My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck.
There are so many things in modern society that are easily attainable, especially here in America. Convenience is a hallmark of the American experience, so much so that many of our chores and luxuries do not even require us to leave our cars. For example, we have drive through restaurants, drive through pharmacies, drive through banks; I hear that in Las Vegas, a couple can be married while sitting in their car. On one hand, that sounds desirable, but I would argue that anything of value, especially things of eternal value, are not easily attained and are certainly not convenient.
Godly wisdom is not something we can just walk into a store and expect to purchase. It is not a ready-made suit bought off the rack that fits perfectly without having to make any alterations. The wisdom that comes from God is imparted by His Spirit. Furthermore, it is not dispensed like candy; it is something that is attained through great effort and devotion. And I would add that it is available only to those who are willing to humble themselves and receive instruction from those God has set over us to teach us. First and foremost, that means our parents. More than anyone in this world, fathers and mothers are the ones who are responsible and motivated to teach us what we need to know. Ideally, they are the ones who have our best interests in mind, second only to our Heavenly Father.
This verse speaks of honoring our parents by listening to their instruction; the previous verse speaks of honoring God by choosing to fear Him. Together, the message in these two verses is that there are three “partners” who work together to make us into what He intended us to be — God, our father and our mother. Clearly, the Creator has established a proper order to things, including how we obtain Godly wisdom. Therefore, we are to respect and obey those over us in the Lord, starting with our parents; for if we are not willing to receive wise instruction from them, it is likely that we will resist receiving instruction from our Heavenly Father. When we honor Godly parents by hearing their instruction and refusing to forsake their law, we honor the One who created us.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
As we shared in a previous devotion, the Hebrew word translated as “fear” is יראהyirah which, depending on how it is used, can mean to dread something or someone or, more positively, to show reverence. When it comes to the Almighty, either of these applications could apply; someone who despises wisdom and instruction should be in dread of Him considering that He can, at any time of His choosing, dispense judgment. For those who love and serve Him, they fear Him out of reverence, awe and respect. Yes, we realize He has the authority to cast both body and soul into hell, but we are keenly aware that He desires that all should come to repentance and not be separated from His Presence.
So, when it comes to what “the fear of the Lord” actually means and what it looks like, I would suggest it depends on how we choose to see the Almighty. Is He sovereign in our lives or does He represent opposition to our will and desire? Interestingly enough, the word יראהyirah is related to the root word ראהra’ah which means “to see.” The prophet Isaiah recorded a vision in which he “saw the Lord … high and lifted up” (Isaiah 6:1). Perceiving the Lord as majestic and all powerful, his response was to say of himself, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). In short, he was humbled by the experience. He saw the Lord and immediately exhibited reverence for the Most High. So, unless a person is able to “see” that the Lord is sovereign, it is unlikely that they will acknowledge His greatness, nor will they fear Him as they should.
There is one other related word that merits our attention and that is the root word ירהyarah. This word means “to direct, inform and instruct,” or even better, “to teach.” It is the root from which is derived the term תורהtorah, (commonly translated as Law). The point is this: those who are able to “see” that God is sovereign and, therefore, should be feared, will also realize that He is worthy of our devotion. Consequently, we choose to obey His instructions. Furthermore, because we desire to avoid the pitfalls that so easily entice the wicked, we follow His direction and, in so doing, acquire the wisdom that comes from on High. Possessing an appropriate fear of the Lord is the beginning of so many things, all of which lead us into the paths of righteousness and position us to receive untold blessings from above.
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
From the beginning of time, music and song have been integral when it comes to influencing a person’s emotions. Music, even specific instruments, can make us glad, sad and everything in between in a relatively short period of time. Our most remote thoughts and feelings can be brought to the surface through a lyric or a bar of music. Therefore, one who wishes for their entire being to express gratitude to the Creator will use music to do inspire them to do just that. With that idea in mind, notice that the psalmist encourages the use of several different musical instruments — all of which make a unique and distinct sound — with which to praise the Lord.
The first instrument mentioned that the shofar or ram’s horn, is likely familiar to most. There is a lot that could be said about this particular instrument, but we’ll focus on this — the shofar has a voice. In fact, some commentators suggest that the blast heard when the shofar is sounded (תקעtekia is the word used in the verse above) is emblematic of God’s voice. Why would this be regarded as an instrument? In short, it is intended to get our attention. Just as other instruments and sounds catch our ear, the ominous sound of the shofar is intended to stir our soul and awaken us from our spiritual slumber. It is to provoke our inner man to be alert and attentive, so that we will direct our focus to the One who is worthy to be praised and revered.
