October 27, 2021 – Psalms 2-5

Continuing with selected psalms. Just a quick word regarding Psalm 2. Having just read through the book of Revelation, it’s obvious to me that the visions of Revelation report, in many ways, the fulfillment of Psalm 2: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed,” (2:1), but the Lord says to his Anointed, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession” (2:7,8).

In the fifth psalm, David testifies, “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound” (4:7). Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Let my granary be empty, I am yet full of blessings if Jesus Christ smiles upon me; but if I have all the world, I am poor without Him.” Further, “We should not fail to remark that this verse is the saying of the righteous man, in opposition to the saying of the many. How quickly doth the tongue betray the character! . . . Birds reveal their nature by their song. Owls cannot sing the carol of the lark, nor can the nightingale hoot like the owl. Let us, then, weigh and watch our words, lest our speech should prove us to be foreigners, and aliens from the commonwealth of Israel.”

In thee is gladness amid all sadness,

Jesus, sunshine of my heart!

By thee are given the gifts of heaven,

thou the true redeemer art!

Our souls thou wakest, our bonds thou breakest,

who trusts thee surely hath built securely,

and stands forever: Hallelujah!

Our hearts are pining to see thy shining,

dying or living to thee are cleaving,

naught can us sever: Hallelujah! -- Johann Lindemann (1598)