Day 126.  Reading Psalms 89, 96, 100, 101, 105, and 132.

 

This Psalm is written by Ethan, the third official court songwriter/singer appointed by David (along with Asaph and Heman. see 1 Chron. 6:31-47)   He puts a lot into his song —  Praise to God, first and foremost, then the glory of David, chosen to be King and his enduring royal line. But then he talks of discipline for the disobedient kings, God hiding Himself, and Ethan’s own longing for the “days of old.”  Finally, he ends with a blessing to the LORD, almost as an afterthought. 

• “I will sing of the mercy of the LORD forever; with my mouth, I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations!
• Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O LORD, in the light of Your face, who exult in Your Name all day and in Your righteousness are exalted.

Then about the chosen David.

• I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him so that My hand shall be established with him; My arm also shall strengthen him.
• I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations. 
• My faithfulness and My steadfast love shall be with him, and in My Name, shall his horn be exalted.
• I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 
• If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish THEIR transgression with the rod and THEIR iniquity with stripes, BUT, I WILL NOT REMOVE FROM HIM MY STEADFAST LOVE OR BE FALSE TO MY FAITHFULNESS.
• I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me.

WOW!

Psalm 96.

This psalm is one of praise and worship of the Lord and His holiness! (Notice all the imperatives!)

• Oh, sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!
• Sing to the LORD, bless His name; tell of His salvation from day to day.
• Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples.
• For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised.
• Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
• Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
• Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His Name, bring an offering, and come into his courts!
• Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness, tremble before him, all the earth.
• Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!”
• Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice … for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth.
• He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness.

Psalm 100.

Another psalm that you could probably recite right now.  (Note here all the imperatives again.)

• Make a joyful noise (laugh?) to the LORD, all the earth!
• Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into His presence with singing.
• Know that the LORD, He is God!  It is He who made us and we are HIS; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
• Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him, bless His name!
• For the LORD is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 101.

Notice David’s vows for integrity, both for himself and for all around him.  Sadly, wanting and doing are not always compatible.  (On our own, we can never accomplish this.  Praise God for His Holy Spirit and for His promise of forgiveness when we confess & repent.)

• “I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to You, O LORD, I will make music.
• I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh, when will you come to me?  I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.
• I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me. 
• No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house: no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.”

Psalm 105.

Another psalm of praise, plus an account of Israel’s history, of how God worked wonders and miracles and judgments to bring them to and settle them in the Promised Land.  (Psalms 96 and 106 are very similar to this one.)

(Wouldn’t it be good for us Americans too, to list (and sing?) about the glorious things God did in bringing our own country into being and blessing us to this day?.  Why not sing our national anthem today! Look up all the verses and do it. Then THANK God.)

• Oh, give thanks to the LORD; call upon His Name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!
• Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works?
• Glory in His holy Name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
• Seek the LORD and His strength; seek his presence continually.
• Remember the wondrous works that He has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, His servant, children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

Then David recounts the glories of the LORD in fulfilling his “everlasting covenant” with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel, through Genesis, Joseph & Moses, Exodus, and Joshua.  All the “good” history of God’s salvation and provision (none of their sin). It ends in this way.

• And He brought His people out with joy, His chosen ones with singing.
• And He gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil, that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws. 
• Praise the LORD!

Psalm 132.

This psalm contains the nation’s prayers for David’s royal descendants who look ahead, even to the Messiah.

• Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured, how he swore to the LORD and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, “I will not enter my house or get into my bed, I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
• Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place, You and the Ark of Your might. 
• Let your priests be clothed with righteousness and let Your saints shout for joy.
• For the sake of Your servant David, do not turn away the face of Your anointed One. 
• The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which He will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. If your sons keep My covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.”

God’s desire is for Zion always. And He tells of a promise of the Messiah from David’s line.

• For the LORD has chosen Zion, He has desired it for His dwelling place.
• “This is My resting place FOREVER; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
• I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread.
• Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy.
• THERE I will make a HORN to sprout for David; I have prepared a LAMP for My Anointed.
• His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on Him His crown will shine.