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Wednesday 01/22/25
Thru the Bible: Psalm Book IV: Chapters 94-99
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As I told you last week, all of the Psalms in Book IV of Psalms are of unknown authorship with the exceptions of Psalm 90 we covered last week which was written by Moses and Psalms 101 & 103 written by David.
As such, there is much less we will be able to determine about the specific events which may have provided the impetus to compose these psalms.
Early in my Christian walk I would have looked at such considerations as overly humanistic and even unchristian since all scripture is inspired by God and so that and that alone was the reason for its being written.
As I have matured I have come to realize that both are true. God has, from the beginning, worked THROUGH His people – expressing Himself through those who will allow their hearts to be sufficiently guided by His Spirit. That does NOT set aside the fact that the things written include, but are not tainted by human concerns. Afterall, the Bible is a collective narrative written for the express benefit of human beings!
As we have said in times past, human personality is not erased by inspiration but rather guided and refined by it. Without inspiration the Bible could NOT be a guide for truth and living, but BY inspiration it has taken the experiences and thoughts of man – enlightened them with the personal knowledge, will, plans and purposes of God which only the Holy Spirit can reveal to the soul. This gives scriptures the power to communicate God’s will through the venue of indigenous thoughts, but perfected in content by the Spirit.
After all, inspiration is not dictation!
The reason I often make much of this is because it has a profound impact on the correct exegesis of scripture. You have several prophets of the Old Testament and several writers of the New who all wrote about the same events and truths, but expressed them in ways entirely unique to the writer. God’s desire is not to erase humanity, but elevate it to a place of intimate union with His person, will and ways. God, being One Who never wavers from His plans and purposes, chose a method of conveying His will in written form which supports this purpose.
All of this to say, many Psalms are better understood by knowing the writer, the time period, whether the contents are about the northern kingdom or the southern and the specific events being addressed. When those are NOT available, it does not hinder understanding at all – instead it reveals that God desired to express truths which transcend these details and such is the case with the greatest majority of the psalms in Book IV.
Now we do have great reason to assume most of these Psalms were written in the time between the Babylonian exile and the post-exile return up until around 430 BC. So this would make the last two books of Psalms predominantly written just before the time of God’s silence prophesied by Amos. [Amos 8:11-12]
The Psalms we read tonight capitalize on God being the one and only God of the whole earth and that the response to this knowledge should evoke worship, reverence, praise and shouts of joy!
Psalm 94:1-23,
“(1) LORD, God of vengeance–God of vengeance, appear. (2) Rise up, Judge of the earth; repay the proud what they deserve.
(3) LORD, how long will the wicked–how long will the wicked gloat? (4) They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.
(5) LORD, they crush Your people; they afflict Your heritage. (6) They kill the widow and the foreigner and murder the fatherless. (7) They say,
“The LORD doesn’t see it. The God of Jacob doesn’t pay attention.”
(8) Pay attention, you stupid people! Fools, when will you be wise?
(9) Can the One Who shaped the ear not hear, the One Who formed the eye not see? (10) The One Who instructs nations, the One Who teaches man knowledge–does He not discipline?
(11) The LORD knows man’s thoughts; they are meaningless.
(12) LORD, happy is the man You discipline and teach from Your law (13) to give him relief from troubled times until a pit is dug for the wicked.
(14) The LORD will not forsake His people or abandon His heritage, (15) for justice will again be righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.
(16) Who stands up for me against the wicked?
Who takes a stand for me against evildoers?
(17) If the LORD had not been my help, I would soon rest in the silence of death.
(18) If I say, “My foot is slipping,” Your faithful love will support me, LORD.
(19) When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy.
(20) Can a corrupt throne–one that creates trouble by law–become Your ally?
(21) They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. (22) But the LORD is my refuge; my God is the rock of my protection.
(23) He will pay them back for their sins and destroy them for their evil. The LORD our God will destroy them.”
This Psalm could easily fit into nearly any time period in Israel’s past, but I think it has great indicators that it may have been while Israel was under Persian rule – probably that of King Xerxes . This was during Queen Ester’s life during which time period Israel had more than one point of national crisis and this cry for vengeance seems to fit. [See – Mordecai’s faith & Esther’s faithfulness]
Initially he addresses God as the God of vengeance or the God Who avenges connecting this right that is reserved for God as an extension of His judicial role over creation.
Because our earthly life is so limited by time, it is quite common to ask God to please hurry. So often we want to see justice in our lifetimes, but it is often wiser to pray for mercy even over our enemies, for our judgement will only come with mercy when we show it to others.
