Psalm 119:161-168

The remaining 2 stanzas provide a fitting end to this marvelous Psalm the speaks of the value of God’s word in my trials.  First we see the Psalmist ecstatic in his praise of God’s word (161-168).  Then, because his trial continues or because there will be more to come, he calls upon God in ways reminiscent of the entire Psalm.

How do you view the word of God?  Is it one book among many?  Is it appropriate for some of the situations in your life?  Let us hear from one who has made God’s word to be his daily portion?

o 161: though his suffering has been unjust, he stands in awe of God’s word.  We often sing, “I stand in awe of You.”  But remember to hold God in awe is to hold Scripture in awe.

o 162: he considers God’s word to be great treasure.

o 163: he loves God’s law, hating all that stands against it.

o 164: seven times a day he praises God for His righteous judgments.  In other words, his praise is without ceasing. 

o 165: he can give testimony that those who hope in God’s word have peace.  Because it lights his path he does not stumble over life’s obstacles.

o 166: while he awaits God’s deliverance he does not fail to keep the Word.

o 167: he not only loves the Word; he loves it exceedingly.

o 168: he recognizes that all his ways are before the Lord and thus subject to His precepts and testimonies.

The thing to note is that this is the testimony of experience.  He has not merely heard or meditated on the Word.  He has kept it in the context of a great difficulty.  This is how we truly learn God’s word.  This is how we truly get to know God Himself.

Remember Paul’s prayer in Col. 1:9-10.  He prays that they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will with all wisdom and insight.  We must know the Word in it’s practical application.  But it is only as we walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, and being fruitful in all good works that we increase in our knowledge of God.

The Psalmists journey has caused his love for God and His word to grow.  How have you grown in appreciation for God’s word?  Do you today stand in awe of His word?

Psalm 76

Possibly this Psalm was written with the defeat of Sennacherib, King of Assyria, as the backdrop (Isa. 36-37).  The connections are certainly quite illustrative and the Psalm certainly seems to have a military victory in mind.  If you are not familiar with that story it might be good to read it now.

·        76:1 speaks of both Judah and Israel, the southern and northern kingdoms.  Sennacherib was God’s tool in carrying the Northern Kingdom into captivity.  After that victory he made his way south, through the northern reaches of the Kingdom of Judah, taking several walled cities.  When he came to Jerusalem he spoke boastfully of what he had done to other kingdoms and challenged the God of Israel.  Hezekiah had prayed and God answered the prayer by protecting Judah from the wrath of Sennacherib.

·        76:2: Sennacherib’s defeat took place at Jerusalem.

·        76:4: The mountains of prey probably refer to the nations defeated by the army of Assyria (Isa. 37:12-13).  Sennacherib’s commander had spoken of the weak gods of those nations, and intimated Israel’s God would be no different.

·        76:5,6 refer to the way God delivered Israel.  After Hezekiah’s prayer Isaiah told him to watch God work.  In the morning when they went out to battle there were all the corpses, the dead bodies of the Assyrians.  There was no explanation as to what happened; God just put then in the deep sleep of death.

·        76:10: In the end the wrath of man (Sennacherib) was a means of great praise for God who defeated Assyria in a way that can only be said to be a true act of God.  (God’s words through Moses to and about Pharaoh, King of Egypt, are a powerful statement of this eternal principle, Exodus 9:16-17; 15:9-11).

·        76:12:  God had brought to nothing the King of the greatest empire in the world at the time.  Thus all the kings of the earth would see the God of Israel/ Judah as awesome!

The lessons are many in this Psalm.  For one thing we are reminded that we ought to give thanks to God for His deliverances.  Certainly we see that we ought to depend on God in our impossible situations.  Hezekiah did this; in the face of the Assyrian army which had in fact defeated nation after nation.  None of the gods of these nations had been able to resist Sennacherib.  That could have been intimidating to Hezekiah.  But he prayed.  Then he accepted God’s answer and acted upon it.

Do not fail to see what this story illustrates.  If you choose to defy God, be very clear that your wrath against God will be for His praise!  God will be glorified in you.  We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20).

