Psalm 98: Sing and Make Melody

Today’s reading is Psalm 98.

Let’s talk about the big, pink elephant in the room. Depending on how you came across this blog, you may or may not be aware it is sponsored by a congregation which refuses to sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with trumpets, or with shofar. We will sing and make joyful noises with the best of them, but we do not make the melody on mechanical instruments. We have no band, no piano, no organ. However, we are now in our second season of reading the Psalms which repeatedly encourage doing exactly that–making melody on some kind of musical instrument.

You may be asking why we would act exactly opposite of what these psalms say? Allow me to explain.

The psalms were written in the context of tabernacle and temple worship. Just as the Israelites worshiped God by offering sacrifices at the tabernacle, then the temple, they worshiped God by making melody on “musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals” and more at the tabernacle and the temple (see 1 Chronicles 15:16, et al). You may be aware, not only do we not worship God by making melody on musical instruments, we don’t worship God with sacrifices. More than that, we don’t worship God at the tabernacle or temple. Except…actually we do.

Paul wrote, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22, ESV). Do you see it? We actually do worship God at the the tabernacle or temple. However, we do not worship at a structure in Jerusalem. In fact, our temple is not a building at all. Our temple is the collection of the people. Christ’s church (the assembly of His people) is the temple of God and the dwelling place of the Spirit. Just as Christ is the New Covenant fulfillment of all the sacrifices in the Law, Christ’s church is the New Covenant fulfillment of the tabernacle and the temple from the Law.

But keep reading in Ephesians until you get to 5:18-20: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (ESV). As Christ’s church we are God’s temple, the dwelling place of the Spirit. Therefore, we are to be filled with the Spirit which is acted out not by drunken parties, but by assemblies of praise and song. But notice, “making melody to the Lord with your heart.” I do not cite this verse as a rule or a technicality. I ask you to see the story of worshiping God played out as the physical pointers of the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled in fullness and truth in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. In the very same way we the people of God fulfill the temple of God, Jesus fulfills the sacrifices, our hearts fulfill the instruments found in that temple worship.

If Psalm 98:5-6 prove anything, it proves God knows how to command the playing of instruments to worship Him. He knew how to command a temple to be built. He knew how to command sacrifices to be offered. In the covenant God has made with us through Jesus Christ, He also knew how to ask for the temple, the sacrifice, and the worship He wants. And He does. Christ’s church is the temple. Jesus is the sacrifice. Further, our singing also fulfills sacrifice (see Hebrews 13:15). Finally, our hearts fulfill the instrumentation.

Thus, when we read about doing things at the temple or the altar in the Psalms, we don’t start traveling to Jerusalem or constructing a temple. Rather, we come to Christ’s church. When we read about sacrifices in the Psalms, we don’t start herding cattle or flocks. We turn to Jesus and we give ourselves to Him. When we read about making melody on lyre, trumpets, and horns, we don’t bring in the pianos, we tune our hearts to sing His praise.

That’s how we sing. We’d love to invite you to join us.

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 98.

PODCAST!!!

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

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 98 prompt or improve your hope in God?

Psalm 81: God Will Provide

Today’s reading is Psalm 81.

“Open your mouth wide,” God says in Psalm 81:10, “and I will fill it.”

Carrying on the message from the last two days, Yahweh will care for His people. No other god has done that. No other god will do that. Yahweh, the Lord will fill the mouths of His people.

But…with what?

Surprisingly, in the Old Testament, the concept of people having their mouths filled rarely means eating food. In Psalm 78:30, the plague came on the grumbling and complaining Jews while the quail was still in their mouths. A handful of proverbs speak of food in the mouth (Proverbs 16:26; 19:24; 20:17; 26:15). However, the great majority of OT passages talking about having the mouth filled refer to speech, words, teaching, songs, praise, etc. In Exodus 4:15, Moses would put words in Aaron’s mouth. In Numbers 23:5, 12, God put words in Balaam’s mouth. In Deuteronomy 18:18, God would put words in the mouths of the prophets. The words that filled people’s mouths were not always good. In Psalm 22:13 and 35:21, the mouths were full of mockery and reviling. However, in Deuteronomy 31:19, God wanted Moses to write a song (Deuteronomy 32) that would fill the mouths of the Israelites. And in Psalm 40:3, God put a new song of praise in the mouth of the psalmist.

