No Happy Ending

Psalm 88

I Cry Out Day and Night Before You

A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

 ¹O LORD, God of my salvation;
   I cry out day and night before you.
²Let my prayer come before you;
    incline your ear to my cry!

 ³For my soul is full of troubles,
   and my life draws near to Sheol.
⁴I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
   I am a man who has no strength,
⁵like one set loose among the dead,
   like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
   for they are cut off from your hand.
⁶You have put me in the depths of the pit,
   in the regions dark and deep.
⁷Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
   and you overwhelm me with all your waves.
                         Selah

 ⁸You have caused my companions to shun me;
   you have made me a horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
 ⁹ my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O LORD;
   I spread out my hands to you.
¹⁰Do you work wonders for the dead?
    Do the departed rise up to praise you?
                         Selah

¹¹Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
   or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
¹²Are your wonders known in the darkness,
   or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

 ¹³But I, O LORD, cry to you;
    in the morning my prayer comes before you.
¹⁴O LORD, why do you cast my soul away?
   Why do you hide your face from me?
¹⁵Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
   I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
¹⁶Your wrath has swept over me;
   your dreadful assaults destroy me.
¹⁷They surround me like a flood all day long;
   they close in on me together.
¹⁸You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
   my companions have become darkness.

I don’t blame you if you started into this Psalm and then just skipped it. It’s one of the hardest passages to read in the entire Bible, not because of its complexity or theology, but because of its emptiness. It’s a lament, and there are plenty of those in the Psalms, but it stands out as a lament with no happy ending. Most laments end with a renewed belief that God will make things right, or a vow of trust in God even when things look so dark, but Psalm 88? Not so much. The HCSB concludes the psalm with, “Darkness is my only friend.”

Some commentators suggest, based on verse 15, that the Psalmist has suffered from some lifelong near-fatal disease or malady. In that sense, what we read is a lifetime of pent-up, bitter complaint to God, at times mournful, angry, and even sarcastic. The only redemption in the words seems to be that the writer still acknowledges the existence of God.

Another take on these words came to be last night at Bible study, when we studied a Messianic Psalm and so clearly saw how it pointed to Jesus. I remembered my week’s studies of Psalm 88 and suddenly realized that it too, like the entire Bible, must point to Jesus. I read the Psalm again and started scribbling notes, unexpectedly overcome with grief at the suffering I put Jesus through on the cross.

Re-read these words, and imagine they’re being spoken or mournfully sung by Jesus as every minute drew him nearer to the cross. Verse 7 shows His glimpse of the wrath that sin merits. Verse 8 shows the abandonment He felt from disciples who fell asleep in Gethsemane or denied his friendship. Verse 14 foreshadows His first and only separation from God the Father and echoes the words on the cross, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”

I don’t think the grief of Jesus that we see in the garden was confined to that one occasion. I think it was an undercurrent of His entire life on Earth. He knew, perhaps from day one, what His ultimate mission was, and that this mission would entail a moment’s separation from God on our behalf. He became sin, Who knew no sin. How could He not lament?

Oh, hallelujah, there is a happy ending after all! I credit my eternal salvation to that moment on the cross. But woe upon me if I fail to remember what it cost my Savior. This Psalm has now become a gem for me, one that I will not look upon often because it hurts, but one that I need to understand.

a day of reading

A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. A Song.
1 On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
2 the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things of you are spoken,
O city of God. Selah

4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush —
“This one was born there,” they say.
5 And of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in her”;
for the Most High himself will establish her.
6 The Lord records as he registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah

7 Singers and dancers alike say,
“All my springs are in you.”

- Psalm 87

a day of reading

A Prayer of David.
1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my plea for grace.
7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me.

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come
and worship before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them.
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant,
and save the son of your maidservant.
17 Show me a sign of your favor,
that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

- Psalm 86

Revival anyone?

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
1 Lord, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin. Selah
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
and make his footsteps a way.

