Psalm 119:2-4~Running Full Speed After Obedience

Christians know that God's Word is to be the center of their lives. We know that obedience is part of the call to follow Christ. We are not his disciples if we are not obeying his Word. But obedience is often stale for us. It is like a plate of vegetables we do not like. We know we are supposed to eat it, but we are not excited about it. What is striking about the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, is not that all one-hundred and seventy-six verses are about Scripture. The most striking thing is how much David loves Scripture. David loves God's Word, delights in God's Word, rejoices in God's Word more than heaps of gold, and longs for God's Word. For David knowledge of and obedience to God's Word is the greatest pursuit. 

The first few verses, Psalm 119:1-4, are not a call to reluctant obedience or a casual part-time pursuit of the Word. But it is a call to have our entire lives, thoughts, emotions, interpretation of events, fears, and desires shaped by the judgments, statutes, precepts, commandments, and laws found in the Word. 

First, we are told to seek God with our whole heart (vs. 2).  There is parallelism between the two lines in verse 2.  Parallelism is where two lines of Hebrew poetry compare, expand, or contrast with each other. Here parallelism is used to compare two ideas and show that they are similar, if not exactly the same. 

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies

who seek him with their whole heart

"Those who keep his testimonies” and “who seek Him with the whole heart” are the same people. These two lines are saying the same basic message. We cannot seek God with our whole heart if we are not keeping His testimonies.  The one who keeps His testimonies is the one who is seeking him with their whole heart. Obedience to God and loving him with our whole heart are synonyms.  

Later in verse 4 the psalmist says that God has commanded us to “keep Your precepts diligently.” The word “diligently” means to keep with abundance or with much force. The word is used in Genesis 1:31 where God says all that he made was very good. It is used in Genesis 15:1 where God is Abram’s exceedingly great reward. In II Samuel 2:17 it is translated by the ESV as “fierce” in describing a battle.  One might paraphrase Psalm 119:4 as "You have commanded us to try with all our might and with full intensity to keep your commandments." 

These two verses tell us that knowing God's Word is not sufficient. Even trying at times, occasionally to obey is not enough. Ours should not be the obedience of a casual religious observer or Sunday only believer nor an obedience that reluctantly listens and after much persuasion obeys nor the obedience of a dog being drug on a leash or a child whipped into submission. We are to obey with our whole heart.  We are to search the horizon for ways to obey. Obedience is a treasure. Obedience is glory. We are to run after it full speed. 

We sell ourselves short in our sanctification. Maybe we do not want to look like legalists.  Maybe we don't think we can see victory over the sins which besiege us. Maybe we just love our sin too much.Whatever the reason, it is wrong. God has not called us to sluggishly obey his commands when we feel like. But rather he has called us to obey all his commands with a heart fully devoted to him. This was David's desire in Psalm 119 and should be the desire of all who follow after the One who is greater than David. 

Remember His Wonders of Old

There are dark nights in the lives of all Christians. These can come because we have lost something or someone. They can come from burdens upon us. They can come from physical sickness or emotional distress. They can come from the darkness of the world. They can come from crisis in our churches. They can come from our own sins. But perhaps no darkness compares to the silence of God. What do we do when he is absent? What do we do when it looks like he has cast us off? Not surprisingly, the Psalms give us the answer.

I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah.

You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old, the years long ago. I said, "Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart." Then my spirit made a diligent search: "Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?" Selah. (Psalm 77:1-9)

There are few words in the Psalter as despairing as these nine verses. The author cries out to God repeatedly. He refuses to be comforted. He cannot close his eyes. He asks questions modern, sentimental Christians refuse to ask. Has God forgotten us? Has his love come to end? Have his covenant mercies, his steadfast love been forgotten? Has his anger overcome his compassion? Am I stuck in darkness, despair, and death? Is there any hope at all? But note the second line of the first paragraph, "In the day of trouble I seek the Lord." And the middle of the second paragraph, "My spirit made diligent search."  He is not going to passively slip into despair and darkness. He is going to pursue God despite the darkness.  Like a man clawing out of a grave he will keep digging until his breath runs out or he reaches the light.

