Milo

MAY 2

Reading 122

PASSOVER PRAISE Psalms 113–118

“The Lord remembers us and will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron, He will bless those who fear the Lord—small and great alike” (Ps. 115:12–13).This cycle of six psalms, known as the “Egyptian Hallel” (praise), was used at Passover. While only one psalm mentions Egypt, the theme of each fits the season during which Israel celebrated redemption from a condition of slavery.

Overview

Israel celebrated the Passover season with this cycle of six psalms. They affirmed God for raising up the oppressed (Ps. 113) and for deliverance from Egypt (Ps. 114). They offered the praise of the community (Ps. 115), the individual (Ps. 116), and all nations (Ps. 117). The cycle concluded with an exultant shout of praise that looked forward to Messiah (Ps. 118).

Understanding the Text

Psalm 113: Raising the Poor. God is praised for stooping to lift the needy from the ash heap and seating them with princes. “Praise the Lord” Ps. 113:1–3. Passover was truly a season of praise. Israel recalled all God had done for His people as each Jewish family reenacted the supper held the night death struck Egypt and passed by the blood-marked homes of God’s own. At last Pharaoh acknowledged his sin, and released his slaves. Passover thus was a festival of freedom, a joyous celebration of God’s salvation. No wonder this psalm begins, “Praise the Lord!” and called on Israel to praise Him “now and forevermore.” “Who is like the Lord our God?” Ps. 113:4–9 No wonder God is praised. The God of Israel, who is exalted over all nations and whose glory is above the heavens, stooped down to “lift the needy from the ash heap” and seat “them with princes.” We Christians too have a passover to celebrate. God in Christ became a man, and humbled Himself to accept death, that we whom faith marks with His blood might be lifted up beyond princes, to stand before the very throne of God. Praise Him indeed! Psalm 114: Out of Egypt. The very earth trembled as God’s strong hand brought Israel out of slavery to freedom. The verses of this psalm allude to God’s historic acts of parting the Red Sea and Jordan River (v. 3), causing Sinai to quake (v. 4), and water to spring out of solid rock (v. 8). God’s love motivated redemption; His power accomplished it. Then, as now, all His people could do was to watch in wonder as God did it all. And offer Him praise. Psalm 115: Israel’s Praise. This psalm is a hymn sung by the whole community, rejoicing in its solidarity as a people of the Lord. “To Your name be the glory” Ps. 113:1–9. Passover recalls events which set the God of Israel apart from the deities of all nations. Pagans scoff because God cannot be seen, yet their idols of silver and gold are inanimate lumps. Grasping the vast difference between God and all the gods, the people of God cry out together: O house of Israel, trust in the Lord— He is their help and shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord— He is their help and shield. You who fear Him, trust in the Lord— He is their help and shield. “The Lord remembers us and will bless us” Ps. 115:12–18. Together the people of God affirmed that God will bless (vv. 12–13), and wish one another His blessing (vv. 14–15). Together they “extol the Lord, both now and forevermore.” Perhaps the thing we need to learn from this psalm is the benefit, the vital importance, of corporate worship. The whole psalm reveals a worshiping community that by its worship encourages all to trust God more deeply. We need the mutual support shared worship offers. We need the reminder that we are part of a vast company who know God, who have experienced His blessing, and who are confident that God will continue to bless. No wonder the New Testament says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25). Psalm 116: Personal Thanksgiving. Passover did not only commemorate the deliverance of the nation. It spoke of salvation of individuals as well. The true believer was sensitive to the personal nature of salvation, and cried out his thanks that “when I was in great need, He saved me!”“I love the Lord” Ps. 116:1–7. The believer of every age has had a deep sense of need, and an awareness that God has somehow acted to meet that need. Faith that “the Lord is gracious and righteous, our God is full of compassion” has been expressed by calling on the name of the Lord, saying, “O Lord, save me!” And in every age, that cry has brought the soul rest. It’s no wonder that we love the Lord. We have felt His presence in our darkest hour, and know Him not simply as the Great Architect of the universe, or as uncaused cause, but our own gracious and loving Lord. “How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness?” Ps. 116:8–19 When I tried to witness to other sailors after my conversion in the Navy, they were puzzled. How could salvation be free? After all, what beside fear of punishment could keep a person from doing whatever wrong he or she wanted to do? The psalmist knew what every believer understands intuitively. God has delivered us from death, and His salvation has awakened love. All we ask, all we want to know, is how can we even begin to repay Him for His goodness. This psalm says simply that we choose to be the slave of the One who has released us from slavery. We want only to serve the One who has served us. Our gratitude wells up, and with our life as well as our lips, we cry out, “Praise the Lord.” Psalm 117: God as Saviour: Passover is prophetic for all peoples, for it reveals a saving God. Here the psalmist celebrates a truth of which the prophets often spoke. God is the Saviour not only of Israel, but of the world. In Christ the vision of this psalm has been fulfilled. All the nations, all peoples, praise and extol the Lord for the salvation Jesus has won.

