Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

The Lord reminds us of two powerful certainties. He has an appointed time to bring justice to the unrighteous. They fulfill his purpose and then he disposes of them. Secondly, during times of uncer- tainty and chaos he causes the foundational laws of order to prevail. No situation is beyond his juris- diction and nothing happens outside his timeframe. These powerful thoughts demand that the listener experience an interlude, (selah) and meditate.

“I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’ I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists! Don’t lift your fists in defiance at the heavens or speak with rebellious arrogance.’”(4,5)

Delitzsch attributes this psalm to the invasion of Judah by the Assyrian army and these verses to the arrogant speech by his messenger 1 , Rabshakeh. “What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? Name just one! So what makes you think that the Lord can rescue Jerusalem?”(Isa. 36:20) Whether this is in reference to Adonijah or Rabshakeh the principle is the same; God reduces the proud who lift themselves up.

III THE PERSON GOD EXALTS - 6-9

“For no one on earth–from east or west, or even from the wilderness–(south) can raise another per- son up. It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall.”(6,7)

The only direction absent is the north and seems to represent the spiritual authority of God alone. The king of Babylon tried to exalt himself: “’I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’”(Isa.14:13,14) God delights in exalting the humble and abasing the proud. The apostle James tells us: “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.’ So hum- ble yourselves before God…When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.”(James 4:6,7,10) While this is direct reference to kings and rulers it applies universally to all dimensions of life; our jobs, our ministry in the church and community serv- ice. God exalts those who humbly serve him and their fellow mankind.

For the Lord holds a cup in his hand; it is full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours the wine out in judgment, and all the wicked must drink it, draining it to the dregs.”(8)

This cup seems to be the consequences of sin and pride, the distasteful ‘dregs’ of human ambition and selfishness. It is a forced intoxication; we cannot live a life of pride and escape the drunken mad- ness it produces. Jesus drank this cup of judgment for us in the garden of Gethsemane “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.”(Mt. 26:39) Then he died a humble criminal’s death on the cross that we might drink his cup of salvation at the table of the Lord. “And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which seals the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many.”(Mt. 26:27,28)

“But as for me, I will always proclaim what God has done; I will sing praises to the God of Israel. [Jacob] (9)

Praising God is one of the greatest acts of humility. It is focusing on his accomplishments and his power rather than celebrating self. Asaph goes happily on his way as he observes the deposing of Adoni- jah and the exaltation of Solomon to the throne. He is there praising God when Solomon dedicates the beautiful temple to the Lord: “…they [Asaph and his sons included] raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words: ‘He is so good! His faithful love endures forever!’”(2 Chron. 5:13) All indications lead us to believe he is still praising God in heaven!

IV THE POWER OF THE GODLY - 10

“For God says, ‘I will cut off the strength of the wicked, but I will increase the power of the godly.’”(10)

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