4 provisions needed to overcome Injustices

 Read Psalm 94.

The psalmist cried out for vengeance upon the wicked that had come against God's people.  He described them as "proud" and using "arrogant words."  They had no mercy on the most defenseless of all, murdering widows, travelers, and fatherless children.  Their thought was that God does not exist.  And if He does exist He does not see nor care about what they are doing.

The LORD of heaven not only sees, He hears, He disciplines, and He knows the thoughts of all people.  He does not forget His people.  He is a God of justice and He will eventually right every wrong.

In the meantime, while living with such injustice, how can a righteous person endure?  Living under the threat of physical death is the ultimate test of one's faith.  What kept the songwriter going?

1. The help of the LORD. (v.17)
Day by day, moment by moment God came along side to strengthen him.

2. The love of the LORD. (v.18)
It was the assurance that God loved him, even if no one else did, that caused him to stand firm in his faith.

3. The comforts of the LORD. (v.19)
When he was hurting or feeling badly about the awful things taking place around him, God was there to cheer his soul.

4. The stability of the LORD. (20)
The faithful, unchanging character of God provided a place of spiritual and emotional refuge and safety.

Without this hope, there would have been nothing left but despair.  With a confident faith in Christ, one’s perspective rises above earthly things to trust the Lord.

"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.  And this the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:4-5)

 

The contrast of the King of Glory.

 Read Psalm 93.

Earthly royalty, sitting on their thrones, are truly awe inspiring.  Their robes and crowns, their positional honor and power, cause everyone to cease what they are doing in order to hear what the monarch has to say.  The unnamed psalmist envisioned the comparisons and contrasts of the King of Glory as the ultimate ruler of all things and everyone.

1. His robe.
He is not clothed in expensive furs, but with majesty itself.
2. His belt.
He is not girded with gold, but what surrounds His personage is omnipotence.
3. His rule.
There are no shouts of "long live the king" because He has eternally been in control and always will be.
4. His power.
It is not merely the forces of an army and the exercise of might against opposing nations that He controls but the very forces of nature are under His command.
5. His word.
The rulers of this world may declare their edicts.  Sometimes those decisions prove to be false promises or simply wrong.  God's word is totally reliable, sure and faithful.
6. His habitation.
John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton wrote in part, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."  The kings of this world have been notorious for their immorality, greed and/or abuse of their position.  But the overarching characteristic of the presence of the LORD is His holiness.

Isaiah was allowed to see firsthand what this psalmist penned.
"In the year King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.  Above him stood the seraphim.  Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  And one called to the another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!'" (Isaiah 6:1-3)

 

A Song for Thanksgiving

 Read Psalm 92.

For those who love the LORD, every day is one of giving thanks.  We praise Him in the morning and at night.  It is with voice and on instruments.  While we are thankful for family, friends, those who sacrifice to keep us safe, and for blessings, ultimately all thanks belongs to God Himself.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights..." (James 1:17)

1. We thank Him for who He is. (vv.1-4)
-His love is steadfast.
-His faithfulness is new every morning.  (Lamentations 3:22-23)

2. We thank Him for what He has done. (vv.5-11)
His wonderful works extend from Creation to our Redemption to bring us to today.  This requires spiritual insight.  The natural person does not understand.  He sees what God has done and ascribes it to something or someone else.  This robs God of His rightful glory and thanksgiving.

3. We thank Him for what we have. (vv.12-15)
Flourish is a relative term.  We may not have all we want, but today the LORD has supplied much more than we need.  As people grow older, they slow down or cease their professions or work.  But those who know the LORD can continue to grow spiritually and bear fruit in ministry to others.

Two anchors of our faith in God:
He is right.  We are thankful to know the truth and to be on the winning side.
He is our Rock.  We are thankful to have such unchangeable stability in our lives.

 

When trouble troubles You

 Read Psalm 91.

Dr. Lee Roberson preached a powerful sermon on the subject of trouble.
1. Trouble energizes.  We are lazy.  It stirs us to action.
2. Trouble clarifies.  It gives us vision.
3. Trouble magnifies our weaknesses in light of the power of God.

This psalm encourages believers that we have no cause for fear when trouble comes our way.  For those who place their faith in God, He is our shelter, a shadow protection over us, a refuge, a fortress, a cover, a shield, a buckler, our dwelling place.
And, if that were not enough, "He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways." (v.11)

How does the LORD respond to those who trust Him in times of trouble? (vv.14-16)
1. I will deliver him
2. I will protect him
3. I will answer him
4. I will be with him
5. I will rescue him
6. I will honor him
7. I will show him my salvation
Seven quotes from God Himself.  We need nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.