Still, why would this instrument and it’s sound — a sound often associated with awesome and even frightening imagery — be the first of the instruments mentioned with which we are to praise Him? Perhaps to remind us, that without Him, we would not be. Consider that for the sound of the shofar to be created, a person must press their lips to the horn and blow, which is to say, cause their breath to pass through the horn. Of course, that would be impossible if the Almighty had not first “breathed the breath of life” into our nostrils. In other words, because we exist — because we have breath — we should honor Him with praise. And so, as it is written: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”
Praise theLordfrom the earth … kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth; both young men and maidens; old men and children. Let them praise the name of theLord.
After addressing all the different parts and pieces of the universe, the psalmist now turns his attention to God’s crowning achievement in Creation, mankind. Taken altogether, the composer recognizes that men of all ranks should “praise the Lord from the earth.” Yet in doing so, notice that he first mentions the leaders among men — kings, princes and judges. Subsequently, he mentions the people who are subject to those kings and leaders.This acknowledges that, in God’s grand plan, those He allows to govern other men are expected to set a proper example. Not only are they to control behavior in society but are to publicly honor God and inspire others to follow suit. In short, “To whom much is given much is required.”
It is a universal fact that, if there are no just leaders and judges, men would indulge themselves and corrupt civilization with crime and lawlessness. If this undesirable scenario were taken to an extreme, selfish behavior would be lauded and God forgotten. In short, there would be no praise of God in the earth. To consider such a situation is not far-fetched; this is exactly what happened in the days of Noah and why there was a universal flood. Let’s not forget that Messiah predicted that mankind would return to such a corrupt state in the days leading up to His return.
That being said, the psalmist focuses on the fact that there will be those — young and old, men and women — who despite widespread iniquity and corruption, will praise the Lord. As we see with Noah and many others that followed his example, there has always been a remnant who honored God amid iniquity thus bearing witness to His sovereignty. Though it may be that wicked kings and compromised judges will allow crime and lawlessness to abound in these last days, there will be those who stand up and proclaim the praises of our God. As it is written, “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams,and your young men will see visions. Even on the menservants and maidservantsin those days I will pour out My Spirit” (Joel 2:28-29). May it be soon, even in our day. Praise the Lord!
Do not grant, OLord, the desires of the wicked; do not further hiswickedscheme, lestthey be exalted.Selah
When David prayed that God would not allow the “desires of the wicked” and his schemes to be furthered, he was asking that God would keep them in check. Essentially, he accepted the fact that, since the fall of man, wickedness was something the righteous would always have to contend with. Yet, he did not want the evil of the world to exceed the bounds that God had set. The Hebrew root translated as “further” means to “expand without restraint; to exceed boundaries.
From the beginning of time, God has set boundaries and limits upon every component of Creation so that it will function according to His design. He distinguished day from night, the heavens from the earth; the seas from the land. The same is true for wickedness. For instance, when Satan wanted to attack Job, the Lord allowed him to do certain things but restricted him when it came to taking the man’s life. In short, God will allow wickedness to work in the world but always on the leash He has placed upon it. Satan can’t do anything that the Lord doesn’t allow; God has him muzzled lest his voracious appetite is allowed to destroy without limitations.
Let’s keep this in mind when we feel that we are under attack. It may well be that the Lord has allowed the enemy to put us to the test, but it is always with this caveat — there is a limit to what He will allow him to do. Thus, David prayed in the midst of trial, “Keep the muzzle on the wicked men who are trying to destroy me!” Don’t allow them to do everything that is in their heart “lest they be exalted” and consider themselves to be more powerful than the Lord. According to His Word, that is exactly what He will do — restrain them. God’s intention for us is always good and so He keeps our enemies on a short leash.
Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table.
In many ways, this composition is a continuation of the previous psalm. As in Psalm 127, this psalm speaks of the benefits and blessings bestowed upon a man who fears God, particularly when it comes to his home life. In fact, when he says, “It shall be well with you,” the Hebrew word is טוב tov. That is to say that the blessed man will be in the right place doing what God has intended for him to do; in short, he is functioning in his purpose. This man’s household is established by God with a fruitful wife and many children.