And what is the answer to his distress?

Then I said, "I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High." I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled. The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side. The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook. Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (Psalm 77:10-20)

The writer's hope is kindled by looking to God's deeds in the past. "I will remember...I will remember..I will ponder...I will meditate."  He looks backward to see a way out of the darkness. He focuses on the parting of the Red Sea. Israel, like this man, could see no way out. In front of them lay the sea. Behind them lay the Egyptian army. Listen to the words of the Israelites as they stood on the shore:

When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." (Exodus 14:10-12)

Moses we are going to die here. God has forgotten us. Where is God's  mercy now? We told you to let us be. Despair. Darkness. Death. Now hear the words of Moses:

And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." (Exodus 14:13-14)

And that is exactly what happened. God saved Israel. The writer of Psalm 77 looked back to that great event and found courage, peace, and hope. He remembered the power of God, how even the great waters could not withstand Him. He remembered that the Lord made a path through the sea. He remembered that the armies of Pharaoh were drowned and their bodies washed up on the shore (Exodus 14:30-31).

Why could the author of the Psalm do this? Why could he look back to an event hundreds of years earlier and find hope? Because God does not change. He is in the business of delivering his people. He always has been. We do not know what was wrong when the Psalmist wrote this. Nor do we know how or when God delivered the Psalmist from his "day of trouble." But we know that God did deliver him because he always does.

In our times of darkness, whether they are personal or corporate, we look back to a greater exodus, a greater deliverance. We look back to the cross and there we are reminded, "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)  We are reminded that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to die on our behalf. We are reminded that Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame so we might be sons of glory (Hebrews 2:10). As the Psalmist crawled back to the Red Sea and the God who saved Israel there, we need to crawl back to the cross. We need to meditate upon God's "mighty deeds." We need to ponder His strength and His works. We need to remember His "wonders of old." For He does not change. He redeemed Israel. He will redeem us. He cast down Pharaoh. He will cast down our enemies. He led Israel to the promise land. He will guide us to green pastures and still waters.

My Soul Among Lions~Psalm 2

Song Notes: February 1st, 2015

Brothers and Sisters, here are the four songs we will be singing in worship on Sunday, along with a brief note about each one.

Entrance Hymn: Psalm 29, p. 52-53
God's word is powerful. When we hear this we think of God's written word, which is all we have access to. But this Psalm celebrates God's spoken word.  In the version we use stanzas, 2, 3, 4, and 5 all begin with "the voice of Jehovah" or the "voice of the Lord." In addition to this God's voice is mentioned in last line of the 2nd stanza and the 3rd line of the 4th stanza. Lining all these up gives quite an impression:

-The voice of Jehovah resounds on the waters
-The Lord's voice in splendor the Lord's voice in might
-The voice of Jehovah is breaking the cedars
-The voice of Jehovah divides flames of lightning
-The voice of the Lord makes the wilderness tremble
-The voice of the Lord makes the deer twist in labor

The overall impression is an OT precursor to Hebrews 1:3 where we are told that Jesus upholds all things by the word of power. The universe runs on the Word of God. He tells all things when to be born, what to do, where to go, and when to die. He tells the seas when to overflow their banks and when they have gone too far. He tells the animals to give birth. He tears down. He builds up. The Psalm emphasizes God's power over the world and all the natural forces in it. King David ends by reminding us that God sat on his throne even during the Flood. Psalm 29:10 is only use of this word outside of Genesis 6-11.

So what should be our response to God's voice governing all things, even something as mighty and terrible as the Flood? We are to give him glory. In verses 1-2 the "mighty ones" are called upon to give God glory. In verse 9, all who are in temple declare "glory." And so too must we. As we consider God's greatness and power we are to offer him praise and glory.

Hymn of Thanksgiving: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, p. 267
This is one of classic hymns from the pen of Isaac Watts. For over 300 years men have sung it. The truths it contains are just as glorious as they were in 1707.  There are two key themes in this hymn.

