Psalm 76 paints a picture of a fearsome God. That God is to be feared is all through Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, and I wonder if we are mindful of what it means to “fear the Lord”. We gather every Sunday morning and we sing songs praising Him for His love, His mercy, and His tenderness; but, how many songs do we sing praising Him for His fearsomeness?

We fear God for what He can do. We fear Him for what He has done. And, we fear Him for what He’s promised to do. For the unbeliever, this fear brings about denial and eventually trembling. For His children, fear of the Lord brings obedience and praise.

God’s fearsomeness is on display in His power, and His willingnees to use it. He demostrates His power in defense of His people. He uses His great power to bring about His intended ends. As we praise Him for His love, His mercy, and His tenderness, may we never forget that He is also to be feared.

When studying a psalm, there are three questions I like to ask. What does it tell me about God? What does this psalm reveal about me? And, how am I to respond? Psalm 75 reminds me that, in my flesh, I am a prideful, selfish creature with an insatiable need to blow my own horn. More importantly, Psalm 75 speaks of God as the ultimate, perfect, absolute judge over all His creation—who both exalts the righteous and condemns the wicked. And, my response, in light of who I am in Christ, is praise.

In this song we see attributes of God that are, at the same time, encouraging and frightening. We see His mercy and His justice. We see His compassion and His judgment. We see His transcendence and His immanence. Psalm 75 reminds us that God condemns the wicked and rewards the righteous.

That God sits in judgment over creation is seen throughout Scripture. This is a given. But there are things we must understand if we are to have a useful perspective on this. First, we must understand His judgment is perfect. He needs no witnesses, He sees everything. Phrases like “beyond a reasonable doubt” and “to a moral certainty” do not apply to the Most High God, who knows and sees all things; who sees me as I truly am.

But, this raises the question in my mind, who could, in this wicked and fallen world, attach himself to the camp of the righteous? Can anyone look in the mirror and with confidence say, “Doing good! Keep it up!” Certainly Paul, in the midst of penning his great letter to the Roman church, didn’t presume as much. After proclaiming his own struggle with the flesh, he cries out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24). Then, of course, he immediately answers his own question, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

We who belong to Jesus must always be mindful that, without Christ, we are no better off before a holy God than the worst of man walking the earth. However, in Christ, the Judge is also our advocate. He is our defense. He is our righteousness. The blessed truth is that, in His perfect judgment, He doesn’t overlook or ignore our wickedness. But rather, He sees us for the new creatures we are, (2 Corinthians 5:17). God sees Christ in us, (Galatians 2:20).

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Today, I find myself drawn back to a psalm that has meant so much to me over the years. We tend to do that with the psalms, don’t we? Because they cover the full spectrum of human emotion and experience, we are able to navigate through and around them as our hearts, circumstances, and temperament direct us. Psalm 42 has become, for me, a place of refuge. Not because it’s particularly joyful or uplifting. It isn’t.  Psalm 42, as well as 43, is a song of despair and depression meant for our instruction. Interestingly, it doesn’t teach us how to get out of depression, but rather, it teaches us how to respond while in it.

So, what is in this psalm of despair that I find encouraging?  Very much, actually, but more than anything else, there’s a twice repeated phrase in 42 and again in 43 that provides, not so much an cure for despair, but a path to endure it.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation,” (Psalm 42:5, ESV).

This small phrase in the last half of verses 5 and 11 give us an answer to our desperate state in which we can so often find ourselves.  Our depression can either be the result of known circumstances and trials; or it can be, as for this psalmist, of some hidden cause or reason.  Within this phrase, we have a three-fold response to our down-trodden condition–and a response to it is better than a reason for it.

Hope in God

Our Creator made us for the purpose of glorifying and enjoying Him. He made us, by His own pleasure, to be drawn into the joy of His presence; and outside of His presence is where true despair resides. The Lord God must have exclusive claim on our hope. Our hope, is that we will again know the joy of His presence.

There are times in a believer’s life when God “feels” far off and unreachable.  In those times, if we are honest, we find that it is not God who has moved away from us, but rather, we have moved away from Him.