 

What to do about the brevity of Life

 

Read Psalm 90.

Here is song from Moses.  He began by extolling the eternal nature of God.  He is from everlasting to everlasting.  God does not exist in time.  He is not limited to space or matter.  As Creator, He is the Owner of life.  And, He is the believer's refuge and final home.

Human life is the exact opposite.  We are here only for a while and then gone into eternity.  Earthly life is described like dust, as if swept away by a flood, a dream, grass, a sigh.  It may last 70 years, maybe 80, then soon gone.  This is an interesting statement from a man who lived to be 120.

Facing this temporal reality, how should we be praying and what should we be doing?

1. Learning wisdom. (v.12)
Teach us to number our days.  It is human nature to avoid thinking about our days being numbered, let alone wisely planning our lives according to its sure brevity.  Today matters.  This understanding and learning causes us-
-to be urgent in what we do
-to be right in what we do
-to be prudent in what we do

2. Being content with God's love for us. (v.14a)
If He was all you had in this life, would you be satisfied?  Is He enough for you?

3. Rejoicing through it all. (v.14b-15)
Afflicted?  Yes.  Experienced evil?  Yes.  The secret to being "glad all our days" is being content with God and His love. 

4. Seeing God's power at work. (v.16)
Praying is one thing.  Our faith is built up as we intentionally take notice of God at work all around us every day.  He is active every moment.  Don't miss it.

5. Experiencing God's favor in all that we do. (v.17)
He is the One who opens doors of opportunity and blesses us.  It is His good hand upon us that makes all the difference in life and leaves a legacy of honor for those behind us.

 

What happened to God's Promises?

 Read Psalm 89.

Ethan, who wrote this song, is mentioned in two other places in the Old Testament.  He was Levite and considered to be a very wise man.  But here he was conflicted.  On one hand, Ethan praised God for His many character traits such love and faithfulness.  Then, on the other, He felt God had abandoned the nation in anger.  He even accused the LORD of renouncing His covenant with David (v.39).

Indeed, the very basis of his prayer is the Davidic Covenant found in 1 Samuel 7:5-16.  There the LORD made these eternal promises to David and his descendants.
1. I will make your name great.
2. I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more.
3. I will give you rest from all your enemies.
4. I will make you a house.
5. I will raise up offspring after you.
6. I will establish his kingdom forever.
7. Your throne shall be established forever.

The context of this psalm, however, appears to have been prompted by an enemy invasion and the king's loss of control over the nation.  So, what happened to all those promises?  God did not change; Israel did.  Their disobedience resulted in them losing the blessings of those promises for a time.  With their national repentance and in God's timing He will restore and fulfill all His word.  Ultimately, Jesus, a direct and royal descendant of David (Matthew 1) will sit on that throne in Jerusalem and rule.

We must be careful not to evaluate life based upon temporal emotions.  God's word and His faithfulness do not change.  He is "the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).  When life does not make sense, God's word is still and always trustworthy.

 

Suffering in the will of God

 Read Psalm 88.

When one hears the name Heman, we think of a person with unusual strength, stature, and ability.  But as Heman wrote this psalm, we discover a man who was suffering, crying, and on the brink of death.

He prayed day and night, but up to this point the LORD had not answered his prayers.  Indeed, things became worse.  His "soul is full of troubles."  His health had brought him to the point of death.  All his friends had abandoned him.  There seemed to be no way out.  And, there is no happy ending to this song.

The basis of his prayer was that in death he would not be able to demonstrate the power and character of God's deliverance.  Notice the appeal to the character of God.
-"your steadfast love"
-"your faithfulness"
-"your wonders"
-"your righteousness"

Everyone, sooner or later, experiences the agony of praying with the feeling that God is not listening.  Our evaluation is based on the fact that nothing is happening to help us.  But our faith reminds us that God does see what we are going through and He hears our cries.  Further, the foundation of our hope is that the LORD is working His plan and purpose on His timetable, not ours.  It is our trust in Him that is being tested.

Suffering is as much a part of the human experience as breathing.  It may take different forms from various causes.  Suffering due to our own sin is God's design to lead a person to repentance.  But there are times in life when suffering is within the will of God to test the believer and to mature them in their faith.

Two reminders from the Apostle Paul's personal suffering in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.
1. In our weakness, we learn that God' grace is sufficient for us.
2. In our weakness, we learn to be content.