The psalmist specifically speaks of gloaters who will not learn. A cry is made regarding the blind stupidity of their enemies as if they believed the God Who created eyes and ears is Himself blind and deaf. He speaks of their indiscriminately killing both the widows, the orphans and the foreigners who had joined themselves to Israel.
Now the world can be excused for thinking that such is only just deserts for Israel who several times are seen killing everyone in a land. I sympathize with their lack of understanding. Sadly many Christians understand why either and some have even woven elaborate tales to explain it away which are both untenable and unbiblical!
The truth is simple and God tells us when and why He commanded Israel to kill them all.
Israel had to remain in Egyptian bondage for 400 years for several reasons. One of the reasons was in order to reap the sins of the founding fathers of each tribe. God wanted them going into the wilderness with a clean slate – they would need it!
However, of equal importance was the other reason for their long captivity in Egypt. It had to do with the time allotted to the Ammorites to seek God in their portion of Canaan. I will explain…
You see God sovereignly gives land to nations and predetermines the duration of their stewardship over that land.
Their purpose is to honor God there – to seek Him and find Him. [Acts 17:24-28]
If after many successive generations they fail to do so, God commands them to leave and drives them out – generally by giving their land to another nation in war.
In many cases we see God simply make these people slaves to the opposing nation (like Israel) – but if they resist His will they will all be destroyed.
This is an act of justice which is not based upon whim or favoritism. We know this because God did the same with Israel only much quicker and more often because they knew more and were therefore more responsible for their choices!
We know that the kingdoms established in Canaan had been there between 500 – 1000 years before God gave the land to Israel – that is a LOT of time to seek God!
God told Abraham that his descendants would take the land of Canaan, but that the time allotted for the Ammorites to repent had not yet fully expired. God’s allotment of time for them included yet another 400 years.
Let’s read it…
Gen. 15:13-16, “(13) Then the LORD said to Abram,
“Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years. (14) But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve.
Afterward they will come out with many possessions.
(15) But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.
(16) In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.”
Now God practices an economy of power. He often settles two or more issues with one judgment. Like with the Israelites and the Ammorites above. So we need to bear in mind that in any one action of God – YOU are not the ONLY thing on His radar!
God is ABLE to direct the hearts of people, kings and kingdoms to accomplish His will – even when they do not realize it, recognize Him as God nor serve Him.
So this while this psalmist wanted God to hurry – justice often is not quick for mercy’s sake.
Furthermore, at least superficially, it appears that the writer of this psalm had in times past learned from God’s discipline and so he thanks Him for the relief it offers and provides until the wicked are finally silenced.
The Psalm ends with gratitude to God for His faithful love and support and a confident declaration of His righteous judgment of the wicked.
Psalm 95:1-11,
“(1) Come, let us shout joyfully to the LORD, shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation!
(2) Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout triumphantly to Him in song. (3) For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.
(4) The depths of the earth are in His hand, and the mountain peaks are His.
(5) The sea is His; He made it. His hands formed the dry land.
(6) Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. (7) For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care.
Today, if you hear His voice: (8) “Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the wilderness (9) where your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they had seen what I did.
(10) For 40 years I was disgusted with that generation; I said,
‘They are a people whose hearts go astray; they do not know My ways.’
(11) So I swore in My anger, ‘They will not enter My rest.'”
This is a simple Psalm of praise to God. Like Moses’ 90th Psalm, it makes direct reference to the 40 years of God’s disgust with Israel in the wilderness. It is quite possible that this was a Psalm written after the city wall and the temple had been rebuilt and Ezra read from the Law. The people were overcome and mourned their unwitting neglect of God and His ways. No doubt this portion of the law was read that day as well which expressed God’s grief over His people’s disobedience. Of course this is mere speculation and in the end it does not matter for the words stand on their own merits.
We should in fact rejoice in the Lord and celebrate the salvation and deliverance He has given. We should maintain an awareness of His sovereign power over the works of His hands. Such worship, praise, reverence and gratitude will go a LONG way towards steering the heart away from such grievous rebellion as Israel showed in the wilderness.
Psalm 96:1-13,
“(1) Sing a new song to the LORD; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
(2) Sing to the LORD, praise His name; proclaim His salvation from day to day. (3) Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful works among all peoples. (4) For the LORD is great and is highly praised; He is feared above all gods. (5) For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.”
“(6) Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
(7) Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. (8) Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name; bring an offering and enter His courts.
(9) Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.”