…again praise Him

Regarding the phrase, “…I shall again praise Him,” I’ve heard it said that the psalmist is saying something to the effect of, “I cannot praise you now, but I know someday I will.” I know this has been expressed by men of much higher exegetical abilities and training than I, but I don’t think that is what the psalmist is expressing, nor do I think it’s what should be our takeaway from this most important phrase.

First, the Hebrew word for again can also be translated yet or still. Even in English again could easily be interpreted to mean now as in the past. This takes the verse from being something to look forward to in the future, to being an answer for the present.

Perhaps the most obvious indication that he is not referring to some future ability to praise God, is the praise that he offers within the psalm itself. In verse 2, he calls God “the living God”; in verse 5 he refers to His acts of salvation; he calls Him “the God of my Life,” and “God, my Rock.”  Clearly, in the midst of his despair, the writer continues to offer praise to his Lord and Creator, just as we should.

His presence–my salvation

Translations may vary, and one can appreciate the fact that interpreting an ancient text can be a daunting task.  That being said, it seems abundantly clear that the end of verse 5 and the end of verse 11 tells us that the key to enduring the despair of life in this fallen world is the saving presence of Almighty God. The nearness of God is my salvation in times of personal darkness and depression.

Psalm 42 teaches us how to respond to the inevitable times of spiritual depression when God feels far away.  So much of life is out of our control and it is not unusual for life’s circumstances to seem too heavy to bear.  We don’t choose despair, but we must choose to hope in God.  We must choose to praise Him.  Psalm 42 teaches us, more than anything else, that God is worthy to be praised–no matter what.

Most of us, when reading the Psalms, glance over the titles that often appear in the text; paying little attention to them unless they offer contextual insight into the psalm itself. Many may not even know that the titles are actually part of the inspired text. Here in the title of Psalm 42 we see that it was written to be sung by the temple choir, and that it is “A Maskil of the sons of Korah.”  We’re not sure what a Maskil is precisely.  It’s possible that it is a song intended to teach truth.  If that’s true, it’s important for us to read and learn.

The name Korah, for those who have studied the Old Testament, is synonymous with rebellion and judgment. We read about Korah’s rebellion in Numbers 16:1-40. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram challenged the leadership of Moses and Aaron. For their sin, fire from God consumed them and all those who followed them into their rebellious act. Then, ‎”the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions,” (Numbers 16:32).

But that isn’t the end of the tale. For the story of Korah is not only one of rebellion and judgment. It’s also a story of redemption, and God’s incredible, amazing grace. Later, we read in Numbers 26 where Moses records the results of a census taken. In it he comes to mention Dathan and Abiram, noting that these were the ones who were consumed along with Korah as a result of their rebellion. Then, in Numbers 26:11, there appears a short statement that “the sons of Korah, however, did not die.”

The significance of that little sentence can easily be past over without notice. But, it becomes significant if we consider it in light of the title of Psalm 42. In that, we see that God took the spared offspring of a rebellious man, and redeemed them, raising his descendents to an elevated position of leadership in temple worship.

For those who believe that the God of the Old Testament is a God of judgment, and the God of the New Testament is a God of grace, they need to look no further than this song of the sons of Korah to see that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow; and He is eternally gracious.

‎“For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5, NASB95)

Can there be a more desperate state than to think that the creator of all that exists, the singular infinite power, has cast you aside? To feel as though God has rejected you?  I can think of nothing more desperate than to see myself forgotten by God.  Psalm 74 informs us how to respond when those thoughts overtake us, and we find ourselves full of despair—feeling useless.

I struggle with the 74^th Psalm; particularly, with phrases such as “…why have you rejected us forever?” or, “remember your congregation which you have purchased”.  Does God reject His own?  Does God “need” us to remind Him of His promises? Does God forget?  These notions seem to challenge what we know to be God’s divine attributes, and what we see as absolute Biblical certainties.  Certainly, the psalmist cannot be affirming these ideas, but there is no question that he is struggling with feelings of abandonment by God, and those feelings can be consuming.