- Psalm 85

Do you need revival?  What does revival even mean?  Here, we see a community desperately seeking God’s pleasure, forgiveness, and steadfast love to a people that have strayed from Him.  All of us are prone to wander at times.  We are prone to complacency.  I know I am.  Sometimes, I drive to my office with the thought of doing such a routine set of work…that my soul becomes a bit dry.  I seek revival in my life almost daily.  Let’s take just a moment and look at what this word really means.   

We see the word, “revive” in verse 6.  Take just a moment and look at that verse with me.  In the language, we get the word:  chayah .  This word literally teaches us, “to live again…”  We need to live again.  We need daily rebirth.  I believe our joy in the Lord should draw us to see areas in which we are dry…and seek His refreshment.  Psalm 85 is just 13 verses long.  My challenge for you today…before the weekend arrives, is to read this passage and allow the thought of revival to be on your mind.  Read Exodus 34:6 and see that the God Almighty, who is rich in steadfast love and faithfulness, is faithful to provide us the gift of rebirth.  Through Jesus, we are new creatures!  We have an everlasting joy that nothing can hidden.  Friend, don’t live for yourself.  Confess and repent of your sins daily and seek His gift of rebirth.  Enjoy Him forever.  See you next week.

dwelling with Him

 1How lovely is your dwelling place,
   O LORD of hosts!
2My soul longs, yes, faints
   for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
   to the living God.

 3Even the sparrow finds a home,
   and the swallow a nest for herself,
   where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
    my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
   ever singing your praise!
                         Selah

 5Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
   in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6As they go through the Valley of Baca
   they make it a place of springs;
   the early rain also covers it with pools.
7They go from strength to strength;
   each one appears before God in Zion.

 8O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
   give ear, O God of Jacob!
                         Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God;
   look on the face of your anointed!

 10For a day in your courts is better
   than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
   than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
   the LORD bestows favor and honor.

 No good thing does he withhold
   from those who walk uprightly.
12O LORD of hosts,
   blessed is the one who trusts in you!

- Psalm 84

A dwelling is a sacred place of refuge, and comfort and strength, or at least it should be.  This week floods have devastated the dwelling places of many of the members of our church.  As I prepared to come into the office this morning (Wednesday), it struck me at how devastating this event has been.  The safety and security of the home has been taken away by what insurance deems, “an act of God.”

 The sons of Korah can teach us something very special though.  Our hearts are ultimately not to yearn for our earthly dwelling places, but for the dwelling place of God.  There our hearts may sing joy and praises to the living God (vv. 2, 4).  There His people are blessed (vv. 4, 5) There alone will they find strength eternal (v.7).  There will they find grace and glory, where no good thing is withheld from those who are righteous (v. 11).

In times such as these, and in all others, let use pray to the Lord God of hosts, that we would find a place in His dwelling, close to the throne of God. Let us find our strength and blessing, our glory and the grace of God in His courts, never forgetting that this place is not our home, and we are just a passin’ through.

Smack Talk

Psalm 83

O God, Do Not Keep Silence

A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

 ¹O God, do not keep silence;
    do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
²For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
   those who hate you have raised their heads.
³They lay crafty plans against your people;
   they consult together against your treasured ones.
⁴They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
   let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
⁵For they conspire with one accord;
   against you they make a covenant-
⁶the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
    Moab and the Hagrites,
⁷ Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
    Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
⁸ Asshur also has joined them;
   they are the strong arm of the children of Lot.
                         Selah

 ⁹Do to them as you did to Midian,
   as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
¹⁰who were destroyed at En-dor,
   who became dung for the ground.
¹¹Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
   all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
¹²who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves
   of the pastures of God.”

 ¹³O my God, make them like whirling dust,
   like chaff before the wind.
¹⁴As fire consumes the forest,
   as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
¹⁵so may you pursue them with your tempest
   and terrify them with your hurricane!
¹⁶ Fill their faces with shame,
   that they may seek your name, O LORD.
¹⁷Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;
   let them perish in disgrace,
¹⁸that they may know that you alone,
    whose name is the LORD,
   are the Most High over all the earth.