DEVOTIONAL

This Is the Day!(Ps. 118)

Look back to see ahead. Turn to yesterday to see tomorrow. It’s almost a paradox. But it’s true. When Israel looked back each Passover season at the redemption won for them from Egypt, they were in fact looking ahead, and viewing the ministry of the Messiah. What will His coming mean? A shout of praise, that “His love endures forever” (vv. 2–4). Freedom found by taking refuge in the Lord (vv. 5–9). A fresh awareness of our desperate need, relieved by the fact that the Lord “has become my salvation” (vv. 10–14). Shouts of joy punctuating the realization that “I will not die but live” (vv. 15–18). Endless praise, as we enter the gates of heaven to give God thanks for our salvation (vv. 19–21). And in it all, the exaltation of Jesus who, rejected by the builders, became the cornerstone of God’s plan of salvation (vv. 22–23). Then comes the stunning realization that “this is the day that the Lord has made”—a day that spills over into eternity; a never-ending day throughout which we will give God thanks, exalting Him for He is “my God” and because “He is good; His love endures forever.” Today when you and I turn to look back, we see our tomorrow in the cross of Jesus, our Passover sacrifice. In the shadow of Calvary we sense the dawn of the day that the Lord has ordained for you and me. When we turn again after looking back at the cross, and look ahead, we can see just beyond the horizon of tomorrow the return of Christ. What will that return mean? How clearly this majestic psalm tells us. For you and for me, Christ’s return will mean freedom, shouts of joy, and endless days of praise.

Personal Application

When you look back to the cross, look intently until you see tomorrow.

Quotable

“I have written much about the need to come to terms with sin, about repentance and Christians’ duty to change and live by God’s ways. So perhaps it is a good time to remind ourselves that the relationship between man and God is always a two-way street. The corollary to man’s repentance is God’s grace, His loving forgiveness. Grace is what that singular moment in history at Golgotha is all about. For only through the power of Christ’s resurrection can we find the forgiveness which makes life bearable.”—Chuck Colson

MAY 1

Reading 121

GOD THE GLORIOUS Psalms 107–112

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let Your glory be over all the earth” (Ps. 108:5).Book V begins here. The first six psalms focus on the glories of who God is and what He has done.

Overview

Six psalms lead us to praise the Lord as God of Rescue (Ps. 107), God of Victory (Ps. 108), God of Vindication (Ps. 109), God of Messiah’s Triumph (Ps. 110), God of Wonders (Ps. 111), and God of the Good Man (Ps. 112).

Understanding the Text

Psalm 107:

God of Rescue.