First, when we survey, that is look at, the cross we are humbled. The longer we stare at Christ, the deeper we look into his work on the cross, the more we consider how unworthy we are of his sacrifice, the more we ponder how little we have to offer, the more humble become. We stop boasting in ourselves and we start boasting in Christ. We "pour contempt" on all our pride.

Second, because of God's great love for us seen in the cross, we abandon all to follow Christ. Watts casts aside "all the vain things" to follow Christ. He ends the hymn by saying that Christ's great sacrifice "demands my soul, my life, my all."  When we look at Christ and His work we do not become lazy in our spiritual walk. The cross is the fire which keeps us pushing forward. If you find that your walk with Christ is lacking zeal maybe you need to go back to the basics. Read something or better yet sing something about Christ's amazing love.

Worship Song #1: Lord Keep Us Steadfast in Thy Word, p. 368
Unlike our previous song, most Christians have never heard of this hymn by Martin Luther. That is a shame. It is a rich prayer offered to Father, Son, and Spirit to defend and keep the Church.

Typical of Luther it is a battle hymn. In the first verse he says that forces of darkness want to destroy us by "craft and sword," "wrest the kingdom" from Christ, and "set at naught all he has done." Luther understood the forces that are arrayed against the Church. He knew there were spiritual forces working through physical forces to undermine, deceive, sidetrack, and ultimately destroy God's people. What was his answer to all this? Prayer and the word. He prays that God would help us stay tethered to God's Word.  He prays that Christ would make his power known. He prays that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, would send peace and unity and give us strength as we prepare to die. We are no different from Luther. We are beset on every side by principalities and powers. There are men who want to tear the Church down stone by stone. When we take this prayer of Luther upon our lips we asking Christ to keep His Word, that the gates of Hell will not prevail against us.

Worship Song #2: Psalm 1-Bless Now the Man Who Does Not Walk, p. 2
Our final song is one that we know and love. Psalm 1 stands like a gatekeeper as we prepare to enter the sacred ground of the Psalter. It is a wisdom Psalm that explains the path of blessing and the path of destruction.

According to Psalm 1, there are two things the man who wants to be blessed will do. First, he will avoid entering into fellowship with wicked men. He does not listen their counsel. He does not walk in their ways. He does not spend hours in their company. Second, instead of drinking from the well of wicked men, he drinks from the well of God's law. God's law brings him joy and delight. He thinks about God's Word constantly. He considers how his life should change based on God's Word. He does not listen to the world and its counsel. But instead he patiently and thoughtfully allows God's Word to shape his thoughts, words, and deeds. A man who does this will be well-watered. His tree will be strong and mighty. He will bear fruit in God's time. He is blessed by the Lord in all that he does.

The question this Psalm puts before us is, "Who is influencing us more: the men of this world or Word of God?" Do we want God's blessing, but do not want to cut off love of the world? Do we try to live with one foot in the world and one foot in the Word?

David vs. Paul?

Here is how John Calvin reconciles David's delight in God's law in Psalm 19 and Paul's approbation of  the law in certain parts of his writings.

But in the first place, we must remember what I have shown you at the commencement, that David does not speak simply of the precepts of the Moral Law, but comprehends the whole covenant by which God had adopted the descendants of Abraham to be his peculiar people; and therefore to the Moral Law-the rule of living well- he joins the free promises of salvation, or rather Christ himself, in whom and upon whom this adoption is founded. But Paul who had to deal with persons who perverted and abused the law, and separated it from the grace and Spirit of Christ, refers to the ministry of Moses viewed merely by itself, and according to the letter.

It is  certain, that if the Spirit of Christ does not quicken the law, the law is not only unprofitable, but also deadly to its disciples. Without Christ there is in the law nothing but inexorable rigor, which adjudges all mankind to the wrath and curse of God. And farther, without Christ, there remains within us a rebelliousness of the flesh, which kindles in our hearts a hatred of God and his law, and from this proceed the distressing bondage and awful terror of which the Apostle speaks. 

These different ways in which the law may be viewed, easily show us the manner of reconciling these passages of Paul and David, which seem at  first view to be at variance. The design of Paul it so to show what the law can do for us, taken by itself; that is to say, what it can do for us when, without the promise of grace, it strictly and rigorously exacts from us the duty which we owe to God; but David, in praising it, as he here does, speaks of the whole doctrine of the law, which includes the gospel, and, therefore under the law he comprehends Christ. 