In this prayer, I see four stages that the psalmist goes through in his despair.  In the first three verses, he expresses to God his feelings of abandonment—feeling that God has forgotten him.  He feels that God has forgotten His promises to His people.  Even though we know that God has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Matt. 28:20, John 14:16, Heb. 13:5), there are times in our lives when we don’t feel the closeness of God.  There are times when it seems like our prayers bounce off the ceiling right back down on us, never to find the ear of our Creator.  I have actually prayed, “Dear God, I don’t know what to say and I don’t feel like you’re listening… amen.”  I’m not proud of it, but I’ve said it.

In the second stage, vs. 4-10, Asaph recounts the circumstances God’s people find themselves in. Their enemies have taken over the sacred meetings of God’s people and arrogantly “roared” in defiance of God.  They have burned the sanctuary to the ground, and there is no one to speak for the Lord (v.9) to tell them when this time of tribulation will end.  So, the psalmist asks again, “How long, O God?”.  Certainly, God doesn’t need me to tell Him what’s going on.  He knows better than I.  But, honestly and humbly taking stock of my troubles helps me to acknowledge that He is my only hope for deliverance.

The third stage is praise (vs. 12-17), and this is also one I tend to miss in my prayers.  It’s not that I don’t tell God how great, how powerful, and how marvelous He is.  But, far too often, those are just words I’m obliged to say.  The fact is, praise is hard when life is at its low points and God feels far away.  The importance of Asaph’s praise is that it not only ascribes God’s worth, but it also serves to remind Asaph who he’s talking to.  It renews his awe, and strengthens his faith.  It prepares his heart for the fourth phase of the prayer.  He knows that His Lord and Savior can, and will, deliver and care for His chosen people.

In the fourth and final phase, Asaph tells God precisely what he desires Him to do.  With confidence and faith, he petitions God to remember His people and avenge His holy name.  Asaph’s request is not only for the oppressed nation, but also for God’s glory.  Again, God doesn’t need our insight, our wisdom, or our perspective on what needs to be done.  Nor does he need our permission to do what He has promised.  The need, rather, is ours.  We need to remind ourselves of what is true, what is honorable, what is righteous, pure, and so on (Phil. 4:8).  It is then that “…the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard [our] hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,” (Phil. 4:7).

Something that needs to be noted is that when the psalm ends, there’s no indication that the trials are soon to be over.  There’s no indication that Asaph “feels” any better about the circumstances he and the nation are in.  The fact is, feelings can deceive us, and distract us from what is true about God’s character.  Let’s not forget that God wants the best for us, and only He knows exactly what that is.  He will always bring about His perfect will, and even though His will may be hard, He is always a good Father who hears and cares for His children.

Sometimes He calms the storm with a whispered “Peace, be still,”                                     He can settle any sea but it doesn’t mean He will.                                                Sometimes He holds us close and lets the wind and rain go wild,                  Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child.

“Sometimes He Calms the Storm” by Kevin Stokes & Tony Wood,
©1995 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Songs 

Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26

This is my third posting on Psalm 73.  Previously, we’ve seen that this Psalm is a song of repentance.  Asaph, the psalmist, is repenting from wrong thinking–wrong thinking about God, wrong thinking about himself, and wrong thinking about the world around him.  Upon his repentance, Asaph discovers the blessings of right thinking.  He sees that God has always been and will always be his source of wisdom, strength, and life itself.

In Psalm 73 we see the contrast between worldly perspectives and Godward thinking. Thinking rightly about God brings us back to what is true.  It calls to mind what we have as those called out of darkness, into His marvelous light, (1 Peter 2:9).  It reminds us that the treasure of our sweet communion with God surpasses the entirety of the riches this world can supply.

In this song, we have seen how wrong thinking on our part results in envy, despair, anxiety, fear, and every other kind of sin.  It clouds our view of both ourselves (who we are in Christ), and God (who has granted us every blessing in the heavenly places).  The fact of the matter is, the only way to have a right view of ourselves is to have a right view of God.  AW Tozer reminds us in his classic book, The Knowledge of the Holy, that “what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”  The most important thing about us!