The goodness of God is revealed through His rescue of the redeemed from four symbolic perils: destitution, imprisonment, sickness, and storm. “Let the redeemed of the Lord say this” Ps. 107:1–3. The four perils that follow symbolize the actual experience of Judah during the Captivity. A generation recently restored to the Jews’ ancient homeland could identify with each situation, and realize afresh the wonder of God’s redemption. “Some wandered in desert wastelands” Ps. 107:4–9. The hungry, thirsty, and homeless of Judah cried to the Lord. God redeemed, and with unfailing love led them to a city where they could settle. The pattern seen here is followed in each portrait of redemption. Calamity leaves God’s people in desperate straits. They cry to God. He rescues them. Each calamity and rescue enriches our understanding of redemption, that we might praise God. “Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, prisoners” Ps. 107:10–16. They cried to the Lord, and with unfailing love He cut through the bars of iron. “Some became fools through their rebellious ways” Ps.107:17–22. When they cried to the Lord, with unfailing love He healed their sickness and rescued them from the very brink of death. “Others went out on the sea in ships” Ps. 107:23–32. In great peril from terrible storms they cried to the Lord. With unfailing love He calmed the storm and led them to their desired haven. “Whoever is wise, let him heed” Ps. 107:33–43. The psalm concludes with a vision of God creating a fertile land from the wilderness in which the people might dwell. They rebelled and experienced oppression, but “He lifted the needy out of their affliction.” What does the psalm say to you and me? While the psalm draws on physical perils for its imagery, it symbolized that spiritual peril in which all human beings find themselves. Our God is a God of Rescue, for He redeems us from every danger. Freshly aware of the meaning of redemption, we too “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever” (v. 1). Psalm 108: God of Victory. David rejoiced, for he was confident that “with God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.” “My heart is steadfast” Ps. 108:1–5. David began this psalm, which is a prayer for help against Israel’s enemies, with an expression of total confidence in the Lord. David’s very petition was worship, for he knew that “great is Your love” and “Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” What a reminder for us. Our requests too are to be made in complete confidence. Beginning each time of prayer with praise for who God is will help give us the steadfast heart from which David speaks here. “God has spoken” Ps. 108:6–9. God has promised the victory that David now claimed. To toss the sandal represented Israel’s domination of a humbled and submissive Moab. David, even before the battle, so relied on the covenant commitment of God to be with Israel’s armies, that he spoke as if the victories were already won. Has God made promises to us? If so, the answer to our prayer is as sure as if it were already given. “With God we will gain the victory” Ps. 108:10–13. Underline each “will” of verse 13 in your Bible. And remember to pray with David—like confidence in God. Psalm 109: God of Vindication. God will vindicate the righteous and punish their accusers. “Wicked and deceitful men” Ps. 109:1–31. Jesus tells us to pray for those who mistreat us and do good to our enemies. How does a psalm like this one, in which David pleaded with God to punish the wicked who oppressed him, fit with Jesus’ contrasting emphasis? We can hardly dismiss the imprecatory psalms by saying that in old times people were vindictive, or by contrasting the “God of the Old Testament” with the “God of Jesus.” The fact is that both Testaments portray God as One who vindicates His own and punishes the wicked. Jesus often warned His listeners of eternal punishment, and 2 Thessalonians 1:6–7 says, “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled.” Yes, today you and I are to emphasize the grace of God, and display that grace in every dealing with others. But let’s not forget that God is a God of justice as well as grace. The anger and antagonism David expressed toward the wicked who torment the righteous are but a dim reflection of the wrath God will unleash when the day of grace is past. Psalm 110: God of Messiah’s Triumph. The coming Messiah of God is God (v. 1), destined to unite in His person the kingship promised to a descendant of David (vv. 2–3) and a new priesthood (v. 4), and destined also to judge the earth (v. 5). Though only seven short verses, this is the most quoted of all Old Testament psalms. To understand its significance read Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:36; 16:19; Luke 20:42–43; Acts 2:34–35; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20–21; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3, 13; 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:17, 21; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; and 1 Peter 3:22. The God we praise in this psalm is a God who, in Jesus Christ, will bring all His purposes to pass. He will redeem His own, He will judge the wicked of the world, and He will establish the endless kingdom of our God. Psalm 111: God of Wonders. We celebrate the wonder-working power of God, for His works have provided us with redemption. “I will extol the Lord with all my heart” Ps. 111:1–10. Here is another psalm well worth memorizing. Its 10 short verses move us to praise as we see again that God has chosen to exercise His power to redeem and to care for you and me.

DEVOTIONAL

God of the Good Man(Ps. 112)

I was leading a retreat in Washington State, and asked each person in the very large circle to share one thing each really liked about himself or herself: one thing that marked him or her off as a good person. I knew it would be hard for some. So many of us have been taught from childhood that we’re only sinners saved by grace, that it somehow seems “wrong” to say or think anything good about ourselves. It was hard for the folks there in Washington. Only a few mentioned anything significant. Most choked out things like, “Well, I enjoy children,” or “I dress nicely.” But when we got to the pastor’s wife, she said honestly, “I don’t know anything good about myself.” How tragic. Because, you see, our God is not a God of sinners. He is a God for sinners. But He is a God of sinners who are being made good!It is appropriate for David to speak of the blessedness of the “man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in His commands.” This is a man being transformed by his relationship with the Lord: a man who through that relationship has become good. He is generous and lends freely. He conducts his affairs with justice. He trusts in the Lord. He cares for the poor. And his righteousness, his good actions, “endures forever.” Why not take a moment before you read Psalm 112 to ask yourself the question I posed on that retreat. What are some things you like about yourself? What things mark you off as a good person? When you’ve made your list, then read in this psalm the blessings that God has in store for you. He has made you good that He may bless you forever.