True Joy: John Calvin on Psalm 19

The Word has become for me a joy over the years. There are times where it is dry. But the more I read the more delight I take in it. I used to think I took delight in the Word. And I did. But it was an immature delight, a true delight, but not a deep delight. Deep delight takes time coupled with effort. To love the Book in a moment is possible. To love the Book deeply takes a lifetime of hours sitting beneath it. I am starting to get there.  So I enjoyed reading Calvin's various comments on God's Word from his commentary on this Psalm 19:7-14. Here are some of my favorite quotes from this section:

If a man is duly instructed in the law of God, he wants nothing which is requisite to perfect wisdom. (Psalm 19:7)

When we give ourselves up to be guided and governed by the word of God, we are in no danger of going astray, since this is the path by which he securely guides his own people to salvation.(Psalm 19:7)

None are endued with right understanding until they have made progress in the study of the law. (Psalm 19:7)

We know how much every man is wedded to himself, and difficult it is to eradicate from our minds the vain confidence of our own wisdom.(Psalm 19:8)

Those who take delight in committing sin procure for themselves abundant matter of sorrow; but the observance of the law of God, on the contrary, brings to man true joy. (Psalm 19:8)

David shows that whatever men undertake to do at the mere suggestion of their own minds, without having a regard to the law of God as a rule, is error and falsehood. (Psalm 19:9)

By this commendation he distinguishes the law of God from all the doctrines of men, for no blemish or fault can found in it, but it is in all points absolutely perfect. (Psalm 19:9)

We do not esteem the law as it deserves, if we do not prefer it to all the riches of the world. (Psalm 19:10)

If we separate the law from the hope of pardon, and from the Spirit of Christ, so far from tasting it to be sweet as honey, we will rather find in it a bitterness which kills our wretched souls. (Psalm 19:10)

We should remember that we are not guilty of one offense only, but are overwhelmed with an immense mass of impurities. The more diligently any one examines himself, the more readily will he acknowledge with David that if God should discover our secret faults there would be found in us an abyss of sins so great as to have neither bottom nor shore...for no man can comprehend in how many ways he is guilty before God. (Psalm 19:12) 

There is also another useful lesson which we have here to attend to, namely,  that we ought never to pray for pardon, without, at the same time, asking to be strengthened and fortified by the power of God for the time to come, that temptations, in future may not gain advantage over us. And although we may feel in our hearts the incitements to concupiscence [Lust-Here used in the broadest terms to refer to all evil leanings, not just sexual.] goading and distressing us, we ought not, on that account, to become discouraged. The remedy to which we should have recourse is to pray to God to restrain us. (Psalm 19:13)

Song Notes: November 23rd, 2014

Brothers and Sisters, here are the songs we will be singing this coming Lord's Day. Just a reminder we sing four songs outside of our service music (Doxology, etc.) and the Lord's Supper.

I have included links to various people singing the hymns. Sorry about the icon on the first link.

Entrance Hymn: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, p. 241
The same event can call us to different responses. Christmas is one of those events. Christmas is about joy. There should be presents and trees and parties and gifts. There should many good things that we do at this time of year just to remind us that Christ came to save. There should be celebrations and joy that reflect the wonder and delight of the season.

But Christmas also provokes silence as we stand amazed at the mystery of a God who would descend to dwell with us. And not just dwell with us, but come to die and deliver us. Our entrance hymn this week provokes this second mood. It tells us to be silent and stand with fear. It also reminds us that Christ came to bless us. It is hard to imagine that just a few years ago I did not even know this song. Now it has become part of my Christmas memory.

There are so many great truths in this hymn, but my favorite line is "As the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day/that the powers of hell may vanish, As the darkness clears away." Christmas is not about defeat. Christmas is about victory.  Christ came to destroy death, sin, and the devil. Here is why celebration is not just a good thing to do at Christmas. It is absolutely necessary. Without joy and celebration Christmas has been emptied of its meaning. So despite its somber tone the hymn still leads us to rejoicing.