Notice that the fear of the Lord is what precipitated this happy result because the fear of the Lord provokes one to seek what is truly important in life. A desire to please God first and foremost compels one to “walk in His ways.” Let’s put it this way: those who don’t fear God will walk in their own way, and in so doing, are more likely to pursue those things that have no eternal value —i.e. wealth and power. In a roundabout way, these verses decry such pursuits, instead encouraging the people of God to consider the value of a happy home filled with children, not to mention physical labor.
When you really stop and think about it, God’s ideal for His people in this life can be summed up in this scene: a husband and wife, surrounded by obedient children living in an adequate home on a piece of land that brings forth its fruit. If you think about it, that is pretty much the scene that was in the Garden before man decided to walk in his own ways. Thus, we are reminded that, to truly be happy and blessed, we must possess a genuine fear of the Lord that prompts us to walk in His ways. If we will do this, “it shall be well with us.”
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.
In the very beginning, God ordained that marriage was holy — a lifelong union of one man and one woman completely devoted to each other. Obviously, for there to be a successful union, undying love is an absolute must; a man is to leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife (Genesis 2:24). However, from a Biblical point of view, marriage was not established to accommodate the deep feelings two people have for one another, not exclusively at least. Clearly, God ordained that marriage was to serve an even greater purpose; a man and woman united in marriage were to produce offspring.
It is written, “God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it’” (Genesis 1:28). Put simply, children are a reward from Heaven — a sign of God’s blessing upon a man and woman who are following the pattern established by the Creator. Unfortunately, there are those in this world who view children as an inconvenience and a burden, rather than a blessing. At the very least, such people are shortsighted; they fail to see the wonderful purpose God has for children as it relates to future generations. Seeing the issue from this vantage point makes abortion even more monstrous; not only is a child killed but future generations are deprived of what God had intended for that little one.
In short, children are born for a purpose and with a purpose. That means, when a husband and wife have children, they are participating in God’s plan for His creation. In that light, it becomes clear that parenthood is not only a privilege, but also a responsibility. As the psalmist said, “children are a heritage from the Lord” — souls entrusted to our care and supervision. And if they are a gift from the Lord, let us make certain to do everything in our power to make certain His plan for them is carried out.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so theLordsurrounds His people from this time forth and forever.
Anyone who has visited Jerusalem knows that the city, particularly the Old City, is surrounded by protective mountains, which form a natural defensive barrier. In days of old, watchtowers were situated on the hills overlooking the city so that any threat could be viewed long before it was able to reach the city walls. So, in a physical sense, Jerusalem appeared to be an impregnable stronghold, a city not easily taken. Yet David reminded the people of God that, regardless of how strong we believe our position to be, there is no protection unless the Lord “surrounds His people.”
That the Babylonians and the Romans successfully destroyed the city and the Temple within underscores this message; “Unless theLordbuilds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unlesstheLordguards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1). It behooves us all to remember and respect this fact lest we find that our “defenses” are useless against our adversaries. On the other hand, those who trust in the Lord and serve Him in humility and faithfulness will find that the Lord, “will bea wall of fire” us,and His glory will be seen in our midst (Zechariah 2:5).
In an earlier psalm, David made this statement: “Theangel of theLordencamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7). I take this to be very literal; so, in a very real sense, the Lord surrounds His people — those who fear Him — with a protective detail of angels. We don’t see them, but they are there to do the will of God in regard to His people. Therefore, we should not be seduced into thinking that the institutions and industries of this world offer any enduring support; as it is written: “Heonlyismyrock andmysalvation;Heismydefense; I shall not be greatly moved” (Psalm 62:2).
I willconsider Your testimonies. I have seen the consummation of all perfection, butYour commandmentisexceedingly broad.
As we start, allow me to clarify the point addressed by the writer with these words. As he considered the Word of God, he realized that in most things that require us to pursue a goal, there is a limit to it. In other words, at some point we expect the goal we pursue to be accomplished, that we may see the “consummation of all perfection,” as he put it. Even the Lord reached such a point when He created the heavens and earth; as vast as the Universe is, Scripture states, “Thus the heavens and the earth, andall the host of them, were finished” (Genesis 2:1). In contrast, the Word of God is “exceedingly broad,” which is to say there is no end to it.
