wicked they yet dare to pursue a path in which knowledge and righteousness are essential: they go on without hesitation, forgetful of the responsibilities in which they are involved, and the punishment which they are incurring. “All the foundations of the earth are out of course.” When the dispensers of law have dispensed with justice, settlements are unsettled, society is unhinged, the whole fabric of the nation is shaken. When injustice is committed in due course of law the world is indeed out of course. When “Justices’ justice” becomes a by-word it is time that justice dealt with justices. Surely it would be well that certain of “the great unpaid” should be paid off, when day after day their judgments show that they have no judgment. When peasants may be horsewhipped by farmers with impunity, and a pretty bird is thought more precious than poor men, the foundations of the earth are indeed sinking like rotten piles unable to bear up the structures built upon them. Thank God we have, as an almost invariable rule, incorruptible judges; may it always be so. Even our lesser magistrates are, in general, most worthy men; for which we ought to be grateful to God evermore. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 56-87 (Vol. 3, p. 412). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.)
_______________________________________________________________
3–5. While we pay all due respect to the important truths here set forth, concerning earthly courts of justice, I would not overlook the occasion, the very idea of judgment and justice sets forth, to call to mind that throne of judgment which the Lord sets up in the conscience, by which he seems to deal with sinners according to the covenant of works, but in effect to lead them to Christ. Reader! doth not the blessed work of salvation by Jesus begin in the soul in a consciousness, inwrought in the heart, of our guilt and ruin, and total inability of being found just before God? And is it not by this process that Jesus and his great salvation are endeared to the soul? (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: Job–Psalms (Vol. 4, p. 431). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software)
___________________________________________________________
IV. The Swift Conviction (82:5)
A. The Reason for Their Corruption (82:5a)
“They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness.” Knowledge and understanding are qualities essential to a judge. These judges preferred darkness to light and so corrupted justice. They were blinded by their own wicked thoughts.
Stories of judicial arrogance are commonplace in the courts of the world. Judges wield enormous power and power tends to corrupt. Nothing is more damaging to the reputation of our courts than when a judge acts with obvious prejudice or in anticipation of a bribe. The Holy Spirit puts His finger on the cause: They have freely chosen to walk on in darkness.
B. The Result of Their Corruption (82:5b)
“All the foundations of the earth are out of course.” Nothing is so morally corrupt as perverted justice. When the law is administered in an illegal way, the foundations of society are thrown out of balance, and the principles on which moral order is maintained are imperiled. Sooner or later such action provokes revolt. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring Psalms 1–88: An Expository Commentary (Vol. 1, Ps 82:5). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp)
____________________________________________________________
82:5–7 The “Gods” Who Fail in Their Task. The next section describes God’s verdict on those rulers who refuse to carry out their divinely given assignment. In saying that they have neither knowledge nor understanding (v. 5), the psalm is speaking of the moral perception necessary for promoting justice (cf. 1 Kings 3:9). When such people rule, the foundations of the earth (the moral principles that God instilled in the creation order) are shaken (cf. note on Ps. 11:3). There is only one true God Most High, however; as for these unjust “gods,” like (other) men they shall die, and fall like any prince. The Lord will have the last word, vindicating his justice. (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1042). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.)
___________________________________________________________
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
_____________________________________________________________
Adam and Eve rebel against their Creator.
INSIGHT
You may have heard the old saying, “For want of a nail, the shoe is lost; for want of a shoe, the horse is lost; for want of a horse, the king is lost; and for want of a king, the kingdom is lost.” It is a clever way of saying that little things matter. Little things lead to larger things–often with disastrous consequences.
We see the first example of this in Genesis 3:6. First, Eve “saw” the forbidden fruit. No transgression yet. Then she “desired.” Still no transgression–but a step closer. Finally, she “took and ate.” Transgression.
The “look” seemed harmless. It was a small thing, but it led to “eating.” Are there things in your life that you are “looking” at? They seem harmless now, but they lead to larger things. Spare yourself–give them up now. “For want of a nail . . . the kingdom is lost.” (Quiet Walk)
______________________________________________________________
WHY IS THE HOLY SPIRIT CALLED HOLY?