Personal Application

Be glad, but not proud, when you find good in your heart and life.

Quotable

“It is the highest and holiest of the paradoxes that the man who really knows he cannot pay his debt will be forever paying it.”—G.K. Chesterton

APRIL 30

Reading 120

WORSHIP THEMES

Psalms 99–106 “Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever” (Ps. 106:1).

Themes developed in worship psalms tend to focus on who God is, on what He has done, and on the wonder of His love for His people.

Overview

Israel worshiped the Lord as enthroned (Ps. 99), as God (Ps. 100), and as a God of love and justice (Ps. 101). One psalm foreshadows the Messiah’s days and endless years (Ps. 102), while others celebrate God’s great love (Ps. 103), His self-revelation in nature (Ps. 104), and particularly in history (Ps. 105) as a covenant-keeping God (Ps. 106).

Understanding the Text

Psalm 99: God Enthroned. God’s absolute sovereignty is demonstrated in His gracious choice of Israel. “The Lord reigns” Ps. 99:1–9. God has exercised His sovereignty in choosing Israel (vv. 1–3). That choice was just, as well as sovereign (vv. 4–5), for God’s own keep His statutes (vv. 6–7). His justice is also displayed both in punishing Israel’s misdeeds and in His forgiveness (vv. 8–9). How important to remember that God does not use His power capriciously. He keeps His commitments, and does right. Psalm 100: The Lord Is God. The one true God has revealed Himself in His personal name, Yahweh, “the Lord.” “Know that the Lord is God” Ps. 100:1–5. The personal name Yahweh was revealed to Moses. That name, which means “The One Who Is Always Present,” was to be “My name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation” (Ex. 3:15). This psalm exults that it is Yahweh who is God. “He who made us, and we are His,” is God. The Lord, who is good, and whose love endures forever, is ruler of the universe. What a cause for thanksgiving. Because the Lord is God, we are safe and secure forever. For “His faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 101: Love and Justice. David found a reason to praise, and a motive for godly living, in the love and the justice of God. “I will be careful to lead a blameless life” Ps. 101:1–8. The psalm expresses David’s commitment to the God whose love and justice he praised. That commitment was expressed in the psalmist’s determination to live in a way that pleased God. But note the motivation. David intended to lead a blameless life in view of the love and the justice of God. Because God loves us, we want to please Him. Because God is a God of justice, we can trust Him fully to reward those who do right, and to punish the wicked. Our motivation too, when pure, is response to the love God has showered on us, and trust that His justice will guard and protect us as we live for Him. Psalm 102: Messiah’s Days and Years. Even in Old Testament times this psalm was known as messianic. It is a psalm which sensitizes us to the sufferings of the Saviour, and a future shaped by His ultimate exaltation. “I am in distress” Ps. 102:1–11. In familiar terms this psalm evokes images of frailty and pain, rejection and despair. It was because of God’s wrath against our sin, not the sufferer’s, that the Father has “taken [Messiah] up and thrown Me aside.” “You will arise and have compassion” Ps. 102:12–17. In the Messiah, God’s appointed time had come, and He Himself acted to have compassion on His people. Through that act “the Lord will rebuild Zion” when He appears “in His glory.” “Written for a future generation” Ps. 102:18–22. The benefits of the Messiah’s act are not immediately visible. But they will be known in the future, when God declares His name openly and “the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord.” “Your years will never end” Ps. 102:23–28. Though death would cut short Messiah’s days, His years will “go on through all generations.” He is the One who laid the foundation of the earth. The universe will perish, but not Him, for “You remain the same, and Your years will never end.” And, because of Messiah, “the children of Your servants will live in Your presence.” When we read such psalms and many of the prophets we realize how often God turned the eyes of His Old Testament people ahead, and how clearly He portrayed the coming Saviour. Most importantly, however, we ourselves are led to sense the wonder of a God who would enter our world and suffer here as a human being, in order to redeem a people who have no benefit to return to Him but our worship and our praise. Psalm 103: God’s Great Love. David chronicled evidence of God’s love in a psalm that is sure to move us to praise. (See DEVOTIONAL.) The Old Testament compares God’s love to that of a father for his own children (Ps. 103:13). Only in the New Testament do we discover that God is a Father to individual believers. It is Father-love that has motivated God to do for us those wonderful things which Psalm 103 records. Psalm 104. God in Nature. God’s greatness is displayed in all the wonderful things which He has made. We are to meditate on creation’s evidence of His glory, and praise the Lord. “When You send Your Spirit, they are created” Ps. 104:1–35. This psalm parallels the Genesis Creation account. It is well to read it as a commentary on Genesis 1, not to explain how God created, but to celebrate the wonder of His works. The parallels between this psalm and Genesis 1 are:

Day 1	Gen. 1:3–5	light	Ps. 104:2a
Day 2	Gen. 1:6–8	firmament	Ps. 104:2b-4
Day 3	Gen. 1:9–13	land, water	Ps. 104:5–13
		veg., trees	Ps. 104:14–18
Day 4	Gen. 1:14–19	hvnly. bodies	Ps. 104:19–24
Day 5	Gen. 1:20–23	sea creat.	Ps. 104:25–26
Day 6	Gen. 1:24–28	anmls., man	Ps. 104:21–24
	Gen. 1:29–31	food for all	Ps. 104:27–30

Psalm 105: God in History. God is known by what He has done in history for His people Israel. This psalm praises the Lord for His “wonderful acts.” The miracles and judgments of the Lord seen through the history of His dealings with Israel reveal Him as a covenant-keeping God, who keeps His promises and works miracles on behalf of His own. Psalm 106: Covenant Love. In this dark counterpart to Psalm 105, the psalmist reviewed history’s evidence of human failure. Against that background the wonder of God’s covenant-keeping love shines bright and clear.

DEVOTIONAL

Let Me Count the Ways (Ps. 103)

Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote one of the English language’s most powerful love poems. It begins: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight . . . and it ends With my lost saints—I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life!-and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. Browning’s powerful poem wasn’t the first to count love’s ways. The first was David, who a thousand years before Christ set down a list in Psalm 103 of ways in which God loves you and me. And his list is far more specific, far more extensive, and far more wonderful than Browning’s. How does God love us? He forgives our sins and heals our diseases (v. 3). He preserves our life and crowns us with love and compassion (v. 4). He satisfies our desires with good things (v. 5). He works justice for the oppressed (v. 6). He made known His ways to Moses and revealed Himself in history’s mighty acts (v. 7). And the list goes on. He is compassionate and slow to anger (v. 8). He does not treat us as our sins deserve (v. 10). And still there is more. Far too much to record in this brief meditation. But if life ever seems hard and the future so bleak that you can see nothing but darkness ahead, turn in your Bible to this psalm that celebrates God’s love. As you count with David the ways that God loves you, the darkness will break. And, with David, you will be lifted up to sing God’s praise.

Personal Application

Jot down the number of this psalm on the inside back cover of your Bible, so you can find it at times when you feel down.

Quotable

“I believe that each individual is precious to God, and that a divine undefeatable purpose is being worked out in every life; a life that goes on after death. A thousand things happen to us which are not ’the will of God,’ but nothing can happen to us which can defeat His purposes at last.”— Leslie D. Weatherhead

APRIL 29

Reading 119

OBSERVING RESTORATION Psalms 90–98

“You make me glad by Your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of Your hands” (Ps. 92:4).Book IV suggests a collection date near Judah’s return from Exile. The first psalms remind us that every experience of God’s blessing teaches us more about the character of our Lord, and deepens our appreciation of His great love.

Overview

A prayer of Moses for restoration (Ps. 90) is followed by psalms celebrating the joys of dwelling in God and proclaiming His love (Pss. 91–92). The following psalms hold God up as Ruler (Ps. 93) and Judge (Ps. 94). God is also celebrated for His voice (Ps. 95), His imminent coming (Ps. 96), His righteousness (Ps. 97) and His salvation (Ps. 98).

