Day #143

Sermon - Audio
Pslam 95 & 97-99 - Audio
Pslam 95 & 97-99 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Good morning everyone. Another day of Psalms. Just to let you know, I am going to offer more detailed/applied notes on Psalm 97. I will try to keep the rest shorter.

Psalm 95

95.1 Listen to these verses in the context of worship. Verse 1 is a call to worship with Joy.

95.4 An interesting literary device here: the Psalmist names the depths of the earth and the moutnains, but the meaning that is conveyed is that God holds in his hands everything in between.

95.5 For the Israelites, this is a very important line. The sea represents not only chaos, but also the most powerful of the pagan gods. The chaos is not above the LORDs control, and the pagan gods are nothing to fear.

95.6-7 A call to worship with reverence (notice the kneeling). I find this to be an especially powerful way to prepare for worship.

95.8 This begins a history lesson within the Psalm (actually, it starts in verse 5 in appealing to creation). History is an important part of Israel's identity, especially because it shows God's action in their national history (the same is true for Christians). This particular

95.11 Just a reminder that God's anger is not same as ours. He is not a victim to his emotions. Rather he has eternal “righteous anger” toward wickedness.

Psalm 97

97.1 This Psalm begins by proclaiming God's kingship over all! The imagery here is beautiful. Think about what it means for the “earth to be glad.” Don't imagine a globe with a smiley face on it. Zoom in. Instead, look out your window. The hebrew word here is “eretz” which means land. We are talking about beauty in nature in this verse. Notice how much nature imagery is used in the next few verses. He starts with “land,” but by the end of verse 1 he's already on the coasts. Any beach people out there?

97.2 Very common in describing God's throne room and/or presence, we have similar imagery as mount Siani: cloud and darkness. Also notice that “righteousness and justice” come together as a pair......as usual. Finally, compare this verse to verse 7. Nature you can see, you can measure, you can manipulate. So too with idols. God you cannot see, you cannot measure, you cannot manipulate

97.3 We begin working our way through the most powerful forces of nature: starting with fire.

97.4 I think we've lots some of the “wonder” of this verse. Very early on in school, we describe the natural occurrence of lightening and the clap of the air which results in thunder. The poet here sees the lightning strike through a creative lens. A flash of light from the sky results in the earth shaking with fear!

97.5 Nothing is more majestic than mountains. Nothing more unshakable, seemingly nothing more permanent. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD. Another powerful image from nature. I'm a mountain guy myself.

97.6 It seems we've been set up for this verse. Our eyes have been working their way upward. Fire on the ground. Lightening a bit higher. Mountains farther up. And now: the skies. Think of a starry night. What more glorious thing that is visible to all (apart from cloudy nights in Michigan). The second part of the verse follows this up nicely: “ALL peoples see his glory.” At this point the Psalm takes on an evangelistic role. Read it next to Romans 1.20: For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen being understood from what has been made so that people are without excuse.

97.7 Look back once more to Romans 1 (Paul can describe this better than I can) pick right up at verse 21: For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him... they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal human beigns an dbirds and animals and reptiles. Essentially, most people have traded obedience of the almighty God (who is over all of creation) for things in creation. For the people of Israel's time it was idols, for us today we give our obedience to other things: politics, shopping, celebrity, social status, money, etc. We are put to shame when we consider the worth of these things compared to the Lord, who is Most High over all of it (verse 9).

97.10 This is an incredibly packed verse. Essentially, we now have the altar call. You have acknowledged the glory of God and now its time to respond. Ultimately, this verse is about the object of our desires. It communicates that we as humans are more than just rational creatures. We are creatures who love. While knowledge of God is incredibly important (head), our love for God is more important (heart). When God is the ultimate object of our love, we will be drawn to the good and hate evil. Consider the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. When Joseph is confronted with something that is against God's will, what does he do? He does not quote Torah. He does not pray for God's will is for the situation. Instead he runs. Because he has love for God, he is repulsed by evil. It becomes a gut-level reaction.

9.11 The call for us to respond continues in this verse. We are not only to love and to live a certain way, but also to worship in community (the Hebrew word is plural).

Psalm 98

98.1 A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king (NET). Depending on your translation, the verbs in this psalm will either be past or present tense. Recent scholarship prefers the present tense for these verbs. This reading also brings immediacy and power to Gods action. This also makes more theological sense. His right and and his mighty arm accomplish deliverance

Note: The reference of his “right arm” speaks symbolically to God's power as warrior-king. The first part of this Psalm (through verse 3 is God focused)

98.2 The Lord demonstrates his power to deliver...he reveals justice.

98.3 He remains loyal and faithful to the family of Israel (hesed spotting: means “loyal love.”)

98.4-6 The Psalm now moves from God focused to human focused. Gods action leads us to shout in praise with everything we've got.

98.7-8 We now move from human to creation focus. God acts on behalf of nature as well. God didn't create junk, and he doesn't junk what he created (Al Wolters). Just as all of creation was affected by the fall, so to God's saving work is for the entire cosmos. Colossians 1.19-20 identifies Jesus as the ultimate savior of the entire universe: For God was pleased to have all his fulness dwell in him [Jesus], and through him to reconcile to himself ALL THIGNS, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making shalom through his blood shed on the cross.

98.9 Do not read this verse only as a prediction of the future (Jesus' return which marks the final judgment), but also as something God does TODAY. God is committed to justice right here, right now.

Psalm 99

99.1-4 God is described as sitting enthroned between the gold-covered cherubim over the ark of the covenant. God was thought of as sitting on top of the Ark of the Covenant (invisible). Though great and awesome, he dwells among his people. dwelling among his people. His feet rest on the ‘mercy seat’—where he speaks to his people (Ex. 29:42–46) and makes atonement for their sins (Ex. 25:17–22). His greatness is that of the God of grace. (New Bible Commentary).

99.5 Notice that verse 5 is at the very center of the Psalm (4 verses before and 4 after). Though not always the case, in this Psalm the central point of the Psalm is found here: Praise the LORD. Worship in his presence.

99.6 Appealing to Moses, Aaron, and Samuel appeals to the people considered closest to God up to the time of David. Moses and Aaron are Priests who entered into his presence. Samuel was his first prophet. The Psalmist puts us in their company. Just as they were allowed to approach God, so too are we. One of the most important marks of being God's people is our praying relationship with him

99.8-9 God is one who forgives, but also disciplines. Remember, God does not punish Christians for their sins. Jesus has taken all of punishment for us. That doesn't mean that there is not room for discipline.