What will be the sign of Christ's coming? (5)

Read Luke 21:20-28

3)    Signs of Christ’s return in the realm of politics. 

a)     Wars and rumors of wars, Mt. 24:6f; Rev. 6:3f.  As the focus of the latter days is on Israel this sign needs to be seen in the context of Israel.  Israel has felt this since 1948 and the declaration of the nation of Israel.  

b)    Global alliances.  The Bible predicts various movements among nations in the latter days eventually ending in a world-wide government (Rev. 13:7).  (Our 12/19/15 and 11/28/15 posts give more on this subject.

i)       The Roman Confederacy (European nations), Dan. 7:23-25.

ii)    The rise of Northern (Baltic) powers, Ezek. 38:2f; 39:1-6.

iii)  The rise of Eastern (Asian) powers, Rev. 9:13-16.

iv)  The rise of Egypt and Assyria, Isa. 19:18-25.  The nations to the immediate north and south of Israel will have a revival that will bring them into a close and favorable relationship with Israel.

c)     Global economy, Rev. 13:16f; 18.  Part of the end-time global government will be an economic system that will require a special mark to buy or sell.  It will suddenly come crashing down (Rev. 18:1-8).

d)     Global improvement.  There will be amazing advances resulting in the ability of people to travel widely (Dan. 12:4), the growth of knowledge (Dan. 12:4; a remarkable prediction given the increase of knowledge in the last 20 years), the growth of riches (James 5:3), greater global communication (Rev. 11:9) and i greater peace among nations (1 Th. 5:3).  All these will be illusions of advancement and will collapse under the Antichrist when his focus turns to Israel and the returning Son of God.

e)     Global distress, Luke 21:25-26.  Not surprisingly, given the nature of the end-time catastrophes/judgments described in Revelation as well as the signs in the sky just prior to Christ’s return, nations will be distressed and people will live in fear.

f)      Preparation for Armageddon, Rev. 16:12-16.  The drawing of the armies of the earth to the Valley of Jezreel (cf. our Dec. 5, 2015 post) will be accomplished through an increased focus on Israel (Joel 3:2; Zech. 14:2f) as well as a special removal of barriers (drying the Euphrates, Rev. 16:12) to open the way for the Eastern armies.

Believers do not fear these coming days because their faith is in a sovereign God who is orchestrating all these movements as part of His plan to exalt His Son!  Times will be difficult, even for believers, many of whom will die the death of martyrs.  Christ predicted both the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD (Luke 21:20-24) and the turmoil preceding His return (Lk. 21:25-27).  But His closing words were, when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near (Lk. 21:28).

Psalm 119:153-160

Again, in this stanza we find a wonderful way to approach God in our time of affliction.  

For example, the Hebrew word for “consider” appears 3 times (153, 158,159).  His prayer is that God would consider his affliction (153).  He maintains his commitment to God’s word throughout and prays that God would also consider this (159).  At the same time the Psalmist considers those around him who reject God’s word and he is disgusted (158).  We cannot help but see the wickedness around us but let us be sure we have a right attitude toward it.  Let us not enjoy or laugh at the jokes of those who do not seek God’s statutes (155).  Disgust is proper for that which dishonors God and His commands.

Again, as we come to the Lord, let us maintain a proper perspective.  Remember that His tender mercies are great (156).  That must not be forgotten, even as we remember the greatness of our difficulties (157).  To forget the former is to invite discouragement.  To forget the latter is to deny our need.  

Note that three times the Psalmist prays to be revived.  This has been a constant request through the entire Psalm but here it prevails.  His prayer is not necessarily for physical life but for the ability to live without succumbing to his circumstances.  So he prays to be revived according to God’s word (154), God’s judgments (156), and God’s lovingkindness (159).  Again, as in the previous stanza, do we not see the demand for our atoning Savior, the One who came that we might have life (John 10:10)?  We have been quickened by the One who came according to the word, and Who satisfied all justice by the grace of God!

For the third stanza in a row the final verse stands on the eternal nature of scripture (144,152,160).  What we are reminded of here is that God’s word is inerrant (it is all true) and infallible (it is true forever).  The longer the trial continues the more we must be assured that God’s promises and commands and warnings have not failed.  

Oh Lord God Almighty, consider our affliction.  It is great, though no more so than your tender mercies.  Revive us we pray through the work of Your Son.  May our trust in Your inherent and infallible word be unwavering today.  For Your glory and by Your grace. In Jesus Name.  Amen!