But ye have an unction from the Holy One. 1 John 2:20
Why is the Holy Spirit called holy? Surely, the explanation is that it is His special work to produce holiness and order in all that He does in the application of Christ’s work of salvation. His objective is to produce holiness, and He does that in nature and creation, as well as in human beings. But His ultimate work is to make us a holy people, holy as the children of God. It is also probable that He is described as the Holy Spirit in order to differentiate Him from the other spirits—the evil spirits. That is why we are told to test the spirits and to prove them and to know whether they are of God or not (1 John 4:1).
Then the next great question is the personality or the personhood of the Spirit. The personhood of the Holy Spirit is not only forgotten by those whom we describe as liberals or modernists in their theology, but we ourselves are often guilty of precisely the same thing. I have heard most orthodox people referring to the Holy Spirit and His work as “it” and “its” influence and so on, as if the Holy Spirit were nothing but an influence or a power. And hymns, too, frequently make the same mistake. There is a confusion about the Holy Spirit, and I am sure there is a sense in which many of us find it a little more difficult to conceive of the third person in the blessed Holy Trinity than to conceive of the Father or the Son.
Why is there this tendency to think of Him as a force or an influence or an emanation? There are a number of answers to that question, but they are not good reasons. His work seems to be impersonal because it is a kind of mystical and secret work. He produces graces and fruits; He gives us gifts, and He gives us various powers. And because of that, we tend to think of Him as if He were some influence. I am sure that this is a great part of the explanation
A Thought to Ponder: His special work is to produce holiness.
(From God the Holy Spirit, p. 8, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
______________________________________________________________
The Hallelujah Psalms
“Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.” (Psalm 146:1)
The last five chapters in the book of Psalms (146–150) comprise what might be considered a great “Hallelujah Chorus” to this “Hallel” book—the “book of Israel’s praises,” as the book of Psalms was called by the Israelites.
Each psalm in this five-psalm group both begins and ends with an exclamatory “Praise ye the LORD,” or, in the Hebrew, “Hallelujah!” This word occurs 22 times in the book of Psalms. This is significant in that the Hebrew language has just 22 letters, suggesting to us that the very purpose of language is for God to reveal His Word to man and for man then to respond with thanksgiving and praise to God.
It is further significant that the letters of the Greek language in the New Testament begin with “alpha” and end with “omega,” and that Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, has reminded us that “I am Alpha and Omega” (Revelation 1:11; 22:13). The Greek word “Alleluia” occurs just four times in the New Testament, all at the great congregation in heaven that will assemble at the “marriage supper of the Lamb” (19:1-6, 9). This may also well be what is called “the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven” (Hebrews 12:23).
There, along with “an innumerable company of angels,” all the redeemed saints of all the ages will gather to rejoice and give thanks and “praise our God, all ye his servants” (Revelation 19:5). It seems possible—even probable—that these five Hallelujah psalms will constitute the testimonies of praise and thanksgiving that will be sung by this great congregation in the presence of the Lamb. The book of Psalms then closes with the great exhortation: “Let every thing that hath breath [or ‘Spirit’] praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD” (Psalm 150:6). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
_____________________________________________________________
Sol Ibarra sent (Mexico):
Because of sin and transgression of man the earth fell under curse, and for that reason man had to work very hard to survive. The woman wore herself terribly just fulfilling the purpose for which she was created… having and raising children. That was the punishment for disobedience and unbelief.
In these times, modern women can say that advances and technology have made life much easier for us; just like the man who no longer has to work the way he had to because once again, technology has made it easy I’ve been a lot of existence. We could say this is a blessing, but that is according to the point of view of where it is seen; because that too has left us with a long time in our hands, which unfortunately we didn’t take advantage to make it “count” for blessing.
People are stumbled, literally nailed on screens and on cell phones. Children are growing up with a terrible example of what it is to be a real man or a real woman. The roles have been reversed and conveniently we have been letting the system educate children, so they won’t be enslaved in that huge but Wonderful task. SO SAD!!!!! God. Help us!!!
_____________________________________________________________!
All men are exhorted to praise the Lord because He made us and we are His.
