Weekly Devotion Psalm 73-77
Psalm 73
It is the first of the third volume of the Psalms, and should be a later editor. The author opened it Let's start with the conclusion: God is truly gracious to the pure in heart of Israel, echoing the last verse: But it is good for me to draw near to God. He has gone through many difficulties, hardships, and injustices. He was on the verge of stumbling and slipping, because he saw or focused on the wicked, the proud enjoying peace, comfort, strength, and wealth; they mocked, oppressed, arrogant, blasphemed, and destroyed Slander the whole earth; they have no pain, no suffering, no calamity. He still keeps the statutes of God, but it feels futile. He is plagued and punished. He is in pain, doubt, and distress, and he does not dare in the community of faith Until he turns his eyes to God and his sanctuary, and thinks of the end of the wicked, though the fact remains unchanged, but his eyes of faith see them slipping into perdition, and they will be desolate He repented of his ignorance as an animal. He focused on God, and his faith allowed him to see that God was always with him, and he held hands, guided by the word of God, and would later receive him into glory. Write: Who have I in heaven but you? I have no desire on earth but you. My flesh and my heart are decayed; but God is the strength of the heart, and my blessing forever. Be pure of heart, not influenced by worldly values and habits; draw near to God, and believe that God is my refuge
Psalm 74
Book 3 of the Psalms contains many hymns by Asaph. 1 Chronicles 25:1 records that Asaph was a choir leader appointed by David. However, this psalm was written against the background of the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. Therefore the author cannot be that Asaph. The most likely scenario is that Asaph's descendants also followed their ancestors to serve in the choir and served as choir leaders, and wrote psalms, so the author was named after Asaph. Similarly, there are also hymns in the Psalms with Ethan (Jeduthun) as the author, but he is not necessarily another choir leader established by David, but his descendant.
The title of this psalm says it is an instructional psalm (maskil), but what we see is a lament. What is the author teaching the Israelites? He saw that the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, the people of Judah were in disaster, and the Chaldeans were arrogant and boastful, but the Lord God was silent about this, so he cried out to God. However, he was not blaming God, but asking God for mercy. How can he dare to pray to God when God is performing wrathful judgment? This is because he is convinced of the relationship between God and His people: the Israelites are the sheep of God's pasture, God's inheritance, and God will not forget or even abandon them forever. Why does he have such certainty? This is because he realized from God’s mighty and righteous deeds that God would never allow His name to be blasphemed by his enemies, and He would definitely punish these arrogant people. Because of this, the Israelites, represented by the psalmist, although they were judged and disciplined by God because of their sins, still have hope, because the one who made a covenant with them is this powerful, righteous, holy, and faithful God. God's discipline and judgment against them is not to destroy, but to purify. This is what the psalmist taught the Israelites to understand in their hardships.
Psalm 75
From God’s words, the psalmist realized that God is a Lord who controls all things and executes righteous judgment. God hates arrogant people, because these people think they are great, show off their power (horns) everywhere, are arrogant, and do not listen to advice. Therefore, God will pour mixed wine (which makes people dizzy especially easy) into the cup, and not pour it gently, but wash it down (creating foam), showing God's great resentment towards them. The word “cup” is often used in the Bible to express gifts from God: if it is a blessing, then this cup is a cup of blessing. God's gift to us, on the contrary, if it is judgment, is a cup of bitterness: God's wrath. Because the Israelites disobeyed God and stiffened their necks and refused to listen to God's repeated warnings, they became arrogant people that God hated and received the bitter cup from God. We can reflect on ourselves. Are we also guilty of boasting, being godless and arrogant, and not listening to advice? Have we ever received the cup of bitterness from God because of our sin? When we are saved by the grace of the Lord Christ and are adopted by God and receive His cup of blessing, are we grateful? Do we cherish this cup of blessing? Can we, like the psalmist, praise the Lord God from our hearts because we know his name, or are we gradually becoming numb in grace, accumulating pride, and allowing God’s bitter cup to come to us? Are we even continuing to be arrogant because we refuse to repent, allowing this bitter cup to remain in our hands?