What comes to mind when you think of God? Do you think about what you’d like Him to do?  Do you dwell on what He hasn’t done for you?  Or, do you find yourself in speechless awe that the creator of all that exists has a thought of you at all?

The best way to start the day is to meditate on who God is, what He has done, and what He promises yet to do.  In the first of his two epistles, the apostle Peter tells us that we are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people for God’s own possession.”  Contemplate what it means that we are “God’s own possession.”  This is not true because we are something special in ourselves.  It’s true because we are in Christ and it’s Jesus Christ who’s special.

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;I have made the Lord God my refuge,That I may tell of all Your works.” Psalm 73:28

“When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within,Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory.” (Psalm 73:21–24, NASB95)

Psalm 73 is a song of repentance.  In it, Asaph realizes the grievous error of thinking wrongly of God. He recognizes that by thinking wrong of God, he also is thinking wrong of himself.  The denial of what he knows to be true of God drives him to the foolishness of his own counsel. Once he sees his error, he discovers something truly life-changing. He discovers what a truly amazing gift repentance is. By granting us repentance, God opens the door to a restored relationship with Him; and, upon walking through we can enjoy the multitude of blessings that come from right thinking. Right thinking about ourselves, and more importantly, right thinking about God Himself.

The envy of the wicked is treacherous. When this sin is present in our hearts it distorts our view of both life and its Creator. Our view of God becomes dangerously unworthy of Him. But God, in His faithfulness shows us our error and restores us to the plain and encouraging guidance of His counsel. He faithfully leads us through the traps and snares of this world until the time comes for Him to receive us to glory.

Repentance leads to a change of thinking. This change of thinking should lead us to feel compassion for those who live life within the deception that their prosperity and luxury will never end. It has been wisely said that for those without Christ, this life is the best they will ever know; and, it could all be gone before their next breath. May we who know redemption in Christ always remember that we are called to share the gospel with all who will listen, no matter who they are or what they think they have.

Psalm 73 is not typically listed alongside those traditionally regarded as the penitential psalms. When we think of psalms of repentance, we usually bring to mind Psalm 51 or perhaps Psalm 38.  Even so, in this song, Asaph expresses deep regret for his sin. His are not sins of adultery, violence, or actions of blatant disobedience; but rather, Asaph’s transgressions involve wrong thinking–sins of resentfulness toward God.

He begins by proclaiming the truth of God’s goodness toward the pure in heart. But then he confesses his envy for the wicked. He imagines that this life contains no trials nor tribulations for those who give no care to holiness; their pride continues unchecked, and they mock God and those who fear Him.

“They say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?” Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth.” (Psalm 73:11–12)

Not only does his error extend to the wicked, but he also attributes his despair to his own pursuit of godliness, lamenting that such pursuits are useless.

“Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning,” (Psalm 73:13–14).

As Charles Spurgeon so aptly puts it, “Poor Asaph! He questions the value of holiness when its wages are paid in the coin of affliction.”[1]

Thankfully, revealed truth sheds its light on the defect in his thinking, and he recognizes his foolishness.

“When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight; Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end,” (Psalm 73:16–17).

He sees that the riches of the wicked will not save them from the destruction that awaits them. It’s not their riches that condemn them–it is their disregard for the ways of the Lord.   They will awaken from the fleeting dreams of this life to the realities of eternity.

Envy of the wicked is a temptation that relentlessly haunts and badgers us as we navigate our way through a lost and fallen world. Asaph’s struggle is not unique. We look around and see a system that rewards corruption, where a devotion to God is mocked and scorned. How do we guard ourselves from coveting the prosperity of the wicked?  The answer is right patterns of thought—right thinking.

Just like Asaph, God’s truth must return us to this kind of thinking. The word of God is the key that unlocks the door of repentance, and repentance begins with a change in our thinking. Specifically, a change in our thoughts, or view, of God. When Isaiah experienced a first-person encounter with the majesty of God, he was stricken with an overwhelming realization of his own wickedness. He saw God in the heights of His holiness, and himself as a lowly creature among lowly creatures, (Isaiah 6:1-5).

