Salem Baptist Church

The tiny Psalm 117 followed by Psalm 118 complete the Hallel, which we have been studying since the holidays. These words culminate the high praise of Psalm used by Jews to commemorate their holiest times of worship… and the words Jesus sang in the upper room. In particular today, we see value of the steadfast love of God! Is it possible to be loved in a way that is unconditional, and unending? Yes.

What can we give to God for all that he has done for us? What is our proper response? The psalmists answers this question for us in this Hallel Psalm.

Here in the midst of the Hallel, a cry is made for God to be glorified. In fact, the entire Psalm is summed up in its first verse … a prayer that we get out of the way and ensure that God receives all glory due Him. But Psalm 115 is a little extra special, since it is widely believed that it is what Jesus and his disciples sang just before he went out to Gethsemane. The word glory used here means “heavy” or “weighty” and is associated with the idea of honor. In other words, as we measure our choices and what we treasure are we certain all glory is pointed at God.

God has no equal, no rival and no comparison. In the middle of today’s Psalm, a rhetorical question is asked: “Who is like our God?” Wrapped around the question is a set of truths about God that answer the question… no one is like God. He is incomparable. Psalm 113 will inspire your view of God, and when we get our view of God right, praise begins to flow, and the other things in life have a way of finding their proper balance.

Psalm 112 is an anonymously-authored beautiful praise song. It is reminiscent of Psalm 1, in which two very different ways to live are described… the righteous and the wicked. The song itself is a praise directed to God, who alone can make a person righteous. In particular, Psalm 112 is a detailed description of what righteousness is, and how the righteous person will choose to live. The Psalmist seems to indicate that the only other option is to choose wickedness.

What is a steadfast heart? In this Psalm of David, he offers several “I will” declarations, leaving no doubt about the type of person he intends to be! All of these declarations seem to flow from one place: a steadfast heart. Do you have one? Would you like too? Psalm 108 is a unique compilation of Psalms 57 and 60… a “re-mix,” if you will, designed to apply old steady truth to a new dilemma in Israel.

Psalm 107 is constructed in a very unique way … it is like a roll call for all of us misfits. It is for those of us who have tried and failed … those of us who never fit in ... those who got lost along the way, those of us who have badly messed up. In other words, this Psalm is for you … Four different sections of the Psalm begin with the word “Some” and in these sections we find various descriptions of how God’s grace is not for the flawless and perfect, but instead for all of us “mess ups” as well!

Psalm 103 is a Psalm of Thanksgiving that starts in the soul of the individual and spreads to all of creation. As we see who God is and what he has done in our lives it compels us to sing his goodness to the ends of the earth.

We do not know by whom or when the 102nd Psalm came to be, but we do know they were in pain. It appears it was personal pain from sin, and national pain from rebellion against God. Psalm 102 is considered one of the seven “penitent” Psalms, along with Psalm 6, 32, 38, 51, 130, and 143. Today in the midst of communion we come with penitence before our God, to acknowledge our sin, it’s consequence, and then to dive deep into God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Psalm 101 has a very interesting tone. The constant use of the phrase “I will” (ten times) creates a sense that the Psalm is a song about commitment. The writer, David, is making pledge after pledge to God. David clearly intends to live a life of integrity. Since integrity is a key way to honor God and proclaim the Gospel, let’s look closely at David’s ancient song on this topic.

Psalm 100 is described as a Psalm for giving thanks. It is actually the only Psalm given this title. Giving anything is difficult, but truly giving thanks can be the difference between a joyful life or a bitter one. Psalm 100 is fun, popular, short and sweet, but it is also deep, encouraging and life-giving! The psalmist urges the entire planet to engage in passionate praise of the great merciful God.

Like last week’s Psalm 97 … this week we are again reminded that the Lord reigns. But this reminder seems attached to a completely different idea. God is thoroughly unique from any other force in the universe. Our God reigns, not just because He is mighty, He reigns because He is Holy! It was His holiness that motivated Him to create man, not His might. In other words, He made you to delight in your love and your journey into righteousness, not to manipulate you.

Psalm 97, like the Psalms around it, promotes the awesome power and glory of God. The Psalm begins with a really bold and simple fact … The Lord reigns! The fact that the Lord reigns over the earth is indisputable for the person with eyes and reason, but the condition of living gratefully and willingly under His reign is your choice. The Psalmist uses Psalm 97 to make a powerful case for gladly accepting the reign of God over not just the Universe, but even your heart!

Psalm 96 may be the most “international” of all the Psalms. There are no fewer than eleven references to the “peoples” and the “nations” and the “world” in these 13 short verses. If a call to worship could be issued globally, this is the Psalm that does it! Thinking internationally is a very biblical thing to do … let’s elaborate.

Psalm 95 is about ownership rights … an odd subject to sing about. What exactly does it mean to “belong” to God … to be the people of His pasture? In a sense, everyone and everything belongs to God, if you believe in His sovereignty. He is the Creator/ Owner of all things, and all things exist by and for Him. But the writer of Psalm 95 is obviously talking about something more intimate and pleasing than mere theology. What does it “mean” to you to belong to Him? How does it make you feel … and how does it change your life? Let’s explore the beauty of belonging with Psalm 95 today.

It can be really hard to be cheerful these days. Our thoughts are often fear based and fretful, full of gloom and despair. We worry and fret over life, and loss and often struggle to find real joy. Increasingly we think of joy only as a place of escape… something that we can find on vacation or at the ballgame, but not in the drudgery of an ordinary day. But the author of Psalm 92 seems to be claiming that he has found a secret to lasting and steady joy. Is it possible to be truly deeply content in mind and satisfied in life? This state of being he connects to God’s goodness. That’s worth a closer look for us today!

Psalm 90 is unique to the Psalter in many ways. It is the only Psalm attributed to Moses, and deals with something that we never want to talk about: death. In this Psalm we will see how small and finite we are compared to God’s everlasting nature. When we think rightly about death, we can truly live.

Psalm 91 is an amazing “wisdom” Psalm about where the wise person turns for refuge in a crazy and terrifying world. It is full of very well know verses of teaching and praise. But do not “miss the forest for the trees.” This ancient song, while popular and poetic, is also fearsome and incredibly important. The person who is wise enough to take shelter in the Lord has created a refuge and fortress for their life that the most terrifying attacks cannot penetrate!

Psalm 86 is a beautiful prayer, and one of the more poignant songs in the Scriptures. What makes Psalm 86 so unique is the raw honesty on display. The songwriter is obviously upset, hurting, discouraged and frustrated. But that’s okay, because he also knows exactly where to turn when in that state of mind. So our Psalm today is a passion filled cry to God for help (a lament), and the result is a huge lesson in humility and obedience!

While God would no doubt prefer that we remain steadfast, He knows we are but “dust,” especially since He formed us. He knows we are prone to wander, and easily distracted. So, to our great delight, it is good to know that God is merciful and gracious to restore and revive His people. This ancient Psalm is a prayer song, pleading with God for the revival of the people, and the renewal of the blessing on the land.