TODAY’S READING: PSALM 71-77
OVERVIEW:
David’s prayer of praise and thanksgiving; David’s prayer for Solomon (and the “Son of David”); the mystery of the prosperity of the wicked; the rebuke of the wicked and proud; praise for God’s majesty.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
In Psalm 71, note the eight names the psalmist uses to refer to God that he has made quite “personal” (each one is prefaced by the personal pronoun”my”) –
- My Strong Habitation (71:2)
- My Rock (71:3)
- My Fortress (71:3)
- My God (71:4)
- My Hope (71:5)
- My Trust (71:5)
- My Strong Refuge (71:7)
- My Helper (71:12)
There’s plenty enough in just those eight names to have your own “personal” worship service! What a God we serve!
As you continue your journey through life, keep in mind that the enemy is constantly seeking to shut you down and shut you up! That is, he wants to take your passion for God out of your soul, and he wants to take your praise for God out of your mouth. Understanding this desire of the enemy prompted the psalmist to say, “But I will hope continually, and yet praise thee more and more” (71:14). Let’s all make that our resolve today!
Psalm 72 is in my estimation a “psalm of psalms.” What an absolutely incredible Old Testament declaration of praise for the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Coming! This psalm lets you know that Solomon was just a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Millennium in I Kings 10 as the Queen of Sheba presents herself before Israel’s king, the “Son of David,” as he sits enthroned in all of his wisdom, splendor, majesty, and glory over the entire world (72:10). This psalm lets you know that the Lord Jesus Christ will unleash His power in judgment upon the earth (72:1-6), and will establish His rule over the entire earth (72:7-9). Read and enjoy! May it cause all of us to “LOVE His appearing” with Paul (II Tim. 4:8), LONG for His appearing with John, and PRAY for His appearing per our Lord’s instruction (Matt.6:10).
In Psalm 73, Asaph voices what all of us have felt at one time or another: Why does it seem that the wicked prosper, and the righteous are stepped on (73:11-14)? As Asaph said, sometimes it can just about get the best of you (73:2), and make you want to throw in the towel (73:16)! Why does it seem that that’s the way it shakes down in life? For the most part, because that’s the way it is! In THIS life!
What we sometimes forget it that THIS life is not all there is! Asaph said that he was reminded of that when he went “into the sanctuary of God, and understood their end” (73:17).
Psalm 74 is Aspah’s attempt at “praying for the Kingdom to come,” and quite a good one at that!
Psalm 75 deals withIsraeland the Second Coming of Christ. Notice in verses 2-6, that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is speaking in the first person. How awesome is that? Notice in verse 6 where “promotion cometh.” Here’s the clue: It’s not “from the east, nor the west, nor from the south.” Got any guesses where it comes from? That’s right! The north! Why north? Check out Psalm 48:2; Hebrews 12:22; Isaiah 14:13; Ezekiel 1:4.
Psalm 76 is another great description of our Lord’s awesomeness as he “arises in judgment” (76:9) and descends upon this earth at His Second Coming to establish His rule and reign. Can you answer the question of 76:7 – “Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?” Why don’t we allow the words of the old hymn to answer it for us? “No, not one! No, not one!”
Psalm 77 is, likewise, a description of the Second Coming and Millennium. Just when the nation of Israel is “in the day of [her] trouble,” when at Armageddon, all of the nations of the earth have converged upon her and she is crying out, “Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favorable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail or evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?” (77:7-9), then notice the very next word: “Selah”! It is just then that the Lord Jesus Christ will step out of heaven riding on a white horse, with the armies of heaven behind Him (Rev. 16:15-21;19:11-19) and go absolutely ballistic upon all His enemies to establish “peace on earth and good will toward men.” Verses 16-19 of Psalm 77 are a description of the Second Coming, as our Lord steps out of the third heaven, descends through “the deep” that is above our heads, and comes thundering into the earth’s atmosphere. What a day that will be. Let’s pray it’ll be seven years from today.
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
As the ROCK – Ps. 71:3 (I Cor. 10:4)
As the RIGHTEOUS JUDGE – Ps. 72:2, 4 (II Thess. 1:5-9)
As the SPEAKER in Psalm 75:2-6