Everything we do or say, sinful or righteous, begins with a thought. This is why Paul consistently admonishes us to seize control of our thought life. Read Romans 12:1-2, or Colossians 3:1-2 and notice that Paul emphasizes right thinking as essential to living a transformed life.

Unfortunately, we can be so easy on ourselves in regards to our thought life. We live under the illusion that our thoughts are secret. But the plain truth is that God sees every thought, whether wicked or honorable. So, as we daily confess our sins , let us not neglect to repent of those thoughts that command our hands, our feet, and our tongues.

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NASB95)

[1] Spurgeon, C. H. The Treasury of David: Psalms 56-87. Vol. 3. London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers. Print.

“When words are made as sharp as possible by wit and malice, they have a frightful keenness of penetration,” William S. Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms.

Everyone knows the playground rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”  Unfortunately, as even a child knows, words are not the problem. The problem is the tongue behind the words, and the heart behind the tongue.  With carefully chosen words reputations can be damaged, relationships broken, and hearts embittered.  The damage caused by the skillful use of the tongue can endure through generations.

“…who have sharpened their tongue like a sword. They aimed bitter speech as their arrow, to shoot from concealment at the blameless; suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear,” (Psalm 64:3–4).

In this psalm we see, once again, that God is for those who rely, not on their own schemes to prevail, but rather, on their faith that the Lord will be their defender.  For there are those who seek our destruction. There are those who set themselves up as our enemy devising and executing plans to bring about our ruin. They may even be convinced of the righteousness of their cause. Here in this song, David models a God honoring response, which is simply pray and trust. The battle is God’s to wage.

“Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from dread of the enemy. Hide me from the secret counsel of evildoers, from the tumult of those who do iniquity,” (Psalm 64:1–2).

When facing the threat of those who seek to harm us, our prayer needs to be “Hear my voice”, “Preserve my life”, and “Hide me from evil.” Then, we are to trust that God will do what He has promised–that He will instill fear into the hearts of men. This may not happen when we want it to, or when we think it should.  We must trust Him in that, as well. In this, God will be glorified–when His people are content to find refuge in Him.

“Then all men will fear, and they will declare the work of God, and will consider what He has done. The righteous man will be glad in the Lord and will take refuge in Him; and all the upright in heart will glory.” (Psalm 64:9–10).

From the title, we are told that this song was written by David, while he was being chased through the wilds of Judah.  Commentators are split on who, exactly, is chasing him.  It is either Saul, prior to David ascending to the throne, or his son Absalom, who sent David into exile. Nothing in the title or the text of the psalm identifies his pursuers so theologians are left to speculate.

I believe this song to be written while David was in flight from Absalom. Verse 11 says, “The King will rejoice in God.”  This would be an unlikely thing for David to say about Saul; however, he would have never referred to himself as King while Saul was still occupying the throne. Although wicked, in David’s heart Saul remained God’s anointed king.

This psalm contrasts the yearning of the flesh (v.1), and the contentment of the soul (v.5). He speaks of being in a dry and weary land (v.1), and yet he’s feasting on spiritual marrow and fatness (v.5). David is sustained by his intimate relationship with almighty God, and he regards this relationship as superior to anything offered in life (v.3). In the midst of this highly stressful circumstance, David’s focus is on the Lord, not himself.

What I find most significant about this psalm is that of its 11 verses, the first 8 contain nothing but praise. He recalls seeing God—His power, His glory, and His lovingkindness—in the sanctuary, and responds by lifting his hands in exaltation.  He remembers God while on his bed, he meditates on the Lord—His help and protection in times of need. His soul is comforted by all he knows to be true of God.

When I recall moments of great distress in my own life—never approaching the circumstance David find himself in—my inclination in prayer was to plea for relief.  To cry for help in times of despair is certainly what we should do (James 5:13), but by first considering what we know to be true of God and praising Him for who He is, our focus is no longer on our circumstances; but is instead on our Heavenly Father, who is kind and merciful.  We can then, in confidence, trust that God will care for us just as He has promised.