Our psalmist may be explaining, consistent with the rest of the OT, when Israel cast down the other gods and only followed Yahweh, He would fill their mouths with praise, with thanksgiving, with instruction, with glorious things that are the natural response to being blessed.

On the other hand, this statement may be an exception as a parallel to the last verse in the psalm. God ends the psalm saying, if they would just listen to Him, “He would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (81:16). This makes a nice symmetry. God may be driving home the one point that if Israel listened to Him, He would provide their food. This certainly fits the context of praise on a feast day (vs. 3), especially if, as seems to be the case, it is one of the seventh month feasts (see Leviticus 23 and Numbers 29) happening at the time of harvest.

Adding one more layer, this would be even more potent if the mention of the trumpet/shofar being blown calls to mind Leviticus 25:9 and the blowing of the shofar on the Day of Atonement during the Year of Jubilee. On that year, they quit working their fields for two years. One planting would provide for three years (Leviticus 25:18-22). What a time to be reminded that when they are faithful to the Lord, He will provide.

Psalm 63:5 may help us see both of the above possibilities at the same time. In that verse, we learn when the Israelite earnestly sought God, he could say, “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips” (ESV). Granted, the food in this verse is spiritual. But we see the connection. When blessed by God’s provision, our mouths are full of praise.

Whichever view we take on God filling our mouths, the end result is the same. When we serve God, He will provide. As Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, ESV).

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 81.

PODCAST!!!

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

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 81 prompt or improve your trust of God?

The Prayers of the Saints

Today’s reading is Revelation 8.

When the seventh seal is opened, we are reminded of the fifth seal. There we saw the saints beneath the altar praying for God to take vengeance on the enemies who had slaughtered them. When this seventh seal is opened, this image is called to mind again and seven trumpets are given to seven angels. As those trumpets were being handed out, an angel offered incense on the altar alongside and mingled with the prayers of the saints. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth. As the angels blow their trumpets, we see the prayers of the saints being granted in part as God allows partial judgment to come upon the earth. Of course, all of this is telling of a time long past. However, what we can learn from this is that even in our extreme suffering and pain, God does listen to our requests. He may not respond in our timetable or with exactly what we have asked for or want. However, He always does what is right. He always does what will most benefit us and most glorify Him. In these partial judgments, He is giving response to the prayers of the saints and yet, at the same time, seeking the salvation of others. What a glory that will be for Him if those who were persecutors become saints. Keep praying. God is listening. He is responding in the best way possible even if we can’t tell it right now. And He is seeking the salvation of as many as will come just as He patiently sought your salvation. Praise God!

Tomorrow’s reading is Revelation 9.

A Modern Pharisee

Today’s reading is Matthew 23.

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and his disciples, ‘The Pharisees do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their social media reach wide and the posts of their actions long. They love the likes and retweets they receive. They love to have the place of honor on the internet, competing for friends and likes. They love to have the greetings of those who agree with what they say and jump to their defense when someone disagrees. But you are not to be called Teacher or Father, for you are all siblings. And you have one Teacher who is Jesus. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.'”

So says the guy writing a blog post. Yes, I get it. And I’m talking to me as much as to anyone else. This platform can accomplish great good. At the same time, it can lead us down a subtly dark and sinful path. As we navigate it, let’s be fearlessly and thoroughly honest about what we are doing here. And let’s make sure it is always and only God whom we are glorifying.

Tomorrow’s reading is Matthew 24.