Understanding the Text

Psalm 90: A Prayer for Restoration. Moses reflected on the fragility of life, and appealed to God to “make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us.” “From everlasting to everlasting” Ps. 90:1–6. God’s eternal nature stands in awesome contrast to the brevity and fragility of human life. He is the only stable element in reality, beside whom the universe itself is young. “Teach us to number our days” Ps. 90:7–15. The Exodus generation knew God’s anger as their sins were exposed. Moses yearned for his people to learn the lesson taught by God’s wrath, that the people might experience His compassion and be made “glad” for as many years as they had seen trouble. How those who returned to their ruined homeland after decades of exile in Babylon must have identified with this psalm! How appropriate that it launches this book of psalms, which most view as liturgy used in public worship by the postexilic community. Psalm 91: Dwelling in God. This psalm is the Old Testament’s corollary to Jesus’ call to the believer to “abide in Me.” “Rest in the shadow of the Almighty” Ps. 91:1–2. Safety is found in closeness to the Lord, represented here as “dwelling in the shadow of the Almighty.” “Surely He will save you” Ps. 91:3–13. Christ is the example of One who dwells in God’s very shadow. When tempted, Jesus had no need to prove God’s loving care by leaping from the temple’s highest point. He knew, without any need to test God, that the Lord had commanded “His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (v. 11). “I will rescue him” Ps. 91:14–16. These last, magnificent verses define what it means to dwell in God’s shadow. It means to love Him, and to acknowledge His name. When you and I do love the Lord, and acknowledge Him in our daily lives, we can claim this promise: “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.” Psalm 92: Proclaiming God’s Love. We too can exalt God, and sing for joy as we contemplate God’s works and His thoughts. “The righteous will flourish” Ps. 92:1–15. This too is a psalm with a promise. The “senseless man” cannot know God. But we who praise Him are filled with joy as we consider what He has done. With that joy comes assurance for the future. We have God’s promise. Planted in the house of the Lord we will flourish forever, ever proclaiming and praising the Lord. Psalm 93: God Reigns. God’s throne was established in eternity. He is the one and only stable element in the universe. Psalm 94: God Is Judge. God is moral Judge of His universe. The anxious person can find comfort in the love of a righteous God. “O God who avenges, shine forth” Ps. 94:1–7. The oppressed believer cries out for God to judge, while the wicked man laughs at the notion God sees or cares. “Take heed . . . you fools” Ps. 94:8–11. How senseless to suppose that a God who designed the ear cannot hear, and the eye cannot see! God does know—and will punish the wicked. “Blessed is the man You discipline” Ps. 94:12–15. As Judge, God has given man His Law, in order to teach us His ways. The upright in heart follow it and are blessed. “Your love, O Lord, supported me” Ps. 94:16–19. As Judge, God helps His own against the wicked, supporting them with love when they become anxious. “He will repay” Ps. 94:20–23. As Judge, the God who is our present refuge will one day destroy the wicked and repay them for their sins. If you or I become victims of the wicked, we too can celebrate God as Judge. He does see. He guides us with His Word, supports us with His love, and in the future God will repay. Psalm 95: God’s Voice. God is our King. We are to hear, and respond to His voice. “Today, if you hear His voice” Ps. 95:1–11. The writer of Hebrews returns to this psalm two times, quoting or alluding to it in 3:7–11, 15, and 4:3, 5–11. The psalm recalls Israel’s refusal during the Exodus to obey God and enter the Promised Land. That failure to obey led to 40 years of wandering in a wilderness until an entire generation died. This psalm celebrates God as the great King. We acknowledge His lordship by responding when we hear His voice. Only by showing respect to God as King and Lord, and obeying His voice, can we find rest. Psalm 96: God Approaches. This psalm is vibrant with shouts of joy as God approaches to “judge the world in righteousness.” (See DEVOTIONAL.) Psalm 97: God’s Righteousness. The foundation of God’s rule is justice and righteousness. “Let those who love the Lord hate evil” Ps. 97:1–12. This psalm too is vibrant with a sense of awe at God’s greatness. That greatness is displayed in a righteousness which establishes justice, punishes the wicked, and delivers the upright who hate evil. If you and I live a righteous life, we are promised both light to guide us and joy to accompany us (vv. 11–12). Psalm 98: God’s Salvation. The whole universe joins the believer in singing praise to God for His salvation. “Sing to the Lord” Ps. 98:1–3. The song of salvation celebrates the marvel of God’s love, faithfulness, and righteousness, which bond together to win glory for “the ends of the earth.” “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth” Ps. 98:4–9. The phrase “all the earth” generally means all people of earth. But here it seems to have a different focus. The chorus is joined by the sea and all in it, the world and all living things in it, the rivers and mountains as well. The psalm reminds us that nature too is warped from its original shape by Adam’s sin (Gen. 3:17). Paul pictures the creation as “subjected to frustration” and waiting to be “liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rom. 8:20–21). When God’s salvation appears, you and I, and creation itself, will at last be set free.