Hymn of Thanksgiving: O Sacred Head Now Wounded, p. 263
The song we sing after the confession of sin can go two directions. It can look forward to a Christian life that has been cleansed of sin focusing on joyful obedience. Or the song can look back to the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross so our sins could be taken away. This old, famous hymn does the second. The tone is somber, but fitting as we think about Christ's death. This hymn reminds us of the horrors of Christ's sacrifice. He was holy, yet God laid on him the iniquity of us all. That sacred head worn no crown of gold, but a crown of thorns as he was crucified.

The line that I enjoy the most is "Mine, mine was the transgression/but thine the deadly pain. Lo here I fall my Savior/Tis I deserve thy place."  There is a wonderful truth expressed in these lines. We deserved the cross, but Christ was our substitute.

This hymn ends where all our meditations on the cross should end; thanksgiving. "What language shall I borrow to thank Thee dearest Friend." The cross is not simply something to study. It is something to glory in and give thanks for. The song also reminds us that Christmas was just the beginning. Should we think about the cross during Christmas season? Yes, a hundred yeses.  The manger was just the one chapter in the story of our great salvation. A story that goes through the cross, but does not end there.

Worship Song #1: Be Thou My Vision, p. 342
Be Thou My Vision call us to wholehearted devotion to God. The author wants God to consume his vision, his thoughts. He wants the Lord to be everything to him. For this man the presence of God is valued above all else. Much like King David, he knows that God with us trumps everything else (Psalm 84:4, 10). The author also realizes that money can draw us away from the Lord. Riches can slowly sap our desire for God. So he prays that he will not give heed to riches. The praise of man can also cause us to abandon God. Our longing for flattery can replace our longing for the Lord. The author asks the Lord to keep him from giving heed to man's empty praises.

In the last verse there is a hint at what else can draw us away from God. The author says "whatever befall, still be my vision."  To paraphrase: No matter what happens good or bad, painful or comforting, pleasant or sad, help me to cling to you Lord. This world is filled with things, experiences, people, that would draw us away from our Lord. But the greatest danger lies within us. Our hearts are prone to wander. If God is our vision then the allure of the world and all its treasures will diminish.

This is a great hymn. But it is also a prayer. Perhaps here is the greatest truth of this hymn. If we want God to be our vision, our treasure, our Father, then we need to cry out to him for aid. Our own efforts, unless they are supported by His Spirit, will fail.

Worship Song #2: Psalm 119 (Before Thee Let My Cry Come Near), p. 158
We love singing this Psalm. It is a delight to sing and hear the different parts. This Lord's Day we sing this just before I preach. It is a perfect hymn for this slot. As I am sure you know Psalm 119 is all about God's Word. The Holy Spirit decided that the longest chapter in Scripture would be devoted to the many glories of God's Word.  Singing this Psalm before we settle in to hear the Word is a perfect combination of three key elements in worship; singing, the Word, and prayer. We sing a prayer about God's Word. It is tough to beat that.

The Psalm uses several different words to describe the Scriptures. Here they are in the order they appear:Word, Promise, Statutes, Word, Commands, Precepts, Holy Law, Ordinances, and Commands.

A tone of joy over God's word pervades the Psalm. Since God teaches David his word, he sings God's praises (vs. 2). David goes on to make sure his tongue is singing the praises of God's word (vs. 2). He rejoices in God's holy law (vs. 3). When God's ordinances help him he praises the Lord (vs. 4). There is no more striking aspect of Psalm 119 than the delight David has in God's Word. We might study God's Word, talk about God's Word, debate about God's Word, but I think most of would be embarrassed by David's kid like joy in God's Word, including the Old Testament law.

Finally, the last two lines remind us that God's Word brings us back when we have strayed. I had a friend once who was having doubts about the Christian faith. He was reading philosophers, theologians, blogs, magazines, and sermons all trying to get a grasp on what was true. I told him, why not read the Bible.  A man who refuses to search the Scriptures to see his own sins is a man who is not truly interested in returning to God. Psalm 119 is personal. The personal pronoun "I" is used over 100 times in the Psalm. For David the Scriptures are for him. They encourage him, teach him, draw him to God, and rebuke him. Do you read for you? Or do you read for others?