In modern times the strength of these statements are all but lost on us. In our day, any notion of God is usually one which is considered universal and all powerful. However, in the Mesopotamian world such was NOT the norm. They had gods for every season and every problem whether personal or national. King Ahaz had altars on every street in Jerusalem to idols of various gods. [See – Kings Leading to Israel’s Assyrian Exile – 2 Chron. 28:22-27]
This sort of thinking persisted even until the time of Rome. You may remember in one of Paul’s more famous addresses he makes mention of the idol without a name – whose inscription was “the unknown god”. So the idea of a God of EVERYTHING was all but unheard of!
Israel often made reference to God’s omniscience, omnipotence & omnipresence. He was the God Who alone created everything and Who presides over all – even over the nations who do not know or recognize them. Thus the previous Psalmist called them stupid.
Nevertheless, time and again Israel so longed to NOT stand out in a crowd as to desire to have many small gods rather than One God.
This Psalm draws attention to the need for God to be praise by all people. That it is the privilege of God’s people to STAND OUT… To shout out… and to point Him out! If we do not see it as a privilege then it becomes for us an obligation.
“(10) Say among the nations:
“The LORD reigns. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken. He judges the peoples fairly.”
(11) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound.
(12) Let the fields and everything in them exult. Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy (13) before the LORD, for He is coming–for He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with His faithfulness.”
It has always been the understanding and belief in Israel that God would judge all the nations of the earth. No doubt there were many ways this was understood, but it has always been a truth they upheld.
By the time of Jesus, most believed it would be a judgment which would come from Messiah Himself as He ascended the throne of David and ruled all nations and that IS in fact one way in which this is realized. However it is also realized both everyday and on the very last day.
Psalm 97:1-12,
“(1) The LORD reigns! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coasts and islands be glad.
(2) Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. (3) Fire goes before Him and burns up His foes on every side. (4) His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. (5) The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD–at the presence of the Lord of all the earth. (6) The heavens proclaim His righteousness; all the peoples see His glory.
(7) All who serve carved images, those who boast in idols, will be put to shame. All the gods must worship Him.
(8) Zion hears and is glad, and the towns of Judah rejoice because of Your judgments, LORD.
(9) For You, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; You are exalted above all the gods.
(10) You who love the LORD, HATE EVIL!!!
He protects the lives of His godly ones; He rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
(11) Light dawns for the righteous, gladness for the upright in heart.
(12) Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones, and praise His holy name.”
Psalm 98:1-9,
This is without question a prophetic Psalm of Jesus the Messiah and His victories and His establishment of His millennial and later eternal kingdom! What makes it prophetic is the opening statement appearing as a truth already realized.
“(1) A psalm.
Sing a new song to the LORD, for He has performed wonders; His right hand and holy arm have won Him victory.
(2) The LORD has made His victory known; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.
(3) He has remembered His love and faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen our God’s victory.
(4) Shout to the LORD, all the earth; be jubilant, shout for joy, and sing. (5) Sing to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and melodious song. (6) With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout triumphantly in the presence of the LORD, our King.
(7) Let the sea and all that fills it, the world and those who live in it, resound. (8) Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains shout together for joy (9) before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world righteously and the peoples fairly.”
Psalm 99:1-9,
Whether known to the Psalmist or not, this Psalm is one regarding the millennial reign of Jesus the Messiah. No doubt it contains truth for ANY generation of people who submit themselves to the authority of God, but this is definitely predictive of Jesus’ sovereign reign over the earth at the end of the age.
“(1) The LORD reigns!
Let the peoples tremble. He is enthroned above the cherubim.
Let the earth quake.
(2) The LORD is great in Zion; He is exalted above all the peoples.
(3) Let them praise Your great and awe-inspiring name. He is holy.
(4) The mighty King loves justice. You have established fairness; You have administered justice and righteousness in Jacob.
(5) Exalt the LORD our God; bow in worship at His footstool. He is holy.
(6) Moses and Aaron were among His priests;
Samuel also was among those calling on His name.
They called to the LORD, and He answered them.
(7) He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud; they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them.
(8) LORD our God, You answered them.
You were a God Who forgave them, but punished their misdeeds.”
Now for anyone old enough for their brains to be turned on (meaning about 40+) this is common sense. That is unless you have been brainwashed by this generation.
It used to be common knowledge in the church that God’s forgiveness does not erase the past and it does not dig up the seeds we have sown. Forgiveness restores proper relationship and fellowship between mankind and God, but it does not remove all the natural consequences of sins.
“(9) Exalt the LORD our God; bow in worship at His holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.”
Blessings!
Tri
