Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

This is a clear example of two choirs singing antiphonally. When there is a change of ‘person’ it in- dicates that there is a change of speaker. “He is your helper…” seems to be sung by a different group. This section implies that there is a national security threat from some hostile enemy as three distinct groups are encouraged in prophetical song to trust in the Lord as a battle shield. First is the Jewish na- tion: “But when Sanballat, Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall were being repaired, they became furious. They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and to bring about confusion there.” (Neh. 4:7, 8) Secondly the priests, who bear a greater spiritual responsibility as leaders, were commanded to trust the Lord. And lastly the ‘god-fearers’, these were Gentiles who kept the law and believed in the God of Israel such as Cornelius, the first Gentile convert to Christianity. “In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. He was a devout man who feared the God of Is- rael, as did his entire household.” (Acts 10:1, 2) In the New Testament church, this group eventually far exceeded the number of Jewish believers. Paul targeted them secondly, after the Jews, as he preached in foreign lands: “So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet them, and started speaking. ‘People of Israel,’ he said, ‘and you devout Gentiles who fear the God of Israel, listen to me.’ (Acts 13:16)

III BLESSED BY THE LORD - 12-16

“The Lord remembers us,

and he will surely bless us. He will bless the people of Israel

And the family of Aaron, the priests.

He will bless those who fear the Lord, Both great and small. (12, 13)

The blessing was promised in relationship to the rejection of idols. The Lord remembered those who had returned to the land to rebuild the temple and be committed to his purpose. It foreshadows the uni- versal call of the good news of Christ where the Jews are called first and then those who fear the Lord: “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes–Jews first and also Gentiles.” (Rom. 1:16) It was the priests, the family of Aaron, who led the Jews into idolatry and now they are given a second chance to live out their high calling by leading the nation into true worship. The Good News is for all people; great and small, rich or poor, God leaves no one out of his circle of blessing.

“May the Lord richly bless both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to all humanity.” (14-16)

Rich blessings are promised to those who fully reject idols of the heart and truly worship the living God. “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. (Col. 3:5) When we are properly related to the God of heaven he blesses us in the earthly realm. The Jews lost their ‘earthly inheritance’ through idolatry and gained it back through faithfulness.

“The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord, for they have gone into the silence of the grave. But we can praise the Lord both now and forever! Praise the Lord! [Hallelujah] (17, 18)

To the Old Testament believers ‘the world consists of heaven, earth, and the kingdom of the dead. As diminished beings (the dead) they are excluded from the fountain of life 6 .’ But the New Testament has a different perspective, those outside the life of Christ, though living naturally, are considered dead. Even churches can be classified as ‘dead’: “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis…’I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive–but you are dead.’ Thankfully he gives them instructions as to what to do: “Now wake up! Strengthen what little remains…” (Rev. 3:1, 2) There are those who are ‘dead’ above, as well as below ground!

Praising God is a clarion call to wake up and live in the dynamic life Christ has provided for his peo- ple. The heavenly God has made contact with earth and desires that the benefits of his new nature will

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