Meditation on Psalms 2
PREFACE Reading along in the Book of Psalms with our Bible study group, I thought it good to jot down some of the things I have been learning. It is intriguing to me how the Lord “fine tunes” our understanding, even as we encounter already familiar passages. This discovery is what prompted this second meditation. As of this writing (092225) we are already on to reading Book 3 and beyond; this week chapters 76-118. I wanted to leave extra time for Psalm 119 😇 Also, I am reminded that our friend CS Lewis wrote a short treatise on the Psalms; worth checking out it is. Anyway, as we read on, I may reappear with additional meditations. Hope you are enjoying!
I am so embarrassed. More on that later.
Our first Bible Study on 9/11, Psalms 1-35, was terrific. Great participation in the discussion, some new faces, and one of our Pastors visited. I think he was checking to make sure we were doing what we were supposed to be doing: Studying the Word of God!
Later, but as often happens in teaching, the teacher was taught. Embarrassing right? Ignorance is a great teacher if one has the sense to pay attention! During the previous week in my reading for our next session, Psalms 36-75, I came across Book Two of Psalms; there are four, five books if you count Psalm 150 as a closing benediction as some scholars do. I didn’t know that! These “books” are organized along thematic lines (cf Moody’s). I also came across yet another major fact of authorship of the Psalms: Seven authors at least! Besides David (77), Moody’s identifies Asaph (12), King Solomon (2), The Sons of Korah (11), Ethan (1), Heman (1), and Moses (1) This leaves 45 Psalms of unknown or speculative (Davidic) authorship. The individual Psalms in some Bibles have an annotation at the beginning if the author is known. I knew that, but hadn’t paid much attention to it! But the greatest revelation to me is the Book of Psalms spans about 1,000 years from Moses to return from the Babylonian exile!
The Sons of Korah, who were they? Korah was a cousin to Moses and descendant of Kohath, one of three sons of Levi. Korah led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, which ended with the ground opening and swallowing him along with 250 of his followers. However, the Sons of Korah were spared and became a branch of the Levitical singers who led temple worship. I guess they learned from Dad’s mistakes!
Also, the time span over which the Psalms were recorded raises an interesting thought: Many were written after King David ruled Israel. Yet a significant number refer to the “King of Israel” when there wasn’t one! Who could this be? Even in Jewish circles, the Messianic Son of David is recognized. Remember the Gospels in which sometimes Jesus is identified as the, “Son of David?” This is where our understanding of Jesus as the Messiah (Greek: Christ) begins. When we start reading the Prophets in a few weeks, we will see that many refer to our arrived and coming King, the Lord Jesus Christ.
If Jews knew Messiah was coming, why didn’t they believe in Jesus? Good question. One reason and not necessarily the only one, which may be speculative, is they were expecting a king who would conquer their enemies and reign over Earth forever. They were not prepared for the suffering Messiah, the one found in Psalm 22. For example, the Prophet Isaiah seems to have made “the Christ who suffers” more obvous, certainly in retrospect. It is also interesting to see that Israel, the people not the nation, have certainly suffered over the last 2,000 years. Could there be a connection? I bring this up to draw your attention to some of the Psalms that seem to reference the Suffering Messiah, the Saving Messiah, or the conquering king. Old Testament Christophanies? Remember, David too, was a Prophet.
Book Two also seems to introduce Psalms of praise even more frequently. This makes sense given the authors of most of these (Sons of Korah and Asaph) were responsible for leading worship. Jehovah God inhabits our praise! Praise and worship belong together. It’s important. Certainly let it be said we need right understanding, correct doctrine if you will, but perhaps it is our praise, the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart, in which we meet the living God. This conclusion may not be “either or,” but “both and.”
When asked to identify the greatest commandment, in Matthew 22:37, “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” It seems we are called to love God with our whole being, heart, mind, and soul. Let everything within me praise Him! And here I will make a leap: For our mind we have the Word of God. For our soul we have the sovereign Grace of God. For our heart we have the Spirit of God. We need the triune God! Check it out.
So, I will end with a brief story told me by a dear friend with whom I recently reunited. As I recall, I was telling him how much I treasured the Bible, Grace, and our old discussions about right doctrine; still do as a matter of fact. But I was also sharing with him how much I was enjoying Journey Church, part of the Assemblies of God denomination. A Presbyterian in the Tabernacle, the title of my next book, brought a chuckle as I said I was discovering the experience of the “joy of the Lord” at Journey. No I have not become a Pentecostal! He smiled as he recalled he used to tell his Baptist friends they only believed in two thirds of the Trinity! We want all of God!
We know we were given the Holy Spirit as counselor, teacher, and friend; Jesus said his Spirit could come only if he ascended to the Father! The gift of the Holy Spirit, living in us, gives us the hope, the desire, and the very power to live out the life to which Jesus calls us. This is grace, this is joy, this is the incarnate Word within us! AND, it’s not just a New Testament concept. David prays that God would not take His Holy Spirit from him in Ps 51:11. Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” There are many other examples; look for them!
As we read, Father God is writing His Word on our hearts so that we can experience the incomprehensible fullness, completeness, integrity, understanding, and joy He intended from before the world was formed!
Don’t know how I ended up here, but that’s all for now.