May 24, 2017

Insights on Today's Reading

Psalm 108 - How persistent are you in your praise of God?  Do you praise Him only when things are going great for you?  Or can you find ways to praise the Lord in the midst of your pain or discomfort?  This  Psalm speaks of the psalmist's steadfastness in his praise of his God.  Even when God seems distant - He isn't.  He always hears our praise and He welcomes our thoughts of honor towards Him.

Psalm 109 - As you read this Psalm you might be tempted to wonder how can God allow His people to wish bad things to happen to those who do bad things to them.  We're taught in the New Testament to love our enemies and to pray for their blessing, not that they would be cursed.  As I've pondered these kind of Psalms I began to think of what really is my greatest enemy?  Even greater than Satan?  How about my sin?  It's my sin that has brought the most grief into my life and, therefore, it is my sin that I honestly hate.  And it is my sin that deserves my vengeance.  No, I'm not to ask God to "beat on me" but I need to be ruthless with allowing sinful ways in my life.  I take a Psalm like this and apply all the bad things that could be done to another and ask God to "beat up" my sinful flesh and give me a hatred towards any sinful tendencies in my life. 

Psalm 110 - This is the Messianic Psalm exalting the Messiah as King and Priest.  Jesus came as a priest "after the order of Melchizedek" the priest of God Most High who met Abraham back in Genesis 14.  He typified the Lord Jesus and it is in his order that Jesus was given a priesthood.  There are quite a number of New Testament passages that give this Psalm great prominence.  Christ's deity is seen right from the start as He is referred to as "the Lord."  He will rule out of Zion (Jerusalem) and He will bring judgment on earthly kings.  Christ is Lord; He is King; and He is our faithful Priest!