Psalm 122: The Judgments of Jesus

Today’s reading is Psalm 122.

The Thrones of Judgment

We’ve already tied Psalm 122 to Deuteronomy 16:16-17. In that earlier passage, the Lord commanded the men of Israel to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem three times a year. Of course, at that time, it wasn’t yet known the place would be Jerusalem. However, this command is certainly background for our psalm.

Perhaps I’m making too strong a connection to that passage. However, I can’t help but notice the very next thing the Lord commanded through Moses in Deuteronomy 16:18-20:

You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the LORD your God is giving you (ESV).

This catches my attention because our pilgrimage song brings up an additional reason for being glad to go to Jerusalem.

There thrones for judgment were set,
the thrones of the house of David.
Psalm 122:5 (ESV)

Unlike places of worship, God did appoint judges in every city and among all the tribes. The tribes did not have to go to Jerusalem to have their cases tried or their disputes settled. Yet, there was something special about the throne of David. There was something special about judgment by the king. Remember, so many people came to receive judgment from David, Absalom was able to garner support for his rebellion throughout the kingdom from among those people (2 Samuel 15:1-6). Recall, Solomon displayed his wisdom as two prostitutes brought their case before him as king (1 Kings 3:16-28). There was something special about the king’s judgment.

Further, the word translated “judgments” grabs our attention after our eleven weeks in Psalm 119. It’s the same word we saw 23 times in that ode to God’s Word (MISHPAT). It was variously translated “judgments,” “rules,” “decrees.” I suggested “rulings” as the English term most fitting to encompass all its uses in Psalm 119. It conveys the same idea in Psalm 122. Just to add to the 119 connection, the word translated “decreed” in Psalm 122:4, is the same word translated “testimonies” 23 times in Psalm 119 (EDUT).

While I doubt folks sang Psalm 122 right after Psalm 119, we can’t help but make the connection between the incredible decrees and rulings of the Lord and those thrones of rulings of David in Jerusalem. When the king was doing his job properly, he meted out the decrees and rulings of God governed by God’s Word.

Finding Jesus in His House

David’s thrones of judgment in Jerusalem is precisely where we find Jesus in Psalm 122. We’ve made it very clear this week we see Christ’s church in Psalm 122. For we Christians, the house of the Lord is not a building on top of a mountain in the middle east. The city of the Lord is not a geographical location in Canaan. The mountain of the Lord is not a geological formation of the earth’s crust near the Dead Sea. All these have their fulfillment in the church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven (Hebrews 12:22-24).

As David’s thrones of just rulings were established in Jerusalem, the Son of David’s thrones of just rulings are established on His mountain, in His city, in His house, in His church. This is not to say some monolithic institutionalized organization has been established and whatever it says goes. This is to say, we cannot surrender to the rulings and judgments of Jesus apart from His church. This is to say, when the church is working properly, it will only impart the rulings and judgments of Jesus.

As Christ’s church, we do not get to go off on our own and establish our own rules. We do not get to vote and change the teaching of Jesus or the revelation of the Holy Spirit that came through the apostles and prophets. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd. Jesus is the King. Jesus is the judge. One of the great reasons to journey out of Meshech and Kedar into Christ’s church is because that is where, when worked out properly, we find the rulings of Jesus being lived out and practiced.

Praise the Lord!

Next week’s reading is Psalm 123.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

What do you want to share with others from Psalm 122?

Psalm 119:161-176: Seven Times a Day I Praise You

Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 161-176).

Praise Without Ceasing

Other than the very first line, this stanza is the brightest of the psalm. The psalmist rejoices, praises, hopes, loves, endures. But it is the first line that really sets the stage for the rest of it.

Princes persecute me without cause…
Psalm 119:161a (ESV)

The psalmist has been faithful to the Lord. The psalmist has loved God and loved God’s Word. The psalmist has walked with God. For 160 verses, the psalmist has demonstrated his faith and trust. Yet, the enemies still persecute. And what powerful enemies they are. Princes.

At some point, we might expect the psalmist to give up. But he doesn’t. He says it this way even after all this time:

Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous rules.
Psalm 119:164 (ESV).

Morning, noon, evening, midnight and more, he praises God. His day is full of praising not because his day is easy, pleasurable, convenient, enjoyable. His day is full of praising God because God’s Word is righteous. Not just His Word, his rules. That is, His decrees, His judgments, His rulings. In God’s judgments, the princes have been able to keep on persecuting without repercussion. God has yet to bring justice into the psalmist’s life condemning those who would rather the psalmist be condemned. Yet, the psalmist trusts God’s judgments and keeps on praising.

What a response. It parallels Paul’s instruction in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (ESV).

I don’t know what you’re going through. I don’t know what you wish God would have already handled, dealt with, judged. I don’t know the Lord’s time table. However, I know His judgments and decrees are the right ones. If He hasn’t brought the justice yet, it is only because it has not yet been the best time to do so. Praise the Lord! Praise Him again and again. Rejoice in Him. Be thankful He has the strength, the courage, the love to act at the very best time even while He is sad over our pain and struggle. And remember, our trials actually grow us to perfection (see James 1:2-4).

What’s going on in your world today? What can you find to praise God for? Find something and praise Him. He deserves it. You need it.

Praise the Lord!

Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 161-176).

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 119 prompt or improve your praise of God?

Psalm 119:113-128: Are We Really to Be Afraid of God’s Judgments?

Today’s reading is Psalm 119.

Be Very Afraid and Have No Fear

Yesterday, we were surprised in SAMEKH to read about hating the double-minded and demanding evildoers depart. Today, we get to the last line of SAMEKH and we are surprised again:

My flesh trembles for fear of you,
and I am afraid of your judgments.
-Psalm 119:120 (ESV)

We don’t even get to hedge, claiming this “fear” is “merely” a reverential, worshipful awe. It’s not. This is the same word used in Isaiah 2:10, 19, to describe how people should act before the judgment of the Lord, hiding under rocks and holes in the ground for terror before the Lord.

Surely, this psalmist loves the Lord. Doesn’t perfect love cast out fear? (see 1 John 4:18). Are we who love God’s Word to be terrified, trembling before the Lord, afraid of His judgment? Or are we to declare love has cast out terror and we have nothing to fear?

Yes.

Take SAMEKH as a whole. Yes, the last line talks about terror, but look at vs. 114:

You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in your word (ESV).

Unlike the terrified folks of Isaiah 2:10, 19 who hide under rocks and in caves, the psalmist actually hides and finds shelter in God. Does that sound like terror before God? Or does that sound like confidence because of God? The psalmist further pleads with God to be the upholding strength to give him safety. Is that terror or is that hope?

Now, which is it? Is God the terrifying deity before whom there is no protection and from which we will try to flee? Or is He the shelter, shield, and safety so we have nothing to fear?

The answer is, frankly, that depends.

If we decide to be the double-minded, evildoers who reject the Lord’s statutes and pursue wickedness, we should be afraid of God. We should be very afraid. Though we think of ourselves as valuable silver, if we spurn God, He will spurn us like dross. Our cunning plans to escape His judgments will be vain. In that state, there is nothing left for us but to be terrified of God’s judgments.

The psalmist, however, because he is terrified of God’s judgments has chosen a different path. He has chosen to submit to God’s judgments, follow God’s Word, love the Lord’s Law, and seek God’s strengthening hand to keep His statutes. Because he is afraid of the Lord, he has no reason to be afraid of the Lord.

I know that sounds odd. Consider an illustration. If I fear getting a speeding ticket, what will I do? I’ll obey the speed laws. Because I obey the speed laws, I have no fear of getting a speeding ticket. Because I’m afraid of getting a speeding ticket, I have no reason to be afraid of getting a speeding ticket.

SAMEKH demonstrates the same point in our relationship with God. When we realize God’s judgments are terrible on those who linger in and pursue evil, holding God at arm’s length, continuing in evil and as enemies, we fear them. We are terrified of them. We can either be like the demons who believe and merely tremble (see James 2:19), or because of our fear we can seek the only safety there is. We can seek forgiveness and strength in the Lord, learning from, loving, and living by His Word. Then our terror has led us to have nothing to fear.

Be afraid of God. Be very afraid. That is the only way to be completely unafraid of God.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 113-128).

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 119:113-128 admonish you?

Psalm 119:65-80: Turn to Jesus

Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 65-80)

Knowing God’s Testimonies

Of course, these sections give us a pause as we look for Jesus. After all, Jesus never went astray (see vs. 67). He was never led to repent by affliction and start keeping God’s Word. Noting this keeps us from taking Psalm 119 as a prediction of Jesus. The psalmist is not writing a twenty-two stanza prediction of what we should look for to know the Messiah has arrived.

However, as the psalmist describes a premiere Israelite, a top-notch servant of God, an epitome of God’s child, we are not at all surprised to find a description which sounds a great deal like the One who truly is The Premiere Israelite, The Top-notch Servant of God, The True Son of God.

Jesus is most certainly the one who knew the Word, obeyed God’s Law, anchored His life in God’s promises, followed God’s precepts, loved God’s rulings. He was the one smeared with lies by the insolent. He clearly saw God’s will as more valuable than silver and gold.

How then should we respond to Him? Psalm 119:74 says:

Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,
because I have hoped in your word (ESV).

Psalm 119:79 says:

Let those who fear you turn to me,
that they may know your testimonies (ESV).

If those who fear God should turn to the psalmist, as far short of the ultimate as he fell, how much more should we turn to the one who is truly, completely, ultimately, and wonderfully all the good and exemplary things we read about in Psalm 119? How much more should we see Jesus who put His complete hope and trust in the Word and promises of the Father and rejoice? How much more should we turn to Jesus so we may know the Lord’s testimonies?

This latter instruction should really draw us in. Jesus the Messiah is the smartest person to have ever lived. He knows how the world works. He knows the best way to live in it. He knows God’s way to live in it. After all, He is God, He created the World, He established the way. If we want to know the testimonies of God, let’s turn to Jesus, watch what He does, see where He goes, and follow Him completely. Doing anything less is actually saying we want fewer of God’s blessings and we want less than true, victorious, abundant life.

Jesus knows the Way. He is the Way. Let us fear God and turn to Jesus that we may walk the Way. Even if, and especially when, we face affliction from the insolent.

Praise the Lord!

Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 81-96).

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

What do you want to share with others from Psalm 119:65-80?