Psalm 76
Different from the previous three psalmswhich have the background of receiving the bitter cup of God, Psalm 76 was written in the context of the people of Judah defeating their enemies and celebrating their victory under the protection and leadership of God. In this joyful atmosphere, the psalmist taught the Judahites to know that this victory was not due to their own ability or merit, but was entirely due to the protection and guidance of God's power. Only with God's grace would they have real certainty of peace. This is the author's intention to use “Salem” - which means peace - to describe Jerusalem, the place where God is present with His people.
Verses 3 to 10 describe God’s own battle against the enemy, demonstrating God’s majesty and power. These enemies were probably stouthearted people who were ignorant of God. They dared to be enemies with God and His people. As a result, they were judged by God and perished. God achieved His glory by judging their arrogance (wrath). Today in the country where we were born, there are also some so-called thoroughgoing materialists who are arrogant enemies of God and His people. Although they are insufferably arrogant, their ending will not be better than the enemies of God written in the psalm, and they will inevitably be judged by God’s justice and majesty.
Unlike these enemies of God, God’s people, whether they are kings in high positions or ordinary people, must fear God because they know His name, pray to Him and be grateful for His protection and guidance, and must not be fearless because of ignorance, becoming an arrogant person who is judged by God. Let us examine ourselves. Do I know the name of God? Do I fear Him and praise Him for this?
Psalm 77
This is a psalm written by Asaph to the tune of Jeduthun (Ethan), another choir leader, to implore God. What kind of dilemma did the psalmist encounter that made him moan, his spirit faint, and him restless? Although it is not mentioned specifically in the psalm, from the three “will/has” questions he raises in verses 7 to 9, we can know that this is not his personal dilemma, but that his people have encountered an extremely difficult situation. It was a difficult predicament, and what was even worse was that it seemed that it was the Lord God who had put them in this difficult situation, and their cries were not answered by God, let alone helping to save them. This raises the question: Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has God’s grace toward them been exhausted, and has his promise been abandoned? Has God forgotten to be gracious and is always angry with them? As a person chosen by God, isn’t it unfaithful for the psalmist to ask these questions? In fact, the psalmist did not want to question God with these three questions, but to teach the Israelites to understand their relationship with God by denying these three questions. First of all, the first “will” question is negated by the raising of the second question. Because, if the answer is yes, that is, the Lord has spurned them forever and will no longer be favorable, then the second “has” question is meaningless: a person who has been forever spurned by the Lord and will no longer have His favor, can he still hope in the Lord’s promise of steadfast love? For the same reason, the second question is also refuted by the raising of the third question: if God's steadfast love has ceased and His promises are at an end, then it is natural for Him not to be gracious and cease his wrath, but not because He has forgotten to be favorable. However, the third question is not to be denied with another question, but to be denied from a theological perspective. That is, the psalmist concludes from God’s own actions and from God’s protection and guidance for the Israelites in history that God’s love is endless, and he will not abandon his promises. In this way, raising questions, and thinking and summarizing from God's perspective, is not only not a sign of small faith, but on the contrary, it is a reflection of the psalmist's confidence in God. We will also encounter various difficulties and sufferings in this world. Sometimes it seems that God has not listened to our calls, allowing us to continue to stay in the sufferings. At this time, do we complain about God and even abandon the Lord Christ? Or do we think like the psalmist and confirm God’s promise and His protection and guidance for us, thereby drawing the conclusion of faith and being victorious by relying on the Lord? This is the litmus test of the authenticity of our faith.
***
Shop all products, journals, and devotions from LumenCollectives here.
