Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

The psalmist sets his priorities by choosing where he wants to be above all other places (in your courts) and what he wants to be above all other vocations (gatekeeper) . The descendants of Korah had a dual occupation as gatekeepers and musicians in God’s house. “These divisions of the gatekeepers were named for their family leaders, and like the other Levites, they served at the house of the Lord.” (1 Chron. 26:12)

“For the Lord God is our light (sun) and protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will the Lord with hold from those who do what is right.” (11)

These verses are prophetic of the life of Jesus Christ as described in the Gospel of John.

“For the Lord God is our light (sun)… “

The Apostle John describes Jesus as “The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world.” (Jn. 1:9) This is the only place in the psalms where God is referred to directly as the ‘sun’. In the Old Testament the brilliance of the Son of God was partially hidden behind the clouds of the law but is fully revealed in his brilliance in the church of the New Testament: “And standing in the middle of the Lampstands was the Son of Man…And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance.” (Rev. 1:13,16)

“He gives us grace and glory” –

John describes the wonders of encountering the living Christ; “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”(Jn. 1:14,NIV) God’s grace always has other virtues attached to it and here it is ‘truth’ that is its closest companion.

“No good thing will the Lord with hold” –

John describes the marvelous benefits that we are all able to receive from a relationship with Jesus Christ; “We have all benefited from the rich blessings he brought to us one gracious blessing after an- other." (Jn. 1:16) This amazing promise reminds us of God’s willingness to fill our lives with good things as we seek to please him.

“O Lord Almighty, happy are those who trust in you.” (12)

This is such a delightful way to end the pilgrimage to serve in God’s house. The joy that pours from the psalmist’s trusting heart is like the uplifting melody of the songbird that nested in the great temple in Jerusalem.

1 Spurgeon 2 Spence

PSALM 85: RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE HAVE KISSED Restoration and Renewal

This beautiful, anonymous song by one of the descendants of Korah sings of the joy of the nation being restored to the favor of God. The Messiah has reconciled the righteous demands of God’s truth on one side and the tenderness of his unfailing love on the other. God’s anger and judgment against sin has been turned into peace and blessings. Jesus is personified in this psalm as the righteousness of God who prepares the way for his people to be brought back into a renewed relationship with him. The psalm has four short segments:

I RESTORED THE FORTUNES OF ISRAEL - 1,2 II REVIVE US AGAIN - 3-7 III RETURN NOT TO FOOLISHNESS - 8,9 IV RIGHTEOUSNESS SMILES DOWN - 10-13 207