Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

INTRODUCTION:

“A Psalm of Asaph”

This psalm is either a prophetic picture given to Asaph hundreds of years before the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar or the work of one of his later descendants.

I YOUR SPECIAL POSSESSION - 1-4 • Your land, your special possession- “O God, pagan nations have conquered your land, your special possession.” (1) Asaph does not complain on a personal basis but is saying that God has suf- fered defeat by the pagans. • Your holy Temple- “They have defiled your holy Temple and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins.” (1) Again he is appealing to the honor of God himself; this is his temple and his holy city. • Your servants- “They have left the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of heaven. The flesh of your godly ones has become food for the wild animals. Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem; no one is left to bury the dead. We are mocked by our neighbors, an object of scorn and de- rision to those around us.” (2-4) The human race that God had made to have dominion over all the beasts of the field have been defeated by sin and are now being devoured by the animals they once ruled. Only the blood and water that flowed from the side of Christ has the ability to reverse the scorn and derision that is being hurled at them and restore the situation. II YOUR NAME - 5-12 • Your jealousy- “O Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Forever? How long will your jeal- ousy burn like fire?” God’s jealousy caused him to destroy everything that he brought into being; his na- tion, his people, his city and temple. But one thing endured, his covenant love: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t…even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.” (Rom. 8:38) That restoring love was fully shown to us in the person of Christ. • Your wrath- “Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to recognize you–on kingdoms that do not call upon your name.” (6) There is a distinct difference between the jealousy that God has for his people and the wrath that is shown to the ungodly. Wrath destroys without remedy, jealousy chastises to restore and renew. • Your People- “For they have devoured your people Israel, making the land a desolate wilder- ness.” (7) The absence of faithful servants of God causes the land to become a desolate wilderness. A place where God once poured out his love has become empty and forsaken. • Your tenderhearted mercies- “Oh, do not hold us guilty for our former sins! Let your tender- hearted mercies quickly meet our needs, for we are brought low to the dust.” (8) The central focus of the psalm is the tenderheartedness of God that rushes in to meet the humbled soul. Mercy is directed to those who acknowledge the need for cleansing from sin. • Your name- “Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the honor of your name. Oh, save us and forgive our sins for the sake of your name.” (9) The echoes of the Lord’s Prayer resound from this song: “may your name be honored…forgive us our sins…deliver us from the evil one.” (Mt. 9:12,13) Daily prayer is the remedy that heals a nation. • Your vengeance- “Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff, asking, ‘ Where is their God?’ Show us your vengeance against the nations, for they have spilled the blood of your servants.” (10) The question of the unbeliever is quite different than that of the person of faith. The unbeliever contests the very existence of God: ‘ Where is God’ while the faithful person questions the timing of the Lord: “O Lord, how long…?”(5) The unbeliever will ultimately experience vengeance while the suffering of the faithful will not last forever. • Your great power- “Listen to the moaning of the prisoners. Demonstrate your great power by saving those condemned to die. O Lord, take sevenfold vengeance on our neighbors for the scorn they have hurled at you. “(11, 12) Many of the Jews conquered by Babylon were condemned to die but God demonstrated his great power by preserving some of the choice young leaders. Among those were Daniel and his three companions; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. “Then the king (Nebuchadnez- zar) ordered Ashpenaz, who was in charge of the palace officials, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as cap- tives.” (Dan. 1:3) Instead of being condemned to death, Daniel became the prophet of judgment to the

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