每周灵修 《诗篇》73-77
詩篇第73篇
詩篇第三卷的第一篇，應是較晚期的編輯，作者開 始就先給了結論: 神實在恩待以色列那些清心的人，呼應最後一節:但我親近神是與我有益。他經歷了許多困難、坎坷、不公。 他險些失閃、滑跌，因為看到或專注惡人、狂傲人享平安、享安逸、力氣壯實，財寶加增;他們譏笑人、說欺壓人的話、自高的話、褻瀆上天、毀 謗全地;他們沒有疼痛、沒有受苦、沒有遭災。他仍然守神的律例，但覺得徒然，他遭災難、受懲治，他在痛苦、懷疑、為難中，在信仰團體中不敢 說，怕絆跌人。直到他把視線轉向神和祂的聖所，思想惡人的結局，雖然實際情況並沒有改變，他信心的眼睛卻看見他們滑進沈淪中、他們將荒涼被 滅。他為自己愚昧無知如畜類而悔改。 他專注在神身上，信心就讓他看見神常常同在，並攙著手，以神的訓言 為引導，以後必接他到榮耀裡。就寫出:除禰以外，在天上我還有誰呢?除 禰以外，在地上我也沒有所愛慕的。我的肉體和我的心腸衰殘;但 神是心裡 的力量，又是我的福分，直到永遠。要清心，不要被世俗的價值觀，習慣影響;要親近神，堅信神是我的避難所。
詩篇第74篇
诗篇卷三有不少亚萨的诗歌﹐代上25﹕1记载﹐亚萨是大卫简立的一位诗班长﹐但这首诗歌却是在耶路撒冷沦陷圣殿被毁的背景下写的﹐因此作者不可能是那位亚萨。最可能的情况是﹐亚萨的后裔也跟从祖辈在诗班事奉并担任诗班长﹐写下诗歌颂唱﹐因此以亚萨命名作者。同样﹐诗篇中也有以以探(耶杜顿) 为作者的诗歌﹐但不一定就是大卫简立的另一位诗班长﹐而是他的后裔。 这首诗歌的标题说是训诲诗﹐但我们看到的却是一首哀歌。作者到底在向以色列人训诲甚么呢﹖他看到耶路撒冷圣殿被毁﹐犹大国民遭灾﹐迦勒底人嚣张夸口﹐但耶和华神却对此缄默不言﹐因此向神哀求。然而﹐他并不是在埋怨神﹐而是求神施怜悯。为何他能够并敢于在神作烈怒审判之时向神祈求呢﹖这是因为他确信神与祂子民之间的关系﹕以色列人是神草场上的羊﹐是神的产业﹐神不会永远忘记甚至丢弃他们。凭甚么他会有这样的确信﹖这是因为他从神大能﹐公义的作为中认识到﹐神决不会让自己的名被仇敌亵渎﹐祂必然要惩罚这些高傲的人。正因为如此﹐诗人所代表的以色列人﹐虽然因为犯罪缘故被神审判管教﹐却仍然有盼望﹐因为与他们立约的﹐正是这位大能﹐公义﹐圣洁﹐且信实的神。神对他们的管教审判﹐不是要毁灭﹐而是要炼净。这就是诗人的训诲﹐要以色列人在困苦中认识的。詩篇第75篇
诗人从神的话语中﹐认识到神是一位掌管万有施行正直审判的主。神憎恶狂傲人﹐因为这些人自以为了不起﹐到处显摆自己的力量(角) ﹐目中无人﹐不听劝诫。因此﹐神要把搀杂的酒(特别容易让人昏头) 倒在杯里﹐而且不是轻轻地倒﹐而是冲下来(起泡) ﹐表明神对他们的极大忿恨。圣经中常用“杯”来表达从神来的给予﹕如果是祝福﹐那么这杯就是福杯﹐是神对我们的恩赐﹔相反﹐如果是审判﹐这杯就是苦杯﹐是神的忿恨。以色列人因为悖逆神而且硬著颈项不听神再三的警诫﹐所以成了神所憎恶的狂傲人﹐从神那里领受了苦杯。我们自己可以反省一下﹐我们是否也有自夸﹐心中无神目中无人﹐不听劝诫的罪﹖我们是否也曾因犯罪而从神手中接过苦杯﹖当我们因主基督的恩典得拯救且被神收养得到祂赐福的杯时﹐我们有感恩吗﹖我们珍惜这福杯吗﹖我们能够和诗人一样﹐因认识耶和华神的名而从心里向祂发出称颂吗﹖还是我们在恩典中逐渐麻木﹐积累骄傲﹐以致让神的苦杯临到自己﹐甚至因为不肯悔改继续狂傲﹐让这苦杯一直在手中﹖詩篇第76篇