Bonus Song: Psalm 98 (O Sing a New Song to the Lord). We are not singing this, but it is still wonderful to listen to.

Structure of Psalm 132

I am preaching through the Psalms of Ascent (120-134). One of the most fascinating in the list is Psalm 132. It is a tightly structured Psalm with the people making a request in the first section and the Lord answering the request in the second section. What is most fascinating is that the people return the ark to Jerusalem in verses 6-7, but this section has no parallel in the second part of the Psalm.  So what part does the return of the ark play in the Psalm? Should we insert something (in our minds) between verses 12 and 13 such as "the ark returned?" Or is the absence of the ark [in the second section] a sign that the presence of Yahweh is not inevitably linked to the ark? I am not sure what the answers are. But the questions are worth asking.

Verses 1-10 The People’s Request

            Verse 1 The Initial Prayer

            Verses 2-5 David’s Oath: Find a Dwelling Place for Yahweh

            Verses 6-7 The Ark Returned (No parallel in 2^nd section.)

            Verses 8-10 Threefold prayer of the people

                        That God would dwell with them.

                        That the Lord would cloth them with salvation and joy

                        That the Lord would not turn away from his anointed.

Verses 11-18 The Lord’s Answer

            Verses 11-12 Yahweh’s Oath: An Everlasting Dwelling Place for David

            Verses 13-18 Yahweh's threefold answer

                        He will dwell with them at Zion

                        He will cloth them with salvation and joy, as well as provide for them physically.
                        He will not turn away from his anointed. 

Song Notes for November 24, 2013

Here are some brief notes on the songs we will be singing this Lord’s Day at Christ Church. 

Just a reminder we sing four hymns outside of the Lord's Supper: an entrance hymn, one song after the confession of sin, and two songs prior to the sermon. 

Entrance Hymn: Psalm 138 (With All My Heart My Thanks I’ll Bring), p. 182

This is a great song to enter into worship with. First, it has a wonderful tune. The opening song should have some pep to it. This one does.

Second, it is about thanksgiving. The very first line of the song indicates David’s purpose for writing the psalm. He wants to give thanks to God for his truth and grace. Whenever we enter God’s house we should be ready to give him thanks and praise.

Third, there is an emphasis on God’s Word. King David gives praise to God for magnifying his faithful word. Then he declares that all the kings of earth will give thanks and sing when they have heard God’s Word.  Like David we enter into God’s house to hear his word and give thanks to God for the Scriptures.

Finally, David says that God “knoweth” the proud and haughty only from afar.  As we enter worship, humility is needed. We come to bend the knee to God’s Word and His will. The proud are cast down in worship, but the humble repent and grow.

Hymn of Thanksgiving: O Come, O Come Emmanuel, p. 227

Next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. During Advent we look back to the time before Christ was born, but we also look forward to the time when he will come again. It is a season of waiting.  This hymn reflects that longing for Christ that was in the heart of every true Israelite before Jesus came and should be in our hearts too as we look for the coming of our Lord.

One cool part of this song is how each verse begins with an Old Testament name of Jesus.

Emmanuel means “God with Us” and is used in Isaiah 7:14 and quoted in Matthew 1:23.

Lord of Might is a paraphrase of one of Isaiah’s favorite names of God “Lord of Hosts.” This phrase is used 50 times in Isaiah. It means Lord of armies and refers to God’s power and might.

Rod of Jesse is found in Isaiah 11:1 in the King James Version where God promises to send a king to rule.

Dayspring means sunrise and probably refers to Jesus as the great coming light, which is mentioned in Isaiah 60:1, 19.

Key of David comes from Isaiah 22:22 where the Lord says he will lay the Key of David on Eliakim who is a type of Christ.  In 22:22 God says he will lay the keys on Eliakim’s shoulder, which points back to Isaiah 9:6 where it is said that the government will be upon Jesus’ shoulder.