DEVOTIONAL

Line the Streets(Ps. 96)

What would you do if you were walking through a dark alley, and suddenly met God? This seems like a strange question. Yet it seemed the best way to express something I found some years ago when I did research on a class of children in a Christian school. I wanted to find out how eighth-graders in our local Christian school really felt about God, and how those feelings related to what they knew about Him. Briefly, a number of the boys and girls had a sense of warm, close, personal relationship with the Lord. But several felt uncertain, strained, and even distant. The immediate reaction of the first group, if they met God in a dark alley, would have been to run to Him with arms open, shouting out for joy. But the reaction of the second group would have been to draw back, and very possibly to slink away. Remembering that research, I’m tempted to title Psalm 96 the Psalm of the Joyous Children. It is a shout of joy. It is a portrait of God’s children lining the streets, with arms open, jumping up and down in excitement as the Lord approaches. If our own relationship with the Lord is warm and close, this psalm will excite us too. The Lord is near! And we are lining the street, eager to meet Him and filled with a great joy.

Personal Application

Think of Christ’s coming, and let the prospect fill your heart with joy.

Quotable

Let me hold lightly Things of this earth; Transient treasures, What are they worth? Moths can corrupt them, Rust can decay; All their bright beauty Fades in a day. Let me hold lightly Temporal things, I, who am deathless, I, who wear wings! -Martha Snell Nicholson

APRIL 28

Reading 118

GOD’S FAITHFUL LOVE

Psalms 85–89“Great is Your love toward me; You have delivered my soul from the depths of the grave” (Ps. 86:13).Confidence that God loves us undergirds our faith. We trust Him, not only because He is able to help, but because He truly cares.

Overview

We experience God’s love through a forgiveness (Ps. 85) that awakens commitment to Him (Ps. 86). God loves Zion (Ps. 87). And though we may experience despair (Ps. 88), we remain objects of His love and faithfulness forever (Ps. 89).

Understanding the Text

Psalm 85:

You Forgave.

