Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

I ARROGANT ENEMIES - 1-4 II ALLIES AGAINST YOU - 5-8

The Enemy’s Purpose

The Enemy’s Plan III AS YOU DID TO THE MIDIANITES - 9-12 The Enemy’s Predecessors IV ALONE…THE MOST HIGH - 13-18 The Pre-eminence of God

INTRODUCTION:

“A psalm of Asaph. A song.”

This is the last of the 12 psalms attributed to Asaph, the great prophetic singer. It is possibly the composition of Jahaziel, his 5th generation grandson who lived in the days of King Jehoshaphat. After learning of the massive army that was being sent against Judah and Jerusalem, King Jehoshaphat pro- claimed a fast and all the people assembled in Jerusalem. Following the King’s prayer for help the bible says: “the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel …a de- scendant of Asaph. He said…’Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the bat- tle is not yours, but God’s.’” (2 Chron. 20:14, 15) Through Jahaziel’s inspiration and instruction a mighty victory was won. The title “A psalm…a song” might be in reference to the celebration that lasted sev- eral days in the battlefield and in Jerusalem. I ARROGANT ENEMIES - 1-4

“O God, don’t sit idly by, silent and inactive! Don’t you hear the tumult of your enemies? Don’t you see what your arrogant enemies are doing?” (1,2)

God has tied all of his activity in the world to the mystery of prayer. King Jehoshaphat “sought the Lord for guidance.” (2 Chron. 20:3) when he heard of the vast army marching upon his kingdom: “So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord.” (2 Chron. 20:4) Perhaps this was Jahaziel’s prayer song as the nation gathered at the temple and the Levite/musicians played wor- shipfully. After he had sung this prayer, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him with the amazing prophecy: “But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory.” (2 Chron. 20:17) We are not meant to fully understand how it works but prayer and worship gives us ac- cess to the miraculous nature of God.

“They devise crafty schemes against your people, laying plans against your precious ones. ‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.’” (3, 4)

Satan had put it into the hearts of these leaders to make a concerted effort towards Israel’s com- plete destruction. There were two purposes expressed by these nations in the psalm: “’Come’ …’let us wipe out Israel’ …”(4) and their second statement found in verse 12: “Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!” But Israel was ‘God’s’ nation and the land was ‘his’ land and constant schemes of the evil one would not be successful: “…so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes.” (2 Cor. 2:11) It is important to remember Jahaziel/Asaph’s prayer when the enemy ‘gangs up’ on the believer with a multitude of simultaneous problems.

II ALLIES AGAINST YOU - 5-8

“This was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you“ (5)

These ten kingdoms had a summit meeting and signed a treaty pledging the total end of the Is- raelite nation. It is prophetic of the ten-horned kingdom of the beast in Revelation that wages war against God’s people: “It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns…And the beast was al- lowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to overcome them.”(Rev. 13:1, 7) The epic battle be- tween the beast and the Lamb will continue until the time of the end. Each of these ten kingdoms had a unique history with the nation of Israel: • “these Edomites” - they were the descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham. Spurgeon remarks: ‘the nearest of kin, yet first in enmity 1 .’ • “and Ishmaelites,” - Ishmael was the son of Abraham by Hagar, his servant girl. They also were close relatives; step-brothers of the nation of Israel. • “Moabites” - They were the offspring of Lot, Abraham’s nephew.

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