Timeless Biblical Truth.
God preserves and blesses those who trust in His love amid unbelievers who love deceit and destruction.
- Divine judgment is coming on those whose life is characterized by lies and destruction that will cause the righteous to rejoice (1-7).
- Believers are aware of the lies and destruction that are characteristic of those of the world (1-4).
- Divine judgment is coming on those who practice deceit and destruction that will cause the righteous to rejoice (5-7).
- Divine blessing is the condition of the righteous who praise God for His blessings and wait among the godly for His deliverance (8- 9).
- Believers confess their life is blessed in the presence of God (8).
- Believers will praise God for His blessings and wait for Him among the godly for Him to act for them (9). “The English word ‘to praise’ originally meant ‘to set a price one; to ap-praise.’ From this came the idea that to praise means ‘to commend the worth of; to express approval or admiration of.’ Praise is a response; it is stimulated by someone or something. The Psalms, being theocentric in emphasis, always direct the praise to God. While praise may remain un-expressed, it usually proceeds from a feeling or attitude to an act, whe-ther verbal or involving worship.” Leland Ryken: The Literature of the Bible, 145.
Questions for Second Milers
- Identify and characterize the mighty man (cf. 1 Sam 21:1-9; 22:1- 23). What is his main weapon?
- To what extent do you use this or a similar weapon? Why?
- What will be the end of the mighty man? Why?
- What will be the reaction of the righteous?
- What qualities do you think David has in mind when he describes himself as a tree? What is his response to God’s working?
- For what can you thank God now?
- Give your own short title to this psalm.
“. . . praise is frequently spoken of in Scripture as a duty. If a man is not in-spired to praise God in the normal inspiration of the hour, he is nevertheless commanded to praise God. Failure to do so is to withhold from God what rightfully belongs to His glory. There is nevertheless a sound psychological principle. The very act of praising God in obedience to the requirement to praise may create the emotion that befits true praise. . . . Rightfully, Luther advised that the Bible first of all controls what constitutes proper praise and then instructs us where one is lacking sufficient praise. The Bible, especially the Book of Psalms, makes clear what the praise of God should be and what praise of God can be.” A. H. Leitch: “Praise” in Zondervan Pictorial En-cyclopedia of the Bible, 4:834.
Lanny Tanton is the Pastor at The Bible Church of the Lakes in Horseshoe Bay, Texas – just outside of Marble Falls. Pastor Tanton welcomes you to our website and hopes that you’ll enjoy reading these insightful blog posts. Please contact us if you have further questions!!