In this Psalm we find Asaph in full-on imprecatory mode, listing the bad guys who have opposed Israel and calling upon God to pursue them, shame them, terrify them, and consume them. Yikes! These strong words are always a little unsettling, and they remind me that I have little context in such matters. Americans are nationalistic, sure, but I think we have no concept of the feelings that much older societies have toward their country, and we’ve surely got nothing on Israel. An old building in America is 200 years old. An old building in Israel is 2,000 years old. More importantly, we are a country of diverse cultures and religions, while the countries of the Middle East are defined by their singular culture and religion.

In fact, the words of verse 4 are shockingly relevant to the Middle East today. Consider Eugene Peterson’s rendering of the verse:

“‘Let’s wipe this nation from the face of the earth,’
      they say; ’scratch Israel’s name off the books.’”

Sound familiar? This could easily be a quote from Bin Laden. Just as I struggle with the idea that one people group could want to destroy another people group, I struggle with Psalms like this one. I’m not sure I have the context necessary to understand them.

I do know this one thing: the pleas here are not motivated by hatred, or racism, or greed. They are, strangely, motivated by God. Don’t miss verse 18. The reason for all this vitriol is that God be glorified and be recognized for who He is.

The contrarian in me comes back to say that, apparently, Bin Laden is motivated by allegiance toward his false god, so the sentiment is much the same. The fundamental difference is all about God. We must fly in the face of postmodernism and stand on the truth that our Almighty God is the Author of righteousness. I’ll allow that religious fervor and devotion can wrongly motivate someone to seek to destroy others; I must also allow that imprecatory Psalms highlight the justice of God in the presence of sin, and that His justice is a great and necessary thing. C. S. Lewis said, “The ferocious parts of the Psalms serve as a reminder that there is in the world such a thing as wickedness and that it (if not its perpetrators) is hateful to God.”

Take this Psalm today as a testament that there is absolute right and wrong, defined by God for once and for all. Also, take this Psalm as encouragement to not shy away from the difficult parts of the Bible. Meet them head on. Wrestle, contend, learn. God can handle it.

A Call to Justice

Psalm 82:1-8

1 A Psalm of Asaph. God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! 

Here in this Psalm we have a sober reminder that God will ultimately judge those in authority. He stands amidst the councils of man and holds them accountable for their actions and how they treat others. This reminder is followed by the complaint of the Psalmist in verse 2. There is some deliberation amongst scholars as to whether this was during the reign of Jehoshaphat or Hezekiah, but either way it is not too difficult for the reader to form the same complaint today. It often seems that it is the wicked and unjust that escape justice when authorities are given the opportunity to mete out justice to them. 

This is followed by a command to give justice to the weak and fatherless and to maintain the right of the afflicted. We as Christians today must keep this command close to our hearts and never let partiality cloud our judgment. We are God’s agents among men and it is our duty to rescue the weak and the needy. It is this duty and responsibility that allows the lost to see the justice of God reflected through us.

We must keep in mind that there are two aspects to judgment. The first is to actually know what is right. This allows us to discern between right and wrong, but it is only understanding that allows us to act on this knowledge. It is necessary for us to not only know what is right but also to actually do what is right. Otherwise we too are liable to walk in darkness. It is interesting to note the Psalmist’s complaint that the whole foundations of the earth are shaken by this injustice. Our actions have an effect on the world around us.

The Psalmist ends his complaint against injustice with another reminder that the judges of the nations will also be judged. Like the judges written of here, all men will die and face the judgment of one who will show no partiality and who will judge with ultimate authority. No matter how high our position today, we will be humbled before the King. We must follow the advice of the Psalmist and know what is right and act on it. Yes, arise oh God and judge the nations.

a day of rain and reading

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph.
1 Sing aloud to God our strength;
shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.

4 For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

- Psalm 81

the focus of restoration

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm.
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
and come to save us!

3 Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!

4 O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!

8 You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.

14 Turn again, O God of hosts!
Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15 the stock that your right hand planted,
and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
16 They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!

19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

- Psalm 80

This powerful Psalm focuses on the need for God’s people to be restored after several attacks from other nations.  The restoration is needed in order for the people to rejoice in their salvation.  19 verses, all aimed at a need for restoration.  I have a question for you today…do you need to be restored? 

