Psalm 92

What tremendous joy we had this morning to find ourselves being led in worship by this Psalm.  We have just gone through a stretch and trial in which we wondered why God was not answering our prayers.  All we knew was that He was our God, and that if we were to know the answer it would come later.

We were more than ready to declare His lovingkindness in the morning, and will not wait until evening to declare His faithfulness.  How great are His works.  He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him!  We have come to a point (not the end but at a most critical moment) when we realized that five of the hardest days of our lives were being overseen by His Sovereign hand, that He was strengthening us all along the way, and was protecting from a potentially hopeless situation.

So this Psalm is very personal.  It is also called “A Song for the Sabbath Day.”  The day of rest is always meant to find us engaged in the work of praise, as Spurgeon said (Treasury of David).  This would be excellent for that day.

·         92:1-4: as noted, it calls us to the most basic element of the universe: it all exists for His praise.  But the praise will come easier when we meditate on His checed, grace for the day; and His emeth, His every word being fulfilled during the day.  In other words, this also teaches us the importance of praise throughout the week, that we might enjoy the Sabbath-rest of faith in all of life.

·         92:5-7: It is a sad reality that the wicked will never know this intimate relationship with God.  It is their choice, but still sad given the reality of God’s love for the world.  They will be destroyed forever, forever separated from this Sabbath God.

·         92:8-9:  The Lord will be proven right, forever.  He will endure while His enemies will perish and the leaders in sin (workers of iniquity) are scattered.

·         92:10-11:  The saints should rejoice in God’s great works as experienced in their lives.  Remember that God exalts the humble because it glorifies Him.  He is strong in our weaknesses, His grace sufficient for these earthen vessels in which we live, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not us (2 Cor. 4:7).

·         92:12-15: All of this reflection gives us hope at the end of the Sabbath as we look to what is ahead.  This doesn’t say it will be easy.  It says the righteous will flourish and grow like the stately trees that are only more majestic in the strong winds that will blow.  Even in old age the righteous will bear fruit.

Do you not find these thoughts, and the many more the Spirit has impressed on your heart, to be rich fodder for your “morning and evening” each day, as well as for your day of rest?  It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High!