In forgiveness God’s love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace all meet. “You forgave the iniquity of Your people” Ps. 85:1–3. “Iniquity” is willful, rebellious sin. Even this God forgave, and covered His people’s sins. “Restore us” Ps. 85:4–7. As a forgiven people, God’s own can expect renewed blessing as the Lord shows His unfailing love. God’s promise of peace to the forgiven is contingent. Peace comes only to those who fear God and turn from “folly” (moral evil). “Love and faithfulness meet” Ps. 85:10–13. How can we understand forgiveness? By seeing it as a place where God’s love, faithfulness, and righteousness unite to bring peace. Because God loves us, He forgives. Because He is faithful to His covenant promises, He forgives. Because God is righteous, He pays the price in Christ that forgiveness requires. Where these three qualities unite in forgiveness, man is restored to that state of peace (well-being) which Adam and Eve first knew. Viewing forgiveness as an expression of God’s character and attitude toward man, we can be sure that “the Lord will indeed give what is good.” Psalm 86: The Undivided Heart. The forgiven man responds to God with gratitude, commitment, and trust. “I am poor and needy” Ps. 86:1–4. The forgiven man acknowledges his need for mercy, and looks only to God for salvation and for joy. “You are kind and forgiving” Ps. 86:5–10. The forgiven man recognizes the source of his blessing in God’s character. Having experienced God’s love, he prays freely to the One who alone can do marvelous deeds. “Teach me Your way, O Lord” Ps. 86:11–13. The forgiven man focuses completely on God. With an undivided heart he seeks to learn and to walk in God’s way. The forgiven man responds to God’s great love with a wholehearted effort to glorify the Lord. “You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God” Ps. 86:14–17. Under attack by the arrogant, the forgiven man appeals to God for mercy, and confidently expects the Lord to provide signs of His goodness. When you and I realize that we truly are forgiven, we too respond to the Lord with an undivided heart. Psalm 87: Zion. The city of God reflects His glory. “Zion” Ps. 87:1–7. The Zion of the Bible is first Jerusalem, the city God chose as the focal point of Old Testament worship; the location of His ultimate revelation of love in Christ Jesus. God chose Zion simply because of His love for this place from which His grace shines out on all men. This psalm emphasizes the fact that Zion is not only a place, but also a people. To be born in Zion is to be one with the people of God, who gather round His revelation and rejoice in the Lord. The stunning emphasis of this psalm is that those who have been Israel’s historic enemies, Rahab (Egypt), Babylon, and Philistia too, will one day know the Lord. It will be said of them as well as of Israel, “This one was born in Zion.” What an amazing reminder of God’s grace, nestled here among psalms that celebrate forgiveness. And how we need to remember that those who seem God’s most implacable enemies remain the objects of His forgiving love. Psalm 88: In Distress. Those who know God well may still experience unremitting pain and grief. “Day and night I cry out” Ps. 88:1–18. Most psalms which express despair or distress lead us from the depths to the heights. We share the psalmist’s pain. But then our hearts are lifted as the psalmist turns his thoughts to the Lord. In affirming God’s greatness or love the psalmist shows us where we can find peace. This psalm is different. It speaks of an unrelenting darkness. Heman, its author, found himself “in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.” Though he called out to God “every day,” there was no answer, and the psalmist felt rejected by the God on whom he depended. And this had been his lot “from my youth”! He had been afflicted, in terrors and despair, as long as he could remember. What is the value of a psalm like this one? It reminds us that faith promises no 30-minute resolution of our problems, nor 30-second spiritual highs! There well may be days, weeks, or even years when all seems dark, and God remains silent. While faith frequently offers us inner peace in outward turmoil, some men and women with a true faith will find themselves living in unexpected, and unexplained, dark. When that happens, we need not blame ourselves, as if the darkness were evidence of some personal spiritual lack. Psalm 88 reminds us that for some, who honestly trust and cry out to God, the answer is withheld and the darkness remains. When this happens, and we cannot say why, then we must believe that even the darkness is a gift, intended by God to be our “closest friend.”

DEVOTIONAL

Falling Out of Love(Ps. 89)

We read about it all the time. Sometimes we even experience it. “I’ve just fallen out of love with my husband,” the young wife writes to Ann Landers or complains to a counselor of “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” in the Ladies Home Journal. Or, perhaps the glow fades in our own marriage, and your spouse says, “I just don’t love you anymore.” I suspect that many married couples in this land of ours, where divorce seems destined to strike 51 percent of those who marry for the first time, live with a conscious uncertainty about love. They aren’t sure whether they are loved. Or even whether they really love their partner! What reassurance we find in Psalm 89 that our relationship with God is different. There is no uncertainty here. God does love us. In fact, His love “stands firm forever.” He is by nature a faithful Person: He will not take His love from us, and promises, “Nor will I ever betray My faithfulness.” We can be comfortable in our relationship with God because He loves us with an unconditional, unchangeable love. Psalm 89 is a long psalm. But it celebrates something basic in the nature of God, and vital to our relationship with Him. Because God’s love stands firm forever, because faithfulness surrounds Him, we who walk in His presence are assured of blessing, of strength, and of a ready answer to our prayers. In the Old Testament the throne is a symbol of not only human but divine rule. In the psalmist’s exalted vision of God, His throne and the throne of the coming Messiah, “will endure before Me like the sun; and it will be established forever” (Ps. 89:36–37).

Personal Application

Read the psalm thoughtfully. What evidence does it give that God is faithful forever? What does the fact of God’s faithfulness mean to you?

Quotable

There is no place where earth’s sorrows Are more felt than up in heaven; There is no place where earth’s failings Have such kindly judgment given. For the love of God is broader Than the measures of man’s mind; And the heart of the Eternal Is most wonderfully kind. . . . Pining souls! come nearer Jesus, And O come, not doubting thus, And with faith that trusts more bravely His huge tenderness for us. If our love were but more simple, We should take Him at His word; And our lives would all be sunshine, In the sweetness of our Lord.-F.W. Faber