The main point of the song is that the coming of Christ brings gladness and joy as all our enemies are put to flight.

Worship Song #1: Psalm 63 (O Lord, My God, Most Earnestly), p. 93

Psalm 63 is a beautiful meditation by King David on his longing for God.  If you look in your Bible you will see that David wrote this psalm when he was in the wilderness of Judah fleeing from King Saul.  Two verses sum up David’s love for God and God’s love for David. First, verse 1 declares that apart from God David will die. He will go hungry. He will go thirsty. His flesh will waste away. Second, in verse 3 he says that the lovingkindness of God is better than life to him.  The word in Hebrew is “chesed” or God’s covenant faithfulness or mercy.  God’s love for David is better than breath. He would rather die than be cut off from God’s love.

The tune is a bit melancholy, emphasizing David’s longing for God and his mercy. Notice here that David longs to go into God’s house. While the tabernacle and Temple have been done away with, God’s people should still long to be in God’s presence and worshiping with other saints. God is always with us, as he was with David in the wilderness. However, there is a special presence of God in worship. It is in within his house that we see the “glories of his grace.”

Worship Song #2: O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, p. 315

How impoverished our hymn singing would be without Charles Wesley!  Wesley begins this great hymn with praise and then, as usual, fills it with wonderful images of God’s kindness to us in Christ.

My favorite line in the song, and one of the most theologically rich, is the first phrase in verse 4, “He breaks the power of cancelled sin.”  Here, in one short phrase, Wesley speaks of both sanctification (breaking sin’s power) and justification (sin being cancelled).  He reminds us that Jesus forgives, but by His Spirit, he also gives us power to overcome sin.

Wesley also gives us a great picture of salvation when he says that Jesus “speaks and listening to His voice new life the dead receive” (verse 5).   First, Wesley understands that we are dead and need to be raised.  We don’t need more education. We need resurrection.  Second, he understands that Jesus’ voice is what raises us.  Wesley probably has John 10:3 and 16 in view as well as the raising of Lazarus from the dead in John 11:38-44.

Finally, Wesley began his hymn wishing for a thousand tongues to praise God. He ends the hymn with a call to all the redeemed to employ their tongues in praise to God (verse 6).

I encourage you to practice these songs as a family or listen to them online as you prepare to enter God's house. 

The Devil Doesn't Want You to Sing Psalms

Here is a quote from James Jordan:

The other thing the devil does not want is congregations singing the Psalms because the Psalms are full of holy war stuff. If you start singing the psalms, you start getting iron in your bones.

You know that Psalm 68, “Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered,” was the marching song of the French Reformation. They would sing it as they went into battle. The Huguenots in France would sing it all the time. Of course, they didn’t have air conditioning then, so the windows were open and all the Catholics heard it, and it made all the Catholics so afraid that eventually the king outlawed singing Psalm 68 in public. So they’d go around whistling. And they had to outlaw whistling that melody.

Now, people are not afraid when they hear us sing “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” They are not worried about you.

HT: John Barach

The Image of God

Paul says in Ephesians 5:1 that we are to be imitators of God as dear children. Psalm 111 and 112 give us a beautiful picture of how this works.

These two psalms are intimately tied together. There are three ways we see this. First, they are both acrostics. That means the lines in the Psalms begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. (line 1 begins A, line 2 begins with b, etc.) Second, Psalm 112 begins where Psalm 111 ends. Psalm 111 ends with "the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom and a great understanding have all those who do his commandments." Psalm 112 picks up on this theme stating that the "man who fears Yahweh will be blessed, who delights greatly in His commandments." The third way these two psalms are tied together is the numerous phrases repeated in both psalms. Here is a list with the same Hebrew words being underlined.