《诗篇》76 篇 与前面三首以领受神的苦杯为背景的诗歌不同﹐诗篇76篇乃是犹大国民在神的保守带领下战胜仇敌而欢庆胜利的背景下写成的。诗人在这欢乐的气氛中教导犹大人﹐要他们知道这个胜利不是他们自己的能力和功劳﹐完全是神大能的保守和引领之故﹐唯有在神的恩典下﹐他们才会有真实确定的平安。这就是作者用“撒冷”-- 就是平安之意--来描写耶路撒冷这个神与祂子民同在之处的用意。 第三到第十节描述了神自己向仇敌争战﹐彰显出神的威严和大能。这些仇敌大概都是因对神无知而“勇敢”的人﹐竟敢与神和祂的子民为敌﹐结果被神审判而遭灭亡﹐神藉审判他们的狂妄(忿怒)成就了自己的荣耀。今天在我们的出生国﹐也都有一些所谓的彻底的唯物主义者﹐狂妄地与神和祂的子民为敌。尽管样子不可一世﹐但他们的结局不会比诗歌所写神的仇敌好﹐也必然要受神公义和威严的审判。 与这些神的仇敌不同﹐神的子民﹐不管是坐高位的君王﹐还是普通平民百姓﹐都要因认识神的名而敬畏祂﹐向祂祈求并为得到祂的保守引领而感恩﹐决不能因无知而无畏﹐成为被神审判的狂妄人。我们自己省察﹐我认识神的名吗﹖我有因此而敬畏祂﹐向祂颂赞吗﹖
詩篇第77篇
这是亚萨按照另外一位诗班长耶杜顿(以探)曲调而写的一首哀求神的诗歌。诗人到底遇到怎样的困境﹐使他烦躁不安﹐心里发昏﹐坐卧不宁呢﹖虽然诗歌里并没有具体提及﹐但从他在第7到第9节所提出的三个“难道” 的问题﹐我们可以知道﹐这并不是他个人的困境﹐而是他的国民遇到了极其艰难的困境﹐而且更糟糕的是﹐似乎是耶和华神让他们遭遇这苦况﹐并且他们的呼求没有得到神的回应﹐更没有施加援手拯救他们。这就产生了问题﹕难道神永远丢弃他们不再施恩了吗﹖神对他们的恩典已经穷尽了﹐应许也废弃了吗﹖神忘记开恩而永远向他们怀怒吗﹖作为被神拣选的人﹐诗人如此提问岂非小信﹖其实诗人并非要以这三个问题来质问神﹐而是要通过对这三个问题作出否定﹐教导以色列人认识他们与神的关系。首先﹐第一个“难道”的问题被第二个问题的提出而否定。因为﹐如果答案是肯定的﹐就是说﹐主永远丢弃他们不再施恩﹐那么第二个“难道”的发问就毫无意义了﹕一个被主永远丢弃不再施恩的人﹐还能奢望神向他彰显慈爱成就应许吗﹖同样理由﹐第二个问题也被第三个问题的提出否定了﹕倘若神的慈爱已经穷尽﹐废弃了祂的应许﹐那么祂不开恩止息怒气就是理所当然﹐而不是忘记施恩。但第三个问题﹐就不是用另一个问题来否定﹐而是从神学上来否定﹐就是诗人从神自己的作为﹐以及从神在历史中对以色列人保守引领﹐得出神的慈爱没有穷尽﹐祂也不会废弃自己的应许这个结论。这样通过提出问题并且从神的角度来思考总结﹐不但不是小信﹐恰恰相反﹐是诗人对神信心的体现。我们在世也会遇到各种困难苦境﹐有时好像神没有听我们的呼求﹐让我们继续停留在苦境中﹐这时﹐我们是抱怨神﹐甚至是离弃主基督呢﹐还是像诗人一样﹐思考并印证神的应许和祂对我们的保守引领﹐从而得出信心的结论﹐靠主得胜﹖这是检验我们信心真伪的试金石。
***
在这里购买所有产品、期刊来自LumenCollectics的灵修。