Weekly Devotion Psalm 83-87
Psalms 83 to 87 encompass a range of themes, including cries to God in times of distress (for His name’s sake), the poet's longing and desire to dwell with God forever, gratitude for God's grace and care, appeals for mercy from the loving God, and songs praising Zion and the city of ultimate glory. In these diverse themes, we see a common core: the heart of God’s people in worship and praise.
Psalm 83 shows us that even in adversity, God's people remain focused on Him and His name. Their ultimate goal in praying for their enemies is "that they may seek your name, O Lord" (Psalm 83:16, ESV) and "that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth" (Psalm 83:18, ESV).
Psalm 84 vividly illustrates the heart of worship and praise to God. The author longs for God's dwelling place (Psalm 84:1-4, ESV), is thrilled and excited about the journey to God’s temple (Psalm 84:5-7, ESV), and passionately prays and calls out to God, convinced that "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness" (Psalm 84:10, ESV). This echoes Psalm 87:2: "the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob" (ESV).
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Psalm 85 expresses the poet’s gratitude and praise for God’s forgiveness and grace, leading to a deeper understanding of love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace. We are forgiven because God’s righteous judgment fell on Jesus Christ, giving us true peace. True peace stems from practiced righteousness; without righteousness, there is no peace. This truth applies to Christians and all humanity. We believe that God’s righteous judgment is the only eternal and true justice, and peace from God is the only real peace.
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Psalm 86 reveals the author’s humble plea and prayer before God. The author describes himself as poor and needy but also devoted, reliant on God, and calling on Him all day long. This is not self-righteousness but an expression of his need for God, reflecting his heart of worship and seeking God. The author’s recognition of God, as described in Psalm 86:11, prompts us to consider: How well do we know God? Does our knowledge of Him lead to genuine worship and praise? The author prays, "Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name" (Psalm 86:11, ESV).
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Psalm 87 deepens our understanding of God’s heart. Why does He love Zion more? It is not because He does not love Israel or other places, but because Zion houses His temple, where His people worship and praise Him. Today, we don’t need to travel to geographical Zion; we can worship and praise God in the church. Although we often say the church is not just a building, I believe God loves the church (including the building) more than the beautiful landscapes of Vancouver because it is where His people gather to worship and praise.
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From the many themes in Psalms 83-87, we learn how to respond to God's grace, salvation, forgiveness, care, and love: through our worship and praise.
Worship and Praise in Christian Faith Worship and praise are not abstract but concrete, manifesting in coming to God’s house, going to Zion, and gathering in God's home to worship and praise Him.
First, we need to sanctify our daily time, drawing close to God every day. This is why our church has daily devotions with a chapter of God's word each day, walking with the Lord throughout our lives.
Therefore, let us sanctify our daily time, dedicate it to God, and prioritize reading the Bible, praying, and worshiping in our daily lives. Secondly, we must also sanctify Sundays, dedicating them to God. Regardless of our circumstances, we should especially sanctify Sundays, coming to church to worship and praise God. This is not only a Christian duty but a response of someone who truly knows God and has experienced His grace, an innate desire of a true Christian that cannot be ignored.
Lastly, let us raise our voices in Sunday worship, praising and worshiping God loudly. Growing up in a house church in mainland China, we met in residential areas and sang hymns quietly to avoid complaints and police reports. When I came to North America and saw large churches where the congregation's singing was barely audible beyond the choir leader, I felt deeply saddened and frustrated. If God gives us the opportunity and grace to loudly praise Him today and we do not cherish it, how pitiful will we be when He takes away this opportunity and grace? Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, let us sing louder in worship and praise!