Psalm 111:2: The works of the Yahweh are…studied by all who take pleasure in them.
Psalm 112:1: Who [the righteous man] delights greatly in His commandments

Psalm 111:3 His (Yahweh) righteousness stand forever
Psalm 112:3 & 9: His [the righteous man] righteousness stands forever

Psalm 111:4: Yahweh is gracious and full of compassion (merciful)
Psalm 112:4: [The righteous man] is gracious and full of compassion (merciful)

Psalm 111:4: Yahweh has made wonderful works to be remembered
Psalm 112:6: The righteous will be an everlasting remembrance

Psalm 111:5: Yahweh has given food to those who fear Him
Psalm 112:9: He [the righteous man] has given to the poor

Psalm 111:5,9: Yahweh will be forever mindful of his covenant/He has commanded his covenant forever
Psalm 112:6: Surely he [the righteous man] will never be shaken (Literally, “forever, not be shaken/moved)

Psalm 111:7: The works of Yahweh's hands are verity and justice
Psalm 112:5: He [the righteous man] will guide his affairs with justice

Psalm 111:8: They [God’s works and precepts] stand forever and ever.
Psalm 112:8: His [the righteous man] heart is established

There are several interesting items of note in these comparisons. First, the works of the Lord and the commandments of the Lord are delighted in by the righteous. (111:2 and 112:1)

Second, a comparison of 111:4 and 112:6 shows that man is one of the great works of God that will be remembered. The righteous man is a memorial to the Lord.

Third, the man of God is as unmovable as the covenant of the Lord. Just as the covenant will not be forgotten, so the man of God will not be forgotten. (111:5, 9 and 112:6)

But what is most striking about this comparison between Psalm 111 and 112 is that attributes that are the Lord's in Psalm 111 are then attributed to the man who fears the Lord in Psalm 112. The man who fears God becomes like God.

Most stunning out of all these is verses 3-4 of both psalms. Psalm 111:3-4 makes perfect sense to us. Of course, God's righteousness endures forever. Of course, God is gracious and full of compassion. But when we get to Psalm 112 we see that the man who fears the Lord is God's image bearer. He looks like God. His righteousness endures forever and he is gracious and full of compassion. In other words those who believe in God and worship Him rightly begin to slowly take on His character.

Here we should pause and think about how we speak of Christians, including ourselves. Would any of us ever say that our righteousness endures forever? Would any of us ever say that we are gracious and full of compassion? My guess is that we would not. We fear that we may sound proud or that we are trusting in our works. This could be the case. But it could also be the case that we are finally beginning to see ourselves as God sees us. We are finally beginning to talk like the Bible talks. Because of the work of Christ we are a people who fear the Lord and delight in His commands. By His Spirit and His Word we are a people whose righteousness will endure forever. We are clothed in Christ and thus we are a righteous people who are being shaped into the image of Christ. Let us believe and not doubt this great truth.

Singing the Psalms

Douglas Wilson has written many books that I have gained wisdom from. Perhaps his best is this book on how to train our boys. I never read this to my boys. The oldest is nine and he will get into it soon. But I have read this book at least five times. It challenges me regularly on what it means to follow after Christ and exhibit masculine piety.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from the book:

"The fact that the church has largely abandoned the singing of psalms means that the church has abandoned a songbook that is thoroughly masculine in its lyrics. The writer of most of the psalms was a warrior, and he knew how to fight the Lord's enemies in song. With regard to the music of our psalms and hymns, we must return to a world of vigorous singing, vibrant anthems, more songs where the tenor carries the melody, open fifths, and glory. Our problem is not that such songs do not exist; our problem is that we have forgotten them. And in forgetting them, we are forgetting our boys. Men need to model such singing for their sons." (p. 100)

This past Sunday I attended a contemporary evangelical church. It had all the bells and whistles that people are supposed to want today. What was my reaction? Boredom. The music put me sleep. (One of my sons even said he had a hard time staying awake.) It all sounded the same. The words were trite and vacant, with little biblical content. There is no magic bullet for a church like this. But a good start would be to obey the Bible by singing the psalms. (Colossians 3:16)

I was not raised on the psalms. They are new to me, but nothing has increased my love for worship like learning to sing psalms that are played and sung with enthusiasm, joy, and vigor. In family worship, we regularly learn new psalms. We still sing hymns, but the psalms form the core of our praise. For too long this neglected weapon has sat on the shelf, like a relic of the past. It is time to dust off the psalms and once again sing the war songs of the Prince of Peace.