INSIGHT
Psalm 100 is perhaps the finest example of a praise psalm in the Bible. The righteous heart pours forth a spontaneous stream of undefiled praise. First, he calls upon all men everywhere to praise the Lord. Then he identifies the relationship which God has with His children. We are not our own; He has made us. “We are His people and the sheep of His pasture” (v. 3). Next he calls for us to praise God again: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise” (v. 4). Give thanks. Bless Him. Then he finishes by listing attributes of God. God is good; He loves forever. Make this psalm your personal psalm of praise. (Quiet Walk)
_____________________________________________________________
Fresh Start Effect
[Put] on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Colossians 3:10
When Bryony turned thirty, she was sad to still be in a sales job she’d never liked. She decided it was time to stop procrastinating and find a new career. For David, New Year’s Eve had him looking in the mirror vowing this would be the year he lost weight. And for James, it was watching another month pass without his angry outbursts decreasing. Next month, he promised himself, he would try harder.
If you’ve ever vowed to change at the start of a new month, new year, or a major birthday, you’re not alone. Researchers even have a name for it: the fresh start effect. They suggest that at calendar points like these we’re more prone to assess our lives and try putting our failures behind us to start over. Wanting to be better people, we long for a fresh start.
Faith in Jesus speaks powerfully to this longing, offering a vision of what our best selves can be (Colossians 3:12–14) and calling us to leave our past selves behind (vv. 5–9). It offers this change not by decisions and vows alone, but by divine power. When we believe in Jesus, we become new people, and God’s Spirit works in us to make us whole (v. 10; Titus 3:5).
Receiving salvation in Jesus is the ultimate fresh start. And it doesn’t need to wait for a special calendar date. Your new life can start right now.
By Sheridan Voysey (Our Daily Bread)
_______________________________________________________________
THE REALM OF EXPERIENCE, PART 2
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
In the same way, great crises in life show us our weakness, helplessness, and lack of power. Paul illustrates that in Romans 8. “We know not what we should pray for as we ought.” In a time of peace and of ease we think that we can pray, that we know how to pray. We are assured and confident, and we feel that we are living the religious life as it should be lived. But when trials come, they reveal to us how weak and helpless we are.
That, in turn, drives us to God, and makes us realize more than ever before our utter dependence upon Him. This is the experience of all Christians. In our folly we imagine that we can live in our own strength and by our own power, and our prayers are often formal. But troubles make us fly to God and cause us to wait upon Him. God says of Israel through Hosea, “In their affliction they will seek me early” (Hosea 5:15). How true that is of all of us. To seek God is always good, and afflictions drive us to do so.
But all this is mainly from our side. Looking at it from the other side, we can say that there is no school in which Christians have learned so much of the loving, tender care of God for His own as the school of affliction. While all is well with us, in our self-satisfaction and self-contentment we shut God out of our lives; we do not allow Him to reveal to us His solicitude for us even in the details of our lives. It is only when we are troubled that we “know not what we should pray for as we ought” and that we begin to realize that “the Spirit…maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
A Thought to Ponder
There is no school in which Christians have learned so much of the loving, tender care of God for His own as the school of affliction. (From Why Does God Allow War? pp. 124-125, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.)
____________________________________________________________
ON BEING A PASTOR by Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg
A few critical individuals may blind us to the support of a great crowd of others and cause us to lose our balance. (p.281)
_______________________________________________
If criticisms are just, we should be thankful and act upon them as part of God’s gracious discipline. If they are unjust, we should commit our cause to God who judges justly, even as our Savior did (I Peter 2: 21-23), thanks God for the privilege of walking in His Son’s footsteps and for the knowledge that He knows the truth about us (I Corinthians 4: 1-5. True to the Lord, and true to our conscience, we may leave the outcome to Him. (p. 282)
_____________________________________________
Committed to sharing people’s deepest concerns, we must school ourselves to cast the care of them constantly upon God, and to keep on doing so no matter how inclined we may be to carry them. (p. 283)
_______________________________________________
There is always the danger of binding people to ourselves, rather than to our Lord Jesus Christ, and for their loyalty to be directed at us rather than at HIM. (p. 288)
____________________________________________________________
We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.