Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘ Woman, you are healed of your sickness! Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised and thanked God!” (Lk, 13:10-13) Thanks and praise was appropriate for this woman’s Sabbath, she sang for joy at the work of his hands. The leader in charge of the synagogue was upset that he had healed the woman on the Sabbath but Jesus answered him: “’ Wasn’t it necessary for me, even on the Sabbath day, to free this woman, a daughter of Abraham from the bondage in which Satan has held her for eighteen years?’ This shamed his enemies. And all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.” (Lk. 13:15-17) Not only was the woman thanking and praising God, the whole city was rejoicing at the works of his hands!

II

WHAT GREAT MIRACLES - 5-9

“O Lord, what great miracles you do! And how deep are your thoughts. Only an ignorant person would not know this! Only a fool would not understand it.” (5,6)

Many of the miracles Christ did were on the Sabbath day yet his hometown of Nazareth did not ac- cept them nor the wise thoughts and teachings of their famous resident. “The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They asked, ‘ Where did he get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?’ …They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.” (Mrk. 6:2-4) When the psalm speaks of an ‘ignorant person’ it is referring to someone who foolishly tries to understand everything through their carnal, finite intelligence rather than the divine, infinite intelligence and power of God as revealed in Christ. “Although the wicked flourish like weeds, and evildoers blossom with success, there is only eternal destruction ahead of them. But you are exalted in the heavens. You, O Lord, continue forever. Your en- emies, Lord, will surely perish; all evildoers will be scattered.” (7-9) The wicked are likened to weeds (grass in other versions) in contrast with the righteous being com- pared to palm and cedar trees. Verse 8 “But you are exalted in the heavens. You, O Lord, continue for- ever…” is the very heart of the psalm. All verses lead up to this thought and all subsequent verses lead away from its mountaintop vista. The last verse is also a contrast of the imagery of scattering weeds with the solidness of the palm and cedar tree; God’s enemies will be scattered in meaningless confusion. “But you have made me as strong as a wild bull. How refreshed I am by your power! With my own eyes I have seen the downfall of my enemies; with my own ears I have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents.” (10-11) Verse 10 begins with the psalmist referring himself to being like a wild bull that tramples on both weeds and grass. The imagery is meant to be obvious, the righteous live on a higher plain than those who oppose God and they will someday triumph over their enemies. “How refreshed I am by your power” is rendered by several translations as: “I have been anointed with fresh oil”(NKJV) introducing the theme of the refreshing and renewing power of praising God as a Sabbath rest. In vivid contrast to the lowly grass and weeds the godly are presented as the palm and cedar trees. Both of these magnificent trees have deep, strong root systems that insulate them against times of drought causing them to flourish when the grass withers. The Arabs called the palm tree the ‘blessed tree’ and the ‘sister of man’ as the date palm was capable of producing 600 pounds of fruit a year 4 . The palm is known as the ‘queen of trees’ and as a representation of the righteous person as it was included in the beautiful decorations of the Tabernacle that Solomon built: “The main room of the Temple was pan- eled with cypress wood, overlaid with pure gold, and decorated with carvings of palm trees and chains.” (2 Chron. 3:5) Palm trees are representative of praise as their branches sway gracefully when the wind blows. They used palm branches to welcome Jesus to Jerusalem: “…they took palm branches and went down the road to meet him.” (Jn. 12:13) and are seen as an eternal part of worship before the throne in heaven: “they were clothed in white and held palm branches in their hands.” (Rev. 7:9) “But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. (12) III THE GODLY WILL FLOURISH - 10-15

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