“To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song. In Judah God is known. His Name is great in Israel.” Psalm 76:1
God is known in Judah... do you know God?
In Amos 4:12, the Lord says, “Prepare to meet your God!” Our lives on earth are best used when they are lived in expectation of meeting God face to face.
God’s Name is great in Judah... is His Name great in your life? How much respect do You have for God? How confident are you in His love for You and in His power to help You?
In Matthew 19:26, Jesus said, “With God all things are possible.” In John 3:16, Jesus said that God loves the world, meaning the people of our world, that’s you, me and everyone else.
“In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion. There He broke the arrows of the bow, the shield and sword of battle. Selah!” Psalm 76:2-3
Salem (שָׁלֵם - Shalem) is the ancient name for Jerusalem. Salem means peace or wholeness. [1] By using ‘Salem’ alongside ‘Zion’ (the hill where the temple stood), Asaph emphasizes Jerusalem as God’s dwelling place. God’s favorable presence shielded the people of Jerusalem from the fiery missiles launched against them.
Matthew Henry comments:
“When the house of Israel did His will He placed His majesty among them, and there He broke the arrows of the bow. While they kept closely to His service they were great and safe, and everything went well with them.”[2]
The battle was won in the sanctuary as the people brought their petitions before God.
In 2 Chronicles 20:1-30, the Word of the Lord testifies that as King Jehoshaphat and his people sought the Lord in His holy place and worshipped before Him, God caused their enemies to turn against each other and destroy themselves.
“You are more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.” Psalm 76:4
God is more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey, that is, “than the great and mighty ones of the earth, who think themselves firmly fixed like mountains, but are really mountains of prey, oppressive to all about them.” [3]
“The stouthearted were plundered. They have sunk into their sleep.” Psalm 76:5
Israel’s enemies were stouthearted men of courage and resolution. They were confident of success. They had chariots and horses. But their strength was useless when it was levelled against the nation that God protects.
They have slept not the sleep of the righteous, who fall asleep in Lord, but the sleep of sinners that awake to everlasting shame and contempt. [4]
“None of the mighty men have found the use of their hands. At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep.” Psalm 76:6
When God rebukes chariots and horses, they are cancelled. They cannot stand against the Word of God.
In Hebrews 11:3, we read, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”
In Matthew 8:8-10, a Roman centurion believed that a word from Jesus could do a miracle. He said:
“Only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, He marveled, and said:
“Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!’”
In Matthew 8:13, Jesus said to the centurion:
“Go your way. As you have believed so let it be done for you.”
And his servant was healed that same hour.
“You, Yourself, are to be feared. And who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry? You caused judgment to be heard from heaven. The earth feared and was still when God arose to judgment, to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. Selah! Surely the wrath of man shall praise You, with the remainder of wrath, You shall gird Yourself.” Psalm 7-10
According to Revelation 15:2-4, those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name,” stand on a sea of glass, and they sing a song with harps. They sing of God’s marvelous works and righteous ways, declaring:
“Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your Name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested.”
God may seem to keep silent while evildoers corrupt and ruin a society, yet in due season He makes His judgment known. His judgment produces songs of victory among those who have trusted in Him.
Praise God that He causes the wrath of man to praise His Name
For example, Mao Zedong wanted the people of China to become literate so they could read his “Little Red Book.” He wanted every village to have a radio so they could hear his speeches. He wanted roads improved so travel would be easier for his officials. Mao once boasted that he would “cut out the tongue of God,” yet today God speaks to millions through the Bible. People listen to Bible teaching broadcast by overseas radio stations, and believers use the roads Mao built to spread the Gospel.
The hardships that we endure for God eventually bring Him glory.
The remainder of wrath God restrains. God sets limits on wrath just as He sets boundaries for the raging sea. He says to the proud waves, “Stop and come no further.” [5]
Once, when a hurricane struck a town where we lived, floodwaters threatened to destroy our home. We prayed and asked the Lord to protect us, and praise God, He stopped the waters just inches from our house.
“Make vows to the Lord your God and pay them. Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared. He shall cut off the spirit of princes. He is awesome to the kings of the earth.” Psalm 76:11-12
In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon set out to discover the meaning of life. He conducted a careful search and explored every earthly avenue. In Ecclesiastes 12:13–14, he shared his conclusion:
“Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
Our lives on earth are best used when they are lived in
expectation of meeting God face to face.
[2] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
No comments:
Post a Comment