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每周灵修 《诗篇》83-87
詩篇83篇到詩篇87篇設計了許多不同的主題，有困境中對神的求告（因著神的名）；有詩人表達永遠與神同住的期盼和渴望；有感恩神的施恩和看顧；有向慈愛的神呼求憐憫；有歌頌錫安和末日榮耀之城。 在這些不同的主題中，我們看到了同樣的中心，那就是神子民對神的敬拜和讚美的心。
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詩篇83篇
讓我們看到，即使在困境中，神的子民依然專注神和神的名，而他們為仇敵禱告的最終目標卻是“好叫他們尋求你耶和華的名”（詩篇83:16）和“使他們知道：唯獨你名為耶和華的，是全地以上的至高者”（詩篇83:18）。
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詩篇84篇
讓我們看到更加清楚地對神的敬拜的讚美的心。作者如此渴望神的居所（詩篇84:1-4），如此渴望前往神的殿的過程，滿心激動和興奮（詩篇84:5-7），如此迫切地要向神禱告和呼求，並確信“在你的院宇住一日，勝似在別處住千日；寧可在我神殿中看門，不願住在惡人的帳篷裡”（詩篇84:10），這豈不正與詩篇87:2“祂愛錫安的門，勝於愛雅各的一切住處”遙相呼應嗎？
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詩篇85篇
讓我們看到詩人對神赦罪之恩的感謝和讚美，並由此研發的對慈愛、誠實以及公義和平安的認識。我們之所以能夠罪得赦免，是因著神公義的審判臨到了耶穌基督的身上，從而，我們才能夠得到真正的平安。真正的平安唯獨來源於公義被踐行，沒有公義，就沒有平安。對基督徒是如此，對世人更是如此。而我們確信，神公義的審判永遠都是唯一永恆的、真正的公義，而從神而來的平安，才是那真實的平安。
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詩篇86篇
讓我們看到，作者在神面前謙卑的祈求和禱告，作者說自己是困苦窮乏的，但是也是虔誠的，是依靠神的，是終日求告神的，這絕不是自以為義，而是他對自己是如此需要神的表達，表明的是作者對神的敬拜之心，尋求之心。他接下來表達的對神的認識，是我們每一個基督徒都需要認真思考的：我們對神有怎樣的認識？這種認識是否真實地帶來了我們對神的敬拜和讚美？就好像作者在詩篇86:11所描述的：“耶和華啊，求你將你的道指教我，我要照你的真理行；求你使我專心敬畏你的
名。”
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詩篇87篇
讓我們更加讓我們知道神的心，祂為何更愛錫安？不是因為祂不愛以色列，不愛其他地方，而是祂更愛錫安，因為那裡有祂的聖殿，那裡有祂的百姓對祂的敬拜和讚美。今日，我們當然不需要去到地理上的錫安，我們只需要在教會中，就可以敬拜和讚美神。雖然我們一直說，教會不是建築，但是我確信，神愛教會（以及教會的建築）勝於溫哥華的山水美景，因為這裡是神的百姓聚集和敬拜讚美的地方。
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詩篇83-87篇諸多的主題中，我們可以學習的是，我們今天如何回應神的恩典、拯救、赦罪、看顧與慈愛？那就是用我們的敬拜和讚美來回應。
敬拜和讚美在基督徒的信仰中，不是抽象的，而是具體的，就是來到神的殿中，就是前往錫安，就是來到神的家裡，敬拜、讚美。
我們需要首先將我們每一天的時間分別為聖，每一天與神親近，這是我們教會為什麼會有一日一章神話語，一生一世跟主行的每日靈修，所以首先，讓我們將我們每一天的時間分別為聖，歸給神，將讀經、禱告和敬拜置於我們每日生活的首位。
其次，我們也必須將主日的時間分別為聖，單單歸給神，無論我們在何種處境中，對神的敬拜，特別是神自己分別為聖的日子，我們更加應當將其分別為聖，每個主日來到教會敬拜和讚美，不只是基督徒的責任，更是一個真實認識神、經歷神恩典的人對神的回應，更是一個真基督徒內心對神的渴望，不得不做、不能不來的事情。
最後，讓我們在主日崇拜中，更加高聲讚美主，大聲敬拜神。我在中國大陸的家庭教會長大，有很長一段時間，我們在居民區聚會，唱詩不敢太大聲，因為害怕鄰居會投訴，會報警，所以當我來到北美，看到諾大的教堂，除了領會唱詩的聲音之外，幾乎聽不到會眾唱詩的聲音時，我感到異常的難過和悲憤。如果今天上帝給我們機會，給我們恩典，讓我們還可以大聲開口讚美祂，而我們卻不珍惜，那麼日後，當上帝拿去這個機會和恩典的時候，我們將會是何等可憐。所以，親愛的弟兄姊妹們，讓我們敬拜讚美的時候，唱的更加大聲一點吧！
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