Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

The cedar is known as the ‘king of trees’ as it is perpetually green and fragrant and its wood was used as a choice building material in the Temple of Solomon: “…the Most Holy Place…was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling.” (1 Kgs. 6:16) It is also a symbol of praise: “Praise the Lord from the earth…fruit trees and all cedars…” (Ps. 148:7,9) “For they are transplanted into the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, ‘The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is nothing but goodness in him!’” (13-15) Most translations agree with the word ‘transplanted’ rather than planted. God finds us in the deserts and mountains of life and transplants us into his house where we flourish and bear fruit in his presence. The palm and cedar remain fruitful throughout their long, productive lives. There are no silent ‘trees’ in God’s house; they are continually declaring the virtues of his fairness, his immovable strength and his abounding goodness. Although the church is not as young as it was as in the days of the Book of Acts, as it approaches the final Sabbath rest of God it is still green and flourishing and bearing the fruits of the Spirit!

1 Keil & Delitzsch 2 Spence 3 Keil & Delitzsch 4 Scroggie

PSALM 93: MIGHTIER THAN THE RAGING SEAS The Immovable King

This psalm contrasts the eternal, unshakable King of Israel with the violence of a stormy sea of ‘peo- ple’ who rage against his reign. It is the 1st of 6 ‘King’ psalms (93,95,96,97,98,99) where God is re- vealed as ‘Malech Yahweh’, King Yahweh who rules not only Israel, but the whole earth. It was traditionally sung in the rebuilt temple on Friday, the 6th day of the week before the Sabbath day. Yah- weh, (Lord) is mentioned 6 times in accordance with this tradition. Jesus is foreshadowed as the Lord of the Raging Seas as centuries later he walks on the water and calms the stormy waves. The brief song is outlined as:

I ROBED IN MAJESTY – Immovable Government- 1,2 II ROAR OF THE OCEANS - Insurrection of the Gentiles- 3,4 III ROYAL DECREES - Immutable Commands- 5

INTRODUCTION:

There is no introduction in the Hebrew Bible although the Greek translation includes one: “On the day before the Sabbath, when the earth was founded: A psalm of thanksgiving to (or for) David 1 .” Only the first phrase is taken seriously while the last section attributing its authorship to David is not gener- ally accepted. It is thought to be a Post-Exilic psalm, written after the Jews returned from 70 years of captivity in Babylon. ‘God is regarded as having for a time laid aside, or hidden, his sovereignty but is now at length coming forward and inaugurating the theocracy (His kingdom) 2 .’

I

ROBED IN MAJESTY - 1,2

There are six major themes that are dealt with briefly in this psalm and all of them are tied to the sovereign reign of the God of Israel.

1. The Lord is King- “The Lord is King! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.’ (1) After the Jews spent seventy years serving the King of Babylon, God seemingly ‘re-emerges’ on the scene of world history with a dynamic restoration of his people to their ancient land of heritage. The Jews write this song in triumphant celebration; ‘The Lord (Yahweh) is

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