Job said that the “deep things of God” are “higher than heaven … deeper thanSheol … longer than the earth and broader than the sea” (Job 11:7-9). Put simply, when it comes to searching and studying the Word of God, we will never attain the goal of “finishing” simply because the riches to be found in Scripture are immeasurable. I am convinced that, even if we could live for a thousand years, we would still fall short of understanding all there is to understand. Think of it this way: the Creator of all has no beginning and no end; He is from everlasting to everlasting, therefore, the same is true of His Word. No student of the Word, including the so-called theologians, has ever or will ever “finish” the Word.
This is not to say that we should approach the study of Scripture as being some endless pursuit with no unattainable benefit. To the contrary, where the Word is concerned, we have before us a fathomless pool of spiritual wisdom and understanding that provides inspiration and guidance for any and all circumstances. Moreover, it provides an avenue by which we get to better understand and appreciate its’ Author, the One who is without end and who is the source of incalculable benefits. Though we will never exhaust the boundless riches of the Scripture, every nugget we are able to mine from it is priceless.
His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. and men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed.
Solomon, the son of David and the king for who David composed this prayer said, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches” (Proverbs 22:1). theLong after silver and gold have been spent and properties sold off to highest bidder, a good name will endure through the generations. Case in point: three thousand years after he died, we still speak of Solomon and his renowned wisdom. True, he didn't finish as well as he started but, nevertheless, his name has endured through the ages.
That being said, there is some interesting commentary regarding this particular verse as it relates to the King Messiah. Specifically the Hebrew wording literally says, “may his name be perpetual.” Even more specifically, the word translated as “perpetual” –ינון yinon — is related to flourishing and increasing as fish who multiply in the sea. Some commentators go so far as to say that, along with a few other monikers like Shiloh, Menachem and Chaninah, Yinon is an actual name for the Messiah. In fact, the first Hebrew letter in each of these words just listed form the word mashiach — Messiah.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
How many times have we heard this verse recited when we were in times of trouble? We even see it used in artwork to remind us that He is God and that, as weak and helpless beings, we must trust that He will see us through those difficult times. I certainly believe that the sentiment expressed here is valuable and it is needful that we discipline ourselves to be still and let God do what only God can do. However beneficial this idea may be, though, it is not necessarily what the psalmist had in mind when they penned these words.
The Hebrew word translated as “be still” means “to desist, stop” or “stand down.” Viewed within the proper context — God destroying the might of the nations in order to bring peace — it would seem the directive to be still is directed, first and foremost, at the enemies of God. In other words, He is encouraging them to quit resisting His will, to lay down their weapons and to know that He is God. In short, they are not capable of overriding His will in the earth; to the contrary, He will be exalted in the earth by all the nations whether they like it or not.
The main point we need to acknowledge is that God always gives the wicked opportunity to correct their ways before He takes decisive action against them. As it is written, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). These words are not just for the wicked among the nations, but is also true for His people. In fact, this statement in Ezekiel is actually directed at His people. And so, this is how He engages all of us — He gives opportunity for repentance before He administers correction. He prefers that we respond to His correction willingly and quickly without having to suffer public humiliation. But if we refuse, He will be God and we will be compelled to bow the knee. So then, it is always a good idea to stop what we are doing when in opposition to the Almighty and consider that He always wins. None can outsmart or outmaneuver Him but we all have the opportunity and ability to serve Him.
Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!
I realize that David prayed these words but the sentiment expressed could be appropriated to many of us, if not all. How many times have we felt that we are abandoned and vulnerable to the whims of our adversaries? As for me, it is has happened more than I'd like to admit. But let's also acknowledge that, though our emotions taunted us with this feeling, the reality is that God was and is always there. We have the promise that He will never forsake us, even when it sometimes feels that He has. As David reminds us though, He is not far from us.
That being said, there are those times when He allows us to endure spans of time when things aren't going the way we would like for them to go. There are times when He seems to step back and see what choices we will make in certain situations, and sometimes, our choices are not so good. That seems to be what David is conveying through his prayer — he realized that he had made some poor choices and was reaping the rewards. In a previous verse he said, “I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me.” How many of us can identify with this sense of defeat — feeling as if we can't take another step and that all is on the verge of collapse?
But that is why David called upon the Lord to help — not a person or human agent of assistance but the Lord Himself. Sometimes the Lord does send a person to offer assistance to those in need but, frankly, the assistance can be as short-lived as the agent himself. That is why David prayed that the Lord would bring salvation; if the Lord is the One coming to our aid, the salvation is complete and permanent. Isn't that what we all want? Admittedly, the Lord knows just what to do on our behalf and He knows when it's the appropriate time, nevertheless it is good that we should pray, “Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!”