In Acts 3, Peter preached a powerful sermon in Solomon’s portico.  One verse that jumps out to me is found in 3:20, when Peter says, “that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”  This verse really identifies the structure of Psalm 80.  The lament that the community cries out reveals the purpose of the plead; to receive joy in salvation.  Take a moment and read verse 3 in Psalm 80.  Do you see the purpose behind their restoration?  Perhaps it was a reminder of God’s saving grace? (Psalm 103).  Perhaps it was a gentle drawing of His beauty and glory? (1 John).  Now, go back to Acts 3 and look at the verses prior to verse 20.  Do you see how restoration focuses on the Gospel?

If you are having a rough week, a rough month…or even year; turn to God.  Rejoice in the Gospel; the good news of the Savior that took the Supreme wrath of the splendid Father for the purpose of giving us sweet restoration daily.  Realize that His sovereign reign draws us to answers to our many questions (Psalm 80 goes with questions I hear today…such as, “why does God do bad things to good people?).  Things happen, according to His purpose, and for His glory.  In Psalm 80 and Acts 3, we see that restoration comes out of the abundance of His grace.  Seek Him in times of desperation and praise Him for His divine favor.  All of us can see that favor daily restored in the empty tomb.

-from one who needs restoration daily.

holy God

Psalm 79

A Lament over the Destruction of Jerusalem, and Prayer for Help.

A Psalm of Asaph.

    ¹O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance;
         They have defiled Your holy temple;
         They have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
    ²They have given the dead bodies of Your servants for food to the birds of the heavens,
         The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth.
    ³They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem;
         And there was no one to bury them.
    ⁴We have become a reproach to our neighbors,
         A scoffing and derision to those around us.
    ⁵How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever?
         Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
    ⁶Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You,
         And upon the kingdoms which do not call upon Your name.
    ⁷For they have devoured Jacob
         And laid waste his habitation.
    ⁸Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers against us;
         Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us,
         For we are brought very low.
    ⁹Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;
         And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake.
    ¹⁰Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
         Let there be known among the nations in our sight,
         Vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed.
    ¹¹Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You;
         According to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are doomed to die.
    ¹²And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom
         The reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.
    ¹³So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture
         Will give thanks to You forever;
         To all generations we will tell of Your praise.

 

The Psalmist is in agony over the state of Jerusalem and the way that Israel is viewed among the other nations.  He sees and understands that how these unbelievers see Israel is a reflection upon how they see Israel’s God. The truth is, while Israel probably deserved what she had received, God did not deserve to be associated with her. However, God was in their midst (in His temple), and the sin of Israel which had brought about the nations defeat now caused others to see God in a negative light.

The church today is no different. With every scandal, with every moral failure, with each stain on the righteousness of God, not only does the world see the church negatively, they see at best an impotent god or worst, truth to the lie of atheism. Then the world gains a foothold into the church and the defilement of Gods holy temple begins. However, the failure is not monolithic or corporate alone. Corporate sin cannot grow apart from individual sin. So, believers must first address their personal holiness if there is to be a change in the holiness of the church. This stems from a proper understanding of God’s righteousness and, through our relationship to Christ, a desire to also be holy.

Additionally, the psalmist gives great insight into the fact that the change begins with the recognition that apart from God we are impotent to change (v.9 cf. Jn 15:5). Our lives are not about us; they are about how we glorify God, our Savior and Lord. If we do not know Him, we cannot glorify Him.  But for those who do, we must focus on His righteousness, and His glory, living in but apart from the world, so that the world may see who god really is.

Finally, we are to praise Him. We are to praise Him in worship of course, but also with every word and deed of each day of our lives. This happens only when we live what we believe with the legacy of righteous living and surrender to a holy God be passed down to future generations. Our friends and neighbors and children do not care what we believe if it does not affect how we live.

Are you living righteously? Would those outside the church know that you are a Christian by the way you live? Is your holiness obvious enough to glorify God?

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